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WASHINGTON — More than a dozen states are sending out checks to millions of people this year, hoping to provide some extra cash to consumers as inflation drives up prices on everyday items across the board.
Many states are able to send these checks because of excess revenue in their budgets. Many of the payments are officially called tax rebate checks.
The checks draw some parallels to the trio of federal stimulus checks provided to Americans by the federal government during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Those checks were an attempt to help workers being kept out of their workplaces by stay-at-home measures — as well as a nationwide attempt to prevent the economy from stalling.
But this latest round of payments are coming from state governments, meaning they won't be as widespread as the last ones, and could vary in how much residents in each state are given.
However, more states appear to be embracing the cash-back plan in 2022. As of July, at least 16 states have stimulus checks that have either passed the legislature or are in the process of approving those checks.
California
About 23 million California residents will receive Inflation Relief checks of up to $1,050 under a budget deal signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in late June. Under the plan, the vast majority of Californians would receive some form of relief, from as little as $200 to as much as $1,050, depending on income level and the size of your household.
Georgia
Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a bill to send payments to Georgians out of a state budget surplus of more than $2 billion. The Georgia payments come in three varying amounts, depending on how each household files taxes: Single tax filers or married taxpayers filing separately: $250; Head of household filers: $375; Married joint filers: $500
Maine
Maine sent out $850 relief checks to an estimated 858,000 recipients who had a federal adjusted gross income of less than $100,000 if filing single or if married and filing separately, $150,000 if filing as head of household or $200,000 for couples filing jointly.
New Mexico
New Mexico is providing multiple rebates for taxpayers in 2022, according to the state Department of Taxation and Revenue.
Colorado
In Colorado, taxpayers will receive rebates of $750 for individual filers and $1,500 for joint filers in summer 2022.
Hawaii
Hawaii is also providing refunds to its taxpayers and their dependents, Gov. David Ige’s office said. The state’s Department of Taxation anticipates that it will begin processing the refunds in late August 2022.
Single taxpayers who earn less than $100,000 per year and couples who earn less than $200,000 per year will receive $300, and single taxpayers and couples who earn more will receive $100.
Idaho
The state began sending tax rebates of $75 per taxpayer and dependent, or 12% of their income tax amount – whichever is greater – beginning in March 2022.
Illinois
Illinois is giving out one-time individual income and property tax rebates to people who meet certain requirements in 2022.
Single taxpayers will receive a $50 income tax rebate, while couples will get a $100 rebate. Families will also receive a rebate amount of up to $300 per dependents – or $100 per dependent, with a maximum of three.
New Jersey
New Jersey began mailing Middle Class Tax Rebates to eligible residents on July 2. Those who filed a 2020 income tax return and claimed at least one dependent child with a tax balance of $1 or more qualify for the tax rebate.
The rebate amount is equal to the tax paid after credits, up to a maximum amount of $500. Tax rebates will be issued as a paper check, separate from the income tax refund.
Indiana
Indiana has slowly been distributing $125-per-taxpayer payments due under an automatic refund law triggered by last year’s large surplus that was boosted by federal COVID-19 relief funding. Legislators are considering GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb’s plan for a second round of refund payments from the state government's budget surplus.
Virginia
Virginia lawmakers approved a one-time tax rebate of $250 per single taxpayer and $500 for a couple filing jointly.
Tax rebates won’t be issued until late September 2022, the state Department of Taxation said. Those who are eligible and filed their taxes before July 1 will “likely” receive their rebate in September or October.
Delaware
Delaware is sending one-time direct payments of $300 per adult resident – or $600 for married couples – to help people as they face “higher prices at the grocery store and gas pump,” the state Department of Finance said.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has issued $500 payments to hundreds of thousands of low-income workers. The first round of payments, sent out in March 2022, went to around 480,000 people and a second round of payments went to an estimated 330,000 individuals in June.
New York
In June, New York began mailing out a homeowner tax rebate credit, which was a one-year program initiated to provide property tax relief to homeowners in 2022. The checks were originally planned to be sent out in the fall of 2022, but the state sent them out early.
South Carolina
South Carolina residents will get a one-time tax rebate of up to around $800 by the end of 2022.
Florida
Around 59,000 Florida families are receiving a one-time payment of $450 per child as part of the governor's new budget, spokeswoman Christina Pushaw explains in a tweet. The one-time payments are going out to 59,000 eligible Florida families. Foster families, adoptive families, and single parents are eligible for the payments, Casey DeSantis said during a visit last week in Tampa.
Eligibility for a tax rebate check varies by state.
Minnesota's governor has proposed sending $2,000 checks to all joint income tax filers who earn up to $273,470 per year, and single filers who make up to $164,000 annually. But the plan has yet to be approved by the state legislature.
Will there be a fourth federal stimulus check?
As of July 2022, the federal government doesn't appear to have any plans to send a fourth stimulus check to all U.S. residents. The Biden administration has not made an appeal to Congress about a fourth stimulus payment, but legislative gridlock as the 2022 midterms approach all but assures any such proposal would be dead on arrival.
VERIFY contributed to this report. | 2022-07-20T18:09:46+00:00 | wgrz.com | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/nation-world/state-stimulus-checks/507-815bb605-2e24-400a-b903-d54be1bc0af7 |
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article suggested the new study countered existing medical advice, rather than simply providing an additional, possible cause of SIDS
(WTVO) — A groundbreaking medical study has uncovered the possible cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
SIDS is the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old, usually while the baby is asleep. Its cause has long been a mystery to the medical community.
But a new study may have discovered the reason why a child suddenly dies with no obvious explanation.
The Mayo Clinic suspected that SIDS was caused by a defect in the part of the brain that controls arousal from sleep and breathing. Researchers believed that when the baby stopped breathing during sleep, the defect would prevent the child from startling or waking up.
Now, researchers at The Children’s Hospital Westmead in Sydney, Australia, reportedly confirmed the theory by analyzing dried blood samples taken from newborns who died from SIDS.
They discovered that the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was lower in the babies who died compared to living infants. The enzyme plays a major role in the brain’s arousal pathway, researchers said, accounting for why SIDS typically occurs during sleep.
“This finding represents the possibility for the identification of infants at risk for SIDS prior to death and opens new avenues for future research into specific interventions,” researchers in the study wrote.
According to the America Academy of Pediatrics, incidents of sleep-related deaths among infants declined significantly during the 1990s after the AAP and other groups started recommending that parents put their children on their backs to sleep, in a safe sleep space. The AAP says that rates have plateaued since then, however.
The medical community can now work toward creating a screening test to identify babies who are at risk for SIDS. | 2022-05-12T21:11:07+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/on-your-side/health-watch/groundbreaking-sids-study-uncovers-possible-cause-of-infant-deaths/ |
- EQONEX will streamline to focus on Asset Management and Custody
- EQONEX to proactively exit the crowded crypto exchange space, closing its crypto Exchange on August 22, 2022
- Exchange clients will have sufficient time to manage and close their trading positions and withdraw their assets off the exchange
- The Exchange closure will materially reduce the Company's cost structure and position the Company for sustainable growth.
SINGAPORE, Aug. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EQONEX Limited (NASDAQ: EQOS) ("EQONEX" or the "Company"), a digital assets financial services company, today announced that it is taking decisive action to streamline its operations and focus resources primarily on the businesses that offer the most potential for revenue growth and long-term financial sustainability: Asset Management and Custody. The Company will proactively exit the crowded crypto exchange space by closing the Exchange.
EQONEX Chairman Chi-Won Yoon recently outlined the Company's strategic priorities and intention to focus its resources on businesses where it has significant competitive strengths and can leverage its traditional finance expertise and experience. The decision by the EQONEX Board of Directors to accelerate its strategic plan and close the Exchange is in alignment with this strategic framework.
Closing the Exchange will improve the Company's financial position by materially reducing the high-cost structure associated with operating the Exchange, and free up resources to drive growth in the segments where it has significant competitive strengths.
The Exchange was launched during a period of rapid growth and competition within the crypto industry, and the market is now comprised of close to 300 spot exchanges, many of which share comparable features. Intense market competition and low margins, combined with the significant technological load required to ensure optimal performance has made running a profitable exchange increasingly challenging, especially in the current environment where crypto exchange volumes have fallen.
EQONEX's Asset Management business encompasses Investment Products and Bletchley Park, a fund of crypto hedge funds. The Investment Products business recently received approval from Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) for the issuance of an exchange-traded products, which resulted in the launch of the EQONEX Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Note (ETN) on the Deutsche Börse XETRA Exchange in July 2022.
In addition, EQONEX will be launching a Structured Products business in the near future that will offer professional investors and institutions exposure to bespoke crypto investments. The Company also recently announced several high-caliber, senior appointments to the Asset Management team to drive growth in Asia and Europe.
Digivault, the group's digital asset custody business, is in the unique position of being one of only a few digital asset custody providers to be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom. Digivault is a provider of choice for law enforcement agencies and recently became the first custody partner of poundtoken.io, the first British-Isles regulated and 100% backed GBP stablecoin.
The Company's focus on regulation and governance has also been a driving feature since its inception, and it plans to continue its efforts to secure regulatory licenses for its on-going businesses with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.
EQONEX CEO Jonathan Farnell said, "We are focused on opportunities that will drive revenue growth and position us for long-term success. Closing the Exchange will significantly simplify our business, narrow our focus, free up resources, and allow us to operate as a more efficient organization with capacity to aggressively go after market segments that offer the most potential."
"The recent extreme market volatility and declining trading volumes have added to the headwinds being felt by exchange operators. We take a realistic view that our exchange will not move the needle for us financially over the near-to-medium term. We don't see value in continuing to bear the costs of operating an exchange during what may be a prolonged market downturn. We have conviction that proactively exiting the crowded exchange space is the right decision to deliver shareholder value."
"Our Asset Management and Custody business, Digivault, have already made solid progress with the additional resources that we have allocated to them recently, and we are bullish about their prospects as we become an organization focused on these high-potential business areas".
EQONEX Chairman Chi-Won Yoon said, "Nimble and resilient companies can adapt and evolve to navigate market conditions and exploit opportunities. We are now firmly committed to the areas where we have the expertise and experience to serve a growing customer segment, and where we can ultimately deliver the most investor value."
"Digital asset custody and asset management businesses have high barriers to entry given their unique security, technology and regulatory specifications. We have already laid solid foundations for our businesses to thrive, and with increased focus and resources, we are well positioned to harness our competitive advantages and capitalize on market opportunities."
EQONEX's principal place of business will move from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom given Asset Management and Custody operations are predominantly UK-based, together with the majority of the Executive Management team.
Timeline for Exchange customers:
EQONEX aims to provide customers with sufficient time to trade out of existing derivative positions and withdraw assets from the exchange before it ceases operations.
- The Exchange will close for trading at 08.00 AM UTC on 22 August 2022. Clients should aim to close out their derivative trading positions during this seven-day window.
- Customers will then have between 15 August and 8.00 AM UTC on 14 September (30 days from this announcement) to withdraw their assets into another wallet. Withdrawal fees will be waived.
- The EQO token, being an exchange-only token that cannot be withdrawn, will cease trading with immediate effect. EQONEX will communicate with holders directly regarding their EQO balance.
- More detailed customer information is available at www.eqonex.com
About EQONEX
EQONEX Limited (NASDAQ: EQOS) is a technology driven digital assets financial services group that provides institutional grade infrastructure and a full suite of trading, custody and asset management solutions to clients. The Group's digital assets ecosystem has been designed to accommodate the needs of institutions and individuals with the same degree of regulatory oversight and security they are accustomed to in traditional financial markets. EQONEX's ecosystem primarily encompasses Digivault, a FCA- registered custodian, Asset Management which encompasses investment products, and Bletchley Park, a fund of crypto-hedge funds, and Brokerage which includes Structured Products, OTC and lending services.
For more information visit: https://group.eqonex.com/
Follow EQONEX on social media on Twitter @eqonex, on Facebook @eqonex, and on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Information
Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on available current market material and management's expectations, beliefs and forecasts concerning future events impacting EQONEX. You are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions, which, if they were to ever materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of EQONEX to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and we disclaim any obligation, except as required by law, to provide updates, revisions or amendments to any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in our expectations or future events.
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SOURCE EQONEX | 2022-08-15T09:47:07+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/15/eqonex-streamline-operations-focus-asset-management-custody-businesses/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Klein Law Firm announces that a class action complaint has been filed on behalf of shareholders of LifeStance Health Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LFST) alleging that the Company violated federal securities laws.
This lawsuit is on behalf of all purchasers of LifeStance common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the documents issued in connection with LifeStance's June 10, 2021 initial public stock offering.
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: October 11, 2022
No obligation or cost to you.
Learn more about your recoverable losses in LFST:
https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/lifestance-health-loss-submission-form?id=31049&from=4
LifeStance Health Group, Inc. NEWS - LFST NEWS
CLASS ACTION CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that LifeStance Health Group, Inc. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the number of virtual visits clients were undertaking utilizing LifeStance Health was decreasing as the COVID-19 lockdowns were being lifted, thereby flatlining LifeStance Health's out-patient/virtual revenue growth; (ii) the percentage of in-person visits clients were undertaking utilizing LifeStance Health was increasing as the COVID-19 lockdowns were being lifted, thereby causing LifeStance Health's operating expenses to increase substantially; (iii) LifeStance Health had lost a large number of physicians due to burn-out and, as a result, its physician retention rate had fallen significantly below the 87% highlighted in the initial public offering's registration statement, and LifeStance Health had been expending additional costs to onboard new physicians who were less productive than the outgoing physicians they were replacing; and (iv) as a result, LifeStance Health's business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as the initial public offering's registration statement represented.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU AS A SHAREHOLDER: If you have suffered a loss in LifeStance you have until October 11, 2022 to petition the court for lead plaintiff status. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you purchased LifeStance securities during the relevant period, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket fees.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL INTERESTS: For additional information about the LFST lawsuit, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or click this link: https://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/lifestance-health-loss-submission-form?id=31049&from=4.
J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. The Klein Law Firm is a boutique litigation firm with experience in a wide range of areas including securities law, corporate finance and commercial litigation. Since 2011, our experienced attorneys have achieved superior results for our clients with a personalized focus. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
J. Klein, Esq.
Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue
59th Floor
New York, NY 10118
jk@kleinstocklaw.com
Telephone: (212) 616-4899
www.kleinstocklaw.com
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SOURCE The Klein Law Firm | 2022-08-23T10:48:57+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/lfst-alert-klein-law-firm-announces-lead-plaintiff-deadline-october-11-2022-class-action-filed-behalf-lifestance-health-group-inc-shareholders/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian cruise missiles struck villages around southern Ukraine's port city of Odesa early Tuesday, hitting houses, a school and a community center as Russian President Vladimir Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Iran to discuss a U.N.-backed proposal to unblock exports of Ukrainian grain.
Russian forces fired seven Kalibr cruise missiles at the Odesa region. The Russian Defense Ministry said strikes on the village of Bilenke had a legitimate military goal and "destroyed depots of ammunition for weapons supplied by the United States and European countries.”
A local official disputed Moscow's claim and said six people were wounded.
“These strikes on peaceful people have one goal — to intimidate the population and the authorities and keep them in constant tension,” Serhiy Bratchuk, the speaker of the Odesa regional government, told Ukrainian television.
The Russian military in recent weeks has targeted Odesa and parts of southern Ukraine where its troops captured cities earlier in the war amid indications that Ukraine was planning counterattacks to retake Russian-occupied areas.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces on the ground in eastern Ukraine are fighting to hold onto the declining territory under their control.
At least two civilians were killed and 15 more were wounded by Russian shelling across the country over the past 24 hours, Ukraine’s presidential office said in a morning update.
“There remains a high level of threat of missile strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Shtupun, spokesman of the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces.
In eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province, which has been cut off from gas supplies and in part from water and power, one person was killed and two more wounded.
“The infrastructure of the cities is being methodically destroyed by missile strikes, and the civilian population, cut off from bare necessities, suffers the most,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said in televised remarks.
Kyrylenko said four Russian strikes were carried out on the city of Kramatorsk. He urged civilians to evacuate. Some residents heeded the warning and loaded what belongings they could carry into a bus early Tuesday to await evacuation.
The missile strikes came as the British military said it believes Russia is facing “increasingly acute” problems in keeping up its troop strength in its grinding war of attrition that began with the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
The British Defense Ministry in a Tuesday morning assessment said that Russia “has struggled to sustain effective offensive combat power since the start of the invasion, and this problem is likely becoming increasingly acute” as Moscow seeks to conquer the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
The British military added: “While Russia may still make further territorial gains, their operational tempo and rate of advance is likely to be very slow without a significant operational pause for reorganization and refit.”
In other developments Tuesday:
— Ukraine's parliament approved President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to dismiss Ivan Bakanov as head of the country's Security Service, the SBU. Zelenskyy over the weekend removed Bakanov, as well as Iryna Venediktova, who served as Ukraine's Prosecutor General, over the weekend The parliament separately voted to approve Venediktova's ouster. As part of the reshuffle, Zelenskyy on Tuesday also fired heads of five regional branches of the SBU and one deputy head of the agency.
— Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, visited Washington at the invitation of the U.S. first lady Jill Biden. Zelenska met Monday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Blinken assured her of the United States’ commitment to Ukraine, and commended her for her work with civilians dealing with trauma and other damage from the war. Zelenska is expected to meet with Jill Biden on Tuesday.
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Follow the AP's coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Credit: Nariman El-Mofty
Credit: Nariman El-Mofty
Credit: Patrick Semansky
Credit: Patrick Semansky
Credit: Patrick Semansky
Credit: Patrick Semansky
Credit: Grigory Sysoyev
Credit: Grigory Sysoyev | 2022-07-19T11:47:32+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/russia-pounds-ukraine-as-putin-holds-talks-in-tehran/AK37IGAWT5DI7NKNJA5MPFKNHM/ |
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. – After stunning women's golf by winning in her first event as professional, Rose Zhang will try to take the next big step when she goes for her first major victory in the Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol.
And it's been just a month in the making for the 20-year-old Californian, who many believed was going to be the next big celebrity in her sport, similar to when Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa returned in a two-year span ending in 2010.
Zhang has gone from winning her second straight NCAA individual title, to turning professional and then living up to all the hype by winning the Mizuho Americas Open earlier this month. It made her the first LPGA Tour winner in her pro debut in 72 years.
What followed was whirlwind of national television appearances, phone and in-person interviews, endorsement offers and then back to Stanford for a study week and finals, including a tough computer science test, in which all she wanted was to get a passing grade. She passed.
After some rest at home and little work on her game, Zhang returns to work Thursday, when she takes on a field that includes all 11 LPGA Tour winners this year in the second major in women's golf.
While that might intimidate some, not Zhang. Walking up the microphone on Wednesday, there was a wide smile on her face. When the questions followed, she was personable, humble, thoughtful and composed, a breathe of fresh air for any athlete.
“Biggest adjustment, I will say that I haven’t been able to work on my game as much as I was able to before as an amateur," Zhang said. ”There’s a lot more obligations that you have to do as a professional. You have a lot more press interviews, conferences, and it does take a lot out of you and a lot out of your time and energy. Therefore, I haven’t been able to grind like I usually have been."
Grinding for Zhang was going out on the range and smashing balls around for four hours. She hasn't done that recently because she was tired after a long college season and then the move into the pro ranks. This week is more fine tuning for the fourth women's event in New Jersey in seven weeks.
Other the handing the demands on her time, Zhang believes she has not changed much. She credits that to her family and friends, who have not changed in their approach to her.
Socially, she is getting more tweets, including one from Warriors guard Steph Curry, one of her role models growing up. It left her speechless.
Golf is something she handles with ease, and winning her first event only added to her confidence as she readies for her first major as a pro.
“It was more just validation for myself to say that, hey, I can compete at the highest level, and as long as I do what I need to, as long as I perform as well as I can, I’ll be able to be in contention week in and week out," she said.
World No. 1 Jin Young Ko of South Korea and fellow 2023 multiple winner Lilia Vu, who won the Chevron Championship — this year's first of five majors — headline the field.
U.S. Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis said Zhang has to be considered for the 12-player team going to Spain to face Europe in September.
“I had her on my radar just more for 2024 because I knew it would be hard for her to win because that was the only way she was going to have a chance to play for ’23 was for her to win,” Lewis said. “So I’ve been following her, and now obviously we’re following things a little bit more closely. But like everybody else, she can still go earn her spot.”
The Solheim Cup is usually played every two years, but it is being switched to even-numbered years next year so as not to conflict with the Ryder Cup.
FAME NOT IMPORTANT WITHOUT ID CARD.
Defending champion In Gee Chun had a hard time getting in the locker room at Baltusrol on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old South Korean put her LPGA identification badge in her bag Tuesday night and her caddie took it when they arrived at the course.
“I’m trying to get into the locker room, and the security person said you can’t get in there,” Chun said. “I showed them another -- a (money) clip, and she said: ‘You need extra credential card.’ But I’m sure I’m player.”
Chun said another locker room person came out and identified her.
“Oh, she’s the defending champion, so she can get in. Come in," Chun said with a slight smile.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-06-21T22:37:58+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/sports/2023/06/21/rose-zhang-seeking-to-follow-win-in-her-pro-debut-with-a-major-at-the-womens-pga-championship/ |
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Matt Daniels acknowledged feeling “just a tad bit” of butterflies when he sat down earlier this week for speed-dating-style meetings with NFL owners and executives as part of the league’s strategy for developing more diversity in the coaching ranks.
With just one season on his resume as Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator, the 33-year-old Daniels could have been forgiven if he were daunted by the pressure of selling himself to these decision-makers in 30-minute time slots.
But all Daniels had to do was be his usual engaging and energetic self.
“What you realize is these billionaires and these high-influence major powers, they’re just normal people who enjoy and love football,” Daniels said.
The relative lack of minority-race coaches in prominent leadership roles, starting with the big stage of being a head coach, has been a long-running problem for the league and thus a more recent priority to address. Filling the pipelines with more diverse candidates has been one of the goals, including the creation of “accelerator” programs for front office and coaching jobs.
At the spring league meetings in Minnesota this week, a pool of 40 coaches participated in the latest edition. Sixteen of them took part in the inaugural event a year ago, after which eight coaches and three executives were hired in new roles, including Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon.
The roster this week included veterans such as Leslie Frazier and Anthony Lynn, who’ve previously been head coaches and still aspire for the top job.
“They’re at different places and times and in their career,” said Jonathan Beane, the chief diversity and inclusion officer for the NFL. “Our agenda needs to fit that and needs to make sure that someone like a Leslie Frazier is getting a lot out of it and make sure that someone else who might be very early in their career, a positional coach, that they’re getting a lot out of it, too.”
For an up-and-comer like Daniels who works in the specialized area of special teams, the opportunity to introduce himself to more people in charge was as valuable as any.
“Exposure leads to expansion,” said Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who filed last year a still-pending lawsuit against the league alleging racist hiring practices after being fired as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. “Once guys are exposed to certain people, certain situations, you grow.”
There are currently six minority head coaches, three Black, among the 32 positions in the NFL. Being able to shake more hands alone is not going to boost the rate, but every initiative has to start somewhere.
“This is a relationship business, so guys are going to hire who they trust,” Daniels said. “The more you put yourself out there, the more you’re able to be seen and be heard, that’s kind of where change starts to happen. It’s easy to kind of be hush-hush about certain situations or certain things just because you might ruffle a little feathers, but someone’s got to do it.”
Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell was another participant in the three-day session. The networking with each other and with the higher-ups was vital, but there were other components the league has added based on feedback from the pilot participants.
Trace Armstrong, a former NFL player and current coach agent, provided perspective about the contract side of the business. Dean Stamoulis, a search firm executive, was there to speak about the hiring process. Don Thompson, the former chief executive of McDonald’s, brought inspiration as a trail-blazing Black leader in the restaurant business.
“He told us, ‘You can play the game, but you’ve still got to be yourself,’” McCardell said. “I think everybody picked up on that, and when we were ourselves to the owners, they enjoyed it.”
Charles London, who was hired this offseason as pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Titans, interviewed with head coach Mike Vrabel for their offensive coordinator position. He participated in the accelerator program last year.
“What’s key for me is feedback. So if I don’t get this job, that’s great, but give me the feedback. Tell me what I can do better, what I can do here,” London said.
The Titans also sent tight ends coach Tony Dews, who coached running backs last year, to Minnesota this week. Vrabel sent Dews and London a text message each morning during the session, which forced them to miss some spring practices with the Titans.
“I just said, ‘Hey, we miss you, but make sure that you guys do a great job up there and present yourselves the way that you want everybody to see you,’” Vrabel said.
Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged the NFL has “more work to do” but called the accelerator program another “good step” toward addressing a decades-old issue.
“Diversity makes us better,” Goodell said. “We saw that with 40 of our participants here. They’re incredibly talented, gifted, and they’ll make a difference in the NFL.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-05-25T10:02:48+00:00 | qcnews.com | https://www.qcnews.com/sports/ap-nfl-coaching-diversity-program-participants-relish-exposure-to-decision-makers/ |
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Federal officials presented a proposal Thursday to further control flooding in the Mississippi Delta, a move that comes after months of work from government agencies and decades of delays amid disputes over potential environmental impacts.
The south Delta’s Yazoo Backwater area covers thousands of square miles, starting just north of Vicksburg and going up to where Mississippi Highway 12 bisects the Delta. The area has experienced significant flooding for many years, including a damaging 2019 flood that lasted several months, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Farmers, rural shopkeepers and Mississippi politicians from both major parties have long pushed for a proposed project to mitigate flooding that involves pumping water from parts of the south Delta. Flooding often occurs after rainfall feeds high waters in the Mississippi River.
Environmental groups have opposed the project for decades, arguing it would be too expensive and hurt wetlands to help agribusiness.
At a public meeting on Thursday in Onward, Mississippi, experts from the Corps and the Environmental Protection Agency presented what they called a “preferred approach” to water management in the Yazoo Backwater area.
The proposal would include the installation and operation of pumping stations, support for voluntary buy-outs for at-risk homes and help to elevate homes and build ring levees, according to a news release from the offices of Mississippi’s two Republican U.S. senators, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith.
“It’s a major step forward for South Delta residents who have been waiting decades for the federal government to keep its promise, and also, to protect them from flooding,” Wicker said in the news release. “This water management plan would help prevent nearly all the flooding that has destroyed homes and businesses, ruined crops, and devastated wildlife.”
The proposal is a recommendation from the Corps and EPA that will be presented to the public for comment.
“The overall approach is a major inter-agency effort that aims to provide flood risk reduction through a water management solution,” Anna Owens, a spokesperson for the Corps’ Vicksburg District, said in an email. “The plan also considers affected communities, agriculture, and the needs of fish, wildlife, and wetlands.”
After a public comment period, officials will revise the proposal before they unveil a finalized plan on June 30, she said.
The EPA vetoed an earlier version of the Yazoo Backwater Project project in 2008 under Republican President George W. Bush, which would have also included pumping water. The agency said “adverse impacts on wetlands and their associated fisheries and wildlife resources are unacceptable.”
The late Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, once called the pumps “one of the worst projects ever conceived by Congress,” and opponents have said pushing water out of the south Delta could cause worse flooding downstream along the Mississippi River.
Former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in April 2019 that the agency would reconsider the decision that blocked the project. But in 2021, the EPA overturned the project’s approval, saying it was erroneously greenlit in the final days of the Trump administration.
Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for water at the EPA, had said the federal government wanted to work with the Corps and others to develop a proposal to address “flooding concerns in an environmentally protective manner.”
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, celebrated the new proposal in a news release Thursday.
“I don’t need to tell Mississippi what this means for the Delta and for Mississippi,” Reeves said. “Once it’s implemented, this plan will be a big victory for Mississippians.”
___
Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikergoldberg. | 2023-05-04T22:57:34+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/federal-officials-unveil-flood-plan-for-mississippi-delta/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
IRVINE, Calif., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Peregrine Connect Application, API, and Workflow integration platform has been selected by D&H Distributing to increase their volume of transactions, integrate with existing applications and platforms, and reduce development & deployment costs. D&H specializes in distributing IT and consumer electronics throughout the nation. Customizing solutions to each partner's needs and providing operational support helps them capitalize on new and incremental market opportunities.
D&H Distributing - Challenges Faced
D&H's critical requirement was processing large volumes of transactions throughout its operations. D&H needed its integration platform to scale to meet its internal processing requirements and customer obligations. This was based on D&H's focus on building for growth, which resulted in increased demands and scalability needs. D&H chose to switch from its existing platform to Peregrine Connect because of Peregrine's flexibility and stability while significantly reducing its development and deployment costs.
D&H - Maximizing Output while Reducing the Total Cost to Ownership
Since the Peregrine Connect implementation, D&H successfully manages data within their systems for multiple Lines of Businesses such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Sales, Microsoft Dynamics AX, Warehouse Management System, and others ERP modules. D&H can now process a daily average of 1.5 million messages with a daily peak volume of 7.5 million messages, which was impossible before Peregrine Connect's implementation. In addition to managing their data, they modernized their technology by adopting REST APIs for their core integration while reducing development and deployment costs.
"We work with many vendors, and Peregrine Connect has been an extremely valuable business partner. The Peregrine Connect Product Team has proven to be instrumental as we move forward with our growth strategy. Their services have been above and beyond our expectations—and D&H sets a high bar for its partners."
— Michael Henry, Senior Director Application Development, D&H Distributing
Business Values
- Doubled their sales orders processing since migrating to Peregrine Connect from their existing integration platforms
- D&H processes a daily average of 1.5 million messages with a daily peak volume of 7.5 million messages
- Seamless integration with their ERP, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and line of business systems
- Pricing and the total cost of ownership was less expensive than other competitive vendors they evaluated.
- D&H was able to separate its major applications into a more service-oriented architecture using Peregrine Connect's microservice hosting model
- Flexibility to implement the solution without changing endpoints for constant consumer's data synchronization
- Completely automating their deployments allowed them to reduce resources significantly
About D&H
D&H Distributing has been a privately-held technology provider for nearly 105 years, specializing in distributing IT and consumer electronics to mid-market and SMB companies throughout North America. They propel partners' success, infusing innovative strategies, consultative support, and leading technology solutions to fuel sustainable growth. D&H is one of the top companies on the Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies and one of the largest private employers in Central Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit https://www.dandh.com/v4/view?pageReq=dhMainNS
About Peregrine Connect
Peregrine Connect is one of the leading integration platforms that enables businesses to simplify the design, deployment, hosting, management of applications, APIs, and workflows. The platform secures the most critical integrations and business processes with actionable visibility, pinpoint diagnostics, alerting, and unified control across your entire organization. Peregrine Connect enables your Microsoft .NET resources to be reused and extended to further simplify the integration of applications and the automation of critical business functions.
The Peregrine Connect product portfolio encompasses Neuron ESB, Management Suite, Design Studio, and NetSuite PSA Add-In for Microsoft Project. Peregrine Connect offers an innovative set of connectors for popular enterprise applications. It provides robust data integration features and a simple yet flexible UI to design & execute integrations for organizations of all sizes. Customers benefit from a superior development experience, better performance, reduced complexity, and immediate time-to-value. Peregrine Connect customers deploy projects in a matter of weeks rather than months with clients around the globe in a variety of industries. To learn more, visit https://www.peregrineconnect.com/
Peregrine Connect Contact:
Nelly Monjazeb
nelly.monjazeb@peregrineconnect.com
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SOURCE Peregrine Connect | 2022-05-17T14:51:21+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/damph-distributing-modernizes-their-operations-integration-increase-transactions-by-2x-with-peregrine-connect/ |
LAS VEGAS, Honduras — Children set out hoping to earn enough to support their siblings and parents. Young adults who sacrificed to attend college thinking it would lead to success left their country disillusioned. A man already working in the U.S. who returned to visit his wife and children decided to take a cousin on his return to the U.S.
As families of the 67 people packed into a tractor-trailer and abandoned on Monday in Texas began to confirm their worst fears and talk of their relatives, a common narrative of pursuing a better life took shape from Honduras to Mexico.
Fifty-three of those migrants left in the sweltering heat on the outskirts of San Antonio had died as of Wednesday, while others remained hospitalized. The tedious process of identifications continues, but families are confirming their losses.
The dead included 27 people from Mexico, 14 from Honduras, seven from Guatemala and two from El Salvador, said Francisco Garduño, chief of Mexico’s National Immigration Institute.
Each put their lives in the hands of smugglers. News of the trailer full of bodies struck horror in cities and villages accustomed to watching their young people leave, trying to flee poverty or violence in Central America and Mexico.
In Las Vegas, Honduras, a town of 10,000 people about 50 miles south of San Pedro Sula, Alejandro Miguel Andino Caballero, 23, and Margie Tamara Paz Grajeda, 24, had believed his degree track in marketing and hers in economics would open doors to economic stability.
Already together for nearly a decade, the young couple spent recent years applying for jobs with companies. But time and again they were denied.
The pandemic hit, hurricanes devastated the northern part of the country and they grew disillusioned.
So when a relative of Andino Caballero’s living in the United States offered to help him and his younger brother, 18-year-old Fernando José Redondo Caballero, finance the trip north, they were ready.
“You think that when people have a higher level of education, they have to get more employment opportunities,” said Karen Caballero, the brothers’ mother. “Because that’s why they work, study.”
Caballero did not feel like she could hold them back anymore, including 24-year-old Paz Grajeda, who lived with Alejandro in his mother’s home and who Caballero referred to as her daughter-in-law though they had not married.
“We all planned it as a family so they could have a different life, so they could achieve goals, dreams,” Caballero said.
When they left Las Vegas on June 4, Caballero accompanied them to Guatemala. From there, the young trio were smuggled across Guatemala and then Mexico in the back of semi-trailers.
“I thought things were going to go well,” she said. “Who was a little afraid was Alejandro Miguel. He said, ‘Mom, if something happens to us.’ And I told him, ‘Nothing is going to happen, nothing is going to happen. You are not the first nor will you be the last human being to travel to the United States.’”
Caballero last spoke to them Saturday morning. They told her they had crossed the Rio Grande at Roma, Texas, were headed to Laredo and on Monday expected to head north to Houston.
She had just gotten home Monday evening when someone told her to turn on the television. “I couldn’t process it,” she said of seeing the report about the trailer in San Antonio. “Then I remembered how my sons had traveled, that they had been in trucks since Guatemala and the whole stretch in Mexico.”
Caballero was able to confirm their deaths Tuesday after sending their details and photos to San Antonio.
Alejandro Miguel was creative, jovial, known for hugging everyone and being a good dancer. Fernando José was enthusiastic and noble, willing to help anyone in need. He imitated his older brother in everything from his haircut to his clothes. They were soccer fanatics, filling their mother’s home with shouts.
The deaths of her sons and Paz Grajeda, who was like a daughter, are devastating. “My children leave a void in my heart,” she said. “We’re going to miss them a lot.”
Nearly 400 miles away, the prospects for Wilmer Tulul and Pascual Melvin Guachiac, 13-year-old cousins from Tzucubal, Guatemala, had been considerably more narrow.
Tzucubal is an Indigenous Quiche community of about 1,500 people in the mountains nearly 100 miles northwest of the capital, where most live by subsistence farming.
“Mom, we’re heading out,” was the last message Wilmer sent to his mother Magdalena Tepaz in their native Quiche on Monday. They had left home June 14.
Hours after hearing that audio message, a neighbor told the family there had been an accident in San Antonio and they feared the worst, Tepaz said through a translator.
The boys had grown up friends and did everything together: playing, going out, even planning to go to the United States despite not speaking Spanish well, said Melvin’s mother, María Sipac Coj.
A single mother of two, she said Melvin “wanted to study in the United States, then work and after build my house.” She received a voice message from her son Monday saying they were leaving. She has erased it because she couldn’t stand to listen to it anymore.
Relatives who arranged and paid for the smuggler awaited the boys in Houston. Those relatives told her of their deaths, and the Guatemalan government confirmed them to her Wednesday.
Wilmer’s father, Manuel de Jesús Tulul, could not stop crying Wednesday. He said he had no idea how the boys would get to Houston, but never imagined they would be put in a trailer. His son had left school after elementary and joined his father clearing farmland for planting.
Tulul said Wilmer did not see a future for himself in a town where modest homes were built with remittances sent from the United States. He wanted to help support his three siblings and have his own house and land some day.
The smuggler charged $6,000, almost half of which they had paid. Now Tulul was only thinking about getting his son’s body back and hoping the government would cover the cost.
In Mexico, cousins Javier Flores López and Jose Luis Vásquez Guzmán left the tiny community of Cerro Verde in the southern state of Oaxaca also hoping to help their families. They were headed to Ohio, where construction jobs and other work awaited.
Flores López is now missing, his family said, while Vásquez Guzmán is hospitalized in San Antonio.
Cerro Verde is a community of about 60 people that has largely been abandoned by the young. Those who remain work earning meager livings weaving sun hats, mats, brooms and other items from palm leaves. Many live on as little as 30 pesos a day (less than $2).
It was not the first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border for Flores López, now in his mid-30s, who left Cerro Verde years ago and went to Ohio, where his father and a brother live.
He was back home to see his wife and three small children briefly, said a cousin, Francisco López Hernández. Vásquez Guzmán, 32, decided to go with his cousin for his first trip across the border and hoped to reach his oldest brother who is in Ohio as well.
While everyone knew the risks, countless people from Cerro Verde had made it safely across the U.S.-Mexico border with the help of smugglers, so it came as a shock, López Hernández said. The family believes Flores López was, too, but they are still awaiting confirmation.
Vásquez Guzmán’s mother had intended on getting a visa to visit her hospitalized son, but on Wednesday he was moved out of intensive care and she was able to speak with him by phone. She decided to stay in Mexico and await his recovery, said Aida Ruiz, director of the Oaxaca Institute for Migrant Attention.
López Hernández said most people rely on those who have made it to the U.S. to send them money for the journey, which usually costs around $9,000.
“There are a lot of risks but for those who are lucky, the fortune is there, to be able to work, earn a living” he said.
___
Sherman reported from Mexico City and Pérez D. from Tzucubal, Guatemala. AP writers Fabiola Sánchez in Mexico City and Julie Watson in San Diego contributed to this report. | 2022-06-30T05:35:02+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/migrants-in-texas-trailer-tragedy-died-seeking-better-lives/2022/06/30/7b338556-f82a-11ec-81db-ac07a394a86b_story.html |
Migrants dropped near VP Harris home on frigid Christmas Eve
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three buses of recent migrant families arrived from Texas near the home of Vice President Kamala Harris in record-setting cold on Christmas Eve.
Texas authorities have not confirmed their involvement, but the bus dropoffs are in line with previous actions by border-state governors calling attention to the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
The buses that arrived late Saturday outside the vice president’s residence were carrying around 110 to 130 people, according to Tatiana Laborde, managing director of SAMU First Response, a relief agency working with the city of Washington to serve thousands of migrants who have been dropped off in recent months.
