How To Take A Good Photo

How To Take A Good Photo

Things to Keep In Mind This Summer

Lighting!

Having the right light is key! Now you cannot control the light in every single location but it is something to look for. If you can fix the light such as avoiding harsh shadows and using natural light will help bring the focus of the photo to the front. If you do need a flash, use it strategically. Using a flash will fill in any shadows and even out the contrasts, but we aware of the white out the light may create.

Photo by Getty Images

Composition!

Have you ever heard of the Rule of Thirds? This is dividing your frame into three parts equally, or as equally as possible, horizontally and vertically. Place the subject of your photograph at one of these intersections for a more appealing look and compostion. Don’t forget to check the background. Beware of photo-bombers or distracting objects that might take away from the compostion of the picture. If you have to use leading lines or natural lines like roads or fences to lead the viewer’s eye to the subject.

Photo by Getty Images

Focus!

What is the focus of the picture? Is the subject in focus? If you have to, check out the focus of the camera to see if it is manual or auto. This will help with taking long distance shots.

Photo by Getty Images

Exposure!

Are you aware of the Exposure Triangle? This is a concept that most find very helpful when dealing with photography. It is referring to the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO. These are all important camera settings. Aperture controls the size of the lens opening and that affects how much light actually passes through. Shutter speed is how long the camera shutter remains open and allowing light to reach the sensor. And ISO means the sensor’s sensitivity to light. All three will affect the photo and help you avoid overexporsure.

Photo by Getty Images

Practice!

Lastly is to practice, practice, practice. Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent. Take it slow. If you practice wrong you will perform wrong so if you need help ask a friend or even check out a video online for posture. Also be mindful of your location, don’t take any risks just to get a possible good shot.

Photo by Getty Images
Steak Frites

Steak Frites

Steak Frites

Photo Courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Steak Frites Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serving size: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 Beef Flat Iron Steaks (about 6 oz each)

Bearnaise Sauce

  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted, warmed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 dash hot pepper sauce
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground peppercorns

Frites

  • 4 each russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 4 cups Beef Tallow or canola oil

Directions

  1. To prepare bearnaise sauce, heat small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vinegar, white wine and shallots; simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half (about 1/4 cup). Remove from heat; set aside and keep warm.
  2. Prepare a double boiler. Whisk egg yolks and water constantly over low heat 4 to 6 minutes or until yolks become fluffy and light in color. Add reserved shallot mixture; slowly drizzle melted butter in while whisking constantly. Season with tarragon, salt, pepper, hot pepper and Worcestershire sauces.(Be careful of getting the eggs too hot or not whisking constantly, or your mixture will coagulate and become lumpy.)
  3. Keep sauce warm in a thermos until ready to serve. This sauce also doubles as a dipping sauce for fries.  
  4. Drizzle steaks evenly with oil; season with salt and peppercorns.  
  5. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals or over medium heat. Grill 11 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 11 to 15 minutes) for medium-rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.
  6. Place potatoes in container with 1/4 cup salt; run under cold water 10 minutes to remove starch. Drain potatoes; place paper towel lined baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels.
  7. Heat beef tallow to 275°F in countertop fryer according to manufacturer’s directions. Blanch fries in oil 4 to 5 minutes or until tender and cooked through; drain. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding fryer.
  8. Increase fryer heat to 350°. Fry potatoes, a second time in oil, another 3 to 5 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp.  Salt as desired, immediately after removing from oil.
  9. Divide steaks and frites evenly among serving plates; drizzle with warmed bearnaise sauce.
Great Scottie! Scheffler pulls away to win PGA Championship for 3rd major title

Great Scottie! Scheffler pulls away to win PGA Championship for 3rd major title

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler had every reason to worry the PGA Championship was slipping away.

A five-shot lead on the front nine was gone in four holes. Every shot seemed to go left and he didn’t know why. Jon Rahm was peeling off birdies and on the verge of tracking him down Sunday at Quail Hollow.

