Delivering the commencement address to the graduating seniors at Morehouse College today, President Joe Biden addressed the nation. After thanking the mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and all the people who helped the graduates get to the chairs in front of the stage, Biden recalled Morehouse’s history. The school was founded in 1867 by civil rights leader Reverend William Jefferson White with the help of two other Baptist ministers, the Reverend Richard C. Coulter and the Reverend Edmund Turney, to educate formerly enslaved men. They believed “education would be the great equalizer from slavery to freedom,” Biden said, and they created an institution that would make the term “Morehouse man” continue to stand as a symbol of excellence 157 years later. Then Biden turned to a speech that centered on faith. Churches talk a lot about Jesus being buried on Friday and rising from the dead on Sunday, he said, “but we don’t talk enough about Saturday, when… his disciples felt all hope was lost. In our lives and the lives of the nation, we have those Saturdays—to bear witness the day before glory, seeing people’s pain and not looking away. But what work is done on Saturday to move pain to purpose? How can faith get a man, get a nation through what was to come?” It’s a truism that anything that happens before we are born is equidistant from our personal experience, mixing the recent past and the ancient past together in a similar vaguely imagined “before” time. Most of today’s college graduates were not born until about 2002 and likely did not pay a great deal of attention to politics until about five years ago. Biden took the opportunity to explain to them what it meant to live through the 1960s. He noted that he was the first in his family to graduate from college, paid for with loans. He fell in love, got a law degree, got married and took a job at a “fancy law firm.” But his world changed when an assassin murdered the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King—a Morehouse man—and the segregated city of Wilmington, Delaware, erupted with fires, looting, fights, and occasional gunfire. For nine months, the National Guard patrolled the city in combat gear, “the longest stretch in any American city since the Civil War,” Biden recalled. “Dr. King’s legacy had a profound impact on me and my generation, whether you’re Black or white,” Biden explained. He left the law firm to become first a public defender and then a county councilman, “working to change our state’s politics to embrace the cause of civil rights.” The Democratic Party had historically championed white supremacy, but that alignment was in the process of changing as Democrats had swung behind civil rights and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Biden and his cohort hoped to turn the Delaware Democratic Party toward the new focus on civil rights, he said. In 1972, Biden ran for the Senate and won…barely, in a state Republican president Richard Nixon won with 60% of the vote. Biden recalled how, newly elected and hiring staff in Washington, D.C., he got the call telling him that his wife and daughter had been killed in a car accident and that his two sons were gravely injured. The pain of that day hit again 43 years later, he said, when his son Beau died of cancer after living for a year next to a burn pit in Iraq. And he talked of meeting First Lady Jill Biden, “who healed the family in all the broken places. Our family became my redemption,” he said. His focus on family and community offered a strong contrast to the Republican emphasis on individualism. “On this walk of life...you come to understand that we don’t know where or what fate will bring you or when,” Biden said. “But we also know we don’t walk alone. When you’ve been a beneficiary of the compassion of your family, your friends, even strangers, you know how much the compassion matters,” he said. “I’ve learned there is no easy optimism, but by faith—by faith, we can find redemption.” For the graduates, Biden noted, four years ago “felt like one of those Saturdays. The pandemic robbed you of so much. Some of you lost loved ones—mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, who…aren’t able to be here to celebrate with you today…. You missed your high school graduation. You started college just as George Floyd was murdered and there was a reckoning on race. “It’s natural to wonder if democracy you hear about actually works for you. “What is democracy if Black men are being killed in the street? “What is democracy if a trail of broken promises still leave[s]…Black communities behind? “What is democracy if you have to be 10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot? “And most of all, what does it mean, as we’ve heard before, to be a Black man who loves his country even if it doesn’t love him back in equal measure?” The crowd applauded. Biden explained that across the Oval Office from his seat behind the Resolute Desk are busts of Dr. King and Senator Robert Kennedy, challenging Biden: “Are we living up to what we say we are as a nation, to end racism and poverty, to deliver jobs and justice, to restore our leadership in the world?” He wears a rosary on his wrist made of Beau’s rosary as a reminder that faith asks us “to hold on to hope, to move heaven and earth to make better days.” “[T]hat’s my commitment to you,” he said. “[T]o show you democracy, democracy, democracy is still the way.” Biden pledged to “call out the poison of white supremacy” and noted that he “stood up…with George Floyd’s family to help create a country where you don’t need to have that talk with your son or grandson as they get pulled over.” The administration is investing in Black communities and reconnecting neighborhoods cut apart by highways decades ago. It has reduced Black child poverty to the lowest rate