text stringlengths 80 124k | date_download stringdate 2022-04-02 20:48:07 2023-07-31 23:59:06 | source_domain stringclasses 387
values | url stringlengths 21 528 |
|---|---|---|---|
Oklahoma executes James Coddington for 1997 hammer killing
McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma executed a man Thursday for a 1997 killing, despite a recommendation from the state’s Pardon and Parole Board that his life be spared.
James Coddington, 50, received a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester and was pronounced dead at 10:16 a.m. Gov. Kevin Stitt declined to commute Coddington’s sentence to life in prison without parole and rejected his petition for clemency. Coddington was the fifth Oklahoma inmate to be put to death since the state resumed executions last year.
“To all my family and friends, lawyers, everyone who’s been around me and loved me, thank you,” Coddington said while strapped to a gurney inside the death chamber. “Gov. Stitt, I don’t blame you and I forgive you.”
After delivering his last words, Coddington lifted his head and flashed a thumbs up to his attorney, Emma Rolls, who cried quietly in the witness room.
After the first drug, midazolam, was administered, Coddington’s breathing became labored and his chest hitched several times. A doctor on the execution team declared him unconscious at 10:08 a.m., and Coddington could be heard snoring inside the chamber.
Coddington was convicted and sentenced to die for beating 73-year-old Albert Hale to death with a hammer. Prosecutors say Coddington, then 24, became enraged when Hale refused to give him money to buy cocaine.
During a clemency hearing this month before the state’s five-member Pardon and Parole Board, an emotional Coddington apologized to Hale’s family and said he was a different man today.
But Mitch Hale, Albert Hale’s son who witnessed the execution, said he didn’t believe Coddington was sincerely remorseful, noting that he never mentioned his father or the Hale family during his last words.
“He proved today it wasn’t genuine. He never apologized,” Hale said. “He didn’t bring up my dad.”
Hale added: “I forgive him, but that doesn’t release him from the consequences of his actions.”
Rolls, Coddington’s attorney, said during the clemency hearing that Coddington was impaired by years of alcohol and drug abuse that began as an infant when his father put beer and whiskey into his baby bottles.
Coddington was twice sentenced to death for Hale’s killing, the second time in 2008 after his initial sentence was overturned on appeal.
After killing Hale, Coddington committed at least six armed robberies at gas stations and convenience stores across Oklahoma City.
“When the full circumstances of the murder, related robberies, and extensive history of violence on Mr. Coddington’s part are considered, one thing is clear: death is the only just punishment for him,” prosecutors in the state attorney general’s office wrote to the Pardon and Parole Board.
The state had halted executions in September 2015 when prison officials realized they had received the wrong lethal drug. It later came to light that the same wrong drug had been used to execute an inmate, and executions in the state were put on hold.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-26T10:35:44+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2022/08/25/oklahoma-executes-james-coddington-1997-hammer-killing/ |
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The head of Nevada’s Department of Corrections has resigned at the request of Gov. Steve Sisolak in the wake of an escape by a convicted bombmaker that went unreported for four days.
Sisolak “requested and received Nevada Department of Corrections Director Charles Daniels’ resignation, effective immediately,” the governor’s office said in a statement Friday. Six other officers have also been placed on administrative leave.
Porfirio Duarte-Herrera escaped from the Southern Desert Correctional Center outside Las Vegas on Sept. 23 without anyone noticing for four days, before a tip led to his capture at a transit center in Las Vegas on Wednesday night as he prepared to board a bus out of town. State corrections officials didn’t realize until Tuesday that Duarte-Herrera was not at the medium-security prison where he was serving a life sentence for a deadly 2007 explosion outside a Las Vegas Strip resort.
Las Vegas police said they were informed Wednesday night that a person matching the description of Duarte-Herrera was in the area. Officers took the man into custody, confirmed he was Duarte-Herrera, 42, and arrested him, the department said. | 2022-09-30T17:06:44+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/nevada-governor-orders-prison-head-to-resign-after-escape/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Florida Gov. DeSantis picks up backing from 15 South Carolina lawmakers as he makes a campaign swing
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is rolling out endorsements from 15 South Carolina lawmakers
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is rolling out endorsements from 15 South Carolina lawmakers, hoping their support for his Republican presidential campaign will help him make his case to voters in the first-in-the-South primary state.
The endorsements, shared first on Thursday with The Associated Press ahead of DeSantis' town hall in North Augusta, come from 11 state House members and four state senators from across the state, with a heavy concentration in South Carolina's conservative Upstate. It's a show of force for DeSantis in a state that current Republican front-runner Donald Trump won handily in the 2016 primary and where he has maintained popularity.
The list includes Sen. Josh Kimbrell, a Spartanburg Republican who has been bullish on DeSantis' candidacy since before he officially entered the race. On Thursday, he called the governor "the only candidate in this race who can defeat" President Joe Biden.
Many of the new endorsements are from lawmakers who have introduced DeSantis during previous appearances in the early voting state. One of them, North Charleston Rep. Chris Murphy, praised DeSantis, a former Navy judge advocate general, earlier this month at a Bluffton campaign event as “the only candidate that has worn our nation's uniform." There's also Rep. Micah Caskey, a Marine veteran who hails from Lexington County, another strongly conservative area.
It's hard to quantify how much local lawmaker endorsements sway voters' perceptions of presidential candidates, although many in the crowded primary field are intently courting them. Last week, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina heralded endorsements from more than 140 current and former elected officials in his home state, including more than two dozen state lawmakers.
At his South Carolina kickoff event in January, Trump announced his leadership team in the state, including longtime backer Gov. Henry McMaster, Sen. Lindsey Graham and several members of Congress. Trump is returning to South Carolina on July 1 for his first campaign rally since his indictment on federal charges for mishandling classified documents and will be back in August for a South Carolina GOP fundraiser.
Rob Godfrey, a longtime adviser to former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, one of the other candidates, said endorsements from elected officials have “short-term” value in terms of associated media coverage. He said they aren't a substitute for spending quality time with voters in early states like South Carolina.
“You can reasonably assume the recipient is seen by colleagues as having a collaborative approach to policymaking,” Godfrey said. "But the days of direct political capital transfers — from elected officials to candidates — seem to have passed, and the number of early primary state voters you meet face to face and ask for votes matters the most.”
According to his campaign, DeSantis also has backing from more than three-dozen state lawmakers in Iowa and 50 in New Hampshire, as well as dozens more in Michigan, Oklahoma and his home state of Florida.
Linda Lewis, a retiree who went to check out DeSantis' appearance in Bluffton earlier this month, said that she had previously supported Trump but was curious to hear more from the Florida governor.
“I still have a lot of appreciation for some of the things that he did,” Lewis said of Trump. “I think that some of his rhetoric is over the top ... and I think we need somebody else in there, probably, in order to win the national election.”
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. | 2023-06-22T15:37:46+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/06/22/florida-gov-desantis-picks-up-backing-15-south-carolina-lawmakers-he-makes-campaign-swing/ |
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges suspended 30 games
The NBA suspended Bridges, a restricted free agent for the Hornets, after he was arrested on domestic violence charges last summer
The NBA suspended Bridges, a restricted free agent for the Hornets, after he was arrested on domestic violence charges last summer
The NBA suspended Bridges, a restricted free agent for the Hornets, after he was arrested on domestic violence charges last summer
Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent forward Miles Bridges received a 30-game suspension without pay from the NBA Friday, with 20 games considered retroactively served.
Bridges is set to serve a 10-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season, if he signs with a team.
Last summer, he was a restricted free agent for Charlotte, primed to sign a lucrative deal. He was arrested on charges of domestic violence June 29, 2022, on the eve of the NBA's free agency period.
Bridges initially pleaded not guilty to three felony charges. Two of those charges were dropped in November as part of a plea agreement, and Bridges proceeded to plead no contest to the remaining charge.
The Michigan State alumnus was sentenced to three years of probation with no jail time. His sentence also involves 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling and parenting classes, 100 hours of community service, and weekly narcotics testing with marijuana only allowed with a doctor's prescription.
The NBA said in a statement that it conducted its own investigation into this matter, reviewing all materials and interviewing numerous people involved in the situation.
Bridges missed all 82 games last season. In the 2021-22 season with Charlotte, he averaged career-high marks of 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. | 2023-04-14T22:12:26+00:00 | wxii12.com | https://www.wxii12.com/article/north-carolina-charlotte-miles-bridges-suspension/43604577 |
MILWAUKEE, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating possible securities fraud claims against R1 (Nasdaq: RCM). The investigation results from inaccurate statements R1 may have made regarding its business operations and prospects.
Click here to learn more about the investigation: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/r1-rcm-inc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.
The investigation focuses on whether R1 properly disclosed that it was experiencing (i) lower incentive fee revenue due to longer payer reimbursement turn-around times, (ii) lower net operating fees due to weaker volumes from emergency department physician customer, and (iii) financial challenges from one of R1's emergency department customers.
We specialize in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
We welcome comments, however there are some guidelines:
Keep it Clean: Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexual language. Don't Threaten:
Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be
Truthful: Don't lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice: No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading. Be Proactive: Report abusive
posts and don’t engage with trolls. Share with Us:
Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles. | 2022-11-09T19:33:50+00:00 | hjnews.com | https://www.hjnews.com/news/state/ademi-llp-investigates-claims-of-securities-fraud-against-r1-rcm-inc/article_9ae62216-6349-57cc-a3f6-0ddfa7f2ac2b.html |
New Series Deliver Strong Launch on CBS and Paramount+
NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS has given full season orders to this year's three most-watched new series on any network: FIRE COUNTRY, EAST NEW YORK – which is also the #1 new show among African-American viewers – and SO HELP ME TODD.
"CBS is off to a tremendous start this season," said Kelly Kahl, president of CBS Entertainment. "We are thrilled to have the three most-watched new series, each with their own unique settings, characters and storylines. These dramas are elevating our already successful lineup, resonating with diverse audiences both on-air and on streaming, and continuing to grow each week."
Kahl also added, "We thank the talented casts, executive producers and their incredible writing and production teams for bringing these shows to life. Additional kudos to our CBS programming teams for shepherding these series to success. We are delighted to give them well-deserved full season orders."
FIRE COUNTRY is the 2022-2023 season's #1 new series, averaging 8.26 million viewers to date and beating its closest competitor in the time period each week by +3 million viewers. The series' premiere on Oct. 7 delivered CBS' best seven-day audience for a series in the time period since May 8, 2020. Seven-day streaming on Paramount+, CBS.com and the CBS app is up +245% from MAGNUM P.I. last year, based on average minute audience. Since its premiere on Paramount+, FIRE COUNTRY has ranked as the #1 new series and is in the top 10 overall based on viewership (10/7-10/16).
EAST NEW YORK is the #2 new series on any network, and Sunday's #1 new program with 7.37 million viewers. The series is the #1 new show among African-American viewers and the #2 entertainment series among African-American viewers, second only to CBS' THE EQUALIZER. Seven-day streaming on Paramount+, CBS.com and the CBS app is up 33% from the same time period last season. Since its premiere, EAST NEW YORK is among the most-watched TV series on Paramount+ based on viewership (10/2-10/16).
SO HELP ME TODD is the #3 new series on any network and is Thursday's #1 new series with a time period-winning 6.48 million viewers. Also, since its premiere, the program is among the most-watched TV series on Paramount+ based on viewership (9/29-10/16).
Source: Nielsen NTI Live + 7 Day ratings as of Oct 16 and L+SD for time period comparisons.
About FIRE COUNTRY, EAST NEW YORK and SO HELP ME TODD:
FIRE COUNTRY (Friday, 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) stars Max Thieriot, Billy Burke, Kevin Alejandro, Diane Farr, Stephanie Arcila, Jordan Calloway and Jules Latimer. Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Tia Napolitano, Max Thieriot, David Grae (pilot only), James Strong (pilot only), Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman (pilot only) and KristieAnne Reed are executive producers. The series is produced by CBS Studios.
EAST NEW YORK (Sunday, 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) stars Amanda Warren, Jimmy Smits, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Kevin Rankin, Richard Kind, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Olivia Luccardi and Lavel Schley. Emmy Award-winner William Finkelstein, Mike Flynn, Emmy Award-winner Michael M. Robin, Christine Holder and Mark Holder are executive producers. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television.
SO HELP ME TODD (Thursday, 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) stars Marcia Gay Harden, Skylar Astin, Madeline Wise, Tristen J. Winger, Inga Schlingmann and Rosa Evangelina Arredondo. Scott Prendergast, Liz Kruger & Craig Shapiro (pilot only), Elizabeth J.B. Klaviter, Amy York Rubin (pilot only), Michael Spiller, Dr. Phil McGraw, Jay McGraw and Julia Eisenman are executive producers. The series is produced by CBS Studios.
For more information about CBS programming and to download photos, go to PARAMOUNTPRESSEXPRESS.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE CBS; Paramount Global | 2022-10-19T15:52:32+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/10/19/cbs-orders-full-season-pickups-this-years-top-three-new-series-fire-country-east-new-york-so-help-me-todd/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — At first glance, Jameson Taillon appeared to wear a blue T-shirt with a Cubs logo. Upon closer inspection, the large red “C” did not have “ubs” after it, instead there was “offee.”
He had a caffeinated return to the Bronx.
Taillon allowed one hit over eight innings to outpitch Carlos Rodón in the All-Star’s injury-delayed Yankees debut and lift the Chicago Cubs over New York 3-0 on Friday night for their first-ever victory in the Bronx.
“I don’t know if Cubs fans truly know exactly what I’m about when I’m good or when I’m right,” Taillon said by his corner locker in the Chicago clubhouse.
A coffee connoisseur who kept a machine in his Yankees locker, Taillon went 22-11 with New York in 2021 and ’22, then agreed in December to $68 million, four-year contract with Chicago. The 31-year-old right-hander entered 2-6 with a 6.93 ERA but retired 23 of 26 batters, limiting the Yankees to just Gleyber Torres’ single to center in the first and a pair of walks.
Taillon (3-6) struck out four, set his season high for innings and didn’t allow a runner past first base in his first victory since June 13.
“Best Cub outing I think he’s had,” manager David Ross said. “The secondary stuff he was landing at will. The mix was just really good.”
Now bearded after two clean-cut seasons in pinstripes, Taillon became the first former-Yankee to pitch eight or more innings and allow no more than one hit at Yankee Stadium old or new, according to Opta.
“I just needed an outing like this period,” Taillon said. “I have a lot of love for those guys over there, so it’s not like I wanted to stick it to them. This wasn’t like any sort of revenge game or anything like that. … But it does feel good on this stage in New York City to have a good night.”
Cody Bellinger hit his ninth home run for the Cubs, who had been 0-12 at Yankee Stadium old and new. Chicago had lost eight regular-season games in the Bronx plus two each as the Yankees swept the 1932 and 1938 World Series.
New York lost its third straight, dropping to 13-16 with a major league-low .214 batting average since Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe on June 3. Booed repeatedly by angry fans, the Yankees have scored two runs or fewer in 12 of those games.
“What we’re doing right now is just unsustainable,” catcher Kyle Higashioka said. “You can’t win this way. If you score zero runs, I think it’s typically impossible to win.”
Adbert Alzolay gave up a ninth-inning single to Franchy Cordero and finished for his sixth save in seven chances as the Yankees were held to a season-low two hits.
Chicago, which had dropped eight of its previous 11, tied Toronto for the big league lead with 10 shutouts. The Yankees were blanked for the just the fourth time.
Bellinger drove a fastball in the right-field second deck in the third for his 20th hit in 40 at-bats, Nico Hoerner grounded a two-out RBI single through the right side in the fifth after a pair of walks and Patrick Wisdom added a run-scoring double in the seventh against Ron Marinaccio.
Rodón (0-1), a 30-year-old lefty coming off consecutive All-Star seasons, started his career with the White Sox, spent 2022 with San Francisco and signed a $162 million, six-year contract with the Yankees last winter. He strained his left forearm during spring training and was slowed by a bad back during rehab, causing him to miss the first half of the season.
Wearing high socks, Rodón threw predominantly fastballs (53) and sliders (12), mixing in two curveballs and a pair of changeups. He averaged 95.5 mph with his fastball but got just five misses among 30 swings.
“It was fun to watch him get after it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Rodón allowed two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
“It’s nice to finally pitch in the pinstripes in Yankee Stadium,” Rodón said, “but not the way I wanted to start.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: SS Dansby Swanson missed his second straight game because of a bruised left foot and will skip the All-Star Game.
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (rotator cuff inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day IL and cannot be activated until Aug. 4. … INF/OF Jake Bauers (bruised left rotator cuff) was put on the 10-day IL and Cordero was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
All-Star RHP Gerrit Cole (8-2 2.79) is 10-3 with a 2.53 ERA in 15 starts against the Chicago Cubs, who start Drew Smyly (7-5, 4.10) on Saturday.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-07-09T01:35:11+00:00 | keloland.com | https://www.keloland.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-cubs-get-1st-win-in-bronx-as-taillon-outpitches-yankees-rodon-in-3-0-victory/ |
UTRGV bans access of TikTok on university's network
The popular social media app, TikTok, is now banned on all UTRGV computers and smart devices using the university’s Wi-Fi networks.
The university sent a notice to all students on Tuesday.
RELATED: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks
This follows after the governor's order on banning TikTok earlier this week on all state-owned and state-operated devices due to cybersecurity concerns.
Nobody on any UTRGV campus will be able to access TikTok, even on their own personal devices, if they are connected to the school's wired or wireless networks. | 2023-01-19T00:02:09+00:00 | krgv.com | https://www.krgv.com/news/utrgv-bans-access-of-tiktok-on-university-s-network |
WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, April 20, 2023
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
257 PM CDT Thu Apr 20 2023
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE
EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...
* Timing...From 3 pm through 11 pm.
* Wind...West at 15 to 25 mph.
* Humidity...As low as 6 percent.
* Fuels...Critically dry.
* Impacts...Any fires that develop can spread rapidly. Outdoor
burning is discouraged.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN FANNIN COUNTY...
At 258 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Dodd City,
moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail
damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles.
Locations impacted include...
Honey Grove, Dodd City, Bonham State Park, Ladonia, Bailey, Windom,
Cotton Center, Allens Chapel, Allens Point, Dial, Bug Tussle, Lannius
and Gober.
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-04-20T20:31:43+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/tx-wfo-lubbock-warnings-watches-and-advisories-17909209.php |
Robinson, UNO visit Texas A&M-CC
New Orleans (6-12, 2-6) vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (7-12, 3-5)
American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two guards will be on display as Bryson Robinson and New Orleans will face Myles Smith and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The senior Robinson has scored 24 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 22.4 over his last five games. M. Smith, a junior, is averaging nine points over the last five games.
SAVVY SENIORS: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has relied heavily on its seniors this year. M. Smith, Jashawn Talton-Thomas, Elijah Schmidt and Tony Lewis have collectively accounted for 57 percent of the team's scoring this year and 51 percent of all Islanders points over the last five games.
RAMPING IT UP: The Islanders have scored 65.1 points per game across eight conference games, an improvement from the 57.8 per game they recorded in non-conference play.BRILLIANT BRYSON: Robinson has connected on 34.9 percent of the 149 3-pointers he's attempted and has made 15 of 46 over his last five games. He's also made 92.6 percent of his foul shots this season.
WINLESS WHEN: New Orleans is 0-11 when scoring fewer than 71 points and 6-1 when scoring at least 71.
SHARING THE BURDEN: New Orleans is a perfect 5-0 when at least five of its players score 10 or more points. The team is 1-12 when fewer than five Privateers players score in double-figures.
TIGHTENING UP: The New Orleans offense has turned the ball over 14.2 times per game this year, but is averaging 11 turnovers over its last three games.
For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25
This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com
Copyright 2020 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-07-14T11:17:08+00:00 | krgv.com | https://www.krgv.com/news/robinson-uno-visit-texas-a-and-m-cc |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
Labor organizers hope this will be the year that Starbucks' U.S. workers finally negotiate a union contract. But with bargaining at a standstill and thousands of employees still unconvinced of the union's value, that outcome is uncertain.
A little more than a year after a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, became the first U.S. store to unionize in decades — touching off a wave of labor actions at other big companies like Amazon and Chipotle — the rush to organize Starbucks stores has slowed.
Since December of 2021, 358 Starbucks stores have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to hold union elections. Petition activity peaked last March, when 69 stores asked to hold elections. By November, that had fallen to 13. Eleven stores filed petitions last month.
Labor organizers say Starbucks has chilled the effort with hard-nosed tactics, including firing pro-union workers and closing unionized stores. Starbucks has also promised wage increases and other benefits at non-union stores; the company says those perks are subject to bargaining at unionized stores.
But the union drive also faces resistance from Starbucks' own workers. So far, employees have voted to unionize at 274 stores, or 3% of Starbucks’ 9,000 company-owned U.S. locations, according to the labor board. Sixty-three stores have voted not to unionize.
Starbucks barista Jen Langberg said no one at her store in Henderson, Nevada, ever talks about unionizing. She appreciates Starbucks for raising her pay to $15 per hour in August.
“Overall, I’ve only ever had a very positive experience working for Starbucks,” said Langberg, a five-year employee.
Labor organizers say the long wait for Starbucks to negotiate store contracts with Workers United — an offshoot of the Service Employees International Union — is hurting efforts to organize.
“I’ve talked to partners at stores that haven’t unionized and they say, ‘I’m going to wait and see what happens,’” said Josie Serrano, a union organizer and Starbucks employee in Long Beach, California. “It’s a bummer. We do have to address and fight that.”
Contract negotiations at three stores in Buffalo and Arizona began last spring. Since then, bargaining sessions have been held at 75 stores, but Starbucks has walked out on the meetings because it opposes having union officials join by Zoom.
Starbucks says labor organizers are violating the rules by failing to share Zoom links or name remote participants and, in at least two cases, posting recordings from bargaining sessions on social media. The union says Starbucks is reversing itself after initially allowing Zoom negotiations last spring.
In late December, the labor board's Seattle office filed a complaint alleging that Starbucks had failed to bargain with 21 stores in Oregon and Washington. Starbucks blames the union for delays, saying it hasn't responded when Starbucks proposes bargaining dates. A hearing before an administrative law judge at the NLRB is scheduled for June.
Even in less contentious cases, bargaining is a slow process, with no deadline by which a contract must be reached and little intervention by the government unless the parties reach an impasse. Only 35% of overall union elections result in a first contract within a year, according to Kate Bronfenbrenner, the director of labor education research at Cornell University’s ILR School. Forty-four percent of workers still don’t have a contract more than three years after an election.
Serrano said the wait can be demoralizing, but can also energize workers. Twice in the last two months, hundreds of Starbucks employees have walked off the job at more than 100 stores across the U.S., demanding higher wages, more consistent scheduling and a return to the bargaining table.
Sarah Pappin was among the employees striking outside a store in Starbucks’ hometown of Seattle in December. Pappin criticized Starbucks for delaying bargaining and adding benefits like credit card tipping to non-union stores.
“They’re choosing to withhold income from people who live paycheck to paycheck, and it’s absolutely disgusting,” Pappin said.
For Serrano, the drive to unionize is more personal. Shortly after joining the company four years ago, Serrano, who is transgender and uses they/them pronouns, was approached by a customer who made derogatory and threatening comments to them. A supervisor watched but didn’t intervene; later, Serrano got a verbal warning from a store manager who was upset that Serrano's coworker reported the incident directly to the company.
“I see unionizing as a way to get written accountability procedures and have the power to say something if Starbucks doesn’t want to say the hard part out loud,” Serrano said.
But it will still be an uphill battle for organizers to convince thousands of other employees to back their cause.
Nancy Sowul, a Starbucks barista in Cary, North Carolina, said she is sometimes asked by customers at the drive-thru why her store doesn't unionize. To her, the answer is simple.
“I have nothing bad about Starbucks to say. I love my store, I love my manager and I am 100% supportive of the company,” Sowul said.
Sowul, a single parent, joined Starbucks nine years ago because she was looking for a part-time job with health benefits that would help her care for her autistic son. Starbucks has always accommodated her son's appointments, she said, and at the height of the pandemic, it paid her salary for six months while she stayed home with him.
In October, Sowul started work toward a free degree through Starbucks’ online partnership with Arizona State University. She aims to graduate from college in eight years, when her son will be graduating from high school.
“Every single important part of my life, Starbucks walked through it with me,” she said.
___
AP Video Journalist Manuel Valdes contributed from Seattle. | 2023-01-10T18:20:56+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/business/article/As-Starbucks-unionizing-slows-some-strike-17707784.php |
Popular Afrobeats star Davido’s three-year-old son has reportedly passed away from drowning.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP AND TAKE US WITH YOU ANYWHERE!
Reports state that three-year-old Ifeanyi drowned in a swimming pool at his residence in Lagos a few days after his third birthday on October 20. He was said to have been underwater for a while and was reported dead upon arrival at the hospital.
David nor his partner, Chioma Rowland has made a statement.
Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions).