And that’s when Scheffler showed why he has been golf’s No. 1 player for two straight years, why he has compiled more PGA Tour titles quicker than anyone this side of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus since 1950.

And why he now has the Wanamaker Trophy to go along with two Masters titles.

Scheffler turned a tense Sunday into another runaway by not missing a shot when the pressure was at its peak, giving himself another pleasant walk to the 18th green with another major title secure in the hands of golf’s best.

“This back nine will be one that I remember for a long time,” Scheffler said. “It was a grind out there. I think at one point on the front I maybe had a four- or five-shot lead, and making the turn, I think I was tied for the lead.

“So to step up when I needed to the most, I’ll remember that for a while.”

There was nothing fancy about it, just fairways and greens and holing the putts that eluded Rahm in his first time in serious contention at a major since he won the 2023 Masters and left at the end of the year for LIV Golf.

Rahm’s hopes ended when he failed to convert birdie chances on the two easiest holes on the back nine at Quail Hollow, and then finished bogey-double bogey-double bogey. By then the tournament was effective over. It only cost Rahm money.

The only comfort for Scheffler was looking across the lake on the par-5 15th to see Rahm in a bunker, leading to bogey on the 16th that gave Scheffler a three-shot cushion. Scheffler recalls thinking, “If I birdie here, it’s going to go a long way.”

He drilled 3-wood just over the back of the green, and from the same spot where Rahm earlier that hit putter 12 feet by the hole, Scheffler cozied it up to a foot for birdie.

Scheffler closed with a bogey he could afford for an even-par 71, giving him a five-shot victory and his third major title. Scheffler became the first player since Seve Ballesteros to win his first three majors by three shots or more.

The margin doesn’t match up with the grind. That much was clear when Scheffler raised his arms on the 18th green and then ferociously slammed his cap to the turf, a brand of emotion rarely seen by the 28-year-old Texas star.

“Just a lot of happiness,” he said. “Just maybe thankful as well. It was a long week. I felt like this was as hard as I battled for a tournament in my career.”

It was a lot sweeter than last year, when he was arrested outside Valhalla Golf Club for charges later dropped that he wasn’t following police instructions as they investigated a traffic fatality.

No change of that happening at Quail Hollow. He stayed close enough to walk.

Inside the ropes, this was no walk in the park the final margin might suggest.

Scheffler had a five-shot lead standing on the sixth tee. But with a shaky swing that led to two bogeys, and with Rahm making three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn, they were tied when Scheffler got to the 10th tee.

It looked like a duel to the finish, with Bryson DeChambeau doing all he could to get in the mix. Under the most pressure he felt all day, Scheffler didn’t miss a shot off the tee or from the fairway until his lead was back to four shots.

Rahm wound up seven shots behind, but the two-time major champion was the only serious threat. After bogey on the 16th hole, he had to take on a dangerous pin at the par-3 17th. It bounded over the sunbaked green into the water for double bogey. And his last tee shot went left off the grassy bank and into the stream for another double bogey.

All that work to make up a five-shot deficit at the start of the day and Rahm closed with a 73 to tie for eighth.

“Yeah, the last three holes, it’s a tough pill to swallow right now,” Rahm said.

“I’ll get over it. I’ll move on,” Rahm said. “Again, there’s a lot more positive than negative to think about this week. I’m really happy I put myself in position and hopefully learn from this and give it another go in the U.S. Open.”

DeChambeau birdied the 14th and 15th to get within two shots, but he never had another good look at birdie and bogeyed the 18th for a 70. He tied for second with Harris English (65) and Davis Riley, who overcame a triple bogey on No. 7 to play bogey-free the rest of the way and salvaged a 72.

“I’m baffled right now. Just felt like things just didn’t go my way this week,” DeChambeau said. “I drove it as good as I can. … I gave myself a good chance. I just felt like a couple breaks went a different way.”

J.T. Poston, the North Carolina native who also flirted with an outside chance, bogeyed the last two holes for a 73 to tie for fifth.