in history. It is removing lead pipes across the nation to provide clean drinking water to everyone, and investing in high-speed internet to bring all households into the modern era. The administration is creating opportunities, Biden said, bringing “good-paying jobs…; capital to start small businesses and loans to buy homes; health insurance, [prescription] drugs, housing that’s more affordable and accessible.” Biden reminded the audience that he had joined workers on a picket line. To applause, he noted that when the Supreme Court blocked his attempt to relieve student debt, he found two other ways to do it. He noted the administration’s historic investment in historically black colleges and universities. “We’re opening doors so you can walk into a life of generational wealth, to be providers and leaders for your families and communities. Today, record numbers of Black Americans have jobs, health insurance, and more [wealth] than ever.” Then Biden directly addressed the student protests over the Israeli government’s strikes on Gaza. At Morehouse today, one graduate stood with his back to Biden and his fist raised during the president’s speech, and the class valedictorian, DeAngelo Jeremiah Fletcher, who spoke before the president, wore a picture of a Palestinian flag on his mortarboard and called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, at which Biden applauded. “In a democracy, we debate and dissent about America’s role in the world,” Biden said. “I want to say this very clearly. I support peaceful, nonviolent protest. Your voices should be heard, and I promise you I hear them.” “What’s happening in Gaza…is heartbreaking,” he said, with “[i]nnocent Palestinians caught in the middle” of a fight between Hamas and Israel. He reminded them that he has called “for an immediate ceasefire…to stop the fighting [and] bring the hostages home.” His administration has been working for a deal, as well as to get more aid into Gaza and to rebuild it. Crucially, he added, there is more at stake than “just one ceasefire.” He wants “to build a lasting, durable peace. Because the question is…: What after? What after Hamas? What happens then? What happens in Gaza? What rights do the Palestinian people have?” To applause, he said, “I’m working to make sure we finally get a two-state solution—the only solution—for two people to live in peace, security, and dignity.” “This is one of the hardest, most complicated problems in the world,” he said. “I know it angered and frustrates many of you, including my family. But most of all, I know it breaks your heart. It breaks mine as well. Leadership is about fighting through the most intractable problems. It’s about challenging anger, frustration, and heartbreak to find a solution. It’s about doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard and lonely. You’re all future leaders, every one of you graduating today…. You’ll face complicated, tough moments. In these moments, you’ll listen to others, but you’ll have to decide, guided by knowledge, conviction, principle, and your own moral compass.” Turning back to the United States, Biden urged the graduates to examine “what happens to you and your family when old ghosts in new garments seize power, extremists come for the freedoms you thought belonged to you and everyone.” He noted attacks on equality in America, and that extremist forces were peddling “a fiction, a caricature [of] what being a man is about—tough talk, abusing power, bigotry. Their idea of being a man is toxic.” “But that’s not you,” he continued. “It’s not us. You all know and demonstrate what it really means to be a man. Being a man is about the strength of respect and dignity. It’s about showing up because it’s too late if you have to ask. It’s about giving hate no safe harbor and leaving no one behind and defending freedoms. It’s about standing up to the abuse of power, whether physical, economic, or psychological.” To applause, he added: “It’s about knowing faith without works is dead.” “The strength and wisdom of faith endures,” Biden said. “And I hope—my hope for you is—my challenge to you is that you still keep the faith so long as you can.” “Together, we’re capable of building a democracy worthy of our dreams…a bigger, brighter future that proves the American Dream is big enough for everyone to succeed.” “Class of 2024, four years ago, it felt probably like Saturday,” Biden concluded. “Four years later, you made it to Sunday, to commencement, to the beginning. And with faith and determination, you can push the sun above the horizon once more….” “God bless you all,” he said. “We’re expecting a lot from you.” — Notes: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/05/19/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-morehouse-college-class-of-2024-commencement-address-atlanta-ga/https://www.inquirer.com/news/a/wilmington-del-riots-occupation-martin-luther-king-jr-national-guard-20181207.htmlhttps://www.reuters.com/world/us/morehouse-graduation-thanks-god-woke-class-2024-2024-05-19/

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-19-2024

I'm on the committee with my healthcare system to replace our Cobas 6000s. We've had presentations from Beckman Coulter, Roche, Abbott , and Siemens. I'm very familiar with Roche and I've worked with Abbott Architects in the past. I was hoping to get some perspectives, especially with the non-Roche equipment. Thanks.

Hi! I am currently interviewing with Beckman Coulter. I was wondering if anyone have any interview experience with BC. Can you please let me know how long it typically takes to land an offer after the panel interviews with team members? I've been waiting for a while now and kind of got ghosted.. Lol!! My initial interview with HR was 3.5 weeks ago and panel interview was last week. Any insights would be much appreciated 👍 Thanks!!