Local organizers had expected the buses to arrive Sunday but found out Saturday that the group would get to Washington early, Laborde said. The people on board included young children.
Some were wearing T-shirts despite temperatures hovering around 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-9 degrees Celsius). It was the coldest Christmas Eve on record for Washington, according to the Washington Post.
Laborde said employees had blankets ready for the people who arrived on Christmas Eve and moved them quickly onto waiting buses for a ride to an area church. A local restaurant chain donated dinner and breakfast.
Most of the arrivals were headed to other destinations and expected to remain in Washington only briefly.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office did not respond to a request for comment Sunday morning. His office said last week that Texas has given bus rides to more than 15,000 people since April to Washington, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, both Republicans, are strong critics of President Joe Biden on his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, where thousands of people are trying to cross daily, many to seek asylum. Officials on both sides of the border are seeking emergency help in setting up shelters and services for migrants, some of whom are sleeping on streets.
Republicans argue Biden and Harris, designated the administration’s point person on the root causes of migration, have relaxed restrictions that induced many people to leave their countries of origin. Biden has ended some policies but kept others enacted by former President Donald Trump, whose administration also grappled with spikes in border crossings and at one point separated immigrant families and children as a deterrence initiative.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-25T17:36:30+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/2022/12/25/buses-texas-drop-off-migrants-frigid-washington-dc/ |
The No. 23 might have been famous to many by Hall of Fame basketball player Michael Jordan.
But long before Jordan came along, the No. 23 was synonymous with a significant piece of World War II history that is still on display in Michigan.
The USS Silversides was a vital weapon for the U.S. Navy during the Pacific Theater of World War II, where it sunk 23 enemy ships.
It only took 10 days into the start of its patrol to sink a Japanese trawler, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.
The ship earned a Presidential Unit Citation and 12 battle stars before being decommissioned in 1946.
Today, the public can visit and pay tribute to the submarine at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
Visitors are able to tour the submarine both inside and out, and groups even have opportunities to reserve the submarine for an overnight encampment, which allow people to sleep in the same bunks that the ship’s submariners had during various missions in World War II.
In addition to visiting the USS Silversides, the museum also is home to the US Coast Guard Cutter McLane, which provided search and rescue operations through the prohibition period and also World War II. | 2023-06-27T13:10:01+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/features/2023/06/27/uss-silversides-has-golden-history-for-tourists-to-pay-tribute-at-in-michigan/ |
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Legion National Commander Vincent J. "Jim" Troiola issued the following statement regarding the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
"The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has often been characterized as 'special.' The strength, grace and class that Elizabeth II exhibited as a princess during World War II and later as queen, has only deepened the affection that our veterans have for our allies in the United Kingdom. The passing of this legendary queen saddens The American Legion but we will always be inspired by her many decades of service to humanity and her commitment to freedom for all. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of Great Britain."
About The American Legion
The American Legion , the nation's largest veterans organization, is dedicated to the motto of "Veterans Strengthening America." Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans. Nearly 1.8 million members in more than 12,500 posts across the nation and regions overseas serve their communities with a devotion to mutual helpfulness.
Media Contact: John Raughter, (317) 630-1350 jraughter@legion.org
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SOURCE The American Legion | 2022-09-08T22:17:21+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/american-legion-national-commander-expresses-condolences-united-kingdom-loss-legendary-queen/ |
CAUGHT ON CAM: Man climbs through luggage carousel at airport
CLEVELAND (WOIO/Gray News) - A man was arrested for climbing through a luggage carousel at an airport in Ohio in July.
WOIO obtained surveillance video capturing the incident at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
The video released by the Cleveland Police Department caught the man, identified as 29-year-old Nicholas Garrett, climbing through the carousel around 4:45 p.m. July 3.
A witness said they saw Garrett enter the restricted area. They immediately called police, according to an incident report.
When they questioned him, officers said Garrett told them he noticed the zipper of his luggage had been opened and a pair of shoes estimated to be $1,000 were missing.
Officers said he also told them he noticed an employee through the carousel door after the carousel stopped, which was when he jumped through the carousel.
“What you did was a big, big no-no,” one of the officers said.
“I wasn’t trying to break no laws,” Garrett replied.
The exchange was caught on officer-worn bodycam video, provided by the Cleveland Police Department.
Police then arrested Garrett, the report said. Officers also discovered Garrett was carrying a “small amount” of marijuana.
Garrett was charged with criminal trespassing, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to court documents. He pleaded no contest on July 12 and was given a $198 fine, the court documents say.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2022-09-12T17:56:19+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2022/09/12/caught-cam-man-climbs-through-luggage-carousel-airport/ |
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Fox and Dominion Voting Systems reached a $787 million settlement Tuesday in the voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit, averting a trial in a case that exposed how the top-rated network chased viewers by promoting lies about the 2020 presidential election.
“The truth matters. Lies have consequences,” Dominion lawyer Justin Nelson said in a news conference outside the courthouse after a judge announced the deal.
Dominion had asked for $1.6 billion in arguing that Fox had damaged its reputation by helping peddle phony conspiracy theories about its equipment switching votes from former President Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden. Fox said the amount greatly overstated the value of the Colorado-based company.
The resolution in Delaware Superior Court follows a recent ruling by Judge Eric Davis in which he allowed the case to go to trial while emphasizing it was “CRYSTAL clear” that none of the allegations about Dominion aired on Fox by Trump allies were true.
In a statement issued shortly after the announcement, Fox News said the network acknowledged “the court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false.” It did not respond to an inquiry asking for elaboration.
Inquiries to Dominion and Fox Corp. were not immediately returned.
Records released as part of the lawsuit showed how Fox hosts and executives did not believe the claims by Trump’s allies but aired them anyway, in part to win back viewers who were fleeing the network after it correctly called hotly contested Arizona for Democrat Joe Biden on election night.
The settlement, if formally accepted by the judge, will end a case that has proven a major embarrassment for Fox News. If the case had gone to trial, it also would have presented one of the sternest tests to a libel standard that has protected media organizations for more than half a century.
Several First Amendment experts had said Dominion’s case was among the strongest they had ever seen. Still, there was real doubt about whether Dominion would be able to prove to a jury that people in a decision-making capacity at Fox could be held responsible for the network’s airing of the falsehoods.
Dominion accused Fox of defaming it by repeatedly airing, in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election, false allegations by Trump allies that its machines and the software they used had flipped votes to Biden — even as many at the network doubted the claims and disparaged those who were making them.
The company sued both Fox News and its parent, Fox Corp., and said its business had been significantly damaged.
During a deposition, Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, who founded the network, testified that he believed the 2020 election was fair and had not been stolen from Trump.
“Fox knew the truth,” Dominion argued in court papers. “It knew the allegations against Dominion were ‘outlandish’ and ‘crazy’ and ‘ludicrous’ and ‘nuts.’ Yet it used the power and influence of its platform to promote that false story.”
In his March 31 summary judgment ruling, Davis pointedly called out the news organization for airing falsehoods while noting how the bogus election claims persist, 2 1/2 years after Trump lost his bid for reelection.
“The statements at issue were dramatically different than the truth,” Davis said in that ruling. “In fact, although it cannot be attributed directly to Fox’s statements, it is noteworthy that some Americans still believe the election was rigged.”
In its defense, Fox said it was obligated to report on the most newsworthy of stories — a president claiming that he had been cheated out of reelection.
“We never reported those to be true,” Fox lawyer Erin Murphy said. “All we ever did was provide viewers the true fact that these were allegations that were being made.”
Fox said Dominion had argued that the network was obligated to suppress the allegations or denounce them as false.
“Freedom of speech and of the press would be illusory if the prevailing side in a public controversy could sue the press for giving a forum to the losing side,” Fox said in court papers.
In a 1964 case involving The New York Times, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the ability of public figures to sue for defamation. The court ruled that plaintiffs needed to prove that news outlets published or aired false material with “actual malice” — knowing such material was false or acting with a “reckless disregard” for whether or not it was true.
That has provided news organizations with stout protection against libel judgments. Yet the nearly six-decade legal standard has come under attack by some conservatives in recent years, including Trump and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who have argued for making it easier to win a libel case.
Two Republican-nominated Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, have publicly expressed interest in revisiting the protection.
Dominion’s lawyers argued that Fox made a deliberate decision to repeatedly air the false claims to appeal to viewers. They allowed guests to falsely claim that the company had rigged the election, flipped large numbers of votes to Biden through a secret algorithm, was owned by a company founded in Venezuela to rig elections for Hugo Chavez, the late president, and bribed government officials.
“What they did to get viewers back was start this new narrative that the election had been stolen and that Dominion was the thief,” Dominion lawyer Rodney Smolla said during a March hearing.
A mountain of evidence — released in the form of deposition transcripts, internal memos and emails from the time — was damaging to Fox even if some of it was only tangentially related to the libel argument.
Dominion has pointed to text and email messages in which Fox insiders discounted and sometimes overtly mocked the vote manipulation claims. One Fox Corp. vice president called them “MIND BLOWINGLY NUTS.”
Much of the material showed a network effectively terrified of its audience after its election night declaration that Biden had won Arizona. The race call infuriated Trump and many viewers who supported him.
One of Fox’s top news anchors, Bret Baier, noted the audience’s anger and suggested rescinding the call, even awarding the state to Trump.
“We don’t want to antagonize Trump further,” Murdoch said in a Nov. 16 memo.
Biden narrowly won Arizona, but two executives responsible for the accurate election night call lost their jobs because of it two months later. In an internal memo, Murdoch talked in mid-November about firing them.
Fox executives and anchors discussed how not to alienate the audience, many of whom believed Trump’s claims of fraud despite no evidence to back them up. Fox’s Tucker Carlson suggested a news reporter be fired for tweeting a fact check debunking the fraud claims.
Some of the exhibits were simply embarrassing, such as scornful behind-the-scenes opinions about Trump, whose supporters form the core of the network’s viewers. Text exchanges revealed as part of the lawsuit show Carlson declaring, “I hate him passionately,” and saying that “we are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights.”
___
The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | 2023-04-18T21:17:01+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/national/ap-us-news/lawsuit-against-fox-for-false-election-claims-heads-to-trial/ |
Prepare to feel extra old today: American Girl released its newest “historical” dolls — Isabel and Nicki, characters inspired by the 1990s. (Yes, those ’90s.)
Isabel and Nicki are the brand’s first-ever twin dolls. From Seattle, the twins bring with them a handful of ’90s trends and pop culture nostalgia as they prepare for the new millennium.
The dolls are dressed in fashion from the era — including plaid skirts, flannel shirts and platform shoes — and come with a mini version of “American Girl” magazine from 1999. To really send the nostalgia into overdrive, you can even buy them a computer that plays actual dial-up sounds with a pretend CD and floppy disk drive.
Fans of Pizza Hut’s Book It! program will delight in another accessory sold separately: an “era-authentic” Pizza Hut Set, complete with a doll-size personal pan pizza and certificate for reading books in the program.
While the sisters are fraternal twins, their personalities are quite different. American Girl says that while Isabel is “bubbly, extroverted and loves dancing to pop music,” Nicki is “thoughtful, introverted and happiest while skateboarding, writing lyrics and listening to the alt-rock sound that got its start in Seattle.” The twins share the same “girl-power goal,” however: being true to themselves and learning “to face their fears with confidence.”
The dolls’ stories are written by real-life identical twins Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy, who illustrated the journals that come with the dolls and created a full-length novel, which will be released this summer.
“Jennifer and I are both longtime fans of American Girl, which makes our work on this project even more thrilling,” DeVillers said in a press release. “One of our favorite parts was having access to American Girl’s archives, where we reviewed the brand’s ’90s-era materials—from the catalogues and books to past issues of “American Girl” magazine and all the fan mail that came with it. We love thinking about how those readers are grown up now yet helped to inspire Nicki and Isabel.”
Other add-on accessories include a tennis court and skate spot and a bedroom set complete with a purple inflatable chair, personal CD player and alarm clock-radio.
If you’d prefer to go back in time just a bit further, you can instead pick up the brand’s Courtney Moore doll, a California girl who grew up in 1986 and comes with pretend cassette player, tape and headphones, plastic bangles and Lip Smacker lip balm.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | 2023-02-25T00:57:57+00:00 | kjrh.com | https://www.kjrh.com/american-girls-newest-dolls-are-inspired-by-1990s |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended his plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats, including President Joe Biden, repeatedly invoked it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.
Scott unveiled his original plan last year when serving as chair of the campaign committee for Senate Republicans. It called for all federal legislation to sunset in five years, and if a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again.
His revised plan specifies exceptions for Social Security, Medicare, national security, veterans benefits, and other essential services. The change comes as Democrats work to drive a wedge between GOP lawmakers and their base of older voters who rely on government programs for income and health insurance.
Biden held up a pamphlet of Scott’s original plan when he visited the senator’s home state of Florida last week, saying “I know that a lot of Republicans — their dream is to cut Social Security and Medicare. If that’s your dream, I’m your nightmare.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has also been highlighting Scott’s proposals to criticize the GOP’s budgetary demands. And Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has consistently sought to distance Senate Republicans from Scott, telling reporters this week: “Let me say one more time, there is no agenda on the part of Senate Republicans to revisit Medicare or Social Security, period.”
Scott’s new plan takes a shot at his critics, saying in bold typeface: “Note to President Biden, Sen. Schumer, and Sen. McConnell – As you know, this was never intended to apply to Social Security, Medicare, or the US Navy.”
Scott explained the changes he made in a Washington Examiner op-ed that lashed out at Biden as well as McConnell.
“I have never supported cutting Social Security or Medicare, ever. To say otherwise is a disingenuous Democrat lie from a very confused president. And Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is also well aware of that. It’s shallow gotcha politics, which is what Washington does,” Scott wrote.
The White House wasn’t buying Scott’s explanation, though. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said cutting Medicare and Social Security was a “longstanding passion” for Scott.
“Make no mistake, his true colors are undeniable and on the record,” Jean-Pierre said.
McConnell and Scott have been at odds for some time now. Scott challenged McConnell in November to become the chamber’s minority leader, but McConnell easily prevailed in the first attempt to oust him. The vote was 37-10, senators said, with one other senator voting present.
House Republicans have been calling for reducing government spending as part of any agreement to increase the nation’s borrowing authority in the coming months. Democrats have been calling for a clean debt ceiling with no strings attached and are challenging Republicans to spell out any cuts they propose to make. Scott’s overhaul Friday signals the difficulty Republicans will have in answering that challenge.
____
Associated Press staff writer Christopher Megerian contributed to this report. | 2023-02-18T04:27:53+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/politics/ap-sen-rick-scott-alters-policy-plan-causing-heartburn-for-gop/ |
TEXAS, USA — Savory? Sweet? How about both?
Texas-based bacon brand Wright Brand Bacon is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a limited-edition bacon cake, the company announced Thursday.
"We’ve launched a bacon fragrance. We’ve had a party in our hometown. We’ve laughed. We’ve celebrated. The only thing missing from our 100-year anniversary festivities was CAKE! 🥓🎂 Help us close out our centennial year with this savory cornbread and bacon cake that's available for purchase in select markets while supplies last ," Wright Brand Bacon said in its Instagram post.
According to a news release, the "bacon cake" is described as "four pounds of decadent goodness, with layers of cheddar scallion cornbread, sandwiched together with a sweet corn bacon filling." The cake is topped with a salted hot honey cream cheese bacon spread and Wright Brand Bacon.
"Turning 100 is a major milestone and we wanted to do something big to close out our year-long celebration," Cal Tharp, senior brand manager for Wright Brand bacon, said. "We kicked off our anniversary by launching a bacon-inspired fragrance and later in the year took over the town where the brand was founded, Vernon, Texas, with a one-day bacon festival. The only thing missing was the cake! We wanted to give people a way to celebrate our centennial with us in a way that feels distinctly Wright Brand."
The bacon cake is available for purchase and local pickup for $19.22 at WrightBaconCake.com starting Dec. 15 in Dallas, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Wright Brand Bacon is based in the North Texas town of Vernon. Wright Brand partnered with Darnell Reed, owner of Chicago-based Luella’s Southern Kitchen, on the recipe for this savory and sweet treat.
More Texas headlines: | 2022-12-08T21:11:33+00:00 | kagstv.com | https://www.kagstv.com/article/life/food/bacon-cake-wright-brand-bacon-100-anniversary/287-7a30e031-4010-4595-8b6c-40456b33b506 |
Firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, and community members turned out on Friday, September 30, 2022, to honor Michael Thomas Kuntz. A solemn procession through the streets of Great Falls led to the Civic Center for a public memorial service.
Kuntz passed away on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, following a three-year battle with cancer, at the age of 49.
Great Falls Fire Rescue said that Kuntz's positive attitude and work ethic were legendary among firefighters across the state: "Mike was well known for being one of the most positive, hardworking and uplifting people to be around."
The obituary for Kuntz states: "Mike embraced his true passion and began his 18-year career with Great Fall Fire Rescue. With his ability to connect with any person, from any walk of life, along with his caring nature, he was destined to be successful. Mike loved his time as a fire fighter and excelled at every position he held, climbing through the ranks quickly and retiring as Captain."
Mike is survived by his wife, Donelle Kuntz; children, Taylor and Tia; grandchildren, Hudson, Tatum, and Wren; mother, Nancy Howell; sister, Sheri Yeager; mother-in-law, Lorrie Hardy (George Fultz); grandparents-in-law, Don and Sharon Howarth; godchildren, Hannah and Jace Pimperton; stepmother, Shirice Ivers; step-siblings, and many dearly loved uncles, aunts, and cousins, extended family and friends.
From November 2021 | 2022-10-01T00:27:20+00:00 | krtv.com | https://www.krtv.com/news/great-falls-news/community-pays-tribute-to-retired-firefighter-michael-kuntz |
(KTLA) – Britney Spears is speaking out after she was struck by an NBA star’s security guard.
Spears took to social media to release a statement after she was allegedly assaulted by a member of Victor Wembanyama’s security team while in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
“Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them,” her statement started. “I was not prepared for what happened to me last night.”
She then explained her side of the story.
“I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again. I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. I am aware of the player’s statement where he mentions ‘I grabbed him from behind,’ but I simply tapped him on the shoulder.”
“His security then back-handed me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd,” she continued. “Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses off my face.”
The “Baby One More Time” singer then said she understands how things can be chaotic when there’s a large group surrounding a celebrity.
“I get swarmed by people all the time. In fact, that night I was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn’t hit any of them,” she stated. “This story is super embarrassing to share with the world, but it’s out there already. However, I think it’s important to share this story and urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect.”
This all happened Wednesday night in Las Vegas at Catch, a restaurant inside the Aria Hotel, at around 11 p.m.
“Britney saw Victor and walked up to tap him on the back to ask for a photo,” a source told Us Weekly. “His security was being mobbed with fans and he turned around trying to push Britney off and hit her in the face, knocking off her glasses.”
Sources told the outlet that Spears was with her husband, Sam Asghari, along with a security team member when this happened.
TMZ first reported the story and identified the person who allegedly assaulted Spears as Damian Smith, the director of team security for the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs drafted the French phenom with the No. 1 pick in last month’s NBA Draft.
The entertainment site said that the “Toxic” singer composed herself and sat at her table. Later, Smith reportedly stopped by and apologized to her.
However, Spears said she has not received a public apology from Wembanyama, his security or the Spurs. She did mention that she hopes she will.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police told KTLA they responded to the scene of the incident and investigated.
“The incident has been documented on a police report and no arrest or citations have been issued.”
The singer ended her note by thanking the LVMPD and their detectives for their support.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Wembanyama said he was walking in a crowded hallway with his security team who advised him not to stop for any fans as it could create a crowd and a security issue.
Wembanyama asserted that Spears grabbed him from behind, not the shoulder, but added that he was unaware that it was the pop star trying to get his attention.
“I thought it was no big deal, and then the security of this person said it was Britney Spears,” the French basketball star said. “First I was like, ‘No, you’re joking,’ but it turns out it was Britney Spears. But I didn’t know because I never saw her face, I just kept walking straight.” | 2023-07-07T14:45:56+00:00 | cenlanow.com | https://www.cenlanow.com/national/britney-spears-responds-to-being-struck-by-nba-stars-security-guard/ |
VANCOUVER, BC, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Deep-South Resources Inc. ("Deep-South" or "the Company") (TSXV: DSM) reports that the legal counsels of the Company have filed the Company's response to the defense affidavit of the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Namibia ("Ministry") on June 15, 2022.
Due to the sudden death of Mr. John Akwenye, who was the named signatory of all the Company's affidavits, the Company had requested an extension to file the response affidavit by June 15, 2022.
The Case Management hearing will be held on June 23, 2022.
The Case Management hearing serves to prepare the final hearing. Several aspects can be discussed at the Case Management hearing such as settlement prospects, number of days required for the final hearing, any issues that are likely to facilitate a just and speedy disposal of the case.
The Company will provide regular updates in this regard and any other matter concerning this situation.
Deep-South Resources is a mineral exploration and development company Deep-South growth strategy is to focus on the exploration and development of quality assets in significant mineralized trends and in proximity to infrastructure in stable countries. In using and assessing environmentally friendly technologies in the development of its copper project, Deep-South embraces the green revolution.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Information contained in this news release which are not statements of historical facts may be "forward-looking information" for the purposes of Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking information. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "plan", "intends", "continue", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", "schedule", "understand" and similar expressions identify forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things: the Minister's refusal to renew the Company's Licence, the Company's intention to contest the Minister's decision before the Courts of Namibia and the outcome of such proceedings.
Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Deep-South, are inherently subject to significant technical, political, business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Factors and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: political risks associated with the Company's operations in Namibia; the failure of the Namibian Government to comply with its continuing obligations under the Act to allow for the renewal of the Licence; the impact of changes in, or to the more aggressive enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practices; the inability of the Company and its subsidiaries to enforce their legal rights in certain circumstances. For additional risk factors, please see the Company's most recently filed Management Discussions & Analysis available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
There can be no assurances that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as many factors and future events, both known and unknown could cause actual results, performance or achievements to vary or differ materially from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained herein or incorporated by reference. Accordingly, all such factors should be considered carefully when making decisions with respect to Deep-South, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release is made as at the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
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SOURCE Deep-South Resources Inc. | 2022-06-15T17:04:08+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/deep-south-files-its-response-ministry-mines-energy-namibia-defense-june-15-2022/ |
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — This year’s midterms are playing out against the backdrop of former President Donald Trump’s persistent falsehoods about losing the 2020 election, a relentless campaignthat will have implications for voters across the country as they cast their ballots.
The baseless claims and conspiracy theories have prompted new laws in several Republican-led states and sowed distrust of voting machines. They have led conservative groups sympathetic to Trump’s claims to challenge voters’ registration status and recruit observers and workers for polling places.
All this could complicate voting that is now underway in many states, through Election Day on Nov. 8. For most voters, casting a ballot is still likely to be trouble-free. But the new voting procedures and political dynamics since the last presidential election already are having an effect in some parts of the country.
Republican legislatures have created a variety of fresh restrictions on registration and voting. Trump’s refusal to accept his loss and the peddling of false claims by him and his allies have stirred anger among his supporters, and some of that has been channeled into harassment and even death threats directed toward election officials. On top of that, local election offices are still dealing with lingering fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This has led to unprecedented pressure on local election offices and a changed landscape to navigate for some of the nation’s 217 million registered voters. During the primaries, polling places were bedeviled by short staffing, ballot printing errors, aggressive poll watchers and even malware attacks on voting equipment.
Help is available to those who feel they are being harassed or kept from their right to vote. Whether voters are casting mailed or in-person ballots, here is what they can expect.
STAFFING AND POLL WORKER SHORTAGES
A punishing stream of death threats, harassment and misinformation plaguing election workers has led many of them to throw in the towel. This has left many offices across the country short-staffed — and one in Texas completely unstaffed — as the Nov. 8 election nears.
Their added workload also includes responding to a flurry of public records requests and sweeping challenges to thousands of voters’ rights to cast ballots by activist groups who believe the 2020 election was stolen. Election officials have said most of those challenges are irrelevant, but some people still face questions about their eligibility when they try to vote.
Poll worker positions are often going unfilled, as the hassles of the job — long hours, low pay and a perceived increase in physical risk — outweigh the feeling of fulfilling a critical civic duty.
Election denial added to an already brewing crisis, as predominantly older poll workers declined to work during the coronavirus pandemic. An online poll worker tracker on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website indicated that more than half the state’s counties still needed volunteers as of this week, with early voting already underway.
BALLOT ISSUES
Errors on printed ballots are nothing new, but these perennial administrative snags promise to draw new scrutiny this fall amid heightened election tensions.
Printing errors marred primary elections in Oregon and Pennsylvania earlier this year, forcing local election officials to redo or recount thousands of mailed ballots. In Oregon, a Democratic state lawmaker called for an investigation into the fiasco, which delayed results in a U.S. House race in a state that has exclusively voted by mail for 23 years. The race was called 10 days later.
Issues have continued into the general election in some places. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, appointed a supervisor to oversee the election in Pueblo County, citing confusion by the clerk after some voters received ballots with an incorrect state House race and without a county commissioner race.
Voters also should be mindful that signature ID and deadline requirements for mail-in and absentee ballots may have changed in their states since the last election.
Federal law requires that voters who aren’t listed on official rolls but assert they are registered and eligible be offered provisional ballots.
Some election offices also might be dealing with supply chain problems affecting computer hardware or paper for ballots, although that did not emerge as a problem in the primaries.
DROP BOX DRAMA
Ballot drop boxes remain a popular option for many voters, despite restrictions Republican-led legislatures have imposed on their number and location after 2020.
An AP analysis found no evidence that the receptacles are subject to widespread fraud, vandalism or theft, a claim promoted in the discredited film “2000 Mules.” Yet bands of “drop box monitors” have begun springing up around the U.S. to stake out the boxes and watch — they say — for nefarious activity.
The Arizona secretary of state’s office this week referred a report of voter intimidation to the U.S. Department of Justice and the state attorney general’s office after a Maricopa County voter said she was approached and followed while depositing her ballot in a drop box.
POLLING PLACE CONFLICTS
Election officials will be watching out for newly aggressive poll watchers, who may seek to invade voters’ space as they vote or poll workers’ space as they help voters or prepare ballots for counting.
Poll watchers have been the traditional eyes and ears of the two major political parties, but a new crop who believe election conspiracy theories have signed up for duty. In some Republican-led states, they have been given more leeway to challenge voters or processes, creating an air of uncertainty as Election Day approaches.
Voters in some parts of the country may see more uniformed law enforcement officers at polling places, but not for traditional peace-keeping. Instead, promoters of Trump’s claims have floated the idea that county sheriffs can access voting machines and intervene in how elections are run. Some have pledged to do just that.
In response, voter advocacy organizations are planning a counter-presence in some states to support voters at the polls.
Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said interfaith religious leaders trained in de-escalation techniques— dubbed “peacekeepers” — will be on call during early voting and on Election Day “to help bring the temperature down.”
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division also has said it is monitoring for violations of election laws that prohibit discrimination or intimidation of voters based on race, color, national origin, religion or language. Violence or threats of violence or intimidation against any voter at a polling place should first be reported to police via 911, then to the department at 1-800-253-3931 or https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
In addition, a nonpartisan coalition of voting rights groups is providing assistance to voters across the country on Election Day and during early voting where that occurs. Election Protection runs the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline, which connects voters with individuals who can provide guidance when encountering problems at the polls.
Groups include the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Common Cause.
WATCHING FOR MACHINE TAMPERING
Officials and security experts will also be on high alert for tampering with electronic voting machines and poll books, amid heightened concern that conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election could inspire some voters or even election workers to meddle with equipment.
An election worker in Michigan was charged with two crimes in September after a witness reported seeing him place a USB flash drive into an electronic poll book at the close of the state’s Aug. 2 primary. A similar incident in Colorado, thought to be caused by a voter, forced poll workers to take a machine out of use during that state’s primary.
Any such attempt would likely be unsuccessful in altering votes, but taking machines out of service could lead to longer waits and frustration for voters.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2022 midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics | 2022-10-21T12:26:37+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/news/politics/ap-explainer-what-to-expect-at-polling-places-this-year/ |
Doubling the University of Maryland BioPark's lab space, the two-phase 4MLK development project will represent more than $320 million in total capital investment
BALTIMORE, Sept. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, announced today that 4MLK, the newest development project in the University of Maryland BioPark, is slated to move forward, with groundbreaking this fall (2022) and delivering in summer 2024. The 8-story, 250,000-square-foot building, Phase I of a two-phase project representing a $320 million total capital investment, will provide critical wet laboratory space in downtown Baltimore for researchers and companies, flexible lab and office/support space for start-ups, and Class A office space, along with areas for convening and a conference center.
"For UMB, 4MLK is more than a building — it is a symbol of our continued growth and dedication to advancing life sciences and driving economic investment in Baltimore," commented Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACS, President of UMB. "The BioPark is a highly sought-after location for companies seeking commercial wet lab space as well as connection to UMB and the vast resources we offer. We are proud that 4MLK will deliver a high volume of new lab space to Baltimore, helping fill the severe shortage in our region."
Located at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Blvd. and Baltimore St., 4MLK will serve as a gateway between the BioPark, UMB, and the University of Maryland Medical Center, furthering the BioPark's mission of bringing together faculty researchers, entrepreneurs, seasoned life science leaders, and community-focused initiatives and programs for the advancement of human health innovation.
"Since the inception of the UM BioPark, UMB has played a critical role in both the growth of the local life sciences industry and in fulfillment of the vision of the BioPark as a center of gravity and congregation for researchers, corporate innovators, entrepreneurs, and the community," said Jim Berens, Founder and Chairman of Wexford Science & Technology. "4MLK is the result of our strong, long-term partnership with UMB and critical focus on providing much needed world-class research space to private industry. Its advancement underscores the unique opportunity for life sciences companies looking to launch or expand in Baltimore."
"Through the new 4MLK development, the UM BioPark will continue to have a transformational impact on the life sciences, not just in Baltimore but across Maryland," said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. "Our state remains a leader in this industry because of forward-thinking, innovative projects like this one that provide much-needed lab space and other critical resources for growing life sciences companies."
"I am pleased to see that this collaboration between UMB and Wexford will bring such a high-quality project to Baltimore," said Brandon M. Scott, Mayor of Baltimore City. "It shows that investing in Baltimore is a wise and impactful move that benefits organizations while also reimagining and revitalizing the city."
4MLK will be the third multi-tenant building developed by Wexford Science & Technology in the UM BioPark, one of 16 Wexford-developed Knowledge Communities across the country. The company remains headquartered in the BioPark where it pioneered this concept.
4MLK's Spaces
- 160,000 square feet of Class A wet lab-capable space will be available to commercial partners for build-out.
- 40,000 square feet is planned for flexible lab, office, and lab support facilities specifically designed to meet the rigorous needs of growing life science companies. These flexible lab spaces are paired with full-service amenities such as shared lab equipment, weekly networking and educational programming, and flexible terms.
- A 16,000-square-foot space for community gathering and events will encourage networking and provide educational programming opportunities for tenants, UMB, and the greater Baltimore community.
- Along with the building, the project will deliver an adjacent public plaza and an activated streetscape with retail and food and beverage venues along Baltimore Street and MLK Blvd.
- Phase II will add a second 250,000-square-foot lab/office building.
For additional information and leasing inquiries, please visit www.4MLK.com, or contact Gregory Herlong, Vice President and Market Executive, with Wexford Science & Technology at 410-649-5629.
About University of Maryland BioPark
The UM BioPark offers high-quality lab and office space solutions for companies of all sizes, especially high-growth companies seeking connection with its academic partner, University of Maryland, Baltimore. The 36 tenants include industry-leading global firms such as Pharmaron, Illumina, BD, and Catalent, next-gen ventures, university spinouts, distinguished research organizations, cutting-edge clinical care, and contemporary workforce training programs. For more information visit www.umbiopark.com.
About Wexford Science & Technology, LLC
Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, is a real estate company exclusively focused on partnering with universities, academic medical centers, and research institutions to develop vibrant, mixed-use, amenity-rich Knowledge Communities that are built on a foundation of research, discovery, innovation, entrepreneurial activity, corporate engagement, and community inclusion. These Knowledge Communities create visible outcomes in the form of substantial economic growth, new and diverse jobs, and community transformation. Wexford targets strategic opportunities with top-tier research universities that are seeking to create knowledge-led economic development impact for their campuses, cities, and regions. Presently Wexford has developed sixteen Knowledge Communities across North America. For more information about Wexford, visit www.wexfordscitech.com.
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SOURCE University of Maryland BioPark | 2022-09-22T17:34:04+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/09/22/university-maryland-baltimore-wexford-meeting-critical-demand-wet-lab-space-baltimore-region/ |
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man who shot and killed a passenger on a San Francisco subway commuter train will be charged with gun crimes but not homicide in what was “clearly" a case of self-defense after he was attacked with a knife, his attorney said Monday.
Javon Green, 26, will face charges of having a concealed weapon in a public place and having a loaded gun in a public place, both felonies that possibly could be reduced to misdemeanors, attorney Randy Knox told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Green was scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday.
The San Francisco District Attorney's Office declined to comment to the paper Monday. Messages from The Associated Press seeking comment weren't immediately returned.
Green shot to death Nesta Bowen, 27, last Wednesday on a Muni train, his attorney said.
Knox told the paper that his client was a security guard who carried a gun for protection because he had twice been shot, and that he had twice tried to move away from a man on the train who is believed to be Bowen.
The man had been sitting next to Green. According to his client's account, the man was mumbling and saying “aggressive things" to Green, who got up and walked away from him, but the man followed him and took a knife from his pants, Knox said.
According to Knox, Green said to him, “’what are you going to do, stab me?’”
“And that’s when he started to run away,” Knox said. “It’s a clear case of self-defense.”
Surveillance footage obtained by the Chronicle appeared to show the man pulling something from his pocket and charging at Green, swinging at his face with his fist and what appears to be a knife, the paper said.
Green backs up but as they approach the end of the train car, Green shoots the man, the paper said.
Police said the shooter fled when the train stopped in the Castro neighborhood. Green was arrested the next day in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Pittsburg.
A 70-year-old passenger on the train was wounded and received non-life threatening injuries. Knox said Green apologized to the man and to other train passengers. | 2022-06-28T01:58:07+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Attorney-Man-involved-in-train-killing-shot-in-17269842.php |
Lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom have finalized a deal to send $9.5 billion back to Californians feeling the crush of $6 gasoline and rising costs for groceries and other products and services. The payments, which could be as much as $1,050 for a family, will not be coming in time for a 4th of July road trip – but they should land before the winter holidays.
Comments from state leaders indicate inflation cashback payments will likely be pushed into the late summer and fall as bureaucrats work out the kinks of sending money to nearly 23 million people.
At the heart of the delay is the Franchise Tax Board, which will be responsible for issuing the bulk of payments to bank accounts linked to tax accounts. In May Gov. Gavin Newsom said the tax board would not start that process until October because the agency is already dealing with tax refunds.
An FTB spokesperson did not immediately return a request for a timeline of cash payments. Katie Talbot, a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, said payments “will likely begin rolling out in fall.”
So how much will you get? The framework sets three tiers of relief-payment eligibility for individual taxpayers that gives more to those who earn less.
• The first tier, covering 14.2 million taxpayers, provides payments of $350 each, plus an additional $350 if they have at least one dependent, for single filers earning up to $75,000 and joint filers up to $150,000. A single filer with no kids will receive $350, a single parent or a childless couple will get $700, and a joint-filing couple with kids or at least one other dependent will get $1,050.
• The second tier covers 2.1 million taxpayers earning between $75,000 and $125,000 as single filers or $150,000 to $250,000 as joint filers. They will get $250 each plus an extra $250 for at least one dependent. So a childless individual taxpayer can expect $250, a single parent or childless couple will get $500, and a couple with kids will receive $750.
• The third tier would provide 1.1 million filers who earn between $125,000 and $250,000 as single taxpayers, or from $250,000 to $500,000 as joint filers, with payments of $200 each plus an extra $200 for dependents. So an individual filer will get $200, a single parent or childless couple will get $400, and a couple with kids will get $600.
A sticking point in talks between the governor and lawmakers was over sending rebates to wealthy Californians, and the plan announced late Sunday wouldn’t provide anything for some 500,000 taxpayers earning more than $250,000 individually, or $500,000 as a joint-filing couple.
Gov. Newsom had earlier proposed a $9 billion plan to send motorists $400 per car for up to two cars, plus $2 billion for free public transportation for three months. But he dropped it in the face of opposition from lawmakers who said it would benefit wealthy auto owners while largely shutting out many of the poor who don’t have cars.
The compromise proposal calls for an additional $8 billion — totaling $17.5 billion — to provide relief for other rising costs. That includes $2 billion of additional rental assistance provided earlier this year, $2.3 billion in fiscal relief to small businesses and nonprofits for unemployment insurance and paid sick leave costs, drought relief grants for small farms, a diesel sales tax suspension, and union dues credits for workers. | 2022-06-30T22:17:59+00:00 | santacruzsentinel.com | https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2022/06/30/california-passed-gas-relief-when-will-i-get-my-money/ |
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Louisiana Lottery's "Easy 5" game were:
03-20-27-32-34
(three, twenty, twenty-seven, thirty-two, thirty-four)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening's drawing of the Louisiana Lottery's "Easy 5" game were:
03-20-27-32-34
(three, twenty, twenty-seven, thirty-two, thirty-four) | 2022-11-06T04:36:32+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Easy-5-game-17561957.php |
New Oxford girls' tennis wins District 3 championship
The Colonials prevailed for a 3-2 victory over Manheim Township in Wednesday's district final.
The New Oxford girls' tennis team has continued its perfect season all the way through the District 3 Class 3A tournament, as the Colonials captured the district title with a 3-2 victory over Manheim Township on Wednesday afternoon at the Hershey Racquet Club.
Head coach Travis Martin's team is now 19-0 this fall, but Wednesday's test was the toughest the Colonials have faced all season. After winning 84 of their first 85 individual matches and advancing past Cumberland Valley, 3-1, in the semifinals, the Blue Streaks put up a valiant fight.
New Oxford knew this had a chance to be a special season, as the core returned from a 2021 team that finished second in the York-Adams League and third in the district tournament. The team has delivered on its promise and then some.
Colonials ace Anya Rosenbach finished second in the District 3 Class 3A individual tournament over the weekend, earning a spot at states in the process. The district doubles tournament begins Friday.