English finished his Sunday-best score as Scheffler was making his way down the third hole. He had a flight to catch that afternoon. He also was the clubhouse leader. But he looked at Scheffler’s name atop the leaderboard and said with a smile, “I don’t see him slipping a whole lot. I see myself catching my flight.”

But then Scheffler unable to find his swing. He hit only two fairway on the front nine. He failed to convert birdies on the par-5 seventh and the reachable par-4 eighth. On eight of his nine holes, his miss was to the left. And he was tied with the red-hot Rahm.

But part of Scheffler’s greatness is his ability to wear down a field, which he did at the Masters both times he won.

“I hit the important shots well this week, and that’s why I’m walking away with the trophy,” Scheffler said.

He finished at 11-under 273 and picked up his 15th victory in just his sixth year on the PGA Tour. Dating to 1950, Scheffler is the third-fastest player to go from one to 15 tour wins, behind only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, and even then by a matter of months.

His victory comes a month after Rory McIlroy captured the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. The PGA Championship was always going to be a tough act to follow and it didn’t come close in terms of drama. But it served as a reminder why Scheffler has been No. 1 for two straight years, and why it will take a lot to replace him.

McIlroy made the cut on the number, shot 72-72 on the weekend and tied for 47th. It was his lowest 72-hole finish in four years in the majors. McIlroy declined all four days to speak to the media.

Scheffler came into the PGA Championship off an eight-shot victory in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. And then he won a major by five. It was the first time since Woods in 2000 that a player won consecutive PGA Tour starts by five shots or more in the same season.

The Carolina Hurricanes keep leaning on their penalty kill in another deep postseason push

The Carolina Hurricanes keep leaning on their penalty kill in another deep postseason push

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — There’s a moment of frustrated dread for any hockey team that comes with an official raising an arm to call a penalty triggering a power play.

For the Carolina Hurricanes, that moment quickly flips to next-play belief.

Their penalty kill has been the NHL’s best going back to the start of Rod Brind’Amour’s coaching tenure seven years ago. Fittingly, that unit has helped push Carolina through two playoff rounds and to the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons.

“We don’t obviously want to use it,” forward Seth Jarvis said Sunday. “You don’t want to be on the penalty kill. But when the opportunity arises, we are fully confident in what we can put out there.”

The Hurricanes have had multiple days to rest and regroup after closing out the Washington Capitals as the conference’s top seed in five games Thursday. They’ll face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, with Game 1 Tuesday night at Carolina.

The Hurricanes have the No. 1 penalty kill over those seven regular seasons under Brind’Amour with a rate of 84.8%. And they’ve been the best of this postseason so far, turning away 28 of 30 power plays — a 93.3% conversion rate — while notching a shorthanded goal from veteran forward Jordan Martinook.

It’s an extension of Carolina’s aggressive-forecheck approach that seeks to maintain puck control in the offensive zone, both to pressure opposing defenses and smother chances going the other way.

Ask assistant coach Tim Gleason, who oversees the kill, what it takes to be successful and his immediate answer ignores Xs and Os. It’s mentality, he says, workmanlike and driven by the simple motivation of “what I’m going to do for my buddy.”

“What are you going to do? You’re going to mope on it? You’re going to be sour that you took the penalty? Then you’re living in the past,” said Gleason, a former defenseman who played 1,944 shorthanded minutes during an 11-season NHL career that included at least parts of nine seasons with Carolina.

“So it’s all about what you’re doing, what’s right in front of you. That kind of goes back to the mentality. You’ve got to get your mind right, right now. … It’s all about here and now. I think the guys do a great job of that.”

Jordan Staal, Carolina’s captain, pointed to that got-your-back focus, too.

“It’s part of my job, I take pride in it,” Staal said. “It’s not that you want to have penalties, but you know they’re going to happen, no matter what. So when I’m in the box, you’re hoping the boys bail you out. And I kind of feel the same thing. Jumping over the boards hoping to bail my brother out and try to get back to square and back to moving in the right direction.”

Carolina’s postseason started with a 15-for-15 showing in Round 1 against New Jersey, while one of Washington’s two power play goals was NHL career goals leader Alex Ovechkin banging in a one-timer on a 5-on-3 advantage in Game 4.