So I’m a very new tech and in school, we didn’t really learn much about chemistry analyzers. In the chemistry department at my hospital, we use the Beckman Coulter DxC 800 machines with Access 2 connected to them. I’ve yet to have to troubleshoot the machine myself and one of the techs was showing me how to change a glucose sensor today and I felt so overwhelmed.
She gave me the procedure on how to do it and had me try to figure out where the sensor was on the machine myself and i didn’t even know where to begin. When I look inside the machine, I feel so lost and I’m always so afraid to break something if I ever have to replace something. I tried to read the procedure on what to do but tbh, it all sounded so foreign trying to understand what it was talking about.
In a few weeks, I’ll be starting my shift by myself and I’ll be working mostly chemistry because the coworker I’ll be with doesn’t know how to do chemistry. As far as the basics of chemistry, I’m okay, but as far as troubleshooting and correcting errors, I have no idea what to do or where to begin. I know how to do like basic maintenance like put some cleaning fluid on, change reagents, and things of that nature. But idk what to do if an electrolyte is out of wack or how to change some probe or electrode or all those other things.
So I was wondering what common errors do you guys come across and how do you guys usually fix them? Like is it usually simply changing fluids/reagents and cleaning, or is it like having to change out parts of the machine?
I’ll be working weekends, so service won’t really be available either if I need something fixed.

Lyra finds out that Mrs Coulter runs the General Oblation Board and deduces that this organisation is the "Gobblers". This indicates "Gobblers" comes from the initials "G.O.B".
The Gobblers are common knowledge which means that someone must have made up the name "Gobblers" from the "G.O.B" and spread the rumour. Who? It's not like any of the G.O.B employees would want to create a panic around children going missing - it would just make their job harder. And who outside the organisation would know about the initials?

I know they green lit season 2, but I'm all caught up at the moment and I love this show. I'd love some future episodes that delve into Coulter and his siblings past in Greater detail. Or heck Coulters earlier jobs when he first became a Tracker. Hopefully he opens up a bit more next season to his friends and especially Greenie.

TLDR : au480 fails to read reagent volume on random position each time i check , with no error declared , just gives the normal "no volume in the bottle"
working in oncology lab for about a year now , 20-50 test a day , au480 works fine except for few picky hiccups
this time for the last 20 days it's been failing to detect reagent levels for random position with no error message , somes times the same position and only read it after i change it , sometimes it reads the level when i run volum check again , so nothing to do with reagent position , i ran thourough cleaning , even changed the R-probe and the R-tube ... i've been told to check the electrical ground situation but i ran it on multiple conditions with a qualified electrician
help

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As far as adversarial sparring partners on the show, you've got Joy vs Elisabeth/Meghan, Rosie vs Elisabeth, Candace vs Raven, etc but Sunny and Alyssa I think deserve a spot near the top. They are often the two that have their finger on the pulse of politics/culture, plus the energy is great when they debate cuz it's almost personal. That's good tv and we all know it. I think Sunny wanted to haze Alyssa a bit before letting her join the table too, and whoopi let sunny drag her like every show for a while there about the Trump stuff. I think Alyssa was good though, and she defends herself quite well
My point is the other ladies need to step it up. Cuz their takes on these issues are getting so basic. I can't clock Joy for much, she is an icon, but for as much as she says she's a 1 issue voter for the environment, she has a really closed mind about RFKjr's candidacy.
Sara calls herself an independent but literally doesn't want anyone to even consider voting for a third party until 2028.
Ana is just downright cynical and repetitive. "These are you two choices. get over it"... girl what? and then in the next breath, she's slobbering about democracy and Joe biden's decency. I don't even want to do an elaborate take down, she's just trying to keep her job as cohost as the reformed republican that argues exclusively for democrats, but that's not really a demographic to appeal to out there.. just a liberal wish. Nikki Haley voters aren't a real constituency to court.
Whoopi... Hell, where do we even start. All over the place lol. Kinda always has been, but you can see how extra it is when Joy mods. Used to be funny actually, but I think the ladies are scared of her, which is why I liked when the real brash conservative women go toe to toe with her. Like Ann Coulter, Judge Jeanine, Meghan Mccain, even Elisabeth. Actually, Lindsay Grainger was great at standing Whoopi down. The ladies are literally scared to cite a poll around her, I just can't. I like my political discussions to be a little more elevated, and Whoopi drags it into the gutter sometimes.
