title: Llanbedrgoch railway station

abstract: Llanbedrgoch railway station was situated on the Red Wharf Bay branch line between Holland Arms railway station and Benllech, the penultimate station on the line off the main Anglesey Central Railway in Wales. Opening in 1909, it was a very simple station with only one short platform on the Up (east) side and a wooden waiting hut. It was an unstaffed request stop with no goods yard or sidings. The station closed in 1930, as did the line itself for passenger trains, and the station building removed. The tracks themselves were taken up in 1953 and the location of the platform is now a caravan site.

text:
# Llanbedrgoch railway station

**Llanbedrgoch railway station** was situated on the Red Wharf Bay branch line between Holland Arms railway station and Benllech, the penultimate station on the line off the main Anglesey Central Railway in Wales. Opening in 1909, it was a very simple station with only one short platform on the Up (east) side and a wooden waiting hut. It was an unstaffed request stop with no goods yard or sidings.

The station closed in 1930, as did the line itself for passenger trains, and the station building removed. The tracks themselves were taken up in 1953 and the location of the platform is now a caravan site.

| Preceding station | Historical railways | | | Following station |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pentraeth |  | Red Wharf Bay Branch |  | Red Wharf Bay and Benllech |

## InfoBox

| Llanbedrgoch | |
| --- | --- |
| The site of the station in 2008 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey<br>Wales |
| Coordinates | 53°18′01″N 4°13′22″W / 53.3004°N 4.2227°W / 53.3004; -4.2227 |
| Grid reference | SH519804 |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | London and North Western Railway |
| Pre-grouping | London and North Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | London Midland and Scottish Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 24 May 1909 | Opened |
| 22 September 1930 | Closed |
|  | |
|  | |
|  | |


title: Gaius Oppius Sabinus

abstract: Gaius Oppius Sabinus was a Roman Senator who held at least one office in the emperor's service. He was ordinary consul in the year 84 as the colleague of emperor Domitian. Sabinus was probably the son or nephew of Spurius Oppius, suffect consul in the nundinium of October–December 43. Following his consulate, Oppius Sabinus acceded to governor of the imperial province of Moesia. He served in this position for only a few months when an army of Dacians under Diurpaneus crossed the Danube and invaded the province. Sabinus was killed in the winter of 85/86 AD fighting the invaders. Administration of the province fell upon one of the legionary legates, until the new governor, Marcus Cornelius Nigrinus, could arrive. Meanwhile the Dacians ravaged the province and burned a number of forts along the Danube. Domitian, accompanied by his praetorian prefect Cornelius Fuscus, quickly traveled to Moesia with reinforcements to drive the Dacians out of Roman territories; these were the opening moves of Domitian's Dacian War.

text:
# Gaius Oppius Sabinus

**Gaius Oppius Sabinus** (died AD 85) was a Roman Senator who held at least one office in the emperor's service. He was ordinary consul in the year 84 as the colleague of emperor Domitian.

Sabinus was probably the son or nephew of Spurius Oppius, suffect consul in the *nundinium* of October–December 43. Following his consulate, Oppius Sabinus acceded to governor of the imperial province of Moesia. He served in this position for only a few months when an army of Dacians under Diurpaneus crossed the Danube and invaded the province. Sabinus was killed in the winter of 85/86 AD fighting the invaders.

Administration of the province fell upon one of the legionary legates, until the new governor, Marcus Cornelius Nigrinus, could arrive. Meanwhile the Dacians ravaged the province and burned a number of forts along the Danube. Domitian, accompanied by his praetorian prefect Cornelius Fuscus, quickly traveled to Moesia with reinforcements to drive the Dacians out of Roman territories; these were the opening moves of Domitian's Dacian War.

## Further reading


title: Mario Testino

abstract: Mario Eduardo Testino Silva OBE HonFRPS is a Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer. His work has featured internationally in magazines such as Vogue, V Magazine, Vanity Fair and GQ. He has also created images for brands such as Gucci, Burberry, Versace, Michael Kors, Chanel, Stuart Weitzman, Carolina Herrera and Estée Lauder. Alongside his practice as a photographer, Testino has also worked as a creative director, guest editor, museum founder, art collector and collaborator, and entrepreneur. His professional work as a photographer has been dogged by numerous accusations of sexual harassment and assault, including from his subjects. Aaron Hicklin of The Observer described him as "the world's most prolific magazine and fashion trade photographer".

text:
# Mario Testino

**Mario Eduardo Testino Silva** OBE HonFRPS (born 30 October 1954) is a Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer.

His work has featured internationally in magazines such as *Vogue, V Magazine,* *Vanity Fair* and *GQ.* He has also created images for brands such as Gucci, Burberry, Versace, Michael Kors, Chanel, Stuart Weitzman, Carolina Herrera and Estée Lauder. Alongside his practice as a photographer, Testino has also worked as a creative director, guest editor, museum founder, art collector and collaborator, and entrepreneur. His professional work as a photographer has been dogged by numerous accusations of sexual harassment and assault, including from his subjects.

Aaron Hicklin of *The Observer* described him as "the world's most prolific magazine and fashion trade photographer".

## Early life

Testino was born and grew up in Lima into a well-to-do Roman Catholic family. He was the eldest of six children and is of Spanish, Italian, and Irish descent. He attended a Catholic school, Santa Maria Marianistas. As a child he wanted to be a priest.

Testino studied economics at La Universidad del Pacífico followed by the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and the University of San Diego.

In 1976, he went to London to study photography after abandoning his studies of Economics, Law and International Affairs. It was during apprenticeships at the studios of John Vickers and Paul Nugent that he made his first attempts as a photographer. Living in a humble shared house that had been converted from a hospital, without much money, he funded himself by working as a waiter. He had his hair dyed pink which helped him get noticed as a photographer and took inspiration from British celebrity fashion photographer Cecil Beaton. London was a city that allowed him to flourish expressively without the restrictions he felt were imposed on him in Peru.

His work first appeared in *Vogue* in 1983.

During the early 1990s, Testino looked to his childhood growing up in Peru and his teenage summers in Brazil for inspiration, which helped him to shape his photographic language.

## Career

Testino has become one of the world's best-known and most celebrated fashion photographers. He has documented subjects from A-list stars, musicians, supermodels and artists as well as subjects he has encountered throughout his travels. His work has been featured in magazines such as *Vogue, V Magazine, Vanity Fair, GQ, LOVE, Allure* and *VMan*. Eighteen exhibitions and more than 16 books have been published on his work. Suzy Menkes, *Vogue's* International Editor explains, "Testino's skill is first and foremost to catch the moment and to bring out the humanity in his subjects".

Some of Testino's most recognizable work derives from his portraits of royals, most famously, his series with Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Commissioned for *Vanity Fair* he said: "\[Diana\] opened a door for me because I then started photographing the royal families of Europe extensively ... this brings out my love for tradition, for a way of showing family and the longevity of people". Testino was also the official photographer for portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the occasion of their engagement in December 2010. In July 2015, he took the official photographs of the British royal family after Princess Charlotte of Cambridge's christening at Sandringham Estate. He has photographed many other royal families in a similar fashion.

Testino's collaboration with Tom Ford and fashion stylist Carine Roitfeld on provocative advertising campaigns in the mid-1990s is widely credited to have led to the revival of Gucci as a major fashion house.

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American *Vogue* stated that "Fashion photography is this uneasy mix of art and commerce and I think nobody understands this better than Mario".

Aaron Hicklin of *The Observer* described him as "the world's most prolific magazine and fashion trade photographer". His persistence in shooting Gisele Bündchen and Kate Moss is widely credited with elevating their supermodel status. Testino started the ‘Towel Series’ on his Instagram account in 2013, featuring influential people, including musicians, actors and models wearing only towels. The series became widely replicated by his followers on the social platform and highly in demand among celebrities.

Testino was nicknamed the "John Singer Sargent of our times" by Terence Pepper, photography curator at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The Gallery's 2002 *Portraits* exhibition attracted more visitors than any other show in the museum's history at the time. For ten years it had the highest attendance of any exhibition ever to be held there. Over the next four years the exhibition toured globally. Testino’s work has been exhibited in museums around the world, including the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin (*Undressed*, 2017) the Shanghai Art Museum (*Private View*, 2012) and the National Portrait Gallery in London (*Portraits*, 2002)

More than 17 books of his photography have been published, including *Ciao*, *Sir*, *MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino*, and *Kate Moss by Mario Testino*, all published by TASCHEN; as well as Alta Moda and Pasito a Paso, published by Museo MATE

Testino's personal art collection has been the subject of two exhibitions. The first, *Somos Libres* in 2013 was at MATE - Museo Mario Testino in Lima, Peru. The second installation in 2014, *Somos Libres II* took place at the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli in Turin, Italy. His relationship with fine art developed through frequent visits to galleries and artists studios, and he has collaborated to create works with artists such as Keith Haring, Vik Muniz, John Currin and Julian Schnabel.

Testino was presented with an honorary OBE on 14 January 2014 by UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey in recognition of his career and charity work.

In 2011, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by The Royal Photographic Society. These are awarded to distinguished persons having, from their position or attainments, an intimate connection with the science or fine art of photography or the application thereof. In this same year *GQ* also awarded Testino the Man of the Year Inspiration Award.

