Starbucks is known for their offer of free Internet to customers. After hurricane Irene’s passing local residents are taking advantage of something else the coffee house has to offer – the power.

“I live just down the road and my block is the only one still without power,” said one Uniondale resident, “so I’ve come here to charge my phone.”

Just one seat over another local resident overheard and chimed in, “Same here. We haven’t had power for three days.”

“I’ve been coming here to work for the past few days because I don’t have power at my house to do my work there,” said another.

In recent news, Starbucks has vowed to begin covering up those coveted outlets for those laptop users who change a small coffee table into a miniature cubicle, staying for hours on end. Now with the power outlets covered in various locations, those work sessions will only last as long as the computer battery does.

It is at those Starbucks locations - that still offer power supply to their customers - where a higher volume of customers has been seen in recent days raising the question: Is taking away power supply to Starbucks customers going to hurt or help their business?

            With LIPA working around the clock to restore power they stated on their website, “overnight Monday into Tuesday morning, we have restored service to an additional 55,000 customers.”

The good news is that the LIPA said it expects to restore 90 percent of those areas without power by Friday. Now for the unfortunate news: the other 10 percent may be powerless until next weekend or longer.

            For those without power until then: Starbucks is open.

Ed and Darla Rodgers raised their kids in a Christian home. Their life

in Chico, California was centered around church, family, and sports.

Ed, a local chiropractor, credits his wife for helping to raise their

three sons in a proper way. “My boys are humble,” he said to a local

paper, “and that’s what makes us most proud.”

This Sunday, middle son, Aaron, will be on display with that humility,

as he leads the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV against the

Pittsburgh Steelers. In the Green Bay lockerroom, coaches and

teammates know all about Aaron Rodgers leadership and quarterback

skills. His arm strength has been described as “ridiculous.” His

uncanny ability to find receivers and get the ball to them has made

him the NFL all time career leader in passer rating at 98.4. But they

also see the character that was developed at an early age.

“I grew up knowing what a stable relationship was by my parents example,

and how it centered on Christ,” Rodgers says. “When our family had its

ups and downs, I knew my parents relied on God for everything, and he

always got us through the rough spots.” Until he was 17, Aaron says he

went to church because his parents went to church. But about this time,

he began to make some choices with his buddies that he knew were not

right. It was then he rededicated his life to the Lord. “Ever since

then,” he says, “I fall on my face and get back up, get on my knees

and confess, and keep on trying to live for Jesus.”

This would also describe his play. No one can question his toughness.

After two concussions this year, Rodgers came back to lead the Packers

to their first NFC championship since 1998. It hasn’t been an easy

road for Rodgers. After three years as a backup quarterback, he was

called on to take the place of the legendary Brett Favre, who had been

the starting QB for the Pack since 1992. His steady play was largely

overshadowed by Favre’s “unretirement” and subsequent trade to the New

York Jets.

Rodgers is used to being overlooked. After a fine high school career at

Pleasant Valley High School, in Chico, he got exactly one Division 1

offer, and decided, instead, to go 30 miles down the road and play for

Butte Community College in Oroville, CA, Here he led the the team to a

10-1 record and a #2 national ranking. After one year, he signed to

play for the University of California, leading them to a #5 national

ranking in 2004. In the 2005 NFL draft, the Packers made him their #1

pick overall.

As a Christian, Aaron is a solid individual, but as one teammate said,

“He will not stand on the bleachers and shout.” In fact, Aaron often

quotes St. Francis of Assisi, who said, “Preach the Gospel at all

times and when necessary, use words.” He often quotes his favorite

Bible passage of Psalm 91:1-2. It reads “He who dwells in the shelter

of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say

of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.

’”

He may need that and more this Sunday night as he faces the onslaught

of Troy Polamalu and the Steeler defense. But when it is all said and

done, and the Lombardi trophy, named after the former Green Bay coach,

is handed out to someone, Aaron Rodgers will walk away exemplifying

the example of both his earthly and his heavenly Father. “I try to

live my life in a way that reflects the Lord, he says. “I use that as

a model as I relate to my friends and family, my teammates and coaches.