Anyway yea, Sunny and Alyssa. They aren't scared to call Biden old, talk about Gaza war, call out how dumb it is to smear young voters... I hope the political discussions are guided by them this summer, because they get what the debate is about, and where it's headed. It's probably not an arbitrary discussion about "democracy" or whatever that means, but one about the price of eggs, or these crazy war policies abroad (the actual things that decrease our value of life at home)

I live in an area with minimal job opportunities related to Medical Laboratory Science, basically just two hospitals near me and the rest of the career opportunities are about 50-60 minutes away. I love my career field but hate the people I work with. I went from a fast paced laboratory to a small slow hospital. The less workers, the more petty drama. It gets tiring.
I tried to have the “I come to work and go home” attitude but I don’t want to create a toxic environment. I don’t care about making friendships at work with people who are petty about every little thing. Not sure what other career opportunities I could go for. Maybe remote (Beckman Coulter FSE?), go back to school (for what though), idk at this point lol I’m just ranting. Enjoy your day :)

A selection of 5 new tech jobs ​

Job Position @ Company	Location
Senior Motion Graphics Designer @ Dentsu	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Computer Programmer @ The Coca-Cola Company	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
IT Manager @ Beckman Coulter Diagnostics	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
D&AI (Information Architecture) Partner Technical Specialist @ IBM	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Client Services Director @ NEOM	Neom, Saudi Arabia

I'd put "spoiler" on this, but since the title tells you it's a recap, I'm just going to roll with it. Moderators, let me know if you'd prefer me to make it a spoiler.
This episode felt a little more like they are finding their footing with the new dynamics. I still don't know what Elizabeth sees in Nathan -- he's a nice enough guy, but if he wasn't a Mountie and was, instead, a farmer or a barber, would she be interested?
Allie and Nathan are walking along the road to school, and Allie asks him “what’s going on between you and Mrs. Thornton?” Nathan denies anything is going on, but Allie tells him that it didn’t look like “nothing” when she saw them in the orchard. Nathan shrugs it off, but Allie persists: “She’s amazing, and she’s super-important to me. I just . . . don’t want you to get hurt . . . like before.” He tells her that “that was a long time ago, and things have changed” but Allie is skeptical. He reassures her that there’s nothing to worry about, and shoos her off to school.
On her way to school, Elizabeth is giving Toby a pep-talk about an upcoming test. She spots Lucas across the way, and tells Toby she’ll see him at school, and walks to meet Lucas, who has seen her and is walking towards her. He tells her he owes her an apology. “I’m listening,” she responds, and Lucas proceeds to apologize for Jeannette ambushing her, and most of all, not telling her about his previous relationship. “So, were you engaged?” Elizabeth asks, and Lucas allows as how they had talked about it. . . “well, mostly, she had talked about it . . . but there was never a ring or anything like that.” Elizabeth thanks him for the apology, but tells him that she’s really not bothered by Jeannette. He tells her that he was trying to leave his past behind him, and sympathetically she finishes the sentence, “ . . . but it always seems to catch up with you.” As they are talking, Nathan comes around the corner and sees them in serious conversation, as Elizabeth puts hand on Nathan’s arm and tells him “I’m very glad to hear that – you and I will always be friends.” (Ouch – “friend zone”?) Nathan watches her hand on Lucas’ arm, and swallows.
(So far, we’ve taken care of most the previews in the first 5 minutes . . . )
Lucas finds Henry in the orchard, and tells him that he doesn’t think that growing hazelnuts is going to be enough for him for long. “Henry . . . “ he begins, but Henry cuts him short and tells him that if he’s going to ask him to come work for him again to save his breath. Lucas tells him that he needs Henry’s help with the location of the resort. Henry wonders why it’s so important to Lucas, and Lucas admits that while all his other initiatives are helping other towns, he wants to do some especially for his own home town. Henry shakes his head, and when Lucas starts to beg him to reconsider, Henry cuts him off, and tells him that “I promised myself I was going to take a different road.” (Again with the cryptic life choices. Just marry Abigail, already!)
Elizabeth pops into Nathan’s office with a soup bone that she has saved for Scout. (goodness, she’s getting a lot done before school starts!) Nathan, pretending to be very busy at his desk, tells her that Scout isn’t in right now (weird response, but ok . . . ) but Elizabeth puts the bag on his desk and tells him to give it to him later. She sits down and asks him if everything is alright. (Why shouldn’t it be, Elizabeth?) Nathan doesn’t look up from his desk. “Nathan?” she asks, and Nathan finally looks her in the eye and tells her that he really has to finish up his paperwork. So Elizabeth leaves in a huff, with a snarky “Of course. Don’t let me distract you.” as she leaves. (What did you expect, Lizzy? You busted in on him unannounced and he’s supposed to stop what he’s doing and flirt with you?)