LATEST POSTS:
- Courtside Brooklyn Nets Fans Wear “FIGHT ANTISEMITISM” Shirts Amid Kyrie Irving Controversy
- The Women of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Hope Fans Feel Comforted After Seeing The Film
- Keke Palmer Debuts Amazon Music Podcast Series “Baby, this is Keke Palmer”
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER!
HEAD TO THE RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM HOMEPAGE
Davido’s Three-Year-Old Son Reportedly Passed Away From Drowning was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com | 2022-11-02T05:09:06+00:00 | hot1009.com | https://hot1009.com/3467436/davidos-three-year-old-son-reportedly-passed-away-from-drowning/ |
- Seven major global automakers – BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, Stellantis NV – will create an unprecedented new charging network joint venture that will significantly expand access to high-powered charging in North America
- Targeting to install at least 30,000 high-powered charge points in urban and highway locations to ensure customers can charge whenever and wherever they need
- With a focus on delivering an elevated customer experience, the network will provide reliability, high-powered charging capability, digital integration, appealing locations, various amenities while charging, and use renewable energy
- Charging stations will be accessible to all EV customers, offering both Combined Charging System (CCS) and North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors
- First stations are scheduled to open in the summer of 2024
NEW YORK, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seven of the world's leading automakers – BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, Stellantis NV – are creating a joint venture to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles in North America, by making EV charging more convenient, accessible and reliable.
The joint venture will include the development of a new, high-powered charging network with at least 30,000 chargers to make zero-emission driving even more attractive for millions of customers.
With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
The joint venture aims to become the leading network of reliable high-powered charging stations in North America.
The joint venture is expected to be established this year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
The first stations are expected to open in the United States in the summer of 2024 and in Canada at a later stage. Each site will be equipped with multiple high-powered DC chargers, making long-distance journeys easier for customers. In line with the sustainability strategies of all seven automakers, the joint venture intends to power the charging network solely by renewable energy.
The new high-powered charging network will elevate the entire EV experience and drive EV adoption.
The network will provide a seamless, vehicle integrated, best-in-class charging experience, based on renewable energy and supported by the quality, reliability, and resources of world-leading automakers.
Focused on customer comfort and charging ease, the stations will be in convenient locations offering canopies wherever possible and amenities such as restrooms, food service and retail operations either nearby or within the same complex. A select number of flagship stations will be equipped with additional amenities, delivering a premier experience designed to showcase the future of charging.
Initial plans call for the deployment of charging stations in metropolitan areas and along major highways, including connecting corridors and vacation routes, aiming to offer a charging station wherever people may choose to live, work and travel.
The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakers' in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience.
As more electric vehicles are introduced and the rate of consumer adoption increases, the demand for fast and reliable public charging also grows in parallel.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as of July 2023, there are 32,000 publicly available DC fast chargers in the United States for use by 2.3 million electric vehicles, a ratio of 72 vehicles per charger. The NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) estimates that 182,000 DC fast chargers will be needed to support 30-42 million plug-in vehicles expected on the road by 2030.
With U.S. electric vehicle sales expected to exceed 50% of total U.S. sales by 2030, the expansion of reliable charging infrastructure will become even more critical to widespread electric vehicle adoption.
The creation of a best-in-class charging network will ensure that the EV infrastructure will support current and projected EV sales and will foster the adoption of electric vehicles.
BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse: "North America is one of the world's most important car markets – with the potential to be a leader in electromobility. Accessibility to high-speed charging is one of the key enablers to accelerate this transition. Therefore, seven automakers are forming this joint venture with the goal of creating a positive charging experience for EV consumers. The BMW Group is proud to be among the founders."
GM CEO Mary Barra: "GM's commitment to an all-electric future is focused not only on delivering EVs our customers love, but investing in charging and working across the industry to make it more accessible. The better experience people have, the faster EV adoption will grow."
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe: "The creation of EV charging services is an opportunity for automakers to produce excellent user experiences by providing complete, convenient and sustainable solutions for our customers. Toward that objective, this joint venture will be a critical step in accelerating EV adoption across the U.S. and Canada and supporting our efforts to achieve carbon neutrality."
Hyundai CEO Jaehoon Chang: "Hyundai's investment in this project aligns with our 'Progress for Humanity' vision in making sustainable transportation more accessible. Hyundai's expertise in electrification will help redefine the charging landscape and we look forward to working with our other shareholders as we create this expansive high-powered charging network."
Kia CEO Ho Sung Song: "Kia's engagement and investment in this high-powered charging joint venture is set to increase charging access and convenience to current and future drivers and therefore accelerate the transition to EVs across North America. Kia is proud to be an important part of this joint venture with other reputable automakers as we embark on a journey towards seamless charging experiences for our customers and further strengthening Kia's brand identity in the EV market."
Mercedes-Benz Group CEO Ola Källenius: "The fight against climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. What we need now is speed – across political, social and corporate boundaries. To accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, we're in favor of anything that makes life easier for our customers. Charging is an inseparable part of the EV-experience, and this network will be another step to make it as convenient as possible."
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares: "We intend to exceed customer expectations by creating more opportunities for a seamless charging experience given the significant growth expected in the market. We believe that a charging network at scale is vital to protecting freedom of mobility for all, especially as we work to achieve our ambitious carbon neutrality plan. A strong charging network should be available for all - under the same conditions - and be built together with a win-win spirit. I want to thank each colleague involved, as it is a milestone example of our collective intelligence to listen and serve our customers."
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE BMW Group; General Motors; Honda; Hyundai; Kia; Mercedes-Benz Group; Stellantis NV | 2023-07-26T16:29:01+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/07/26/seven-automakers-unite-create-leading-high-powered-charging-network-across-north-america/ |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
Three NCAA Tournament spots have been clinched, and conference tournaments this week will determine the other automatic bids.
The 16 NCAA regional hosts will be announced on Sunday and the rest of the 64-team field next Monday. There are 31 automatic qualifiers and 33 at-large selections. Already in are UC Santa Barbara (Big West), Columbia (Ivy League) and Coppin State (MEAC).
A look at the tournaments in the power conferences:
ACC
Site: Charlotte, North Carolina.
Days: Tuesday to Sunday.
2021 champion: Duke.
Top seed: Virginia Tech.
Short hops: The Hokies (40-11), picked sixth in the Coastal Division, are the top seed for the first time. ... Ten ACC teams are in the top 30 of the RPI. ... Florida State leads the nation with an average of 12 strikeouts per nine innings. ... ACC player of the year Max Wagner of Clemson has hit 26 homers, tied with Georgia Tech's Kevin Parada for second nationally. ... Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech are among six teams averaging more than two homers per game.
BIG TEN
Site: Omaha, Nebraska.
Days: Wednesday to Sunday.
2019 champion: Ohio State (no tournament in 2020 and 2021).
Top seed: Maryland.
Short hops: The Terrapins (44-10) posted their best regular-season record in program history and won their first outright conference championship since 1965. ... No. 2 seed Rutgers (41-14) set program record for regular-season wins and made the eight-team tournament for the first time since joining the conference for the 2015 season. ... Iowa tied Rutgers for second place, matching the highest finish in coach Rick Heller's nine years. ... Terps starters Jason Savacool (8-2) and Ryan Ramsey (10-0) have combined for an 18-2 record, 2.83 ERA and 182 strikeouts.
BIG 12
Site: Arlington, Texas.
Days: Wednesday to Sunday.
2021 champion: TCU.
Top seed: TCU.
Short hops: The Horned Frogs (35-18) are the first team to win back-to-back regular-season titles since 2016-17. ... Texas is third nationally in batting average (.322), second in slugging percentage (.572) and second in fielding (.986). ... Longhorns' Ivan Melendez has hit nation-high 28 homers. ... Baylor is turning nation-high 1.17 double plays per game. ... This is first season since 1999 that no team had an ERA under 4.00.
PAC-12
Site: Scottsdale, Arizona.
Days: Wednesday to Sunday.
Top seed: Stanford.
Short hops: This is the first Pac-12 Tournament. Regular-season champion earned NCAA automatic bid previously. ... Stanford and Washington each enter tournament on 12-game win streaks. ... Huskies, picked second to last in the preseason, rode their streak to the No. 7 seed in the eight-team tournament. ... The Cardinal's regular-season title is first since 2018, David Esquer's first year as coach. ... Oregon State's .988 fielding percentage leads nation. ... Beavers' Cooper Hjerpe is averaging nation-high 14.46 strikeouts per nine innings. ... Oregon LF Tanner Smith has started a school-record 156 straight games.
SEC
Site: Hoover, Alabama.
Days: Tuesday through Sunday.
2021 champion: Arkansas.
Top seed: Tennessee.
Short hops: Tennessee (49-7) set a program record for regular-season wins and is the third team in SEC history with 25 conference wins. ... Vanderbilt is the No. 8 seed after getting swept at home by LSU and, at 14-16, posted its first losing conference record since 2009. ... Arkansas didn't win at least a share of the West Division title for the first time since 2017. ... Tennessee's 2.45 homers per game is on track to be highest since Missouri State's 2.53 in 1999. ... Auburn's Sonny DiChiara leads SEC in slugging (.782) and on-base percentage (.561) and second in batting average (.382).
IN THE POLLS
Tennessee and Virginia Tech are the consensus top two teams in the major polls. D1Baseball.com and Collegiate Baseball newspaper rank Stanford No. 3. Baseball America has Texas A&M (35-17) third.
COACHING TURNOVER
Two Power Five head coaching jobs are open following Ohio State's firing of 12th-year coach Greg Beals on Monday. The Buckeyes finished 21-30 and 11th in the Big Ten at 8-14.
Kansas' Ritch Price announced his retirement after 20 years leading the Jayhawks, who were last in the Big 12 for a second straight year.
ROAD WARRIORS
Texas State (44-11) is on a 10-game win streak and, following a sweep at Georgia State, finished 15-0 in Sun Belt Conference road games. The Bobcats are the first Sun Belt team to accomplish the feat.
PIRATES HEATING UP
East Carolina (38-18) carries a nation-leading 14-game win streak into the postseason and will be looking to end a maddening streak of frustration in the NCAA Tournament.
The Pirates are projected to make the tournament regardless of what happens in the American Athletic Conference tournament. They have the distinction of making the most regional appearances (31) without advancing to a College World Series. They've reached six super regionals, three since 2016.
___
More AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | 2022-05-23T21:11:14+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Conference-tourneys-to-set-stage-for-NCAA-17193027.php |
JUAREZ, Mexico (Border Report) – Mexico on Sunday banned smoking in virtually all public spaces. Juarez officials say that will protect the public from second-hand smoke and encourage more El Paso families to visit their city. But restauranteurs fear they will lose business and are getting ready to sue the federal government.
“We knew since last year that this was coming but we expected designated smoking areas would be allowed to stand. The rules outlined this week render moot some of our members’ investments,” said Cristina Cunningham, president of the Juarez Chamber of Restaurants. “We are not against the law, we’re not against good health but the rules are not what was expected and if our members want to sue, we are ready to join them.”
The new rules prohibit smoking and e-cigarettes in restaurants, bars, events halls, public and private buildings, hotels and churches. Smoking is now banned also in some open spaces where large numbers of people congregate, including bus stops, stadiums, parks, and beaches. They also require stores to keep tobacco products behind counters and ban commercials promoting tobacco use.
Businesses face fines of up to $2,000; individuals face fines of $50 to $300.
“This is a good thing for those of us who don’t consume tobacco, this safeguards our health,” said Juarez City Council member Enrique Torres Valadez. “I do see there could be repercussions for businesses because their customers will not be able to smoke, even in open spaces.”
Cunningham said restaurants expect losses of up to 20 percent, considering one out of five of their customers are smokers. The rules allow for business to designate smoking area 30 feet away from any entrance but bans them from serving food there.
Cunningham said businesses in Downtown Juarez are small and built close together. Even bus stops are less than 30 feet from their main entrances, so they won’t get exemptions.
The law is also expected to put some street vendors out of business. “They told us they would fine us if we kept cigarettes in plain view. How are we going to sell cigarettes if people cannot see them,” asked Javier, a migrant who sells such products in Downtown Juarez.
Torres acknowledged Mexico’s new tobacco law will upset some people.
“We still see a lot of smokers, young and old. The older generation developed a habit long ago and younger people are being introduced to nicotine through vape products,” he said. “I expect they will still continue to find a way to buy them and consume them in homes or private gatherings.”
According to the Mexican government, 14.9 million people in Mexico reported smoking or consuming alternative tobacco products as of May 2019. At least 10 percent of men and 3 percent of women smoke, with 6.4 percent of the population reporting they consume tobacco products daily, as reported in the National Survey of Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Use (ENCODAT). | 2023-01-24T05:49:10+00:00 | cenlanow.com | https://www.cenlanow.com/border-report-tour/mexico-bans-public-smoking-tobacco-ads-businesses-say-theyll-sue/ |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Power outages are leaving Vietnamese homes and businesses without power for hours at a time, as a prolonged drought and high temperatures strain the fast-growing economy's capacity to keep up.
A long-anticipated plan meant to fix the energy crunch and help achieve ambitious climate change goals will offer some relief but may not go far enough in weaning the country off of fossil fuels, experts say.
The need for progress is evident.
Streetlights have been turned off in some major cities and businesses have been told to cut energy use. Amid severe drought, two out of the three largest hydroelectric reservoirs in Vietnam have almost completely stopped operating.
“It is a big headache for us," said Nguyen Thanh Tam, deputy director of Hoa Long printing company in Hanoi. “We need power to operate the machines.”
The national energy plan, called Power Development Plan 8 or PDP8, aims to more than double the maximum power Vietnam can generate to some 150 gigawatts by 2030. That's more than the capacity of developed countries like France and Italy, though well below Japan's 290 GW.
It calls for a drastic shift away from heavily-polluting coal, expanding use of domestic gas and imported liquefied natural gas or LNG, which will account for about 25% of total generating capacity, while hydropower, wind, solar and other renewable sources will account for nearly 50% by 2030.
“This plan showcases Vietnam’s macroeconomic growth ambitions — with robust plans to expand its generation capacity and the associated power sector infrastructure required to cater to the country’s growing energy demand,” said Kanika Chawla chief of staff at Sustainable Energy for All, the United Nations’ sustainable energy unit.
While Vietnam’s new energy plan mandates that no new coal-fired power plants will be built after 2030 as the country transitions to cleaner fuels, total generation capacity from coal power will still rise by 2030, contributing some 20% of total energy production — down from the current 30.8%.
By 2050, Vietnam will stop using coal for power generation, switching all coal plants to using biomass and ammonia, according to the plan.
The continued reliance on fossil fuels and burning biomass such as rice husk and residue from sugar cane farms, as well as the switch to build new infrastructure for gas-powered plants, has experts worried.
In July 2022, Vietnam enshrined in law a pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Late last year the Group of Seven advanced economies promised to provide $15.5 billion to help it end its reliance on coal-fired power plants as a part of a Just Energy Transition Partnership or JETP. Such projects have offered similar incentives to South Africa and Indonesia. Vietnam pledged to phase out coal power by 2040 at the United Nations climate change conference in Glasgow in 2021
“While coal remains part of the energy mix, it is a marked shift from the coal dependence that Vietnam sees today," said Chawla. “A definite phase down in share of energy mix and future emissions, in line with the JETP, even as absolute quantities of thermal power are largely unchanged.”
Vietnam has also drawn criticism for cracking down on environmental campaigns. The German government has warned that the recent detention of prominent environmental campaigner Hoang Thi Minh Hong, the fifth activist to be arrested in the past two years, could endanger a recent multi-billion-dollar deal to help the country phase out coal use.
The gradual shift away from coal won't wean Vietnam from fossil fuels, given its goal of expanding use of LNG — cooled natural gas that is made predominantly of methane whose production and transportation leaks contribute to global warming.
Demand for LNG — itself viewed as a legacy industry to be phased out — has soared with disruptions to natural gas supplies from Russia due to the war in Ukraine. That means higher prices and less secure supplies.
“If implemented, it would make it one of the largest gas users in the region,” said Aditya Lolla, Asia program lead at independent energy think tank Ember. “Any disruption to gas supply, even if they emanate due to reasons outside of Vietnam’s control, may potentially push the country back to coal if alternate renewable energy capacity is not ramped up soon.”
Financing is another challenge since the plan calls for spending nearly $135 billion on new power plants and electricity grids from now until 2030.
Investors favor renewable energy sources, said Trang Nyguyen, leader of Climateworks Centre's Southeast Asia team.
"It’s good that the plan gives clarity for investors. However, a big risk is that LNG assets will become stranded, as it is happening now with coal. How to mobilize enough investments in something that may not be viable in the next decade or so is a challenge that I see,” she said.
Vietnam, which has rapidly industrialized and made electricity available to nearly its entire population, has made huge strides in expanding use of renewable energy. It fueled half of the country's electricity output in 2022, up from just a quarter a decade earlier. But upgrades to the power grid haven't kept up.
What's needed is a revamp of the entire power system, "with a plan to develop and integrate renewables into the power system holistically,” Lolla said, noting the plan will likely result in short-term electricity rate hikes, even though it will stabilize prices and the power supply in the longer term.
“PDP8’s emphasis on expansion and modernization of the grid also helps as it means fewer outages, enhanced grid stability and overall improved energy reliability for households and businesses,” he said. “First and foremost, it means increased access to clean energy and reduction in emissions for the consumers.”
___
Associated Press video journalist Hau Dinh contributed from Hanoi, Vietnam.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP's climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP | 2023-06-14T06:07:46+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/long-awaited-vietnam-energy-plan-aims-to-boost-renewables-but-fossil-fuels-still-in-the-mix/BGD6LMZHAVGJXL75FNB35U2OYI/ |
Most Americans say that former President Trump should not be allowed to serve another term in the White House in the near future, according to a new Yahoo News-YouGov poll.
With several investigations into Trump’s conduct ramping up, 51 percent of registered voters say that the allegations of wrongdoing are enough to preclude the former president from launching another campaign.
In comparison, just 35 percent of respondents believe that he should be able to run again.
The poll was conducted immediately after New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a sweeping $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his family business and three of his children, alleging that they used false financial statements to mislead investors.
That lawsuit was only the latest in a series of mounting legal threats for Trump, who has openly floated the possibility of running for the White House in 2024.
He’s also facing a federal investigation into his removal of sensitive documents from the White House, as well as a criminal investigation in Georgia focusing on his and his allies’ attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state.
The latest Yahoo News-YouGov poll suggests that Trump’s legal challenges may be catching up to him politically — even if he hasn’t been formally charged or convicted of a crime.
Still, there’s some evidence that he remains a potent political force.
The poll found that, in a hypothetical 2024 matchup against President Biden, Trump trails by only 2 percentage points. That’s down from a 6-point lead for Biden in a previous Yahoo News-YouGov poll.
But in another sign of potential weakness for Trump, fewer than half of Republican and GOP-leaning voters say they support him for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, while 36 percent say they will back somebody else for the party’s nod. Seventeen percent are unsure.
That could suggest that GOP voters may be beginning to look past the former president as they consider who is best suited to take on Biden or another Democrat in 2024.
The Yahoo News-YouGov poll surveyed 1,566 registered voters nationwide from Sept. 23-27. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. | 2022-09-30T22:03:12+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/your-local-election-hq/most-registered-voters-say-trump-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-serve-a-second-term-says-new-poll/ |
HOUSTON, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of St. Thomas Houston (UST) has a Master of Arts in John Paul II Studies Program that is the first of its kind.
The John Paul II Institute at UST administers this Interdisciplinary study of the thought of John Paul II using philosophy, theology, literature and history.
"This flexible, online, interdisciplinary degree program is a systematic and comprehensive study of the thought and life of St. John Paul II in the context of modern history and culture," Dr. John Hittinger, director of the JPII Institute said. "The capstone experience is a study abroad course where you follow the footsteps of John Paul II in his native Poland."
If you are a faith formation director, Catholic educator, director of religious education or other professional who seeks to acquire a philosophical and theological perspective on the challenges of the modern world by integrating faith and reason, then this MA in John Paul II studies is for you. Lay people who seek personal enrichment and intellectual formation would also find this program of interest.
As the second longest reigning Pope in modern history, John Paul II had a decisive influence on the Church and the world. Through his many travels across the globe and his extensive writing of encyclicals, books and addresses, John Paul II left a tremendously rich heritage and legacy of thought bolstering the dignity and worth of the human person.
He was a "witness of hope" for millions, an advocate for the downtrodden and respected every human person whatever their ethnicity or religion. He was present at Vatican II, and he spent considerable time and thought on clarifying and implementing the Council for the renewal of the Church and society.
His many gifts include the literary and dramatic, philosophical and theological. He established World Youth Day and he had much to say to the youth, to families, to university people, politicians and artists.
To Register
For more information, contact Dr. Hittinger at hittjp@stthom.edu or 713-525-2155.
University of St. Thomas - Houston is a comprehensive university, grounded in the liberal arts. Committed to the unity of all knowledge, UST offers programs in the traditional liberal arts, professional and skills-based disciplines. Graduates of the University of St. Thomas think critically, communicate effectively, succeed professionally and lead ethically.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE University of St. Thomas-Houston | 2022-09-21T14:49:31+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/21/university-st-thomas-houston-offers-master-arts-john-paul-ii-studies/ |
SAN DIEGO, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, PrecisePK, a global leader in Bayesian Model-Informed Precision Dosing (MIPD) software, proudly announces its partnership with Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, marking a significant milestone as their first Spanish customer. This collaboration solidifies PrecisePK's position as a preferred provider of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) solutions for vancomycin AUC dosing and many other therapeutic areas, enabling hospitals to deliver the highest level of patient care.
"PrecisePK has not only helped decentralize our clinical pharmacokinetics services but also improved our clinical decisions and workflow efficiency at the patient bedside. It has allowed us to expand our portfolio of pharmacokinetic services, positioning us as a reference pharmacy service in Spain." Genís Castells, PharmD, an experienced hospital pharmacist leading TDM at Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership. Hospital pharmacy is one of the hospital's critical areas of focus that has been significantly enhanced by adopting PrecisePK's cutting-edge Bayesian MIPD software.
By replacing outdated and limited software with PrecisePK's comprehensive dosing solutions, Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa has experienced a remarkable transformation in its dosing practices. The user-friendly interface and advanced features of PrecisePK's software have empowered healthcare professionals to make informed decisions based on patient-specific factors, optimizing medication dosages and improving patient outcomes. The Bayesian dosing method also allows for one randomized level blood draw instead of timing for the trough to occur. Patients' predictive serum level graph, dosage history, and serum drug level are all visible on one dashboard, assisting pharmacists with defining the best strategy to reach therapeutic targets.
"We are delighted to partner with Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa and contribute to their mission of delivering exceptional patient care," says Katherine Ninh, Operations and Accounts Manager at PrecisePK. "Our innovative Bayesian MIPD software allows for updated PK/PD research studies to be accurately applied at the bedside. We aim to establish a new standard of care in Spain, ensuring patient safety through personalized dosing."
Spain is recognized as one of the European Union countries at the forefront of therapeutic drug monitoring. The collaboration between PrecisePK and Hospital Universitari Mutua Terrassa exemplifies the country's commitment to advancing the field of precision medicine and sets a precedent for other healthcare institutions to follow.
About PrecisePK
PrecisePK is a leading global provider of therapeutic drug monitoring software for Bayesian model-informed precision dosing. By leveraging real-time bedside assistance in drug dosing, therapeutic analytics, local populations model, AKI predictor, and other resources, the software is designed to streamline the work necessary to achieve individualized treatment and safeguard patient care, at the point of care. In addition to its robust vancomycin AUC software, PrecisePK offers a wide array of drug modules that aid in the workflow of infectious diseases as well as several other therapeutic areas including neurology, oncology, cardiology, and pulmonology. Visit PrecisePK's website for a free trial.
About Universitari Mútua Terrassa Hospital
Mútua Terrassa University Hospital is the university center for the University of Barcelona and is among the 8 largest hospitals in Catalonia. The hospital is part of the Integral Sanitary System of Public Use of Catalonia (SISCAT). It has an agreement with CatSalut, the Catalan health service of the Catalan government, to provide healthcare services to social security users in the region of Terrassa. Their healthcare services are a benchmark not only in the region but also among other hospitals in specialties ranging from neurosurgery and thoracic surgery to cardiac hemodynamics. With a wide range of specialties including clinical pharmacology, the hospital provides high-quality healthcare services to the Terrassa region and contributes to advancing medical research and education.
Media Contact
Vivian Liu
Business Development Specialist
vivian@precisepk.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE PrecisePK | 2023-06-15T14:46:41+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/15/precisepk-establishes-new-standard-care-spain-with-hospital-universitari-mutua-terrassa/ |
Altoona, Pennsylvania woman recognized for her inspirational journey after a dementia diagnosis
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SilverSneakers® by Tivity Health®, the nation's leading community fitness program for older Americans, announced today the national winner of its 19th annual SilverSneakers Member of the Year Award. The award honors a SilverSneakers member who inspires and motivates other seniors through health, physical activity, and community.
This year's recipient is Rita Yetsko, 87, from Altoona, PA. Rita was recognized for her motivating health transformation and embodiment of wellness through movement and social engagement.