In Latin America, he has been awarded The Grand Cross rank of the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service in Peru (25 May 2010) and The Tiradentes Medal in Brazil (2007).

Within the fashion and entertainment industry, he received the Walpole Ward for services to the luxury industry (2009), the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award (2005) and the British Style Award (2003).

To raise awareness of the value and beauty of cultural heritage all around the world, Testino has launched his most ambitious project yet: "A Beautiful World". The new body of work shines a unique spotlight onto the rich cultural heritage of traditional communities and people around the world.

### Selected clients

*Allure,* Burberry, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Roberto Cavalli, Chanel, Cîroc, Dolce & Gabbana, Estée Lauder, Etro, Fabergé, Ferragamo, Furla, Gap, *GQ,* Gucci, Givenchy, *Harper's Bazaar,* Hugo Boss, Iguatemi, Lancôme, Loewe, The Macallan, Massimo Dutti, Mercedes Benz, Michael Kors, Missoni, Ochirly, Ralph Lauren, Revlon, Stefanel, St John, Stuart Weitzman, Shiseido, Shanghai Tang, Sonia Rykiel, Tod's, Trussardi, *V Magazine,* Valentino, *Vanity Fair,* Versace, *VMAN, Vogue (*American, Brazilian, British, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish editions), Wolford.

### Works and exhibitions

*See: List of works and exhibitions by Mario Testino*

## Sexual assault and harassment accusations

In January 2018, *The New York Times* published an article in which Testino was accused by 13 male assistants and models who worked with him of sexual harassment, exploitation, and assault. Models Roman Barrett, Jason Fedele and Ryan Locke complained about his behaviour during campaigns in the 1990s. Subsequent to the allegations (which extended to photographer Bruce Weber's conduct) Condé Nast announced they "will not be commissioning any new work with them for the foreseeable future."

Further allegations were reported by *The New York Times* against Testino in 3 March 2018. Four of the five new allegations described their incidents occurring during or after 2010. Testino has denied all allegations. The total number of people publicly accusing Testino of sexual assault rose to 18.

On 3 April 2024, *The Hollywood Reporter* published an interview on Alan Ritchson wherein the Reacher star comments on prior allegations against Testino and Bruce Weber reported by *The New York Times*:

> Some of the stories were just like mine. I was just starting to build a platform and get my voice in the business, and I wondered, ‘Should I say something?’ Because all of the stories that those models were telling were my own. It’s all true.

## Philanthropy

Testino has been honoured for his contributions to many non-profit causes and charitable organizations through various awards and recognitions. In 2010, he was appointed one of the highest honours in his native country, The Grand Cross Order of Merit in Peru, and became President of the Board of World Monuments Fund Peru in 2014.

In his role as a Save the Children ambassador he helped to raise funds to build the El Salvador Clinic in the Pueblo Nuevo District, Chincha in his native Peru. The clinic was built for children with tuberculosis in the area badly affected by the devastating earthquake, which hit the coast of Peru in August 2007. The El Salvador Clinic was entirely funded from the sale of a single print from his portraits of Princess Diana, auctioned for £100,000.

He helped to raise funds for Natalia Vodianova's Naked Heart Foundation to build a playground in a Moscow children’s hospital specializing in cancer. It is a cause close to his heart since his brother died from the disease at the age of 10.

In July 2013, Testino opened his first non-profit association in Barranco, Lima. Museo Mario Testino was established to act as a dynamic platform for Peruvian art through the cultivation and promotion of culture and heritage.

Testino restored a 13,000 sq. ft. mansion built in 1898, which is home to a permanent exhibition of his work alongside a temporary exhibition space for Peruvian and international artists.

## Recognition and awards

| Year | Award or event | Notes | Location |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2017 | Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur | for services to culture, French residences | Lima, Peru |
| 2016 | Clio Fashion & Beauty Lifetime Achievement Award | 57th Annual Award Show | New York City |
| 2016 | Business of Fashion Global VOICES Award | for outstanding achievement in fashion and exemplary impact on the wider world, Business of Fashion VOICES | Oxfordshire, UK |
| 2015 | International Center of Photography Infinity Award | Special Presentation | New York City |
| 2014 | Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire | in recognition of services to photography and charity | London, UK |
| 2014 | Best Photographer in the World Award | Spanish *Vogue* | Madrid, Spain |
| 2012 | AmfAR Inspiration Award |  | São Paulo, Brazil |
| 2011 | British *GQ* Man of the Year | Inspiration Award | London, UK |
| 2011 | El Museo del Barrio Lifetime Achievement Award |  | New York City |
| 2011 | Honorary Fellowship of The Royal Photographic Society |  | Bath, UK |
| 2011 | Moët & Chandon Étoile Award |  | London, UK |
| 2011 | Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Gold Medal |  | New York City |
| 2010 | The Grand Cross rank of the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service in Peru |  | Lima, Peru |
| 2009 | Walpole Award for services to the luxury industry |  | London, UK |
| 2008 | ASME National Magazine Award | “Best Fashion Cover” for the September 2007 edition of *Vanity Fair* | New York City |
| 2008 | Commitment Award | United Nations and Women Together | New York City |
| 2008 | Hero Award | Aid for Aids | New York City |
| 2007 | The Tiradentes Medal |  | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 2005 | Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award |  | Los Angeles, California |
| 2004 | Doctor Emeritus of the University of the Arts London |  | London, UK |
| 2003 | British Style Award |  | London, UK |
| 2003 | *Elle* Style Award |  | London, UK |
|

## InfoBox

| Mario Testino
OBE | |
| --- | --- |
| Testino in 2014 | |
| Born | Mario Eduardo Testino Silva
30 October 1954 (1954-10-30) (age 69)
Lima, Peru |
| Education |  |
| Known for | Photographer |
| Website | mariotestino.com |


title: Zwalm (river)

abstract: The Zwalm or Zwalmbeek is a tributary of the Scheldt and one of the main watercourses in the Flemish Ardennes in the southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders.

text:
# Zwalm (river)

The **Zwalm** or **Zwalmbeek** is a tributary of the Scheldt and one of the main watercourses in the Flemish Ardennes in the southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders.

## Geography

The Zwalm Basin (*Zwalmbekken*) is located almost entirely in the province of East Flanders, with only a small section in the vicinity of Vloesberg extending into Hainaut Province.

The Zwalm receives water from the municipalities of Flobecq, Brakel, Zottegem, Horebeke, Oudenaarde, and Zwalm. The municipality of Zwalm is named after the Zwalm stream.

The source area of the Zwalm is located in Vloesberg, where it comprises the upper reaches of the Zwalm, each with its own name. The highest point in this source area is at 150 meters above TAW (*Tweede Algemene Waterpassing*). The Zwalm itself is formed in Brakel from its upper reaches, including the Dorenbosbeek (rising in the Livierenbos), the Verrebeek (rising in the Livierenbos and Hayesbos in the Everbeekse Forests), and the Sassegembeek (rising in the Brakelbos). After Brakel, the Zwalm also flows through the municipalities of Zottegem and Zwalm.

The non-navigable Zwalm, along with the Ronne and the Maarkebeek, is the main tributary of the Scheldt River between Tournai and Ghent. The maximum length of the Zwalm is 21.8 kilometers, of which approximately 14 kilometers bear its own name (downstream from Brakel).

Nederzwalm is located at the confluence of the Zwalm and the Boekelbeek, the main tributary of the Zwalm. This tributary originates in Zegelsem and also receives water from the municipality of Horebeke. The Zwalm flows into the Scheldt River on the border between Welden and Nederzwalm.

Characteristic features include its banks in the Zwalm Valley and the waterfalls of the Zwalm. The left bank is gradual sloping, while the right bank is steep.

In Nederzwalm, there is a measuring station. The average flow rate measured is 0.80 m³/s. However, the flow rate of the Zwalm stream can vary significantly and rapidly between 0.60 m³/s and 1 m³/s.

Since the implementation of a water purification program, which began in 1989, including a water purification station in Bruggenhoek in Roborst, the water quality in the Zwalm has improved significantly.

## Etymology

The Zwalm River is first described in 1040 as *fluviolum Swalma*.

There is little doubt about the origin of the name Zwalm. *Swalm* was Middle Dutch for vapor, mist, or fume. Therefore, it refers to the steaming or vaporous river.

## History

At the Roman invasion in 57 BC, the region around the Zwalm River was inhabited by the Nervii. The Romans established a significant military camp in Velzeke. The Roman road from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Cologne passed through Nederzwalm and Velzeke. Another road led from Bavay to Velzeke. Numerous Roman and Gallo-Roman coins and pottery have been found throughout the Zwalm region. In the Middle Ages, in 976, the monks of St. Bavo's Abbey in Ghent founded a settlement at 'Ten Berge,' northeast of the confluence of the Wijlegemse stream into the Zwalm. Hence, the name Munkzwalm. Nederzwalm was under the control of the Abbey of Ename.

## Fish Population

The Institute for Nature and Forest Research of the Scientific Institution of the Flemish Community conducted various surveys of the fish in the Zwalm River and several of its tributaries. Fish ladders were built at several locations (including the Boembekemolen), with the exception of the Zwalmmolen.