Maisie Hickham presents Lee and Mike with a list of Benson Hill’s requirements to participate in the resort. They unfold the very long list and start frowning. “You want us to build you a new train station? And a railroad extension?” Lee asks incredulously. “And you want us to build you a new dump?” Mike asks. “It’s only fair, Mikey,” responds his sister, citing the increased trash all the tourists will produce. Lee goes on to review the list, his voice rising with each item:: “Benches, a baseball diamond, and a new public transportation system with 10 buses?!” Maisie smiles and declares, “That a must –with all those tourists going back and forth to the resort.” She also adds that the new access road must go through Benson Hills. Mike, with years of frustration in his voice, whines “Why does everything have to be your way?” She declares that if the governor wants this “pipe dream” to go ahead, we want to be in control of it.” Mike and Lee exchange exasperated looks.
At the Canfields, Joseph has just finished repairing the water pump as the children are doing their homework, when Minnie bursts in with mail. “You have a letter!” she announces, and he just gestures for her to leave it on the table. “You’ll want to read this one . . . it’s from Jacob.” Surprised, Joseph slowly opens it as the children watch breathlessly. “What does it say?” asks Minnie, and Joseph, puzzled, reads, “he says it’s been too long and he’s open to a visit.” Minnie and the kids declare “that’s great!” but Joseph is still puzzled, wondering how he got their address. Minnie suggests a relative, but Joseph keeps reading and stops: “He says he got my letter . . . and he’s looking forward to my apology.” He throws the letter on the table angrily. “Has he lost his mind? I never wrote him!” Joseph takes a deep breath and quotes some Bible verses about welcoming all in their home as the kids cower slightly, but he finishes by declaring “and if he thinks he’s going to get an apology from me, he has another thing coming!” and storms out.
Bill and Rosemary come running into Nathan’s office, showing him that the crime report of Nathan’s shooting doesn’t mesh with the testimony. The shooter was supposed to be far away, but the trajectory of the bullet that hit Lucas’ leg is consistent with Lucas struggling with the shooter at close range. “So close, Lucas had to see his face!” Bill observes, but Rosemary finishes with “if only he could remember.”
The children are finishing up a math test. Opal even gets acknowledged: “Thank you, Opal.” She then announces that she has a surprise – it’s Anna, all the way from the teaching college in Capital City. (Can I just mention that I really, really hate the name “Capital City?)" The older girls are excited to see her, and Elizabeth announces that Anna will be doing her practicum (i.e., student teaching) there. “You mean, you’re going to be teaching us?” one of them asks. “I’m going to try, but I’m sure I’m not going to be as good as Mrs. Thatcher!” (Oh, barf . . . ) Elizabeth reassures her.
Mike and Lee review the meeting at the saloon with Mei. Mike admits that when he’s around her, he feels like her little brother. “She even called me Mikey,” he admits glumly, and Lee agrees. Lucas comes over and is intercepted by Bill with news about the shooter. “Can it wait? I have bigger problems,” and invites him to join the pow-wow with Mike, Lee and Mei, who admit the negotiations are stalled. Bill tells Mike to “just stand his ground!” but Mei observes that Mike may not be the best person to be negotiating with Maisie. Lucas suggests Bill take over, but Bill refuses (so much for “let us know how we can help!”), and they ask Lee to step in as mayor. Mike is on board – “you only lost by just a little bit!” – but Lee demurs: “Not like this!” Bill points out that the Governor is there, and then turns to Lucas and asks “Your Eminence? What sayth ye?” Lucas asks Hickam, who gladly resigns on the spot. Lucas then proclaims Lee as mayor pro tem, pending a special election. Everyone congratulates Lee, who looks a little aghast at the turn of events.
As the children play at recess, Elizabeth and Anna chat on the steps of the church. Anna admits that the classes are harder than she expected, but Elizabeth reassures her by telling her that teachers are best made by experience, not just what is taught at teacher’s college. As they stand up to go inside, Elizabeth pauses, watching Nathan ride across town on his horse, dashing in red serge. She pauses so long that Anna asks her “What’s the matter?” and then shakes it off.
An excited Lee bursts into his and Rosemary’s office. He prefaces his announcement by assuring her that this will not affect how much time he spends with Rosemary and Goldie. She frowns: “Oh no – did we buy another saloon?” Lee blurts out that Lucas just made him mayor. “WHAT?!” exclaims Rosemary, but Lee earnestly tells her that he wants a shot at the job, because he thinks he can really make a difference. Rosemary rises, goes to him, and gives him a lingering kiss. “Lee Coulter, you were made to be mayor,” she assures him. “It’s perfect – I’m so proud of you!” Then, suddenly it’s all about her: “I always thought I’d make a wonderful political wife - holding salons, debating issues of the day, driving the conversation towards a better world for all of us!” Lee just shakes his head, smiling. “I can see it now,” he smiles, and receives another kiss.