New Oxford will open state play on Tuesday, Oct. 25, with the quarterfinals set for Oct. 28 at the Hershey Racquet Club. Both the semifinals and finals will be played at the same venue one day later. | 2022-10-19T23:43:23+00:00 | yorkdispatch.com | https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/sports/high-school/tennis/2022/10/19/new-oxford-girls-tennis-piaa-district-3-championship/69575722007/ |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Night" game were:
1-4-2-2, FIREBALL: 8
(one, four, two, two; FIREBALL: eight)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Night" game were:
1-4-2-2, FIREBALL: 8
(one, four, two, two; FIREBALL: eight) | 2022-08-26T05:18:26+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Night-game-17399322.php |
The strategic agreement includes deployment of a new solar-plus-storage product offering, with Inferno granted exclusive distribution rights throughout Western Canada
- Inferno Solar is one of Western Canada's leading independent suppliers of turn-key solar projects and electric vehicle charging system solutions.
- The partnership will target Inferno's growing demand for stationary energy storage in commercial and industrial applications, as well as electric vehicle charging stations.
- The agreement will begin with a product pilot in Q4 2022 that combines Exro's Cell DriverTM Energy Storage System with Inferno's solar capabilities to create a new product offering, the Inferno System.
- Exro will be the sole supplier of storage to Inferno's growing, diverse commercial and industrial customer base beginning as early as Q2 2023 with Inferno holding exclusive distribution rights in Western Canada for a period of five years.
- Exro recently announced that the Cell DriverTM significantly outperformed phase-one testing requirements towards industry certification, which remains on track for Q2 2023.
- Exro and Inferno will introduce an innovative "Made-in-Alberta" solution that supports Canada's emissions reduction targets, setting a new standard for quality, affordability and encouraging adoption to a sustainable electrified world in transportation and energy storage.
CALGARY, AB, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Exro Technologies Inc. (TSX: EXRO) (OTCQB: EXROF) (the "Company" or "Exro"), a leading clean technology company that has developed new generation power control electronics that expand the capabilities of electric motors and batteries, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic development and distribution agreement ("the agreement") with Inferno Solar Ltd. ("Inferno"), an Alberta-based supplier of solar and electric vehicle ("EV") charging solutions. The agreement includes deployment of a made-in-Alberta solar-plus-storage product offering, called the Inferno System, which includes Exro's Cell DriverTM Energy Storage System ("Cell DriverTM"). Under the terms of the agreement, Inferno will hold exclusive distribution rights within Western Canada for five years. The agreement aligns with Exro's targeted go-to-market strategy for its energy storage product offering, partnering with leading clean energy integrators that provide expertise and scalability to accelerate market penetration and deployment to commercial and industrial ("C&I") customers.
"We want to reduce emissions at the lowest cost per unit, and commercial and industrial buildings are some of the lowest hanging fruit," said Curtis Craig, president and founder of Inferno Solar. "Our goal is to Power Change, Power Business and Power Alberta with clean energy, and I can't think of a better partner than fellow Alberta-born company Exro Technologies to help us achieve this goal."
"We welcome Inferno as our first integrator as we build a network of leading integrators and customers that will support taking Cell Driver to market in the multi-billion dollar commercial and industrial space," said Exro CEO Sue Ozdemir. "To bridge the gap to large scale adoption of sustainable energy solutions requires innovation to deliver quality, affordable solutions and a passion by companies to affect change within their local communities. Inferno and Exro's values align in doing just that. We look forward to joining them in their efforts to bring affordable, reliable clean energy to Western Canada, while also providing visibility to Exro shareholders on one of the near-term pathways to revenue for our differentiated product offering in the under-serviced commercial and industrial sector."
The agreement will begin with a pilot program in Q4 2022 that combines Exro's Cell DriverTM Energy Storage System with Inferno's solar capabilities to create a new product offering, the Inferno System. The Inferno System consists of a solar panel array and stationary energy storage for C&I sites with the addition of charging infrastructure for EV charging sites. The Inferno System will also be designed to serve as a flexible energy asset, a value-add that supports peak shaving and grid reliability, while also having potential applications for fully off-grid projects. For more on peak shaving visit: Load Shifting: What Is It and How Does It Work? (exro.com).
Under the agreement, Inferno retains exclusive rights to market and distribute the Exro Cell DriverTM as a component of the Inferno System in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, as well as the Territories of Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut. Exro will be the sole supplier of energy storage for use in the Inferno System, with the system expected to be available for pre-order in Q4 2022 with potential customer deliveries beginning as early as Q2 2023. The exclusivity provision of the agreement will have a duration of no more than five years.
Inferno is one of Western Canada's leading suppliers of turn-key solar and EV charging systems. Its solutions combine project management, design and engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning services. Founded in 2019 by Alberta native Curtis Craig, Inferno has installed more than 10,000 solar panels, providing more than 4,700 MWh of clean power each year throughout Western Canada, including at Exro's sustainably-designed, net-zero-target manufacturing facility in Calgary, Alberta, where the key power electronics components for the Cell Driver™ will be built. Rooftop solar is gaining momentum in Alberta, and Inferno expects to double their installed capacity in the next year.
Inferno has a growing customer base in Exro's targeted commercial and industrial sectors, including an exclusive supply agreement with York Realty, an Alberta-based property management company with more than 6 million square feet of holdings throughout Edmonton and Western Canada with plans to double its portfolio in the next 10 years. In supporting Western Canada's charging infrastructure expansion to provide for the electrification of transportation, Inferno is a distributor of ChargePoint and FLO charging systems and is hardware agnostic with access to hardware from Siemens, Shell Recharge Solutions, ENEL / Juicebox, and others. Inferno has 10 installations to date, with anticipated installs of 100 charging locations in 2023, and has completed rough-in in 2020 for a site that is designed to support a DC fast charging depot with hundreds of fleet vehicles.
With the global push towards sustainable clean energy solutions, the market outlook for stationary energy storage continues to grow. Stress on utility grids has resulted in rolling blackouts in places such as California, Texas, Arizona and more. These blackouts, combined with inflated peak rate charges for electricity, highlight the growing need for flexible back-up energy storage solutions, particularly for commercial and industrial applications. As the world looks to accelerate adoption rates in the electrification of transportation and energy storage, one of the greatest challenges to be addressed in the next 5-10 years is the supply of batteries. While applicable for new batteries, the primary objective of Exro's Cell Driver™ technology is to provide an effective solution for second-life applications, providing significant cost savings by reviving and utilizing used EV and telecom batteries for a second-life application. Enabling reuse of these cells is critical to reducing the environmental and climate change impacts associated with battery recycling and disposal and offering a real-world solution that leads the way to a circular electrified economy.
Exro's Cell Driver™ is equipped with the company's battery control system technology, next-generation innovation that expands the capabilities of batteries by dynamically monitoring and controlling at the cell level. Its ability to store excess clean solar power reduces energy costs for large power consumers by enabling greater control over when they draw electricity from their local utility grid. Electricity rates vary based on when and how unique power sources are used, and energy stored in Exro's Cell Driver™ can be used to power EV charging stations and C&I facilities when rates are higher to keep energy costs low.
Yesterday, Exro announced that the Cell Driver™ had recently exceeded the first phase of testing requirements for Underwriters Laboratories ("UL") product certification, which is required in North America to connect to the grid. As announced, the company remains on schedule to complete UL certification requirements in Q2 2023. In parallel with the UL certification process, Exro can market and secure pilots and orders for the Cell Driver™ with C&I integration partners. As indicated, Exro is in active discussions with potential distribution partners with Inferno the first such partner to be announced. (Link: Exro Energy Storage System Demonstrates Industry Leading Performance in Phase One UL Certification Tests)
On Wednesday, September 28th at 10:00 a.m. MDT, join the discussion with Sue Ozdemir and Exro leaders for a live Q&A session. See the link below to register for the event and to submit your questions in advance.
https://www.exro.com/investors/events
Exro Technologies Inc. is a leading clean technology company that has developed new generation power control electronics that change how the world optimizes energy by expanding the capabilities of electric motors and batteries. The company's innovative technologies serve to bridge the performance-cost gap in e-mobility and stationary energy storage, and act to accelerate adoption towards a circular electrified economy by delivering more with less – minimum energy for maximum results.
For more information visit our website at www.exro.com.
Inferno Solar is a turn-key solar system partner for Western Canada's commercial and industrial markets. Based out of Edmonton, Alberta, Inferno solar provides sustainable energy solutions within a region of Western Canada that has existing expertise and infrastructure in traditional carbon-based energy resources. Inferno is proud of the entrepreneurial spirit in Alberta, which is reflected in the fact it is the fastest growing region in Canada for renewable energy.
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulators, including the Company's annual information form for the financial year ended December 31, 2021, and financial statements and related MD&A for the financial year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
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SOURCE Exro Technologies Inc. | 2022-09-28T13:19:03+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/09/28/exro-signs-strategic-distribution-agreement-with-inferno-solar-energy-storage/ |
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The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. | 2023-02-12T11:54:59+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/video/competition/6320224493112/nick-taylor-pitches-tight-and-birdies-at-wm-phoenix-open |
UPDATE, Nov. 28, 8:30 a.m. — Montgomery County Public Schools said that as of 4 a.m., Pepco had restored power to all schools and offices.
After the power outages, staff needed to assess all buildings for their safety and other systems readiness such as heat, water and network connectivity. They were to do that throughout the day Monday. All child care programs were canceled. Food service at any MCPS school was not available. The school district expected to return to normal operations on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
UPDATE, Nov. 28, 1:34 a.m. — Pepco released a statement after both people were freed from the plane confirming that they had restored electricity for everyone who had been impacted as of 11:58 p.m. even though the electric lines involved in the crash did not have power.
Pepco is pleased to have successfully assisted Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services and other local emergency personnel with the effort to rescue the individuals who were stranded in the airplane in Montgomery County.
Pepco statement
UPDATE, Nov. 28, 12:30 a.m. — Both people were freed from the plane after hours of rescue and power outages. Bystanders waiting near the scene of the crash erupted in cheers as they saw both people get rescued one at a time after almost seven hours trapped in the plane.
Officials said that both individuals had serious injuries described as “hyperthermia” and “orthopedic injuries.” Ambulances waited at the scene to transport them to area trauma centers.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer also gave an update several hours into the rescue. He said that as of midnight, the power lines had been grounded. Fire crews were working to secure the plane to the tower and extricate the two in the plane.
Piringer said that they had been in constant contact with the individuals in the plane.
He said that Pepco was also on the scene working on getting power back on for Montgomery County residents.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 11:26 p.m. — Montgomery County Public Schools tweeted that schools and offices would be closed Monday, Nov. 28, due to the power outages and its “impact on safety and school operations.”
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 11:25 p.m. — Montgomery College tweeted that all of the community college’s campuses would be closed on Monday, Nov. 28 because of the power outages.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 10:41 p.m. — Montgomery County Public Schools added an update to their website about the impact that the power outage has on the schools.
“Currently, more than 40 schools and 6 central office facilities are without power, affecting a number of key services such as maintenance, buses and food services.”
MCPS
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 10 p.m. — At a news conference, Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said approximately 120,000 customers were without power. The Emergency Operations Center was opened.
Goldstein said the outages were limiting the number of people two hospitals could take.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 9:01 p.m. — Maryland State Police, which was one of the agencies on the scene of the crash, said the pilot of the plane was Patrick Merkle, 65, of Washington D.C. His passenger was Jan Williams, 66, of Louisiana.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 8:57 p.m. — Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said at a news conference there were a number of ongoing concerns. One of the big ones was that there was no way to tell if it was safe to access the tower until it was grounded or bonded. Goldstein said that meant that crews would have to go up to the lines, themselves, to put clamps or cables onto the wires to ensure there is no static electricity or residual power.
The other big issue at the site of the incident was vibration from the airplane. Crews needed to secure the plane to the tower structure.
People from Pepco’s contractor who deal with the towers were on site, as well as a large crane from a company to help.
Goldstein said they were waiting on other resources to arrive.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 8:37 p.m. — Pepco explained in a tweet that the lines that were hit power small distribution substations across the county, resulting in the customer outages. The tweet said, in part: “The priority is providing the assistance needed to support the rescue effort and then crews will work to restore service for customers safely and as quickly as possible.”
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 8:25 p.m. — A spokesman for Montgomery County Public Schools said the district was assessing what impact the situation and outages had on schools or would have. MCPS expected to have a message later Sunday night to the school community.
UPDATE Nov. 27, 8:16 p.m. — Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority put out a Red Line alert, letting people know they should allow enough time if they were traveling from Shady Grove to Grosvenor-Strathmore or Glenmont to Silver Spring due to the crash.
Trains were bypassing Wheaton, and WMATA was providing shuttle buses.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 8:15 p.m. — The plane that hit the lines was a 45-year-old Mooney M20. The plane took off from West Chester Airport in New York, bound for Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Md.
UPDATE, Nov. 27, 7:45 p.m. — Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services tweeted that its 24-hour crisis center was among places affected by the power outages. As a result, no walk-in services were available. Phone service was not affected, so anyone in need of support still could call (240) 777-4000.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — More than 85,000 households across Montgomery County were left without power after a plane crashed into a power lines tower in Gaithersburg on Sunday evening. First responders were working to rescue two people trapped in the plane.
First responders said that the crash happened near Rothbury Drive and Goshen Road. The plane was suspended about 100 feet in the air.
Pete Piringer, spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, said in an update that the crash happened around 5:30 p.m. The wires still were energized Sunday evening.
Piringer said that they have been in contact with the people on board. Neither of them was hurt.
Pepco’s outage map showed more than 85,000 customers without power in that part of Maryland as of 6:31 p.m. There was no estimate on when power may be restored. Pepco asked that customers report outages online, by using their app or by texting OUT to 48710.
Several roads in the area were also closed as officials responded to the scene.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue established an information hotline for any residents to call at 240-777-2442. | 2022-11-28T15:03:08+00:00 | texomashomepage.com | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/pilot-passenger-rescued-from-plane-after-crash-into-power-lines-that-caused-widespread-outages-in-montgomery-county/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — After a review of the awards campaign for the indie drama “To Leslie,” the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences said Tuesday that Andrea Riseborough will not be stripped of her Oscar nomination for best actress.
The star-studded grassroots campaign for Riseborough had prompted skepticism from some academy voters and caused a stir in Hollywood. On Friday, the academy announced that it would examine whether any rules were broken. Shortly ahead of nominations, Riseborough was propelled into the race after a host of celebrities hosted screenings of “To Leslie” and numerous A-listers promoted her on social media.
After appeals from “To Leslie” director Michael Morris and his wife, actor Mary McCormack, Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Adams and Courteney Cox all hosted screenings of the film. Riseborough, a well-regarded British actor, was unexpectedly catapulted into the best-actress race despite the very small audience for “To Leslie” (about $27,000 in box office).
“The Academy has determined the activity in question does not rise to the level that the film’s nomination should be rescinded,” Bill Kramer, academy chief executive, said in a statement. “However, we did discover social media and outreach campaigning tactics that caused concern. These tactics are being addressed with the responsible parties directly.”
The academy has rescinded nominations for campaigning that broke regulations before. Celebrity-hosted screenings are a regular feature of Oscar season, but how voters are contacted during the Oscar voting period is regulated. On Tuesday, the academy suggested Riseborough’s unorthodox campaign may necessitate tweaks to the bylaws.
“Given this review, it is apparent that components of the regulations must be clarified to help create a better framework for respectful, inclusive, and unbiased campaigning,” said Kramer. “These changes will be made after this awards cycle and will be shared with our membership. The academy strives to create an environment where votes are based solely on the artistic and technical merits of the eligible films and achievements.”
Critics of Riseborough’s campaign said it showed how a deep Rolodex could give a potential nominee a leg up. Notably left out of best actress contention were Viola Davis (“Woman King”) and Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”).
Along with Riseborough, the nominees are: Cate Blachett (“Tár”), Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”), Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) and Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”). | 2023-02-01T19:05:04+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/entertainment/ap-entertainment/ap-after-academy-review-riseborough-will-keep-oscar-nomination/ |
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jogan Health has pioneered unique public-private partnerships with public health agencies. The result? Better performance at lower costs for local governments and the communities they serve.
"We've really set a precedent as a private healthcare company working with local government agencies and school districts," said Dan Dietrich, President of Jogan Health. "We've also proven that we can help our partners in public health overcome challenges and have greater success in managing healthcare during times of need."
Offering healthcare staffing, vaccination and testing services and a full range of public health services, Jogan Health has proven to be a dependable and effective partner to hospitals and healthcare agencies in several states, including Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico and Washington.
Following its mission to "care for caregivers and care for communities," Jogan Health has administered more than 1 million COVID vaccine doses, set up more than 4,000 mobile clinics and helped staff more than 200 facilities with healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One example of a successful private-public partnership was between Jogan Health and the public health agency in Douglas County, Colorado. In that partnership, Jogan Health was able to assure residents access to a wide range of healthcare services during the peak of the pandemic.
In Douglas County alone, Jogan Health was able to:
- Maintain a minimum 90% COVID-19 case contact rate
- Respond to over 34,000 cases of COVID-19
- Manage 63 outbreaks of COVID-19
Dietrich explained that Jogan Health is excited to expand this public-private partnership model nationwide to help public health agencies thrive.
"Through these partnerships, we were able to accomplish remarkable things to serve public health agencies and the people who rely upon them," he said. "It has been rewarding to see the results and we will continue to build relationships and partnerships. Our plan at Jogan Health is to be prepared – and help our partners be prepared, too."
Contact information:
Ralph Loos, Communications Manager
Jogan Health
Email: Ralph.Loos@joganhealth.com
Phone: 720-869-9103
www.joganhealth.com
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SOURCE Jogan Health | 2022-06-06T16:53:16+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2022/06/06/jogan-health-set-precedent-private-public-healthcare-partnerships/ |
AES Ohio, Duke Energy, the Ohio Manufacturing Association and the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel all find themselves in agreement when it comes to opposing a bill that would change how Ohio electric utilities set their rates.
On Tuesday, they all testified against Senate Bill 102 as currently drafted.
Often, the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel’s office opposes utilities when they seek to raise rates, and the office has long been skeptical of electric security plans (ESPs) — plans that guide how utilities operate and seek to stay profitable, an effort to balance grid investment and the return on those investments. Such plans have been a feature of Ohio energy law since 2008.
But on this issue, the office and some utilities appear to be at least in partial agreement, perhaps for different reasons.
“The bill re-writes much of Ohio’s electric utility regulatory structure, creating uncertainty and risks for both customers and utilities,” Chris Hollon, AES Ohio senior counsel, testified Tuesday.
In the view of the consumers’ office, SB 102′s “detriments for consumers outweigh its benefits,” Maureen Willis, the consumers’ counsel’s acting legal director, said in testimony shared with this newspaper.
The proposed legislation fails to enact a “robust regulatory framework” and contains provisions that hurt consumers and development, testified Steve Nourse, vice president, legal, for Columbus-area utility American Electric Power.
One provision is language that raises the “price to compare” of the SSO or “standard service” offer, the main or default price Ohio consumers can use to compare the cost of one utility’s service against another, he testified. The bill would force state regulators to add what Nourse called “ill-defined indirect costs” to the SSO price.
“This legislatively mandated bill increase that will fall disproportionately on residential customers,” Nourse testified.
ESPs have “generally achieved balanced and reasonable outcomes for AEP Ohio” and its customers, he added.
The consumers’ office also said it would be a long time before the bill’s changes took effect.
Dayton-area utility AES Ohio is nearing the end of its latest application process for a new ESP. Matt Schilling, a spokesman for electric utility regulator Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, said Tuesday that in AES Ohio’s pending case, reply briefs were filed June 5. The next step is for a PUCO decision, for which there is no precise timeframe, he added.
Meanwhile, the latest round of ESP applications continues for other utilities. When it comes to AEP’s and First Energy’s proposed ESPs, those would be in effect for three to 10 years, Willis testified. “So, even if the bill’s approach to ratemaking were good for consumers, it will not have an effect on ending electric security plans until the 2030′s for AEP and FE.”
And Willis contends that the bill would allow refunds of illegal utility charges for a very limited time period, only after a court reversal of state regulators on such charges.
She was also critical of a provision letting power companies use a projected “test year” for determining expenses and revenues.
Said Willis: “Consumers have not necessarily done well when ratemaking is based on utility projections.”
However, the office likes how the plan allows parties to conduct legal discovery or questioning of PUCO staff. The PUCO has shielded staff from discovery, according to the consumers’ counsel.
An earlier version of SB 102 was HB 317 last session which did not have the votes to pass in a lame-duck session, the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel said.
About the Author | 2023-06-21T12:36:46+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/power-companies-consumers-counsel-all-testify-against-electric-rate-reform-bill/CTURUMCA7RF5HAPDBT6YGS6NF4/ |
Entrepreneur Joe Gebbia donated $25 million to The Ocean Cleanup Thursday to support the nonprofit’s efforts to remove plastic from the world’s oceans and rivers.
Experts in the field welcome both the donation and the attention to the issue of ocean sustainability, pointing out that it receives the least funding of all the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. According to the World Economic Forum, about $175 billion a year is needed to protect the oceans, but between 2015 and 2019 less than $10 billion total was invested in the cause.
Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and Samara and chairman of Airbnb.org, said he was proud to partner with the nonprofit, which declared his donation the largest in its history.
“The Ocean Cleanup has created systems and technology that actually work at scale,” Gebbia said in a statement to The Associated Press. “In order for them to deploy across our oceans and rivers, they now need to scale their funding. It is my hope that this donation can inspire others to act.”
The Ocean Cleanup works to remove the existing plastic floating in the ocean, especially in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, as well as reducing the amount of plastic flowing into the oceans. The nonprofit has removed roughly 440,000 pounds of plastic from the Garbage Patch, which consists of an estimated 220 million pounds of plastic located between Hawaii and California.
“Joe’s continued support of The Ocean Cleanup’s mission has a direct impact on our operations all over the world,” Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Thanks, in part, to his generous assistance, we are able to scale up our work in oceans and rivers, helping us reach our goal of ridding the world’s oceans of plastic.”
Daniela Fernandez, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Sustainable Ocean Alliance, which helps young leaders connect to work on solving issues threatening oceans’ health, said many donors do not realize that supporting programs battling climate change does not necessarily support the welfare of the oceans. She said Gebbia’s donation is a sign of change.
“I do think that we are seeing philanthropists pay more attention,” said Fernandez, whose group is co-sponsoring Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit in Panama later this month to discuss cleanup and other possible solutions to the oceans’ issues. “I think it’s really exciting to see this large support take place.”
Fernandez said it is important to encourage and empower young people because they may have important new ideas.
“They’re frustrated,” she said. “But now you’re seeing this area of entrepreneurship where people are saying, ‘Not only do I want to be angry and write a letter or sign a petition, I actually want to roll up my sleeves and build a mangrove forest in my backyard or put together a coral reef planting campaign for my community.’ We’re seeing so many ideas.”
____
Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. | 2023-02-02T20:30:42+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-airbnbs-joe-gebbia-donates-25-million-to-the-ocean-cleanup/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to speak Saturday evening as they race to strike an agreement that would resolve the looming debt crisis ahead of a June 5 deadline to avert a catastrophic U.S. default.
Biden spoke earlier in the day with the Democratic leaders in Congress to discuss the status of the talks, according to two people familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. But they had not reached a deal yet, another person familiar with the calls said.
The Republican speaker gathered top allies behind closed doors at the Capitol as negotiators pushed for a deal that would raise the nation’s borrowing limit and avoid a catastrophic default, while also making spending cuts that House Republicans are demanding.
As he arrived at the Capitol early in the day, McCarthy said that Republican negotiators were “closer to an agreement.”
McCarthy’s comments echoed the latest assessment from Biden, who said Friday evening that bargainers were “very close.”
Their discussion was set as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Congress that the United States could default on its debt obligations by June 5 — four days later than previously estimated — if lawmakers do not act in time to raise the federal debt ceiling. The extended “X-date” gives the two sides a bit of extra time as they scramble for a deal.
Both sides have suggested one of the main holdups is a GOP effort to expand existing work requirements for recipients of food stamps and other federal aid programs, a longtime Republican goal that Democrats have strenuously opposed. The White House said the Republican proposals were “cruel and senseless.”
McCarthy, who dashed out before the lunch hour and arrived back at the Capitol with a big box of takeout, declined to elaborate on those discussions. One of his negotiators, Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves, said there was “not a chance” that Republicans might relent on the work requirements issue.
Americans and the world were uneasily watching the negotiating brinkmanship that could throw the U.S. economy into chaos and sap world confidence in the nation’s leadership. House negotiators left the Capitol at 2 a.m. the night before, only to return hours later.
Failure to lift the borrowing limit, now $31 trillion, to pay the nation’s incurred bills, would send shockwaves through the U.S. and global economy. Yellen said failure to act by the new date would “cause severe hardship to American families, harm our global leadership position and raise questions about our ability to defend our national security interests.”
Anxious retirees and others were already making contingency plans for missed checks, with the next Social Security payments due next week.
The president, spending part of the weekend at Camp David, continued to talk with his negotiating team multiple times a day, signing off on offers and counteroffers. Biden was upbeat as he departed the White House on Friday evening, saying: “It’s very close, and I’m optimistic.”
All sides also are hearing from other lawmakers, including Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the independent from Arizona, who has been in the center of big policy debates, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.
Biden and McCarthy have seemed to be narrowing on a two-year budget-cutting deal that would also extend the debt limit into 2025 past the next presidential election. The contours of the deal have been taking shape to cut spending for 2024 and impose a 1% cap on spending growth for 2025.
The Republican proposal on work requirements would save $11 billion over 10 years by raising the maximum age for existing standards that require able-bodied adults who do not live with dependents to work or attend training programs.
Current law applies those standards to recipients under the age of 50. The GOP plan would raise the age to include adults 55 and under. It would lower the number of exemptions that states can grant to some recipients subject to those requirements.
Biden has said the work requirements for Medicaid would be a nonstarter. He initially seemed potentially open to negotiating minor changes on food stamps, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, but his position has appeared to harden.
Any deal would need to be a political compromise in a divided Congress. Many of the hard-right Trump-aligned Republicans in Congress have long been skeptical of the Treasury’s projections, and they are pressing McCarthy to hold out.
Lawmakers are not expected to return to work from the Memorial Day weekend before Tuesday, at the earliest, and McCarthy has promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting.
The Democratic-held Senate has largely stayed out of the negotiations, leaving the talks to Biden and McCarthy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has pledged to move quickly to send a compromise package to Biden’s desk.
Weeks of talks have failed to produce a deal in part because the Biden administration resisted for months on negotiating with McCarthy, arguing that the country’s full faith and credit should not be used as leverage to extract other partisan priorities.
But House Republicans united behind a plan to cut spending, narrowly passing legislation in late April that would raise the debt ceiling in exchange for the spending reductions.
___
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Stephen Groves, Fatima Hussein, Farnoush Amiri, Seung Min Kim and videojournalist Rick Gentilo contributed to this report. | 2023-05-27T22:52:31+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-biden-mccarthy-agree-to-talk-on-debt-crisis-speaker-says-negotiators-closer-to-an-agreement/ |
BOGOTÁ, Colombia, Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC) informs that the Board of Directors elected at the Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting on October 24, 2022, held a meeting on October 27, 2022 in which it appointed Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Mauricio Cabrera Galvis as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Additionally, the Board of Directors approved the membership of its committees, which will be comprised as follows:
AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE
- Sergio Restrepo Isaza (Chair)
- Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz
- Santiago Perdomo Maldonado
BUSINESS COMMITTEE
- Santiago Perdomo Maldonado (Chair)
- Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz
- Esteban Piedrahíta Uribe
- Gonzalo Hernández Jiménez
- Gabriel Mauricio Cabrera Galvis
- Sandra Ospina Arango
- Saúl Kattan Cohen
- Sergio Restrepo Isaza
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE
- Esteban Piedrahíta Uribe (Chair)
- Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz
- Gabriel Mauricio Cabrera Galvis
- Gonzalo Hernández Jiménez
- Mónica de Greiff Lindo
COMPENSATION, NOMINATION AND CULTURE COMMITTEE
- Mauricio Cabrera Galvis (Chair)
- Mónica de Greiff Lindo
- Saúl Kattan Cohen
HSE COMMITTEE
- Sandra Ospina Arango (Chair)
- Mónica de Greiff Lindo
- Sergio Restrepo Isaza
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION COMMITTEE
- Saúl Kattan Cohen (Chair)
- Esteban Piedrahíta Uribe
- Sandra Ospina Arango
- Santiago Perdomo Maldonado
The Board of Directors appointed María Paula Camacho Rozo as Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Secretary General of Ecopetrol S.A., who will exercise this position as of October 27, 2022. Maria Paula has been in charge of this vice presidency since August 18, 2022. Ms. Camacho has a law degree from Universidad Javeriana, and a specialization in commercial law from the University of Paris II. She has 24 years of experience in the Ecopetrol Group, within which she has served as Secretary General for Cenit and Ocensa, and as Legal Manager of New Businesses and Corporate of Ecopetrol.
Finally, the Board of Directors expressed its support for the Company's management team, headed by its President Felipe Bayón Pardo.
Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 18,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production of most transportation, logistics, and hydrocarbon refining systems, and it holds leading positions in the petrochemicals and gas distribution segments. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, the company participates in energy transmission, the management of real-time systems (XM), and the Barranquilla - Cartagena coastal highway concession. At the international level, Ecopetrol has a stake in strategic basins in the American continent, with Drilling and Exploration operations in the United States (Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and Mexico, and, through ISA and its subsidiaries, Ecopetrol holds leading positions in the power transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, road concessions in Chile, and the telecommunications sector. This press release contains business prospect statements, operating and financial result estimates, and statements related to Ecopetrol's growth prospects. These are all projections and, as such, they are based solely on the expectations of the managers regarding the future of the company and their continued access to capital to finance the company's business plan. The realization of said estimates in the future depends on the behavior of market conditions, regulations, competition, and the performance of the Colombian economy and the industry, among other factors, and are consequently subject to change without prior notice.
This release contains statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases, or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration, and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information, please contact:
Head of Capital Markets
Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff
Email: investors@ecopetrol.com.co
Head of Corporate Communications
Mauricio Téllez
Email: mauricio.tellez@ecopetrol.com.co
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SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A. | 2022-10-28T11:36:13+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/10/28/decisions-ecopetrol-sas-board-directors/ |
Decisions platform will help fulfill the unprecedented growth and investment in Guyana
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Guyana's Ministry of Housing and Water signed a $202.9 million contract with Global Services Inc. to implement a unified, custom technology solution with the Decisions Intelligent Process Automation platform. The custom application will empower Guyana's Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) to streamline the collection, review, and approval of development permits. The system is expected to go live as soon as June 2023.
The Decisions automation platform will eliminate the hassle and inconsistencies found in manual application processes. With an integrated interface, the CH&PA will digitally manage submitted applications, track an application's status, and enforce pre-determined deadlines throughout the entire process. This solution replaces a system of paper applications and subjective, human review. Employing workflow to automatically review and approve webform applications will result in faster response times, increased departmental efficiency, and transparent business transactions.
"With our platform, we can build the precise processes Guyana needs to enhance their operations, and more importantly support changes to those processes as the country's needs evolve" said Heath Oderman, Co-founder and CTO for Decisions. "During this time of unprecedented growth and investment in Guyana, our ability to integrate with Guyana's pre-existing systems will elevate a currently manual process to a transparent workflow, capable of producing immediate results. This solution will revolutionize the CH&PA's operational capacity and improve the entire stakeholder experience."
In addition to streamlining the application process, offering a secure, single-entry point for all applications will establish clear standardization practices for the CH&PA's permit approval process. This commitment to security and regulated procedures promotes transparency and accountability between the Guyanese government and the general public.
The Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues stated, "For many years, you have heard the government speak about reducing bureaucracy, reducing the 'red tape', and making it easy for people to do business in Guyana. This is a demonstration of that commitment. This IT platform, followed by the legislation that will be passed and made law, will allow for a single window for planning and building permits."
The Decisions platform is expected to accept applications as early as June 2023. A hybrid system will be utilized in the initial deployment stages, and gradually transition to embrace the full, electronic solution. This project is the intended foundation for intelligent process automation to be applied to future projects across Guyana's other federal agencies.
About Decisions
With the Decisions no-code automation platform you can fix the customer experience, modernize legacy systems, ensure regulatory compliance, and automate anything in your business. We help people who know what to do, get it done, and change their world.
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SOURCE Decisions | 2023-01-31T15:52:24+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/01/31/guyana-signs-intelligent-process-automation-contract-choosing-decisions-transform-building-permit-applications/ |
Here's what you need to know about July's Tequila, Taco & Cerveza Fest
The Tequila, Taco & Ceraza Fest is back this month with eight food trucks competing for best taco and over 40 tequilas to sample.
Party Tenders Events will take over the Plaza de Las Cruces from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, July 15 for food, drinks, entertainment and competition.
According to a news release, entertainment will include 15 minutes of Luchador fights every hour on the half hour, live music, a classic car show, yard games, carnival games and craft vendors. Live bands include Satisfied, Mariachi Paso del Norte, DJ Rob E with emcee Jerry Karnes.
Tacos will be provided by Las Cruces and El Paso food trucks, which will also compete for best taco:
- El Merendero
- Green Chile Paddywagon
- Gorditas Dona Maria
- Kids Global
- Grubahbite
- La Ristra Express
- Los Corrales
- Sugar Drip
Attendees enter the plaza between RAD Retrocade and The Boneyard on La Placita. The Plaza de Las Cruces is located at 100 N. Main St.
Tickets are $20 for designated drivers and people under 21. Tickets for those 21 range between $30 and $65. Children 12 and under will be admitted for free when with a parent.
Tickets will be available at the gate until sold out. People can purchase tickets online ahead of the event at TTCFEST.Eventbrite.com.
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Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter. | 2023-07-14T11:05:28+00:00 | lcsun-news.com | https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/entertainment/events/2023/07/13/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-julys-tequila-taco-cerveza-fest-las-cruces-plaza-nm/70403444007/ |
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Los Angeles biotech investor pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a transcontinental murder-for-hire conspiracy that led to the 2018 abduction and killing of a Vermont man.
Serhat Gumrukcu, a 39-year-old Turkish citizen, appeared in U.S. District Court in Burlington, where he entered the plea to a charge of interstate murder for hire during a brief hearing before Judge Geoffrey Crawford. If convicted, he could go to prison for life.
Gregory Davis, 49, was abducted from his home in Danville the night of Jan. 6, 2018, by a man wearing a jacket with U.S. Marshals Service insignia and carrying a rifle and handcuffs. Davis’ body was found the next day in a snowbank on the side of the road about 15 miles away, in the town of Barnet.
Davis’ wife, Melissa, declined to comment after the hearing. Gumrukcu’s husband, William Anderson Wittekind, of Los Angeles, also declined to comment.
Investigators identified the alleged kidnapper — Jerry Banks, of Fort Collins, Colorado — using a 911 call made about 15 minutes before the kidnapping in which the caller claimed to have killed his wife at a nonexistent address. Investigators traced the phone that Banks used to make the red herring 911 call to a Walmart in Pennsylvania where it was purchased while he was on his way to Vermont.
Prosecutors say Banks killed Davis, but he has been charged only with the kidnapping.
Investigators subsequently linked Banks to Aron Lee Ethridge, of Las Vegas, who hired him; to Gumrukcu associate Berk Eratay; and then to Gumrukcu.
Both Banks and Eratay have pleaded not guilty. Ethridge pleaded guilty over the summer, and attorneys are going to recommend a sentence of 27 years in prison.
Prosecutors allege that Gumrukcu, 39, was involved in an oil deal with Gregory Davis. After Gumrukcu missed payments, Davis threatened to report him to law enforcement.
During 2017, Gumrukcu was putting together a different deal through which he obtained a significant ownership stake in Enochian Biosciences, of Los Angeles. Prosecutors have said that any complaints by Davis to law enforcement could have ended the Enochian deal.
After Gumrukcu’s arrest, Enochian issued a statement saying there was no link between the company and the crime with which Gumrukcu is charged.
Last week, during a separate hearing in Rutland in the Eratay case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Van de Graaf told Crawford that if the three defendants go to trial, officials expect to try them together.
Eratay and Banks also face sentences of life in prison if convicted. | 2022-10-04T20:59:07+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/national/ap-key-suspect-in-murder-for-hire-case-pleads-not-guilty/ |
Updated July 21, 2022 at 3:03 PM ET
ROME — Italy is headed for an early election after its president accepted Premier Mario Draghi's resignation Thursday and decided there was no possibility for cobbling together another government following the rapid collapse of the ruling coalition.
The demise of Draghi's coalition in the eurozone's third-largest economy and the uncertainty of what Italian voters will decide at the polls have dealt a destabilizing blow to the country and Europe amid rising inflation and Russia's war in Ukraine.
Dissolving Parliament "is always the last choice to make, especially if, as in this moment, there are important tasks to carry to completion,'' President Sergio Mattarella said in a brief speech at the presidential Quirinal Palace, where Draghi had tendered his resignation hours earlier.
Mattarella's office said the election will be held Sept. 25.
He appealed to political parties in their campaigning to keep in mind "the superior interests" of the nation. Citing soaring food and energy prices, he noted that those suffering the most are always the weakest in society.
"The period we are going through doesn't allow for any pause in determining interventions to contrast the economic and social crisis, and in particular the increase in inflation, which brings heavy consequences for families and businesses,'' he said.
Draghi was staying on at Mattarella's request in a caretaker role, ensuring the government can carry out basic measures in the months before a new coalition is in place.
But with Italy's often-squabbling political parties, it could be weeks beyond that before a new government is in place. After 2018 elections for Parliament, it took 90 days before a new government was sworn in.
Parliament's five-year term would have expired in March 2023, so effectively the election would be held barely six months ahead of time.
Mattarella noted the bad timing for the nation and the continent. But he said he had no choice after Wednesday evening, when three key parties in Draghi's "unity" coalition refused to renew support in a confidence vote.
"The debate, the vote and the ways in which this vote was expressed yesterday in the Senate made evident the parliamentary support for the government had gone lacking and the absence of a prospective to give life to a new majority" in Parliament, the president said.
Mattarella had rejected a similar resignation offer from Draghi a week earlier.
Instability in Italy could ripple through Europe, also facing economic problems. Draghi had taken on statesman status as the European Union struggled to keep a united front against Russia, whose natural gas is heavily imported by Italy and other countries.
The former European Central Bank president was tapped by Mattarella 17 months earlier to guide Italy's recovery after its economy was pummeled by COVID-19.
But this week, his coalition was sabotaged by the center-right Forza Italia of former Premier Silvio Berlusconi and two larger parties, the right-wing League of Matteo Salvini and the populist 5-Star Movement led by Draghi's predecessor in the premiership, Giuseppe Conte.
In a brief speech to the lower Chamber of Deputies on Thursday before renewing his resignation offer, Draghi appeared moved by the applause from lawmakers there, quipping that even central bank chiefs have hearts.
Dubbed "Super Mario" for helping to lead the eurozone out of its debt crisis when he led the ECB, Draghi played a similar calming role in Italy in recent months. His presence helped reassure financial markets about the debt-laden nation's public finances, and he managed to keep the country on track with economic reforms that the EU had made a condition of its 200 billion-euro (-dollar) pandemic recovery package.