The most recent survey was conducted on April 18 and 19, 2005. The number of fish species ranged from 10 to 14, and the composition varied over the years depending on the location. The following 11 species were caught in the Zwalm: perch, roach, three-spined stickleback, gudgeon, carp, chub (reintroduced in 2000), eel, rudd, European bitterling, pike, and tench. The most fish-rich zone, both in terms of quantity and diversity of species, remains the downstream area with the Zwalm Mill pool.

During a study of the fish ladder at the Ter Biest Mill from April 4 to June 29, 2007, 22 fish species were found. Over 1,100 fish swam through this fish ladder in three months. The species found at that time, in order of abundance, were roach, European bitterling, spirlin, eel, three-spined stickleback, perch, gudgeon, carp, chub, blue bream, bream, river lamprey, European weatherfish, common bleak, smelt, rudd, tench, common minnow, Eurasian ruffe, vimba bream, sunbleak (reintroduced in 2015), and American brook lamprey. The length of the measured fish ranged from 4.5 to 65 cm. In 2016, it was decided to reintroduce the brook trout. European bullhead is also found in the Zwalm basin (including in the Sassegembeek, Traveinsbeek, and Maarkebeek).

At the mouth of the Zwalm, beavers inhabit the area.

## Watermills

The gradient of the Zwalm river is 1.5 meters per kilometer, and this gradient has been put to practical use for the construction of watermills. Notable are some of the 13 watermills in the Zwalm basin, of which 5 are located on the Zwalm itself.

## Tourism

In the Zwalm region, much like in the rest of the Flemish Ardennes, day tourism is a predominant activity. In the source areas, you can find the Everbeekse forests, Brakelbos, and Livierenbos, all of which are accessible. Nature reserves like Kloosterbos, Steenbergse forests, Burreken, Perlinkvallei, Munkbosbeekvallei, Bovenlopen Zwalm, and Middenloop Zwalm are also accessible. A portion of the dismantled railway line from Zottegem via Flobecq to Ellezelles has now become a paved walking and cycling path known as the Miner's Path. Along this path, completely free of car traffic, you can follow the Zwalm valley from Opbrakel to Zottegem. You can also follow the Zwalmbeek from Opbrakel to its confluence with the Scheldt in Nederzwalm via a footpath starting from Moriaan and Jan de Lichtepad in Velzeke.

The Zwalm region is well-known among cycling enthusiasts, especially for its hills and cobblestone roads.

There are several signposted hiking and cycling routes (Watermill Route), number-node cycle network (Flemish Ardennes), a hiking node network Flemish Ardennes - Zwalm Valley, Streek-GR Vlaamse Ardennen, and a similarly signposted car route (Flemish Ardennes Route).

The Zwalm region is accessible by train and bus. There are train stations in Zottegem, Munkzwalm, and Sint-Denijs-Boekel.

The lower course of the Zwalm and its dammed sections are navigable by small rowing boats and canoes. In the past, the Zwalm was used for recreational boating. Boating on the Zwalmbeek was rare for several years due to pollution, but thanks to the water purification station in Roborst, boating on the Zwalm is once again attractive.

1. Services, ProZ com Translation. "tweede algemeene waterpassing | Dutch to English | Ships, Sailing, Maritime". *ProZ.com | Freelance translators and interpreters*. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
2. "Afvoer : 34210102-Zwalm te Nederzwalm (Amwa 527)". 2008-09-29. Archived from the original on 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
3. "Zoekresultaten". *bouwstoffen.kantl.be*. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
4. "Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek". 7 April 2020.
5. DBNL. "\[Nummer 1-2\], Naamkunde. Jaargang 10". *DBNL* (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-10-03.
6. "Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek". 2010-03-10. Archived from the original on 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
7. S. Desmet, *De Zwalm: van chemisch blauw naar rooskleurig*, Meander 1 - 2018, pag. 4-5
8. P. Boets, A.Dillen, *Een lange weg afgelegd: soortherstel van beekforel in de Zwalm*, Meander 2 - 2019, pag. 18-19
9. Nuus
10. "Molens op de Zwalm". 2009-04-20. Archived from the original on 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
11. "Zwalm vroeger en nu" (PDF). *De Zwalmse Post*. Vol. 9, no. 6. June 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2023-10-03.

## InfoBox

| Zwalm | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Location | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Physical characteristics | |
|  | |
| Source | Brakel |
|  | |
| Mouth | Schelde |
| location | Border between Nederzwalm and Welden |
| coordinates | 50°53′20″N 3°40′04″E / 50.88884°N 3.66787°E / 50.88884; 3.66787 |
| Length | 14 km |


title: Vučić, Rača

abstract: Vučić is a village in the municipality of Rača in central Serbia. The village is located 30 km from the city of Kragujevac. In the 2011 census, the village had 836 residents. There is a four-grade elementary school in the village with 25 students. During the 2014 Southeast Europe floods, the village and surrounding fields were flooded.

text:
# Vučić, Rača

**Vučić** (Serbian Cyrillic: Вучић) is a village in the municipality of Rača in central Serbia. The village is located 30 km from the city of Kragujevac. In the 2011 census, the village had 836 residents.

There is a four-grade elementary school in the village with 25 students. During the 2014 Southeast Europe floods, the village and surrounding fields were flooded.

## InfoBox

| Vučić Вучић | |
| --- | --- |
| village | |
|  | |
| Coordinates: 44°12′12″N 20°58′24″E / 44.20333°N 20.97333°E / 44.20333; 20.97333 | |
| Country | Serbia |
| District | Šumadija |
| Municipality | Rača |
| Elevation | 180 m (590 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| Total | 836 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |


abstract: Vesta Township is one of the twenty-six townships of Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 206 at the 2000 census. Vesta Township was organized in 1880, and named after Vesta, Roman goddess of the hearth and home.

text:
# Vesta Township, Redwood County, Minnesota

**Vesta Township** is one of the twenty-six townships of Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 206 at the 2000 census.

Vesta Township was organized in 1880, and named after Vesta, Roman goddess of the hearth and home.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 34.9 square miles (90.4 km2), of which 34.8 square miles (90.2 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) (0.23%) is water.

The city of Vesta is located in Vesta Township.

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 206 people, 69 households, and 56 families residing in the township. The population density was 5.9 people per square mile (2.3/km2). There were 78 housing units at an average density of 2.2/sq mi (0.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 100.00% White.

There were 69 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.8% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the township the population was spread out, with 34.0% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $44,583, and the median income for a family was $54,375. Males had a median income of $28,333 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,247. About 3.5% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen and 5.4% of those 65 or over.

1. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
2. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. Upham, Warren (1920). *Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance*. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 452.

## InfoBox

| Vesta Township, Minnesota | |
| --- | --- |
| Township | |
| Cities and townships of Redwood County | |
| Coordinates: 44°30′38″N 95°24′7″W / 44.51056°N 95.40194°W / 44.51056; -95.40194 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Redwood |
| Area | |
| Total | 34.9 sq mi (90.4 km2) |
| Land | 34.8 sq mi (90.2 km2) |
| Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,037 ft (316 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| Total | 206 |
| Density | 5.9/sq mi (2.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 56287, 56292 |
| Area code | 507 |
| FIPS code | 27-67000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0665867 |


title: Valentino Talluto

abstract: Valentino Talluto is an Italian man who was charged in 2017 for the criminal transmission of HIV to at least 30 women and sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment.

text:
# Valentino Talluto

**Valentino Talluto** (born 1984) is an Italian man who was charged in 2017 for the criminal transmission of HIV to at least 30 women and sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment.

## Discovery of infection

Talluto discovered his HIV positive status in 2006, after which he continued to contact and have relations with women via social networks, using the pseudonym "Hearty Style". He denied his HIV status when confronted by people he had infected, after they discovered that they had contracted the virus, either through health issues or having been alerted by other partners of Talluto.

## Arrest and trial

Talluto was arrested in November 2015, nearly a decade after the discovery of his HIV positive status. His trial began in March 2017. He was convicted in Rome on 27 October 2017.


title: Mayong (Assam)

abstract: Mayong is a village in Morigaon district, Assam, India. It lies on the bank of the river Brahmaputra, approximately 40 km (25 mi) from the city of Guwahati. Mayong is a tourist attraction because of its history.

text:
# Mayong (Assam)

**Mayong** (or **Mayang**) is a village in Morigaon district, Assam, India. It lies on the bank of the river Brahmaputra, approximately 40 km (25 mi) from the city of Guwahati. Mayong is a tourist attraction because of its history.

## Etymology

The origin of the name may be based in the Chutia/Tiwa/Deori word *Ma-yong* which means *mother*, the Kachari word for an elephant (*Miyong*), and *ongo* meaning *part*. Some believe that Manipuris from the Moirang clan used to inhabit this area therefore; the name Moirang became Mayhong with time.

## History

Mayong along with Pragjyotishpura (the ancient name of Assam) find place in many epics, including the Mahabharata. Chief Ghatotkacha of Kachari Kingdom took part in The Great Battle of Mahabharata with his magical powers. It was also said about the Mayong that the Tantrik (one who knows tantra vidya) and the witches take shelter in mayong forest till now. Many tales of men disappearing into air, people being converted into animals, or beasts being magically tamed have been associated with Mayong. Sorcery and magic were traditionally practiced and passed down over generations.