Anna hands out the math tests – Toby did well – and gets to ring the bell to dismiss class. Toby thanks Elizabeth for her help. The Canfield children are talking to Allie, telling her about the letter Joseph received, and Elizabeth overhears. They wonder if they should tell their dad who wrote the letter. “I think you already know the answer to that,” she tells them, and they nod glumly.
Henry wanders to the cafe and joins Joseph at a table outside. Joseph notices that Henry is troubled and asks what the problem is. Henry says, “I just want peace,” to which Joseph responds, “Why do you think you can’t have it?” (Oooh, nice philosophical question, Joseph!) Henry says that Lucas has asked him to help with the resort, but admits he doesn’t know if he can do it. “Business doesn’t excite you any more?” Joseph asks. “It’s not the business anymore, it’s the person I become when I’m doing the business.” Joseph puts his cup of tea down, and tells Henry that he has grown, changed and is wiser now. Henry gestures to his hair and retorts, “I’m greyer now! I wouldn’t say that I’m any wiser, now.” (And if that isn’t wise, I don’t know what is.) Joseph observes that he’s been called upon to share his wisdom, but it’s up to him to decide if he wants to share it.
Maisie is enjoying a mud facial from Mei, and comments that her shoulder is acting up, as it usually does with stress or family – “in this case, both” Mei offers to try acupressure, and Maisie agrees. While she relaxes, Maisie lets her guard down and tells her that she thinks it’s a bad idea of the governor’s, but the people of Benson Hills are “dazzled” by it. She then relaxes into a snooze just as Mike appears. Mei motions him out, and joins him outside as Maisie snoozes, and tells Mike that the people at Benson Hills are for the project, which delights him.
Elizabeth is walking down the street (with basket!) and sees Nathan chatting to some townspeople. He tips his hat and walks away, stops when he sees Elizabeth, but then keeps walking away. Elizabeth looks confused and slightly hurt. Later, she and Rosemary are talking by her front porch, and Rosemary asks if everything is ok between her and Lucas. Elizabeth says she thinks that both of them just want to be friends, and Rosemary agrees that it’s good to have fabulous friends that endeavor to do great things. Elizabeth goes on to say that “looking back, there was love, but not . . . “ “. . . the love you had with Jack,” Rosemary finishes for her. “Or the love you have with Lee. Is it asking too much to want that kind of love again?” Rosemary reassures her that no, it’s not, and that there’s a love written for her in the stars. Elizabeth, frowning, says, “Sometimes the stars don’t get it right,” and Rosemary asks what’s wrong. “Sometimes, it’s just hard to know what’s going on in other people’s minds – and hearts,” Elizabeth says. Rosemary asks if she’s talking about Nathan, and observes that minds and hearts don’t always agree.
Lee, Mike and Lucas are meeting to discuss the new information from Mei. Henry is sitting a few feet away, pretending to read a book, but is listening closely. Mike says that he thinks that Maisie is being deliberately difficult because she wants to force Hope Valley to pull the plug because she knows that the people of Benson Hills actually want the resort. Lee realizes that what they have isn’t a negotiation. Lucas looks at Henry and asks him if he’s hearing this. “I am,” Henry replies, nose still in the book. “Well, could you throw us a bone?” Lucas asks. Henry replies, “She’s trying to paint you in a corner – you have to take the paintbrush away from her.” The guys think about this for a moment, and Lee asks “How do we do that?” Henry allows as how he has a thought. Lucas smiles and says, “It sounds like you’re on board, Henry.” “Maybe. Let’s talk more,” Henry replies, as he gets up and walks out. Lucas starts to follow him, but notices Nathan, in off-duty clothes, listlessly playing darts in the corner. He walks over and proposes a wager on a game, and Nathan says he doesn’t trust his luck. Lucas throws a dart, smiles, and says, “It’s not luck, it’s skill.” Nathan laughs and says, “That, too!” and observes that Lucas seems to be in a good mood. “Some things seem to be going in my favor, and I cleared up a small misunderstanding with Elizabeth,” Lucas admits. “You mean, with Jeannette?” Nathan asks. “You were engaged to her?” Lucas observes that you can’t put your socks on in this town without everybody knowing it, and that no, he and Jennette were not engaged, but were together for a while. “As it turns out, Elizabeth hardly batted an eye, so I guess that means she has well and truly moved on.” “You’re ok with that?” Nathan asks skeptically. Lucas looks at Nathan and tells him “I’d rather have her as a friend than not have her in my life at all.” Nathan absorbs what Lucas has just said.