I want them to see that I really love and care for them as individuals.

I try to build relationships. I feel if you are not personally

invested in the people you spend every day with, then you are missing

out on building a relationship and wonderful life experiences. This is

what I like about Jesus. Jesus is about relationships.” And you can be

sure that somewhere in that massive stadium on Sunday night, Ed and

Darla, and Luke and Jordan Rodgers will be proud of Aaron not just for

what he does, but for who he is.

This is written by a sports anchor from Fox 6 in Milwaukee . It doesn’t get any
better than this.

“Save Me a Spot”

This job affords me some incredible opportunities. Being a member of the
FOX 6 Sports team means I’ve been able to witness and report on events
and people that many can only admire from a distance. I never take these
situations for granted and sincerely appreciate being involved in
whatever capacity each permits.
 
Monday marked just the most recent case as I had the unparalleled
privilege to be a part of Aaron Rodgers charity event to benefit the
MACC Fund, a charity towards eradicating childhood cancer and blood disorders.

Scattered throughout the crowd of rabid Packers aficionados, were the
people who I consider the event’s real MVPs. They are the families
who’ve been forced to deal with one of life’s toughest sentences - the
loss of a child.

Those who sprung for the tickets were not disappointed. In a world where
many athletes regurgitate canned and rehearsed responses, the Packers
quarterback was refreshingly candid. Aaron addressed a number of topics
with in-depth, honest reaction - even some that if reprinted and mass
distributed might raise some eyebrows. 
 
Aaron stressed the importance of availability and accountability. In his
opinion, it is a player’s responsibility to attend all of the team
activities as they are all intended to better the team as a whole. And
then, similarly, he addressed the importance of taking the
heat/criticism when one falls short of expectations and duties.
 
He is never nervous to take the field. Aaron is supremely confident in
the preparation he’s put in during the week leading up to Sunday’s match
up. The way the 2009 season ended was disappointing but his
self-confidence was not affected by the outcome. One of the toughest
realizations was that that combination of players would never take the
field together again. He likened the team to a family and admitted that
conflict can and does occasionally exist but they try to handle such
situations with maturity and civility.
 
He talked music and his love for tunes at a young age revealing that his
mom used to sing and play lullabies and country music when he was a
child. Aaron’s record label Suspended Sunrise is a product of this
passion but also a contingency plan for life after football. His
favorite song is Ben Harper’s ‘Forever’ and he’s envious of John Mayer’s
guitar skills though not his tabloid reputation. He appreciated my
affinity for Keith Urban but gave the audience a thumbs-down when I
mentioned fellow country crooner Kenny Chesney.
 
His favorite book is The Bible and he tries to read it every day not
just when life’s challenges and struggles surface.
 
His favorite movie is The Princess Bride which he admits he’s caught flack for
but says he and his childhood friends can recite every line from the film and it is
simply a great story.

Rodgers’ answers  to questions on this night were certainly admirable. And I
honestly didn’t think I could respect Aaron more.    But I was wrong.
 
My friend, the father of that young girl who passed, was there that
night. He was one of several attendees brought up on stage where he caught
a football thrown by the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

He asked Aaron to sign the football he’d caught. He wondered if
he’d make it out to his daughter. It isn’t shocking that Rodgers
obliged. What caught me off guard was the dedication he made. It wasn’t
until after Aaron left that I first saw the autograph… and the simple
yet sweet message that brought tears to this father’s eyes:
“To Cheri the angel. Save me a spot. - Aaron Rodgers”
 
I hope that Packers fans realize how lucky they are to have such an
upstanding young man leading their team on the field every weekend. I
hope they appreciate the challenges that were thrust upon him and
acknowledge the maturity with which he handled them. I hope they stand
behind the kid and respect him not only for his incredible talent but
for his intelligence and honesty, poise and compassion.
 
My job has afforded me the chance to watch Aaron Rodgers play football
for the last few seasons. But I am truly thankful for the opportunity to
see the other side of this impressive young man. And pass on some of
what I witnessed to you.