*Narabali* or human sacrifices were carried until the early modern period. Excavators had recently dug up swords and other sharp weapons that resembled tools used for human sacrifice in other parts of India, suggesting that human sacrifice may have occurred in the Ahom era in Mayong.

## Tourism

Mayong is a tourist and archaeological location because of its rich wildlife, archaeology pilgrimage, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism and river tourism. Mayong is also famous for its connection and past relationships with Black magic.

### Mayong Central Museum and Emporium

There are numerous archaeological relics and artefacts, including books on Tantra Kriya and Ayurveda at the Mayong Central Museum and Emporium, which was opened in 2002. Very close to Mayong is the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. This Sanctuary has the highest density of one horned rhinoceros in the world.

## InfoBox

| Mayong Mayang | |
| --- | --- |
| Nickname: Tinkal | |
| MayongLocation in Assam, IndiaMayongMayong (India) | |
| Coordinates: 26°15′31.87″N 92°02′26.85″E / 26.2588528°N 92.0407917°E / 26.2588528; 92.0407917 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Assam |
| District | Morigaon |
| Languages | |
| Official | Assamese |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Telephone code | 913678 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-AS |
| Vehicle registration | AS |


title: Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd

abstract: Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd is a small village and community in Denbighshire in Wales, approximately 2 miles north-east of the town of Ruthin on the main A494 road towards Chester. There are several places called Llanbedr in Wales, as the word literally translates to 'church of St. Peter' in English. There are two churches called St Peter's in Llanbedr D.C., the original medieval church of St. Peter and still stands as a Grade 2 listed ruin near Llanbedr Hall, and the present parish church of St. Peter, also Grade 2 listed, is alongside the A494 dedicated in 1864, part of the Deanery of Dyffryn Clwyd in the Diocese of St. Asaph. In 1831 the parish had a population of 527, a number which fell to 285 by the time of the 1901 census. In the 2011 census the population of Llanbedr was 787.

text:
# Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd

**Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd** is a small village and community in Denbighshire in Wales, approximately 2 miles north-east of the town of Ruthin on the main A494 road towards Chester.

There are several places called Llanbedr in Wales, as the word literally translates to 'church of St. Peter' in English. There are two churches called St Peter's in Llanbedr D.C. (as it is sometimes abbreviated to), the original medieval church of St. Peter and still stands as a Grade 2 listed ruin near Llanbedr Hall, and the present parish church of St. Peter, also Grade 2 listed, is alongside the A494 dedicated in 1864, part of the Deanery of Dyffryn Clwyd in the Diocese of St. Asaph.

In 1831 the parish had a population of 527, a number which fell to 285 by the time of the 1901 census. In the 2011 census the population of Llanbedr was 787.

## Notable residents

## Governance

Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd is part of the electoral ward called Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/Llangynhafal. This ward had a total population in the 2011 census of 1,421.

## InfoBox

| Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd | |
| --- | --- |
| St Peter's Church, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd | |
| Llanbedr Dyffryn ClwydLocation within Denbighshire | |
| Population | 787 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SJ145595 |
| Community | * Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd |
| Principal area |  |
| Preserved county |  |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | RUTHIN |
| Postcode district | LL15 |
| Dialling code | 01824 |
|  | |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
|  | |
| UK Parliament |  |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament |  |
| Website | http://www.llanbedrdyffrynclwyd.org.uk/ |
|


title: Markham City Council

abstract: The Markham City Council is the governing body of the city of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It consists of the mayor, eight councillors who each represent one of the city's eight wards, and four regional councillors who, along with the mayor, are elected via double direct election to represent the city at York Regional Council. Council meets in the chambers of the Markham Civic Centre at the corner of Warden Avenue and Highway 7. The most recent municipal election was held in 2022.

text:
# Markham City Council

The **Markham City Council** is the governing body of the city of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It consists of the mayor, eight councillors who each represent one of the city's eight wards, and four regional councillors who, along with the mayor, are elected via double direct election to represent the city at York Regional Council.

Council meets in the chambers of the Markham Civic Centre at the corner of Warden Avenue and Highway 7.

The most recent municipal election was held in 2022.

## History

Markham Village was incorporated as a township in 1850, establishing a council with one reeve, one deputy reeve, and three councillors. This system was used until 1 January 1971, when municipalities in York County were reorganized into the Regional Municipality of York, and Markham was newly incorporated as a town when Markham Village merged with Unionville and Thornhill east of Yonge Street. An electoral system based on six wards was established, and this numeric ward system remains mostly unchanged since its creation. Two wards were added, one in 1976 (Ward 7), and another in 1984 (Ward 8).

Minor boundary changes have taken place (1978, 1982, 1997 and 2006) with no impact on the numbering.

Most ward changes require approval by the Ontario Municipal Board (in the case of 1976 and 1997) with only the 2006 changes not requiring prior approval.

Changes were made to the boundaries for all 8 wards for 2014 elections with Thornhill assigned to Ward 1 to replace the former Ward 1 and 2 split.

The changes also take into consideration existing neighbourhoods, natural boundaries, better representation by population, effective representation and accommodation for future growth of Markham.

Then still under town status, the mayor, town councillors and regional councillors were elected by the residents of Markham every 3 years until 2006. Provincial legislation extended the election period to 4 years.

## Town Council (2006-2010)

| Councillor | Ward | Communities represented | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Frank Scarpitti | Mayor |  | *ex officio* Council Chair and CEO |
| Valerie Burke | 1 | Thornhill |  |
| Erin Shapero | 2 | Thornlea |  |
| Don Hamilton | 3 | Unionville, Markville, Quanztown, Downtown Markham |  |
| Carolina Moretti | 4 | Dickson Hill, Mount Joy, Wismer Commons |  |
| John Webster | 5 | Cornell, Mount Joy, Unionville's Berczy Village, Vinegar Hill, Greensborough |  |
| Dan Horchik | 6 | West Unionville, and the surrounding Unionville neighbourhoods including Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Angus Glen, Cathedraltown |  |
| Logan Kanapathi | 7 | Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy | First elected politician in Canada from the Canadian-Tamil community |
| Alex Chiu | 8 | Milliken Mills | Former Ward 7 councillor |

**Regional Councillors**

Regional councillors are elected at-large to represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of the Regional Council.

| **Councillor** | **Ward** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jack Heath | Markham | Deputy Mayor |
| Jim Jones | Markham | former Progressive Conservative MP for Markham; former Regional Councillor |
| Joseph Virgilio | Markham | Appointed in September 2009 after the death of Tony Wong.; former Ward 3 town councillor |
| Gordon Landon | Markham | Conservative candidates for the federal riding of Markham in next federal elections |

## Town Council (2010-2012) and City Council (2012-2014)

The council elected in the 2010 municipal election took office on December 1, 2010. The town council members became city council members on July 1, 2012 when Markham changed from a town to a city.

| Councillor | Ward | Communities represented | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Frank Scarpitti | Mayor |  | *ex officio* Council Chair and CEO |
| Valerie Burke | 1 | Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner |  |
| Howard Shore | 2 | Thornlea, German Mills | Chair of Communications and Information Technology Sub-Committee, vice-chair of Community & Fire Services |
| Don Hamilton | 3 | Unionville, Downtown Markham |  |
| Carolina Moretti | 4 | Dickson Hill, Mount Joy, Wismer Commons, Ramerville | Chair of Canada Day Committee and Economic Development Committee |
| Colin Campbell | 5 | Cornell (Grand Cornell, Upper Corner), Mount Joy, Berczy Village, Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Greensborough, Locust Hill, Markham Village | former Toronto Fire Services captain |
| Alan Ho | 6 | Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Angus Glen, Cathedraltown |  |
| Logan Kanapathi | 7 | Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove |  |
| Alex Chiu | 8 | Milliken Mills, Hagerman's Corner | former Ward 7 councillor and owner of retail store at Market Village Mall |

**Regional Councillors**

Regional councillors are elected at-large to represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of the Regional Council.

| **Councillor** | **Ward** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jack Heath | Markham | Deputy Mayor |
| Jim Jones | Markham | former Progressive Conservative MP for Markham (1997-2000); former Regional Councillor (1988-1997); Toronto Liaison Committee Chair |
| Gordon Landon | Markham | Conservative candidates for the federal riding of Markham in next federal elections; Development Services Committee - Chair of Transportation |
| Joe Li | Markham | former Progressive Conservative/Conservative candidate during past federal elections - Scarborough—Rouge River (1997 federal elections) and Markham—Unionville (2004 and 2006) |

## City Council (2014-2018)

The council elected in the 2014 municipal election took office on December 1, 2014. Wards boundaries were changed with former Ward 1 and 2 combined as one (with portions moved to other wards), former Ward 6 became Ward 2.