After being diagnosed with dementia in 2021, Rita's health and mental capabilities steadily began to decline. The doctor's recommendations for what could slow the progress of the disease were diet, exercise, and socialization. After some coaxing from her daughters, Rita began attending SilverSneakers classes, and her progress has been astonishing. She is back to the vibrant and fun-loving person her daughters remember. Rita is now eager to go to her SilverSneakers classes and is an inspiration to anyone who tries to keep up with her. She attends SilverSneakers classes at the Groove Fitness Studio in Altoona, as a free benefit through Aetna®, her Medicare Advantage plan.
"Rita's uplifting health journey is a powerful reminder that we can set and reach new health and fitness goals, no matter the challenge," said Caroline Khalil, Chief Operating Officer, Tivity Health. "Her story and the hundreds of Member of the Year nominations we received illustrate the significant impact SilverSneakers has not only on our members but their families. We are honored to provide our SilverSneakers members a continued pathway for a long and independent lifestyle of health and wellness."
Since Rita began attending SilverSneakers classes, she has blossomed and is a social butterfly with her SilverSneakers friends who look forward to seeing her. She is a champion for them and her community. Rita attends SilverSneakers class with her family, and an unexpected benefit is that one of her daughters, Terry, who has a severe intellectual disability, loves attending classes with her mom. Rita will be 88 this fall, and not slowing down anytime soon.
"Congratulations to our Medicare Advantage member Rita for her amazing achievements and inspirational story," said Terri Swanson, president of Medicare for Aetna, a CVS Health® company. "We are honored to partner with Rita on her incredible wellness journey and wish her continued good health and happiness."
Rita will be honored alongside nine other SilverSneakers members who were selected as finalists for the award. A public online vote determined the national winner. Read more about the SilverSneakers Member of the Year winner and finalists: SilverSneakers.com/MOYAward.
SilverSneakers offers members a network of up to 22,000 fitness locations, along with community-based options such as rec centers and parks. Members can take part in live, instructor-led and on-demand virtual classes in a variety of lengths and formats that include strength training, cardio, meditation and stress management, always bringing more to the member.
Currently, nearly 18 million Americans are eligible for SilverSneakers at no additional cost to the member through select Medicare Advantage, group retiree, and Medicare Supplement plans. SilverSneakers members can use their membership for access to multiple locations and use the SilverSneakers® GO mobile app, to enable them to be active wherever and whenever they choose to work out.
About SilverSneakers
SilverSneakers®, by Tivity Health, is the nation's leading community fitness program for Medicare-eligible Americans. The program was founded in 1992 and is available to about 18 million Americans through many Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement carriers, and group retiree plans. For more information, to check eligibility to enroll in the program or sign up for a SilverSneakers newsletter, go to silversneakers.com.
About Tivity Health
Tivity Health® Inc. is a leading provider of healthy life-changing solutions, including SilverSneakers®, Burnalong®, Prime® Fitness and WholeHealth Living®. We help adults improve their health and support them on life's journey by providing access to in-person and virtual physical activity, social, and mental enrichment, condition-specific programming, as well as a full suite of physical medicine and integrative health services. We continue to enhance the way we direct members along their journey to better health by delivering an insights-driven, personalized, interactive experience. Our suite of services supports health plans, employers, hospital systems and others nationwide as they seek to reduce costs and create healthier communities. At Tivity Health, we deliver the resources needed to live healthier, happier, more connected lives. Learn more at www.tivityhealth.com.
Contact:
Debbie Jacobson
Tivity Health
Debbie.jacobson@tivityhealth.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Tivity Health, Inc. | 2023-07-17T15:08:51+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/17/silversneakers-announces-2023-national-member-year/ |
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck closed Georgia’s spring practice as the leader, but not yet the winner, of the quarterback competition.
Beck is at the front of the line to replace Stetson Bennett, who led Georgia to back-to-back national championships for the first time in school history. Beck opened Saturday’s G-Day scrimmage with the first-team offense, closing the Bulldogs’ spring practice schedule as the favorite — but not yet the starter.
“I’d say I’m content with the way I attacked and performed through the spring and approached the competition side of it,” Beck said.
Brock Vandagriff also had snaps with the No. 1 offense Saturday and throughout the spring. Gunner Stockton is the third contender.
Coach Kirby Smart said he’d have to review tape from the scrimmage before evaluating the performances. Smart said Beck, a junior, earned the first opportunity with the starters on Saturday because “he’s had the most practice reps.”
Beck was Bennett’s backup the last two seasons. He showed good accuracy, completing 15 of 22 passes for 231 yards and one touchdown, in the scrimmage. Vandagriff passed for two touchdowns and had a 23-yard run.
“I think I put together a pretty good spring,” Vandagriff said. “… It’s a good, healthy competition between us two. You want to see the other guy do well.”
Beck acknowledged it hasn’t been easy to spend most of his time on the sideline the last three years, including a redshirt season, waiting for this opportunity. Georgia’s runaway wins during its undefeated 2022 season provided opportunities for Beck (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) to play behind Bennett in seven games and complete 26 of 35 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns.
“Obviously it’s really difficult and I think it’s difficult for anybody when you come out of high school,” Beck said last week. “Really everybody who has come here has had to sit. We’re all four-star and five-star guys here and we’ve had a ton of them, but there have been a lot of guys who have had to sit and I’m sure every one of them would agree with me that it’s very difficult.”
Vandagriff (6-3, 205) was a hometown recruit from Prince Avenue Christian School in Athens. He said he considers himself to be a drop-back quarterback, even though he was rated among the top dual-threat players in his high school class.
Bennett recently showed off his arm strength by firing a fastball when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Atlanta Braves’ home opener. He was a former walk-on at Georgia who had an unusual wait, having to transfer before returning to play on the scout team and finally capitalizing on his chance.
Bennett again hopes to surprise experts who project he will be a late-round pick in the NFL draft, which begins on April 27. Bennett and other 2022 seniors posed with their national championship rings on the field during the scrimmage.
Georgia’s changes on offense this spring have included what Smart described as “an easy transition” to Mike Bobo as offensive coordinator after Todd Monken was hired to lead the Baltimore Ravens’ offense.
NOTES: DL Bear Alexander, a sophomore, entered the transfer portal. He had two tackles for losses and a sack in the national championship win over TCU. “That’s the way of the world,” said Smart of players who are “looking for greener pastures. … More power to them.” … Georgia unveiled its new mascot in its long line of solid white English bulldogs. Que, who was Uga X, is retiring with a 91-18 record. The 10-month-old Boom was introduced as Uga XI. … Georgia took a deliberate delay of game penalty before the first play to honor former offensive lineman Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy, a 24-year-old recruiting staffer, who were killed in a car wreck on Jan. 15, hours after a parade and national championship celebration.
___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25 and sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2 | 2023-04-16T19:38:29+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/sports/ap-sports/beck-closes-georgia-spring-as-qb-leader-but-not-yet-winner/ |
WFO SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, January 31, 2023
_____
BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
530 PM PST Mon Jan 30 2023
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING...
* WHAT...A long period northwest swell will bring increased risk
of sneaker waves and strong rip currents along the coast,
especially for northwest facing beaches.
* WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes
National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern
Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.
* WHEN...From Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening.
* IMPACTS...Sneaker waves can move quickly, knocking unaware
beachgoers off their feet. Remember, never turn your back to the
ocean.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...If visiting the coast, please keep children
close and pets on leashes.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm. There can be 30
minutes of small waves before a sneaker wave strikes. Stay well
back from the water's edge. Fisherman should avoid fishing from
rocks or jetties.
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-01-31T03:13:54+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/ca-wfo-san-francisco-bay-area-warnings-watches-17752681.php |
Let’s ask artificial intelligence to try something a bit ambitious: Helping us set goals and organize our lives to achieve them.
Chatbots like ChatGPT and Bard, it turns out, are actually pretty good at these tasks. I’ll walk you through prompting a chatbot to create an action plan and help you form new habits, including adding your goals into your calendar and to-do list.
First, pick a goal! It helps if there’s a self-help book with pertinent advice. For example, let’s say you want to run a marathon and you just read the book “Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run.”
Now choose a chatbot. I’ll use Open AI’s ChatGPT for this example with web browsing turned on in the settings, since the book is fairly new. Then try this prompt, which I adapted from PromptHero, a database of ChatGPT prompts that have helped people:
I want you to act as a life coach. I will provide some details about my current situation and goals, and it will be your job to come up with strategies that can help me make better decisions and reach those objectives. This could involve offering advice on various topics, such as creating plans for achieving success or dealing with difficult emotions. My first request is: My goal this fall is to run a marathon. Come up with a three-month plan using the principles of the book “Slow AF Run Club.”
ChatGPT can explain the premise of the book — that anyone, no matter their body size and fitness condition, can train at their own pace to become a runner — and spin together a workout plan using principles from the book.
On Month 1, for example, the chatbot might advise you to start with four 30-minute walks a week just to get accustomed to physical activity. Then on Month 2, it will say to maintain that frequency but to begin incorporating jogging. On Month 3, it will say to focus on jogging and increase the total time of your sessions to 45 minutes.
The next step is to take these suggestions and turn them into habits. You could manually plug the workouts into your calendar, but what’s the fun in that? On ChatGPT, using a plug-in automation tool called Zapier, you can connect the chatbot with your Google Calendar and ask it to automatically integrate these workout recommendations into your calendar for you.
Once you have Zapier hooked up to ChatGPT, go to Zapier’s Open AI actions menu and click, “Add a new action.” For the action, type “Google Calendar: Quick add event.” Go through the steps to connect your Google Calendar account and click “Enable action.”
Once this is done, go back to ChatGPT. With the Zapier plug-in selected, reenter the prompt asking the bot to be your life coach. Now, after the bot is done laying out the workout plan, type, “Add each workout to my calendar.”
From there, the bot will look at the workout plan and automatically follow the guidelines of the workout plan to add each session to your calendar. When the time comes to increase the durations of your runs, the calendar events will change to reflect that.
Pretty neat, but if you’re more of a to-do list type of person, that’s a much easier setup. Just tell your life coach that you’re going to share your to-do list regularly and that you want it to add these workouts to your to-do list according to the proposed schedule.
For example, I told my life coach that this week I needed to get the car tires rotated at Costco, contact the health insurance company about a claim, write copy for this week’s newsletter, buy broccoli and schedule phone calls with companies. It automatically spread out these tasks over the course of a week and tacked on the 30-minute strolls.
Try using these steps with any of your life goals — such as saving money to buy a house, or setting yourself up to get a promotion at work. A bit of automation can turn vague advice into a more actionable plan.
After I asked for a running plan, I told my life coach I was overweight and out of shape after the pandemic. The chatbot reminded me that, based on the principles of the book, the goal is to run a marathon, not to lose weight, and to find joy in the process of running while removing shame. It encouraged me to join a community of runners, whether in real life or online in communities like Reddit or Strava. That felt like sound advice. | 2023-07-01T18:25:00+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/how-to-turn-your-chatbot-into-a-life-coach/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Officials at Tulsa Community College are continuing to see higher enrollment numbers from Oklahoma high school students.
With registration still open through Monday for 16-week courses, Lissa Steadley, director of TCC’s Dual Credit Programs, said her office has already seen an enrollment increase of more than 10% among its six offerings for the second consecutive spring semester.
Working with high schools as far as way as Mountain View-Gotebo in southwestern Oklahoma’s Kiowa County, TCC currently partners with more than 170 school districts around Oklahoma to offer in-person and remote dual-credit options, which allow students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.
“It is our goal to help students get started on the right foot,” Steadley said. “I’ve been here 10 years, and we have grown steadily every year, but in this last year or so, it has just taken off. We’ve never seen double-digit growth like this.”
People are also reading…
Among the six programs under Steadley’s office is dual enrollment. Also known as concurrent enrollment, it is open to juniors and seniors and allows students to take college classes that also count toward their high school diplomas.
For example, Composition I, a one-semester course, can fulfill a student’s high school English requirement for the junior or senior year while simultaneously earning that student three hours of college credit.
Students are able to earn up to 12 hours of college credit as juniors and 18 hours of college credit as seniors with tuition covered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
The lure of getting ahead academically appealed to Bixby senior Carter Breneman. He has already completed four college classes and will be taking statistics and biology in person at TCC’s Southeast Campus this semester.
“I wanted to be proactive about my future and try to get a head start so that when I get to college I won’t have to roll through as many general education classes,” he said.
That opportunity to complete at least part of an associate’s degree at a lower cost was also attractive for fellow Bixby senior Auree Maddox.
Maddox is on track to complete a full year’s worth of college credit by the time she graduates from high school in May. She said the opportunity to avoid taking on student debt was a key factor in her decision to take college courses while still in high school.
“It’s so hard to finish college in four years, so if I can get ahead, why wouldn’t I?” Maddox said.
<&rule>
Featured video: Memorable Tulsa World education stories of 2022 | 2023-01-16T00:26:55+00:00 | tulsaworld.com | https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/tcc-dual-credit-programs-seeing-double-digit-enrollment-growth/article_bb9347e2-9377-11ed-afb4-c3ed9279e42b.html |
The creators of “BunnAmigos” came up with the idea of a travel podcast for kids after inventing stories for a fluffle of rabbits in their neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Now, the show’s globetrotting bunnies are about to hop into their second season.
Here & Now‘s Deepa Fernandes speaks with the show’s creators, Maurice Poplar and his 10-year-old son Ezra.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-22T18:44:21+00:00 | nprillinois.org | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-06-22/on-bunnamigos-podcast-a-father-and-son-hop-around-the-globe |
Senators Tim Scott & Sherrod Brown Praised by Robert L. Johnson for Introducing the Advancing Auto Portability Act to Enable Traditionally Underserved & Under-Saved Americans to Preserve Retirement Savings
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert L. Johnson, Founder and Chairman of The RLJ Companies and Chairman of Retirement Clearinghouse, LLC, applauds Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) for the introduction of the Advancing Auto Portability Act of 2022. The U.S. Senate legislation has the potential to preserve up to $1.5 trillion in retirement savings for the next generation of workers by encouraging auto portability. With auto portability, a participant's 401(k) account can follow them as they change jobs, making it less likely that people prematurely cash-out their savings and improving retirement security.
"I congratulate Senators Tim Scott and Sherrod Brown for leading this bipartisan push to build wealth for underrepresented American communities. Auto portability will help historically underserved and under-saved workers, especially Black Americans, realize greater benefits from the U.S. retirement system—and achieve the American dream of a financially secure retirement," said Mr. Johnson. "Enshrining auto portability in law is a significant milestone in our national effort to bridge America's wealth gap."
"This legislation recognizes that cash-out leakage—driven by the frictions prevalent in moving money between plans in our country's retirement system—is adversely affecting Americans' retirement outcomes in a very big way," said Spencer Williams, Founder, President, and CEO of Retirement Clearinghouse. "401(k) savings portability will institute a new default in plan designs, which will enable participants to opt out of having their small balances automatically moved to their new employers' plans when they change jobs, instead of having to opt in. Senators Scott and Brown have crafted legislation which would make this default available to all plans across the U.S. retirement system—a huge win for America's hardworking retirement-savers. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 greenlighted auto enrollment and the use of target-date funds as default investment vehicles—and now, we are closer than ever to a default setting for auto portability of small accounts, at the point of job-change. Finally, the leveling-up of retirement-saving outcomes is within reach."
The lack of seamless plan-to-plan account portability when participants switch employers has historically made cashing out an easier option than moving and consolidating 401(k) account balances. Prematurely cashing out a retirement savings account can have destructive consequences for retirement-savers.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) estimates that as much as $92 billion in savings leaves the U.S. retirement system every year, as workers prematurely cash out their 401(k)s when they change jobs, and pay taxes and penalties on those cash-outs. Retirement Clearinghouse research indicates that a hypothetical 30-year-old participant who cashes out a 401(k) account with $5,000 today would forfeit up to $52,000 in earnings they would have accrued by age 65, assuming the account would have grown by 7% per year.
Unfortunately, minorities and low-income workers are more likely to make this cash-out decision. According to EBRI, 14.8 million plan participants change jobs every year—and data from the largest retirement plan recordkeepers indicates that nearly one-third (31%) of them will cash out their 401(k) savings accounts within one year of moving to new employers. However, these rates are higher among plan participants who belong to minority communities (63% for Black Americans and 57% for Latinos), are between ages 20 and 29 (44%), or earn $20,000 to $30,000 in annual income (50%). Similarly, the percentage is higher for women (41%), especially women between ages 25 and 34 (71%).
"Women often wind up having to work longer than they expected due to unforeseen circumstances and expenses, especially if they outlive their spouses," said Cindy Hounsell, President of the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER). "This new legislation will make it easier for women to overcome the inequities that have, historically, placed them at a disadvantage when saving for retirement."
To address this growing problem, members of the private and public sectors have worked together to develop and implement auto portability—the routine, standardized, and automated movement of a retirement plan participant's 401(k) savings account from their former employer's plan to an active account in their current employer's plan. Auto portability was conceived and built to meet the needs of plan participants with account balances of less than $5,000, who often lack access to the portability solutions afforded to their counterparts with larger accounts. The auto portability solution is designed to connect recordkeepers operating within the U.S. qualified 401(k) plan system, establishing a network that facilitates data flows. The Department of Labor provided Retirement Clearinghouse with guidance for its auto portability service in 2018 and 2019.
EBRI estimates that the widespread adoption of auto portability would preserve up to $1.5 trillion in additional retirement savings—measured in today's dollars—in the U.S. retirement system over a 40-year period. That $1.5 trillion would include approximately $191 billion for 21 million Black Americans, and $619 billion for all minority retirement savers.
Over the past few years, several large defined contribution plan recordkeepers have adopted auto portability for the plans they service. The Advancing Auto Portability Act supports the continued expansion of auto portability by creating a $500 tax credit to help businesses—and in particular, small businesses—with implementation costs and making the Department of Labor's 2019 guidance permanent.
More information is available at https://rch1.com/plan-sponsors.
The National Urban League and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) have sent letters to Mr. Johnson in support of auto portability.
Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, ended his letter of support by stating: "Based on the far-reaching benefits of auto portability, the Urban League is pleased to join this public policy conversation, as our entire economy benefits when Americans can afford a secure and timely retirement. By strengthening the defined contribution leg of America's 'three-legged stool,' the Urban League believes all sectors of our economy benefit, including the private sector, the taxpaying public, and all levels of government. Now is the time for all of us to work together to reduce the wealth gap and make retirement more secure for Black families. The National Urban League stands behind all efforts to empower Black Americans and we are pleased to be aligned with you on the issue of Auto Portability."
Derrick Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAACP, wrote in his letter of support, "The implementation of Auto Portability is a necessary and transformational tool in addressing the racial wealth gap. It will ensure that Black families, and other communities of color, have the financial infrastructure necessary to maintain economic stability for retirement." He also wrote, "Although Auto Portability alone will not address the racial wealth gap, it has the ability to positively support the ability of Black workers to build lucrative retirement investments by creating a streamlined approach to savings; one that reduces the opportunities of workers to withdraw investments. As an organization committed to identifying solutions to economic challenges and inequities experienced by Black people, and other communities of color, the NAACP is committed to being a partner in advancing the implementation of Auto Portability as an essential tool to address racialized economic inequities."
To learn more about auto portability, please visit https://www.rch1.com/auto-portability.
Retirement Clearinghouse, LLC is the leading provider of portability and consolidation services for defined contribution plans, acting as a trusted, unbiased intermediary between plan sponsors, participants, recordkeepers and other parties. Retirement Clearinghouse's integrated financial technology, data and information solutions facilitate automated consolidation of small, redundant accounts for sponsors to improve plan performance, and enable participants, regardless of account balance, to seamlessly transport their retirement savings through every phase of their careers.
Retirement Clearinghouse's portability solutions have been proven to cut cash-outs by over 50% and significantly increase average account balances. The firm's portability solutions include a domestic call center providing specialized assistance designed to enable end-to-end portability and account consolidation; uncashed check services; and the capability to search for lost and missing participants.
Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) remains the only independent provider that defines its primary business as the consolidation of retirement savings into active 401(k) or IRA accounts and provides plans and their participants with services that streamline the transfer of savings between retirement accounts.
Originally established as RolloverSystems in 2001, Charlotte, N.C.-based Retirement Clearinghouse works with more than 33,000 retirement plans and has helped guide over 1.7 million plan participants with more than $27 billion in retirement savings. Retirement Clearinghouse is a portfolio company of The RLJ Companies, founded by Robert L. Johnson. For more information, please visit www.rch1.com.
Victoria Castelbuono
JConnelly for Retirement Clearinghouse
(973) 590-9314
rch@jconnelly.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Retirement Clearinghouse | 2022-06-15T22:06:49+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/15/bipartisan-legislation-introduced-preserve-retirement-savings-by-expanding-auto-portability/ |
WASHINGTON — American consumers and nearly every industry will be affected if freight trains grind to a halt next month.
One of the biggest rail unions rejected its deal Monday, joining three others that have failed to approve contracts over concerns about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time. That raises the risk of a strike, which could start as soon as Dec. 5.
It wouldn’t take long for the effects of a rail strike to trickle through the economy. Many businesses only have a few days’ worth of raw materials and space for finished goods. Makers of food, fuel, cars and chemicals would all feel the squeeze, as would their customers.
That's not to mention the commuters who would be left stranded because many passenger railroads use tracks owned by the freight railroads.
The stakes are so high for the economy that Congress is expected to intervene and impose contract terms on railroad workers. The last time US railroads went on strike was in 1992. That strike lasted two days before Congress intervened. An extended rail shutdown has not happened for a century, partly because a law passed in 1926 that governs rail negotiations made it much harder for workers to strike.
Here are some of the expected impacts of a rail strike:
$2 BILLION A DAY
Railroads haul about 40% of the nation's freight each year. The railroads estimated that a rail strike would cost the economy $2 billion a day in a report issued earlier this fall. Another recent report put together by a chemical industry trade group projected that if a strike drags on for a month some 700,000 jobs would be lost as manufacturers who rely on railroads shut down, prices of nearly everything would increase even more and the economy could be thrust into a recession.
And although some businesses would try to shift shipments over to trucks, there aren't nearly enough of them available. The Association of American Railroads trade group estimated that 467,000 additional trucks a day would be needed to handle everything railroads deliver.
CHEMICALS RUN DRY
Chemical manufacturers and refineries will be some of the first businesses affected, because railroads will stop shipping hazardous chemicals about a week before the strike deadline to ensure that no tank cars filled with dangerous liquids wind up stranded.
Jeff Sloan with the American Chemistry Council trade group said chemical plants could be close to shutting down by the time a rail strike actually begins because of that.
That means the chlorine that water treatment plants rely on to purify water, which they might only have about a week's supply of on hand, would become hard to get. It would be hard for manufacturers to make anything out of plastic without the chemicals that are part of the formula. Consumers will also pay more for gasoline if refineries shut down either because they can't get the ingredients they need to make fuel or because railroads aren't available to haul away byproducts like sulfur.
Chemical plants also produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct, so the supply of carbon dioxide that beverage makers use to carbonate soda and beer would also be restricted, even though the gas typically moves via pipelines.
PASSENGER PROBLEMS
Roughly half of all commuter rail systems rely at least in part on tracks that are owned by freight railroads, and nearly all of Amtrak’s long-distance trains run over the freight network.
Back in September, Amtrak cancelled all of its long-distance trains days ahead of the strike deadline to ensure passengers wouldn’t be left stranded in remote parts of the country while still en route to their destination.
And major commuter rail services in Chicago, Minneapolis, Maryland and Washington state all warned then that some of their operations would be suspended in the event of a rail strike.
FOOD FEARS
It would take about a week for customers to notice shortages of things like cereal, peanut butter and beer at the grocery store, said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain for the Consumer Brands Association.
About 30% of all packaged food in the U.S. is moved by rail, he said. That percentage is much higher for denser, heavier items like cans of soup.
Some products, like cereal, cooking oils and beer, have entire operations built around rail deliveries of raw ingredients like grain, barley and peanuts, along with shipments of finished products.
Those companies typically keep only two to four days’ worth of raw ingredients on hand because it’s expensive to store them, Madrecki said, and grocers also keep a limited supply of products on hand.
Madrecki said big food companies don't like to discuss the threat of a rail strike because of worries about product shortages can lead to panic buying.
HUNGRY HERDS
Any disruption in rail service could threaten the health of chickens and pigs, which depend on trains to deliver their feed, and contribute to higher meat prices.
“Our members rely on about 27 million bushels of corn and 11 million bushels of soybean meal every week to feed their chickens. Much of that is moved by rail,” said Tom Super, a spokesman for the National Chicken Council, a trade group for the industry raising chickens for meat.
The National Grain and Feed Association said a rail strike now would hit pork and chicken producers in the southern U.S. hardest, because their local supply of corn and soybeans from this year’s harvest is likely exhausted and they’d have to ship feed by truck, dramatically increasing costs.
“They only have so much storage. They can’t go without rail service for too long before they’d have to shut down the feed mills and they run into problems,” said Max Fisher, the NGFA's chief economist.