He was a staunch supporter of Ukraine, even as the leaders of the 5-Stars and the League, two forces long favorable to Russia, appeared to waver in their support to supply Kyiv with arms. Draghi became a leading voice in Europe's response to Russia's Feb. 24 invasion.
A photo of Draghi, chatting with the leaders of France and Germany on a train to Kyiv, quickly became the iconic image of Italy as one of the strongest backers of Ukraine. He had pushed for the country's candidacy for EU membership.
While he could not keep his fractious coalition together, Draghi appeared to still have broad support among Italians, many of whom have taken to the streets or signed open letters in recent weeks to plead with him to stay on.
Nicola Nobile, associate director at Oxford Economics, warned that Draghi's departure and the wait for a new government could worsen economic turbulence in Italy, which investors worry is carrying too much debt and which was already looking at a marked slowdown for the second half of the year.
Opinion polls have indicated the center-left Democratic Party and the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, which had remained in the opposition, are neck-and-neck.
Brothers of Italy has long been allied with Berlusconi's and Salvini's forces. If they stay teamed up in an election campaign, that could sweep the right into power. Giorgia Meloni, who leads the Brothers of Italy, is eager to become the country's first female premier.
"The will of the people is expressed in one way: by voting. Let's give hope and strength back to Italy," she said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-21T19:20:10+00:00 | wbfo.org | https://www.wbfo.org/2022-07-21/italy-heads-to-an-early-election-after-prime-minister-mario-draghis-coalition-fails |
WATERLOO — Parent/teacher conferences for all buildings in the Waterloo Community Schools will be held Tuesday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m.
School will not be in session Thursday and Friday.
1 of 9
Waterloo Career Center walkway
A skyway will connect the Waterloo Career Center to its new expanded building.
At the corner of Fourth and Commercial streets is where the first students from Lou Henry, Orange and Lincoln elementary schools students took off shortly after 10 a.m.
West and East High Schools took their instruments and color guards Saturday to the Bands Across the Prairie and the Five Seasons marching invitationals in Cedar Rapids. | 2022-10-08T13:15:37+00:00 | wcfcourier.com | https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/education/waterloo-schools-sets-parent-teacher-conferences/article_686fb862-9a10-5316-b2d0-285f80951700.html |
Aaron Judge doesn't need to peek in order to get a hit, and he's letting everyone know it.
After hitting a single Wednesday night, the New York Yankees slugger broke out a new celebration that mocked the notion that he was looking toward his dugout for information on what pitch was coming.
When walking back toward first base, he looked toward his dugout and covered his eyes.
Judge also pulled out the celebration after his game-winning home run on Tuesday night.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
This all started Monday night when the Toronto Blue Jays broadcasters noticed Judge was peeking toward his dugout, which Buck Martinez called "really unusual."
"You don’t want to go throwing allegations around without knowing, but …" added Dan Schulman.
During that at-bat, Judge blasted a home run 462 feet.
Judge said that he was only looking in the dugout because he was upset with whoever was "chirping," but the Blue Jays think Judge was getting word from someone on what pitch was coming. Reliever Jay Jackson later said he was tipping his pitches.
DODGERS DRAW MIXED REACTIONS AFTER SEVERING TIES WITH ANTI-CATHOLIC DRAG ORGANIZATION
The defending AL MVP said he was "not happy" with the insinuation that something was fishy with his actions.
"I don't see why it's a story to be honest," Judge said Tuesday, adding he had "choice words" but was keeping them to himself.
This isn't the first time Judge has mocked his opponents via celebration – back in 2021, after hitting a home run, Judge tugged on his jersey, referencing Jose Altuve pleading with his teammates to not take off his jersey after hitting a walk-off home run that sent his Houston Astros to the 2019 World Series.
Altuve's actions brought speculation that he was wearing a buzzer or wire to find out about an upcoming pitch – a month later, it was revealed the team was illegally stealing signs throughout their championship run in 2017.
The Yankees have won seven of their last nine games and 10 of their last 14. | 2023-05-18T01:44:50+00:00 | foxbangor.com | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/yankees-aaron-judge-breaks-out-new-celebration-mocking-cheating-insinuations/article_9e73d6d9-3f7b-5824-a1c1-603fa1a6a3ad.html |
If you travel while you work, you probably don’t want to carry around an expensive computer you couldn’t live without. What you might enjoy instead is a device just for when you’re on the road, one that’s a little cheaper but runs the basics without any trouble. This refurbished HP Business Chromebook might be the perfect match for you if you want a computer you can work on, travel with, and not worry about. For a limited time, this refurbished Chromebook is on sale for only $40 (Reg. $139).
Refurbished to a C grade, this Chromebook may have some visible scratches and superficial blemishes, but it has also been tested and functions as normal. If you’re looking for a computer to use on the road, it provides a great and efficient setup. It’s also only 11.8-inches wide, which is just wide enough to be a good working surface but not so large that it gets in the way.
Under the hood, you’ve got the Chrome OS that every Chromebook uses. You can use your Google Suite for most day-to-day work, and for everything else you’ve got 16GB of storage for app downloads. This Chromebook is Wi-Fi-ready, packs a 9.5-hour battery life, and if you’re looking for something that gets the job done without being bogged down by bells and whistles, this might be just what you want.
Non-traveling workers can also certainly enjoy the benefits of a compact computer that runs the basics. Use it as a second screen or a distraction-free writing machine. Even just treating it like a second monitor that exclusively has your email open could be a boon to your productivity.
Get a computer you’re not afraid to take with you when you hit the road. For a limited time, you can get a refurbished HP Business Chromebook 16GB RAM on sale for only $40 (Reg. $139).
Prices subject to change. | 2022-07-16T13:30:39+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/deals/2022/07/16/grab-this-refurbished-chromebook-for-a-40-traveling-work-station/ |
Some 9.2 million lead pipes carry water into homes across the U.S., with more in Florida than any other state, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency survey that will dictate how billions of dollars to find and replace those pipes are spent.
The survey released Tuesday was the first time the agency asked about lead pipes and gave the best count yet of how many are underground. Florida, with an estimated 1.16 million pipes, was a surprise to one expert. Industrial states like Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania are more typically associated with extensive lead pipe issues.
Illinois ranked second in Tuesday's survey, with 1.04 million lead pipes, followed by Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and New York.
The agency's drinking water infrastructure survey will be used to steer billions of dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to water infrastructure upgrades like finding and removing lead pipes in states that need it most. Previously, a state's share of lead pipe funds was based on its general infrastructure need and didn't consider how many lead pipes the state had.
Lead can cause brain damage and the EPA says no amount is safe for children’s bodies. The Biden administration has set a goal to remove all of the country's lead water pipes. The $15 billion from the infrastructure law for lead pipe work will significantly help, but it won't be enough, to solve the problem.
“Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure investments, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris administration's goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and protect communities from PFAS pollution."
The EPA recently proposed drinking water limits for PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances often called “forever chemicals,” in a push that the agency said will save lives and reduce illness but will require many water providers to install costly treatment systems.
The EPA's survey of roughly 3,500 water providers also found the country needs to spend $625 billion on drinking water infrastructure over the next two decades, an amount that's increased sharply in recent years. The biggest need is upgrading water pipes that are too old, broken or in some cases, made of lead.
On Tuesday, the EPA also announced states, U.S. territories and tribes will have $6.5 billion to upgrade drinking water infrastructure, with $6 billion of that total coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council, said the EPA was “trying to do the right thing” by using its survey to direct lead pipe funds to states that need it most. But he called Florida's figure “a big surprise." Olson said the state told his group in 2021 that it doesn't track lead service lines. The NRDC's estimate for the state was about 200,000.
Olson said the Florida number is puzzling because lead pipes were most frequently installed in the decades before Florida's population rapidly grew.
“We look forward to hearing an explanation,” Olson said.
The EPA said it extrapolated from water providers' responses to come up with the state-level estimates. The location of many lead pipes are still unknown and the EPA said states like Florida had a lot of water lines that were either made of an unknown material or lead.
A representative from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
___
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment | 2023-04-04T19:41:16+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/florida-has-most-lead-pipes-in-u-s-epa-survey-17878448.php |
Evolving the perception and useability of shapewear for women everywhere, Popilush focuses on diversity, body positivity, and true functionality with quality, accessible pieces.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Popilush, the fashion-forward shapewear brand that is pioneering the fusion of comfortable confidence and multifunctional style, reveals their game-changing range that is size inclusive and effortlessly modern. Made for every shape and skin tone, Popilush is proud to empower women with more freedom in movement, shape, and comfort with a category defining line of shapewear that is stylish and amazingly versatile.
Their Built-in Shaper Dress & Skirt is the ideal choice for lounging, traveling, or going out on the town. It boasts an elegant, trendy design in combination with a built-in "invisible" shaper, tummy control, butt lifting and an open gusset for easy trips to the lady's room. With light compression, the built-in shaper dress is the ideal everyday piece when a little 'help' is all you need.
Popilush's multifunctional bodysuits represent the ultimate outer shapewear option that can be paired with jeans, leggings, shorts, skirts, and beyond. With medium compression and a stylish, versatile design, these bodysuits are a best-seller for a reason. They are any outfit's confidence-boosting, hidden secret that will look amazing anytime, anywhere.
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About Popilush
Popilush is an empowering, inviting, and fashion-forward shapewear line for women. Their mission is to highlight what women of all shapes and sizes love about their bodies and to promote comfortable confidence. Popilush gives all women the freedom and confidence to be themselves every single day with high-quality shapewear that comes in a diverse range of sizes and is exceptionally affordable for the high level of quality.
Media Contact
Phone: (757)206-6744
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SOURCE Popilush LLC | 2023-03-01T03:50:56+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2023/03/01/popilush-emerges-innovative-multifunctional-shapewear-brand-delivering-comfortable-confidence-every-size/ |
By BOB CHRISTIE
Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s Republican attorney general on Wednesday asked a court to lift an injunction blocking the enforcement of a law that bans all abortions except when the life of the mother is at risk.
The filing from Attorney General Mark Brnovich asks a court in Tucson to lift an order in place since shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1973’s Roe v. Wade case that abortions are a constitutional right.
The newly conservative high court overturned that decision last month, leaving it again to the states to decide how to regulate abortions. Arizona’s near-total ban on abortions has been on the books since at least 1901, and Brnovich said with Roe overturned it should now be enforceable.
“We believe this is the best and most accurate state of the law,” Brnovich said in a statement. “We know this is an important issue to so many Arizonans, and our hope is that the court will provide clarity and uniformity for our state.”
Brnovich, who is running for U.S. Senate, announced late last month that the old abortion ban was enforceable and that he would seek to have the injunction lifted.
Providers across the state stopped abortions after the Supreme Court’s June 24 opinion, saying it was too risky to move ahead with the old ban still on the books and with a 2021 law that grants all rights to pre-born children also in play.
A federal judge on Monday blocked that law after abortion rights groups successfully argued that it was unconstitutionally vague. The judge agreed that it was unclear what criminal laws abortion providers may be breaking if they perform otherwise-legal abortions.
Abortion rights groups slammed Brnovich for moving to again allow enforcement of the pre-statehood ban
“It is outrageous that Arizona’s Attorney General is trying to revive this zombie law that has long been blocked,” Gail Deady, an attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. “Arizonans’ personal health decisions, lives, and futures should not be dictated by a century-old, draconian law.”
Deady said that the high court’s decision to overturn Roe has caused “absolute chaos” in Arizona and other states with Republican Legislatures that have previously unenforceable abortion restrictions on the books. Numerous court battles are underway to try to block “trigger laws” designed to ban abortion if Roe fell or opposing so-called “zombie laws” like Arizona’s that predate Roe.
Arizona also has a 15-week ban that Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law in March, and he has insisted that it takes precedence over the total ban Brnovich wants to enforce. But the 15-week ban law specifically said it did not overturn the 1901 law.
In the attorney general’s court filing, assistant Attorney General Beau Roysden III laid out the history of the injunction that blocked the old abortion law.
That case started in 1971, two years before Roe was handed down, when the Tucson affiliate of Planned Parenthood, several doctors and a woman who wanted an abortion sued to overturn the law. A trial judge in Pima County Superior Court ruled the next year that a fetus does not have constitutionally protected rights and that the law banning abortion also violated the doctors’ rights to practice medicine as they saw fit.
The Arizona Court of Appeals overturned that ruling, rejecting wholesale the lower court’s reasoning that the abortion ban was unconstitutional and saying it could be enforced.
“Appellees’ complaints against the abortion statutes are peculiarly within the field occupied by the Legislature and any problem concerning abortion should be solved by that body,” the appeals court ruling said. “We can only reiterate that we are not a super-legislature.”
Less than three weeks later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe, and the appeals court reversed its earlier judgment. The law was then permanently blocked.
Roysden noted that the “Legislature, however, did not acquiesce in the declaration that these laws were unconstitutional but rather took affirmative steps to ensure their continuing validity in the event that Roe was overruled.”
The Legislature reenacted the pre-statehood ban in 1977, and this year said it was still on the books when they passed the ban on abortions after 15 weeks. The intent was to ensure it would be enforceable if Roe v. Wade were overturned, according to Wednesday’s court filing.
The president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, Brittany Fonteno, said Brnovich’s action shows he is “out of touch” with the majority of Arizonans who support abortion rights. She said the group plans to fight his request in court. Fonteno noted that the Legislature over the past 50 years has passed numerous laws allowing doctors to perform abortions.
“As a result, we believe that providers should still be able to provide this essential health care to the thousands of Arizonans who need it annually,” Fonteno said in a statement.
A date to hear Brnovich’s request has not yet been set.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2022-07-14T03:13:13+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/07/13/arizona-attorney-general-asks-court-to-unblock-abortion-ban-4/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ HealthStream Inc. (HSTM) on Monday reported third-quarter net income of $3.7 million.
The Nashville, Tennessee-based company said it had net income of 12 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 5 cents per share.
The results met Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of 5 cents per share.
The provider of internet-based educational and training content for health care professionals posted revenue of $67.3 million in the period, missing Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $68.6 million.
HealthStream expects full-year revenue in the range of $265.5 million to $267.5 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on HSTM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/HSTM | 2022-10-24T21:34:51+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/HealthStream-Q3-Earnings-Snapshot-17531286.php |
The Federal Reserve hiked interest rates by 0.25 percentage points on Wednesday after numerous failures in the banking sector had prompted some analysts on Wall Street to call for a pause.
The quarter-point hike is the ninth consecutive rate increase by the Fed since March of last year as part of the U.S. central bank’s program of quantitative tightening undertaken in response to high inflation. The Fed’s baseline interest rate range is now set to 4.75 to 5 percent.
The move shows that the Fed’s first priority remains bringing down elevated price levels, even as the bank’s rate increases have strained portfolios in the banking sector, triggering some poorly managed banks to collapse.
New forecasts by the Fed put the terminal interest rate for 2023 at 5.1 percent, the same as the forecast made in December. The Fed revised the projected unemployment rate for this year down to 4.5 percent to 4.6 percent, which is still much higher than the current rate of 3.6 percent.
The bank also expects inflation to remain higher this year than previously anticipated, with the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index to land at 3.3 percent annually, up from 3.1 percent predicted in December.
Inflation has been falling but is still high
Price growth as measured in the consumer price index (CPI) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index have been coming down since the middle of last year but are still well above the Fed’s target rate of 2 percent.
The PCE ticked up to 5.4 percent annually from 5.3 percent for the first time in several months in January, leading some analysts to call for a larger 0.5 percentage point increase this month by the Fed.
Concerns about the banking industry took the larger hike off the table earlier this month.
Inflation in the economy hasn’t occurred across the board in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic but has been concentrated in different sectors at different times.
An initial inflation in durable goods and autos has since dissipated, along with commodity inflation following the escalation of the war in Ukraine, while inflation in the housing sector remains a primary driver of the elevated headline numbers.
“These things have really had their own separate timing and their own separate dynamics. It’s very hard to argue that any of these are just your standard demand-driven inflation,” economist J.W. Mason of the City University of New York said during an event earlier in March.
Bankers had been calling for a pause
Some Fed policy prediction algorithms put the chances of a 0.25 percentage point rate hike as high as 86 percent on Tuesday, but many analysts had still been calling for a break in the hikes ahead of the Fed’s decision this week.
“Bank stress calls for a pause,” analysts for Goldman Sachs wrote in a Monday research letter to investors, arguing that banking is more important than other sectors of the economy.
“Banking is not just another sector of the economy because financial intermediation is vital to every sector. As a result, addressing stress in the banking system is the most immediate concern and must take priority over other less urgent goals for the moment. We expect that policymakers and staff economists at the Fed will have the same view,” they wrote.
Other influential commentators agreed.
“The banking mess is, as far as I can tell, sufficient reason for the Fed to pause until we know more,” economist Paul Krugman wrote online.
Backdrop of failed banks
The Fed decision comes after a series of bank failures over the past week-and-a-half prompted government intervention to prop up the banking sector and placate volatile markets.
The spark was lit by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), where a run by rich depositors largely from the venture capital sector led to insolvency. The bank couldn’t pay depositors because their money was tied up in longer-term bonds that hadn’t yet come to maturity and are sensitive to interest rate hikes.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Fed and Treasury responded by insuring all deposits at the bank above the standard $250,000 limit, using money from the FDIC’s deposit insurance fund as well as a new line of credit from the Fed backed up by $25 billion of taxpayer money.
Markets responded positively to the move last Monday but were falling fast by the middle of the week on fears of yet more failures.
Another California-based bank, First Republic, was poised to collapse before Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reportedly leaned on JPMorgan Chase chief Jamie Dimon to organize a private-sector bailout, corralling a consortium of 11 banks to pony up $30 billion.
While technically a deposit executed at a market rate, the move drew criticism from some investors as ostensibly an act of charity compelled by pressure from the government.
“The [systemically important banks] would never have made this low return investment in deposits unless they were pressured to do so and without assurances that [First Republic Bank] deposits would be backstopped if it failed,” billionaire investor Bill Ackman wrote online last Thursday. It isn’t known if Ackman held a commercial position with regard to First Republic.
Meanwhile, European giant Credit Suisse failed after Saudi investors declined to increase their investment in bank, leading to an appeal to the Swiss National Bank and eventually a shotgun sale to rival UBS.
Fed’s balance sheet has spiked
Independent of the move on rate hikes, the Fed’s balance sheet has rocketed up over the past week, already potentially stalling the Fed’s tightening program.
The balance added more than $300 billion in assets over the course of last week, jumping up from $8.34 trillion to $8.64 trillion.
“Amid the failures, banks borrowed $153 billion from the primary credit discount window … and another $12 billion via the new Bank Term Funding Program,” analysts for Deutsche Bank wrote in an analysis last week.
They pointed out the Fed also provided $143 billion of liquidity to the 2 FDIC-owned bridge banks set up after the closures of SVB and Signature Bank.
“By district breakdown, San Francisco (+$233 billion ) and New York ($55 billion) had the biggest increases in securities and loans portfolios. Despite record activity at the discount window, total Fed liquidity borrowed was still a fraction of peak liquidity provided during the [global financial crisis] and Covid,” they wrote.
The public is disapproving of bank bailouts
While the Fed’s actions over the past week may prove enough to save the banking industry from a wider collapse, Americans overwhelmingly agree that taxpayers should not have to bail out banks that can’t properly manage themselves.
A new public opinion poll by Ipsos found that 84 percent of Americans agree – and 56 percent agree strongly – “that taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for irresponsible bank management.” The frustration is bipartisan, with 85 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans in agreement.
Less than half of Americans are in favor of government bailouts of U.S. financial institutions at 49 percent, the poll found. | 2023-03-22T19:03:46+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/hill-politics/fed-hikes-rates-despite-concerns-over-banking-crisis/ |
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Marlene Hagge-Vossler, a Hall of Fame player and the last surviving founder of the LPGA Tour, died Tuesday morning, her family said. She was 89.
Hagge-Vossler won 26 times on the LPGA Tour, including the 1952 LPGA Championship, and she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.
She was 15-year-old Marlene Bauer when she joined 12 other women — including her older sister, Alice Bauer — in signing incorporation papers in 1950 for the fledgling LPGA Tour.
Upon her death, the LPGA is among the premier women’s sports associations in the world, with players this year competing for $100 million in prize money.
“Marlene will be missed dearly, but I can guarantee she’ll never be forgotten,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said. “She was an impressive athlete, a fiery competitor and at a young age showed women and girls that they could achieve greatness in all areas of life. We’re incredibly grateful for her contributions to the LPGA, women’s golf and women’s sports at large.”
Her family said she died in a memory care facility and had been coping with physical problems during the last year because of a fall, The Desert Sun reported.
Among the founders she joined were Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Louise Suggs and Patty Berg. While Hagge-Vossler already is in golf’s Hall of Fame, the remaining founders were elected in March for the 2024 induction class.
They played golf, and mostly they promoted their league. Hagge-Vossler was a star on and off the course, known as one of the “glamor girls” in the early days of the LPGA.
A year before the LPGA began, she won the U.S. Girls’ Junior at age 15 and in 1949 was the youngest to be voted female athlete of the year by The Associated Press.
She won her first LPGA Tour event in the 1952 Sarasota Open. Her last win was in 1972 at the Burdine’s Invitational in Miami.
Born in South Dakota, her family moved to California in her childhood.
She won the Long Beach City Boys Junior when she was 10. At age 13, she won the Los Angeles Women’s City Championship, the Palm Springs Women’s Championship and the Northern California Open. She was the youngest player to make the cut in the U.S. Women’s Open and finished eighth.
“When I won the LA City Women’s championship in 1947 when I was 13, on the back of the scorecard it said, ‘No children under 14 are permitted on the course,’” she told he Los Angeles Times in 1987.
She married Bob Hagge in 1955, shortly after he was divorced from her sister Alice. They divorced in 1964 and she married former PGA Tour pro Ernie Vossler in 1995. Her husband died in 2013.
“Marlene had a very special place in the tour. She was not only a fine player, but she was beautiful, charismatic and popular,” former LPGA Commissioner Charlie Mechem told The Desert Sun. “The tour and golf as a whole will miss her.”
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-05-17T04:30:03+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/marlene-hagge-vossler-last-surviving-lpga-founder-dies-at-89/ |
The House voted to pass the Parents Bill of Rights Act Friday over objections from Democrats who argued the bill is aimed at promoting "fascism" and "extreme" views of Republicans by making it easier for parents to ban books and out LBGTQ+ students.
The GOP bill is a response to growing anger across the country about access to information on everything from school curricula to safety and mask policies to the prevalence of gender ideology and critical race theory in the classroom. Parents’ anger over these issues at school board meetings led to an effort by the Biden administration’s Justice Department to examine the "disturbing trend" of violent threats against school officials.
House Republicans reacted by approving the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which would require school districts to give parents access to curriculum and reading lists, and would require schools to inform parents if school staff begin encouraging or promoting their child’s gender transition.
The bill passed narrowly in a 213-208 vote that saw just a handful of Republicans vote against it, along with every Democrat.
GOP SETS UP VOTE ON PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS TO STOP PUBLIC SCHOOL ‘INSANITY’
Democrats blasted the bill during debate this week by accusing Republicans of attacking LGBTQ+ students.
"This Republican bill is asking the government to force the outing of LGBT people before they are ready," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., argued on the House floor. "When we talk about progressive values, I can say what my progressive value is, and that is freedom over fascism."
Republicans rejected this argument by saying parents have a right to know what is happening to their children in school, especially if schools are promoting gender transition without their knowledge.
"The bill does not address a student’s identity or statements, but is solely focused on notifying parents about actions taken by school personnel to act on a gender transition, such as changing pronouns or switching locker rooms," said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who chairs the Committee on Education & the Workforce.
The bill says parents have "the right to know if a school employee or contractor acts to… change a minor child’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name; or… allow a child to change the child’s sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms."
MCCARTHY SAYS GOVERNMENT MUST BUTT OUT OF KIDS' EDUCATION, PUSHES FEDERAL ‘PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS’
Democrats also accused Republicans of trying to make it easier to ban books at school, and several Democrats said Republicans are looking to ban books across the country on a range of topics.
"Extreme MAGA Republicans don't want the children of America to learn about the Holocaust," accused House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "They want to ban a book called ‘Melissa,’ a book describing, in very personal terms, the experience of a trans girl beginning to understand her identity."
"They want to ban books, they want to bully the LGBTQ+ community, they want to bring guns into classrooms, kindergarten and above. That’s their educational agenda," he added.
GOP-PROPOSED OVERHAUL OF OHIO'S EDUCATION SYSTEM CLEARS SENATE COMMITTEE, MAY BE PUT TO VOTE BY FULL SENATE
Republicans dismissed those arguments by saying the bill does nothing to ban books but does give parents the right to see a list of books in school libraries and access to those books.
"Nowhere in this bill is it banning any books," said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who said the goal of the language is to make sure parents are aware of sexually explicit books in school libraries.
Norman and others also argued that the books under attack in some states and communities are those that include explicit sexual content that they say is not appropriate for certain ages and is not a core educational requirement. Norman cited books that talk about kids who are "sexually active from the time I was six," or that include "explicit images of oral sex."
"Parents, is this something you want your children to read?" Norman asked. "Parents, is this something that encourages academics and allows that child to compete in the 21st Century?"
The bill passed by the House today would also give parents notice if there are plans to eliminate gifted and talented programs for kids, alert them to any violent activity taking place at school, and gives parents the right to speak at school board meetings.
It includes a sense of Congress that says school districts "should welcome and encourage that engagement and consider that feedback when making decisions." | 2023-03-24T17:04:08+00:00 | foxbangor.com | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/parents-bill-of-rights-wins-zero-votes-from-dems-who-attack-it-as-fascism-extreme/article_3032dfd0-56ab-543a-bba6-e02e0c01d05d.html |
MERCED, Calif (KSEE/KGPE) — California’s Merced County Sheriff’s Office shared information Wednesday on the criminal past of the suspect in the kidnapping and deaths of four missing family members.
Authorities said the family — 27-year-old Jasleen Kaur, 36-year-old Jasdeep Singh, 39-year-old Amandeep Singh, and 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri — were taken Monday by convicted robber Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, who tried to kill himself a day after the kidnappings.
Salgado’s criminal history involves a robbery in 2005 that led to an eight-year prison sentence.
A victim in that 2005 robbery shared his story exclusively with KSEE/KGPE.
The man, who owned a Central Valley trucking company, said Salgado worked for him for two years. After he fired Salgado, the man said, his former employee came to his home wearing a ski mask one night in December 2005.
“I went to shut the front door,” said the man, “when he pulled out a gun and held it to the back of my head.”
The homeowner said Salgado duct-taped his hands and those of his wife, his 16-year-old daughter and his daughter’s friend before he “stole all the money we had, rings, that kind of stuff.”
The man said Salgado even took the ring off of his wife’s finger before he “made the girls jump in the pool and tried to push me in the pool.”
Once in the pool, the man said, Salgado told them, “If you call the police, I will kill you,” before he walked out the front door.
The man said they did call the police and Salgado was arrested the next morning, according to the California Department of Corrections.
According to court papers in 2007, Salgado pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 11 years in prison for first-degree robbery, attempted false imprisonment, and dissuading a witness. He spent eight years in prison and three years on probation.
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said Wednesday that Salgado was in critical condition when taken into custody in the kidnapping of the slain family but that he has been talking to police.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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HOUSTON, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HOLBA celebrated the achievements of the top landlord representatives during its 23rd Landlord Representative of the Year Award ceremony held at the River Oaks Country Club on May 24th, 2022. Industry performers were recognized for their 2021 accomplishments with HOLBA's Landlord Representative of the Year, Deal of the Year, and Landlord Representative Rising Star awards.
"HOLBA honored some of the most accomplished landlord representatives," said Charlie Neuhaus, President of HOLBA. "These representatives were acknowledged for their sizable and complex transactions, their contribution to the city of Houston, the communities they serve, and their passion for mentoring young professionals starting in this industry."
HOLBA's 2021 Landlord Representative of the Year was awarded to Tyler Garrett, Senior Vice President of the Houston Office Division of Transwestern. Garrett was acknowledged for the numerous clients he represents in all of Houston's major submarkets and his breadth of market knowledge. Garret has leased over 3.5 million square feet throughout his career. He has also received numerous awards and recognition.
HOLBA's 2021 Deal of the Year was awarded to Wade Bowlin and Marti Grizzle with Madison Marquette for the Shell Oil lease renewal. This deal had a significant impact on Houston's central business district which had some of the highest vacancy rates in the nation before the pandemic and the shift to working from home. Shell Oil Company, whose lease was up in 2025, was considering moving its downtown office to west Houston where thousands of employees had already been relocated. Wade and Marti, in collaboration with the tenant representatives Tim Relyea and Joseph Peddie, were able to get the lease renewed at 1000 Main.
HOLBA's 2022 Landlord Representative Rising Star was awarded to Jenny Mueller Sealy, Senior Associate on the Investor Leasing Team at CBRE. Sealy was acknowledged for her significant role in transactions and her involvement in associations and the community.
About HOLBA
HOLBA is the Houston Office Leasing Brokers Association for tenant brokers. HOLBA supports and advances the interests of the office leasing brokerage industry – promoting the profession and encouraging professional development.
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SOURCE Houston Office Leasing Brokers Association | 2022-05-31T20:15:17+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/31/houston-office-leasing-brokers-association-holba-celebrates-its-23rd-landlord-representative-year-awards-honoring-houston-landlord-representatives/ |
Mars Ice Cream Brand Collaborates with Sustainable Female-Owned Fashion Label, Mien Studios®, to Create DOVE Ice Cream Inspired "Silky Smooth Sets" in Honor of International Self-Care Day
NEWARK, N.J., July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of International Self-Care Day, DOVE® Ice Cream, proudly part of Mars, partnered with Mien Studios®, a female-owned company making elevated and sustainable clothing for everyday wear, to launch a limited-edition, eco-friendly line of "Silky Smooth Sets," inspired by DOVE Ice Cream.
DOVE Ice Cream offers a variety of formats and flavors to indulge and take time for oneself on International Self-Care Day, and its new Silky Smooth Sets will take decadence and comfort to a new level. The sets include chic tanks, classic button-down blouses and wide-leg pants in on-trend pajama styles, and can be worn on the town with friends, while hosting an at-home summer ice cream soiree or enjoying a quiet moment on the couch with DOVE Ice Cream.
Beginning today, fans can visit DoveChocolate.com/SilkySmoothSets to receive one of the exclusive, limited sets (valued at $300 each) and one six count box of DOVE® Dark Chocolate Almond Vanilla Ice Cream Mini Sticks for just for $25. This program supports a longstanding DOVE Chocolate partner.
The sets' design was inspired by DOVE Ice Cream's new luxe, elevated packaging launching nationwide. Influenced by the brand's DOVEBAR® Vanilla Ice Cream with Milk Chocolate and DOVEBAR® Raspberry Sorbet with Dark Chocolate, the limited-edition line comes in a decadent cerulean blue and a vibrant magenta, along with a rich, dark chocolate inspired brown. Each piece will also have the brand's signature chocolate tone pulled through in its accents.
"DOVE Ice Cream prides itself in being a decadent treat for those looking to take a moment for themselves," said Jayesh Shah, Mars Ice Cream Marketing Director. "Collaborating with an eco-conscious, female-led company like Mien Studios helps us do just that. By creating stylish sets inspired by our new packaging, we are doubling down on providing ice cream fans with the opportunity for more moments of indulgence, self-care, and everyday happiness while supporting our broader purpose of building the world we want tomorrow."
Designed to be wearable and stylish for all with inclusive sizing, the Silky Smooth Sets complement DOVE Ice Cream's sustainability program, which works to improve the lives and livelihoods of vanilla female farmers in Madagascar. The stylish sets follow suit – sourcing eco-friendly fabric and shipping materials, cutting, sewing and utilizing non-toxic AZO-free dyes from local, family-owned vendors.
"Creating the Silky Smooth Sets in partnership with DOVE Ice Cream allowed us to tap into the Mien Brand mission to help women live and enjoy life beautifully," said Lisa Hsieh, Mien Studios Founder & Designer. "Our all-female team had such a fun time designing elevated sets to mirror the luxe aesthetic of DOVE's packaging. As a small-batch designer that works only with family-owned factories, we also love that the sets will help women celebrate themselves on International Self-Care Day while supporting a meaningful international organization."
For more information on DOVE Ice Cream's decadent ice cream portfolio or sustainability program and commitment, visit dovechocolate.com. The latest DOVE Ice Cream news can be found through DOVE Chocolate's social platforms on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.
ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.
Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including Ben's Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M's®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
ABOUT MIEN STUDIOS
Mien - noun. A person's air or bearing.
We make clothes for an elevated everyday. Each piece from Mien is simple but distinctive. Our signature organic cotton fabric is custom knit for us here in California by a local fabric mill. All of our garments are dyed locally using non-toxic AZO-free dyes in gorgeous, wearable colors that are created by Mien's designer. With the environment in mind, we produce in small batches and only work with family-owned factories that pay fair wages and provide their workers with a safe working environment.
We ship every order using only materials that are compostable, recyclable, or recycled. Easy, comfortable, effortless - every piece arrives at your doorstep pre-shrunk. The entire collection can be machine washed and dried. Nothing in the line needs to be dry-cleaned, which is better for you and the planet. Our garments also travel wonderfully. It is our hope you live and enjoy life beautifully in Mien.
For more information about Mien Studios, please visit www.mienstudios.com. Join us on Instagram.
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SOURCE Mars Wrigley | 2023-07-24T13:33:13+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/07/24/dove-ice-cream-celebrates-new-luxe-packaging-with-first-ever-silky-smooth-fashion-collaboration/ |
Aiming To Build On Light Oil And Condensate Discovery At Kawa-1
TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - CGX Energy Inc. (TSXV: OYL) ("CGX") and Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera"), joint venture partners (the "Joint Venture") in the Petroleum Prospecting License for the Corentyne block offshore Guyana (the "License"), announce today that the Joint Venture has spud the Wei-1 well, on the Corentyne block, approximately 200 kilometres offshore from Georgetown, Guyana.
The Joint Venture also announces that the Government of Guyana has approved an Appraisal Plan for the northern section of the Corentyne block which commenced with the Wei-1 well. Following completion of Wei-1 drilling operations and upon detailed analysis of the results, the Joint Venture may consider future wells per its appraisal program to evaluate possible development feasibility in the Kawa-1 discovery area and throughout the northern section of the Corentyne block. Any future drilling is contingent on positive results at Wei-1 and the Joint Venture has no further drilling obligations beyond the Wei-1 well.
The Wei-1 well is located approximately 14 kilometres northwest of the Joint Venture's previous Kawa-1 light oil and condensate discovery and will be drilled in water depth of approximately 1,912 feet (583 metres) to an anticipated total depth of 20,500 feet (6,248 metres). The Wei-1 well will target Maastrichtian, Campanian and Santonian aged stacked sands within channel and fan complexes in the northern section of the Corentyne block. The well is expected to take approximately 4-5 months to reach total depth.
Professor Suresh Narine, Executive Co-Chairman of CGX's Board of Directors, commented:
"The Joint Venture is pleased to announce that it has spud the Wei-1 well offshore Guyana, and that the Government of Guyana has approved the Joint Venture's appraisal program. Wei-1 will appraise both the Kawa-1 discovery as well as explore additional opportunities within the Corentyne block. The Wei-1 well is on-trend and positioned for success with both Kawa-1 and recent peer discoveries immediately adjacent to the northern section of the Corentyne block. The Joint Venture is grateful for the Government of Guyana's ongoing support as the Joint Venture worked towards spudding Wei-1 in-line with the previously agreed terms."
Orlando Cabrales, Chief Executive Officer of Frontera, commented:
"We are very excited about the potentially transformational opportunity that is now before us on the Corentyne block in one of the most exciting exploration areas in the world and we look forward to safely and successfully drilling the Wei-1 well and potentially extending the Joint Venture's recent light oil and condensate discovery at the Kawa-1 well."
CGX is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company focused on the exploration of oil in the Guyana-Suriname Basin and the development of a deep-water port in Berbice, Guyana.
Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 32 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner.
If you would like to receive News Releases via email as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe.
See Frontera Energy's corporate presentation at:
https://www.fronteraenergy.ca/reports-presentations/
Follow Frontera Energy social media channels at the following links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en
Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/
LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp.
Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information relates to activities, events or developments that CGX and Frontera believe, expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, without limitation, statements relating to the parties' expectations as to exploration and development plans and objectives with regards to the Wei-1 well, including drilling plans and time to complete the Wei-1 well, the Joint Venture's consideration of future wells per its appraisal program following completion of the Wei-1 well and dependent upon detailed analysis of the results, and other exploration opportunities. All information other than historical fact is forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information reflects the current expectations, assumptions and beliefs of CGX and Frontera based on information currently available to them and considers the experience of CGX and Frontera and their perception of historical trends. Although CGX and Frontera believe that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such information. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, some that are similar to other oil and gas companies and some that are unique to CGX and Frontera. The actual results of CGX or Frontera may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, either of CGX or Frontera. The annual information form of Frontera for the year ended December 31, 2021, and CGX's and Frontera's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021, and quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2022, and other documents each of CGX and Frontera filed from time to time with securities regulatory authorities describe the risks, uncertainties, material assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results and such factors are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of these documents are available without charge by referring to each company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, each of CGX and Frontera disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.
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SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation | 2023-01-23T13:58:41+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/01/23/joint-venture-spuds-wei-1-well-offshore-guyana/ |
Record growth drives significant Adjusted EBITDA expansion to $1.3 million and highest ever Operating Cash Flow generation of $3.9 million in the third quarter
TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Payfare Inc. ("Payfare" or the "Company") (TSX: PAY), a leading fintech powering instant payout and digital banking solutions for the gig workforce, today announced the filing of its Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the quarter ending September 30, 2022. A comprehensive discussion of Payfare's financial position and results of operations are provided in the MD&A, which is filed on SEDAR under Payfare's profile and can be found at www.sedar.com.
Q3 2022 Financial Highlights:
- Revenue of $35.9 million in Q3 2022, representing a $23.2 million (+183%) increase over Q3 2021 and a $2.3 million (+7%) increase over Q2 2022.
- Gross profit of $6.9 million in Q3 2022, up $4.9 million (+246%) compared to Q3 2021 and up $0.5 million (+8%) compared to Q2 2022.
- Net loss improved to ($0.8 million) in Q3 2022 compared to a net loss of ($4.0 million) in Q3 2021 and a net loss of ($2.3 million) in Q2 2022.
- Record Adjusted EBITDA1 expansion to $1.3 million in Q3 2022, a $3.5 million (+161%) increase over Q3 2021 and a $1.0 million (+357%) increase over Q2 2022.
- Record Operating Cash Flow generation of $3.9 million in Q3 2022, up $4.9 million over Q3 2021 and up $7.3 million over Q2 2022.