| Councillor | Ward | Communities represented | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Frank Scarpitti | Mayor |  | *ex officio* Council Chair and CEO |
| Valerie Burke | 1 | Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner, German Mills, Thornlea | Defeated former Ward 2 councillor Howard Shore in the new Ward 1 |
| Alan Ho | 2 | Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Cathedraltown | Elected to the new Ward 2, formerly Ward 6 |
| Don Hamilton | 3 | Unionville, Downtown Markham |  |
| Karen Rea | 4 | Mount Joy, Wismer Commons (South of Bur Oak), Markham Village, Ramerville | newly elected defeating incumbent Carolina Moretti |
| Colin Campbell | 5 | Cornell (Grand Cornell, Upper Corner), Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Locust Hill, Dickson Hill (East of Markham Road) | former Toronto Fire Services captain |
| Amanda Yeung Collucci | 6 | Angus Glen, Berczy Village, Wismer Commons (North of Bur Oak), Dickson Hill (West of Markham Road) | This is a newly created Ward 6 taking some parts of Ward 2 & 4 |
| Khalid Usman | 7 | Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove |  |
| Alex Chiu | 8 | Milliken Mills, Hagerman's Corner | former Ward 7 councillor and owner of retail store at Market Village Mall |

**Regional Councillors**

Regional councillors are elected at-large to represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of the Regional Council.

| **Councillor** | **Ward** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jack Heath | Markham | Deputy Mayor |
| Jim Jones | Markham | former Progressive Conservative MP for Markham (1997-2000); former Regional Councillor (1988-1997); Toronto Liaison Committee Chair |
| Nirmala Armstrong | Markham | local lawyer and elected to replace Gordon Landon |
| Joe Li | Markham | former Progressive Conservative/Conservative candidate during past federal elections - Scarborough—Rouge River (1997 federal elections) and Markham—Unionville (2004 and 2006) |

## City Council (2018-2022)

The following councillors were elected in the 2018 municipal election.

| Councillor | Ward | Communities represented | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Frank Scarpitti | Mayor |  | *ex officio* Council Chair and CEO |
| Keith Irish | 1 | Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner, German Mills, Thornlea |  |
| Alan Ho | 2 | Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Cathedraltown |  |
| Reid McAlpine | 3 | Unionville, Downtown Markham |  |
| Karen Rea | 4 | Mount Joy, Wismer Commons (South of Bur Oak), Markham Village, Ramerville |  |
| Andrew Keyes | 5 | Cornell (Grand Cornell, Upper Corner), Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Locust Hill, Dickson Hill (East of Markham Road) |  |
| Amanda Yeung Collucci | 6 | Angus Glen, Berczy Village, Wismer Commons (North of Bur Oak), Dickson Hill (West of Markham Road) |  |
| Khalid Usman | 7 | Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove |  |
| Isa Lee | 8 | Milliken Mills, Hagerman's Corner | 33-year council veteran and incumbent Alex Chiu did not run |

**Regional Councillors**

Regional councillors are elected at-large to represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of the Regional Council.

| **Councillor** | **Ward** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jack Heath | Markham |  |
| Jim Jones | Markham | former Progressive Conservative MP for Markham (1997-2000); former Regional Councillor (1988-1997); Toronto Liaison Committee Chair |
| Don Hamilton | Markham | Deputy Mayor (2018-2022), former Ward 3 councillor (2009-2018) |
| Joe Li | Markham | former Progressive Conservative/Conservative candidate during past federal elections - Scarborough—Rouge River (1997 federal elections) and Markham—Unionville (2004 and 2006) |

## City Council (2022-present)

The following councillors were elected in the 2022 municipal election.

| Councillor | Ward | Communities represented |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Frank Scarpitti | Mayor | At-Large |
| Keith Irish | 1 | Thornhill, Langstaff, Steeles Corner, German Mills, Thornlea |
| Ritch Lau | 2 | Buttonville, Brown's Corner, Cachet, Victoria Square, Cashel, Cathedraltown |
| Reid McAlpine | 3 | Unionville, Downtown Markham |
| Karen Rea | 4 | Mount Joy, Wismer Commons (South of Bur Oak), Markham Village, Ramerville |
| Andrew Keyes | 5 | Cornell (Grand Cornell, Upper Corner), Vinegar Hill, Quantztown, Locust Hill, Dickson Hill (East of Markham Road) |
| Amanda Yeung Collucci | 6 | Angus Glen, Berczy Village, Wismer Commons (North of Bur Oak), Dickson Hill (West of Markham Road) |
| Juanita Nathan | 7 | Box Grove, Armadale, Legacy, Cedar Grove |
| Isa Lee | 8 | Milliken Mills, Hagerman's Corner |

**Regional Councillors**

Regional councillors are elected at-large to represent the city at York Regional Council. By default the mayor is also a member of the Regional Council.

| **Councillor** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- |
| Michael Chan | Deputy Mayor, former Liberal MPP for Markham–Unionville and provincial Cabinet Minister |
| Jim Jones | former Progressive Conservative MP for Markham |
| Joe Li |  |
| Alan Ho | former City Councillor |

## Vacancies

City council vacancies are filled by a by-election, as in the case in 2009 when then Ward 3 councillor Joseph Virgilio resigned to become Regional Councillor and Don Hamilton elected as the new Ward 3 councillor.

Prior to the Ward 3 by-election Joseph Virgilio was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of Regional Councillor Tony Wong.

## Committees

Committees are created and chair and represented by city councillors to deal with issues and by-laws that impact the city. The chair and vice-chairs are elected selected by the mayor.

**STANDING COMMITTEES**

* Development Services Committee
* General Committee
* Committee of the Whole

**OTHER COMMITTEES**

* Cornell Hub
* Langstaff Implementation
* Licensing
* Parking Advisory
* Environmental Issues
* Thornhill
* Toronto Liaison
* Green Print Steering
* Public Realm Advisory
* Storm Water Management Liaison
* School Board Liaison
* Seniors Hall of Fame Awards
* Stiver Mill Preservation

**ADVISORY COMMITTEES**

* Committee of Adjustment
* Heritage Markham Committee
* Achievement & Civic Recognition Awards (ACRA)
* Agricultural Advisory Committee
* Pandemic Readiness Emergency Plan (PREP) Steering
* Public Art Advisory
* Seniors' Hall of Fame Awards
* Environmental Advisory
* Race Relations
* Advisory Committee on Accessibility
* Animal Care
* Environmental Issues
* Cycling & Pedestrian Advisory

**SUB-COMMITTEES**

* Communications Committee and Information Technology
* Budget
* Licensing
* Milliken Mills
* Parking Advisory
* Southeast Community Centre & Library Design


title: Zwai Bala

abstract: Zwai Bala is a South African kwaito and gospel musician.

text:
# Zwai Bala

**Zwai Bala** (born 15 February 1975) is a South African kwaito and gospel musician.

## Education

Bala studied at the Drakensberg Boys' Choir School, near Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, and matriculated at St Stithians College in 1994. He then pursued an online Master's Certificate in Orchestration for Film and Television at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He came to public attention in 1997 as a member of the kwaito group TKZee.

## Career

When he was 11 years old, he entered *The Shell Road to Fame* talent show and reached the semi-finals. Together with school friends Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, he formed kwaito group TKZee. TKZee released their singles "Take It Eezy", holiday hit "Phalafala" and their top-selling "Shibobo", which featured South Africa national football team player Benni McCarthy. Later, Bala began a solo musical career.

As a music director and producer, Bala has worked on musicals featuring Ali Campbell of UB40, produced *Grace* from the two-time Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, and has been the featured soloist at the Classical FM–Lexus Soiree at the Sandton Intercontinental.

He was a celebrity contestant on the first season of the SABC 2 reality competition *Strictly Come Dancing* in 2006, partnered with professional ballroom dancer Kego Motshabi. The pair finished third.

## Songs

Bala's recorded music include:

* Ndize
* Umlilo-Masibase
* All I Do
* Black 'N Proud
* Ndiredi
* Moody's Mood For Love
* Nozamile
* Vuk'uzenzele
* Play That Music
* Kuyasa
* Ikhaya
* Bash'abafana
* Tino Tino
* Folkfanse-My Heritage
* Hand Prints
* Circle of Life
* Solo
* Soccer
* Gux Duo
* Niceland-Guguletu
* Everyone Can Drum
* Noble Peace
* Noyana

## Television

His television appearances include:

* *All You Need Is Love* – Season 2 – Host
* *Clash of the Choirs South Africa* – Season 1 – Choir Master
* *Clash of the Choirs South Africa* – Season 3 – Guest Judge
* *Popstars* – Season 2, 3 and 4 – Judge
* *Pump Up The Volume* – Season 1 – Judge
* *Red Cake – Not the Cooking Show* – Season 1 – Houseband leader

## Awards

In 2002 he received a South African Music Award (SAMA) For his single "Lifted" and in 2019 he, along with fellow TKZee members Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, received a SAMA award for Lifetime Achievement.

## InfoBox

| Zwai Bala | |
| --- | --- |
| Birth name | Mzwandile Bala |
| Born | (1975-02-15) 15 February 1975<br>Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Genres | Kwaito, Gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer, actor |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Member of |  |


title: Mecyclothorax polhemusi

abstract: Mecyclothorax polhemusi is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Psydrinae. It was described by Liebherr in 2006.

text:
# Mecyclothorax polhemusi

***Mecyclothorax polhemusi*** is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Psydrinae. It was described by Liebherr in 2006.