RETAIL RISKS
Jess Dankert, the vice president for supply chain at the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said retailers’ inventory is largely in place for the holidays. But the industry is developing contingency plans.
“We don’t see, you know, canceling Christmas and that kind of narrative,” Dankert said. “But I think we will see the generalized disruption of really anything that moves by rail.”
David Garfield, a managing director with the consulting firm AlixPartners, said a rail strike could still impact holiday items shipped to stores later in December, and would definitely hamper stocking of next season’s goods.
Retailers are also concerned about online orders. Shippers like FedEx and UPS use rail cars that hold roughly 2,000 packages in each car.
AUTOMOBILE ANGST
Drivers are already paying record prices and often waiting months for new vehicles because of the production problems in the auto industry related to the shortage of computer chips in recent years.
That would only get worse if there is a rail strike, because roughly 75% of all new vehicles begin their journey from factories to dealerships on the railroad. Trains deliver some 2,000 carloads a day filled with vehicles.
And automakers may have a hard time keeping their plants running during a strike because some larger parts and raw materials are transported by rail.
___
Associated Press Writers David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, and Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. | 2022-11-22T16:17:40+00:00 | wtsp.com | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/nation-world/rail-strike-looms-and-impact-on-us-economy-could-be-broad/507-728a7fd5-0297-40c2-a3ef-d780a3ab66be |
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Three residents of Mississippi’s capital city testified Wednesday that their rights as citizens are undermined by a new state law that would create a court inside Jackson with judges who are appointed because the state constitution requires most judges to be elected.
“It is an affront to democracy,” Ann Saunders said.
She and the other two residents — Sabreen Sharrief and Dorothy Triplett — are the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Mississippi Center for Justice, the ACLU of Mississippi and the MacArthur Justice Center.
The lawsuit is one of two that challenge laws Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed April 21. The laws will expand state policing in the capital city of Jackson, establish a court with an appointed judge and authorize four appointed judges to work alongside the four elected circuit court judges in Hinds County, which is home to Jackson.
Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas conducted a hearing Wednesday to consider a request for an order to temporarily block the creation of the new court in a portion of Jackson designated as the Capitol Complex Improvement District. Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph is asking to be dismissed as a defendant in the lawsuit, and Thomas said he is also considering that request.
Thomas said he expects to issue rulings within days.
Lawmakers created the Capitol Complex district several years ago to improve streets and other infrastructure and to provide state policing near state government buildings in and around downtown.
The majority-white and Republican-led Legislature voted this year to make the district larger, create the new court and give the state-run Capitol Police the power to patrol the entire city. People pushing the changes said they were trying to curb crime in Jackson. Local residents protested that state officials were trying to usurp power in Jackson, which is majority-Black and governed by Democrats.
A special assistant state attorney general, Rex Shannon, argued Wednesday that the state constitution allows legislators to create “inferior” courts with appointed judges. Cliff Johnson, one of the attorneys suing the state, argued the new court would not be “inferior” because it would have similar powers to circuit courts, and people convicted of misdemeanors in the new court would be sent to state prison.
Sharrief testified Wednesday that she and her family have lived in Jackson five generations, and she wants to elect judges just as people do in the rest of the state.
“It’s kind of an insult to me to have that right taken from me,” Sharrief said.
Triplett said the right to vote is sacred and having a court with appointed judges “sets us apart in a way that is not positive.”
“It’s kind of bullying us in a way in saying, ‘You’re not capable of electing judges,’ ” Triplett said.
Shannon said he appreciates the plaintiffs’ testimony, but “there is no evidence that they will experience any actual, real-world, practical harm from any of the laws they are challenging.”
The other lawsuit was filed by the NAACP in federal court, and it warns that the new laws will return “separate and unequal policing” to Jackson. A judge has not yet held a hearing on that lawsuit. | 2023-05-11T01:23:33+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/national-world-news/affront-to-democracy-mississippi-resident-says-of-appointing-judges-where-most-are-elected/ |
CLEVELAND — May 15 is National Senior Fraud Awareness Day. The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recently released its annual Elder Fraud Report and the number of elderly victims has risen at an alarming rate.
The amount of losses has skyrocketed.
In 2021, more than 92,000 victims over the age of 60 reported losses of $1.7 billion to the IC3. According to the FBI, that is a 74% increase in losses from 2020.
The FBI also just released a new public service announcement. In it, former FBI and CIA Director Judge William Webster speaks about being a victim of elder fraud.
If it can happen to Webster, it can happen to anyone, said the FBI. That’s why Webster and his wife Linda are teaming up to educate older Americans about scammers who target them and their money.
“If someone calls on the phone and you don’t know who they are, hang up. If something appears on your computer and you don’t know who sent it, don’t click it,” said Linda Webster.
Ohio lands in the 5th spot of states and United States Territories for victims and 13th for losses with more than $45 million dollars.
Grandparents scams and romance scams are among the most commonly used in targeting Americans over 60 years old.
“Bill is so sweet and so trusting, he went down to Western Union twice to wire money to people who called him and said they needed money and they of course were lying they were not his grandson or a woman friend,” explained Linda Webster.
Luckily, Western Union employees alerted him that something wasn’t right.
Now, the couple is on a mission to help older Americans keep their hard-earned cash.
If you are a victim of a scam, the FBI said to fill out a complaint at IC3 and call your local FBI office if money has been taken. The quicker a report is made, the better the chance of having money returned according to the FBI.
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here. | 2022-05-16T03:13:20+00:00 | news5cleveland.com | https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/its-national-senior-fraud-awareness-day-former-fbi-director-on-mission-to-protect-elderly-from-scams |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Shippers are praising proposed changes that federal regulators have approved to the system used to dispute rates railroads charge, aiming to update a system that is so costly and cumbersome it is little used.
The new procedures the U.S. Surface Transportation Board approved this week may give shippers a way to resolve rate disputes of less than $4 million in a matter of months instead of years, and at a much lower cost. But the major freight railroads expressed reservations about the new system that would take effect sometime early next year.
“The board has long sought a suitable method of making adjudication of smaller rate disputes accessible, reasonable, and less time-consuming for affected parties,” STB Chairman Martin Oberman said. “Experience has shown that the board’s prior efforts to provide rate review methods suitable for smaller disputes have been rarely used by shippers.”
The American Chemistry Council trade group estimated that challenging the rates railroads charge under the existing system costs between $4 million and $5 million and takes about five years on average. So that makes it impractical for most companies to use.
“These new procedures are an important move in the right direction that will provide the STB, railroads and shippers with a speedier option for resolving small rate cases in the absence of effective market competition,” said Kimberly Wise White, the American Chemistry Council’s vice president of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs.
The STB said that if all seven of the largest railroads agree to it, a new arbitration system will be adopted to resolve these rate disputes. But if Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National don’t all promise to abide by arbitration, the board will adopt a different system.
Under that second proposal, the STB would decide whether a railroad’s rates are reasonable. If it were to reject the rate, the board would accept either the company’s or the railroad’s proposed rate without spending an extended period of time working to decide what the rate should be.
The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers trade group said the new rules should provide some relief to companies that rely on railroads and don’t have any other viable options to ship their raw materials and products.
“For several decades, the freight rail industry has experienced massive consolidation and a decline in competition,” said Rob Benedict, AFPM’s vice president of petrochemicals and midstream. “This has given the remaining railroads incredible market power and, subsequently, rail shippers have been forced to deal with escalating shipping rates, sub-par rail service and ineffective means to resolve commercial disputes.”
The Association of American Railroads trade group’s president and CEO, Ian Jefferies, said he’s not sure the STB has the legal authority to adopt the new system because the board wouldn’t do an independent analysis of the rates.
“Sound economic principles are abandoned, in favor of an arbitrary procedure that offers no certainty to any stakeholder and instead rewards legal brinksmanship,” Jefferies said. | 2022-12-21T01:48:44+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/regulators-back-streamlined-system-to-challenge-rail-rates/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Happy Wednesday! The temperatures this morning will either put a smile on your face or make you wish the warm air would return. Good news for everyone, whether you prefer temperatures in the 30s or temperatures in the 80s, you will get a chance to feel both as we continue through the week.
Feeling a winter chill this morning: We are waking up to temperatures near or below freezing in the low 30s. If you think this is unusual, you are correct, as our first freeze typically doesn’t occur until mid-November. These temperatures will be in the 30s through 9 or 10 a.m., so take the heavier winter coat with you if you have to be outside prior to these times.
Similar to yesterday we will have sunny skies and highs in the low to mid-60s. Thankfully the wind will ease up on us today, as our northwest breeze will be less than 10 miles per hour, so it should feel more comfortable than 24 hours ago despite the similar high temperatures.
A few areas will be near freezing again tonight: We will not have the threat of an areawide freeze tonight, but the northern ArkLaTex may see another round of freezing temperatures and frost tomorrow morning. Lows will be in the 30s again tonight, with temperatures dropping to near or below the 32-degree freezing mark across the northern ArkLaTex. If you covered up your plants or brought them inside last night, do the same tonight to be on the safe side. This will be the final threat of a freeze this week.
Warmer weather returns tomorrow: For my money, Thursday and Friday will be the two most comfortable days this week. Sunny skies will prevail with a south breeze returning to warm us into the mid-70s. We will be sunny with highs in the 80s Friday with low humidity.
We will feel humidity ramp up this weekend and it will turn breezy again. High temperatures Saturday and Sunday will be in the mid to upper 80s as we will get that Summer feeling back in the air.
The heat and humidity will be ramping up ahead of a cold front that will move in early next week. There will be a chance of rain and storms late Monday into early Tuesday. Rainfall accumulations are still up in the air but we may see about half an inch to 1 inch of rain in some areas.
Get exclusive severe weather details on storms as they approach your area by downloading the Arklatex Weather Authority app, now available in the App Store and Google Play | 2022-10-19T12:26:31+00:00 | ktalnews.com | https://www.ktalnews.com/weather/chilly-wednesday-warm-air-returns-tomorrow/ |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s parliament has banned a far-right political party led by a jailed former lawmaker from participating in the general election later this year.
Parliament published the text of a legislative amendment Thursday that will disqualify the Greek National Party on the grounds that its leader has been convicted of a serious criminal offense. Lawmakers approved the amendment late Wednesday.
Ilias Kasidiaris, who founded the breakaway party two years ago, is serving 13-year prison sentence for membership in and being a former leading member of Golden Dawn, a political party of neo-Nazi origins.
A court in 2020 designated Golden Dawn as a criminal organization for waging a campaign of violence against migrants and ideological opponents. Kasidiaris and other members of the Golden Dawn leadership were jailed as a result of the ruling.
Public Order Minister Takis Theodorikakos told state-run television Thursday that banning the Greek National Party was appropriate.
“The Government did the right thing by responding to a demand from a vast majority of Greek citizens: to exclude a party led by a convicted member of a criminal organization.”
Elections are expected in April with the governing center-right New Democracy party leading but unlikely to gain an outright majority, opinion polls suggest. The likely stalemate is expected to trigger a repeat election the following month, when a new election law takes effect.
Recent polls suggest the Greek National Party would cross the threshold of 3% of the national vote needed to gain parliamentary representation.
The party on Thursday described the vote in parliament as a violation of the constitution and voters’ rights, and vowed to set up its own unofficial ballot boxes on election day.
Golden Dawn — a party that held torch-lit rallies and included senior members who openly backed violence against migrants — was represented in parliament between 2012 and 2019 following four consecutive elections held during a major financial crisis.
During Wednesday’s debate, lawmakers from the Greek Communist Party said they opposed the amendment, arguing that it could be misused to ban political activism in general.
A small right-wing opposition party in parliament, Hellenic Solution, also opposed the legislative initiative, describing it as unconstitutional. | 2023-02-10T01:44:26+00:00 | fox59.com | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-far-right-party-banned-from-upcoming-election-in-greece/ |
The Biden administration on Wednesday identified school districts that will receive nearly $1 billion over the next year to purchase new zero-emission school buses and charging stations.
The money will go to nearly 400 school districts across 50 states, the District of Columbia and several Tribes and U.S. territories to purchase more than 2,400 clean buses, 95% of which will run on electricity. The others will operate on compressed natural gas or propane.
The funds are part of a five-year, $5 billion Clean School Bus Program created by last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law. The administration says the initiative will bear the brunt of the cost for school districts to slash their emissions, but school bus operators are pumping the brakes on the notion they’ll be able to completely kick diesel-powered buses to the curb anytime soon. They warned that there are a host of obstacles to overcome.
“It’s not that we can’t get there, but there are some hurdles in front of us for sure,” said Curt Macysyn, executive director of the National School Transportation Association that represents private bus contractors. “With this, there’s a whole planning aspect that’s involved with the charging infrastructure and making sure that your bus depot is capable of handling the power load to get these buses charged.”
Among the concerns is the logistics of rolling out electric fleets with limited range and charging capabilities, particularly in rural areas. Nearly all of the chosen school districts receiving the first tranche of money — 99% — serve primarily low-income, rural, and/or Tribal students.
Electric school buses made by Blue Bird, a leading school bus manufacturer, have a maximum range of 120 miles before needing to be recharged, which can take anywhere from 3 to 8 hours. The administration is kicking in an extra $20,000 for each bus purchased to put toward charging infrastructure.
Another major challenge is that roughly 40% of the country’s 480,000 school buses are owned and operated by private companies that are contracted by schools. That means they don’t have direct access to the grant money and must work with the districts to secure it, adding another layer of bureaucracy that could slow progress.
“That causes logistical problems for us,” Macysyn said. “It’s creating something that’s more complicated than it needs to be.”
Karl Simon, director of the EPA’s Transportation and Climate Division, said they designed the program with private transportation providers in mind and that the EPA is prepared to work with both them and the school districts they serve to get the money out the door.
The $1 billion plan will be announced Wednesday by Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan in Seattle.
Newsletters
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request. | 2022-10-27T22:27:05+00:00 | djournal.com | https://www.djournal.com/news/nation-world/biden-celebrates-1-billion-for-zero-emission-school-buses/article_c995b8b0-57dc-532b-ba70-7b78734ac79f.html |
(LIV GOLF) – In his 11-year professional career, Harold Varner III has won individual trophies in Australia and Saudi Arabia.
With his RangeGoats GC, he celebrated a LIV Golf League team trophy earlier this year in Singapore.
But the 32-year-old resident of North Carolina had never won on American soil until Sunday, when he captured the LIV Golf DC trophy with a final-round 4-under 68 for a one-stroke victory over hard-charging Branden Grace.
In winning on the outskirts of the nation’s capital on Memorial Day weekend in front of the largest crowd to attend a LIV Golf tournament in the U.S., Varner becomes the second different RangeGoats player to win this season, joining good friend Talor Gooch, who won back-to-back titles in Adelaide and Singapore.
“Very special,” Varner said. “I’ve never won in America. It’s my favorite country.”
Varner did not get to enjoy a champagne celebration with his team, though. The Spanish-speaking Torque GC won for the second time this season, shooting a final-round counting score of 9 under to finish at 27 under, beating the South African Stinger GC by three shots, with the RangeGoats taking third.
“It’s good, but at the end of the day, I really wanted to celebrate with the RangeGoats,” Varner said. “That’s my team.”
Varner produced several clutch moments Sunday at Trump National Washington D.C., none bigger than his hole-out from the bunker for birdie at the par-4 11th to take the lead. His tee shot at the par-3 15th set up another birdie to give him a two-stroke lead.
But Grace, who lost in a playoff to Dustin Johnson two weeks ago in Tulsa, birdied two of his last three holes, including his final hole, the par-4 second, to tie Varner at 11 under. “I played flawless all day,” said Grace after his bogey-free 6-under 66, the only bogey-free round in the field this week. “Nice to make a putt like that when it matters.”
At the time, Varner was about to play his second shot at the par-5 18th. His 6-iron from 197 yards landed on the front edge of the green and settled 40 feet from the pin, setting up his two-putt birdie for the win.
“I knew exactly what I had to do, when I had to do it, how I have to do it,” Varner said. “I love that. That’s why you play, that moment.”
Varner’s victory prevented Torque from sweeping both trophies. Torque’s Mito Pereira led Varner by one stroke to start the day but wasn’t as sharp as the previous rounds en route to shooting 71 to finish third.
Even so, his lengthy eagle putt on the par-5 13th was a key moment in Torque’s tight battle with Stinger GC, which was looking for its second consecutive team win after claiming the title in Tulsa.
“My irons weren’t very good today,” Pereira said. “Happy to finish third and obviously wanted to win. But we won as a team, so that’s pretty sick, too.”
David Puig, the 21-year-old from Spain and LIV Golf’s youngest player this season, provided Torque with its best counting score, a 6-under 66 that tied Grace for the low round of the day. Sebastián Muñoz added a 70 to tie for fourth on the individual leaderboard.
The win moves Torque to third in the season-long team standings behind last year’s champions, 4Aces GC, and Stinger GC. But Torque Captain Joaquin Niemann likes how his team is performing going into the second half of the 14-event season.
“We won already two times and obviously the more important win is the last one of the end of the year,” Niemann said, pointing to the Team Championship. “I think this is good to prove to all the other teams that we are the team to beat.”
As for Varner, his plans to celebrate his first win in the U.S. include a round of golf on the Monday holiday with his friends at a municipal course.
“I love playing golf,” he said. “That’s my favorite thing. I’m going to play tomorrow. It’s going to be awesome.” | 2023-05-29T18:41:21+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/liv-golf/final-birdie-earns-win-for-varner-at-liv-dc/ |
WFO SHREVEPORT Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, April 21, 2023
_____
FLOOD WARNING
Flood Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
1154 AM CDT Mon Apr 17 2023
...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Texas...
Angelina River Near Lufkin affecting Cherokee, Angelina and
Nacogdoches Counties.
For the Angelina River...including Alto, Lufkin...Minor flooding is
forecast.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Do not drive cars through flooded areas.
Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
For more hydrologic information, copy and paste the following website
address into your favorite web browser URL bar:
water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=shv
The next statement will be issued Tuesday afternoon at 1200 PM CDT.
...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE FRIDAY MORNING...
* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...Angelina River Near Lufkin.
* WHEN...Until late Friday morning.
* IMPACTS...At 162.0 feet, Minor lowland to diminish and end on the
lower Angelina River.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 11:30 AM CDT Monday the stage was 162.0 feet.
- Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours
ending at 11:30 AM CDT Monday was 162.3 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 162.0
feet this afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage late
Wednesday evening.
- Flood stage is 161.0 feet.
- Flood History...No available flood history.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-04-17T17:48:47+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/tx-wfo-shreveport-warnings-watches-and-17901898.php |
NEW YORK, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Inotiv, Inc. ("Inotiv" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NOTV). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Inotiv and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
On May 20, 2022, Inotiv disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that "[o]n May 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice ('DOJ'), together with federal and state law enforcement agents, executed a search and seizure warrant on" a Cumberland, Virginia facility of Inotiv's subsidiary Envigo RMS, LLC ("Envigo"). Inotiv further disclosed that "[o]n May 19, 2022, a complaint was filed against Envigo in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. The complaint is a civil action by DOJ alleging violations of the Animal Welfare Act at the Cumberland, Virginia facility. The complaint seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and costs."
On this news, Inotiv's stock price fell $5.19 per share, or 28.31%, to close at $13.14 per share on May 23, 2022.
The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com
CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
888-476-6529 ext. 7980
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | 2022-07-21T23:26:05+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/07/21/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-inotiv-inc-notv/ |
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A man from Kansas pleaded guilty to poaching a moose in Colorado.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), on July 10, 33-year-old Steven Samuelson, of Oakley, Kansas, pleaded guilty to willful destruction of wildlife, as well as hunting without a proper and valid big game license, aggravated illegal possession of wildlife, failure to prepare wildlife for human consumption, hunting in a careless manner and illegal take of wildlife.
CPW says Samuelson received a two-year deferred jail sentence on the felony charge, meaning it will be waived if he meets the terms of the plea agreement and two years unsupervised probation.
In addition, CPW says Samuelson was fined nearly $20,000 and surrendered the bow he used to poach the moose, as well as other property that contained evidence of the crime, including his cell phone.
Samuelson also was assessed 65 points against his hunting license, with just 20 needed to suspend his hunting privileges.
An investigation into the case began in September 2021 when the CPW office in Colorado Springs received a report that someone had illegally shot a bull moose with an arrow in the woods north of Divide.
Three officers, Aaron Berscheid, Travis Sauder and Ben Meier, arrived at the scene and conducted an investigation. They concluded that a suspected poacher had shot the moose and then attempted to remove the head of the animal.
After failing to do so, the suspected poacher, now identified as Samuelson, attempted to hide the carcass by covering it with tree branches and sticks.
The officers collected physical evidence, including the photo to the right, as well as video from the reporting party’s game cameras, which pinpointed the time of the incident and provided photos of the suspect.
“This moose was treated unethically, and that is something we take very seriously,” said Sauder, assistant area wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region. “We are fortunate members of the public share our passion for wildlife and helped us catch the poacher. We rely on honest sportspeople to help us solve these types of cases.”
CPW says besides the public’s help, they used old-fashioned police work to track down Samuelson.
“The investigation reached a climax when Sauder and Meier drove to Kansas where they worked with members of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to confront Samuelson at work and execute a search warrant to gather valuable evidence at Samuelson’s Oakley home,” said CPW.
Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region Tim Kroening says since being reintroduced in 1978, moose have flourished. He says the current population is estimated to be nearly 3,000 animals, and they have spread throughout the state.
“While this creates many wonderful opportunities to photograph, view and hunt these animals, it has also created temptation among some to illegally poach these animals,” Kroening said.
Kroening says the Samuelson case, and others, show CPW is determined to stop future poachers. | 2023-07-20T02:01:22+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/news/state-regional/kansas-man-pleads-guilty-after-poaching-moose-in-colorado/ |
Ukraine keeps laying deadly traps for the Russian military — and the Russians keep biting.
When Ukraine started talking about an offensive in the southern part of the country, Russia moved troops to reinforce the south, pulling them out of the east. Ukraine then unleashed a potent offensive in the east — where Russian forces had just thinned out.
Ukrainian tomfoolery operations continue, with what appears to be a wooden NASAMS launcher decoy. pic.twitter.com/XiCXEhHjuB
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 18, 2022
"How in the world did the Russians not detect the buildup of Ukrainian forces?" said Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general who helped train the Ukrainians a few years ago.
"The Russians have satellites. The Russians have really top-quality electronic warfare capability. That tells you that their processes are not very good," said Hodges, who was the commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, and is now at Center for European Policy Analysis.
Ukraine's successful military offensive pointed to a recurring theme in the seven-month war: Russian mistakes and Ukrainian ingenuity.
Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, that this Russian blunder points to the broader, systemic Russian failures.
"The Russians have been touting their modernization, these flashy objects they show us and we think, 'Wow, they're really proving their capability,'" she said. But, she added, "it's been less than meets the eye. What we've discovered is there's actually a lot of problems and bugs in these systems."
Ukraine neutralizes Russia's air force
And the Ukrainians, she notes, keep outsmarting the Russians.
At the start of the war, Russia was expected to quickly establish air superiority with its much larger, more modern air force. But Ukraine foiled the Russians, largely with old Soviet air defense systems on the ground.
The Ukrainians have relied on "shoot-and-scoot tactics, meaning that they turn on their radar, fire it at an aircraft, and then they pack up really quickly and get out of the area. By the time the Russians respond and maybe shoot a missile back, the Ukrainians have already moved away," Grieco said.
Ukraine says it's shot down more than 200 Russian planes and helicopters. That number cannot be independently confirmed, but the Russians have largely stopped flying over Ukraine.
"As a result, the Russians have never had the ability to use the skies and fly freely throughout this war," she said.
To protect its aircraft and pilots, the Russian Air Force now fires mostly long-range missiles from beyond Ukraine's borders.
But Ukraine has a plan for that as well. It's built wooden decoys of its high-value targets. This has fooled the Russians into firing valuable missiles at these worthless props, according to Ben Hodges.
"So you're launching multimillion dollar cruise missiles, toward wooden targets that are decoys," said Hodges. "This sort of agility and innovation, the MacGyver sort of stuff that they do, I think this has contributed to where we are now."
Hodges visited Ukraine's sprawling capital Kyiv just before Russia invaded in February. He was shocked when Russia tried to seize the capital in a matter of days.
"You couldn't capture Kyiv in three days if there were no Ukrainian soldiers there," he said. "It's a very complex urban environment. It has one of the biggest rivers in Europe. What I failed to appreciate is how the Russians would be so unprepared to actually fight."
After a month, the Russians gave up and retreated from the outskirts of the capital.
U.S. assistance helps level the battlefield
The Ukrainians are getting valuable US intelligence and weapons, like Javelin missiles, which a single soldier can launch from his shoulder and take out a Russian tank.
But what's a Ukrainian soldier to do if he's in the heat of battle — and his Javelin isn't working?
JoAnne Bass, the chief master sergeant of the U.S. Air Force, says the answer is simple: he makes a long-distance call to the American national guardsman in Washington state who originally instructed him.