- Total gross dollar value (Total GDV)1 in Q3 2022 was $2.1 billion, an increase of $1.4 billion (+176%) over Q3 2021 and $0.2 billion (+9%) over Q2 2022.
- Ended Q3 2022 with 920,682 active users1, an increase of 560,395 (+156%) compared to active users as at September 30, 2021.
- Payfare believes the market price of Common Shares may not, from time to time, fully reflect their value and that repurchasing shares under the Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) program can be an attractive use of capital. The Company has repurchased 765,100 Common Shares to date at an average cost of $4.62 per share.
Executing on strategic objectives:
- DasherDirect App by Payfare was ranked # 1 in August 2022 amongst all US Finance Apps by UnitQ, a product quality monitoring platform which conducts rankings based on user feedback data from app store reviews and social media.
- Launched new, enhanced cash back rewards on gas purchases for U.S. Lyft drivers using a Lyft Direct debit card, powered by Payfare. As of September 28, 2022 Lyft drivers can earn up to 8% cash back on every gas purchase in accordance with their driver tier.
"We are excited to announce record growth in both Adjusted EBITDA and Operating Cash Flow in the third quarter," said Marco Margiotta, CEO and Founding Partner of Payfare. "Fourth quarter user growth in both rideshare and delivery is tracking ahead of third quarter levels. We remain focused on growth and are able to deploy capital opportunistically including funding the launch of new products and other strategic growth opportunities".
Conference Call
Management will host a conference call on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss these results. A short presentation in connection with the conference call will be made available on the Company's website at https://corp.payfare.com/investors/. Management will also host a live question and answer session on the conference call with analysts.
To access the conference call, please dial (416) 764-8658 or 1-888-886-7786. Please call the conference telephone number 10-15 minutes prior to the start time so that you are in the queue for an operator to assist in registering and patching you through.
An archived recording of the conference call will be available until December 10, 2022. To listen to the recording, call (416) 764-8692 or 1-877-674-7070 and enter passcode 019715.
About Payfare (TSX:PAY)
Payfare is a global financial technology company powering digital banking and instant payment solutions for today's gig workforce. Payfare partners with leading platforms and marketplaces, such as Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, to provide financial health for their workforce.
1Non-IFRS and Supplementary Financial Measures
This press release contains references to "active users", "Total GDV" and "Adjusted EBITDA" which are not measures prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). These supplementary financial measures are provided as additional information to complement IFRS measures by providing a further understanding of our results of operations from management's perspective, to provide investors and security analysts with supplemental measures to evaluate the financial performance of the Company and highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. Management also uses non-IFRS and supplementary financial measures to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period, prepare annual operating budgets and strategic business plans and to evaluate and price potential acquisitions. Accordingly, non-IFRS and supplementary financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our financial information reported under IFRS. Such measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other corporations. The non-IFRS and supplementary financial measures are not subject to standard industry definition and our definitions and method of calculation may differ from other issuers and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.
The Company determines the number of users to its services based on active users. "Active users" represent users who have loaded earnings on their card in the period. "Total GDV" is defined as the aggregate dollar amount of active user earnings and direct deposits loaded on their payment card during the period.
"EBITDA" means net income (loss) before amortization and depreciation expenses, foreign exchange loss (gain), amortization of deferred income, finance and interest costs (income) and provision for income taxes.
"Adjusted EBITDA" adjusts EBITDA for stock-based compensation expense, transactional gains or losses on assets, asset impairment charges, loss on extinguishment of debts, interest income, net foreign exchange gains or losses, gains or losses from changes in fair value of derivative financial instruments and contingent consideration liabilities measured at fair value through profit or loss, gains or losses from disposals of equipment, net income or loss from equity accounted investees and income tax expense or recovery, restructuring costs and non-recurring expense items. Non-recurring expense items are transactions or events which management believes will not re-occur within the foreseeable future and includes legal and professional fees related to acquisition and going public transaction. The table below reconciles net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021.
Additional information on these measure may be found under the heading "Definitions – IFRS, Additional GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures" in the MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021 which is available under Payfare's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and is incorporated by reference to this press release.
Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects Payfare's current expectations regarding future events as of the date hereof. Such forward-looking information may include but are not limited to statements regarding fourth quarter user growth in both rideshare and delivery is tracking ahead of third quarter levels, the ability to deploy capital opportunistically, funding the launch of new products and other strategic growth opportunities. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Payfare's control, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks include the factors discussed under the "Risk Factors" section in Payfare's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2021. Other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially include the inability of Payfare to launch and market its new programs or platforms that are planned in a timely manner, the lack of appropriate opportunities to deploy capital, Payfare's inability to manage the increased volume of new cardholder sign-ups, active users or transactions, the impact of inflation and rising costs of goods and services on Payfare's business model which may impact management's expectations on active user growth in the fourth quarter of 2022, the imposition of new restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Payfare's ability to finance and support new programs and platforms, and a general decline in the credit markets or gig economy in North America. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Payfare does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.
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SOURCE Payfare | 2022-11-09T22:31:49+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/11/09/payfare-announces-record-third-quarter-2022-financial-results/ |
Former Gov. Haley Barbour and retired U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, second and third from left, challenged listeners to find ways to work together during an Oct. 1 talk at the University of Mississippi.
Barbour and Lott led the "Moving Mississippi Forward" discussion at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. The hourlong public forum, attended by about 100 people, was co-sponsored by the university's Trent Lott Leadership Institute and Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence.
OXFORD • Stating that government effectiveness depends upon the people's input, former Gov. Haley Barbour and retired U.S. Sen. Trent Lott challenged listeners at an Oct. 1 talk at the University of Mississippi to become united in facing society's challenges.
Barbour and Lott led the "Moving Mississippi Forward" discussion at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. The hourlong public forum, attended by about 100 people, was co-sponsored by the university's Trent Lott Leadership Institute and Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence.
"We can make this country better by reaching across the aisles," Barbour said. "We are a divided country, but my mother always said that crises usually bring out the best in people. That sort of attitude today can go a long, long way toward easing the polarity that is dividing our nation."
Real leadership can overcome the problems of the present, Lott said.
"Ole Miss has been at the center of developing leaders for well over a century," he said. "I believe that good leaders become even better leaders when they learn from each other and from history."
Barbour praised Lott as an example of great leadership.
"Sen. Lott and Sen. Tom Daschel reached across the aisles to get things done," he said. "Times may have changed, but we can still do that now."
Communication and chemistry are essential tools for leaders, Lott said.
"One of the most important tools of leadership is communication," he said. "We also need to take time to develop relationships with one another. Effective leaders listen to one another and then do whatever is best for the people."
Both speakers shared memories of their own involvement in state and federal government.
"The reason that we were able to accomplish so much was because we chose to be bipartisan," Lott said. "After 9/11, the conservative Republicans supported recovery efforts initiated by the liberal Democrats. Following Hurricane Katrina, the liberal Democrats supported recovery efforts led by the conservative Republicans. That's the way it works."
While Americans generally don't like change, they are good at it when necessary, Barbour said.
"We are better at adapting to change than any other nation in the world," he said. "Our ability to adapt is where our hope for a better future lies."
Noting that division poses challenges to moving forward, Lott observed that people on both sides of the aisle are making a difference. He also emphasized that advances in technology will play a major role in global advancement.
"We shall see a change," he said. "What's happening in technology is a mind-boggling, worldwide thing. It's coming and it's going to be amazing. Together, we will make life on Earth a better place."
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | 2022-10-14T19:25:58+00:00 | djournal.com | https://www.djournal.com/news/education/barbour-lott-call-for-bipartisanship-during-discussion-at-ole-miss/article_0b38cf51-3777-553b-8402-60b40d0194b6.html |
'House of horrors': Man charged with decapitation of woman inside Philadelphia home
PHILADELPHIA - A man is facing charges after investigators say a woman was found decapitated inside a Philadelphia home Tuesday afternoon.
The gruesome discovery was made at a property on the 300 block of Magee Avenue just before 1 p.m., according to police.
Officers found a 41-year-old woman with a ‘severed head’ on the kitchen floor of the home, police said.
A man, later identified as 34-year-old Ahmad Shareef, was arrested blocks away from the house.
Police say a 41-year-old woman was found decapitated inside a home in Philadelphia's Lawndale section.
Prosecutors announced charges against Shareef hours after the brutal killing, including murder and abuse of a corpse. He is being held without bail.
Neighbors who spoke to FOX 29 claimed Shareef was known for lewd, bizarre and sometimes threatening behavior.
"The older I got, the more I could see something was wrong in that house," Gabriel Ramirez said. "There are young girls in that house and I don't know what they've had to endure their whole lives."
Police say no children where home at the time of the gruesome murder. A witness reportedly helped identify Shareef, leading to a quick arrest.
"The adults in that house are completely unhinged," one neighbor said. "It's a house of horrors, I feel bad for those children, it's devastating."
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The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is reminding people that there are resources for anyone experiencing an abusive relationship.
National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 1-888-799-SAFE(7233)
Women Against Abuse: 1-866-723-3014 | 2022-11-30T04:42:47+00:00 | fox10phoenix.com | https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/police-woman-found-decapitated-inside-philadelphia-home-man-in-custody |
SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) — Josiah Johnson had 25 points and Mary Hardin-Baylor beat Texas State 71-65 on Tuesday night.
Johnson added seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks for the Crusaders. Ty Prince scored 13 points, shooting 4 for 12 (2 for 3 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free throw line. Nathan Stolz recorded 10 points and went 4 of 9 from the field.
The Bobcats (6-5) were led in scoring by Mason Harrell, who finished with 20 points and four assists. Nate Martin added 13 points and six rebounds for Texas State. In addition, Jordan Mason finished with nine points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | 2022-12-14T05:09:46+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Johnson-s-25-lead-Mary-Hardin-Baylor-over-Texas-17652614.php |
HELSINKI — Hollywood's Brad Pitt and Australian musician Nick Cave have debuted as artists in an exhibition in Finland that displays sculptures and ceramics created by the movie star and the singer-songwriter.
The Sara Hilden Art Museum, located in the southern Finnish city of Tampere, was initially scheduled to exhibit solely the wide variety of works by British artist Thomas Houseago — known for his sculptures — but he reportedly persuaded the museum include works by his friends Pitt and Cave.
"Cave and Pitt are already renowned in their respective fields of music and cinema, but this is the first time ever they have exhibited their artwork — pieces which were created during the course of an ongoing dialogue with Houseago," the Finnish museum said.
Pitt and Cave traveled to Tampere, a university city known for its vibrant culture and music scene, for a pre-opening event on Saturday. Finnish media reported that both men acknowledged being excited and nervous about presenting their art in public for the first time.
Among the nine works on show by the 58-year-old Pitt is a house-shaped structure molded in clear silicon and shot with bullets and a plaster panel depicting a shooting scene. Pitt reportedly began making ceramic art following his divorce from Angelina Jolie in 2017.
Pitt told the Finnish public broadcaster YLE that his work was about "self-reflection."
"It's about, you know, where have I gotten it wrong in my relationships? Where have I misstepped? Where I am complicit?" he said.
"It was borne out of ownership of really what I call a radical inventory of self, getting really, brutally honest with me and ... taking account of those I may have hurt and moments I've just gotten wrong," the American Oscar-winning actor and film producer told YLE.
Cave, known for his dark baritone voice as the front man for his band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, produced a series of ceramic figurines that depict the life of the devil. He designed, painted and glazed the 17 figures between 2020 and this year.
"I wanted to do a devil because it was red. And I like the color of red glaze," Cave told YLE. "Eventually I decided to make the life story of the devil itself."
"For me, personally, it speaks into something about the idea of forgiveness or the need to be forgiven. It's a very personal work for me."
The exhibition opened Sunday and runs through Jan. 15, 2023.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-09-20T18:56:16+00:00 | kunm.org | https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-09-20/brad-pitt-and-nick-cave-make-a-surprise-art-debut-in-finland |
New mortgage brokerage franchise provides homebuyers and investors competitive rates and access to local professionals that understand the Florida market
SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Motto Mortgage, the first-and-only national mortgage brokerage franchise in the United States focused on transparency and compliance, has a new office in Sarasota, Florida. Motto Mortgage North Group is now serving all markets throughout the Sunshine State.
Motto Mortgage North Group is a customer-first, full-service mortgage brokerage established by Michelle Mesi and Katrina Lovecchio. Michelle brings over 12 years of entrepreneurial leadership in government contracting to the brokerage and Katrina brings more than 13 years of experience in organizational development. Although this venture with Motto Mortgage is new, their experience as entrepreneurs and leaders in business is not. The duo is focused on helping homebuyers make the most educated financial decision for their needs and providing unmatched value in today's market. They are excited to launch Motto Mortgage North Group in the Gulf Coast Region and look forward to helping their customers achieve the dream of homeownership.
"Motto Mortgage North Group offers an advantageous alternative to the traditional mortgage bankers currently operating in Sarasota," said Michelle Mesi. "We provide the scope, scale and support of a large retail lender, while offering the flexibility, autonomy and exceptional service of a local mortgage broker that knows how to navigate the intricacies of the home buying process in your market."
Melissa Cox will serve as a Mortgage Loan Originator and Branch Manager for the office. Melissa is a mortgage professional with over 20 years' industry experience. Melissa believes in delivering personal service the old-fashioned way through one-on-one communication with the end goal being to develop a life-long relationship with her clients. Born and raised in the south with traditional values and southern charm, Melissa's clients feel at home almost immediately when working with her.
Loan originators in the Motto Mortgage network are "outside the box" thinkers, able to provide loan options with attractive terms and conditions and aggressive rates, which can be tailored to the goals and objectives of each client through a multitude of wholesale lenders. Motto originators work hard to provide their clients with choices – because no loan is one-size-fits-all. A loan originator with Motto Mortgage North Group can be reached at 941-559-8059. A digital mortgage experience is available for borrowers who would prefer to conduct business remotely.
About Motto Mortgage North Group:
Motto Mortgage North Group (OFFICE NMLS # 3248021) is a locally owned and operated full-service mortgage brokerage serving all of Florida, located at 1343 Main Street Suite 311 Sarasota, FL 34236. To learn more, please visit www.mottomortgagenorthgroup.com or call 941-559-8059.
Melissa Cox: NMLS # 334270
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SOURCE Motto Mortgage | 2022-09-12T21:24:29+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/motto-mortgage-north-group-now-open-florida/ |
Ralph Yarl making stunning recovery, family lawyer says
Apr 19, 2023, 8:06 AM
(Ben Crump Law via AP)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ralph Yarl was shot at point-blank range in the head by a white homeowner but miraculously survived the bullet to his skull, the attorney for the family of the Black teenager said.
As Yarl, 16, recovers at home, the 84-year-old owner of the Kansas City, Missouri, home where Yarl mistakenly went to pick up his brothers faces his first court appearance Wednesday. Andrew Lester is charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He could face life in prison if convicted. Lester does not yet have an attorney listed, according to Missouri’s online court reporting system.
“Do you all understand that this 16-year-old boy was shot at point blank range in the face?” Merritt asked the crowd of about 150 supporters Tuesday at a downtown rally. “A bullet traveled from (Lester’s) gun less than 5 feet into his upper temple, penetrated his skull, and they scraped bullet fragments off his frontal lobe on Thursday. On Saturday, he was home playing with his dog.”
One sign at the rally read, “He is only 16.” Another: “Is this what Kansas City has come to? Stop gun violence.”
Lester turned himself in Tuesday and was later released on bond. Conditions of his bond include monitoring of his cellphone, prohibition for possessing weapons “of any type,” and a stipulation that Lester not have contact with Yarl or his family.
Merritt and some civil rights leaders urged a hate crime charge. Merritt said Yarl was shot “because he was armed only with his Black skin.”
But Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson said first-degree assault is a higher-level crime with a longer sentence of up to life in prison. Meanwhile, it was unclear if the U.S. Department of Justice was weighing a federal hate crime charge. Messages seeking comment from the Justice Department were not returned.
The shooting happened about 10 p.m. Thursday. Police Chief Stacey Graves said that Yarl’s parents asked him to pick up his twin brothers at a home on 115th Terrace.
Yarl, an honors student and all-state band member, mistakenly went to 115th Street — a block away from where he meant to be. When he rang the bell, Lester came to the door and shot Yarl in the forehead, and then shot him again in the right forearm.
Lester told police he lives alone and was “scared to death” when he saw a Black male on the porch and thought someone was trying to break in, according to the probable cause statement.
But Merritt said Yarl is hardly an imposing figure.
“The question is, at 5-8 and 140 pounds, what did Andrew Lester look out and see?” Merritt asked. “And the answer is he saw a Black person. And for him, that was enough justification. And that would just be a tragedy except law enforcement agreed with him.”
No words were exchanged before the shooting, but afterward, as Yarl got up to run, he heard Lester yell, “Don’t come around here,” the statement said.
Yarl ran to multiple homes asking for help before finding someone who would call the police, the statement said.
James Lynch was the neighbor who found Yarl. He didn’t respond to an interview request, but his wife confirmed an NBC News report that said Lynch heard shouting and saw Yarl banging on the door of another home.
“I heard somebody screaming, ‘Help, help, I’ve been shot!’” Lynch, who is white, told NBC. The father of three ran out and found Yarl covered in blood. Lynch checked his pulse and, when another neighbor came out with towels, helped stem the bleeding until paramedics arrived.
The shooting outraged many in Kansas City and across the country. President Joe Biden spoke with Yarl on Monday, and on Tuesday invited him to the White House.
“No parent should have to worry that their kid will be shot after ringing the wrong doorbell,” Biden tweeted. “We’ve got to keep up the fight against gun violence.”
Thompson said Monday that there was a “racial component” to the shooting. He did not elaborate. Assistant prosecutor Alexander Higginbotham said in an email Tuesday that “there is not a racial element to the legal charges that were filed.”
Merritt said the Yarl family met privately with Thompson. The prosecutor said he was “echoing the words from law enforcement that obviously there’s a racial dynamic at play in this case,” said Merritt, who called the answer “shallow.”
Legal experts agreed with Thompson that charging Lester with a hate crime would have potentially meant a shorter sentence if he is convicted. Washington University School of Law professor Peter Joy said the state hate crime law is used only to enhance low-level felony or misdemeanor charges.
Experts expect Lester’s lawyers will claim self-defense under Missouri’s “stand your ground” law, which allows for the use of deadly force if a person fears for their life. Missouri is among roughly 30 states with such statutes.
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Salter reported from O’Fallon, Missouri. Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, contributed to this report. | 2023-04-19T17:15:50+00:00 | mynorthwest.com | https://mynorthwest.com/3878095/ralph-yarl-making-stunning-recovery-family-lawyer-says/ |
BUDAPEST – Nearly a year since fleeing Ukraine for Hungary amid the bombs and terror of Russia's invasion, more than 100 young circus performers still hold intensive daily training sessions in Budapest while waiting to see what an uncertain future holds.
The group, whose members are between the ages of 5 and 20, found a home with the Capital Circus of Budapest after leaving their circus schools and lives behind in the cities of Kharkiv and Kyiv in March 2022.
Trainer Svetlana Momot, who fled Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, with an initial group of 12 of her students last year, watched and reflected Monday as some of the young circus artists swung from suspended rings, dangled from aerial silks and rehearsed acrobatic stunts in one of the Budapest circus' training halls.
Momot said that in the past year, the performers had to learn to live, cook, clean and study together in close quarters. But her goal from the beginning was to ensure that, despite being uprooted from their homes, their intensive daily training would not be interrupted.
“When they’re busy (with training), they don’t have time to think about the bad things. It distracts them," Momot said. "What I see is that we live as one family and as a creative team. ... I think it hasn't affected their training, and I try to keep them in the form they were in Ukraine.”
After Russia invaded Ukraine, the Budapest circus and a Hungarian school for acrobats extended their solidarity to the Ukrainian performers, offering them accommodation, food and the ability to continue their training, Capital Circus of Budapest director Peter Fekete said.
“We have to realize that all people need a purpose in life. Even an 8-year-old child can ask the questions, ‘Why am I alive, what is my purpose in the world?’" Fekete said.
"If we provide an opportunity to train, and if we set goals that we want to achieve through opportunities to perform, then in their everyday lives they won't be focused only on the difficult situation they are in, but artistic performance can fill their lives to some degree," he said.
Anna Lysytska, a 14-year-old acrobat, said it had been difficult at first to adapt to life in Hungary after fleeing her home in Kharkiv. But staying focused on her training, she said, had helped ease the transition.
“At first it was hard, but then we got used to it a little and started to go to our training sessions,” she said. “We set up a routine and then started studying at a Hungarian school. We love it here.”
Lysytska's twin sister, Mariia, said what she liked most about Hungary at first was that “there were no explosions,” but that she had since formed friendships that made it easier to be far from home.
“When we came to this school, we became friends (with the Hungarians) right away and started communicating with them, so I have positive feelings about it,” Mariia said.
While some of the performers plan to eventually join family members who have settled in countries like Germany and Slovakia, almost all of them want to return to Ukraine whenever the war ends, Momot said.
“We were all in the same situation where we had no other option but to leave people behind in Ukraine. Our families are broken,” she said.
Still, as Russia tries to ramp up an offensive in eastern Ukraine and to bolster its hold on other parts of the country, it remains unclear when the performers can return safely to their homes. Until then, their futures, and the question of where home is, remain up in the air.
The Ukrainian troupe recently returned from a competition in Monte Carlo, Fekete said, where two of the performers brought home gold and silver medals.
“When I hugged one of the little girls at the airport and I said we were going home, I corrected myself and said, ‘Well, home to me.' She stopped me and said, ‘It’s home for me, too,'” he said.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | 2023-02-16T17:11:57+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/news/world/2023/02/16/for-ukrainian-circus-performers-future-still-up-in-the-air/ |
High court rules against government on Medicare drug reimbursement
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Wednesday that the federal government improperly lowered drug reimbursement payments to hospitals and clinics that serve low-income communities, a reduction that cost the facilities billions of dollars.
The high court ruled unanimously in a case involving payments for drugs, largely for cancer, that are used by Medicare patients in hospital outpatient departments. The Biden administration had stood by a Trump administration decision to reduce the payments.
The government had said that the hospitals and clinics, because of their special status serving low-income communities, are able to buy the drugs at a deep discount. The government said reimbursing the hospitals, called 340B hospitals, at the same rate as other hospitals that pay more created an incentive for the hospitals to overprescribe the drugs or prescribe more expensive drugs. It said that lowering the reimbursement would also save Medicare beneficiaries money in co-payments because those are linked to reimbursement rates.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the court that “absent a survey of hospitals’ acquisition costs” the Department of Health and Human Services “may not vary the reimbursement rates for 340B hospitals. HHS’s 2018 and 2019 reimbursement rates for 340B hospitals were therefore contrary to the statute and unlawful.”
The case before the justices involved Medicare, which provides health insurance for nearly 60 million people age 65 and older or people with certain disabilities. Under Medicare, health care providers get reimbursed by the government for expenses including drugs used in hospital outpatient departments.
Hospitals had been getting reimbursed at a rate based on the average price of the drugs. But in 2018 the Trump administration said that 340B hospitals and clinics, which serve low-income communities, would be reimbursed at a lower rate. That’s because 340B hospitals and clinics are entitled to discounts from drug manufacturers that let them buy drugs at a lower cost. The administration cut the reimbursement rate by nearly 30%, an annual decrease to 340B hospitals and clinics of about $1.6 billion.
Affected hospitals sued and a federal judge initially ruled for them, but that decision was reversed by an appeals court.
The case is American Hospital Association v. Becerra, 20-1114.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-15T15:48:30+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/2022/06/15/high-court-rules-against-government-medicare-drug-reimbursement/ |
SEATTLE (AP) — On a night when the Yankees ended their losing streak and Aaron Judge homered yet again, it wasn’t all good news for New York.
Judge hit his 44th homer, Josh Donaldson went deep and drove in three runs, and the Yankees snapped a five-game skid by beating the Seattle Mariners 9-4 on Monday.
Donaldson doubled twice and Andrew Benintendi also had two doubles and three RBIs as the Yankees hammered Seattle pitching. But they got a bad break early — Matt Carpenter fractured his left foot when he fouled off a pitch in the first inning.
“I have no doubt in my mind that he’s going to still make an impact on this team even while he’s hurt,” said Yankees starter Jameson Taillon, who threw seven innings to get the win. “He’s come in here right away and made an impact on a lot of people. He’s not afraid to talk pitching with the pitchers. He’s not afraid to give honest feedback. He’s one of the best guys that I’ve been around and played with, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds his way back and makes an impact.”
Carpenter, who was in a walking boot after the game, said there’s no timeframe yet for a possible return and he would first need to see a foot specialist. Carpenter began the night hitting .307 with 15 home runs and 37 RBIs in just 127 at-bats.
“My mindset is that this won’t be the end for me here this year. I’m hopeful that I can come back and contribute,” he said.
Even without Carpenter, the Yankees had plenty of punch to stop their longest losing streak of the season.
Donaldson and Benintendi got it started as New York knocked around Logan Gilbert for seven earned runs and 10 hits — six for extra bases. That was plenty for Taillon (11-2), who scattered three hits over seven innings.
New York manager Aaron Boone held a team meeting ahead of the series opener in Seattle after the Yankees were swept in St. Louis last weekend. His message was mostly a reminder the Bronx Bombers are arguably the most talented team in the American League and following the trade deadline have the pieces to make this a special season.
Message received.
“It was a nice little get-together pregame. We went out there with a ton of energy,” Taillon said.
Donaldson had a two-run single in his first at-bat, launched his 11th home run with two outs in the third and hit the first of three consecutive doubles in the fifth that ended Gilbert’s night.
“The last two weeks I’ve felt like my at-bats have certainly been more consistent,” Donaldson said.
Benintendi’s two-out double in the third inning scored Gleyber Torres, and his double over the head of left fielder Jesse Winker in the fifth scored two and was the final batter for Gilbert.
Seattle’s young right-hander gave up a season high in runs and hits. It was the first time in 23 starts this season that Gilbert (10-5) failed to pitch at least five innings.
“I guess it was a matter of execution. They hit some good pitches that I made, and, of course, when you leave it over the middle or get behind in the count, good hitters are going to hit it,” Gilbert said.
Taillon gave up solo home runs to Mitch Haniger in the first and Cal Raleigh in the seventh, but otherwise avoided major damage. J.P. Crawford worked an 11-pitch, bases-loaded walk in the fourth to plate a run, and Raleigh followed with a long fly ball that had home run distance but was pulled slightly foul.
Otherwise, Taillon cruised. He walked three and struck out six in winning his first start since beating Boston on July 16.
Judge connected in the ninth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: 1B Anthony Rizzo was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game due to an ongoing back issue. Boone said the hope is Rizzo will have improved enough to return to the lineup Tuesday. Rizzo missed time in July with the same lower-back issue.
Mariners: Winker left in the fifth due to back spasms. He was replaced by Jake Lamb. Seattle manager Scott Servais said Winker is day-to-day. … LHP Ryan Borucki exited in the ninth in the middle of an at-bat with a forearm strain after throwing a pitch to Benintendi. … Servais said CF Julio Rodriguez was going to take additional swings before Monday’s game to get a gauge on where he’s at with his wrist injury. Rodriguez could get activated Wednesday or Seattle could use Thursday’s off day and bring him back Friday. … INF/OF Dylan Moore (back spasms) is expected to come off the injured list Wednesday. … LHP Matthew Boyd (elbow) threw live batting practice as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery last September. Boyd’s next step is expected to be a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (9-4, 3.56 ERA) looks to rebound from his last start in which he allowed six runs in the first inning against Seattle. Cole is 6-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 10 career starts against the Mariners.
Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (5-4, 2.95) makes his first start at home since being acquired from Cincinnati. Castillo allowed three runs and struck out eight over 6 2/3 innings last week at Yankee Stadium in his first start for Seattle.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-08-09T16:34:37+00:00 | keloland.com | https://www.keloland.com/sports/ap-sports/judge-hits-no-44-yankees-beat-mariners-9-4-to-stop-skid/ |
- 84% of people with migraine (PwM) and 92% of healthcare professionals (HCPs) agree that worsening migraine leads to poorer mental health
- Nearly all HCPs (93%) feel mental health impacts a PwM's ability to successfully manage their migraine
- 77% of PwM worry about stigma of migraine and mental health and are hesitant to discuss with their HCP
MOUNT ROYAL, NJ, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Migraine Foundation (AMF) and Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: BHVN) today announced findings from a new survey about migraine and its impact on mental health. The results of the Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey reveal that the majority of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and people with migraine (PwM) strongly believe that migraine and mental health significantly impact each other. The survey also found that stigma surrounding migraine is a significant barrier PwM face in discussing mental health issues with their HCP.
The survey, which included 1,100 PwM who also identify as having a mental health condition and 302 HCPs that treat neurological diseases found nearly all HCPs (91%) and two-thirds of PwM (67%) believe that those who are better able to successfully manage their stress and mental health conditions are also better able to manage migraine.
"Migraine is complex and has the capacity to disrupt a person's life, relationships and sense of well-being, which in turn can impact their mental health," said Judy Ho, Ph.D., triple board-certified clinical and forensic neuropsychologist and former co-host of The Doctors. "The Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey showed that people with migraine and healthcare professionals are aligned in recognizing that the unpredictable and disabling nature of migraine attacks often creates worry and anxiety that can add difficulty to one's ability to manage migraine and further impact their mental health. This is often referred to as a "vicious cycle" between migraine and mental health. It's important that people with migraine understand that improving mental health can lead to better migraine outcomes, and vice versa."
Conversations Around Migraine and Mental Health
One vital step in improving those outcomes is talking to a trusted HCP. Two-thirds of PwM said that it is important to discuss mental health with the HCP treating their migraine and nearly 60% report raising the topic themselves, even though most wish their HCP would initiate the conversation. The survey found a marked discordancy between HCPs and PwM on this topic, as 70% of HCPs state they ask about mental health conditions often, if not always.
"Closing the gaps in communication between healthcare professionals and their patients can help improve migraine and mental health management," said Larry Newman, M.D., professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and chair of AMF. "I hope that the findings of this survey encourage people with migraine to feel empowered to speak out about their pain and have deeper, meaningful conversations about migraine and mental health without worrying about stigma. These are important conversations that both people with migraine and healthcare professionals should initiate at every visit."
Interestingly, the survey found that HCPs underestimate the percentage of PwM suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. While 57% and 50% of PwM report having been diagnosed with an anxiety or depressive disorder, respectively, HCPs estimate these conditions occur in just 29% and 30% of patients, respectively."
Treatment Approach
Both PwM (87%) and HCPs (94%) believe that mental health would benefit from improved migraine control. The top three recommended mental health treatments by HCPs are medication (83%), psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (71%) and relaxation therapy (70%). But PwM do not report using these techniques as frequently (58%, 28% and 26%, respectively). Nearly all HCPs (91%) and over half of the PwM respondents (54%) feel that migraine management needs to be more flexible by tailoring treatment to patient needs. Additionally, almost all PwM feel it is equally important to treat migraine and mental health and want their HCP to factor these dual priorities in their treatment plan.
"At Biohaven, we are driven to help the millions of people suffering from migraine to better manage their attacks," said Vlad Coric, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of Biohaven. "This survey conducted by the American Migraine Foundation allows us to learn more about the perspectives of HCPs and their patients with migraine as we work to better understand the complexities of migraine and its impact on mental health."
For more information on migraine and its impact on mental health, visit www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.
This survey was conducted with support by Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
About the Survey
The Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey was an online, quantitative opinion survey conducted by the American Migraine Foundation and funded by Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. The survey was fielded between April and May 2022 and included responses from 1,100 people with migraine (PwM) and a mental health condition, and 302 healthcare professionals (HCPs) that treat neurological disease (including 50 neurologists, 50 headache specialists and 202 general practitioners).
About Migraine
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraine and the World Health Organization classifies migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses. Migraine is characterized by debilitating attacks lasting four to 72 hours with multiple symptoms, including pulsating headaches of moderate to severe pain intensity that can be associated with nausea or vomiting, and/or sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) and sensitivity to light (photophobia). There is a significant unmet need for new treatments as more than 90 percent of people with migraine are unable to work or function normally during an attack.
About the American Migraine Foundation
The American Migraine Foundation provides education, support and resources for the millions of men, women and children living with migraine. Our mission is to advance migraine research, promote patient advocacy and expand access to care for patients worldwide. Migraine and other disabling diseases that cause severe head pain impact more than 39 million people in the United States alone. By educating caregivers and giving patients the tools to advocate for themselves, we have cultivated a movement that gives a collective voice to the migraine community. Working closely with migraine and headache experts at our partner organization, the American Headache Society, we educate caregivers and give patients the tools to advocate for themselves, cultivating a movement that gives a collective voice to the migraine community. For more information, please visit www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.
About Biohaven
Biohaven is a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative, best-in-class therapies to improve the lives of patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including rare disorders. Biohaven's Neuroinnovation™ portfolio includes FDA-approved Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine (EMA-approved as Vydura® for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura, and prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults who have at least four migraine attacks per month) and a broad pipeline of late-stage product candidates across five distinct mechanistic platforms: CGRP receptor antagonism for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine; glutamate modulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder and spinocerebellar ataxia; and MPO inhibition for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Kv7 Ion Channel Activators (Kv7) activators for focal epilepsy and neuronal hyperexcitability, and myostatin inhibition for neuromuscular diseases. More information about Biohaven is available at www.biohavenpharma.com.
NURTEC®, NURTEC ODT and VYDURA are registered trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Ireland DAC. Neuroinnovation and NOJECTION are trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
Tweet It: American Migraine Foundation Survey Shows Nearly All People with Migraine and Healthcare Professionals Believe Migraine and Mental Health Significantly Impact Each Other: https://www.biohavenpharma.com/about-biohaven/media-resources
Media Contact
Mike Beyer
Sam Brown Inc.
mikebeyer@sambrown.com
312-961-2502
American Migraine Foundation Contact
Heather Phillips
hphillips@americanmigrainefoundation.org
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SOURCE Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. | 2022-07-28T11:46:26+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/american-migraine-foundation-survey-shows-nearly-all-people-with-migraine-healthcare-professionals-believe-migraine-mental-health-significantly-impact-each-other/ |
NAPA, Calif., Oct. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jayson Woodbridge, owner and winemaker of one of the world's most sought after wines, is suing the County of Napa to impose legal and constitutional limits on the county after its demand that Woodbridge replant the same high-fire risk trees on his Napa Valley property that burned during the 2020 Glass Fire.
Woodbridge, who founded and owns Hundred Acre Wine Group, has produced the highest-scoring wines in the world under the Hundred Acre label, 33 of which have scored a perfect 100 from Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate and former The Wine Advocate writer, Jeb Dunnuck, now of JebDunnuck.com.
According to the lawsuit, the 2020 Glass Fire destroyed over 80 hillside acres of Woodbridge's 113-acre Calistoga property, including manzanitas, bay trees, and scrub, as well as a historic barn, and left the hillside in a hazardous condition. The Glass Fire, which started September 27, 2020, burned 67,484 acres of land and destroyed 1,555 structures, before it was contained 23 days later. A year after the Glass Fire, Woodbridge removed the remains of the fire-killed trees around the roadway, residence, and other surviving structures on his property.
The lawsuit challenges the legitimacy and scope of the county's demands that Woodbridge replant the same high-fire risk trees that fueled past Napa wildfires and it asserts Woodbridge's right to install a small experimental, dry-farmed vineyard in its place that would reduce erosion and serve as a protective fire-break.
"The county's threatened enforcement action . . . is environmentally irresponsible and dangerous," the lawsuit states. "It deprives (Hundred Acre Wine Group) of the productive use to which its property is ideally suited, and would increase the risk and spread of future wildfires."
The suit was filed Thursday, Oct. 6, in Napa County Superior Court against Napa County as case #22CV001166 and seeks a court order declaring that Hundred Acre Wine Group's actions did not and do not violate any county regulations, and that the county's enforcement activities are unlawful.
The county is misusing its "conservation regulations," which are intended to prohibit environmentally destructive earthmoving, construction, grading, and vegetation removal, according to the complaint filed by attorneys at Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP. The regulations do not apply, the lawsuit states because the "company did not remove any vegetation; it removed only the dead, charred remains of fire-killed trees and stumps" and did not disturb the soil by using a new grapevine installation method.
Woodbridge, who is both innovative and contrarian, devised a unique method to install a small experimental vineyard program that, according to the complaint, does not require a permit from the county.
"The layout of the vineyard involves no 'earthmoving or earth-disturbing activity' as that phrase is defined, and would not constitute 'planting' as that term is commonly used because the rootstock would not be put or set in the ground, but instead would naturally grow into it," according to the complaint against the county.
The method uses small, bottomless vessels that are set on the ground and filled with compost and a single grapevine rootstock. The rootstock grows through the compost and roots into the soil without any tilling, drilling, or other soil disturbing activities.
The lawsuit cites a longstanding and worsening pattern and practice of significant administrative overreach by the county, in particular the Napa County Department of Planning, Building & Environmental Services, which creates mountainous red tape and economic hardship for local farmers seeking to develop productive vineyards.
"The county employs delay tactics, requires expensive, onerous and duplicative submissions and reports, with the intention, and the effect, of delaying and avoiding its responsibility to allow legally permitted use of private lands for agricultural purposes, and to deter would-be applicants from pursuing such uses of their land because of the burdensome attorney and expert fees that are necessitated by the county's practices, and by the highly arbitrary nature of the county's decision-making process," according to the complaint.
Woodbridge owns and operates various Napa Valley vineyard properties, including the 15-acre Morgan's Way Vineyard in St. Helena, the 13-acre Ark Vineyard outside of St. Helena, and the 5-acre Few and Far Between Vineyard outside of Calistoga. He also owns vineyards and makes wine in Australia's Barossa Valley.
In addition to Hundred Acre, Woodbridge produces wine under the Fortunate Son and Summer Dreams labels. In 2017, Woodbridge sold the highly-successful Layer Cake, Cherry Pie and If You See Kay brands, which produced value-oriented wine from California, Italy, Australia and Argentina.
To view the lawsuit click here.
Contact: Sam Singer
Singer Associates Public Relations
singer@singersf.com
415.336.4949
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SOURCE Hundred Acre Wine Group | 2022-10-08T00:51:39+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2022/10/07/renowned-international-winemaker-sues-napa-county-over-demand-replant-high-fire-risk-trees/ |
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — A man suspected in a mass shooting in central Florida last month was fatally shot by a police officer following a long chase and a carjacking, authorities said.
The car driven by Alex Greene, 21, eventually crashed into a business in Winter Haven. That’s a short distance from Lakeland, where 11 people were injured in the Jan. 30 shooting, Lakeland Police Chief Sammy Taylor said.
“We are very confident he was in fact involved; to what extent we don’t know yet,” Taylor said.