## InfoBox

| *Mecyclothorax polhemusi* | |
| --- | --- |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Carabidae |
| Genus: | *Mecyclothorax* |
| Species: | ***M. polhemusi*** |
| Binomial name | |
| ***Mecyclothorax polhemusi***<br>Liebherr, 2006 | |
|


title: Venkatapur, Bhatkal, Karnataka

abstract: Venkatapur is a census town in Bhatkal Taluk in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.

text:
# Venkatapur, Bhatkal, Karnataka

**Venkatapur** is a census town in Bhatkal Taluk in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.

## Etymology

Venkatapur derives its name from Shree Lakshmi Venkatesh Temple.

## Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Venkatapur had a population of 5968. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Venkatapur has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 70%. In Venkatapur, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.

## InfoBox

| Venkatapur | |
| --- | --- |
| town | |
| VenkatapurLocation in Karnataka, IndiaVenkatapurVenkatapur (India) | |
| Coordinates: 14°01′N 74°32′E / 14.02°N 74.53°E / 14.02; 74.53 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Karnataka |
| District | Uttara Kannada |
| Government | |
| Type | Town Panchayat |
| Body | Jali Town Panchayat |
| Population (2001) | |
| Total | 5,968 |
| Languages | |
| Official | Kannada |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-KA |
| Vehicle registration | KA |
| Website | karnataka.gov.in |


title: Meridarchis theriosema

abstract: Meridarchis theriosema is a moth in the family Carposinidae. It is found in Papua New Guinea.

text:
# Meridarchis theriosema

***Meridarchis theriosema*** is a moth in the family Carposinidae. It is found in Papua New Guinea.

## InfoBox

| *Meridarchis theriosema* | |
| --- | --- |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Carposinidae |
| Genus: | *Meridarchis* |
| Species: | ***M. theriosema*** |
| Binomial name | |
| ***Meridarchis theriosema***<br>Meyrick, 1928 | |
|


title: Mark Mayerhofler

abstract: Mark Andrew Mayerhofler is a former rugby union player who represented the New Zealand All Blacks six times in 1998. In 1997 he won the Tom French Cup, an honour awarded annually by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the Maori player of the year. He also played for Newcastle Falcons in the Guinness Premiership. Whilst at Newcastle he started as they won the 2004 Powergen Cup final. He attended Henderson High School, Auckland New Zealand. Mayerhofler's position of choice was as a 2nd 5/8

text:
# Mark Mayerhofler

**Mark Andrew Mayerhofler** (born 8 October 1972) is a former rugby union player who represented the New Zealand All Blacks six times in 1998. In 1997 he won the Tom French Cup, an honour awarded annually by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the Maori player of the year. He also played for Newcastle Falcons in the Guinness Premiership. Whilst at Newcastle he started as they won the 2004 Powergen Cup final.

He attended Henderson High School, Auckland New Zealand.

Mayerhofler's position of choice was as a 2nd 5/8

## InfoBox

Mark Mayerhofler
| Birth name | Mark Andrew Mayerhofler |
| --- | --- |
| Date of birth | (1972-10-08) 8 October 1972 |
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) |
| School | Henderson High |
| Rugby union career | |
| **Position(s)** Centre  Amateur team(s)  **Years** **Team** **Apps** **(Points)**  Christchurch   ()  Senior career  **Years** **Team** **Apps** **(Points)**  20022007 Newcastle  70  (45)  Provincial / State sides  **Years** **Team** **Apps** **(Points)**  2002 North Harbour  10  ()  19942000 Canterbury  -  ()  199293 North Harbour  -  ()  Correct as of 26 Apr 2008  Super Rugby  **Years** **Team** **Apps** **(Points)**  2002 Blues  11  ()  19962000 Crusaders  53  ()  International career  **Years** **Team** **Apps** **(Points)**  1998 New Zealand  6  (10) | |


title: Mayor of Montpelier, Vermont

text:
# Mayor of Montpelier, Vermont

Montpelier, Vermont was first chartered as a town on August 14, 1781, chosen as the state capital in 1805, and subsequently incorporated as a city in 1894. Under the city charter, the government of the city consists of a mayor, city manager, and city council, in what is called a Mayor–council–manager government. The mayor is elected to a two-year term by residents of Montpelier and presides over city council meetings. The city council consists of the mayor and six elected city counselors - two from each of Montpelier's three voting districts and serve two-year terms. The city manager is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the city council.

## Current mayor

Since March 2023, Jack McCullough has served as the mayor of Montpelier, Vermont.

### Former mayors

Individuals who have served as mayor since Montpelier's incorporation as a city and their years of election include:

* 1895 – George W. Wing
* 1896 – George O. Stratton
* 1897 – George H. Guernsey
* 1898, 1899 – John H. Senter
* 1900, 1901 – Joseph B. Brown
* 1902 – James M. Boutwell
* 1903, 1904, 1905 – Frank M. Corry
* 1906, 1907 – James S. Haley
* 1908, 1909, 1910 – Frank R. Dawley
* 1911 – Smith S. Ballard
* 1912, 1913 – James B. Estee
* 1914, 1915, 1916 – James M. Boutwell
* 1917, 1918 – Frank W. Mitchell
* 1919, 1920 – Harry C. Shurtleff
* 1921 – George L. Blanchard
* 1922 – Dean K. Lillie
* 1924, 1925 – George L. Edson
* 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929 – Edward Deavitt
* 1930, 1931, 1932 – Riley C. Bowers
* 1933 – William L. McKee
* 1934 – Perry H. Merrill
* 1935, James S. Ewing
* 1936, 1937 – William H. Dyer
* 1938, 1939 – Birney L. Hall
* 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 – William F. Corry
* 1945, 1946 – Harry R. Sheridan
* 1947, 1948 – Daughly Gould
* 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 – Anson F. Barber
* 1956, 1957, 1958 – Edward F. Knapp
* 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962 – Elbert C. Colburn
* 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 – Manuel Canas Jr.
* 1966, 1968, 1970 – Willard R. Strong
* 1972, 1974 – Richard W. Curtis
* 1976 – Frederic H. Bertrand
* 1978, 1980 – Charles B. Nichols
* 1982, 1984 – Frank D. Romano
* 1986 – Sally Rice
* 1988 – Arthur J. Goss
* 1990, 1992, 1994 – Ann E. Cummings
* 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 – Charles D. Karparis
* 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 – Mary S. Hooper
* 2012, 2014, 2016 – John H. Hollar
* 2018, 2020, 2022 – Anne Watson
* 2023 – Jack McCullough

1. "History of Montpelier, VT". *www.montpelier-vt.org*.
2. "City Charter". *City of Montpelier, VT*.
3. Petenko, Erin (8 March 2023). "Jack McCullough wins Montpelier's mayoral election". *VTDigger*.
4. "5 of Montpelier's Mayors in Past 50 Years Have Borne the Name "George"". *Montpelier Evening Argus*. March 6, 1945. p. 2  via Newspapers.com.
5. "Obituary, Harry R. Sheridan". *The Burlington Free Press*. Burlington, VT. July 12, 1987. p. 2B  via Newspapers.com.
6. Armstrong, Howard E. (1955). *Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual*. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 651  via Google Books.
7. "Anson G. Barber Employed By H. G. Bennett". *Montpelier Evening Argus*. Montpelier, VT. April 11, 1956. p. 1  via Newspapers.com.
8. "He's Out". *Rutland Herald*. Rutland, VT. Associated Press. January 6, 1959. p. 8  via Newspapers.com.
9. "Town Meetings Today To Decide Range Of Issues". *The Burlington Free Press*. Burlington, VT. March 5, 1963. p. 1  via Newspapers.com.
10. "Young Vt. Mayor Takes Conn. Job". *Brattleboro Reformer*. Brattleboro, VT. Associated Press. March 24, 1966. p. 14  via Newspapers.com.
11. "Montpelier Mayor To Quit". *Bennington Banner*. Bennington, VT. United Press International. December 24, 1971. p. 5  via Newspapers.com.
12. "Bertrand Announces Candidacy For Open Capital Mayor's Job". *Barre Montpelier Times Argus*. Barre, VT. January 15, 1976. p. 13  via Newspapers.com.
13. Marks, Fred (October 11, 2018). "Frederic H. Bertrand Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who's Who". *Marquis Who's Who*. Naples, FL: Marquis Who's Who Ventures LLC. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
14. Curtis, Brent (June 6, 2009). "Public Official called A 'Vt. Original': Charlie Nichols of Proctor Dies At Age 91". *Rutland Herald*. Rutland, VT. p. B1  via Newspapers.com.
15. McIntosh, Jim (August–September 1986). "Green Mountain Blues: Didn't Vermont used to be a state of sturdy, freedom-loving Yankees? Yup. Is it still? Nope". *Reason*. Los Angeles, CA: Reason Foundation. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
16. Carnahan, Paul A. (2022). "History of Montpelier: Politics". *Montpelier-VT.org*. Montpelier, VT: City of Montpelier, Vermont. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
17. "Obituary, Col. Arthur J. Goss". *Barre Montpelier Times Argus*. Barre, VT. June 25, 2007. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
18. "Meet the candidates, October 25". *Waterbury Record*. Waterbury, VT. October 25, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
19. "Tale of two cities". *Barre Montpelier Times Argus*. Barre, VT. October 17, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
20. Vance, Keith (December 9, 2011). "Montpelier mayor won't run for re-election". *Barre Montpelier Times Argus*. Barre, VT. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
21. Brown, Tom (November 6, 2017). "Montpelier Mayor John Hollar Not Seeking Re-Election". *The Bridge*. Montpelier, VT.
22. "Staff Directory: Mayor Anne Watson". *Montpelier-VT.org*. Montpelier, VT: City of Montpelier, Vermont. 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
23. Petenko, Erin (March 7, 2023). "Jack McCullough wins Montpelier's mayoral election". *VT Digger*. Montpelier, VT.