"This young Ukrainian soldier uses the power of their telephone and they reach out to somebody who they formerly trained with," she said.
The results came quickly.
"Within 30 minutes they figured out how to troubleshoot. Then another few minutes goes by and that guardsman gets a picture of that (Russian) tank that was destroyed," she added. "It just shows the innovative spirit."
Collectively, all these episodes support what CIA Director William Burns said about Russian leader Vladimir Putin way back in March, just a couple weeks into the war.
"He was confident that he had modernized his military and they were capable of a quick decisive victory at minimal cost. Those assumptions have proven to be profoundly flawed," Burns said then.
Burns now says Putin believes he can simply outlast the Ukrainians through a long, cold winter. The CIA director says this too will prove yet another miscalculation.
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent. Follow him @gregmyre1.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-09-19T21:37:26+00:00 | wlrn.org | https://www.wlrn.org/2022-09-19/a-war-with-recurring-themes-russian-blunders-ukrainian-ingenuity |
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Tens of thousands of fans descended upon the Swedish capital of Stockholm to celebrate the opening show of Beyoncé’s new world tour on Wednesday.
“Renaissance” is the superstar’s first solo tour since 2016 and shares the namesake of her 2022 dance-centric album, the success of which landed Beyoncé at the top of the Grammy throne as the ceremony’s most decorated artist in history.
Fans who had complained in recent months about the lack of music videos for “Renaissance" hits were in for a treat Wednesday as video projections and animations took center stage. The rapid succession of costume changes and decor shifts was baffling. The singer played on interactions between a digital and physical world where robotic devices make space for weird silver moon rovers or an inflatable horse. Even Queen Bey herself morphs into a cybernetic character. Seems confusing? It was.
RELATED: Beyoncé makes history at Grammys
Yet despite the impressive scale of the stage set, some moments still felt intimate. Beyoncé expressed heartfelt gratitude to fans for traveling from afar to witness her perform. She reached for songs spanning across her two-decade career, kicking off the show with “Dangerously in Love,” the title track of her 2003 first solo album, moving through 2011 female empowerment anthem “Run the World (Girls)” and dishing up a good selection of hits from “Renaissance” itself.
Wednesday's show sold out the 46,000 tickets available; and if the audience's reaction was anything to go on, the rest of the tour will be a hit. Beyoncé will make stops at more than 40 cities including London, Paris, Barcelona and Toronto before wrapping up the tour Sept. 27 in New Orleans. | 2023-05-11T03:56:08+00:00 | 11alive.com | https://www.11alive.com/article/news/nation-world/beyonc-renaissance-world-tour-opening-concert/507-561185b2-468e-49cb-87fc-32f06bb69c48 |
BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — A man was killed following a head-on crash between two vehicles on Highway 13, just east of Barney, on Saturday morning.
According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, at approximately 2:15 a.m on August 27, a car traveling eastbound on Highway 13 collided with a car traveling westbound near mile marker 374.
The driver of the first vehicle, a 47-year-old man, was pronounced dead on the scene.
The driver and a passenger in the second vehicle, both 19-year-old men, were transported to Sanford Hospital in Fargo for serious injuries.
The crash remains under investigation by the NDHP. The names of those involved in the collision have not yet been released. | 2022-08-27T16:12:32+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/news/one-dead-after-head-on-richland-county-crash/ |
The first beauty platform powered entirely by the community.
LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Redefining the future of beauty, the KIKI platform is disrupting the current industry model by empowering anyone to help create the products they want, not what they're told they need. Driven by a desire for self-expression, KIKI leverages emerging technology to create products reflecting society's growing desire for endless expression online and in the real world. KIKI shifts the power paradigm from top-down trend creation to customer-powered experiences, turning consumers into co-creators by giving them a say in every product released.
Entirely community-driven, KIKI's core membership platform outlines new principles for consumer commerce by rewarding creativity, participation, and customer advocacy. Launching with Pretty Nail Graffiti™ on May 16th, a unique peel-off nail polish, members can vote on what color nail polish KIKI produces. KIKI products come in custom aluminum components built on a fully circular supply chain and are embedded with NFC chips that allow users to earn rewards each time they use them. Additionally, members will be able to vote on what product KIKI launches next, creating an entirely demand-driven value chain that, for the first time, accurately reflects what customers want. Every member will be able to claim a KIKI World Pass, which acts as a virtual membership card built on Ethereum, in addition to platform rewards like exclusive product perks, insider access, and member-only loyalty points. The KIKI World Pass is an on-ramp to the world of web3 and the first step towards a world where customers have a true stake in the products they help create and take more control of their data and identity online.
"Beauty brands are standing on the shoulders of customer recommendations and the creator economy, we wanted to build a world in which both customers and creators can become true co-owners of the beauty brand's success – voting, initially off-chain and KIKI World Pass are the first steps on a journey to build a more exciting first principle model for the future of beauty as an expressive category with, not for its stakeholders" said Jana Bobosikova, Co-Founder and CEO of KIKI. "Our platform provides a revolutionary approach to product development, putting the user at the center of the equation. We look to transform the beauty industry by putting customers first, rewarding them as true co-creators, and rewriting the protocol of value for lifestyle brands", said Co-Founders Brendon Garner and Ricky Chan.
A fun and intentionally-designed twist on a beauty staple, KIKI's inaugural product, Pretty Nail Graffiti™, is an easy-to-use water-based, peelable nail polish that allows anyone to switch up their nail color whenever, wherever. Packaged in a refillable, airless smartpen, users can easily pair their product with their account to effortlessly earn points with every use.
Pretty Nail Graffiti™ retails from $29 and will launch for pre-order on May 16th on www.kiki.world
ABOUT KIKI:
KIKI is a community-driven beauty platform that's breaking the rules of beauty by giving anyone the opportunity to help create the products they want and get rewarded for their contributions. KIKI founders came together after spending over a decade developing products and creating brands in the beauty industry. Building on our mission to give power to the passionate, KIKI's product co-creation platform empowers our community to co-create and co-own products and attributes they want to see come to life. KIKI is backed by leading tech and consumer investors, including a16z Crypto Startup School, Red DAO, Double Down, FirstLight, 2 Punks Capital and others.
For more information, please contact kiki@smallgirlspr.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE KIKI | 2023-05-16T13:23:48+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/05/16/announcing-launch-kiki-world/ |
WFO BUFFALO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 12, 2023
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1256 PM EDT Wed Apr 12 2023
...ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING...
High pressure will continue to support dry and mild conditions
across the region. West to southwest winds will average 15 to 25
mph with gusts as high as 35 mph. Drying fuels and low relative
humidity values of 25 to 40 percent will maintain elevated fire
weather concerns.
A reminder that the annual statewide burn ban is in effect until
May 14th.
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-04-12T17:29:20+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/ny-wfo-buffalo-warnings-watches-and-advisories-17893304.php |
2023 BISA Technology Innovation Award recognizes leadership in the advancement of the financial services industry's products, services, and platforms through technology innovation
LOS ANGELES, April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group (Cetera), an at-scale wealth hub that offers financial professionals and institutions the latest solutions, support and services, announced today that it recently earned the 2023 Bank Insurance Securities Association (BISA) Technology Innovation Award for its comprehensive digital platform, MarketingCentral. This award recognizes companies for their commitment to technological solutions in the financial services industry.
Using MarketingCentral, financial institutions and professionals can manage their marketing strategy, execute marketing plans and deploy lead-generation efforts from one interface. Other key features of MarketingCentral include a robust multi-channel library of thought leadership published by the Cetera Investment Management team and other subject matter experts, automated campaigns built for targeted audience segments, and turnkey quarterly marketing plans with insight-driven content.
MarketingCentral is the latest example of Cetera's commitment to delivering technology innovation and advancements that help its advisors optimize their business and best serve their clients. The award adds to the growing list of Cetera product offerings that are BISA Technology Innovation Award winners, including AdviceWorks, My Advice Architect, and DataPak.
Click here to learn more about the BISA Technology Award and visit www.cetera.com for more information.
About Cetera Financial Group®
An at-scale wealth hub, Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) offers financial professionals and institutions the latest solutions, support, and services. Breaking away from a commoditized and homogenous IBD model, Cetera instead creatively addresses advisors' and institutions' unique needs, whether they are seeking to grow, scale, or transition with a merger, sale, investment, or succession plan. Cetera proudly serves independent financial advisors, tax professionals, licensed administrators, large enterprises, as well as institutions, such as banks and credit unions, providing an established and repeatable blueprint for scalable growth.
Cetera's approach empowers advisors to affiliate in whichever way they deem most appropriate. During the professional life cycle of their practice, the Cetera wealth hub helps to ensure each advisor's affiliation model identifies and ignites growth levers in a way that helps increase the value of their practice, people, and legacy. Cetera delivers holistic, unbiased financial planning and advice to Main Street investors, helping them achieve their version of financial wellbeing at all life stages. For financial professionals, Cetera provides growth and succession resources, an enhanced advisor tech stack and importantly, an experience where financial professionals don't feel like a number, but an integral part of Cetera's rich and thriving ecosystem.
Home to more than 8,000 financial professionals and their teams, Cetera oversees approximately $322 billion in assets under administration and $115 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2022. In a recent advisor satisfaction survey of more than 14,000 reviews, Cetera's Voice of Customer (VoC) program vigorously measures advisor experience and satisfaction 24/7. Currently, it's ranked 4.7 out of 5 stars.
Visit www.cetera.com, and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
"Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. All firms are FINRA/SIPC members. Located at: 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.
Individuals affiliated with Cetera firms are either Registered Representatives who offer only brokerage services and receive transaction-based compensation (commissions), Investment Adviser Representatives who offer only investment advisory services and receive fees based on assets, or both Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives, who can offer both types of services.
The BISA Technology Innovation Award is designed to recognize leadership in the advancement of the financial services industry's products, services, and platforms through technology innovation. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Cetera Financial Group | 2023-04-13T19:10:07+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/13/cetera-earns-technology-innovation-award-its-comprehensive-digital-platform-marketingcentral/ |
MADRID (AP) — Animal rights activists gathered Sunday in Madrid to protest plans for the construction of an octopus farm in Spain, saying there are no respective laws in the country and the European Union to guarantee the welfare of the animals in captivity.
The proposed farm, which aims to breed octopuses on a large scale in captivity, is scheduled to be built next year in the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean.
A few dozen people showed up to express their concerns regarding a project that plans to confine 3 million octopuses in pools, despite these creatures being solitary predators in their natural habitat.
“It is similar to imprisoning tigers together. They will prey on one another and will also attempt to escape due to their high intelligence and adeptness,” said Jaime Posada, a spokesperson for the protest called by various animal welfare organizations.
Octopuses grown in captivity will behave differently from those in the wild, said Nova Pescanova, the seafood company promoting this farm. Since 2018, the company has run a pilot project in a research facility in northern Spain, where they have succeeded in breeding five captivity-born generations of the cephalopod.
“It is not possible to grow any (animal) species in the European Union without respecting their welfare conditions. It is the standard, and our group does nothing but comply with guidelines and legislations,” said Roberto Romero, the multinational’s aquaculture director.
Since the demand for octopus consumption has been on the rise, farming octopuses is being regarded as a first step towards ensuring sustainable food production.
Octopus is a staple in the Mediterranean diet, particularly popular in Spain and Italy, although both of them import most of the octopus they consume. Recently, the global demand for this delicacy has expanded, with countries like the United States witnessing a 23% increase in imports and China experiencing a 73% surge between 2016 and 2018, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the spokesperson’s last name is Posada, not Poasada, | 2023-05-21T17:13:44+00:00 | kron4.com | https://www.kron4.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-animal-rights-activists-protest-octopus-farm-plans-in-spain/ |
DENVER, Colo. — Millions of Americans struggle to afford the cost of prescription drugs. Now, for the first time in American history, the federal government will have the power to negotiate prescription drug prices.
This change is because of the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. It's something Kim Bimestefer, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing, says is long overdue.
"Up until just the last few weeks, this country has not negotiated the price of drugs with manufacturers, so the rest of the world has some form of national healthcare and we are the outlier," Bimestefer said. "A third of Americans don't take their drugs the way they are supposed to because they can't afford to."
The Inflation Reduction Act will allow the government to negotiate the prices of 10 drugs.
"Those drugs that they are going to negotiate, they'll probably be those really high-cost drugs about less than 2% are so expensive they are consuming about 50% of the prescription drug spend," Bimestefer said.
However, as Adam Fox, the deputy director of the Colorado consumer health initiative, explains, it's going to be a while.
"It is a bit of a long runway and realistically consumers aren't going to see some of those benefits probably until 2026," Fox said.
Colorado is one state that just recently made strides in its drug importation program by signing contracts on both sides of the US/Canada border. Other states are watching what's happening. If approved by the FDA, Coloradans will be able to purchase an imported drug for around 60% less than the US cost.
"And this solution is very complimentary to that. Many of those drugs were not permitted to be imported through the federal government's guidelines, so it's a nice compliment to have what has just recently been passed and this importation program operating side by side," Bimestefer said.
"That just raises the importance of some of the state-level work and our drug importation program because that can potentially provide more impact faster and sooner," Fox said.
Lauren Reveley is the Drug Importation Program Manager.
"This is kind of the first step in a continued process of implementation, so these contracts are to set up the new marketplace and the supply chain to bring imported products to Colorado," Reveley said.
Reveley says the state plans to submit its application to the FDA this fall. Florida was the first state to file an application. Vermont, Maine, New Mexico and New Hampshire are others that have importation programs. Yet so far no state programs have been approved by the feds.
"That needs federal approval and that takes unfortunately a lot of time," Fox said.
"I think what we've built is repeatable by other states, and we don't want to be the lone state that is successful we want to help bring others along," Bimestefer said.
"And what we often see is if enough states pass similar policies, that usually moves to the federal level," Fox said.
The work to lower prescription drug prices stems from a long history.
"Sometimes we've got to disrupt the status quo and this process that we're going through is going to do that," Bimestefer said.
"The unfortunate reality is there is a lot of profit and money to be made in health care in general and prescription drugs in particular and that has created a really prominent incentive to keep the costs high," Fox said.
So, they say the Inflation Reduction Act, in combination with federal approval of drug importation programs from states, will create a massive change for Americans. | 2022-09-01T17:34:54+00:00 | koaa.com | https://www.koaa.com/news/national/reducing-the-cost-of-prescription-drugs-beyond-the-inflation-reduction-act |
NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Integrated Financial Holdings, Inc. ("IFH") (OTC: IFHI) to MVB Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: MVBF). Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of IFH will receive 1.21 shares of MVB common stock for each share of IFH that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.
If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/otc-ifhi/ to learn more.
To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
CONTACT:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC | 2022-09-22T02:42:20+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/22/integrated-financial-investor-alert-by-former-attorney-general-louisiana-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-investigates-adequacy-price-process-proposed-sale-integrated-financial-holdings-inc-ifhi/ |
Many people look forward to the summer season all year. It’s a beautiful time to get outside, get together with friends or enjoy cold treats. To make the most of summer, you’ll need a few essentials.
Yard games like Spikeball are an excellent way to get competitive with friends, whereas the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker offers you a delicious way to cool down.
In this video
BestReviews’ Jacob Palmer joins Scott Moak to share our picks for the items you need this summer.
Ice cream maker
Ice cream is the perfect way to beat the heat. If you eat ice cream often, you can save money over time by making it yourself. There’s something particularly satisfying about eating ice cream you made from scratch.
When choosing an ice cream maker, think about how much work you want to put into making your treat. Hand-crank models require more effort but produce top-notch ice cream. Alternatively, modern ice cream makers make delicious ice cream with little effort.
Making ice cream is best when you take your time and choose high-quality ingredients. Consider using cream instead of milk and real vanilla instead of vanilla flavoring. Fresh eggs and cream ensure your frozen treat has a good flavor. You can also make things simple by using an ice cream mix.
Backpack cooler
Having cold drinks on hand is necessary for every cookout and tailgating event, but coolers are usually heavy and hard to carry. Luckily, numerous backpack coolers make it easy to transport cold drinks.
Consider size, weight and insulation when buying a backpack cooler. Larger backpacks give you more space to store beverages, but they can be harder to carry. Some feature hard sides, whereas others are soft all the way around. Soft backpacks are more comfortable to carry, but you’ll want to check that they’re made from a thick, puncture-resistant material.
Yard games
If you’re getting your friends and family together for a day of fun, you can’t go wrong with yard games. Many stick to cornhole and horseshoes, but there are a wide range of new yard games worth considering.
Games like Spikeball incorporate volleyball and four square elements for a competitive game that gets you up and moving. Chippo is a yard game made for those who love golfing; it combines elements of golf with cornhole.
Pickleball
Pickleball is a great middle ground between activity and relaxation. This sport combines elements of table tennis and traditional tennis. It gets you on your feet and moving but doesn’t require much running.
Starting with a pickleball set can be a good idea if you’ve never played before. Most sets include nearly everything you need to get started, such as paddles and balls.
Sunscreen
When spending time in the sun, it can be easy to forget to apply sunscreen. However, you shouldn’t underestimate the damage the sun’s UV rays can cause. According to the National Institutes of Health, UV rays can reduce skin elasticity and cause skin cancer.
Broad-spectrum sunscreen is the best choice, as it protects against UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreens that don’t offer broad-spectrum protection may prevent sunburn but don’t prevent deep tissue damage. Additionally, you’ll want a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (or SPF) of at least 30.
Shop this segment
This is a highly durable machine that produces consistently good ice cream. The insulated freezer bowl eliminates the need for ice. The Cuisinart ice cream maker is relatively compact, making it easy to store. Operating this unit is straightforward.
Sold by Amazon
Spikeball Standard Three-Ball Kit
This yard game can be played competitively or casually. You can adjust the net to give the balls more or less bounce. It features foldable legs and a drawstring bag, making it easy to take on the go.
Sold by Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods
This game is a fun choice for fans of cornhole and golf. The set includes two boards, two chipping mats and six balls. Players are impressed with the quality of the balls and boards.
Sold by Amazon
Onix Recruit Pickleball Starter Set
This set includes two paddles and two balls. It’s an affordable way to get started playing pickleball.
Sold by Amazon
This broad-spectrum sunscreen goes on clear and feels incredibly light. It seems to hold up well in water. Most people feel it prevents their skin from burning and never feels greasy.
Sold by Amazon, Supergoop, Kohl’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-27T13:30:04+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/backyard-br/summer-essentials-for-a-good-time/ |
WASHINGTON – A closely watched experimental drug for Lou Gehrig’s disease got an unusual second look from U.S. regulators on Wednesday, following intense pressure to approve the treatment for those with the fatal illness.
Patients and their families have rallied behind the drug from Amylyx Pharma, launching an aggressive lobbying campaign and enlisting members of Congress to push the Food and Drug Administration to grant approval.
The FDA has approved only two therapies for the disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which destroys nerve cells needed for basic functions like walking, talking and swallowing. The more effective of the two drugs extends life by several months.
In a rare move, the FDA convened a second meeting of neurology advisers who narrowly voted against the company's drug in March. The panel was reviewing new statistical analyses from Amylyx and planned to vote again on whether to recommend approval. The FDA is not required to follow's the group's guidance.
An internal review by FDA scientists posted ahead of the meeting struck a negative tone, concluding that the company's updated analysis was not “persuasive” and provided “no new data.” On the other hand, the FDA's instructions to the panel stressed the need for regulatory flexibility when considering drugs for deadly diseases.
A final FDA decision is expected later this month.
Dr. Billy Dunn, FDA's neurology review director, opened the meeting by noting the “concerns and limitations” with Amylyx's data, while emphasizing the need for new options for patients.
“We are highly sensitive to the urgent need for the development of new treatments for ALS,” Dunn said. “We have not made any final decisions on the approvability of this application.”
Dunn also noted that a larger study being conducted by Amylyx could provide “more definitive results” of the drug's effectiveness by 2024.
The ALS drug review is being closely watched as an indicator of FDA's flexibility in reviewing experimental medications for the terminally ill and its ability to withstand outside pressure.
“We’re here because there’s a lot of pressure,” said Diana Zuckerman of the nonprofit National Center for Health Research, which analyzes data and conducts medical research. “FDA is going the extra mile by saying you can have another meeting, but the company responded by giving them no new data.”
Amylyx conducted one small, mid-stage trial of its drug that showed some benefit in slowing the disease, but was plagued by missing data and other problems, according to FDA reviewers.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts, company says follow-up data gathered after the study showed the drug extended life. Patients who continued taking the drug survived about 10 months longer than patients who never took the drug, according to a new company analysis.
But FDA scientists said in their review that the new approach “suffers from the same interpretability challenges” as the original study.
On Wednesday, the FDA will again hear from patients and advocacy groups, such as I AM ALS, which has lobbied for more than two years to make the drug available.
“We have a drug that the entire ALS community is behind. Patients, clinicians, researchers all support this because of what we’ve seen in data from the trial,” said I AM ALS co-founder Brian Wallach, speaking through an interpreter. “That’s not the case with every drug.”
Amylyx’s medication comes as a powder that combines two older drugs: one prescription medication for liver disorders and a dietary supplement used in traditional Chinese medicine. Wallach and some other ALS patients already take the dietary supplement.
Hanging over the review is FDA’s controversial approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm last year, which was reviewed by the same agency scientists and outside advisers.
In that case, the FDA disregarded the overwhelmingly negative vote by its outside advisers, three of whom resigned over the decision. The FDA approval — which followed irregular meetings with drugmaker Biogen — is under investigation by congressional committees and federal inspectors.
___
Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | 2022-09-07T18:58:05+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/news/politics/2022/09/07/als-drug-gets-rare-second-review-at-high-stakes-fda-meeting/ |
The U.S. for the first time Friday said it will give Ukraine Scan Eagle surveillance drones, mine-resistant vehicles, anti-armor rounds and howitzer weapons to help Ukrainian forces regain territory and mount a counteroffensive against Russian invaders.
A senior defense official told reporters that a new $775 million aid package will include 15 Scan Eagles, 40 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles known as MRAPs with mine-clearing rollers, and 2,000 anti-armor rounds that can help Ukraine troops move forward in the south and east, where Russian forces have placed mines. The official said the U.S. is looking to help shape and arm the Ukrainian force of the future as the war drags on.
"These capabilities are carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield and strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
This latest aid comes as Russia’s war on Ukraine is about to reach the six-month mark. It brings the total U.S. military aid to Ukraine to about $10.6 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration. It is the 19th time the Pentagon has provided equipment from Defense Department stocks to Ukraine since August 2021.
Stay informed about local news and weather during the hurricane season. Get the NBC 6 South Florida app for iOS or Android and pick your alerts.
The U.S. has provided howitzer ammunition in the past, but this is the first time it will send 16 of the weapon systems. The aid package also includes 1,500 anti-tank missiles, 1,000 javelin missiles and an undisclosed number of high-speed, anti-radiation or HARM missiles that target radar systems. The Ukrainian forces have been successfully using various precision artillery systems to try and hold off Russian forces and take back territory Moscow has gained.
The defense official briefed reporters on the new weapons aid on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Defense Department.
U.S. & World
For much of the last four months of the war, Russia has concentrated on capturing the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have controlled some territory as self-proclaimed republics for eight years.
Russian forces have made some incremental gains in the east, but they have also been put on the defensive in other regions, as Ukraine ratchets up its attacks in Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. The Russian-occupied territory was seized by Moscow in 2014. Nine Russian warplanes were reported destroyed last week at an airbase on Crimea in strikes that highlighted the Ukrainians’ capacity to strike deep behind enemy lines.
Russian leaders have warned that striking facilities in Crimea marks an escalation in the conflict fueled by the U.S. and NATO allies and threatens to pull America deeper into the war.
One Western official said Friday that the war is at a “near operational standstill,” with neither side able to launch major offensives. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military assessments, said the whole tempo of the campaign has slowed, partly because both sides recognize that "this is a marathon not a sprint and that expenditure rates and conserving their munitions is important.”
But the U.S. and Western officials both said that Ukraine has been able to launch successful attacks deep behind Russian battle lines, which is eroding logistics support and command and control of Moscow's forces, and harming their morale.
The U.S. official said that while Ukrainian troops haven't been able to retake a lot of territory, they have been able to significantly weaken Russian positions in a number of places.
Efforts to tamp down the fighting have also continued. On Thursday, Turkey’s leader and the U.N. chief met in western Ukraine with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They discussed a range of issues including prisoner exchanges and an effort to get U.N. atomic energy experts to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
The facility has been controlled by Russian forces since shortly after the invasion began on Feb. 24 and has been the target of a number of explosions. Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of shelling the plant, stoking international fears of a catastrophe on the continent.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would follow up with Russian President Vladimir Putin, given that most of the matters discussed would require the Kremlin’s agreement.
____ Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report. | 2022-08-19T21:15:32+00:00 | nbcmiami.com | https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/us-announces-new-military-aid-drones-for-ukraine/2839762/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of Outset Medical, Inc.
Shareholders who purchased shares of OM during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointment. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CONTACT US HERE:
CLASS PERIOD: This lawsuit is on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased Outset Medical common stock between September 15, 2020, and June 13, 2022.
ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company's flagship product, Tablo Hemodialysis System ("Tablo"), would require an additional 510(k) application to be filed with The United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), as defendants had "continuously made improvements and updates to Tablo over time since its original clearance"; (2) as a result, the Company could not conduct a human factors study on a cleared device in accordance with FDA protocols; (3) the Company's inability to conduct the human factors study subjected the Company to the likelihood of the FDA imposing a "shipment hold" and marketing suspension, leaving the Company unable to sell Tablo for home use; and (4) as a result, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and /or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
DEADLINE: September 6, 2022 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/outset-medical-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=31090&from=4
NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of OM during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. The deadline to seek to be a lead plaintiff is September 6, 2022. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case.
WHY GROSS LAW FIRM? The Gross Law Firm is nationally recognized class action law firm, and our mission is to protect the rights of all investors who have suffered as a result of deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices. The Gross Law Firm is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a company lead to artificial inflation of the company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
The Gross Law Firm
15 West 38th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY, 10018
Email: dg@securitiesclasslaw.com
Phone: (646) 453-8903
View original content:
SOURCE The Gross Law Firm | 2022-08-24T16:56:02+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/shareholder-alert-gross-law-firm-notifies-shareholders-outset-medical-inc-class-action-lawsuit-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-6-2022-nasdaq-om/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The California roll is a staple at sushi restaurants around the U.S. No matter where you order it, you’ll find pretty much the same three ingredients — cucumber, avocado and crab (sometimes imitation crab) — rolled up in seaweed and rice.
The roll’s provenance isn’t as well known as its ingredients, but the most widely accepted origin story takes us pretty far from California — and more than 4,500 miles from Japan, for that matter.
The California roll is widely reported to have originated in Vancouver, Canada. Hidekazu Tojo came to Vancouver in the early ’70s and started working at one of the city’s only sushi restaurants, reports Food52. At that time, the average diner liked tempura and teriyaki dishes, but wasn’t really interested in raw fish, Tojo told the publication.
People were interested, however, in eating cooked crab. So he crafted the roll using cooked crab, avocado and cucumber.
The other thing Tojo did to cater to diners’ tastes was turn the roll inside out, with seaweed hidden underneath a layer of rice. Traditionally, seaweed is wrapped around the rice and fish fillings of maki.
“In Japan, people [were] bashing me,” Tojo said in an interview with Great Big Story. “But people like it.”
The dish is still available today at Tojo’s restaurant in Vancouver, but you won’t find it listed as “California roll” on the menu. It’s called Tojo Maki.
So where did the name “California roll” even come from? Tojo attributes it to a broad generalization by Japanese media who wrote about his new creation. Even though there are large Japanese communities along the whole West Coast, “they cover everything ‘California’ in Japan,” Tojo told Insider.
The restaurant also started to draw large crowds from Los Angeles, reports Culture Trip, which may have contributed to its California name.
But there’s also another sushi chef, Noritoshi Kanai, who claims to have invented the roll in Los Angeles. A Los Angeles Times profile credits him with popularizing sushi in the U.S. through his Japanese food import business.
But Tojo swears that despite the name confusion, the dish we know today as the California roll was created 50 years ago with his own two hands.
“In Japan you have pride,” the chef told Food52. “Good chef never copies. Never.” | 2023-04-09T16:45:21+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/the-california-roll-probably-wasnt-even-invented-in-california/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The sentencing of a former United Nations communications specialist to 15 years in prison Thursday was punctuated by the tears and eloquence of some of his 13 sexual assault victims who said being drugged and raped by a man who first befriended them left them shattered and hopeful that justice might help them heal.
When they were finished speaking, U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald told Karim Elkorany that it was particularly heinous that he engaged in the “raping of women who believed he was their friend” as she sentenced him to the maximum he could face after he pleaded guilty to three charges in May.
She said many rapes from 2002 through 2019 occurred in the Middle East, but she noted that prosecution of his crimes in some U.S. jurisdictions might have resulted in life in prison. Federal sentencing guidelines that called for about three years in prison had no relationship to the “magnitude and severity” of his crimes, Buchwald said.
“This is not a ‘he said, she said’ case,” Buchwald said as she read from some of the written statements submitted by victims who were attacked while he worked in international aid and foreign relations in the United States, Iraq and Egypt, among other locations.
Nine victims, identified only by numbers from 1 to 20, spoke in court or over a special telephone line that could be heard in court.
Victim No. 1, as she was called, told Buchwald she was a journalist working in Iraq in November 2016 when Elkorany added drugs to the lone alcoholic beverage she ordered at a restaurant, leaving her so incapacitated that she felt “comatose” on the car ride to his apartment, where she regained consciousness to find Elkorany raping her.
She said the drugs he gave her meant she “will never know the details of what happened to me on the worst day of my life.”
Looking at him from a lectern where she delivered her remarks, she said she was hopeful the sentencing meant “your long rampage of violence against women has truly and finally been brought to an end.”
“For six years, I went through hell from what you did to me,” she said, explaining that she was so traumatized that she could not endure being hugged or held by her husband for five years after the attack. She said her career has never recovered.
The first charge to which Elkorany pleaded guilty pertained to his denial to the FBI that he raped Victim 1 after she reported it to the United Nations.
When Victim 2 spoke, she said Elkorany posed as a feminist who cared about issues facing women as he preyed upon friends and acquaintances.
“All his talk about kindness and decency and caring for others was a sham,” she said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz said Elkorany “hid behind his work,” posing as a confidante of the women before the attacks and then shaming them afterward if they questioned what happened to make them feel it was their fault.
She said he did not use condoms and “callously and cruelly joked about drugging and raping them” afterward, sometimes distributing nude photographs he took of them when they were incapacitated to his friends and forwarding some pictures to his victims anonymously.
Calling him a “cold, calculating and dangerous person,” Pomerantz cited the extraordinary courage of ”incredible” and “brave” women who helped prosecutors build a case that led to Elkorany dropping his denials and accepting his fate.
When he spoke, Elkorany, 39, of West Orange, New Jersey, said he knew his “words of apology will only ring hollow here today and that words of apology cannot un-do damage I have so clearly caused and yet I am deeply, deeply sorry for the pain I’ve caused, the betrayal of relationships, the violation of trust.”
“My actions will follow me for the rest of my life, as they should, and the rest of my life will be filled with regret and remorse,” he said.
Prosecutors said Elkorany carried out some attacks from at least 2005 until April 2018 while working in international aid, development and foreign relations. From October 2013 to April 2016, he worked for the United Nations Children’s Fund in Iraq, and from July 2016 to April 2018 as a U.N. communications specialist in Iraq.
Stéphane Dujarric, a United Nations spokesman, said in a statement that the U.N. does not have prosecutorial authority and cooperates with and relies on member states to ensure that U.N. personnel who commit crimes are held accountable.
“The United Nations welcomes the efforts of the United States authorities in ensuring that Mr. Karim Elkorany is held to account for his criminal conduct,” he said. “We salute the courage of the women that came forward to initiate the investigations. We hope that this sentence brings to all his victims a sense that justice has been achieved.”
Victim 7, who said from the courtroom lectern that she came to court but hadn’t planned to speak, said she was so moved by what other victims had to say that she felt compelled to address the court, especially after keeping so much about the attack bottled up inside her.
“Even now, I felt like it was my fault,” she said. “After hearing everybody’s stories today, I finally don’t feel that.” | 2022-10-28T00:44:37+00:00 | upmatters.com | https://www.upmatters.com/news/national/ex-united-nations-employee-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-for-multiple-rapes/ |
PARIS — Police in southeastern France have arrested a convicted murderer linked to Italy’s most powerful organized crime group, the ‘ndrangheta, who was on the run for 16 years, Interpol and Italian police said on Thursday.
An Interpol statement said French police, with help from Italian colleagues, arrested Edgardo Greco in Saint-Etienne. He was wanted for two murders in 2006 and accused of attempted murder in another case. Italian authorities said the two people killed in 2006 were brothers who were beaten to death with a metal bar in a fish shop in Calabria.
Interpol, the international police organization based in Lyon, France, said the killings were “part of a ‘mafia war’ ... that marked the early 1990s” in Italy.
Investigations by Italian prosecutors in Catanzaro and police in Cosenza — both in southern Italy — led to the arrest, the Interpol statement said.
“No matter how hard fugitives try to slip into a quiet life abroad, they cannot evade justice forever,” Interpol chief Jurgen Stock was quoted as saying in the statement.
The ‘ndrangheta, based in the ‘toe’ of the Italian peninsula, is one of the world’s most powerful cocaine traffickers and is seen as the largest threat among organized crime syndicates. In recent years, ’ndrangheta mobsters have been arrested around Europe and even in Brazil. | 2023-02-02T15:55:27+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/italian-mob-suspect-held-in-france-after-16-years-on-the-run/2023/02/02/170a2cc4-a306-11ed-8b47-9863fda8e494_story.html |
(NewsNation) — Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo told NewsNation’s Dan Abrams on Tuesday that he’s neither a victim nor guilty of many of the things that led to his ouster from the network last year.
“I never contacted any media who were covering my brother, to try to affect their coverage,” Cuomo told Abrams in an exclusive, one-hour interview that will air on “Dan Abrams Live” at 9 p.m. Eastern Tuesday on NewsNation. “I talk to people in the media all the time. They’re most of the people in my life.”
He also told Abrams he was not a victim of “cancel culture.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been a victim of anything ever in my life…I don’t feel sorry for myself,” he said.
The interview is Cuomo’s first since leaving CNN after an investigation determined how he had advised his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, amid sexual harassment allegations.
In it, Abrams pressed Cuomo on his conduct at CNN, whether his involvement with his political family was appropriate, allegations of sexual harassment, his views on his former colleagues and the press, what he’s been doing since he left CNN, and the war in Ukraine.
No question was off-limits. Abrams at one point asked Cuomo if he said some of what he said to keep his job. Cuomo also answered most questions, only periodically saying he couldn’t answer because of pending litigation.
Can’t find NewsNation on your TV? Use our Channel Finder.
Cuomo also said that his former employer was aware of the conversations he had been having with his brother and insists that he never used his media connections to influence coverage of the story.
“You said ‘I never made calls to the press about my brother’s situation,'” Abrams said to Cuomo in the interview. “(But) you did make calls to the press about your brother’s situation.”
Cuomo responded: “But I think the distinction has a meaningful difference. The concern would be not that I called you and said ‘What do you think’s going on here?’ It’s me calling you and saying ‘Hey, tonight in your segment, I hope you remember that.'”
When asked whether he was angry with his brother for all that had happened, Cuomo stood by him and said Andrew Cuomo had learned a lot through the process.
“I am very proud of my brother. I love my brother and I’m proud of him for the struggle,” he said. “I learned things about my brother, I learned things about my family — that makes me proud of him — to have to deal with the good, the bad and the ugly.”
Cuomo accepted responsibility for the backlash he faced, acknowledging that he had brought it on himself but did not say whether his brother felt the same.
“That’s a question for him to answer — about how he feels about why these things happen,” said Cuomo.
To watch the hour-long exclusive interview, tune in to “Dan Abrams Live” on NewsNation Tuesday at 9/8 Central. Can’t find NewsNation on your TV? Use our Channel Finder. | 2022-07-26T21:47:31+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/exclusive-chris-cuomo-says-he-never-manipulated-press-to-aid-brother/ |
The end of the coronavirus’ may be unforeseeable — so seem questions about vaccines and boosters.
After publishing a COVID Q&A with Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious disease at UC Davis Health, The Bee continued to receive more questions — this time about the bivalent booster.
Several readers asked whether they need to go in for a second round.
Reader Mark Manz, wrote that he is at high risk for COVID. Manz said that he received the bivalent vaccine and prior doses, but heard the new booster only lasts about six months.
“Is there an option for another shot/booster?,” he asked.
Kim Christmann, another reader, wrote: “For people who have had one bivalent vaccination and all previously recommended shots, when should they get a second bivalent booster?”
To find the answers to these questions, we spoke to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and two infectious disease experts.
Is there an option for a second bivalent shot?
Currently, there is no guidance recommending people get a second bivalent booster dose.
“CDC is actively monitoring vaccine effectiveness,” Kate Grusich with the CDC’s public affairs wrote in an email reply, “but it’s too early to determine when protection from the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine may wane, as it was only authorized in the U.S. in September 2022.”
The CDC only recommends one bivalent shot as of now and is encouraging people who haven’t gotten a vaccine before September to get it soon to prevent severe disease and death — especially if they are older and have underlying conditions.
How long does protection last on the bivalent booster?
It’s unclear at this time.
Dr. Angelique Tjen-A-Looi, an infectious diseases specialist for Kaiser Permanente Sacramento and Roseville, California, said the bivalent is being observed but if it’s like the previous vaccines and boosters — which offered protection up to 12 months — it’ll have a similar degree of protection.
Grusich said that from the original vaccines, it’s known that protection does decrease over time, especially against asymptomatic infections. But they last longer against more serious illness.
“So, it’s likely that people who have received the updated vaccine will remain protected against severe COVID-19 for a longer period of time,” she said.
Like the other vaccines, expect the bivalent booster’s protection to wane, said Dr. Otto Yang, an immunologist and professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at UC Los Angeles.
“The effect starts to wane after about four or five months,” said Yang, “but it’s not that it’s gone after four or five months.”
He explained that protection will steadily drop and will continue to taper off after a few more months.
“It’s not black and white that it’s suddenly gone,” he said.
Should people get a second booster?
If you’re immunocompromised or have conditions that make you at higher risk for severe disease, Yang recommends that you discuss this with your physician.
The CDC does have separate recommendations for those with weakened immune systems, which include three-series dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine and the bivalent booster. Guidelines differ based on the vaccine brand and age of the patient.
For people who aren’t immunocompromised, CDC advises that they get the two doses and the bivalent booster.
In the case that you get sick despite being fully vaccinated and are at risk for severe illness, Yang said you should consider getting early treatment.
“The earlier you start treatment with Paxlovid or Remdesivir,” he said, “the better the outcome is, in terms of preventing disease from progressing.”
Will there be a new booster?
Possibly.
Tjen-A-Looi said that she expects the federal government and the Food and Drug Administration are sponsoring vaccine manufacturers to continue to update the COVID booster.
“Currently, we expect the bivalent booster to be effective,” she said, “until presumably, the next one is available.” | 2023-02-09T14:00:16+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/do-you-need-another-covid-booster-we-asked-infectious-disease-experts-and-the-cdc/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Written by Kevin Luna
Our favorite baking accessories to add to your kitchen
If you’ve recently taken up baking and want to improve your skills, you must get in the kitchen and practice. Baking can be challenging at first, but with the right tools, you can take things to the next level, making things in the kitchen much more manageable.
The BestReviews Testing Lab consists of a group of testers who test various products, such as stand mixers and baking pans. Our testing team has recently analyzed baking containers to determine which ones are the best for elevating your baking game.
Shop this article: Oxo Good Grips 5-Piece Pop Container Set, Progressive Prepworks ProKeeper 6-Piece Container Set and KitchenAid Classic Series Stand Mixer
Testing the best baking containers
There’s a lot that goes into the process of the BestReviews Testing Lab testing a product. It includes unboxing, examining the build, specs and aesthetics, and after that, our testers proceed to set it up if necessary and test it in various scenarios. For example, we tested two baking container sets and analyzed their build quality, how well they contain different foods and the performance of included accessories.
Best baking tools and appliances
Oxo Good Grips 5-Piece Pop Container Set
Airtight storage ensures your baking supplies stay fresh for as long as possible, making this five-piece set a must-buy for any baking enthusiast. Our testing team loves these containers for their easy-press lids that activate an airtight seal as well as their stackable design. They’re easy to clean and available in several sizes.
Sold by Amazon
Progressive Prepworks ProKeeper 6-Piece Container Set
These storage containers were a big hit in our testing lab thanks to the high-quality build and performance of tools such as the level, terra cotta disk, spout and dusting spoon. They provide an airtight seal, and the hinged lid allows easy refilling. Our testing team also noted that they’re drop-resistant.
Sold by Amazon
KitchenAid Classic Series Stand Mixer
This mixer has a tilt-head design that makes adding ingredients to the 4.5-quart bowl easy, and you can lock the head while mixing for a secure feel. It has 59 touchpoints around the bowl for superior mixing results and comes with three attachments for mixing various foods.
Sold by Amazon
Ewfen Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
A good set of measuring cups and spoons is necessary to be a proficient baker and achieve quality results. That makes this set a must-buy, with seven stainless steel nesting cups, seven spoons, seven mini spoons and a leveler. The cups are stackable, and the spoons have removable organizer rings.
Sold by Amazon
NutriChef Non-Stick Kitchen Oven Baking Pans
High-quality baking pans like these ones from NutriChef help hold your baked goods in a given shape and condition and ensure top-tier baking results. This set comes with a small, medium and large baking pan, each with a nonstick coating over the surface that allows for easy releasing and prevents warping.
Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-11T11:31:18+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/utensils-tools-br/elevate-your-baking-game-with-these-containers-from-our-testing-lab/ |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Pick 3 Day" game were:
1-1-1, FIREBALL: 4
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
(one, one, one; FIREBALL: four)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Pick 3 Day" game were:
1-1-1, FIREBALL: 4
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
(one, one, one; FIREBALL: four)
By The Associated Press | 2023-01-11T20:11:50+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Day-game-17711033.php |
The quest to cook the perfect steak has been a challenge since slabs of meat were roasted over fire. But what constitutes a great steak?
It should take you through a complex strata of textures and flavors: dark crust, rosy meat, tenderness balanced by chew. You want a steak you can sink your teeth into. There should be a perfect ratio of meat to fat — and there should be blood. Without those luscious steak juices, a steak would be merely delicatessen roast beef.
Tri-tip delivers all of that. A cut popularized in Santa Maria, California, and the surrounding area, this crescent-shaped steak from the bottom of the sirloin slices like brisket and eats like steak, with a rich, beefy flavor. But like all thick cuts, it poses a challenge: Grill it directly over high heat as you would a strip or skirt steak and you risk burning the exterior while leaving the center undercooked. Cook it low and slow, as you would brisket, and you lose the caramelized crust.
Enter reverse-searing — an ingenious grilling method that combines the low and slow smoking of traditional barbecue with the high heat charring practiced at steakhouses. It takes the guesswork out of grilling steak, rewarding you with a juicy, perfectly cooked slab of beef every time.
With this simple two-step process, you first cook the steak slowly — for 30 minutes or so — at 250 degrees, the temperature used by pitmasters to barbecue brisket. Once you’ve warmed the center of the meat to 110 degrees, you rest the steak on a platter and raise the grill’s heat to a searing temperature of 600 degrees. You then char the exterior of the steak directly over the fire until sizzling, crusty and dark brown, bringing the meat’s internal temperature to 125 degrees (for rare) or 135 degrees (for medium-rare).
Reverse-searing offers several advantages over traditional direct grilling over high heat, in which steak goes from undercooked to overcooked in a minute or two, requiring precise timing that inexperienced grillers may find daunting. During the initial stage of reverse-searing, the internal temperature of the meat rises gradually, so it’s easier to monitor and achieve the doneness you desire. Also, the meat cooks more evenly this way, ending up with uniform color and doneness from top to bottom, not a gray-brown ring of meat just beneath the crust and a reddish-blue bull’s-eye in the center.
Because the meat rests between the two stages, which allows it to relax and become juicier, the steak can be served hot off the grill right after its final sear. That means no more lukewarm steak and not having to keep hungry people waiting.
Perhaps the biggest advantage to reverse-searing is the ability to smoke the steak by adding hardwood chunks or chips to your low fire. That step infuses thick cuts like tri-tip with the haunting flavor of barbecue and adds a spectacular dimension of flavor.
The resulting tri-tip steak is perfectly cooked and intensely flavorful — and the cut, also known as Newport, Santa Maria, triangle and bottom sirloin tip, is mercifully inexpensive. Food prices are rising, and reverse-searing works great for other inexpensive thick cuts, such as top round, sirloin or picanha. (It can be applied to three-finger-thick porterhouses and tomahawks, too.)
If you’re going to splurge on steak, you certainly want to nail it. Reverse-searing is as close to foolproof as grilling a steak gets.
How to Set Up Your Grill for Reverse Searing
Reverse-searing can be done on a charcoal or gas grill, but it’s easier to smoke with charcoal. The method requires little more in the way of special equipment than a grill with a lid and an accurate meat thermometer.
Ideally, you’ll use a wired remote thermometer, like ThermoWorks Smoke X2 or ChefsTemp Quad XPro, or a wireless meat probe, such as the ones made by Meater or Maverick. You can also use an instant-read meat thermometer, but you’ll need to open the grill several times to get a reading, which can cause the internal temperature of the grill to drop.
To give the meat a smoky flavor, you’ll need hardwood chunks or chips. Oak, hickory or mesquite go great with beef. If using chips, cover them with water and soak for 30 minutes, which slows their combustion when heated. Drain the chips well before adding them to the fire. There is no need to soak wood chunks.
When reverse-searing, you start with your grill set up for indirect grilling, that is, with the heat source away from where the food will cook.
On a charcoal grill, rake hot coals into two mounds on opposite sides of the grill and leave the center empty for the meat. On a two-burner gas grill, light one side and cook the steak away from the heat on the other side. On larger gas grills, light the outside or front and rear burners, keeping the center free for the steak.
After indirect grilling, and just before serving, set up your grill for cooking directly over high heat. On a charcoal grill, rake the coals into a mound in the center of the grill, adding fresh coals as needed. Let the new coals burn until glowing red. On a gas grill, simply set the burners on high.
Reverse-Seared Steak
Ingredients:
• 1 large or 2 small wood chunks (such as oak, hickory or mesquite) or 1 1/2 cups wood chips
• Canola oil, for greasing the grill grate
• 1 tri-tip steak (about 2 to 2 1/4 pounds; see Tip)
• Coarse kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Granulated onion or garlic (or both)
Directions:
If using wood chips, soak in water for 30 minutes. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to 250 degrees. Clean and oil the grill grate.
Remove the tri-tip from the refrigerator. Generously season it with salt, pepper and granulated onion or garlic (or both) on all sides.
Place the tri-tip, fat side up, on the grill grate away from the heat. Insert a remote thermometer probe, if using, deep into the center of the meat. If you soaked wood chips, drain them. If using a charcoal grill, add the wood chunk(s) or chips to the coals. If using a gas grill, place the wood chunks under the grate over one of the burners, or place the chips in your grill’s smoker box. Close the lid. Indirect grill the tri-tip to obtain an internal temperature of 110 degrees, which will take 30 minutes or so. Transfer the tri-tip to a platter and let it rest for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 1 hour.
Just before serving, heat your grill to high. On a charcoal grill, rake the coals into a mound in the center of the grill, adding fresh coals as needed. Let the new coals burn until glowing red. On a gas grill, simply set the burners on high.
Return the tri-tip to the grate directly over the heat, fat side up, and reinsert the thermometer probe, if using. Direct grill until the top and bottom are sizzling, crusty and dark, and the internal temperature is 125 degrees for rare or 135 degrees for medium-rare, 3 to 6 minutes per side, turning with tongs.
Transfer the tri-tip to a cutting board and thinly slice across the grain. (You do not need to rest the meat a second time.) Take time to notice the even color and doneness of the meat and to appreciate the intoxicating aroma of the wood smoke. Serve at once, while the steak is still hot.
Total time: 45 to 55 minutes, plus lighting the grill; serves 4.
Tips:
Tri-tip, the triangular or boomerang-shaped steak cut from the tip of the sirloin, is also sold as New-port, Santa Maria, triangle and bottom sirloin tip. This technique also works with any thick steak, such as top round, sirloin or picanha or three-finger-thick porterhouses and tomahawks. | 2022-06-08T03:51:01+00:00 | staradvertiser.com | https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/06/07/food/tips-for-grilling-the-perfect-steak-dinner/ |
The US Army has identified the nine soldiers who were killed in a nighttime training accident on Wednesday evening, when two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed in a field near Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
An Army news release identified the soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division who were killed in the incident as Warrant Officer 1 Jeffrey Barnes, 33; Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, 36; Sgt. Isaacjohn Gayo, 27; Staff Sgt. Joshua Gore, 25; Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy, 32; Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32; and Sgt. David Solinas Jr., 23.
"This is a time of great sadness for the 101st Airborne Division. The loss of these Soldiers will reverberate through our formations for years to come," Maj. Gen. JP McGee, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), said in a statement on Friday.
"Now is the time for grieving and healing. The whole division and this community stand behind the families and friends of our fallen Soldiers."
The medical evacuation helicopters were conducting a routine training mission when they crashed at approximately 10:00 pm local time in an open field across from a residential area. All nine of the service members aboard the two aircraft were killed in the accident.
Staff Sgt. Joshua Tverberg, spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division, told CNN on Thursday that there were four total helicopters involved in the training on Wednesday. One Black Hawk was refueling, according to Tverberg, and another was flying in front of the two that crashed, which were flying side-by-side.
It's still unclear what caused the crash; a team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, is currently on-site and investigating the incident, the Army said Friday.