Taylor said detectives had hoped to bring Greene in on an outstanding burglary warrant to talk to him about the shooting on Jan. 30 in a neighborhood near downtown Lakeland, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of Tampa.
As investigators from the Lakeland Police Department, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted surveillance, Greene got into a pickup truck and started to drive away, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a news conference.
Lakeland police went in pursuit along a heavily traveled road.
Police Capt. Eric Harper was driving an unmarked vehicle and tried to stop Greene “so that we don’t have this pursuit on a very busy road,” Judd said.
He did a successful pit maneuver, and Greene got out of the vehicle and started running into traffic.
“Why he and the captain weren’t run over is just the grace of God, because traffic was all over the place,” Judd said.
When Greene realized he couldn’t get away, he ran toward a restaurant where a woman was standing outside her car with the doors open, Judd said. The woman saw Greene, slammed the passenger door and tried to shut the driver’s side door.
Greene pushed the woman away and got into the car, Judd said. Harper approached with his gun drawn.
“The suspect takes off in her car, drives toward Capt. Harper, who shoots six times,” Judd said. The car continues down a road, weaves through flower beds and crashes into a building.”
Law enforcement officials pulled Greene from the car and started performing CPR. He was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
“No one else was injured in the pursuit, which we are all grateful for,” Judd said.
Greene had 10 previous felony charges, including fleeing to elude law enforcement, battery on a law enforcement officer, possession of weapons and resisting arrest, Judd said. He had an outstanding warrant for burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.
An investigation into the shooting is being handled by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the state attorney’s office.
Two people were critically injured in the Jan. 30 shooting, while the wounds of the other eight victims weren’t considered life-threatening. The victims were men ages 20 to 35, police said.
A vehicle drove through the neighborhood that afternoon, and suspects opened fire from all four car windows, police said. Officials did not provide details about any other suspects in the shooting.
Officials said they believe the shooting was a “targeted attack.” | 2023-02-07T14:45:39+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/florida-mass-shooting-suspect-killed-during-police-pursuit/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Cast members gather around the body of Hero (Taylor Nelson) at a climactic moment during a recent dress rehearsal this month for Santa Fe High School's production of "Much Ado About Nothing."
Santa Fe High School’s fall production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing premiered this week and has proven itself a show that makes the humor of Shakespeare accessible to all.
Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic comedy set in Messina, Italy, where friends trick one another into falling in love, while enemies manipulate existing romantic relationships into falling apart.
“You don’t have to know Shakespeare to enjoy it,” said Justin Mirabal, a senior who stars as Benedick, a witty and wealthy bachelor, in the production.
Another veteran of Santa Fe High’s theater program is senior Daniel Czerkawski, who plays Don John, the illegitimate brother of wealthy prince Don Pedro. In a recent interview before opening night, Czerkawski laughed when describing his character.
“He’s very evil, admittedly the villain,” he said.
Later, when he’s on stage, Czerkawski gives the audience one of the best evil laughs they’ve ever heard.
Much Ado About Nothing has been reproduced countless times by theater departments, but Santa Fe High’s version takes the classic play to the 1980s. Complete with side ponytails, boomboxes and hits from the era playing during the blackouts. While the setting certainly takes some getting used to, it fits quite well with the atmosphere created, and there are one or two references added to the dialogue.
Theater department head Reed Meschefske directed the cast of 26 students through the nearly six-week rehearsal process.
In the two weeks spent on blocking, Meschefske said actors spent time “going through every word. Making sure everyone understands exactly what they’re saying.”
The effort put into that definitely paid off because the actors’ understanding of their character makes the rather complicated plot easy to follow from an audience perspective.
The production was abridged to about an hour and 25 minutes with no intermission, but it’s so coherent you don’t feel like you’re missing anything.
Mirabal is definitely one to watch for, especially across from Alette HahnHansen, who plays the clever, strong-willed Beatrice. The duo excellently embody the antiquated but funny banter of the couple, only to show off a stronger range of emotions later in the play.
For freshman Isaiah Mayer and Maya Alberts, this is their first time on stage.
While most of the humor in the show is pun-based, and when it’s physical comedy it’s often one person at a time, Alberts, Mayer and the rest of the Watch, a group akin to police, move as a hilarious hive mind. However, the bumbling “not real police officers,” as Mayer described them, end up saving the day in what Alberts called “just luck, not skill.”
When asked about his favorite part, proud director Meschefske had a hard time pinning one down — but settled on the marriage scene between the two lovers, Claudio and Hero.
“There’s so many different actor opportunities, from Hero being accused, to Claudio accusing, to Leonato being the disappointed father," he said.
Mirabal, on the other hand, had no hesitation about his favorite part, which happens in one of the party scenes: “Conga line.” | 2022-11-18T05:59:59+00:00 | santafenewmexican.com | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/teen/much-to-love-santa-fe-highs-much-ado-about-nothing-is-worth-a-watch/article_90a82ac6-6568-11ed-aacf-03a9376c42ce.html |
Developed in Coordination with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, the Plan Offers an Estimated $50 Billion of Impact
- 25 new stores in LMI and/or majority-minority communities
- $21 billion in home lending to Low- and Moderate-Income and diverse borrowers
- $7.75 billion in small business lending
- $17.5 billion in community development loans and investments
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, today announced a five-year Community Benefits Plan (CBP), developed in coordination with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). The CBP will provide an estimated $50 billion of impact to local communities across TD Bank's expanded U.S. presence following the approval and close of its planned acquisition of First Horizon Corporation. This plan will provide lending, philanthropy, banking access and other activities for the benefit of diverse and underserved communities.
"Banks have an important role in providing economic opportunity and supporting changes that help Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI), diverse and underserved communities achieve their financial goals," said Leo Salom, President and CEO of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®. "This is rooted in the belief that our business only does well when the people we serve are flourishing. Our Community Benefits Plan builds on TD Bank's and First Horizon's longstanding focus on our communities. We are excited to continue this focus in First Horizon markets as we move forward with combining our two organizations. Thank you to the NCRC and its member organizations for their collaboration and critical insight as we developed an effective Plan that addresses the priorities and needs of the communities we serve."
To identify areas of greatest need in communities across 22 states and Washington, D.C., the bank solicited feedback from NCRC leadership and non-profit groups from both TD and First Horizon markets through months of consultation. TD will meet annually with the NCRC to discuss and measure progress on the elements of the Plan.
"TD Bank's brought dedication and open minds to the meetings with NCRC members that brought us to this strong and promising agreement," National Community Reinvestment Coalition President and CEO Jesse Van Tol said. "The deal we just signed will ensure that communities of need see tangible increases in resources and economic opportunity in their neighborhoods – as every bank merger is legally required and morally bound to do. This agreement reflects the hard work of our members and the bank's staff in numerous ways, including TD's commitment to opening 25 new physical bank branches in marginalized communities – the largest such pledge to date by any of the 20-plus banks that have signed onto a community benefits agreement with NCRC members. I applaud everyone involved for bringing the candid, constructive energy these deals require to our meetings and producing such a robust final package."
Advancing TD and First Horizon's Strong Track Records of Community Engagement
The CBP extends TD and First Horizon's shared commitment to positively impact social and economic outcomes in local markets and address financial inclusion across diverse communities, including Black, Indigenous, minority, women, veteran and LGBTQ2+ individuals and their businesses, while also enhancing access to safe and affordable products and services. The plan includes the following:
Banking Access
Consistent with TD's goal to make banking accessible to its customers, it will open at least 25 new stores and 25 ATMs in LMI and/or majority-minority markets over the next five years. The bank also commits that all banking locations will be open at least five days a week. In addition, there will not be any merger-related First Horizon store closures.
Mortgage Lending and Consumer Products
TD Bank will enable affordable home ownership by increasing residential mortgage loans, including first-time homebuyer and home improvement loans to $21 billion for LMI and minority borrowers, and in LMI and majority-minority census tracts, which represents a 65% increase. In support of this goal, TD will hire additional diverse Mortgage Loan Officers and Community Mortgage Loan Officers who reflect the communities we serve.
The bank will also provide affordable retail products and services that are designed to meet the needs of economically vulnerable consumers across the footprint.
Small Business Support
The Plan builds on the bank's ongoing commitment to support the critical role small businesses play in local economies by offering an estimated $7.75 billion in lending to small businesses with under $1 million in annual revenue, with a focus on minority- and women-owned businesses and those in LMI and/or rural areas.
Community Development Loans and Investment
TD Bank will provide $17.5 billion in community development loans and other investments to support economic development activities and affordable housing projects (including rental housing) within TD and First Horizon markets. This represents a 21% increase over the combined TD and First Horizon previous five-year average.
Additional Highlights
- $200 million in Community Reinvestment Act-related philanthropy through the TD Office of Charitable and Community Giving, which includes creating a $40 million TD New Horizon Foundation, with a focus on giving in Memphis, TN, and other First Horizon markets over five years.
- Creation of a Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) / Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) Impact Strategy, to provide lending and equity investments, with a total estimated impact of $1 billion.
- Increased spending with certified diverse suppliers in the US by 50%.
- Engagement and support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through institutional support, recruitment of students and alumni, and financial access.
Additional Information Regarding the CBP
TD and the NCRC are pleased that 59 community organizations have endorsed this impactful CBP. For more information and resources, please visit: https://stories.td.com/us/en/article/td-bank-community-benefits-plan.
About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank ®, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing over 9.8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Auto Finance, a division of TD Bank, N.A., offers vehicle financing and dealer commercial services. TD Bank and its subsidiaries also offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US.
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.
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SOURCE TD Bank | 2023-02-15T16:58:44+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/15/td-bank-announces-community-benefits-plan-build-longstanding-engagement-with-underserved-individuals-businesses/ |
Mets vs. Yankees Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - June 14
Wednesday's game between the New York Yankees (39-29) and the New York Mets (31-36) at Citi Field has a good chance to be a tight matchup, as our computer prediction projects a final score of 6-4, with the Yankees taking home the win. Game time is at 7:10 PM ET on June 14.
This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Mets will send Justin Verlander (2-3) to the mound, while Gerrit Cole (7-1) will take the ball for the Yankees.
Mets vs. Yankees Game Info & Odds
- When: Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 7:10 PM ET
- Where: Citi Field in Queens, New York
- How to Watch on TV: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Mets vs. Yankees Score Prediction
Our pick for this contest is Yankees 6, Mets 5.
Total Prediction for Mets vs. Yankees
- Total Prediction: Over 7.5 runs
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Explore More About This Game
Mets Performance Insights
- The Mets have played as the favorite in four of their past 10 games and have gone 1-3 in those contests.
- When it comes to hitting the over, the Mets and their opponents are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games with a total.
- The Mets are 1-2-0 ATS over their last 10 games.
- The Mets have entered the game as favorites 45 times this season and won 24, or 53.3%, of those games.
- The Mets have a record of 25-21, a 54.3% win rate, when they're favored by -110 or more by oddsmakers this season.
- The moneyline for this contest implies a 52.4% chance of a victory for the Mets.
- The Mets rank 17th in the league with 296 total runs scored this season.
- The Mets have the 26th-ranked team ERA among all league pitching staffs (4.73).
Yankees Performance Insights
- In three games as the underdog over the last 10 matchups, the Yankees have a record of 2-1.
- When it comes to the over/under, the Yankees and their opponents are 3-6-1 in their previous 10 games.
- The Yankees' ATS record is 2-1-0 over their last 10 games (oddsmakers set spreads in three of those games).
- The Yankees have come away with 10 wins in the 21 contests they have been listed as the underdogs in this season.
- This season, the Yankees have come away with a win 10 times in 21 chances when named as an underdog of at least -110 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Yankees have an implied victory probability of 52.4% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.
- The offense for the Yankees is the No. 12 offense in baseball scoring 4.6 runs per game (311 total runs).
- Yankees pitchers have a combined ERA of 3.58 ERA this year, fourth-best in baseball.
Put your picks to the test and bet on with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Mets Schedule
Yankees Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-14T19:49:31+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/sports/betting/2023/06/14/mets-yankees-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian defense ministry officials on Sunday insisted that an airstrike on the port of Odesa — less than a day after Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on resuming grain shipments from there — had hit only military targets.
“In the seaport in the city of Odesa, on the territory of a shipyard, sea-based high-precision long-range missiles destroyed a docked Ukrainian warship and a warehouse with Harpoon anti-ship missiles supplied by the U.S. to the Kyiv regime,” ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a daily briefing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly televised address Saturday evening that the attack on Odesa “destroyed the very possibility” of dialogue with Russia.
The Ukrainian military said on Saturday that Moscow had attacked Odesa’s sea port with four cruise missiles, two of which had been shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
Command spokeswoman Nataliya Humenyuk said that no grain storage facilities were hit. Turkey’s defense minister, however, said he had had reports from Ukrainian authorities that one missile struck a grain silo while another landed nearby, although neither affected loading at Odesa’s docks.
It was not immediately clear how the airstrike would affect plans to resume shipping Ukrainian grain by sea in safe corridors out of three Ukrainian Black Sea ports: Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
Russia and Ukraine on Friday signed identical agreements with the U.N. and Turkey in Istanbul aimed at clearing the way for the shipment of millions of tons of desperately needed Ukrainian grain, as well as the export of Russian grain and fertilizer. Senior U.N. officials voiced hopes that the deal would end a months-long standoff brought about by the war in Ukraine that threatened food security around the globe.
The agreement, obtained by The Associated Press, committed both Kyiv and Moscow to refraining from strikes on the three Black Sea ports.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian shelling continued to kill and injure civilians in Ukraine’s south and east.
The governor of the eastern Donetsk region, one of two which make up Ukraine’s industrial heartland of the Donbas and a key focus of Russia’s offensive, said that two civilians had been killed and two more had been injured over the previous 24 hours.
The U.K. military on Sunday morning reported in its daily intelligence update that Russia was making “minimal progress” in its ongoing Donbas offensive, which it said remained small-scale and focused on the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed in its regular update that Russia was “conducting military operations to create conditions” for an assault on Bakhmut, while firing on surrounding settlements and battling Ukrainian defenders for control of a nearby thermal plant.
In Ukraine’s south, regional officials said that at least five civilians were wounded by Russian shells in the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
"Also, as a result of the scattering of munitions and their fragments, fires occurred in open areas in the city,” said Vitaly Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv region.
In other developments:
— A Washington-based think tank says Ukrainian forces are likely preparing to launch or have launched a counteroffensive in the Kherson region.
The Institute for the Study of War quoted Kherson Oblast Administration Adviser Serhiy Khlan as saying Ukrainian forces have seized unspecified settlements in the region, but had called on Ukrainian civilians to remain silent on the progress of the counteroffensive until Ukrainian authorities release official statements.
The ISW notes that open-source information on any progress by Ukrainian troops “will likely be limited and lag behind events.”
— Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials as his country seeks to break diplomatic isolation and sanctions by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov landed in Cairo late Saturday, the first leg of his Africa trip that will also include stops in Ethiopia, Uganda and Congo, according to Russia’s state-run RT television network.
Speaking at a news conference following bilateral talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shukri, on Sunday, Lavrov said that he had “reaffirmed the commitment of Russian grain exporters to fulfill all their obligations” in the wake of the U.N.-backed deal to unblock grain shipments.
— Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a speech in Romania that Western sanctions against Russia have failed and that the war in Ukraine will not end “until there is a Russian-U.S. peace negotiation.”
Orban said Saturday in a speech in Baile Tusnad in central Romania that “a new strategy is needed which should focus on peace talks … instead of winning the war.”
“The situation is that today we are sitting in a car with flat tires on all four wheels,” he said. “It is quite obvious that the war cannot be won this way. Ukrainians will never win a war against Russia with American training officers and weapons.”
The far-right leader went on to say that had Donald Trump and Germany’s Angela Merkel still been in charge in their countries, “then this war would never have broken out.” | 2022-07-24T13:14:25+00:00 | hjnews.com | https://www.hjnews.com/world/russia-says-strike-on-ukrainian-port-hit-military-targets/article_ac26b713-347e-5d94-87d1-6c7a6a9b796b.html |
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The stars appear one after the other — a banquet of talent, a glut of inventiveness — and yet nothing clicks. Hollywood's most famous squirm in a slog.
Welcome to “Amsterdam,” writer and director David O. Russell's answer to the question: Can some of the top actors in the world mange to elevate poor material? The answer is a dull no. It becomes a slaughterhouse.
Just look at this lead cast: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington. Russell wastes them with pointless dialogue and tedious scenes.
Then imagine a second tier of roles with Alessandro Nivola, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Taylor Swift, Zoe Saldaña, Rami Malek and Robert De Niro. All are left powerless. They are in a charisma-removal machine.
Bale and Washington play World War I veterans and fierce friends — soldiers who crossed the racial divide in France — and Robbie plays an inventive nurse who treats them. This bonded trio stumble onto a plot to overthrow the U.S. government while being framed for murder in 1930s New York.
It uses these three fictional characters to explore a real event in the runup to the Second World War in which a cabal of wealthy American businessmen conspired to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt by duping a retired general popular among veterans into being their figurehead.
“Amsterdam” shifts from 1933 to 1918 as it fills out backstories and love affairs. After returning to the '30s, Bale has become a kindly doctor and Washington's character becomes a lawyer, both helping fellow vets. The nurse is strung out on prescription drugs.
But unable to find a tone — screwball, noir, whodunit, rom-com, satire or thriller — the film plods along at its own airless, internal pace, leaving most of the actors so befuddled it’s not always clear they know what they’re aiming at either.
It’s a film where no one seems to answer a direct question, gruesome autopsies are performed on camera followed by whimsically sung ditties, and a script that tries for the profound when it says things like people “follow the wrong God home.”
“This is so strange,” says the good doctor at one point. “What does it mean?” Don't ask us.
“Amsterdam” reaches for something contemporary to say about race relations, concentration of wealth, veterans and fascism but ends up with a plodding, mannerist noise. This is what dollar bills must smell like burning. One starts to wonder if it was all a tax write-off.
Take Bale, who already reached his glass-eye limit onscreen when he starred in “Big Short.” Somehow he agreed to another such role, this time with the eyeball popping out numerous times and spilling on the ground. He attacks his role with a weird “Columbo” thing going, tilting angularly and adopting a rich New York accent.
Washington and Robbie have apparently chosen to ignore Bale's lead by acting as if they are in two separate and different movies — she plays a manic pixie artist who uses shrapnel to make sculptures and he makes his character stone-faced and passive. Everyone else seems to be badly mimicking old '30s films. (Swift sings at one point but otherwise she is marooned and wooden.)
It's not just the cast that is taken down: Emmanuel Lubezki, a celebrated director of photography who wowed with “Gravity” and “The Revenant,” turns in a film that seems very brown and undynamic.
Russell, the director of such taut dramas as “Three Kings” and “American Hustle,” has clearly vanished here. You can almost hear the collective rejoinder from the real city of Amsterdam: Why’d you do us dirty, man?
“Amsterdam,” a 20th Century Studios release exclusively for movie theaters starting Friday, is rated R for brief violence and bloody images. Running time: 134 minutes. No stars out of four.
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MPAA definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
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Online: https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/amsterdam
___
Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits | 2022-10-04T17:37:32+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Review-Amsterdam-wastes-incredible-talent-on-a-17486096.php |
CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. — At approximately 4:42 p.m. Thursday, Carroll County emergency personnel received a report of a single vehicle crash on County Road 200E between County Road 300S and 400S in southeastern Carroll County.
When police arrived to the scene, they found a young male and female who had appeared to be ejected from a vehicle.
Preliminary information suggest that the driver, 15-year-old Danielle Siebert, was southbound on County Road 200E when she left the east side of the county road, for reasons unknown.
The vehicle then entered the ditch on the east side and began rolling into a cornfield. Evidence at the scene shows that both the driver and the passenger, a 16-year-old male, were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the car.
The 16-year-old was flown to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne with serious internal injuries. The driver, Danielle Siebert, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators are awaiting toxicology reports to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role in this incident. | 2022-07-08T02:27:16+00:00 | fox59.com | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/deadly-crash-in-carroll-county-claims-life-of-bringhurst-girl/ |
MIAMI, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Enveedo, a cybersecurity company with an innovative approach to integrated risk management, announced today the launch of its Strategy Execution Platform for Security. The unique, all-in-one Security as a Service (SaaS) platform enables organizations to affordably and seamlessly build and maintain cyber resiliency. The platform includes a risk management engine, on-demand access to vCISO guidance, and a real-time centralized view of the organization's systems, assets, stakeholders, and risks. It enables all businesses – especially those with limited resources, capabilities, or expertise – to plan, execute, and continuously evolve an enterprise-grade cybersecurity strategy based on an understanding of their risk posture.
"We are excited about the launch of our new cybersecurity platform," said Luciano Salata, Enveedo Co-Founder and CEO. "Enveedo simplifies the process of cybersecurity strategy management, making it easier and more affordable for IT and security professionals to keep their organizations secure and resilient against a backdrop of constant change."
Cybersecurity is an essential component of modern business. Because every business has unique needs, security is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. In many organizations, information assets exist in disparate on-premises and cloud silos across multiple business units. Developing and executing a cybersecurity strategy requires a clear understanding of what to protect and where, and the ability to continuously adapt to meet ongoing changes in IT infrastructure, regulatory requirements, the threat landscape, and the business itself.
The Enveedo platform streamlines the entire process with easy-to-follow guidelines, API integrations, and automation. The result is a comprehensive view of the organization's IT and security systems, assets, data, and people. Enveedo provides on-demand access to its team of experienced CISOs to support customer success with the platform.
"Building cyber resiliency is no longer an option; it is a necessity," said Mateo Ward, Enveedo Co-Founder. "With its simplified oversight and management, the single Enveedo platform gives IT and security professionals the ability to adapt their cybersecurity to the ever-evolving changes in the business and threat landscapes. The platform's integrated risk management capabilities help them achieve cyber resiliency," added Daniel Monetto, Enveedo Co-Founder and CTO.
For more information about the Enveedo Strategy Execution Platform for Security, please visit https://www.enveedo.com/.
About Enveedo
Enveedo is a Miami-based cybersecurity company, founded in May 2021. Its Strategy Execution Platform for Security is an innovative approach to integrated risk management. The all-in-one platform is a force multiplier that enables IT and security professionals to plan, execute, and evolve a cybersecurity strategy that continuously defends against emerging cyber threats. The Enveedo Smart Marketplace also provides customers with access to vetted and custom-matched products and services to help them meet their unique security and compliance needs. For more information, visit www.enveedo.com.
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SOURCE Enveedo, Inc. | 2023-06-05T18:30:54+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2023/06/05/enveedo-launches-strategy-execution-platform-security-help-businesses-build-maintain-cyber-resiliency/ |
Kevin Costner and wife of nearly 19 years begin divorce
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Costner and his wife of nearly 19 years, Christine Baumgartner, are divorcing, a representative for the actor said Tuesday.
“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage,” Costner’s publicist Arnold Robinson said in a statement.
Costner and Baumgartner, a model and handbag designer, began dating in 1998 before getting married at his Colorado ranch in 2004.
They have two sons, ages 14 and 15, and a 12-year-old daughter together.
It was the second marriage for Costner, 68, the Oscar and Emmy winning star of TV’s “Yellowstone” and films including “Dances With Wolves,” “The Bodyguard” and “Bull Durham.”
Costner also has four adult children from previous relationships.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-03T01:20:10+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/2023/05/03/kevin-costner-wife-nearly-19-years-begin-divorce/ |
The Supreme Court's ruling on Thursday that effectively ends affirmative action in higher education raises questions about the future of employer-run initiatives and programs that consider race — which exist extensively across the United States.
Though the opinion focuses on higher education, some legal experts say it could lead to changes in commonplace workplace initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and environmental, social and governance commitments.
"I already think that there are going to be some real repercussions," said Alvin Tillery, a political science professor at Northwestern University, who runs a consulting firm that works with organizations and companies, including Google and Abbott, on DEI-related programs.
Tillery says he expects the mainly conservative groups that backed Students for Fair Admissions' lawsuit — which was the subject of the Supreme Court's ruling — to shift their focus in part onto race-conscious programs in the workplace.
"I think that that is likely already happening, and so businesses will have to be prepared for that," he said.
Doing away with DEI-style programs has been a consistent part of conservative political messaging in recent years. Several right-leaning groups have already begun calling for further action, including America First Legal, a nonprofit run by former Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller that's focused on doing away with race-focused policies.
"This ruling means we can strike hard legally in our courts now and win major victories. Now is the time to wage lawfare against the DEI colossus," Miller wrote in a statement following the court's decision.
But Tillery doesn't expect any changes to DEI initiatives overnight. He argues that those programs fall under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and that companies can maintain their programs by reframing their language.
"The current structure of the workforces in corporate America suggests that there are tons of gaps between the races," Tillery said, adding, "Diversity, equity and inclusion work can be reframed as trying to figure out what's behind the processes creating these gaps and then filling the void by creating structures and processes to make sure that you're not discriminating under Title VII."
Plus, race-conscious programs already widely exist throughout the country — including within many large and influential companies nationwide. And ahead of the court's decision, many companies had already weighed in and advocated to keep affirmative action policies within higher education in place.
Last summer, more than 80 major corporations and businesses filed three briefs with the Supreme Court in support, arguing these policies help increase workforce diversity and improve company performance.
"Experience in a diverse university environment prepares students to interact with and serve racially diverse client and customer bases and to work with people of all backgrounds," according to one brief written by over 60 prominent businesses, including Apple, General Electric, Google and Johnson & Johnson.
"The result is a business community more aligned with the public, increased profits, and business success," it added.
Plus, to Tillery, many of the larger companies he consults for understand the importance of maintaining race-conscious programs, especially as members of Generation Z and future generations enter the workforce.
"And so while the Supreme Court, they live in a rarefied space where most of us don't live because we live in the real world, business leaders are going to need to figure out a way to make this work if they're going to source future talent and sell to future consumers," he says. "And that's just the reality of it."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-30T10:26:20+00:00 | iowapublicradio.org | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/news-from-npr/2023-06-30/with-affirmative-action-gutted-for-college-race-conscious-work-programs-may-be-next |
Naum Lantsman was sure his cryptocurrency investments were making money. Every time he'd log on to the trading platform he was using, it looked like he was reaping windfall profits. But Lantsman, in fact, was one of a growing number of people who've fallen victim to cryptocurrency scams.
"I heard, and I read, but somehow I thought that I am not going to be one of them," he said.
Lantsman, 74, turned to cryptocurrency investments after the pandemic upended his life. He runs a business selling equipment and supplies to restaurants in the Los Angeles area. But many of them shut their doors when lockdown orders went into effect.
"I lost a lot of clients because a lot of them, restaurant and bars, they closed," Lantsman said.
At the same time, his retirement savings, which he managed himself, took a hit as the pandemic gyrated stock markets.
One day he was scrolling on Instagram and stumbled upon a post from a company called SpireBit. Its website says it is an "international financial broker" based in London, and helps people invest in cryptocurrencies.
Lantsman decided to try it.
An online friend and a false sign of success
After Lantsman opened an account, a company representative who called himself Pavel reached out on the messaging app Telegram. He wrote in Russian, Lantsman's native language.
They began chatting regularly, swapping details about vacations and families and commiserating about their shared background in the former Soviet Union.
Lantsman had initially transferred $500 into his SpireBit account. It seemed promising: When he signed in to his account, it appeared as if that investment had nearly doubled in a matter of weeks.
Over several months, Pavel goaded him to invest more and more of his money. Eventually, Lantsman poured his entire life savings, totaling more than $340,000, into the SpireBit account.
"When he logged on to SpireBit, he saw a very compelling fake platform that looked like money was being deposited, and that money was growing," said his son, Daniel Lantsman.
But it wasn't growing at all. The charts on his SpireBit account depicting earnings growth were fake.
Lantsman discovered this when he attempted to withdraw money from his account. SpireBit sent over a document purporting to be from Barclays, the British bank. It said Lantsman must send SpireBit 2% of the amount he was requesting as a "security measure." (A representative for Barclays confirmed that the document was forged.)
By this point, Lantsman was entrapped by the scam. When his son and daughter found out, it was too late. The money was gone.
"Obviously there's like a shame component to this and coming to reality and grips with 'Hey, I lost 100% of my family's liquidity,'" said Lina O'Connor, Lantsman's daughter.
Lantsman's story closely resembles that of another man who spoke with NPR. Aleksey Madan, 68, who also was born in the former Soviet Union, recently sold a home in Indiana and became involved with SpireBit. He ended up losing all of the money he made from selling his house to the scam.
He invested $137,000, then tried to withdraw it. Like Lantsman, he received multiple forged banking documents fabricated to look like they were from institutions working with SpireBit. Each contained demands for more money.
"They were always promising me they're going to send me money back," Madan said. "But it's always after owing them some other amount."
SpireBit declined to be interviewed for this story or to answer questions about any individual case. Instead, it sent a statement saying cryptocurrencies are volatile and losing money is always possible when trading in crypto.
"We have received your inquiry regarding the loss of money by our clients. We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the activities of our company are regulated according to the legislation of the country in which the head office of the company is located," SpireBit said in a Telegram message, which also included language about the risks of investing in cryptocurrencies that appears to be lifted from another website.
Fake LinkedIn profiles and allegations of identity theft compound mystery of SpireBit
SpireBit pitches itself as something of a cryptocurrency investment trading platform for beginners. "Individual consultations, training in trading from scratch, trade and technical support are just a small part of the services we provide," according to its website.
But much about SpireBit is a sham, NPR found.
Its website claims SpireBit has partnered with established companies in the crypto industry: Coinbase, Cash App, Crypto.com, Trust Wallet and Coinme. When reached by NPR, all five of these companies said they had never done business with SpireBit.
A profile of SpireBit on the tech company directory Crunchbase lists the company's founder as Kansas-based Duloff Horns.
Horns' LinkedIn profile features a portrait of a Black businessman in a suit with crossed arms — an image that can be purchased from the stock photo site Shutterstock. (It's labeled as "Portrait smiling African American businessman in blue suit in office.") A public records search could not identify anyone with Horns' name in the U.S.
Similarly, the LinkedIn profile photo for SpireBit's supposed CEO, Sarah Swanson, was also traced back to Shutterstock. That image is named in the photo database as "Smiling senior businesswoman wearing glasses."
SpireBit's deception does not end there.
On its website, SpireBit claims its corporate parent company is SBT Investments Limited.
When NPR reached out to federal regulators in the U.K., authorities said SpireBit has no real connection to SBT Investments.
It appears as if SpireBit found an obscure British entity with similar letters and pretended as if it were its corporate owner.
Following NPR's inquiries, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a public alert declaring that SpireBit was an "unauthorised firm that uses the details of a genuine FCA-regulated firm when offering products and services."
The regulator added: "this makes the unauthorised firm appear as if it is regulated. We strongly suggest you do not deal with unauthorised firms."
In a separate warning on its website, the FCA described the individuals behind SpireBit as "fraudsters" who were using SBT Investments Ltd.'s details to "scam people." It cautioned that anyone who deals with SpireBit would not have access to U.K. complaints procedures, nor be safeguarded by British regulatory protections.
"This means it's unlikely you'd get your money back if the firm goes out of business," regulators wrote.
Records show the director of SBT Investments is a man named Sanjaykumar Patel. In an interview, he said he had never heard of SpireBit, but that British regulators had recently contacted him about fraudsters in the U.S. attempting to use his entity as a front.
"I know the FCA has now closed that," Patel said of the investigation into the identity fraud.
SpireBit's website lists a London address as its headquarters. But it turns out to be a slightly altered version of the address for Patel's actual office.
At the location on Kangley Bridge Road in southwest London, a neighbor and a local mail worker confirmed that the commercial unit houses a kitchenware business called Saladmaster, though they said the location was rarely visited. Patel runs Saladmaster, which is operated under SBT Investments.
When an NPR reporter attempted to open an account through SpireBit, a customer service representative reached out to say the minimum deposit is $350.
When the SpireBit employee was told he was talking to a reporter, and when the forged bank documents, fake LinkedIn photos, and accounts of defrauded victims were described, the representative suggested that perhaps NPR has been investigating another firm called SpireBit.
"Didn't you think you were working with fake SpireBit? Like, everyone can say, 'I'm SpireBit,'" the person said.
He said he was in London and usually deals with customers who speak Russian or Serbian. The chatter of other customer service calls could be heard in the background.
The leaders of SpireBit, its true location and just how many people have fallen for its deceptive promise of cryptocurrency wealth could not be determined.
Cryptocurrency makes scams easier to carry out
In some ways, cryptocurrency is the ideal vehicle for scammers.
Fans of crypto are attracted to its lack of government regulation. It enables traders to bypass government red tape. But its lack of formal oversight also makes it ripe for abuse.
Even though there has been a flurry of federal actions against crypto companies, especially since the spectacular collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, the crypto industry still operates in a legal gray area.
Unlike traditional banks, the federal government does not backstop crypto with insurance, making crypto investments especially risky.
On top of that, crypto transactions, which occur on an online ledger known as a blockchain, are pseudonymous and can be difficult to track down. Money often moves from one digital wallet to another, typically denoted by a string of numbers and letters, not a name, making figuring out who is behind a wallet a complicated process.
A 900% uptick in crypto scams since the pandemic began
Cryptocurrency scams have exploded since the pandemic. There has been a 900% increase in total money lost to crypto scams since 2020, according to the Federal Trade Commission's latest figures. And that is just the number of incidents reported to authorities.
"The issue is basically that people are seduced by the hype about huge profits on crypto trading and unfamiliar with the technology," said University of Pennsylvania professor Kevin Werbach, who studies the crypto industry.
Just last year, there were 50,000 reports of crypto scams, according to the FTC, with almost half of the victims saying they were lured into a scheme from an advertisement, post or message on a social media platform.
"Many of these transaction are irreversible, so you can't always call your crypto company and say, 'Hey, I made a mistake,' or it turns out that the person on the other end of this transaction was a scammer and have the transaction reversed," Katherine Aizpuru, with the FTC's division of financial practices, told NPR. "In many cases, the money is gone."
AARP: Be on the lookout for crypto scammers
Older people are especially vulnerable to crypto scams, said Amy Nofziger, the director of fraud victim support with AARP.
"Older adults do hold the majority of wealth in the United States so certainly criminals are going to go where the money is," she said.
AARP hears about someone losing money to a crypto scam nearly every hour, Nofziger said. "People are losing millions of dollars," she said.
She tells AARP's members never to invest in crypto after meeting someone online, and if a random text message is the first introduction to a person, do not give them any money.
"Those are huge red flags," she said. "I would never advise anyone to invest that way."
Daniel Lantsman: "There was a complete failure to protect my father"
One of the ways SpireBit's scheme worked, Daniel Lantsman said, was by preying on the loneliness of his father, who came to Los Angeles in the 1980s from what is now Ukraine. He is now semi-retired and spends his time online, watching basketball games and enjoying the company of his family.
"There are a lot of people out there like him, aging boomers who are at home, who might be a little lonely, who aren't as engaged and who didn't grow up in a time when technology was as available," Daniel Lantsman said.
He admits the family was hesitant to go public with their story. Nobody wants to attract attention for being duped out of their life savings. But they decided to come forward hoping to prevent others from being bamboozled after exhausting all the options to recoup their money.
Unbeknownst to the rest of the family, Naum Lantsman was for months quietly making countless online transactions thinking a big payday was just around the corner.
When he thought he was investing in cryptocurrency through SpireBit, he would wire money from his JPMorgan Chase bank account into an account on Crypto.com, a platform that can convert U.S. dollars into crypto currency.
From there, SpireBit scammers instructed Lantsman to send the money to various digital wallets controlled by SpireBit. At that point, the money was virtually untraceable and could not be accessed. Yet when he checked his SpireBit account, what looked like an investment matching his transfer automatically appeared on a chart.
Lantsman's bank, JPMorgan Chase, said that since he authorized the transfers, there was nothing it could do; Crypto.com said the same.
Lantsman said he first came across SpireBit on Instagram, though he cannot recall how exactly. His family reported SpireBit's account as a fraud to the social media platform. Company representatives never got back to him. Instagram has still not take any action against SpireBit's account.
Lantsman filed reports about the scam with his father's banks and the Los Angeles Police Department, but the family's hopes of getting to the bottom of SpireBit have been largely flattened. Figuring out who exactly is behind SpireBit and trying to recover the stolen money may be a lost cause, the family admits.
"There were so many opportunities for real, U.S.-based institutions to flag something," Daniel Lantsman said. "Never happened. There was a complete failure to protect my father."
Willem Marx contributed to this story from London.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-25T11:12:29+00:00 | delawarepublic.org | https://www.delawarepublic.org/npr-headlines/2023-06-25/he-lost-340-000-to-a-crypto-scam-such-cases-are-on-the-rise |
Konnech, a small Michigan company that makes election logistics software, says a "smear campaign" whipped up by the controversial group True the Vote has led to death threats and forced the company's CEO to leave home in fear for his and his family's lives. The company believes a driving force behind the threats is xenophobia; Konnech's CEO immigrated to the U.S. from China in the 1980s and became an American citizen in 1997.
In the past, the executive of a relatively unknown company might have chosen to ignore such claims to try to deprive them of attention.
But in the wake of the conspiracy-fueled Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and in the era of QAnon and Pizzagate — bizarre and baseless theories that have contributed to very real violence — that strategy may no longer be tenable. The experience of the election technology company Dominion Voting Systems, which became the target of widespread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, also underscored how wild claims could significantly damage a company's business.
Just a few weeks after accusations against the company first surfaced, Konnech turned to the federal courts and filed a lawsuit. Konnech was "not going to take any chances and felt very strongly that it needed to act and act quickly," said Jon Goldberg, a company spokesperson.
Konnech, which makes scheduling software for poll workers, joined a growing number of election officials and companies that have used defamation law to try to fight back against election-related conspiracies.
Dominion Voting Systems, as well as another election technology company, Smartmatic, have filed multiple lawsuits against media outlets and prominent Trump-world figures that spread allegedly defamatory claims about them in the 2020 election. Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss, the latter of whom testified in front of the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, have also filed lawsuits alleging that they were defamed by election conspiracy theories and subjected to "vitriol, threats, and harassment." A Pennsylvania postal service employee also took legal action, and alleged that he was falsely accused of manipulating vote-by-mail ballots in the 2020 election. Conspiracy theories about the 2020 election have continued to spread, but there's some indication that these lawsuits have pushed such claims farther from the mainstream of conservative media and toward the fringes, with some on the self-publishing digital newsletter platform Substack.
Konnech's lawsuit targets True the Vote, which has made a name for itself with dubious claims of widespread voter fraud, including the film "2,000 Mules," and has been increasingly linked to QAnon. Konnech claims in its lawsuit that True the Vote and its leaders, Catherine Engelbrecht and Gregg Phillips, have falsely accused Konnech of orchestrating "a red Chinese communist op run against the United States" and improperly accessed Konnech's data.