## Further reading


title: Living in the Past (TV series)

abstract: Living in the Past was a 1978 BBC fly on the wall documentary programme. It followed a group of fifteen volunteers, six couples and three children, recreating a British Iron Age settlement, where they sustained themselves for a year, equipped only with the tools, crops and livestock that would have been available at that time. The series is considered a precursor to modern reality television.

text:
# Living in the Past (TV series)

***Living in the Past*** was a 1978 BBC fly on the wall documentary programme. It followed a group of fifteen volunteers, six couples and three children, recreating a British Iron Age settlement, where they sustained themselves for a year, equipped only with the tools, crops and livestock that would have been available at that time.

The series is considered a precursor to modern reality television.

## Broadcast history

*Living in the Past* consisted of twelve episodes (two 50 minute episodes and ten of 30 minute episodes), airing from 23 February to 11 May 1978. The series was re-aired in 1981 in edited form, being reduced to 8 programmes of 30 minutes each. In addition, three 20-minute programmes were made from film that was not used in the main series. These were broadcast by the BBC in February and March 1979 as part of a series entitled "Out of the Past". Follow up programmes were broadcast 20 years and 30 years after the project, featuring some of the participants.

## Events during series

### Settlement

The series began with the group building its Iron Age settlement with a hybrid of modern work tools and ancient tools, giving them time to adjust and get their bearings for living in an ancient time. The settlement they built was based on a nearby archaeological site dated to around the same time in the Iron Age. The living accommodation for the whole group was a substantial thatched roundhouse 48 ft (14.6 metres) in diameter and 30 ft (9.2 metres) high. There were smaller buildings to house livestock and for storage. The whole was enclosed by a bank and ditch with a palisade fence on top of the bank. The group lived on site from February 1977 until the end of March 1978. From April 1977 the group began to phase out the modern tools using ancient tools and techniques. Their accommodation in two person tents ceased on 30 April 1977 when they moved into the still unfinished roundhouse.

### Fire

Fire was the central to their Iron Age existence. It was essential for cooking, warmth, blacksmithing, pottery, and even wood work where a hot metal rod was used to burn holes in wood. A fire was kept continuously burning in the centre of the roundhouse. After struggling with fire making for some time the group eventually mastered the technique using a fire drill and block made of willow.

### Food

For the first ten weeks the group survived on food and supplies from supermarkets. But once the harsh weather relented and the settlement was self-sufficient, the group grew its own crops and used domesticated animals for dairy and meat. The settlement had several goats, cows, sheep, pig, chickens and geese for the group's use. Breakfast almost every day consisted of porridge of boiled wheat with milk and, if any was present, honey. On Sundays they treated themselves to bread with smeared honey and perhaps butter.

Their diet can be said to have consisted primarily of wheat, milk and meat. One of the daily tasks for the entire group was milling wheat for bread on a small quern. They made a soft curd cheese out of goat milk almost daily. They also had meat frequently which they obtained by slaughtering their animals although some group members were vegetarians. Eggs and fish were occasional food. Field beans and peas, parsnips and leeks were grown by the group as they are thought to have been available foods in Britain at the time. Many other foods were not grown or eaten by the group because they would not have been available. These 'not Iron Age' foods included potatoes, rice, cabbage, carrots, swede, onion, turnip. Seasonal foraging for things such as wild garlic, young beech and lime tree leaves, mushrooms, blackberries and hazel nuts supplemented their diet for short periods during the spring and autumn. Hunting for rabbits, hares and the occasional pheasant made occasional additions to the regular diet.

The cooking was done communally with each couple being responsible for the meals and the fire for 24 hours from after evening meal each day. This included responsibility for keeping the fire alight and collecting fire wood. The day following cooking day was baking day when the couple were responsible for baking sufficient bread for the group. This was done in a dome shaped clay oven that was first heated by a fire inside it, then kept warm as the bread cooked with a much reduced fire still inside the oven. Bread consumption was a measure of the group's appetite. This peaked at around 10 loafs a day during hay making when the day length was longest, falling to around 3 loafs a day in December. Interestingly bread demand correlated with day length rather than temperature.

### Hygiene

The group washed with water and clay, which didn't disinfect, but, as they found, was suitable to remove dirt and other impurities from their skin and hair. Each day one couple would have 'bath day' which for convenience always coincided with 'baking day'. The couple were in the house and tending the oven fire so it made sense. The bath was a wooden half barrel. The water was heated by placing pieces of iron in the fire, then lifting them out with the blacksmith's tongs and plunging them into the water. That's probably not what Iron Age people did with highly precious pieces of iron but it did work. Yes, there were some technical compromises. A similar 'hot iron' method was used to sterilise milk vessels, which could quite quickly be brought up to boiling. Digestive upsets were rare.

### Labour

As well as the cooking, firewood gathering, and baking there was the daily routine of feeding and milking the animals. Two, three or four people were responsible for each type of animal. Each group had a carefully worked out rota to ensure that everyone was freed from animal care on their cooking day, and also had periodic rest days to enable lying in bed a little longer.

The group spent about six weeks in June and July cutting hay with sickles to stock to keep the animals supplied for the coming winter. July and August were harvest time for wheat, barley, oats, peas and field beans. The success of the crops was variable. Wheat did well, field beans were terrible.

The villagers also learn how to fish, succeeding in catching a few grayling, and they set up a large fish trap in a shallow lake that was unsuccessful.

### Pagan ritual

The group reenacted Celtic festivals:- Bealtaine on 1 May, Mid summer, Lughnasa on 1 August, Samhain on 1 November, winter solstice, and Imbolc on 1 February. For Samhain the group made and erected a fifteen-foot wicker man that they ceremonially burned. The group foraged elderberries from nearby plants and had fermented elderberry wine to drink during the festival.

### Crafts

The autumn and winter gave time for the group to develop their craft skills. This included making clothes by spinning, dying, and weaving wool for their flock of sheep, tanning hides, knitting, sprang, blacksmithing, smelting (unsuccessfully), basket making, pottery and wood work. One group member made a lute. Two or three members worked together to build a cart which was pulled by two of the cows. This involved making a yoke and training the cows to it. They also made simple ard pulled by the cows to plough the field.

### Archaeology

The project was set up primarily as a social project but several archeologists visited the site during the year, both to give advice and for their own interest, including Barry Cunliffe. It was suggested that while the project could not prove anything about how people lived in 300BC it did suggest a wider range of possible explanations for the phenomena found in archaeological excavations. An archeologist from Bristol University (name needed) mapped and recorded the site with a view to one day carrying out an archeological dig.

### Publicity

There was great media interest in the project. Journalists had arranged visits the site once when it was being set up and again towards the end. An unwarranted visit occurred after heavy snowfall in February 1978. The site was cut off by road but two enterprising journalists from the Daily Mirror arrived by helicopter. Only the cooks were there in the settlement, the others were out enjoying the snow on makeshift toboggans using old barrel staves. Most national daily newspapers ran articles on the project, and several overseas papers too. It is possibly the only event ever to make the front pages of the New York Times and The Beano in the same week.

### Departure

One couple decided to leave the settlement early in December when one of their children became ill. Although the child was not seriously ill, the parents felt more comfortable taking him home.

When the year was up the rest of the group celebrated with champagne brought in when journalists from the outside world visited. They took several possessions they had made during the year with them and were taken to a luxury hotel in Bath, Somerset. Before they departed the fire in the centre of the round house was built up so that it would burn for as long as possible.

To this day the group maintains that the experiment was paramount in teaching them to be self-sufficient and be able to survive like Iron Age people if need be.

To stop the area from becoming a tourist attraction in the quiet section of woods where it was located, the settlement was burned down a few months after the project ended.

## Follow-up programmes

A follow-up programme aired in the same year, *Living in the Present*, discovered what the participants had thought of the experiment and how they were adjusting back to modern day living.

In 2001 the BBC repeated the experiment with for a three-month period *Surviving the Iron Age*, which included three children of 'Living in the Past' cast members.

In 2008, BBC Four's *What Happened Next?* revisited participants of the original series thirty years after their year living together.

* Chris Dunkley. "Living in the past". ("Television"). The Financial Times. 25 February 1978. p 9.