The nine soldiers who were killed came from all different backgrounds. Barnes, an aeromedical evacuation pilot, enlisted in the Army from Florida in 2010, going on to deploy to Afghanistan with the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, according to service records provided by the Army.
Bolanos, a UH-60 helicopter repairer and air crew member born in the Philippines, enlisted out of Texas in 2019 and in 2020 served for nine months in Germany as part of Atlantic Resolve. A native Texan, Esparza enlisted out of Missouri in 2010 and had served as an instructor pilot for the brigade since October 2021.
Gayo, also born in the Philippines, joined the Army in 2019 out of California. Gore joined the Army in 2015, and had served as a flight paramedic for the brigade since May 2022.
Healy had been serving as an Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot for the brigade since 2022, after having joined the Army in 2010. Mitchell enlisted in 2014, and was also serving as a flight paramedic for the brigade.
Smith, from Florida, joined the Army in 2012; he served as an instructor pilot in the brigade and had deployed to Afghanistan twice, in addition to a nine-month rotation in Germany in support of Atlantic Resolve. Solinas, a flight paramedic, joined the service in 2018.
Wednesday's accident was the deadliest aviation training incident since 2015 when 11 service members were killed when a Black Hawk crashed off the coast of Florida.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-31T22:33:43+00:00 | abc12.com | https://www.abc12.com/news/national/us-army-identifies-nine-soldiers-killed-in-black-hawk-training-accident/article_d964f043-383e-5ec9-a5bc-62ef530493d4.html |
Investment round led by Bank of America with significant participation from Pivot Investment Partners and ING Ventures
NEW YORK, May 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenFin, the operating system (OS) of enterprise productivity, today announced that it has secured $35 million in Series D investment. The latest funding round was led by Bank of America with significant participation from Pivot Investment Partners and ING Ventures. Additional investors in the round include CME Ventures, CTC Venture Capital, SC Ventures and Tribeca Early Stage Partners.
The investment will be used to help accelerate the adoption of OpenFin OS across the financial industry and beyond. OpenFin's web-based OS is becoming a de facto standard in financial services for powering next-generation applications and digital experiences for employees and clients. The software is now used at more than 3,800 banks, wealth, and asset management firms in 60+ countries.
The funding round comes during a period of record growth for OpenFin driven by rapid adoption of OpenFin Workspace, the visual interface of OpenFin OS. Introduced in 2021, OpenFin Workspace includes an app launcher, notification center, universal search, an enterprise browser with default interoperability, and app store capabilities. These components help unify and simplify the end user experience across both internal and 3rd party apps, significantly enhancing productivity and reducing operational risk.
According to multiple recent surveys from Forbes Technology Council, Harvard Business Review1 and others, end users experience anywhere from 2 to 4 hours of lost productivity each day, often referred to as the "toggle tax". The wasted time stems from employees using anywhere from 7 to 35 apps a day, toggling between those apps thousands of times a day, and individually searching apps an hour a day. This translates to a cost of millions or tens of millions of dollars a year in lost productivity depending on the size of an organization.
Dinkar Jetley, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Pivot Investment Partners, said: "OpenFin provides the financial industry with a truly open workspace platform that is unrivaled when it comes to app distribution, security, interoperability, scale and governance. We have backed OpenFin's vision since 2015 and are delighted to support the company as they expand across the financial sector and beyond."
Last year, OpenFin announced its expansion into the government sector via a strategic partnership and investment from In-Q-Tel (IQT).
Mazy Dar, CEO of OpenFin said: "This is a significant milestone in OpenFin's mission to enable openness, app interoperability and end user productivity across the financial industry. OpenFin Workspace is empowering financial institutions to transform experience for their employees and their customers, replacing traditional browsers with an enterprise browser designed for work. We're delighted to welcome Bank of America as our newest strategic investor and we're grateful for the continued support from Pivot Investment Partners and so many other existing investors."
Other major OpenFin investors include Bain Capital Ventures, Barclays, DRW Venture Capital, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, NYCA Partners and Wells Fargo Strategic Capital.
About OpenFin
Move Fast. Break Nothing. OpenFin is The Operating System of Enterprise Productivity, enabling app distribution, workspace management and workflow automation. OpenFin OS currently runs at more than 3,800 banks and buy-side firms with thousands of internal apps and apps from the global vendor community. OpenFin investors include Bain Capital Ventures, Barclays, In-Q-Tel, CME Ventures, CTC Venture Capital, DRW Venture Capital, HSBC, ING Ventures, J.P. Morgan, NYCA Partners, Pivot Investment Partners, Standard Chartered and Wells Fargo Strategic Capital among others. The company is based in New York with an office in London and presence in Hong Kong and Singapore.
1 Harvard Business Review: How Much Time and Energy Do We Waste Toggling Between Applications? https://hbr.org/2022/08/how-much-time-and-energy-do-we-waste-toggling-between-applications
Media Inquiries:
Mitra Roknabadi
mitra@openfin.co
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE OpenFin | 2023-05-24T07:51:02+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2023/05/24/openfin-secures-35-million-series-d-investment/ |
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Husqvarna Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of innovative outdoor power equipment products, demonstrated the future of landscaping at the first annual ELEVATE event in Orlando last week. Displaying commercial products from Husqvarna and RedMax, the company demonstrated their leadership in core landscaping tools, a new line of true commercial-grade battery products, robotics and a semi-autonomous wheeled prototype.
The game-changing semi-autonomous stand-on mower is designed for traditional use when needed and features an autonomous operation mode that frees up the operator to work simultaneously on other tasks, such as trimming, edging and blowing.
Also showcased were an all-new line-up of commercial battery-powered professional products, which are set to be released in 2023. The line-up successfully addresses essential performance needs while meeting impending regional emissions and noise regulations.
"Battery, robotics and autonomous solutions are unquestionably the future of landscaping," said Carlos Haddad, Vice-President of North America, Professional at Husqvarna Group. "Given that every property, workforce, even municipality is not the same, the best way for professionals to be strategic and successful is to be cognizant of and engage those products and services that offer solutions for every aspect of their business." Speaking at ELEVATE, Haddad reinforced how robotic and autonomous solutions are transforming the industry.
In case you missed ELEVATE, visit the Husqvarna (#9094) and RedMax (#11100) booths to see these exciting products at Equip Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky from October 19 - 21, 2022. To learn more about Husqvarna's commercial products, visit here.
About ELEVATE
ELEVATE (formerly LANDSCAPES and GIE) is the National Association of Landscape Professionals' new annual conference and expo for management-level landscape management, design-build, lawn care, irrigation, and horticulture professionals. Held in a different city each year, ELEVATE brings together the industry's top CEOs, decision-makers, thought-leaders, and manufacturers for three days of immersive education and networking. Visit here to learn more about the event.
About Husqvarna Group
Since 1689, Husqvarna Group has manufactured high-performing products and delivered industry-changing innovations. Today, the company offers a broad range of high-performing outdoor power equipment products for forest and garden, construction and robotics. Husqvarna Group represents technological leadership in key areas: robotic mowers, chainsaws, trimmers, blowers and mowers. Husqvarna products are sold in more than 100 countries. Visit here to learn more.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Husqvarna | 2022-09-30T18:29:29+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/09/30/husqvarna-group-showed-landscapers-future-green-space-management-nalp-elevate-show/ |
Multiple people hurt in Memphis hospital shooting, police say
Published: Aug. 16, 2022 at 6:50 AM EDT|Updated: 50 minutes ago
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - Multiple people were injured overnight after a shooting at a Memphis hospital.
Memphis Police Department confirmed the shooting happened at Methodist North Hospital on Covington Pike around 12:47 a.m. Tuesday. It is unclear if it happened inside or outside the hospital.
Dispatch also couldn’t specify how many victims were shot.
A vehicle was seen at the hospital riddled with bullet holes.
Other media reports indicate that a second crime scene was at a gas station, where a rifle could be seen on the ground, the Associated Press reported.
No suspect information is available at this time.
Copyright 2022 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | 2022-08-16T11:40:50+00:00 | wnem.com | https://www.wnem.com/2022/08/16/multiple-people-hurt-memphis-hospital-shooting-police-say/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey announced Friday he’s retiring from baseball after a nine-year pitching career highlighted by his time as the Mets’ “Dark Knight.”
Harvey, whose star faded amid injuries and a late-career suspension for drug distribution, thanked fans for making “a dream come true” in his Instagram post announcing his retirement.
Nicknamed the “Dark Knight of Gotham,” Harvey was selected seventh overall by the Mets in the 2010 amateur draft and made a heralded major league debut in 2012. He started the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, but a little more than a month later tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and needed Tommy John surgery.
He returned in 2015 and went 13-8, helping the Mets reach the World Series, where they lost to the Kansas City Royals.
“I pitched to win,” Harvey wrote in his post. “To fire up my team and more importantly, to fire up the fans in a city that I’ve always loved.”
He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in May 2018, pitched for the Los Angeles Angels in 2019, the Royals in 2020 and the Baltimore Orioles in 2021. Health woes, including thoracic outlet syndrome, contributed to Harvey failing to recapture his early career magic.
Harvey, 34, acknowledged in his post that “with all the amazing memories came a lot of injuries and tough times.”
Last year, Harvey testified at the trial of a former Los Angeles Angels employee who was later convicted of providing pitcher Tyler Skaggs the drugs that led to his overdose death in July 2019.
Harvey was one of four players who admitted to receiving oxycodone pills from the ex-employee, Eric Kay, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison in October 2022.
Harvey, who said at trial he believed his testimony would threaten his career, also told the court he and teammates had given and provided drugs to each other.
Major League Baseball suspended Harvey for 60 games in 2022 for distributing a prohibited drug of abuse, and he never made it back to the majors.
He has a 50-66 career record with a 4.42 ERA in nine major league seasons. He pitched for Team Italy at this year’s World Baseball Classic, where he allowed a run and four hits in seven innings over two starts.
“There is nothing I love more than getting out of a tough situation in the 7th or 8th inning,” Harvey wrote, “to finally let the emotions out, knowing I did absolutely everything I could to help my team win, and to give a powerful fist bump and a scream!”
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-05-05T20:18:59+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mlb/matt-harvey-the-mets-dark-knight-retires-at-34/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
PHOENIX, Az. (WJHL) – For the second time in the last five Cup Series seasons, Joey Logano has reached the pinnacle of the NASCAR world.
On Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, the driver of the No. 22 Penske Ford earned his fourth victory of the season, beating out the likes of Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott for the Bill France Cup.
Chastain finished third behind Logano and Ryan Blaney in the season finale. Bell finished with a 10th place finish, while Chase Elliott finished in 28th after being spun around on Lap 200.
Logano (2018, 2022) joins Kyle Busch as the only other active driver to earn multiple Cup Series championships. | 2022-11-07T01:57:34+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/racing/logano-races-to-second-cup-series-championship-in-phoenix/ |
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Neymar is working “24 hours a day” to try to recover from his ankle injury and play again at the World Cup, Brazil teammate Marquinhos said Sunday.
Neymar damaged ligaments in his right ankle in the team’s 2-0 opening win over Serbia on Thursday and will miss the match against Switzerland on Monday. He remained hopeful of recovering but team doctors still haven’t given a timetable on his return — or said if he will return at all.
“He is sleeping in physiotherapy, 24 hours a day,” Marquinhos said. “That shows how much he wants to be back with us. We don’t know when it’s going to happen, but we hope we will have him with us again as soon as possible and in good health mentally and physically.”
Brazil coach Tite said he would “force” Neymar and right back Danilo — who is also injured — to stop their treatment on Sunday and go be with teammates at the last training before the match against Switzerland. Neymar stayed at the team hotel, though, while Danilo underwent treatment at the team’s training center.
Tite said Neymar was in physiotherapy until five or six in the morning after the match against Serbia.
Neymar had said Saturday on Instagram that he was “sure” he would “have a chance to return.” He posted photos of his ankle still looking very swollen.
Marquinhos said Neymar had been feeling down after the injury but was getting more upbeat.
“I see him very well and confident about returning,” the defender said ahead of the match against Switzerland. “He is very focused on coming back.”
Tite remained optimistic about the return of both Neymar and Danilo, who sprained his ankle against Serbia.
“I’m not a doctor, I’m not an expert,” Tite said. “But I still believe that Neymar and Danilo will play in the World Cup. I think we will still be able to use them.”
Tite has plenty of options to fill in for Neymar but admitted it’s hard to replace the talent of a player like him.
“These great talents can show up two or three times and make the difference,” Tite said. “And that’s what Neymar can do for us.”
The coach did not say who would replace Neymar or Danilo in the starting lineup on Monday. The options to replace Danilo included Dani Alves or Éder Militão. Forward Antony returned to training Sunday after recovering from flu symptoms.
The 30-year-old Neymar is second on Brazil’s scoring list with 75 goals, two behind Pelé’s record with the national team. He has yet to win a major title with Brazil.
Neymar had to leave the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after hurting his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He also missed the 2019 Copa América because of a right ankle injury.
Brazil, seeking its first World Cup title in two decades, faces Cameroon in its last Group G match. The team can reach the round of 16 with a win on Monday if Cameroon doesn’t defeat Serbia in the other group match.
___
Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-11-27T20:53:35+00:00 | wearegreenbay.com | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-neymar-working-24-hours-a-day-to-return-at-world-cup/ |
Understanding Erosion will be Important to Protecting the Great Lakes’ Coasts
HOUGHTON – Stamp sand beaches are a common sight throughout the Upper Peninsula’s Lake Superior shoreline. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal Engineer, Dr. Jim Selegean, says that understanding the process of erosion is very important for Michigan to protect it’s thousands of miles of coastline. Each location where stamp sand beaches are found creates issues unique for that area. Such as the sands near Gay, and it’s impact on the Buffalo Reef. Or like the stamp sands at the north Portage Canal entrance.
As water current move the sand from one spot to another. Erosion moves sediment from one location to another, through the process of fluctuating water currents. At yesterday’s beach walk with the Michigan Department of Great Lakes and Energy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Selegean looked to answer some of the community’s questions about erosion in the Copper Country.
Selegean believes that understanding the relationship between the sources of sediments, and where those deposits end up, is very important to Michigan’s ability to protect the state’s shores. He also notes that local issues in Lake Superior, are connected to issues on the coastlines in Canada, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Understanding that connection, and working in stride with other regions will help protect the Great Lakes. | 2022-07-29T17:54:54+00:00 | abc10up.com | https://abc10up.com/2022/07/28/understanding-erosion-will-be-important-to-protecting-the-great-lakes-coasts/ |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
KIBBUTZ HAZOREA, Israel (AP) — Just before Nazi Germany invaded Hungary in March 1944, Jewish youth leaders in the eastern European country jumped into action: They formed an underground network that in the coming months would save tens of thousands of fellow Jews from the gas chambers.
This chapter of the Holocaust heroism is scarcely remembered in Israel. Nor is it part of the official curriculum in schools. But the few remaining members of Hungary’s Jewish underground want their story told. Dismayed at the prospect of being forgotten, they are determined to keep memories of their mission alive.
“The story of the struggle to save tens of thousands needs to be a part of the chronicles of the people of Israel,” said David Gur, 97, one of a handful of members still alive. “It is a lighthouse during the period of the Holocaust, a lesson and exemplar for the generations.”
As the world marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Friday, historians, activists, survivors and their families are all preparing for the time when there will no longer be living witnesses to share first-person accounts of the horrors of the Nazi genocide during World War II. In the Holocaust, 6 million Jews were wiped out by the Nazis and their allies.
Israel, which was established as a refuge for Jews in the wake of the Holocaust, has gone to great lengths over the years to recognize thousands of “Righteous Among the Nations” — non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
Accounts of Jewish resistance to the Nazis, such as the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, are mainstays in the national narrative but rescue missions by fellow Jews — such as the Hungarian resistance — are less known.
Hungary was home to around 900,000 Jews before the Nazi invasion. Its government was allied with Nazi Germany, but as the Soviet Red Army advanced toward Hungary, the Nazis invaded in March 1944, to prevent its Axis ally from making a separate peace deal with the Allies.
Over the 10 months that followed, as many as 568,000 Jews were killed by the Nazis and their allies in Hungary, according to figures from Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocaust memorial.
Gur said he and his colleagues knew that disaster was looming when three Jewish women arrived at Budapest’s main synagogue in the fall of 1943. They had fled Nazi-occupied Poland and bore disturbing news about people being shipped off to concentration camps.
“They had fairly clear information about what was happening, and saw the many trains, and it was obvious to them what was happening,” said Gur.
Gur oversaw a massive forgery operation that provided false documents for Jews and non-Jewish members of the Hungarian resistance. “I was an 18-year-old adolescent when the heavy responsibility fell upon me,” he said.
There was great personal risk. In December 1944, he was arrested at the forgery workshop and brutally interrogated and imprisoned, according to his memoir, “Brothers for Resistance and Rescue.” The Jewish underground broke him out of the central military prison in a rescue operation later that month.
The forged papers were used by Jewish youth movements to operate a smuggling network and run Red Cross houses that saved thousands from the Nazis and their allies.
According to Gur's book, at least 7,000 Jews were smuggled out of Hungary, through Romania to ships on the Black Sea that would bring them to British-controlled Palestine. At least 10,000 forged passes offering protection, known as Shutzpasses, were distributed to Budapest’s Jews, and around 6,000 Jewish children and accompanying adults were saved in houses ostensibly under the protection of the International Red Cross.
Robert Rozett, a senior historian at Yad Vashem, said that although it was “the largest rescue operation” of European Jews during the Holocaust, this episode remains off “the main route of the narrative.”
“It’s very significant because these activities helped tens of thousands of Jews stay alive in Budapest,” he said.
In 1984, Gur founded “The Society for Research of the History of the Zionist Youth Movements in Hungary,” a group that has promoted awareness about this effort.
Last month at a kibbutz in northern Israel, Sara Epstein, 97, Dezi Heffner-Reiner, 95, and Betzalel Grosz, 98, three of the remaining survivors who helped save Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary, received the Jewish Rescuers Citation for their role in the Holocaust. The award is given by two Jewish groups — B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem and the Committee to Recognize the Heroism of Jewish Rescuers During the Holocaust.
“There aren’t many of us left, but this is important,” said Heffner-Reiner.
More than 200 other members of the underground were given the award posthumously. Gur received the award in 2011, the year it was created.
Yuval Alpan, a son of one of the rescuers and an activist with the society, said the citations were meant to recognize those who saved lives during the Holocaust.
“This resistance underground youth movement saved tens of thousands of Jews during 1944, and their story is not known,” he said. “It’s the biggest rescue operation in the Holocaust and nobody knows about it.”
International Holocaust day falls on the anniversary of the Red Army's liberation of the Auschwitz death camp 78 years ago. Israel is home to some 150,600 Holocaust survivors, almost all of them over the age of 80, according to government figures. That is 15,193 less than a year ago.
The United Nations will be holding a memorial ceremony at the General Assembly on Friday, and other memorial events are scheduled around the globe.
Israel marks its own Holocaust Remembrance Day in the spring.
___
Associated Press writers Eleanor Reich and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. | 2023-01-27T07:07:32+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/78-years-on-jewish-holocaust-rescuers-want-their-17745541.php |
SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Thunderbirds will open their first-ever Calder Cup Playoff series on Wednesday, May 11, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins inside the MassMutual Center.
Puck drop for Game 1 is set for 7:05 p.m.; tickets may be purchased by clicking here. The full schedule for the Atlantic Division Semifinals is as follows - games marked with an asterisk (*) will be played only if necessary.
- Game 1: Wednesday, May 11 - Penguins @ Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m. - Click Here for Tickets
- Game 2: Thursday, May 12 - Penguins @ Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m. - Click Here for Tickets
- Game 3: Sunday, May 15 - Thunderbirds @ Penguins, 5:05 p.m.
- Game 4*: Monday, May 16 - Thunderbirds @ Penguins, 7:05 p.m.
- Game 5*: Wednesday, May 18 - Penguins @ Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m. - Click Here for Tickets
The Thunderbirds will hold the home-ice advantage in the best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals against the Penguins. In the Atlantic Division Play-In Round, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earned its spot in the Division Semifinals by defeating the Hershey Bears, 2-1.
Thunderbirds’ playoff tickets, including single-game tickets and Pay As We Play plans, are on sale now! To purchase your seats, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.
- Courtesy of the Springfield Thunderbirds | 2022-05-10T04:11:22+00:00 | masslive.com | https://www.masslive.com/thunderbirds/2022/05/calder-cup-playoffs-springfield-thunderbirds-to-host-opening-games-of-division-semifinals-against-wilkes-barrescranton-penguins.html |
Biden approves a new $300M military aid package for Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has approved a new package of military aid for Ukraine that totals up to $300 million and includes additional munitions for drones and an array of other weapons. It comes as Russia has continued to pummel Ukraine’s capital and unmanned aircraft have targeted Moscow.
U.S. officials have said there is no suggestion that U.S.-made drones or munitions were used in the Moscow strikes, which the Kremlin blamed on Ukraine but Kyiv has not acknowledged. The Biden administration has said it has made clear to Ukraine that U.S.-made weapons should not be used for attacks inside Russian territory.
“We don’t tell them where to strike. We don’t tell them where not to strike. ... Ultimately President Zelenskyy and his military commanders decide what they’re going to do from a military perspective,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. But he added that the U.S. has been ”very clear with the Ukrainians privately, we’ve certainly been clear publicly, that we do not support attacks inside Russia.”
He said Zelenskyy has given the U.S. assurances that the Ukrainians respect those concerns.
The new aid package provides munitions to boost Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to fend off Russia’s air assaults on Kyiv. It provides munitions for Patriot missile batteries and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well Avenger and Stinger air defense systems, mine-clearing equipment, anti-armor rounds, unguided Zuni aircraft rockets, night vision goggles, and about 30 million rounds of small arms ammunition and an undisclosed amount of other artillery rounds.
Moscow was targeted by a rare drone attack on Tuesday that lightly damaged residential buildings. Russian officials say the West, which throughout the grinding war has sought to keep the conflict from expanding beyond Ukraine, has not adequately condemned the attack on Russian soil.
Asked about Moscow’s criticism that the West is quietly supportive of attacks inside Russian territory, Kirby scoffed that the Russians are “not going to believe anything I have to say” on the matter.
He said the U.S. has made clear that it will not change its policy about not enabling or encouraging strikes inside Russia, but added, “I don’t think we’re going to take it upon ourselves as a burden to privately communicate that to the Russians.”
Ukrainian officials rejoiced over Tuesday’s drone attack but avoided claiming responsibility, a response similar to what they have said after previous attacks on Russian territory.
U.S. officials did not provide details on the drone munitions in the new aid package or specify which unmanned aircraft would use them. The Defense Department has given Ukraine a variety of unmanned aircraft over the last year, for both surveillance and attacks, including at least two versions of the Switchblade, a so-called kamikaze drone that can loiter in the air and then explode into a target.
Including the latest aid, the U.S. has committed more than $37.6 billion in weapons and other equipment to Ukraine since Russia attacked on Feb. 24, 2022. This latest package will be done under presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons from its own stocks and quickly ship them to Ukraine, officials said.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-31T21:31:40+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2023/05/31/biden-approves-new-300m-military-aid-package-ukraine/ |
PARSIPPANY, N.J., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PBF Energy Inc. (NYSE: PBF) and PBF Logistics LP (NYSE: PBFX) today announced a definitive agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which PBF Energy will acquire all of the outstanding common units representing limited partner interests of PBF Logistics it does not already own directly or indirectly for a combination of PBF Energy Class A common stock and cash. PBF Energy beneficially owns approximately 47.7% of the outstanding common units of PBF Logistics as of July 22, 2022.
Under the merger agreement, each outstanding common unit of PBF Logistics that PBF Energy does not already beneficially own will be converted into 0.270 shares of PBF Energy Class A common stock and $9.25 in cash, without interest. The purchase price reflects a premium of 13.2% to the volume-weighted average price of PBF Logistics common units for the thirty days through July 27, 2022.
Tom Nimbley, PBF Energy's and PBF Logistics' Chairman and CEO, said, "We are pleased to announce this strategic acquisition by PBF Energy, which represents a key objective in PBF Energy's plans to optimize our refining and logistics operations." He added, "This transaction will ultimately allow us to simplify our corporate structure and eliminate administrative, compliance and cost burdens of running a separate public company. Following consummation of the merger, we believe that the combined company will have a significantly enhanced financial profile."
Upon consummation of the merger, PBF Logistics will be become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of PBF Energy, and the PBF Logistics common units will cease to be listed on the NYSE and will subsequently be deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
PBF Logistics was represented in negotiations by the PBF Logistics Conflicts Committee, which is comprised of three independent members of its general partner's board of directors. The PBF Logistics Conflicts Committee unanimously approved the transaction and recommended approval of the transaction to the board of directors of the general partner of PBF Logistics, which was also unanimous in its approval of the transaction. The transaction has also been unanimously approved by the board of directors of PBF Energy.
The completion of the merger is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, including receipt of requisite approvals of PBF Logistics unitholders.