"I will state clearly and unequivocally: neither Eugene Yu nor Konnech are in any way associated with the Chinese Communist Party," said Goldberg.
In an unusual move, a federal judge agreed to issue a temporary restraining order against True the Vote, which requires the group to turn over "all property and data obtained from Konnech's protected computers," and blocks True the Vote from "using, disclosing, or exploiting the property and data downloaded from Konnech's protected computers."
Additionally, Goldberg, the company's spokesperson, told NPR that the company "has been and is working closely with law enforcement at multiple levels regarding True the Vote's claims."
The company also added an "election misinformation advisory" to its website to try to combat "false and malicious claims" from True the Vote.
True the Vote has denied any wrongdoing. "Everything we have ever said about any of this is true," said Engelbrecht in a livestream the day the lawsuit was filed. "The allegations made by Konnech are meritless. True the Vote looks forward to a public conversation about Konnech's attempts to silence examination of its activities through litigation."
A representative of True the Vote also provided NPR with a letter sent to Konnech's attorney, which claims that Konnech has made unspecified "inaccuracies and misrepresentations" to the court, and asserts that an unnamed "third party" first obtained Konnech's data — not True the Vote.
How the threat of legal action affected "2,000 Mules"
Engelbrecht and Phillips previously executive produced and provided the research for the widely debunked election conspiracy theory film, "2,000 Mules." And there's some indication that the threat of defamation lawsuits may have slowed the spread of claims from the film.
The right-wing provocateur Dinesh D'Souza, who directed "2,000 Mules," said that he decided not to include "ballot trafficking" allegations against specific, named organizations in the film due to legal concerns. Fox News has largely avoided covering the "2,000 Mules," which D'Souza suggested is related to Fox's fear of litigation.
Last month, the publisher of an upcoming book version of "2,000 Mules" also abruptly recalled copies from bookstores. NPR obtained the recalled version of the book, which, unlike the film, makes allegations against specific nonprofit groups, and accuses them of "organized crime."
After one of those groups said the book's contents were completely false and potentially "libelous," True the Vote distanced itself from the book.
Meanwhile, the group has pivoted away from the "2,000 Mules" and toward Konnech.
True the Vote weaves a spy novelesque story
At an event in August dubbed "The Pit," Engelbrecht and Phillips unveiled what they called the "Tiger Project," which focused on Konnech. In interviews with far-right podcasters, Phillips has spun a cloak-and-dagger story that he compared to a James Bond movie, in which he helped uncover a supposed Chinese plot to infiltrate American elections.
In Phillips' telling, he first heard about the company from "my guys" — unnamed "colleagues and friends" who invited him to their room in the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas one late night in January 2021.
"I get there and they're putting towels, rolled up towels, under the doors and you know, and all my guys are armed," Phillips said on the podcast "1819 News."
Phillips said his colleagues showed him personal information for 1.8 million American poll workers, including "name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, banking information," which supposedly was held on a server in China.
Konnech maintains that this claim is entirely false, and that all of its data on American customers is stored solely in the U.S.
After seeing this presentation, Phillips claims that he and Engelbrecht brought Konnech's data to the FBI, which he claims then worked with them for more than a year on a supposed "counterintelligence" operation looking into Konnech. At one point, Phillips said he had a "secret squirrels" meeting with the FBI in Milwaukee to share information. Eventually, however, the FBI "completely betrayed us," Phillips said, and told True the Vote that they were themselves under scrutiny from law enforcement.
True the Vote has not publicly provided evidence to support the claim of a "counterintelligence" operation along those lines, nor has NPR found any corroboration. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment.
True the Vote's appeal to QAnon
Konnech argues that this wild story is a work of fiction.
"Konnech is extremely confident in the multiple levels of security it employs to protect its customers' data," said Goldberg, who noted that Konnech does not even possess information on 1.8 million poll workers. The real number is under 250,000, the company says. But rather than ignore True the Vote's claims that they saw Konnech's secure data, Goldberg said, Konnech essentially decided to take True the Vote's claims at face value. In their lawsuit, Konnech alleges that True the Vote admitted to violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by accessing the company's data.
At least so far, the claims against Konnech have not received widespread attention in more established conservative media. This case still demonstrates how allegations can spread through fringe online networks.
Phillips has specifically encouraged followers of the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory — so-called "anons" — to research and post about Konnech.
"These people are the most amazing patriots that I've ever come in contact with," Phillips said of QAnon followers. Phillips also appeared on an online show hosted by QAnon influencers, where he reiterated his praise of the "anons." The left-leaning media watchdog group Media Matters documented additional ties between True the Vote and QAnon. In a sign of how QAnon has moved closer to the mainstream of the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly posted messages from the group's followers online, and featured a QAnon-linked song at a rally over the weekend.
A digital newsletter hosted by the online platform Substack has amplified the idea that Konnech represents "Chinese infiltration" of U.S. election systems. A spokesperson for Substack declined NPR's request for comment.
Former Trump adviser turned podcaster Steve Bannon further promoted that Substack newsletter about Konnech in a post on the social media network Gettr. A spokesperson for Bannon also declined to comment.
The misinformation about Konnech has helped feed online harassment and threats against Konnech's CEO and his family, Goldberg said.
"Might want to book flights back to Wuhan before we hang you until dead!" reads one email to the CEO cited in the company's lawsuit.
Another aspect of Konnech's decision to go to court, Goldberg said, involved the importance of maintaining faith in U.S. elections.
"They are facing a group that, through its own actions and by spreading falsehoods and misinformation, [is] essentially targeting the election process," said Goldberg.
That sentiment appeared to be echoed in the restraining order handed down in Konnech's defamation case.
Federal Judge Kenneth Hoyt wrote in his order that the evidence presented by Konnech showed that a restraining order "would in fact benefit the public's expectation of integrity in the U.S. election process."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-09-20T20:47:46+00:00 | wbfo.org | https://www.wbfo.org/2022-09-20/prominent-election-deniers-are-facing-growing-legal-trouble |
Firework smoke quickly dissipates as cold front moves through MN
MINNESOTA (GRAY) – A gloomy 4th of July might not have been ideal for cookouts and fireworks, but it helped make air quality a bit cleaner on Wednesday.
Typically fireworks create a lot of smoke, which can lead to poor air quality after the holiday. In fact, some of the worst air quality ever recorded in the state came from fireworks.
“The highest hourly observations for air quality that we actually have in Minnesota are from a result of fireworks and that was back in 2020,” said Matt Taraldsen with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
Whether or not the firework smoke sticks around, though is up to the weather. Fortunately, according to the Taraldsen, this year’s weather was perfect for carrying the smoke out of the state.
“This year we had a cold front that was coming through the state about the same time a lot of the fireworks are going up,” Taraldsen said.
According to Northern News Now’s Chief Meteorologist, Adam Lorch, cold fronts help carry air, and in this case, smoke, as they move along. Air can stagnate without the right atmospheric conditions, which leads to smoke closer to the ground.
“We can get basically inversions in the atmosphere which stop mixing in the upper atmosphere with that fresh air. That smoke ends up staying closer to the surface and causing air quality issues,” said Lorch.
Lorch says the rain experienced across much of the state also helped clear things up.
“It was able to actually bring in some fresh air and some much-needed rain into our region. The rain also helps kind of cleanse the atmosphere a little bit as well,” he said.
The phenomenon is the same one that has carried smoke from Canadian wildfires into parts of the state several times this summer.
“We’ve seen that a lot this summer, where we have smoke way up in the atmosphere, and the cold front comes through and pushes it down,” said Taraldsen.
Copyright 2023 KTTC. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-05T23:54:40+00:00 | kttc.com | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/05/firework-smoke-quickly-dissipates-cold-front-moves-through-mn/ |
LIVE: Nurses protest Tennessee sentence for deadly medical mistake
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Hundreds of health care workers gathered outside a Nashville courthouse on Friday to protest the sentencing of a former Tennessee nurse facing up to eight years in prison for mistakenly causing the death of a patient.
RaDonda Vaught was found guilty in March of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect of an impaired adult after she accidentally administered the wrong medication.
The maximum sentence is unlikely given her lack of prior offenses. A presentencing report rated her risk of reoffending as “low.” Vaught faces three to six years in prison on the gross neglect conviction and one to two years on the criminally negligent homicide conviction, so at minimum, the judge could give her a three-year suspended sentence.
The fact that she faces any criminal penalties at all has become a rallying point for many nurses who were already fed up with poor working conditions exacerbated by the pandemic.
Some have left bedside nursing for administrative positions, while others quit the profession altogether, saying the risk of going to prison for a mistake has made nursing intolerable. Wearing purple T-shirts reading “#IAmRaDonda” and “”Seeking Justice for Nurses and Patients in a BROKEN system,” they listened to speeches from other nurses and supporters.
Aleece Ellison traveled from Texas to join them. An emergency room nurse for 14 years, she said she broke down crying when Vaught was found guilty.
“Never in my 14 years have I felt so helpless,” she said. “This could be me.”
Ellison said Friday’s outcome could determine whether she stays in nursing. She said she came to Nashville to “let the world know that criminalizing a mistake, an honest mistake, is not a direction we want to go in.”
Janie Reed, who drove over from Memphis, said she became a nurse practitioner several years ago because “bedside was getting dangerous. ... There were never enough nurses.”
“I usually don’t do things like this,” she said of the protest. “I’m just so passionate about it. Nurses are going to go to jail and more people are going to die because they won’t report their errors.” Vaught reported her error as soon as she realized what she had done wrong.
The sentencing comes a day after International Nurses Day, and Jason Anderson, of Orlando, was among the nurses coming to Nashville straight from a march for better working conditions in Washington D.C. on Thursday.
Conditions for nurses have been deteriorating for years, “but it was COVID that opened our eyes,” he said.
Vaught, 38, injected the paralyzing drug vecuronium instead of the sedative Versed into 75-year-old Charlene Murphey on Dec. 26, 2017. Vaught admitted making several errors that led to the fatal injection, but her defense attorney argued that systemic problems at Vanderbilt University Medical Center were at least partly to blame.
The state’s expert witness argued at trial that Vaught violated the standard of care expected of nurses. In addition to grabbing the wrong medicine, she failed to read the name of the drug, did not notice a red warning on the top of the medication, and did not stay with the patient to check for an adverse reaction, nurse legal consultant Donna Jones said.
Leanna Craft, a nurse educator at the neurological intensive care unit where Vaught worked, testified that it was common for nurses at that time to override the system in order to get drugs. The hospital had recently updated an electronic records system, which led to delays in retrieving medications. There was also no scanner in the imaging area for Vaught to scan the medication against the patient’s ID bracelet.
The jury found Vaught not guilty of reckless homicide. Criminally negligent homicide was a lesser offense included under the original charge.
___
Contributors include Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattisse in Nashville.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-13T15:02:42+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/2022/05/13/live-nurses-protest-tennessee-sentence-deadly-medical-mistake/ |
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HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — When Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs took the field for the first two series of the Hall of Fame Game in August, questions arose about whether he was going to be a part of first-year coach Josh McDaniels’ offensive structure.
“I definitely sat there when they told me that I was playing, I was just like, ‘Damn OK, well ... I’m about to go put on a show now,‘” Jacobs said Wednesday. “I might as well go in and get my couple reps and whatever I do with it, kind of just stamp it.”
After all, Jacobs’ fifth-year option wasn't picked up, and he was coming off a season that was littered with injuries to his toe, ankle and chest.
Plus, with Davante Adams arriving in the offseason, there were also questions about how relevant the running game might be with the Raiders.
Fast forward to last Sunday, when the Raiders earned their first win of the season, it’s quite clear Jacobs and the running game are every bit a part of McDaniels' scheme.
Jacobs ran for a career-high 144 yards and two touchdowns in Las Vegas’ 32-23 victory over AFC West-rival Denver.
“I always have the best seat,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “Sometimes he makes some cuts and I’m like, ‘I don’t know how you saw that one.'”
Carr said watching Jacobs scat as he does, making defenders miss, and creating things just when a play seems dead, generally breathes life into the offensive unit, providing a spark at the right time.
Jacobs' 28 rushing attempts against the Broncos tied for the second-most in his career. And though he admitted he got tired at times, he was prepared to carry the workload no matter how big.
“I’ve been around some guys that run two or three carries and then give you one of these (taps helmet) and come out for a play or two,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said. “J.J. just doesn’t have that; he wants to stay out there. It’s almost like he gets better as the drive goes.”
Jacobs said working on his body during the offseason and switching up his diet allowed him to establish lean muscle mass while recuperating his body and preparing for the rigors of a 17-game season.
When the team announced the fifth-year option that would have cost roughly $8 million wasn’t being picked up, he used it as motivation to prove what he is capable of on the field.
“I wasn’t really too much worried about (it),” Jacobs said. “In any offense the run game, really, it’s the heartbeat of the offense. It gets everything else going. I know the things that I do, I know the value that I bring, and I just try to show that to the guys each and every day. And I feel like if I do that, then everything else will take care of itself.”
Jacobs heads into Week 5 ranked fifth in the league with 336 yards rushing and 84.0 yards per game. His 70 rushing attempts rank seventh highest in the league, and his teammates are well aware he can shoulder the burden in any given game, including Monday's showdown in Kansas City against the first-place Chiefs.
“If you’re a team that wants to be balanced, and to establish how tough you are as a team, you got to be able to run the ball well and you got to be able to stop the run,” Adams said. “And that’s two big parts, ingredients to be able to beat teams like the Chiefs or the Broncos for that matter. So, that’s what we need out of Josh. If given the proper opportunities, you got to go out there and maximize them. He definitely did that, so I’m proud of the way he played.”
Jacobs also knows he’s helping Las Vegas' pass attack when opponents collapse to focus on the rushing game.
“Obviously, we got a lot of weapons on the outside,” Jacobs said. “The defense can scheme and drop back into coverage and take that away, and when they do, we got to be able to run it right at them and leave our mark. And when they bring the safety down and now they’re open. It’s complimentary football, that’s what we try to do game in and game out.”
NOTES: Carr’s leading target last season, wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, shed his non-contact jersey Thursday and was a full participant for the first time since suffering a concussion in the Raiders’ 29-23 overtime loss to the Cardinals on Sept. 18. ... TE Foster Moreau (knee) and S Roderic Teamer (illness) did not participate in practice on Thursday. Waller, LB Jayon Brown, OT Justin Herron (knee), LB Denzel Perryman (concussion), CB Sam Webb (hamstring) and CB Rock Ya-Sin (knee) were limited.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2022-10-07T03:40:19+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/sports/article/Josh-Jacobs-proving-his-worth-to-Raiders-with-17492858.php |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Havana, Cuba, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, panicked Sunday as smoke filled the cabin mid-flight.
Officials said Southwest Airlines flight 3923 was taking off from José Martí International Airport when the plane experienced multiple bird strikes to an engine and the aircraft’s nose.
Images from inside the plane showed the engine catching fire before the cabin filled with smoke.
“Please stay seated. Please stay seated,” the aircraft’s pilot can be heard saying over the plane’s loudspeaker.
An airline spokesperson said the plane safely returned to Havana where passengers were evacuated via emergency slides.
“It was a big explosion and the plane just shook and then it dropped,” one passenger told NBC News. “It was very terrifying because a lot of kids and a lot of women. Chaos. Complete chaos.”
According to Cuban officials, the passengers are in good condition. The airline said customers and crew were accommodated on another flight to Fort Lauderdale.
An investigation is underway. | 2023-03-06T20:02:08+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/complete-chaos-southwest-flight-fills-with-smoke-en-route-to-florida/ |
- Driver Alex Bowman will race in the paint scheme featuring Milestone Super Hero Static on July 10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Unique design and Ally's "Heroically" theme also integrated into fire suit and helmet
DETROIT and BURBANK, Calif., June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally Financial, Milestone Media, DC, and Warner Bros. Discovery today unveiled a new paint scheme for the Ally-sponsored No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE of Hendrick Motorsports, in support of their joint program, The Milestone Initiative. Driver Alex Bowman will race in the electrifying paint scheme for the Quaker State 400 on July 10 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In addition, Bowman will wear a custom fire suit and hand painted Milestone helmet.
Announced in 2021, The Milestone Initiative is collaborative program between Ally, DC, Milestone Media and Warner Bros. Discovery to mentor and train the next generation of comic book storytellers from Black and diverse backgrounds, both professionally and financially. Founded in 1991, Milestone Media is the first Black owned comic book and media company, famous for creating Super Heroes Static, Icon & Rocket, Hardware, and Blood Syndicate. DC is the publishing partner for Milestone comic books; the company initially published titles under the Milestone imprint from 1993 to 1997, then renewing the relationship in recent years and publishing new, updated versions of their core Milestone Super Heroes.
Designed in collaboration with DC's creative services team, the car features Milestone Super Hero Static to drive awareness and interest for The Milestone Initiative among NASCAR fans. As Milestone's electricity-wielding Super Hero, the designers leaned into incorporating Static's electrical effects into the overall design, with the electricity emanating from the character's hands on the hood integrated into not only the paint scheme, but the fire suit and helmet as well. The Milestone Initiative, sponsored by Ally, is a continuation of the mission of Milestone's founders, ensuring a talent pool of diverse creators who can impact our culture in incredible ways through storytelling.
"Ally believes representation matters which is why we teamed up with Milestone Media, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery to share the stories and history of Milestone Comics with a new generation," said Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally. "We're committed to being a catalyst for change and celebrating diversity in everything we do. Our hope is that this incredible paint scheme, featuring an iconic Black Super Hero, will help make the sport we love a more inclusive space for all."
"From its earliest days, Milestone has always been about mentorship, storytelling and shifting the paradigm when it comes to comic books and entertainment through our characters," said Milestone Media partner and award-winning producer Reggie Hudlin. "To have both The Milestone Initiative and our most popular Super Hero represented on the NASCAR stage is an incredible opportunity to share our vision and expose our mission to a new and evolving audience."
"Working with Ally and Milestone Media on The Milestone Initiative has been an incredible experience," said Anne De Pies, DC SVP and General Manager. "DC and Milestone are passionate about inclusive storytelling that speaks to everyone and being able to share that message on the #48 car with NASCAR fans in addition to our core comic book fans is a great opportunity."
"Ally does a really good job of bringing the NASCAR community together and having Static on the car is another way Ally is doing it right," said Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. "I think it is really neat to have a superhero on the No. 48 Ally Chevy at Atlanta and to be able to help with Ally's goal of making NASCAR more inclusive is a unique opportunity that I am proud to be a part of."
For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com. For more information on The Milestone Initiative, visit the website at www.dcuniverse.com/milestone. For the latest news on all of DC's Super Heroes, visit the main site at www.dccomics.com, and follow @DCComics and @thedcnation on social media. The DC UNIVERSE INFINITE digital subscription service offers a combination of classic Milestone titles from the early 90's, as well as some of the current comics available in comic book stores. DC UNIVERSE INFINITE is not intended for children and is not available in all countries. For more information and a free trial (where applicable), check out www.dcuniverseinfinite.com.
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a digital financial services company committed to its promise to "Do It Right" for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers. Ally is composed of an industry-leading independent auto finance and insurance operation, an award-winning digital direct bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender, which offers mortgage lending, point-of-sale personal lending, and a variety of deposit and other banking products), a consumer credit card business, a corporate finance business for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. Our brand conviction is that we are all better off with an ally, and our focus is on helping our customers achieve their strongest financial well-being, a notion personalized to what is important to them. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.
For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.
About Milestone Media
Milestone Media produces film, television, publishing, and other forms of entertainment spotlighting diverse storytelling by creative voices. Fan-favorite characters from the Milestone universe include Static and the Static Shock animated series, Icon, Rocket, Hardware, Blood Syndicate and more. Milestone Media was co-founded in 1993 by celebrated writer Dwayne McDuffie and award-winning artist Denys Cowan, along with Black Enterprise magazine SVP and Editor-In-Chief Derek Dingle, and artist/educator Michael Davis. In 2015, award-winning writer, director and producer Reginald Hudlin joined Milestone co-founders Denys Cowan and Derek Dingle as a partner, helping to drive forward the company's multimedia initiatives spotlighting Milestone characters.
About DC
DC is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics and graphic novels in the world and home to some of the most iconic and recognizable characters ever created. As a creative division, DC is charged with strategically integrating its stories and characters across film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, interactive games, and the DC UNIVERSE INFINITE digital subscription service and community engagement portal. For more information visit dccomics.com and dcuniverseinfinite.com.
About Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world's most differentiated and complete portfolio of content and brands across television, film and streaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products including: Discovery Channel, discovery+, CNN, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HBO Max, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com.
Contacts:
Cristi Vazquez for Ally:
cristianna.vazquez@ally.com
Michael Shelling for DC:
michael.shelling@dcentertainment.com
Kirsten McKenna for Warner Bros. Discovery:
kirsten.mckenna@warnermedia.com
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SOURCE Ally Financial | 2022-06-29T20:12:28+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/ally-dc-milestone-media-warner-bros-discovery-reveal-nascar-paint-scheme-inspired-by-milestone-initiative/ |
Securitization is backed by $390 million of loans originated on GoodLeap's platform
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GoodLeap, LLC, America's leading digital marketplace for sustainable home solutions, today announced the closing of GoodLeap Sustainable Home Solutions Trust 2022-4, the 15th securitization of loans originated by GoodLeap. Lime Residential, Ltd. (a Credit Suisse affiliate) sponsored the transaction and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as joint bookrunners. The transaction is backed by $390 million of solar and sustainable home efficiency loans originated on the GoodLeap platform. The securitization received ratings from S&P Global Ratings and Kroll Bond Rating Agency.
GoodLeap's proprietary technology platform supports more than 40,000 sustainable home improvement sales professionals at the point-of-sale, creating an efficient option for financial institutions to deploy their capital in high-performing ESG assets. Since 2018, GoodLeap has transacted more than $19 billion in loans on its platform.
GoodLeap is America's leading marketplace for sustainable solutions, delivering a digital-first experience that is simple, fast, and frictionless. GoodLeap's proprietary point-of-sale technology supports more than 40,000 sales professionals, creating an efficient option for financial institutions to deploy their capital in high-performing ESG assets. GoodLeap has mobilized over $19 billion financing for sustainable upgrades since 2018, empowering countless consumers to live a more sustainable lifestyle. GoodLeap is a proud partner of GivePower, an international nonprofit organization committed to deploying solar-powered clean water and clean energy systems to communities in need around the world. To learn more about GoodLeap, visit, follow and connect with us at goodleap.com.
Contact: press@goodleap.com
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SOURCE GoodLeap | 2022-12-09T20:23:44+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/12/09/goodleap-announces-15th-securitization-its-sustainable-home-improvement-solar-loans/ |
JACKSON, Miss. – At 90, Myrlie Evers-Williams still speaks in a clear, strong voice as she says she terribly misses her first love, civil rights icon Medgar Evers, as she reflects on his work to push the U.S. toward a promise of equality and justice for all.
It's been 60 years since a white supremacist hid in the darkness of night and assassinated Evers outside the family's Jackson home, shooting the Mississippi NAACP leader hours after then-President John F. Kennedy gave a televised speech advocating civil rights legislation.
Evers-Williams and the couple's three young children were in the house. After hearing the crack of a rifle, she rushed to her mortally wounded husband, who lay bleeding in the carport.
“Medgar is so very much a part of me, and he’s here,” Evers-Williams told about 200 people who gathered on a hot and humid morning last week for the ceremonial opening of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, a unit of the National Park Service.
The monument is in a subdivision where people still raise families in modest two- and three-bedroom homes. The Evers home is open for tours by appointment, but anybody can stop by a new visitors' space nearby, which has a herb and vegetable garden.
Evers was a World War II veteran who fought in Europe and then faced the hostile realities of a deeply segregated society after returning home to Mississippi. As the first field secretary of the Mississippi NAACP beginning in 1954, he led voter registration drives and boycotts to push for racial equality. He also investigated lynchings, beatings and other violence that Black residents suffered at the hands of white segregationists. His wife worked alongside him as his secretary.
“When my husband was shot at the doorstep of our home — June 12, 1963 — I thought my life was over,” Evers-Williams said. “And I realized it was just beginning because there were three children — Medgar’s children, my children — who were looking up to me.”
Mississippi's white power structure in the early 1960s prevented most Black people from registering to vote, and most public schools remained segregated until 1970.
Evers-Williams said her home state needed to overcome division and “show the rest of this nation that Mississippi was not at the bottom of the heap, but that we could rise to be what we should be.” She and the children moved to California in 1964, and she raised them there.
In 1976, she married Walter Williams, a longshoreman and union activist.
“God was very good and sent another man in my life — a man who loved and appreciated Medgar,” she said.
White supremacist Byron De La Beckwith stood trial twice in the 1960s in the killing of Evers, but all-white juries deadlocked. Prosecutors reopened the case in the early 1990s after new witnesses came forward. In 1994, an integrated jury convicted Beckwith of murder and sentenced him to life in prison, where he died in 2001.
Evers-Williams said Evers never wanted to give up on Mississippi, even when he knew he was in danger. He “gave his life so it could be better for all of us,” she said.
During last week's ceremony at the Evers home, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said the family's work is honorable.
“I want you to recognize the humanity here," Lumumba told the crowd. "The humanity of a family that has given it all. The humanity of a family that did not allow a coward’s bullet to stop them.”
Evers-Williams has been a civil rights activist in her own right. She served as national chairperson of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998, winning the position shortly after Williams died of cancer.
The airport and the main post office in Jackson have both been named for Evers for many years, and a statue of him stands at a busy intersection.
About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black — the largest percentage of any U.S. state. In the six decades since Evers was murdered and the federal government enacted voting rights legislation, Black voter registration in Mississippi has increased dramatically. Black people have won hundreds of local offices and dozens of Mississippi legislative seats but no statewide offices. Among the state's four U.S. House members, one is Black.
In the past week, several events have been held in and around Jackson to commemorate the Evers family legacy. Young people attended seminars about human rights activism. A Voices of Courage and Justice gala honored people committed to social change.
At a “More Than a Widow” brunch for Evers-Williams, a gospel choir sang: “What do you do when you’ve done all you can? ... God has a purpose. Yes, God has a plan.”
Evers-Williams' daughter Reena Evers-Everette accompanied her to the events. She said it's important for people to learn about the Civil Rights Movement, even as politicians try to restrict how history is taught.
“We are trying to ... make sure our history is never erased,” Evers-Everette said.
She said the commemorative events are likely to be her mother’s final big public appearances. After moving from California to Oregon and back to Mississippi, Evers-Williams is living in California again.
Evers-Williams, who spoke at the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in 2017, said last week that she is proud of her native state — something she could not always say.
“I haven’t said it’s perfect or even near perfect,” she said. "But it’s changed so much since my birth, and I hope it continues to do so in a very positive way.”
She chuckled as she mentioned being 90, and then said she remains committed to trying to eliminate racism and prejudice: “I hope I will be able to do so until I take my last breath." | 2023-06-12T12:05:56+00:00 | wsls.com | https://www.wsls.com/news/national/2023/06/12/60-years-after-medgar-evers-murder-his-widow-continues-a-civil-rights-legacy/ |
Editor’s note: October marks the start of “Paranormal PA,” a PennLive series that delves into Pennsylvania-grown stories of spirits (like the ghost of a murdered girl whose cries can be heard in one of Penn State’s library); cryptids (Bigfoot); oddities and legends; and the unexplained.
Watch for more Paranormal PA stories in the coming days and weeks, and sign up here to get our Paranormal PA newsletter delivered to your inbox.
You can listen to the latest episode of “Today in Pa” at this link, or on any of your favorite apps including Alexa, Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate “Today in Pa.” as you see fit!
“Today in Pa.” Daily Podcast | October 5, 2022
A judge has ruled that Pittsburgh is free to remove a statue of Christopher Columbus that has been standing, wrapped in plastic, in Schenley Park for the past two years. State universities continue to see a decline in enrollment. A Beaver County animal sanctuary is hosting “Goatoberfest” this weekend. And Pennsylvania has a favorite breakfast chain, believe it or not.
Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of “Today in Pa.,” a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. “Today in Pa.” is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, what’s happening today in Pa.
Today’s episode refers to the following articles:
- Judge rules Pittsburgh free to remove Christopher Columbus statue from Schenley Park
- Overall enrollment decline in Pa.’s state universities rivals last year’s drop, but the number of freshmen is up
- Get ready for ‘Goatoberfest’ to benefit Kindred Spirits Rescue Ranch
- Pennsylvania’s favorite breakfast chain is this: study
If you enjoy “Today in Pa.,” consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, we’d like to know what you think about the program, too. | 2022-10-05T10:27:45+00:00 | pennlive.com | https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/10/pa-city-free-to-remove-christopher-columbus-statue-from-park-rules-judge-today-in-pa.html |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fortegra Group, Inc. ("Fortegra" or the "Company"), a global specialty insurer and subsidiary of Tiptree Inc. (NASDAQ: TIPT), today announced the appointments of Abigail (Abbie) Taylor as Chief Operating Officer and Joe Lettween as Chief Innovation, Data Science, and Technology Officer. Their hirings add to a breadth of expertise and experience amongst Fortegra's senior leadership across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe.
"We are thrilled to welcome Abbie Taylor and Joe Lettween to Fortegra. Their roles are instrumental in our continued strategic and organic growth," said Rick Kahlbaugh, Fortegra's CEO. "Both Abbie and Joe are deeply committed to driving operational excellence and innovation, which are key components in delivering value to our stakeholders."
As COO, Abbie will oversee Fortegra's daily operations and will spearhead strategic growth initiatives. She brings nearly 20 years of experience in various global management and strategy roles. Prior to joining Fortegra, she served as Head of Client Operations for the Strategic Accounts at Asurion, where she crafted portfolio strategy and drove digital, supply chain and customer service improvements.
As Chief Innovation, Data Science, and Technology Officer, Joe Lettween will lead Fortegra's efforts to scale both efficiently and securely through technology. His expertise in machine learning and artificial intelligence strategies, data products, and process automation will be imperative to Fortegra's continued success. Previously, Joe was the Principal and Head of Data & Analytics at Osso Capital.
About Fortegra
For more than 45 years, Fortegra and its subsidiaries have underwritten risk management solutions that help people and businesses succeed in the face of uncertainty. As a global specialty insurer, we offer a diverse set of admitted and surplus insurance products and warranty solutions. Fortegra's A.M. Best Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) is a result of our strict underwriting standards, consistent profitability, and high cash flows. For more information, visit: https://www.fortegra.com.
Contact:
media@fortegra.com
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SOURCE Fortegra | 2023-05-23T16:22:24+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/23/fortegra-names-abbie-taylor-joe-lettween-executive-leadership-roles/ |
Industry-First Partnership Gives Customers Convenience and More Ways to Earn TrueBlue Points
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., March 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Luggage Company, parent company of Briggs & Riley and Solo, announces an industry-first partnership with JetBlue Travel Products, a subsidiary of JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU). The launch marks US Luggage's first foray into airline partnership, furthering the reach of US Luggage's brands. Customers can now purchase travel bags from Briggs & Riley and Solo on Paisly.com, JetBlue Travel Products' homegrown travel booking website, and earn Mosaic-qualifying TrueBlue points along the way. By purchasing a travel bag on Paisly.com, customers will also have access to a 24/7 dedicated phone line to Paisly's helpful humans, should they want to repair or replace their travel bag, plus free shipping and returns on all purchases.
"JetBlue has always been about taking great care and respecting their customer and that aligns so well with United States Luggage and our two brands," said Richard Krulik, CEO, United States Luggage Company. "We're excited to be partnering with JetBlue to help their travelers be very well-prepared for their travels as well as enjoy their trip by being equipped with the right travel gear."
Paisly allows Customers with or without a flight itinerary to book cars, stays and activities, all while earning TrueBlue points, and now, they will also be able to purchase and earn points on a variety of best-selling products curated from United States Luggage Company's two world-class brands, Briggs & Riley and Solo:
Briggs & Riley
- Briggs & Riley is the iconic American travelware brand, focused on always enhancing the travel experience through continuous innovation, exceptional performance and timeless considered design.
- Available on Paisly.com, customers will be able to purchase luggage and travel accessories that seamlessly work together to make packing easier, including packing cubes, toiletry kits and more.
- The brand offers the best guarantee in the luggage industry, which repairs all functional aspects of every bag made, it's a reflection of the brand's dedication to life well-lived. Along with giving you peace of mind while making your travels a bit easier, the brand's guarantee also symbolizes sustainability. After all, if your luggage is going to be with you for a lifetime, it will never wind up at the bottom of a landfill.
Solo
- Solo's travel bags are stylish, versatile and are crafted with conscious, considered materials to deliver the meaningful choice wherever your journey takes you.
- On Paisly.com, customers will be able to purchase travel bags ranging from suitcases, backpacks, totes, duffels and hybrid bags from the brand's eco-friendly Re:cycled Collection.
- The groundbreaking Re:cycled collection, comes with their 'unstoppable' five-year warranty, FSC Certified sustainable packaging, and bags sold from this collection directly helps reforest U.S. National Forest through the brand's partnership with the National Forest Foundation. The brand's mission is to recycle 40,000,000 plastic bottles from landfills by 2024.
"Giving customers the option to purchase luggage and bags on Paisly.com gives them a one-stop-shop solution to all their travel needs, and offers customers even more ways to earn TrueBlue points," said Andres Barry, President, JetBlue Travel Products. "U.S. Luggage Company's commitment to making travel more seamless and sustainable is in perfect harmony with JetBlue's brand, and we're thrilled to join forces to continue to deliver exceptional customer experiences across all segments of our customers' journey."
TrueBlue members will earn one (1) point per dollar spent on travel bags purchased on Paisly. Customers will need to enter their TrueBlue number at the time of checkout to receive points for their purchase. A valid TrueBlue number must be entered at checkout and must match the last name of the shipping address recipient to receive points.
To learn more about Paisly, please visit paisly.com.
About Briggs & Riley
Born of a legacy spanning a century, two continents and three generations, Briggs & Riley is the iconic American travelware brand that is dedicated to enabling a life well-lived enriched by travel, full of discovery and meaningful experiences. Owned by US Luggage, LLC, Briggs & Riley is committed to delivering extraordinary performance and enduring quality. Inspired to lead the way, from introducing the world's first wheeled travelcase to the best lifetime guarantee in the world, Briggs & Riley's travelware is thoughtfully designed with smart solutions and meaningful consistency, made to last for life. For more information, please visit www.briggs-riley.com
About Solo
Our founder's family came to New York with a dream and a craft. A century later, we remain dedicated to our founding belief in the transformative power of the journey and how we tread gently on this earth. For us, design should always be purposeful in its form and function, the materials we choose, and the collective actions we take. Solo bags and accessories can be found in thousands of major retail locations nationwide, as well as online at Amazon and Solo-NY.com
About JetBlue Travel Products
JetBlue Travel Products is a wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue Airways Corporation, which consists of the JetBlue Vacations brand (offering flight + hotel and flight + cruise packages) and other non-air travel products including Paisly, JetBlue's homegrown travel website that gives travelers access to exclusive savings and points on cars, stays and activities. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a fully dedicated team of more than 300 crewmembers, JetBlue Travel Products builds on the JetBlue brand and brings to market innovative, quality products for customers, while infusing humanity into every step of the travel experience. For more information, visit jetbluevacations.com or paisly.com.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 cities throughout the United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada, and United Kingdom. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com.
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SOURCE Briggs & Riley | 2023-03-29T15:12:18+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/03/29/luggage-companies-briggs-amp-riley-solo-team-up-with-jetblue-travel-products-launch-first-retail-offering-paisly/ |
Coodys' path paved across decades
12 Min Read
As Pierceson and Parker Coody begin their pro careers, the insight and experience of their Masters-winning grandfather proves invaluable
ARLINGTON, Texas – An elderly man takes his place along the gallery ropes on a serene Sunday in suburban Dallas, angling for the best vantage point to observe his grandson line up a 12-foot par putt on the eighth hole at Texas Rangers Golf Club. He uses a persimmon 4-wood as a cane to maintain his balance. Better than collecting dust in the garage, he quips.
The grandson, Parker Coody, has fallen far off the lead in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Bank Championship, but his grandfather senses the tension. Every stroke still carries great importance because each one could determine how many starts he gets for the remainder of the season. That’s life as a conditional member on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Parker drains the par putt, a timely save after a tee shot into thick brush left of the fairway. Grandpa nods and smiles, then pulls out his phone to check the leaderboard. He cannot be in two places at once but technology allows him to track his other grandson competing this week, Parker’s twin brother Pierceson. Grandpa was there when Pierceson made five consecutive birdies earlier in the day and now he’s rooting from afar for one more.
“No. 18 is gettable,” observes the boys’ grandfather. “He could use one there.”
If anyone’s grandfather can relate to the pressure of a Sunday afternoon, it’s theirs.
Charles Coody relishes sharing the golf journey with grandsons Pierceson and Parker
Their grandfather is Charles Coody, the former Masters champion and veteran of a combined 1,110 starts across the PGA TOUR (629) and PGA TOUR Champions (481). Only six players have made more. Charles beat two of the game’s greats, Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller, to win the 1971 Masters. The pair of World Golf Hall of Famers tied for second, two strokes back of Charles. It was one of the great upsets in Masters history. “Cool Charles Coody Wins Masters” declared one headline. It was the last of his three PGA TOUR wins and came just two years after he lost a one-stroke lead with three holes remaining in the Masters. Charles also served on the PGA TOUR Policy Board and worked closely with multiple commissioners to shape the future of the TOUR.
Pierceson and Parker are now following in the family trade. They’re both on the Korn Ferry Tour in their first full season as pros. Both played for the University of Texas, leading the Longhorns to the 2022 NCAA title. Pierceson was the No. 1 player in PGA TOUR University last year, while Parker ranked 13th. They both parlayed the status they earned to win shortly after turning pro. Pierceson won on the Korn Ferry Tour in his third start, while Parker needed just six starts to win on PGA TOUR Canada. Pierceson added another Korn Ferry Tour victory this year and ranks sixth on the circuit’s points list; the top 30 at season’s end will earn PGA TOUR cards.
This week, the Coody grandchildren will compete at the TOUR’s AT&T Byron Nelson outside Dallas, just 15 miles from their hometown of Plano. Charles will be there.
The course may have changed, and decades may have passed, but there’s a certain family history at the AT&T Byron Nelson. It’s where Charles won his first TOUR title in 1964, in what was then known as the Dallas Open Invitational. He outlasted Jerry Edwards by a shot. Others in the top 20 included Billy Casper, Raymond Floyd, Gay Brewer, Don January and Chi Chi Rodriguez.
The game has changed plenty since Charles’ heyday. Though his grandsons undoubtedly aspire to join him as major champions, there is no comparing their games to his.
“They’re a lot better players at a corresponding age than I ever thought about being,” Charles said.
“I’ve never tried to compare myself to them, and I hope they don’t compare themselves to me, because what I did and what they can possibly achieve are two different things.”
“We’ll see how it turns out."