## InfoBox

| *Living in the Past* | |
| --- | --- |
| Genre | Documentary
Reality television |
| Created by | John Percival |
| Theme music composer | Alan Stivell |
| Opening theme | "Manx Melody" |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 50 minutes & 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC Two |
| Release | 23 February (1978-02-23)
11 May 1978 (1978-05-11) |


abstract: The Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California is a federally recognized tribe of indigenous people of California, affiliated with the Chukchansi subgroup of the Foothills Yokuts. The Picayune Rancheria, founded in 1912 and located in Coarsegold, California, covers 160 acres (1 km⁲) in Madera County and serves as the tribal land. The tribe has historically confronted numerous challenges, including European colonization, displacement, and loss of land. In response, they have pursued cultural and economic revitalization efforts, notably with the opening of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in 2003. Various initiatives have been undertaken to revive the Chukchansi language and to maintain the tribe's cultural heritage. The tribal governance is based in Coarsegold and consists of a seven-member council. Economic activities of the Picayune Rancheria have expanded into investments into retail, construction and other areas. However, the tribe has faced issues related to the disenrollment of a significant portion of its members following the casino's opening.

text:
# Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians

37°12′42″N 119°42′3″W / 37.21167°N 119.70083°W / 37.21167; -119.70083

The **Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California** is a federally recognized tribe of indigenous people of California, affiliated with the Chukchansi subgroup of the Foothills Yokuts. The **Picayune Rancheria**, founded in 1912 and located in Coarsegold, California, covers 160 acres (1 km2) in Madera County and serves as the tribal land.

The tribe has historically confronted numerous challenges, including European colonization, displacement, and loss of land. In response, they have pursued cultural and economic revitalization efforts, notably with the opening of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in 2003. Various initiatives have been undertaken to revive the Chukchansi language and to maintain the tribe's cultural heritage.

The tribal governance is based in Coarsegold and consists of a seven-member council. Economic activities of the Picayune Rancheria have expanded into investments into retail, construction and other areas. However, the tribe has faced issues related to the disenrollment of a significant portion of its members following the casino's opening.

## History

The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians is affiliated to the Chukchansi Yokuts culture, indigenous to Central California. This group has occupied the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills for over 12,000 years. The Chukchansi territory has traditionally spanned from the Sierra Nevada foothills to the Fresno and Chowchilla River valleys and down to the Tehachapi Mountains. Today, many Chukchansi reside near their tribal headquarters in the Picayune Rancheria, approximately 30 miles north of Fresno.

The Chukchansi language, part of the broader Yokuts linguistic classification, reflects the diversity of approximately 60 tribes identified by anthropologists, each with distinct dialects but sharing cultural similarities.

Historically, the Chukchansi people were adept at utilizing their environment, engaging in farming, hunting, and gathering using advanced techniques. They relied on various animals for protein and employed innovative methods, such as decoys, for hunting. Their diet was complemented by plants, nuts, and seeds, particularly acorns, which were abundant in summer. Fire played a crucial role in their lifestyle, used not only for cooking but also for managing land and hunting grounds.

Following European contact, including Spanish missionaries and American settlers, the Chukchansi population faced significant challenges, including disease and displacement, dramatically reducing their numbers. The discovery of gold further exacerbated their loss of land and rights under American governance. In the early 20th century, the U.S. government allocated land to landless Native Californians, forming Rancherias. However, the Chukchansi experienced a period of federal non-recognition and land loss until their federal recognition was reinstated in 1983, although they initially remained landless.

Awani descendants from Yosemite Valley are also enrolled in the Picayune Rancheria.

In recent years, the Chukchansi have worked to reclaim their heritage and land, notably establishing the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, marking a step toward economic and cultural revitalization.

## Education Programs

The tribe promotes education and has collaborated with Fresno State's Department of Linguistics since June 2009 to revive its nearly extinct language through the Chukchansi Yokuts Revitalization Project. With only a few native speakers remaining, the tribe partnered with the university and contributed $1 million in 2012 to support the language's preservation. The tribe also established the Picayune Rancheria Chukchansi Scholarship at Fresno State to support students with an interest in Native American culture. Moreover, the tribe offers a range of educational programs, scholarships, and internships for its members. They prioritize early education to support the educational success of Native American children and families, focusing on maintaining and sharing their cultural heritage.

## Government

The tribe's administrative center is in Coarsegold, California, managed by a seven-member tribal council elected by the community. Annual Tribal Council elections are overseen by an election committee, adhering to the tribe's constitutional guidelines. Eligible candidates and officers must be qualified voters residing within a 75-mile radius of the Picayune Reservation. General eligibility requires tribal members to be 18 years or older and have attended at least eight council meetings. For officer positions, candidates must be 25 years or older and also meet the meeting attendance requirement.

## Rancheria

Founded in 1912, the **Picayune Rancheria** (37°12′41″N 119°42′03″W / 37.21139°N 119.70083°W / 37.21139; -119.70083) is 160 acres (650,000 m2) large and located in Madera County, in Coarsegold, California. The community of Yosemite Lakes is also nearby.

## Economic development

The tribe operates the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino and associated dining venues in Coarsegold. They also hold naming rights to Chukchansi Park in Fresno.

* **MightyOak Capital** is a diversified venture capital, merchant banking, and real estate firm in Central California, focusing on passive investments, mergers, acquisitions, and real estate development.

* **Mighty Builders**, established in 1987, is a prominent commercial construction company in Central California and the U.S., specializing in Indian Country and self-storage projects, with licenses in California, Nevada, and Hawaii.

* **Yosemite Lumber**, founded in 1953, serves as a leading lumber and construction supply wholesaler in Central California, catering to both commercial and residential contractors.

* **Chukchansi Crossing**, positioned on Highway 41 near the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino, plans to feature restaurants, retail spaces, and an advanced fuel and travel center, promoting Native American products.

* **Blue King Inc**., owned by the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, operates as a tribal lending entity, subjecting users to the laws and jurisdiction of the tribe.

* **Willow Glen Smoke Shop**, established in 2011 by Chukchansi Inc., is a tribal-owned retailer offering Native American tobacco products in California.

* **Sportsmen's Den**, holding a Federal Firearms License, operates in Oakhurst and Mariposa, CA, offering services related to firearms transactions.

* **FOI Commercial Interiors** was acquired by the Chukchansi Indian Tribe in 2010, aligning with the tribe's values and expanding business opportunities in interior design and client services.

## Disenrollment controversy

Since the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino opened in 2003, the Chukchansi Tribe has disenrolled more than half its members. Disenrollment involves removing individuals from tribal membership, denying them various federal tribal benefits including educational support, land rights, tax advantages, medical care, and income from tribal enterprises like casinos.

Following the casino's opening, hundreds of members were disenrolled, resulting in increased financial shares for the remaining members. Those disenrolled included individuals with verified ancestry and rights, as well as some of the last speakers of the Chukchansi language. By 2013, tribal membership reportedly halved from approximately 1,800 to 900.

In 2012, the Ramirezes family's legal challenge asserted their exclusive legitimacy as tribe members, but the case was dismissed. February 2012 saw the election of leaders opposed to disenrollment, but the standing council members disputed the election results, leading to a standoff. Protests escalated when supporters of the new leaders occupied a tribal building, leading to confrontations involving pepper spray and burning logs. Law enforcement from Fresno and Madera Counties, alongside the California Highway Patrol, intervened.

In February 2014, the Bureau of Indian Affairs intervened by reinstating the 2010 Tribal Council, recognized as the last uncontested election, as a temporary measure to alleviate the conflict until a new council could be elected.

In 2019, more than 60 members were expelled from the tribe, and in 2023, an additional 49 members faced disenrollment. This reduction in total membership has resulted in an increase in the monthly payouts for the remaining members. The tribe's casino reportedly generated close to $44 million in revenue in 2022.

## Education

The ranchería is served by the Coarsegold Union Elementary School District and Yosemite Joint Union High School District.

## InfoBox

Picayune Rancheria
of Chukchansi Indians
| Total population | |
| --- | --- |
| 1200 enrolled members (2010) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States ( California) | |
| Languages | |
| English, Chukchansi | |
| Religion | |
| Traditional tribal religion, Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Yokuts people | |


title: Marlène Laruelle

abstract: Marlène Laruelle is a French historian, sociologist, and political scientist specializing on Eurasia and Europe. She is Research Professor and Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at the George Washington University (GW). Laruelle is also a Co-Director of PONARS, Director of GW’s Central Asia Program, and Director of GW's Illiberalism Studies Program. She received her Ph.D. in history at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Cultures (INALCO) and spent time as a post-doc in the area of political science at Sciences Po in Paris. She is Senior Associate Scholar at the Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI). Her particular focus of interest is post-Soviet political, social and cultural developments, especially ideologies and nationalism. She is the daughter of the French philosopher François Laruelle.

text:
# Marlène Laruelle

**Marlène Laruelle** (French pronunciation: \[maʁlɛn laʁɥɛl\]; born 21 December 1972) is a French historian, sociologist, and political scientist specializing on Eurasia and Europe. She is Research Professor and Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at the George Washington University (GW). Laruelle is also a Co-Director of PONARS (Program on New Approaches to Research and Security in Eurasia), Director of GW’s Central Asia Program, and Director of GW's Illiberalism Studies Program. She received her Ph.D. in history at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Cultures (INALCO) and spent time as a post-doc in the area of political science at Sciences Po in Paris. She is Senior Associate Scholar at the Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI). Her particular focus of interest is post-Soviet political, social and cultural developments, especially ideologies and nationalism. She is the daughter of the French philosopher François Laruelle.

## Books

### Monographs

### Edited Volumes