Overall, the Devils and Capitals combined for 33 shots on goal on 30 power plays, a meager 1.1 per attempt.

And contributions keep coming.

Frederik Andersen leads all goaltenders with more than one postseason start in goals-against average and save percentage. Staal is a mainstay and a two-time finalist for the Selke Trophy for the league’s top defensive forward, alongside Martinook’s grinding presence.

There’s the long-running presence of Jaccob Slavin, with Washington coach Spencer Carbery saying after the last series that Slavin deserves more accolades and “it doesn’t seem right” that the 31-year-old isn’t more heavily in the mix every year for the Norris Trophy presented to the league’s top defenseman.

There’s also 2017Norris winner in Brent Burns. Jarvis and Sebastian Aho as proven strong two-way players with eight shorthanded goals in the regular season. And Carolina has gotten contributions from defensemen Jalen Chatfield, Dmitry Orlov and Sean Walker; as well as forwards Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski in a sign of its deep rotation.

The trickiest part, Slavin said, is embracing the reality that there’s always going to be someone open with the extra man. That comes as penalty killers spend tense shifts in scrambling rotations in pursuit of a quick-moving puck, with the hope of getting control long enough to clear it to the far end of the ice and kill precious seconds.

But the payoff is worth it once the penalty-box door opens in a return to even strength.

“There’s a willingness to go out there and do a job that’s tough, that a lot of times you’re going to have to sacrifice your body,” Slavin said. “I mean, you’re down a man, right? And the odds are kind of stacked against you.

“So it’s just fun to go out there and compete, kill it off and get the momentum. Because when you have a big kill, you feel the momentum on your side — and that can be a huge turning point in a game.”

Biden has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

Biden has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

By JOSH BOAK Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday.

The finding came after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.

“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”

Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery.

President Donald Trump, a longtime political opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family’s “hearts and prayers during this time.”

“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.

Former President Barack Obama said his thoughts and prayers were with Biden, his former vice president, lauding his toughness. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace,” Obama wrote on social media.

The health of Biden was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.

In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

In 2022, Biden made a “cancer moonshot” one of his administration’s priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015.

His father, when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.”

___

Associated Press writer Jon Fahey in New York contributed to this report.

Trump’s big bill advances in rare weekend vote as conservative holdouts secure changes

Trump’s big bill advances in rare weekend vote as conservative holdouts secure changes

By KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans advanced their massive tax cut and border security package out of a key House committee during a rare Sunday night vote as deficit hawks who blocked the measure two days earlier reversed course after gaining commitments on the package’s spending cuts.

Speaker Mike Johnson met with Republican lawmakers shortly before the meeting, telling reporters that the changes agreed to were “just some minor modifications. Not a huge thing.”

Democrats on the panel pressed for more details about the changes that Republicans had agreed to in the private negotiations. But Rep. Jodey Arrington, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, said he could not do so.

“Deliberations continue at this very moment,” Arrington said. “They will continue on into the week, and I suspect right up until the time we put this big, beautiful bill on the floor of the House.”

The first time Republicans tried advancing the bill out of the House Budget Committee, deficit hawks joined with Democratic lawmakers in voting against reporting the measure to the full House. Five Republicans voted no, one on procedural grounds, the other four voicing concerns about the bill’s impact on federal budget deficits.

On Sunday evening, the four voicing concerns about the bill’s impact on the deficit voted present, and the measure passed by a vote of 17-16.

Johnson is looking to put the bill on the House floor before the end of the week.

“This is the vehicle through which we will deliver on the mandate that the American people gave us in the last election,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.”

The Republicans who criticized the measure noted that the bill’s new spending and the tax cuts are front-loaded in the bill, while the measures to offset the cost are back-loaded. For example, they are looking to speed up the new work requirements that Republicans want to enact for able-bodied participants in Medicaid. Those requirements would not kick in until 2029 under the current bill.

“We are writing checks we cannot cash, and our children are going to pay the price,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the committee. “Something needs to change, or you’re not going to get my support.”