At the Canfields, Angela offers Joseph some pie. As he sits down, he notices they are nervous and asks what’s wrong. Angela admits that they sent Uncle Jacob the letter, but they didn’t mean to cause trouble, but after what he had told them about how important siblings are, and how you shouldn’t take them for granted . . . “ “ . . . we just thought that maybe you were taking it for granted, too.” finishes Cooper. Joseph sighs and says “you may be right,” and tells them it’s ok.
At school, Opal has made a very detailed picture of what she imagines the new resort would be like. Elizabeth suggests that she could be an architect or even an engineer. Opal looks thoughtful and asks Elizabeth to give the picture to Governor Bouchard.
Maisie enters the conference room for the next round of negotiations, but is surprised to find Lucas and Henry also in attendance. Lucas tells her they have an idea that might be fair to both parties, and Henry explains that they accept all of her demands. “You do?” she says, nervously. Henry goes on to add that they have an idea to help both towns. “What’s the idea?” Maisie demands. Lucas replies simply: “We merge the towns.” Maisie explodes, accusing them of trying to push her out of office, but Lucas explains that there will be co-mayors, until the next election. She looks speculatively at Mike, then smiles. “Co-mayors, you say?” Mike tries to interrupt her (to explain about Lee being the current mayor), but Maisie brushes him off with a condescending sweep of her finger and tells him “Mikey, I’m speaking with the governor.” Mike sits back with a “well, I tried” look on his face and a small smile. She asks Lucas, “And if either of these co-mayors persuades the other to oppose the resort?” Lucas smiles charmingly and tells her that ‘that would be most unfortunate, but I can’t see moving forward unless we have the full support of at least one mayor.” “Then I agree!” she says, standing and preparing to leave. “Thank you, Madame Mayor” Lucas tells her, and then administers the coup de grace: “Oh, by the way, Mike isn’t mayor anymore, Mr. Coulter is.” Maisie turns in disbelief, as Lee puts out his hand, smiles, and says, “And I look forward to our collaboration!’ he tells her, with a little laugh. She glares accusingly at Mike, who shrugs and says apologetically “I’m sorry Maisie – I tried to tell you.” She storms out of the conference room, leaving behind a room of smiling men.
Nathan (in uniform) sees Elizabeth on the street and asks to speak with her. He guides her over to an alcove and apologizes for his curt behavior the day before. “It obviously was just bad timing,” Elizabeth offers, but Nathan denies it and says, awkwardly, “I thought you and Lucas were . . . still . . . “ Elizabeth denies it, and assures him that she and Lucas are just friends. “I know,” says Nathan, “but what am I to you?” he asks earnestly. “I mean – are we just friends?” Elizabeth stares at him, mouth open, but is then interrupted by Henry, who tells Elizabeth there is an emergency meeting of the town council, and tells Nathan he might want to attend, too.
(Interesting to see who is on the town council. Where is Molly? Or Faith?) Florence and Ned Yost, Mike, Mei, Lee and Rosemary, Bill, Joseph and Henry. Apparently Elizabeth is, too. As they enter, everyone is already gathered, with Lucas standing in front of them. Bill is incredulous: “You want to merge the towns?” Ned Yost asks, “We won’t be Hope Valley any more?” Lucas reminds them that Maisie will also have a say, but tells them the vote must be unanimous, or else the project goes to Jamison or Buxton. Lucas also reminds them that if they merge, their school would come under the jurisdiction of the Valley School District and they would lose their independence. Elizabeth goes wide-eyed, and then looks down in thought as Rosemary looks at her worriedly and says “I don’t like the sound of that.” Florence agrees, remembering “the last time the school board came knocking.” Ned says that if it affects Elizabeth’s school, he votes no. Everyone looks at Elizabeth, who slowly says that while they have had their issues with the school board before, they have always overcome them, and this might mean more benefits. Lee agrees, saying there may be more resources and more opportunities for their kids. Ned asks Elizabeth if she agrees, and she hesitates, gazing at Lucas. “Do you really believe in this?” she asks him. He holds her gaze and says, “I do. Economically, it means a better future for the whole valley and everyone in it.” “She thinks for a moment: “Then I say ‘yes’.” She turns and glances at Nathan, who gives her a small smile – which is observed by Lucas.