1970 Masters champion Billy Casper (L) presents Charles Coody with the green jacket at the 1971 Masters. (Augusta National/Getty Images)
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Charles earned his way onto the TOUR through Monday qualifiers, the proverbial “rabbit” before the creation of the all-exempt TOUR. Making the cut meant the chance to compete in the next event. Otherwise, it was back to the uncertainty of a Monday qualifier. The path has changed but the ethos remains the same. Shoot the scores to earn your spot.
Today, Pierceson and Parker are navigating the Korn Ferry Tour in their pursuit of a PGA TOUR card.
Pierceson has a head start; he began the season with full status after winning last year’s Live & Work in Maine Open. Charles was in church while Pierceson was making five birdies and an eagle to shoot a front-nine 28. He followed live scoring for every hole of the back nine, culminating in a FaceTime call afterward.
“You worried me a little bit with those two bogeys there on 10 and 11,” Charles said in the call.
“I didn’t hit every fairway. I know you would’ve,” quipped Pierceson, who greeted his grandpa as ‘Pro’ to begin the call.
Pierceson fell just short of a TOUR card last summer, a left-hand injury forcing him to withdraw from the Korn Ferry Tour’s season finale and requiring surgery to remove a bone. But he caught fire in a final-round 66 at The Panama Championship in February, storming from outside the top 20 and ultimately defeating Sam Saunders, the grandson of another Masters champion, in a playoff. Saunders’ grandfather, Arnold Palmer, won four green jackets, the final one coming seven years before Charles’ victory.
After finishing 107th at last year’s Q-School, Parker is living the life of a modern-day “rabbit.” His conditional status means he must chase starts via Monday qualifiers and sponsor exemptions. In late February, he shot 63 to qualify for the Astara Chile Classic. It was 18 strokes lower than the score he shot a day earlier in the qualifier for the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open. The learning curve, epitomized.
Parker also Monday qualified for The Honda Classic on the PGA TOUR, shooting 74-76 to miss the cut. It was the first of five PGA TOUR events Pierceson has played this year, as well. He was one off the lead after a first-round 66 but failed to break par in any of the final three rounds and finished T63. He also contended at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard; his third-round 66 matched the low round of the day and moved him into the top 10. He fell to 14th after a final-round 73, including bogeys on his final two holes, however. He’s made the cut in three of those five starts, but Bay Hill represents his only finish in the top 50.
“When you hit a bad shot, which you’re going to, everybody does, everybody hits bad shots, … just go to the next shot and play that shot as well as you can,” Charles said. “Forget the other one, because it’s history. Nothing’s going to change it, and a lot of times when you hit a poor shot, you get a little miffed with yourself and stuff like that. If you’re not careful, it can erode into the next shot.
“I learned that with experience, but I didn’t learn it good enough. So I’m hoping that’s what they learn.”
Charles Coody photographs his grandsons Pierceson and Parker at the 2008 Masters Par 3 Contest. (Harry How/Getty Images)
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The Coody family’s Texas heritage dates back generations, but its golf origin story begins in upstate New York. Charles’ father Richard enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II, inspired to mobilize shortly after Pearl Harbor. His unit was stationed in Schenectady, New York – outside Albany, about 170 miles up the Hudson River from New York City. Golf was a popular pursuit among the unit during its downtime. Little did Richard Coody realize he had planted the seeds for a vocation that would span generations of Coodys. He ultimately made his way back to small Stamford, Texas, a town of just a few thousand residents. It’s where Charles was born and took up the game, encouraged by his dad, as a middle-schooler.
Richard Coody passed away in 1991, nine years before Pierceson and Parker were born, but very much remains on the mind. Richard would request that Pierceson trim his facial hair a bit, Charles joked as Pierceson rolled off five straight birdies. It was a trademark run, Charles observed, where Pierceson finds a groove and starts pouring in putts.
The 13th at Texas Rangers GC is a drivable par 4, and Pierceson played his tee shot short and right of the green, leaving a 40-yard uphill pitch. Charles displayed a particular interest in how his grandson would approach this shot. Would he opt for a higher-lofted club or play a bump-and-run? Where would he land the ball? Charles believes improvement in this area of the game could push Pierceson onto the next rung of the game’s ladder.
Pierceson played an in-between shot, the ball landing just short of the hole and running 12 feet past the hole, coming to rest on the fringe. He surveyed the putt, took his time and buried it for his fifth consecutive birdie. Charles nodded and clapped with approval. The run was in full swing. From Pierceson’s mannerisms, though, one might surmise he was on a string of routine pars – and that’s perfectly fine with Charles.
Pierceson and Parker both display an even keel on the course, ensuring not to get too high or too low. These are traits acquired as third-generation professional golfers – their dad Kyle, Charles’ son, played at the University of Texas and competed on the Korn Ferry Tour in the early 1990s.
Coody brothers share stage at The Honda Classic
Charles couldn’t always tell them apart in their early years, but as personalities began to develop, the differences became clearer. Charles laughs when reminiscing about the twins’ childhood visits to his house in Abilene and the card games that ensued. Pierceson didn't enjoy losing. Charles called him “effervescent.” Parker was more reserved.
If the twins’ demeanors differ, their interests align. They were immersed in various sports from a young age. They particularly enjoyed football, but they didn’t have the requisite size to play at the highest level. The competition has continued, however, culminating when they both broke their arms while competing in a relay race during their senior season at Texas.
Broken bones haven’t been the only result, however. Accolades have been aplenty. Before turning pro, Pierceson attained the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and won the prestigious Western Amateur. Parker was runner-up in last year’s NCAA Championship, falling to Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent in a four-man playoff.
PGA TOUR University has streamlined the transition to professional golf. It’s a stark contrast to Charles’ entry point. He decided to pursue the TOUR after serving three years in the United States Air Force. In those days, two letters from golf professionals were required just to enter the Monday qualifiers, verifying a player’s competitive ability. Evidence of financial backing was also needed. Charles rounded up $6,000 of support and hit the road, chasing his dream.
He reflected on those early years as he bounced between Parker and Pierceson during that Sunday afternoon at Texas Rangers Golf Club. He and his wife Lynette – his high school sweetheart and the twins’ grandmother – would share observations when they crossed paths at various holes’ intersections.
The most important memories now involve his grandchildren. The weekend of the Veritex was his first time watching them compete in person as professional golfers. He was unsure if he’d be able to attend, but after both made the cut, he and Lynette made the 2.5-hour drive from Abilene to surprise them for the weekend.
When Kyle and Charles lend advice to the twins – it’s a long career, don’t get high or too low – Pierceson and Parker know it comes from a place of experience. Charles illustrated his longevity with a single anecdote: he played the Bob Hope Classic, now known as The American Express, 20 times from 1964 to 1985, staying in the same budget hotel each time. By the time he made his final start in 1985, the hotel cost more for a single night than it did for the entire week in his debut.
Charles’ perspective remains fresh as his grandchildren navigate the fickle journey of professional golf. Sometimes the impact comes in broader strokes.
Last summer on PGA TOUR Canada, Parker spent some time on the practice green with one of his grandfather’s old Bulls Eye putters from the 1970s. He had seen “a thousand” such putters in Charles’ closet through the years, he laughed. As he putted, he joked that he could feel the putter head moving – “I feel like I’m going to break it if I lean on it,” he quipped. That fragile club revealed the secret to his grandfather’s success, however.
"Everything was based on feel," Parker said.
Parker Coody putts with grandfather’s Bulls Eye
When did he and his brother realize their family’s unique connection to the game? He thought back to the 2006 Par 3 Contest at the Masters, when Pierceson and Parker served as co-caddies. It marked Charles’ 40th Masters start and his farewell to Augusta National as a competitor. They were just 6 years old, years away from playing professional golf, but it was an experience he wanted to share with them.
“As soon as we walk out there, I’m just thinking that he’s this older guy that played professional golf,” Parker remembered. “I didn’t really understand what the Masters was at the time and what he meant to professional golf, and all of a sudden, people are calling his name, and this is just, this is my granddad."
In 2008, having retired from official competition, Charles made a hole-in-one during the Par 3 Contest. The twins were on the scene (almost).
"Pierceson and I were digging in a cooler, and he made a hole-in-one, and we didn't see it," Parker said. "We were supposed to be out there caddying.”
The Coody twins served as co-caddies for their grandpa Charles at the 2006 Par 3 Contest. (Courtesy of Coody family)
Charles didn’t mind. He doesn’t mind. As long as they enjoy their chosen journey.
“It’s just fun watching them chase their dream,” Charles said. “This is something that they’ve wanted to do since probably three or four years after they started playing golf; they’ve always thought about playing the PGA TOUR.”
Fast forward a few weeks and Parker earned the final spot in the Korn Ferry Tour’s HomeTown Lenders Championship in Huntsville, Alabama, earning his spot with less than a point to spare. Every shot that his grandfather had seen was of the utmost importance. That par-save on the eighth hole Sunday, where he punched out from trouble and saved par with a wedge? It very much mattered.
Charles nodded in approval afterward, leaning on his 4-wood for support and his TOUR membership badge draped around his neck. He still pays his dues, every year. He’d love his grandsons to join him among the TOUR’s ranks.
“As long as it’s what they both want, then I’m all for it,” he said. “… Besides their mother and father and probably some of our family, I’m the biggest fan that they’ve got.”
Kevin Prise is an associate editor for the PGA TOUR. He is on a lifelong quest to break 80 on a course that exceeds 6,000 yards and to see the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl. Follow Kevin Prise on Twitter. | 2023-05-10T04:51:42+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/tour-insider/2023/05/08/coody-twins-path-paved-across-decades-pierceson-parker-charles-att-byron-nelson-masters-legacy-lessons-stories |
Cascade Sotheby's International Realty, a Peerage Realty Partner, has joined forces with Hasson Company, a leading luxury residential real estate brokerage serving Portland Metro, Central Oregon, and Southwest Washington. With over 180 real estate advisors working across seven offices, Hasson Company, Realtors transacted US$2.9 billion (C$3.8 billion) in sales in 2021.
The combined company, which brings together two deep leadership teams and their respective rosters of exceptional professional advisors, will be known as Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty. It will serve clients in Portland Metro, Bend, Redmond, Jacksonville, Ashland, Hood River, Southwest Washington, and Coast markets.
The combined business has 570 agents, 25 offices, and US$6.2 billion (C$8.06 billion) in transacted sales for 2021.
Cascade Sotheby's International Realty is an important partner within Peerage Realty Partners' substantial North American luxury real estate network. In adding Hasson Company to the partnership, the combined company is ideally positioned to capitalize on the remarkable opportunities for ongoing growth in new and existing markets.
TORONTO, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Cascade Sotheby's International Realty is partnering with leading independent firm Hasson Company ("Hasson") to create Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty. The newly formed luxury brokerage is focussed on serving clients in the luxury residential real estate markets of the Pacific Northwest including Portland Metro, Bend, Redmond, Jacksonville, Ashland, Hood River, Coast markets, and Southwest Washington (Vancouver).
Both firms specialize in representing iconic properties that highlight sophisticated urban markets as well as the spectacular, rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest region.
Together, the new partnership, Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty, has 570 agents, 25 offices, and US$6.2 billion (C$8.06 billion) in transacted sales for 2021.
Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty will continue to be led by Deb Tebbs, CEO of Cascade Sotheby's International Realty, Steve Studley, CEO of Hasson Company, and Hasson President, Lynae Forbes, along with all the members of both existing management teams.
"Hasson Company founder, the late Mike Hasson, was a deeply respected industry leader in Oregon and his legacy endures. His reputation for trust, integrity and exceptional client focus has continued to influence the firm's culture," said Philip White, President and CEO of Sotheby's International Realty. "Having watched the company grow steadily in both scale and talent, we could not be more delighted to welcome Hasson Company to the Sotheby's International Realty brand."
Steve Studley, CEO of Hasson Company said: "From the outset, we always maintained the only partner for Hasson Company would be Sotheby's International Realty. Now, the time is right for us to join forces and partner with Cascade Sotheby's International Realty - a company we know, admire, trust, and respect - to dominate the Pacific Northwest luxury markets."
"We are thrilled to partner with Hasson Company. All of us at Cascade Sotheby's International Realty hold Hasson Company in the highest professional and personal regard," noted Deb Tebbs, President and CEO of Cascade Sotheby's International Realty. "Hasson Company shares our values and beliefs, and our objective to build a strong and sustainable model that incorporates the most up-to-date technology, marketing and exceptional leadership to support our wonderful agents."
"With our combined scale and resources, our agents will be even better equipped to deliver exceptional real estate services from which our clients will benefit even further," she added.
Lynae Forbes, President of Hasson Company stated: "Our two firms are closely aligned in values, culture, and commitment to our shared community. This gives our combined team a wonderful start in collaborating effectively together."
Said Gavin Swartzman, President and CEO of Peerage Realty Partners: "This newly architected partnership between Hasson Company and Cascade Sotheby's International Realty is an important new milestone for Peerage Realty. Our objective is always to provide incremental strategic, financial, and human resources to enable our partner firms to continue to grow and prosper. We are thrilled to partner with such exceptional management teams to expand our presence in the growing and important Pacific Northwest market."
The Peerage group of Sotheby's International Realty affiliates includes: Sotheby's International Realty Canada ("SIRC"), Canada's largest luxury real estate brokerage with 30 offices and 690 agents in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta; Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty with six offices and 381 agents in North Texas, including Dallas and Fort Worth; Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty with 23 offices and 320 agents in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York (including Select Sotheby's International Realty); Jameson Sotheby's International Realty, a dominant player in the luxury residential and commercial real estate markets with six offices and 460 agents in the Greater Chicago Area; Pacific Sotheby's International Realty, based in San Diego with 620 agents and 18 offices in aspirational Southern California; Premier Sotheby's International Realty of Naples, the preeminent luxury realtor in Florida and North Carolina with 1,300 agents and 38 offices; and now Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty with 391 agents and 17 offices across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Founded by Mike Hasson, an iconic industry leader, in 1991, the company has grown to about 180 full-time agents in 7 offices located throughout the Portland Metro area, Central Oregon, and one in Southwest Washington. It sold US$2.9 billion (C$3.8 billion) of luxury real estate in 2021 and has been recognized as one of the leading independent firms in the region.
In Oregon, it has offices in Portland (Northeast/Irving/Uptown), Lake Oswego, Charbonneau, Hood River, and West Linn. It also has an office in Vancouver, Washington. http://www.hasson.com/
With 391 brokers and 17 offices serving Oregon and Southwest Washington, Cascade Sotheby's International Realty was ranked the third fastest-growing company in Portland in 2020. It has a 20 percent share of the key Bend, Oregon market, twice as much as its nearest competitor.
In 2021, posting a 30 percent increase over the previous year, Cascade Sotheby's International Realty generated over US$3.3 billion (C$4.24 billion) in sales volume.
Cascade Sotheby's International Realty has offices in the following Oregon communities: Ashland, Beaverton, Bend (2), Cannon Beach, Gearheart, Gleneden Beach, Grant's Pass, Hood River, Jacksonville, Lake Oswego, Manzanita, Portland (2), Sisters, and Sun River. In Washington, it has an office in Vancouver. www.CascadeSothebysrealty.com
Peerage Realty Partners is a leading residential real estate services firm, serving luxury markets across North America.
Peerage Realty brokerage partners include leading Sotheby's International Realty franchisees, and renowned independent firms in both re-sale residential real estate brokerage, and new construction marketing.
Peerage Realty core service activities include real estate financing, transaction services, asset management, and home improvement for purpose-built rental properties. Peerage Realty has the unique benefit of being a privately-owned enterprise that is positioned to commit to long-term partnerships and investments.
Peerage Realty is projected to transact over US$53 billion (C$70 billion) of residential real estate through its partner firms. Peerage Realty is currently one of the top 10 largest residential real estate service firms in North America with over 7,000 best-in-class sales representatives and employees with 276 offices across Canada and the United States.
To support growth and expansion among partners, Peerage Realty consistently provides strategic input, capital, technology, operational expertise, marketing, communications, and value-added products and services that differentiate and strengthen its partner firms in competitive markets. Its goal is to expand the suite of services that its partner firms can offer to enhance the client experience through all phases of a real estate transaction and beyond. www.peeragerealty.com
Peerage Capital is a leading North American business services and private investment firm. Peerage Capital is focused on partnering with exceptional, entrepreneurial management teams to form long-term investments across several strategic business services platforms including real estate services, real estate development and management, land assembly, self-storage, asset management and wealth advisory services.
A growing network of partner companies has over 7,000 sales representatives and employees across Canada and the United States with approximately US$9 billion (C$11 billion) in total assets under management (AUM) and administration. Peerage Capital focuses on service sectors where there are opportunities to achieve scale through both organic growth as well as through acquisition, operating synergies, and brand differentiation. It supports the partner firms in which it invests by providing capital as well as a team of experienced professionals who add value in such areas as strategy, finance, technology, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and communications.
Peerage Capital believes that superior talent is the ultimate driver of long-term growth and success. It operates with a strong culture of partnership, collaboration, and alignment of interests, both economic and cultural. Peerage Capital's unique "Professional Partnership" model has been refined over 40 years to accelerate growth through value-added services that enhance the sustainable, profitable growth rate of the organization, maximizing value for all stakeholders. www.peeragecapital.com
Sotheby's International Realty was founded in 1976 as a real estate service for discerning clients of Sotheby's auction house. Today, the company's global footprint spans nearly 1,000 offices located in 79 countries and territories worldwide, including 51 company-owned brokerage offices in key metropolitan and resort markets. In February 2004, Realogy entered a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby's, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby's International Realty name and the development of a franchise system. The franchise system is comprised of an affiliate network, where each office is independently owned and operated. Sotheby's International Realty supports its affiliates and agents with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Affiliates and agents also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby's auction house, established in 1744.
The affiliate network is operated by Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC, and the company owned brokerages are operated by Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. Both entities are subsidiaries of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation, and settlement services. Both Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC and Sotheby's International Realty, Inc. fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. www.sothebysrealty.com
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SOURCE Peerage Realty Partners Inc. | 2022-06-22T17:17:42+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/cascade-sothebys-international-realty-peerage-realty-partner-joins-forces-with-iconic-independent-hasson-company-create-luxury-real-estate-powerhouse-pacific-northwest-market/ |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Becky Hammon wasn’t going to put too much into the Las Vegas Aces’ rout of the New York Liberty in the first meeting between two of the top teams in the WNBA.
“We’re in June still. We’re not banking too much on this,” Hammon said after the 98-81 win Thursday night. “Feels better than losing. At the end of the day we have a lot of basketball left to be played.”
It was the seventh consecutive win for the Aces (14-1), who have been nearly unstoppable this season on offense, averaging nearly 93 points a game. All five of the Las Vegas starters scored in double figures, with A’ja Wilson putting in 16 while Jackie Young and Candace Parker each added 15. Chelsea Gray had 14 points and six assists, including a few highlight reel ones.
The Aces pulled away in the second half to run away with the much-hyped first matchup between the teams who made the biggest moves in the offseason, with the defending champion Aces signing Parker and Alysha Clark. The Liberty added Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot and Kayla Thornton.
The teams came into the game ranked first and second in points per game and both play an unselfish brand of basketball, with the Liberty first in assists and the Aces second.
Las Vegas was sharing the ball extremely well with all five starters having at least three assists, including eight by Plum.
“It’s dangerous, in terms of the way we play and the way we can play in the halfcourt, in secondary and transition,” Parker said. “I think it’s great. we have people like (Kelsey) that run and cut. … 32 assists on 40 field goals that says a lot about us and the way we play.”
The Aces were able to contain the Liberty on offense, contesting nearly every shot. On offense, they jumped out to a strong start behind Plum, who had 13 points in the first quarter as the Aces led 28-22.
New York (10-4) trailed 49-42 at the half, but Las Vegas scored the first 11 points of the third quarter to blow the game open and extended the advantage to 18.
The Liberty, who had their four-game winning streak snapped, didn’t get within single digits the rest of the way. The teams will play three more times in the regular season.
“They were a well-oiled machine today,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “We got to be more disruptive. There are areas we can look at where we can get better. Hopefully they can’t shoot nearly 60% from the field.”
Stewart scored 16 points and Jones added 13 for the Liberty.
“They are the team you can gauge yourself against. They have the best record in the league,” Jones said. “Obviously it hurts, we want to put our best foot forward. Ultimately we have the season to get better and learn from this.”
It’s been a busy week for New York. The Liberty played an overtime win against Washington on Sunday, edged Connecticut on the road on Tuesday before traveling all day Wednesday to get to Las Vegas for Thursday night’s game.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-06-30T15:52:21+00:00 | upmatters.com | https://www.upmatters.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aces-rout-liberty-98-81-in-a-matchup-of-marquee-wnba-teams-for-their-seventh-straight-win/ |
Employees of a Maine restaurant got a surprise when they opened a large wooden crate that they thought was a shipment of mugs they had recently ordered.
Instead, they found a plastic tote that contained what law enforcement suspect is 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl with an estimated street value of $3 million, Auburn police Deputy Chief Timothy Cougle said in a statement Saturday.
The tote had a shipping label with the restaurant’s address but the name of someone who did not work there. Employees who opened it saw what they thought looked like drugs, so they contacted police, Cougle said.
The crate from Arizona that arrived in the Maine town about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Portland was taken to the police department, where a chemical field examination confirmed it contained fentanyl.
About an hour later, the man whose name was on the shipment showed up looking for the crate and was arrested, police said.
Jeremy Mercier, 41, of Auburn, was charged with drug offenses and for violating bail conditions. He is being held in a county jail without bail. It could not be determined if he had an attorney.
Mercier previously spent time behind bars on a 2007 federal drug conviction, Cougle said.
The investigation is ongoing, and Cougle said he anticipates state and federal law enforcement getting involved.
Mike Peters, the co-owner of Mac’s Grill, told WMTW-TV in an email that he is glad the drugs did not make it to the streets.
“The instances of overdose in our, and surrounding, communities is awful, and fentanyl seems to be front and center when it comes to fatalities,” he said. “It is very sad.” | 2023-05-01T18:15:52+00:00 | masslive.com | https://www.masslive.com/police-fire/2023/05/maine-man-accused-of-shipping-3-million-worth-of-fentanyl-to-restaurant.html |
Elena Moore is a production assistant for the NPR Politics Podcast. She also fills in as a reporter for the NewsDesk. Moore previously worked as a production assistant for Morning Edition. During the 2020 presidential campaign, she worked for the Washington Desk as an editorial assistant, doing both research and reporting. Before coming to NPR, Moore worked at NBC News. She is a graduate of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and is originally and proudly from Brooklyn, N.Y. | 2022-05-17T21:18:51+00:00 | delawarepublic.org | https://www.delawarepublic.org/2022-05-17/polish-young-adults-talk-about-the-war-in-ukraines-impact-on-their-generation |
BANGKOK (AP) — One of the 12 boys rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018 after being trapped for more than two weeks has died in England, where he was attending a sports academy, the foundation sponsoring his studies said Wednesday.
Duangphet “Dom” Phromthep, 17, was found unconscious in his room on Sunday at the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicestershire and was taken to a hospital, where he died Tuesday, Thailand’s Zico Foundation said. The school also confirmed his death.
“This event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken,” school principal Ian Smith said in a statement. “We unite in grief with all of Dom’s family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college’s global family.”
The head of the Zico Foundation, former Thai national team captain and coach Kiatisuk Senamuang, said in an online news conference that he did not know the cause of death and that Dom had apparently been in good health.
Dom was the captain of the Wild Boars, a youth soccer team in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai. Twelve members of the team aged 11 to 16 and their coach were exploring the Tham Luang cave complex in June 2018 when they were trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters. A massive search and rescue operation was launched that involved international divers.
The boys spent nine nights lost in the cave, living on very little food and water, before a diver spotted them deep in the twisting cave complex huddled on a patch of dirt above the rising water line. The moment was captured on video and soon broadcast to the world.
It was another eight days before all were safely rescued. A team of expert divers guided each of the boys out of the cave on special stretchers after anesthetizing them to keep them calm enough to transport. The operation required placing oxygen canisters along the path where the divers maneuvered through dark, tight and twisting passageways filled with muddy water and strong currents.
Dom’s mother, who joined the online news conference, said she hoped a Buddhist monk in England could conduct rites for Dom so his spirit would not be trapped where he died according to Buddhist beliefs.
The story of the Wild Boars, which was covered intensely by international media, has been retold in several movies, including Ron Howard’s 2022 feature film “Thirteen Lives” and the 2021 documentary “The Rescue.” | 2023-02-16T00:54:00+00:00 | upmatters.com | https://www.upmatters.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-one-of-12-boys-rescued-from-thai-cave-dies-at-british-school/ |
Mobile home parks provide a lot of affordable housing, but affordability can disappear when parks are sold. New efforts are trying to help park residents buy the land under their homes.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Mobile home parks provide a lot of affordable housing, but affordability can disappear when parks are sold. New efforts are trying to help park residents buy the land under their homes.
Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-03-10T00:12:44+00:00 | wyomingpublicmedia.org | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2023-03-09/new-efforts-are-being-made-to-help-residents-buy-the-land-under-their-mobile-homes |
CLEVELAND, Aug. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sauces and condiments – the largest application for hot fill packaging – is expected to experience relatively healthy gains through 2026 as foodservice revenues continue to rise following a sharp, pandemic-related decline in 2020, finds a new Freedonia Group analysis.
Bag-in-box and cups will grow at an above average rate due to their strong performance properties and convenience. Gains will further be supported by the increasing popularity of specialty and ethnic sauces at the retail level.
Hot Fill Food Packaging Demand to Grow 1.2% Annually Through 2026
Demand for hot fill packaging for food is forecast to increase 1.2% annually to $2.6 billion in 2026, sustained by the ongoing popularity of hot fill packaging for sauces and condiments. However, hot fill packaging will grow at a slow rate and will continue to lose share to aseptic packaging, which affords multiple benefits over hot fill processing, the most important of which is shorter heating times that minimize the impact of thermal processing of flavor, texture, and nutrition.
Want to Learn More?
Hot Fill Food Packaging provides historical data (2011, 2016, and 2021) and forecasts for 2026 are presented for demand for hot fill food packaging by value in current dollars (including inflation) by product, food application, and material. Demand data by market is presented in current dollars. "
Products:
- bottles
- jars
- pouches
- cups and tubs
- other packaging
Food applications:
- sauces and condiments
- juice
- processed fruit and vegetables
- other foods
Materials:
- plastic
- glass
- other materials
About the Freedonia Group - The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com, is the premier international industrial research company, providing our clients with product analyses, market forecasts, industry trends, and market share information. From one-person consulting firms to global conglomerates, our analysts provide companies with unbiased, reliable industry market research and analysis to help them make important business decisions. With over 100 studies published annually, we support over 90% of the industrial Fortune 500 companies. Find off-the-shelf studies at https://www.freedoniagroup.com/ or contact us for custom research: +1 440.842.2400.
Press Contact:
Corinne Gangloff
+1 440.842.2400
cgangloff@freedoniagroup.com
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SOURCE The Freedonia Group | 2022-08-08T23:02:08+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/08/hot-fill-packaging-demand-sauces-amp-condiments-see-strongest-growth/ |
(NEXSTAR) – For anyone wondering, yes, Bob Odenkirk knows how to make an authentic Cinnabon cinnamon roll.
During the penultimate episode of “Breaking Bad,” Odenkirk’s character of Saul Goodman laments having to flee Albuquerque — and give up his lucrative-yet-unscrupulous law practice — as the Feds start closing in.
“If I’m lucky, a month from now, best-case scenario, I’m managing a Cinnabon in Omaha,” he tells Walter White, the two of them standing in the basement of a vacuum-repair shop, waiting to be given new identities and placed in hiding.
At the time, it was a silly, seemingly throwaway line. But after Cinnabon expressed their excitement at being name-dropped on one of the most critically lauded series on TV, the production team at AMC went ahead and built upon the idea for “Better Call Saul,” its then-upcoming prequel series.
“Following that line, our social media team quickly tweeted at Bob Odenkirk and shared a link to our careers page,” Michael Alberici, the VP of marketing at Cinnabon, told Nexstar. Alberici added that Cinnabon and AMC’s relationship eventually “evolved” to the point that the company was actually working with the production on “Better Call Saul.”
“We never imagined that line and our social media response would have led to being involved at the level we have been,” he said.
But Cinnabon didn’t just give permission for “Better Call Saul” to use its name and logo. In helping to add a more authentic touch to the series, actual Cinnabon operations employees have been present during every Cinnabon-set scene on “Better Call Saul” since the show’s inception.
“Our operations team members are on-site for every season and prepare the bakery set, real product, and help coach Bob and the other actors,” Alberici said.
The scenes are also filmed in a former Cinnabon bakery in an Albuquerque mall, though the space has been closed to the public for years.
“Each season, Cinnabon stocked it to look like a functioning bakery by shipping in equipment, packaging, product, etc. and bringing it back to life,” according to Alberici.
In earlier seasons, real-life Cinnabon employees played extras in the bakery scenes, but that’s no longer the case. These days, Saul Goodman’s co-workers — sorry, Gene Takavic’s co-workers — are merely actors portraying Cinnabon employees.
Despite having representatives on set during filming, Alberici said Cinnabon’s team members know only “what will be shot” during the bakery scenes, and are never given access to the full scripts or story arcs, in order to keep the plot of each episode a secret. A representative for AMC confirmed that while Cinnabon’s reps are indeed on the set, they do not know how those scenes will figure into the season.
“We are surprised just as every viewer is when the season airs,” Alberici said.
In fact, it’s very likely that Odenkirk knows more about Cinnabon than Cinnabon knows about “Better Call Saul” and its plotlines.
In a 2016 interview, Odenkirk told Conan O’Brien that very early in production, he had been instructed by Cinnabon’s VP of operations in “exactly how you make a Cinnabon.”
“Debbie Rowley taught me, she’s the lady from the head office … That’s part of [“Better Call Saul” creator] Vince Gilligan’s attention to detail,” Odenkirk said.
“I not only learned the first season, but the second season, they gave me a refresher course,” he added.
Then again, none of this should come as much of a surprise. Bryan Cranston, who played meth kingpin Walter White on “Breaking Bad,” has repeatedly claimed that a chemist from the DEA coached him and fellow actor Aaron Paul in the production of crystal meth while they were appearing on the show. | 2022-08-15T15:48:08+00:00 | keloland.com | https://www.keloland.com/news/national-world-news/better-call-saul-and-cinnabon-what-the-bakery-chain-knew-and-didnt-know-about-the-show/ |
- Warehouse Automation: Future-Proofing the Global Economy report identifies three key considerations to help businesses identify and utilize the right automation solutions as they mature along their automation journey
CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Relentless eCommerce trends continue to put tremendous strain on distribution and fulfillment operations worldwide. A new Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) report reveals once-predictable consumer demand cycles centered around holidays and "peak seasons" have given way to a model where any month, week or day can be a holiday.
Warehouse Automation: Future-Proofing the Global Economy, authored by Futurum Research, examines the importance of automation as an increasingly critical component in helping warehouse and distribution center (DC) operators meet new escalation points in consumer demand.
"One of the biggest predictors of how a business will thrive in the hypercompetitive e-commerce and omnichannel marketplace is how well it improves its decision making in real time to make deliveries faster and more accurate," said Keith Fisher, president of Honeywell Intelligrated. "With rising service level agreements dictating order fulfillment process improvements, automation can help bring stability, predictability and potentially unlock greater efficiency to their operations."
The analysts at Futurum Research developed the report after sitting down with a group of industry leaders with deep, global experience in warehouse operations, automation technologies and systems implementation to hear first-hand of their experiences and thoughts on the future of warehouse automation. Three recommendations emerged from the interviews as businesses navigate challenges both present and future along their automation journey:
- Focus on augmenting and securing, not replacing the worker. While the concept of a dark warehouse exists on the horizon, the reality today is that the future of warehouse and DC operations for the foreseeable future is one where workers and automation technologies are both needed and must co-exist.
- Constantly challenge assumptions and technologies. The value of automation should not be limited to just automating existing takes or processes, it should be part of an overall strategy that addresses the issues of what tasks can be automated today while also asking what new tasks or processes might be possible tomorrow.
- Invest with a long-term focus for both technologies and partners. In a static or slow growth market, the application of automation technologies to address specific short-term needs may make sense. However, the rapidly growing and evolving market of today requires a much longer focus and a more rigorous framework.
"While warehouses have historically had a sense of predictability in demand cycles, we found that in today's warehouses and DCs, every day is as busy as peak," said Shelly Kramer, principal analyst and founding partner of Futurum Research. "While we can assume the level of strain this has placed on supply chain and fulfillment operations, we were able to get a better grasp of how businesses are approaching this shift in consumer expectations and adopting the right automation to meet their long-term business goals."
The report also explores how the ongoing pandemic, global trade issues and regional conflicts have created long-term disruptions to the historically predictable throughput and capacity of warehouses and DCs.
From concept and integration, Honeywell Intelligrated draws on its expanding portfolio and deep industry expertise to help warehousing, distribution and fulfillment companies optimize and manage their processes. The business offers integrated end-to-end automation solutions, warehouse execution systems and analytics solutions to improve throughput and keep workers safe. To learn more about Honeywell's warehouse automation solutions and capabilities, visit sps.honeywell.com/us/en/products/automation.
Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions (SPS) provides products, software and connected solutions that improve productivity, workplace safety and asset performance for our customers across the globe. We deliver on this promise through industry-leading mobile devices, software, cloud technology and automation solutions, the broadest range of personal protective equipment and gas detection technology, and custom-engineered sensors, switches and controls. For more information, please visit: sps.honeywell.com.
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.
Contacts:
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Whitney Ellis
(704) 621-4354
whitney.ellis@honeywell.com
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SOURCE Honeywell | 2022-07-12T16:25:57+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/automation-pivotal-stability-predictability-warehouse-operations-honeywell-report-shows/ |
GENEVA (AP) — Christie’s is auctioning a staggering 700 pieces of jewelry from the collection of the late Heidi Horten, an Austrian heiress whose German husband built a retail empire starting in the 1930s — in part from department stores and other assets sold by desperate Jews as they fled Nazi Germany.
The auction house says the sale from “one of the greatest jewelry collections” is expected to reap some $150 million. Proceeds are to benefit her Vienna art museum, welfare for children, and medical research. Christie’s — as criticism of the auction grew — said it planned to chip in some of its profits from the sale to Holocaust education.
The sale has already begun online, but also takes place in-person in two parts on Wednesday and Friday at a ritzy Geneva hotel. There’s a record-setting ruby ring that Heidi Horten bought for $30 million in 2015. A dazzling diamond necklace could fetch $15 million or more. And the auction house says the sale features more Bulgari jewels than ever assembled for a single auction.
But the auction has been steeped in controversy: The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Los Angeles-based Jewish human rights group, “demanded” that Christie’s withdraw the sale, insisting that billions in riches that were amassed by Horten’s husband — Helmut Horten — were the “sum of profits from Nazi ‘Aryanization’ of Jewish department stores” under Nazi Germany.”
Helmut Horten’s story was complicated, said Peter Hoeres, a historian at the University of Würzburg, in Germany. He was commissioned by Heidi Horten to write an extensive study looking into her husband’s business empire.
The report lays out the creeping, and eventually overbearing, squeeze put on Jewish-owned businesses. Tens of thousands of Jewish-owned retail stores were “aryanized” — values were depressed by boycott measures, propaganda attacks, and other pressures from the authorities in the 1930s. Many Jews got no compensation; some received “hidden payments,” while most buyers — possibly like Horten — “profited” from persecution measures.
Earlier this month, the Simon Wiesenthal Center called for the withdrawal of the auction — which has now already begun online — saying Horten helped build his business empire by buying “at a cut price” the department store where he worked as Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 from its Jewish owners, Strauss and Lauter, “who fled to the U.S.”
Starting in 1933, the Strauss and Lauter families, owners of the Alsberg department store in Duisburg, suffered from boycott calls, and other harassment, according to the report. Their customers were also subjected to intimidation.
Horten was not an “ideological” person, but neither did he resist Nazi laws, Hoeres said. Testimonies indicated Helmut Horten had “tried to help” some Jews, and he even “mocked” Nazi leaders at times, but he also fired some Jewish employees to abide by Nazi race laws. He joined the Nazi party in 1937, and was expelled seven years later — even getting arrested for a short time.
“We were in 27 archives in Europe, and we read thousands of pages of sources, and I think we in the end (discovered) … there is not a saint and not a devil, but there is Horten who … benefited from the circumstances of the tyranny of the Nazis,” Hoeres said in an interview. “You can’t say Horten was part of the resistance against the dictatorship.”
Hoeres’ study said Horten’s personal fortunes swelled during the war years. It excerpted a document in English — attributed to the “Control Commission for Germany” under the postwar British authorities — which called Horten “a scoundrel of the worst type” and “a thoroughly depraved character” who should be brought to justice.
After the defeat of the Nazis in 1945, Horten was interned by the British for two years and lost a lot of his holdings. But in 1948, after being released, he leveraged loans to create what would become the fourth-largest department store chain in Germany — riding in part on the brand name established during the Nazi period.
The businessman amassed a far greater fortune than he had built before or during the war, said Hoeres, who has no connection to Christie’s.
“Mr. Horten’s business activities during the Second World War are well-documented, and that is something that Christie’s carefully considered when pitching for this collection,” said Max Fawcett, head of the jewelry department at Christie’s Geneva. “We took on this collection in the understanding that 100% of the final sale proceeds will go to philanthropic causes.”
“We cannot erase history — but hopefully the money from this sale will go to do good in the future,” Fawcett added.
The jewelry was not purchased from Jews, but the riches that paid for it had their roots in the Nazi era. Christie’s said the jewelry was all bought starting in the early 1970s — more than a quarter-century after the end of the war — up through last year, when Heidi Horten died. Her husband died in 1987. Christie’s noted that he had “purchased Jewish businesses sold under duress.”
The Christie’s catalog for the auction focuses entirely on Mrs. Horten: in one photo, she is shown smiling as she holds a baby chimpanzee in her arms. Initially, it made no reference to her husband or the origins of his wealth.
Among standout pieces in the auction —- which features sapphires, emeralds, pearls, diamonds and much more — is the 90-carat “Briolette of India” diamond, the centerpiece of a necklace adorned with smaller diamonds, which has a pre-sale estimate of $10 million to $15 million. The nearly 26-carat “Sunrise Ruby” also goes under the hammer: It fetched a record $30 million when Heidi Horten bought it at a Geneva auction eight years ago.
“Horten’s billions used to build this collection were also the sum of profits from Nazi ‘Aryanization’ of Jewish department stores,” wrote Shimon Samuels, the Center’s director for international relations in a letter to Christie’s CEO Guillaume Cerutti. | 2023-05-09T19:52:43+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/international/christies-sale-of-austrian-heiress-jewels-stirs-criticism/ |
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