Johnson said the start date for the work requirements was designed to give states time to “retool their systems” and to “make sure that all the new laws and all the new safeguards that we’re placing can actually be enforced.”

Roy was joined in voting no by Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia. Rep. Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania switched his vote to no in a procedural step so it could be reconsidered later, saying after the hearing he was confident Republicans would “get this done.” Johnson said talks to deal with their concerns were continuing Sunday.

Remarkably, the vote against advancing the bill came after President Donald Trump had called on Republicans in a social media post to unite behind it.

“We don’t need ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ in the Republican Party,” Trump posted. “STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE!”

At its core, the sprawling package permanently extends the existing income tax cuts that were approved during Trump’s first term, in 2017, and adds temporary new ones that the president campaigned on in 2024, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay and auto loan interest payments. The measure also proposes big spending increases for border security and defense.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, estimates that the House bill is shaping up to add roughly $3.3 trillion to the debt over the next decade.

Democrats are overwhelmingly opposed to the measure, which Republicans have labeled “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called it, “one big, beautiful betrayal” in Friday’s hearing.

“This spending bill is terrible, and I think the American people know that,” Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “There is nothing wrong with us bringing the government in balance. But there is a problem when that balance comes on the back of working men and women. And that’s what is happening here.”

Johnson is not just having to address the concerns of the deficit hawks in his conference. He’s also facing pressure from centrists who will be warily eyeing the proposed changes to Medicaid, food assistance programs and the rolling back of clean energy tax credits. Republican lawmakers from New York and elsewhere are also demanding a much large state and local tax deduction.

As it stands, the bill proposes tripling what’s currently a $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction, increasing it to $30,000 for joint filers with incomes up to $400,000 a year.

Rep. Nick LaLota, one of the New York lawmakers leading the effort to lift the cap, said they have proposed a deduction of $62,000 for single filers and $124,000 for joint filers.

If the bill passes the House this week, it would then move to the Senate, where Republican lawmakers are also eyeing changes that could make final passage in the House more difficult.

Johnson said: “The package that we send over there will be one that was very carefully negotiated and delicately balanced, and we hope that they don’t make many modifications to it because that will ensure its passage quickly.”

Easy Kung Pao Beef

Easy Kung Pao Beef

Easy Kung Pao Beef

Photo Courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Easy Kung Pao Beef Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serving size: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2-1/2 pounds beef Stew Meat
  • 1/2 cup kung pao sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 package (16 ounces) frozen Asian vegetable blend
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
  • Steamed white rice

Directions

  1. Add beef, kung pao sauce, honey, soy sauce and red pepper flakes to pressure cooker. Close and lock pressure lid. Use beef stew or high-pressure setting on pressure cooker program 40 minutes on pressure cooker timer. 
  2. Stir in frozen vegetables and cook, uncovered, 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, if desired.
  3. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve with steamed rice. 
Beef Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad

Beef Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad

Beef Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad

Photo Courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Beef Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serving size: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 beef Tenderloin Steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick (4 ounces each)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 package (5 ounces) mixed baby salad greens
  • 1 medium red or green ripe pear, cored, cut into 16 wedges
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Honey Mustard Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup prepared honey mustard
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons water
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Season beef Tenderloin Steaks with 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook 7 to 10 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.(To grill: place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill steaks, covered, 7 to 10 minutes (timings remain the same for gas grill) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Do not overcook.)
  2. Meanwhile whisk Honey Mustard Dressing ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Set aside. Divide greens evenly among 4 plates. Top evenly with pear wedges and dried cranberries.
  3. Carve steaks into thin slices; season with salt, as desired. Divide steak slices evenly over salads. Top each salad evenly with dressing, pecans and goat cheese, if desired.

    Recipe adapted from The Healthy Beef Cookbook, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Three red wolf pups born at Durham Museum of Life and Science

Three red wolf pups born at Durham Museum of Life and Science

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Officials at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham say three recently born red wolf pups are still in good health.