Maisie is meeting with Henry, Lucas, Mike and Lee, and declares that the towns aren’t merged. “We thought you were in agreement?” responds Henry, and Maisie blusters, “Well, THAT was before . . . “ and Lee smiles and finishes her sentence for her: “Before you found out that I was going to be your co-mayor instead of Mike?” Mike throws his two cents in gleefully: “You aren’t pushing Lee around!” Maisie shrugs, and Lucas tells her that they want to work with her, and promise to deal with her demands in good faith, but “yes, it is a fait accompli.” Maisie is still against the idea of the resort, and states that it will bring endless trouble to the valley. Lucas promises her that won’t happen, but Maisie shoots back, “Just like your predecessor promised the water would be safe? I may be a lone voice, but I will continue to fight this monstrosity. And maybe the voters will turn against me in the next election – but at least I will be able to sleep at night. Can you say the same?” Mike tries to reason with her: “Your own council agrees!” She dismisses his argument, telling him that he is being fooled. Mike stands firm, though, and tells her “Maisie, you’re wrong. I know you aren’t used to being told this, but you’re wrong.” She glares at Mike, and then tells them all that “this isn’t over” as she flounces out. Mike apologizes to Lucas, who says that he’s sorry, too, for causing a family rift. Mike brushes that prospect off with a short laugh: “As Hickam rifts go, this is mild!” Lee congratulates Lucas and leaves, leaving Lucas and Henry. Lucas turns to Henry and tells him, “Well played – I knew we needed you on the team. Welcome aboard!” Henry nods, but looks less than thrilled.
Elizabeth (carrying the basket) knocks on Lucas’ office door and asks if he’s busy. He invites her in, and apologizes for blindsiding her at the council meeting, but she admits that it was inevitable that they would end up joining the school board. He assures her that he will do everything in his power to maintain independence, and she thanks him. She reaches into her basket and pulls out Opal’s sketch, and tells him that Opal really wanted him to have it, because she had been inspired on the hike. Lucas studies it and says “this is even better than I had imagined it!” Elizabeth tells him that “she really believes in the Bouchard GV!” “GV?” “Grand Vision” she explains, smiling. “And I believe in it, too.” Lucas tells her that that means a great deal to him. As she turns to leave, he tells her that he really meant what he said to her, and asks her to promise him that if she ever does have a chance at happiness, that she will jump in with both feet. You deserve that.” Touched, she tells him “Thank you. I will.”
Minnie joins Joseph, who is deep in thought, on the porch of the cafe. They talk about Jacob, and how Minnie remembers them being inseparable when they first met. Joseph agrees, but then says that after the argument that his brother was “Impossible! And difficult! And stubborn!” Minnie observes that “I guess it runs in the family,” and reminds him that it’s been a long time, and that he should remember what he told the kid, that there is nothing more precious than family. Joseph shakes his head slightly, but Minnie persists: “You have nothing to lose . . . and everything to gain.”
Bill and Rosemary are explaining the shooter theory to Lucas, who still doesn’t remember the shooting. He points out that Clayton Pike confessed, but Bill presses on, and reminds Lucas that Pike may not have been acting alone – or even was there. Rosemary chimes in, saying that if that’s the case, the real shooter is still out there, and Lucas is still in danger. Lucas tries to brush it off, reminding them that it’s been five months, and the other person has had plenty of time to finish the job if he was still in danger. Rosemary reminds him that they just want him to be safe, and he thanks them. Bill picks up the file as he and Rosemary begin to leave, and a photo of the crime scene falls out. Lucas picks it up to hand to Bill, but as he glances at it, he has a short flashback. “I do remember . . . something I grabbed the gun.” Bill asks eagerly if he remembers the face, any detail that might help, but that’s all Lucas can recall for now, and he promises to tell them if something else comes to mind. He looks distracted. “Right now, I’m just tired – it’s been a long day.” Bill and Rosemary nod understandingly and leave. Lucas stands in the middle of the room, as flashbacks flit through his mind: The headlight of a car. A man with a hat with his back turned towards him. A struggle. A gun. And lastly, an umbrella lying on the ground in the rain.
Nathan is enjoying a drink on the front porch of his house as Allies comes out, declaring the dishes have been done. He thanks her, and she apologizes for "sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong” the day before. He reassures her it’s ok, but she asks what he’s going to do. “I thought I’d walk Scout and walk off some of that dinner,” he teases, and she says, “No! About Mrs. Thornton!” Nathans tells her it’s complicated, but Allie looks over his shoulder and interrupts him by springing up and telling him, “Oh, I have homework!” and dashes inside. He turns and, surprised, sees Elizabeth walking up to him. “I didn’t get a chance to answer your question,” she tells him. He tries to be nonchalant about it, but she persists. “Nathan. Friends don’t look at friends . . . this way.” She tears her gaze from his and walks away, leaving him smiling.