The litter, all male, was delivered on May 3 by Martha, a 7-year-old red wolf and part of a carefully managed breeding pair. The pups’ arrival is considered a milestone for the critically endangered species.

Sherry Samuels from the Museum of Life and Science says this is the second year the same pair has bred, and this time, the outcome was successful.

“This pair was put together, the male and female, last year as a breeding pair for the first time. They had pups but none survived, which is not uncommon but bringing them here to the museum we were very hopeful that they would have pups and that second time would be a charm and it sure was,” Samuels told the WPTF Afternoon News.

Red wolves are considered the most endangered wolf species in the world. Fewer than 20 are known to exist in the wild, and fewer than 300 remain in total, including those under human care.

“The only place they roam free in the wild is right here in the state of North Carolina, so it’s pretty darn special. There’s less than 20 in the wild and less than 300 under human care so around 300 in total on the planet,” said Samuels.

Wild red wolves can only be found in a small portion of eastern North Carolina, in and around the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Samuels says while sightings are rare, this is the only place on Earth where they still live in the wild.

“The only place you can see redwolves in the wild is in the eastern part of North Carolina in the five-county area right around Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the counties out that way. It’s not easy to see them, but that’s the only place you could possibly see them,” said Samuels.

The Durham museum is an active participant in the American Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Samuels says the program evaluates the population and recovery efforts annually.

“We’ll have a meeting in July and look at all the pups that were born around the country and the state of the population. Talk with Fish and Wildlife Service and see what’s needed for next year; what wolves can we release to the wild, what wolves can we try to breed next year, what have we learned about veterinary care and different science, research or education tools. We always do what’s asked of us,” said Samuels.

Museum visitors will be able to see the red wolf pups starting in mid-June. The birth is considered a significant contribution to conservation efforts for a species with only a few hundred remaining globally.

13th annual Racing for Rescues set for Sunday in Cary to support local animal adoptions

13th annual Racing for Rescues set for Sunday in Cary to support local animal adoptions

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Animal lovers and runners alike are invited to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary this Sunday for the 13th Annual Racing for Rescues event. The fundraiser supports Second Chance Pet Adoptions, the Triangle’s oldest no-kill animal rescue organization. Registration begins at 8 a.m., with a 5K run and one-mile fun walk available for participants.

Mia Xavier, Director of Development and Communications for Second Chance Pet Adoptions, says the event is a great opportunity to connect with both past and present rescue animals.

“We have a lot of people who have been coming to the race year over year. They love to bring the dogs that they’ve adopted which is always great to catch up with our furry animal friends. It’s also a great opportunity for us to showcase the dogs we have in our program that are available for adoption,” said Xavier.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their pets to the event, which is designed to be both fun and flexible for families. Xavier says there are different race options depending on comfort and pace.

“Dogs, cat’s don’t like to be out with that many dogs but they’re certainly welcome. We’ll have a 5k that is for people that are running without dogs, we have a 5k for people that want to run with their dog, we have a one-mile walk for people who want to take it a little bit easier and that is dog friendly. We’d love for people to come out and bring their kids and just make a really fun day of it,” said Xavier.

Second Chance also works closely with shelters in Wake and surrounding rural counties. Xavier says they step in when space becomes an issue and euthanasia is imminent.

“We work with surrounding shelters, most often in some of the rural counties. We pull animals from their shelters, animals that we get a call where an animal is going to be euthanized because the shelter is unfortunately out of space, we will bring them into our program,” said Xavier.

The organization places a strong focus on matching pets with the right families and ensuring long-term success for each adoption.

“We want to make sure that there is compatibility in the family with kids, with other animals and with the person’s lifestyle. We definitely want to make that a win-win for everyone,” said Xavier.

North Carolina currently has the second highest euthanasia rate in the country. Since 1987, Second Chance Pet Adoptions has helped over 20,000 animals find forever homes. Proceeds from the event will go directly toward supporting rescue efforts, adoption services, and community outreach programs. Alongside the race, attendees can enjoy food trucks, local vendors, and activities for kids throughout the day.

Recent News

Powered By SoCast