Barclays Capital Inc. is acting as the exclusive financial advisor; and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is acting as legal advisor to PBF Energy on the transaction. Intrepid Partners, LLC is acting as financial advisor and Baker Botts L.L.P. is acting as legal advisor to the PBF Logistics Conflicts Committee.
This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities pursuant to the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
In connection with the proposed transaction, PBF Energy will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a registration statement on Form S-4, which will include a prospectus of PBF Energy and a proxy statement of PBF Logistics. Each of PBF Energy and PBF Logistics may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. PBF Logistics will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its unitholders. This document is not a substitute for any prospectus, proxy statement or any other document which PBF Energy or PBF Logistics may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and equity holders of PBF Energy and PBF Logistics are advised to carefully read the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction when they become available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC, because they will contain important information. You may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC regarding this transaction (when they become available), free of charge, at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from PBF Energy's website (www.pbfenergy.com) under the tab "Investors" and then under the heading "SEC Filings." You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from PBF Logistics' website (www.pbflogistics.com) under the tab "Financial Information" and then under the heading "SEC Filings."
PBF Energy, PBF Logistics and their respective directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees may be soliciting proxies from PBF Logistics unitholders in favor of the proposed transaction and related matters. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of PBF Logistics unitholders in connection with the proposed transaction will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. You can find information about PBF Energy's executive officers and directors in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 13, 2022. You can find information about PBF Logistics' executive officers and directors in its annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 17, 2022. Additional information about PBF Energy's executive officers and directors and PBF Logistics' executive officers and directors can be found in the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-4 and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. You can obtain free copies of these documents from PBF Energy and PBF Logistics using the contact information below.
Forward-looking Statements
Statements in this press release relating to future plans, results, performance, expectations, achievements and the like are considered "forward-looking statements" (as that term is defined under the federal securities laws). These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which may be beyond PBF Energy's or PBF Logistics' control, that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ include but are not limited to the risks disclosed in PBF Energy's or PBF Logistics' filings with the SEC, risks related to the merger, including the timing to consummate the transaction, the ability to obtain the requisite PBF Logistics unitholder approval and diversion of management time on merger-related issues; the supply, demand, prices and other market conditions for PBF Energy's or PBF Logistics' products or crude oil; expectations with respect to our capital spending and turnaround projects; risks associated with obligation to buy Renewable Identification Numbers and related market risks related to the price volatility thereof; PBF Energy's ability to make, and realize the benefits from, acquisitions or investments, including in renewable diesel productions, on any announced time frame or at all; PBF Energy's or PBF Logistics' expectations regarding the impact of market conditions on demand for the balance of 2022; and the impact of adverse market conditions affecting PBF Energy or PBF Logistics, unanticipated developments, regulatory approvals, changes in laws and other events that negatively impact the company. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Neither PBF Energy nor PBF Logistics undertakes any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements except as may be required by applicable law.
PBF Energy Inc. (NYSE: PBF) is one of the largest independent refiners in North America, operating, through its subsidiaries, oil refineries and related facilities in California, Delaware, Louisiana, New Jersey and Ohio. Our mission is to operate our facilities in a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible manner, provide employees with a safe and rewarding workplace, become a positive influence in the communities where we do business, and provide superior returns to our investors.
PBF Logistics LP (NYSE: PBFX), headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is a fee-based, growth-oriented master limited partnership formed by PBF Energy to own or lease, operate, develop and acquire crude oil and refined petroleum products terminals, pipelines, storage facilities and similar logistics assets.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE PBF Energy Inc.; PBF Logistics LP | 2022-07-28T11:52:14+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/pbf-energy-announces-agreement-acquire-remaining-public-stake-pbf-logistics-lp/ |
MSBA holds Lt. Governor sessions to deliver political perspective and engagement to legal community and Marylanders
BALTIMORE, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) continues to provide non-partisan interviews with candidates for office this election season; offering voters and colleagues in the legal profession an opportunity to learn candidate positions on the most pressing issues facing the state and legal vocation. The MSBA recently hosted interviews for candidates for Maryland Lieutenant Governor. Aspiring candidates discussed their platforms and vision for Maryland's future with former Senator Bobby Zirkin at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
The MSBA invited all Lieutenant Governor candidates to participate in the interviews. The following candidates shared their perspectives with the MSBA:
- Christiana Logansmith (Libertarian - David Lashar campaign)
- Gordana Schifanelli (Republican - Dan Cox campaign)
- Monique Anderson-Walker (Democrat - Peter Franchot campaign)
- Justinian Dispenza (Democrat - Jerome Segal campaign)
- Candace Hollingworth (Democrat - Doug Gansler campaign)
- Aruna Miller (Democrat - Wes Moore campaign)
- Michelle Siri (Democrat - John King campaign)
In addition to welcoming the Lieutenant Governor candidates for interviews, the association also conducted one-on-one interviews with Republican Gubernatorial candidates Robin Ficker and Joe Werner. The MSBA also held a Democratic Gubernatorial Forum in June and a virtual discussion with Republican Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Shultz.
"The leadership team at MSBA is committed to creating opportunities for the voices of the legal profession to be heard and to help educate the 40k+ attorneys in the state about the candidates that seek to represent them," said David Shapiro, President of the Maryland State Bar Association. "We're proud to orchestrate a platform for candidates to connect with members of the legal community and hope all Marylanders take advantage of these unique opportunities to learn more about the candidates and their views on issues that will affect our state."
All candidate interviews are available on the MSBA Connect with the Candidates page, including interviews and forums with candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General.
For more information about the Maryland State Bar Association, visit MSBA.org
View original content:
SOURCE Maryland State Bar Association | 2022-07-18T17:59:30+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/maryland-state-bar-association-hosts-maryland-lieutenant-governor-interviews/ |
YouTube Chef-Turned-CCO Proves There's an Egg for Every Occasion
CHICAGO, July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether this summer has you feeling fried, scrambled or sunny side up, there's no problem too big for the Incredible Egg, no meal or moment that an egg couldn't crack. That's why the American Egg Board (AEB) has enlisted social media chef sensation and eggs aficionado Josh Elkin to serve as its inaugural Chief Cracking Officer (CCO). This new role was created to demonstrate and celebrate the versatility of eggs and to inspire Americans to #CrackItWithAnEgg in uneggspected new ways.
From the morning rush to the mid-day slump, witching hour to cocktail hour, bikini season to cuffing season, eggs offer countless ways to help you crack your cravings. They're an easy, affordable way to add protein and other eggscitement to your shopping list.
"I've made it my life's mission to champion the limitless potential of the incredible egg," Elkin said. "Eggs inject so much flavor and texture to any dish, without breaking the bank. It's an honor to be recognized for my efforts and to serve as the inaugural Chief Cracking Officer."
As CCO, Elkin will be sharing innovative egg recipes with his followers on Instagram and TikTok and challenging them to share their favorite ways to #CrackItWithAnEgg as well. Before being named CCO, Elkin built a large following on social media as a result of his daily cooking videos and viral breakfast dishes. He also hosted two seasons of Sugar Showdown on Cooking Channel and served as head chef for the YouTube series Epic Meal Time.
"The genius of an egg is there's nothing it can't crack, whether you're looking to surprise your family with a new weeknight favorite, spice up date night or stretch your budget a little further," Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, said. "Josh's 'never skip egg day' mantra is what distinguished him from the other applicants we considered for this critical new role. He knows what an egg can crack and pushes the boundaries of what they can do culinarily. We can't wait to see what he cracks next!"
In addition to Elkin, the AEB has commissioned a variety of other culinary and lifestyle influencers to crack summer entertaining, midnight snacking and more with eggs, and will be sharing additional tips and recipes via Instagram. For more egg recipes and other inspiration, visit IncredibleEgg.org.
Josh Elkin is an Internet personality, chef, host, cookbook author and content creator. He is most known for his unique take on food and recipes that have resulted in viral Internet sensations, especially on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. He hosted the Cooking Channel show Sugar Showdown and was the head chef for the YouTube show Epic Meal Time. He currently hosts his own popular cooking series across social media.
Home of the Incredible Egg, the AEB is the U.S. egg industry's national commodity marketing organization. The AEB's mission is to increase demand for eggs and egg products through research, education and promotion. The AEB is located in Chicago, Ill. For more, visit IncredibleEgg.org.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE American Egg Board | 2022-07-11T17:31:38+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/americas-egg-farmers-appoint-first-ever-chief-cracking-officer-challenge-americans-crackitwithanegg-this-summer/ |
2 killed and 5 others injured in shooting outside a high school graduation venue in Richmond, Virginia, police say
By Sara Smart and Jamiel Lynch, CNN
(CNN) — A gunman opened fire as hundreds of people stood outside after a high school graduation ceremony Tuesday evening in Richmond, Virginia, killing two people and wounding five others, the city’s interim police chief said.
As merriment turned to terror around Richmond’s Monroe Park, other people were hurt as they tried to escape the gunfire, including a 9-year-old girl who was hit by a car, Richmond Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards told reporters Tuesday night.
Police initially detained two people but later said one was not involved. The other – a 19-year-old who investigators think may have known one of the victims and had four handguns – was held Tuesday night and police will recommend two counts of second-degree murder against him, Edwards said.
Killed were an 18-year-old student who graduated Tuesday and a 36-year-old man who had attended the ceremony at a theater near the park. They were not identified.
The shooting happened at Monroe Park after Huguenot High School’s ceremony in the Altria Theater, Richmond Public Schools official Matthew Stanley said. The park is on Virginia Commonwealth University’s campus, across the street from the theater.
Besides the two killed, five others – a 14-year-old boy and four men ranging in age from 31 to 58 – suffered gunshot wounds. Four of those injured had non-life-threatening injuries, according to Edwards.
The 9-year-old struck by a car was being treated at a hospital Tuesday night with non-life-threatening injuries, Edwards said.
Three off-duty officers were working security at the ceremony and heard gunshots outside just before 5:15 p.m. ET. They radioed a call of shots fired and other officers who were working traffic duty responded, the interim police chief said at an earlier news conference.
The suspect fled the scene but was stopped and detained by VCU police.
“Is nothing sacred any longer? Is nothing sacred any longer?” Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney said at the first news conference.
The mayor promised whoever was involved would be brought to justice, “not just for the families involved but for the city.”
A different high school’s graduation ceremony that was scheduled for the theater after the Huguenot High ceremony was canceled, Stanley said. Graduation ceremonies for three schools were scheduled at Altria Theater on Tuesday, according to the school system’s website.
The graduation ceremony had ended, and graduates were outside taking photos with their families when the shooting happened, Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said. Hundreds of people were in the park at the time, Edwards said.
“I don’t have any more words on this,” Kamras said. “I’m just tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot. And I beg of the entire community to stop.”
An alert sent at 5:15 p.m. by Virginia Commonwealth University says a shooting happened at Monroe Park. About an hour later, the alert page said there was no ongoing threat.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Chris Boyette contributed to this report. | 2023-06-07T11:06:31+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2023/06/07/a-mass-shooting-after-a-high-school-commencement-ceremony-leaves-2-dead-including-an-18-year-old-graduate/ |
Isaiah Mbeng twitched forward — a slight jab step that earned him enough space to step back and create a three-point shot. The Churchill guard fired from the top of the arc with just ticks left in a tied Montgomery County boys’ basketball title game between his Bulldogs and Damascus.
“I was actually really confident that it was going to go in because I know how much work I put into my shot,” he said. “As it went in, I was in a whole different world.”
He finished with 10 points and six assists. Churchill’s leading scorer, Nick Goldberg, had 15 points but fouled out. His absence extended an already long list for the Bulldogs that included future University of Maryland wide receiver Zeke Avit. Avit didn’t play in Churchill’s last three regular season games and won’t return for the playoffs in what Coach Dave Blumenthal called a team matter.
The boys completed a clean sweep for Churchill; the girls beat Clarksburg, 56-41, for the county title earlier that day. The win didn’t affect either squad’s playoff seeding but certainly carried symbolic weight for the Bulldogs.
Clarksburg was one of two Montgomery County teams that beat Churchill in the regular season. The other was Richard Montgomery, which hosted both championship games.
“We’re playing one of the teams we lost to in the gym that we lost the other game,” Coach Pete McMahon said. “I thought it was an opportunity for the kids to get mentally past that and just prepare themselves for playing a good quality team.”
Churchill’s boys and girls face similar starts to the region tournament. Both were No. 1 seeds and earned byes with matchups scheduled against the Rockets at home. The girls took down Richard Montgomery, 56-50, on Monday, while the boys play Tuesday.
— Varun Shankar
Wise girls, Largo boys take county
Wise players let out cheers and tears following their 52-40 win over Oxon Hill in Wednesday’s Prince George’s County girls’ championship game.
What got the Pumas (19-3) to that point might have been two lower-profile games: an early-season win over Parkdale and a three-point loss at C.H. Flowers. Last season, Wise lost by a large margin to both opponents, so those early results provided encouragement in 2023.
“I’ve probably talked with our assistants a hundred times about how important it was for our girls to line up with two of the best teams in the area and just show that they belonged,” Wise Coach Peter Snipes said. “After those two games, I could just see the confidence shift in our girls. In their hearts, they knew they could hang, and that showed on the floor from then on.”
The Pumas’ confidence was on full display in the county final — they dominated Oxon Hill (19-3) from start to finish. Senior Emrie Aarons led the way with 14 points, sophomore Ariana Meriedy added 13, and junior Chrisdin Jones had 10.
The Clippers, who were riding a 14-game winning streak, lost in the county championship game for a third straight season.
On the boys’ side, Largo went into Wise’s gym and made a statement. Behind Cam Ward’s 25 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists, seven blocks and three steals, the Lions won, 75-59. It was the third straight time a 3A/2A/1A school reigned in Prince George’s County.
“Winning this game and being able to represent for the smaller schools in the county definitely means a lot to us,” Coach Rodney Ward said. “Schools like us regularly get overlooked, and I think that puts a chip on our guys’ shoulders. Some of the best ball in the state is played at the 3A/2A/1A level. This winning streak highlights that.”
The Lions (17-6) had a 9-6 record in md-January but won eight straight after an overtime loss to Patriot.
“We had been preaching to the guys about the importance of winning each individual day,” Rodney Ward said. “Whether it’s a game day or just another practice, good teams find a way to win each day on the calendar.”
Senior Jaden Johnson had 21 points for Wise (20-3).
— Tramel Raggs
Players of the week
Kayla Dixon, Madison: The senior has been a rock all season for an overhauled Warhawks roster. On Thursday, she scored 19 points to lead the team to its third straight region title.
Mia Johnson, St. Charles: The senior scored 26 points as the Spartans took down Lackey, 70-40, to win the first Southern Maryland Athletic Conference title in program history.
Cam Ward, Largo: The sophomore guard had 25 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists, seven blocks and three steals in the Lions’ 74-59 win over Wise in the Prince George’s County championship game.
Delaney Thomas, St. John’s: The senior led St. John’s with 13 points as the Cadets claimed back-to-back WCAC titles with a win over Paul VI on Monday.
Games to watch
Maryland 4A girls’ region final: South River at Severna Park, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Virginia Class 6 girls’ quarterfinals: Robinson vs. Oakton at Fairfax, Friday, 7:45 p.m.
DCSAA AA championships at George Washington University, Sunday, girls at 4 p.m., boys at 6 p.m.
Sandy Spring Friends repeats in PVAC
Sandy Spring Friends had been here before. The Wildebeests had faced Hebrew Academy, their opponent in Saturday’s Potomac Valley Athletic Conference championship game, twice in the regular season and got two wins. As they prepared for a third matchup, it was unclear whether that history was a good thing.
“You always want wins,” Coach Azhar Shamsudeen said. “But against a good team, especially in league play, winning against the same program three times is impossible. It’s just really, really hard. Regardless of records, they just know you so well.”
In the early going Saturday, it seemed this game would go like the others. Sandy Spring led for much of the contest, using balanced scoring to keep the Cougars at bay. But Hebrew Academy got hot from deep in the fourth quarter and took a one-point lead with 2:20 left.
At this point in the season, Shamsudeen knew his team was ready for the adversity. Not only had some of these players won the PVAC tournament last season, but they had tested themselves throughout this winter, taking on teams from several prominent conferences.
“I wanted to give this group as many different experiences as possible this season, playing against all kinds of teams,” Shamsudeen said.
The Wildebeests leaned on that experience in those final two minutes. Sophomore Jacob Cox hit a three to put his team back on top, and Sandy Spring held on.
Now, it prepares for an appearance in the first Maryland Private School Tournament. There, they will be surrounded by other conference winners from across the state and given a chance to prove themselves further.
“It’s an event that gives us and teams from all different leagues a chance to show what they’ve got and show just how deep the DMV is,” Shamsudeen said.
— Michael Errigo
Sophomore leads South Lakes
What does South Lakes sophomore Jordan Scott say when asked how he has handled all of the on-court attention this season? “I mean, there’s four other players on the court with me.”
What about the recruiting attention from high-major college programs despite being tucked away at a public school? “Our team just has to focus on the goals in front of us. We don’t worry about that rah-rah stuff.”
Yes, the last thing Scott will do is talk about himself.
This season, however, he found his voice at practice, as the Scotts tend to do. As a freshman, he had the talent and maturity of someone with his lineage and work ethic. His sister and both of his parents played Division I basketball, and his mom — Christy Winters-Scott, whose retired jersey hangs in the South Lakes gym — is a staple in the Virginia state record books, leading the Seahawks to a title several decades ago. He wants to hang a banner in Reston, as she did.
This year, he has developed a voice his team needed after it lost all five starters to graduation.
“Jordan, last year, he barely said two words,” South Lakes Coach Mike Desmond said. “This year, he’s shown his personality. He’s a character.”
His voice has mattered for a young team with nowhere to go but up. Last week, Scott was named the Class 6 Region D player of the year, and he has become one of the best three-level scorers in the state at 15. On Friday, the Seahawks, led by Scott’s 29 points, repeated as region champions with a 61-49 victory over Madison. They are 82-12 over the past four seasons.
“We think we can win it all,” Scott said.
— Spencer Nusbaum | 2023-02-28T14:41:05+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/02/28/churchill-sweeps-montgomery-county-wise-girls-largo-boys-rule-prince-georges/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP)Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Amari Bailey scored 13 points and No. 9 UCLA beat Washington 70-61 on Thursday night.
UCLA completed a season sweep of Washington and stopped a two-game skid that had followed a 14-game winning streak. The Bruins (18-4, 9-2 Pac-12) won their 20th straight home game dating to last season and remained in first place in the conference standings.
UCLA dominated inside and defensively in the first half, scoring 26 of its first 30 points in the paint. However, the Bruins were sloppy, finishing with 18 turnovers. Tyger Campbell and Bailey each had five giveaways and Jaquez had four.
”Eighteen turnovers to me, would be like to other coaches what is 25,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. ”It’s beyond unacceptable. Our supposed best two players had nine turnovers. … Those two single-handedly let the other team back in the game with their carelessness with the ball.”
Keion Brooks Jr. led Washington (13-11, 5-8) with 23 points.
The Huskies – who finished with 20 turnovers of their own – cut the lead to seven points several times in the second half but never got closer.
”If you turn the ball over they get out in transition and you don’t have a chance to get back and get your defense set up,” Jacquez said. ”Ball security dictates a lot of your offense and defense in the second half. We just didn’t have that.”
Washington fell behind early and didn’t score for a six-minute stretch. Braxton Meah dunked to end that drought and pull his team within 26-10 with 6:44 left in the first half.
”In the second half I thought we shared the ball, and Keion Brooks did a great job on isolations and moving the ball,” Washington coach Mike Hopkins said. ”You have to make shots. In the first half, we were 2 for 14 from the 3-point line. You’re not going to win too many games shooting that percentage.”
UCLA’s Jaylen Clark caught the opening tip between two defenders and scoring on an uncontested layup 5 seconds into the game.
UCLA beat Washington 79-49 last month and has won eight straight in the series.
STARS IN THE SEATS
Singer Lance Bass, actor Jaleel White and former UCLA and NBA star Trevor Ariza were all in attendance. … Former NFL defensive back Carnell Lake, who played at UCLA from 1985-88, was honored during the game.
HE SAID IT
”They do happen in the course of the game, but when you’re throwing passes at people’s feet and Nolan Ryan fastballs off the glass, you think you’re going to win anyway, in my opinion, tonight, you’re screwing around. And in doing that, all you do is make yourself look bad. Really bad.” – Cronin on UCLA’s turnovers.
BIG PICTURE
Washington: The Huskies will need to figure out how to run their offense more effectively against tough defenses if they want to make a run in the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas.
UCLA: The Bruins held the Huskies to 22 first-half points.
UP NEXT
Washington: At USC on Saturday.
UCLA: Hosts Washington State on Saturday.
—
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 | 2023-02-04T12:19:44+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/sports/ncaa-mens-basketball/jaquez-leads-no-9-ucla-past-washington-to-end-2-game-skid/ |
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Jyoti Mishra, University of California, San Diego
(THE CONVERSATION) The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The big idea
Psychological trauma from extreme weather and climate events, such as wildfires, can have long-term impacts on survivors’ brains and cognitive functioning, especially how they process distractions, my team’s new research shows.
Climate change is increasingly affecting people around the world, including through extreme heat, storm damage and life-threatening events like wildfires. In previous research, colleagues and I showed that in the aftermath of the 2018 fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, California, chronic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression were highly prevalent in the affected communities more than six months after the disaster.
We also found a graded effect: People whose homes or families were directly affected by fire showed greater mental health harm than those where who were indirectly effected, meaning people who witnessed the event in their community but did not have a personal loss.
In the new study, published Jan. 18, 2023, our team at the Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, or NEATLabs, at the University of California San Diego, wanted to understand whether the symptoms of climate change-related trauma translate to changes in cognitive functioning – the mental processes involved in memory, learning, thinking and reasoning.
We evaluated subjects’ cognitive functioning across a range of abilities, including attention; response inhibition – the ability to not respond impulsively; working memory – the ability to maintain information in mind for short periods of time; and interference processing – the ability to ignore distractions. We also measured their brain function while they performed cognitive tasks, using brain wave recordings obtained from electroencephalography, or EEG.
The study included three groups of individuals: people who were directly exposed to the fire, people who were indirectly exposed, and a control group with no exposure. The groups were well matched for age and gender.
We found that both groups of people exposed to the fire, either directly or indirectly, dealt with distractions less accurately than the control group.
We also found differences in the brain processes underlying these cognitive differences. People who were exposed to the wildfire had greater frontal lobe activity while dealing with distractions. The frontal lobe is the center for the brain’s higher-level functions. Frontal brain activity can be a marker for cognitive effort, suggesting that people exposed to the fires may be having more difficulty processing distractions and compensating by exerting more effort.
Why it matters
With climate change fueling more disasters, it is incredibly important to understand its impacts on human health, including mental health. Resilient mental health is what allows us to recover from traumatic experiences. How humans experience and mentally deal with climate catastrophes sets the stage for our future lives.
There are strategies people can use to help reduce the stress. Psychosocial research suggests that practicing mindfulness and developing healthy lifestyles, with regular exercise and enough sleep, can protect mental well-being in these scenarios, along with developing strong social bonds.
What’s next?
There is much work to be done to understand if the effects we found are replicable in large sample studies. In this work, we focused on a total of 75 study participants. Scientists also need to understand how these effects evolve as climate disasters like wildfires occur more often.
We are also pursuing research with community partners to implement interventions that can help alleviate some the impacts we observed on brain and cognitive functioning. There is no one-size-fits-all solution – each community must find the resiliency solutions that work best in their environmental context. As scientists, we can help them understand the causes and point them to solutions that are most effective in improving human health.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/climate-change-trauma-has-real-impacts-on-cognition-and-the-brain-wildfire-survivors-study-shows-197870. | 2023-01-18T20:06:02+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Climate-change-trauma-has-real-impacts-on-17725897.php |
VERMILLION CO., Ind. — A sheriff’s deputy in Vermillion County is in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being shot while in a suspect pursuit, Indiana State Police said.
ISP Sgt. Matt Ames confirmed Friday night that the unidentified deputy was shot near Dana, Indiana. WTWO in Terre Haute reports the incident took place in the area of State Road 71 and County Road 700 South.
ISP said the deputy’s injuries are non-life-threatening. Ames said the deputy has been taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Ames also confirmed that there is a suspect already in custody. ISP said there is no threat to the public.
This is a developing story. Follow FOX59.com and MyWabashValley.com for updates. | 2023-02-25T02:35:31+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/news/isp-sheriffs-deputy-shot-in-vermillion-county/ |
New Board Appointees Bolster Atreo's Seasoned Executive Team
SAN FRANCISCO, July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Atreo, Inc., a next-generation RTSM technology company, is thrilled to announce the appointment of two new distinguished board members, Jon Dole and Mark Paiz, who bring a wealth of industry experience to our organization. The decision was finalized during Atreo's Annual Stockholder's Meeting held on July 19, 2023.
Jon and Mark's appointment to Atreo's board fortifies the company's strategic direction with extensive industry knowledge and exceptional accomplishments in the RTSM / IRT / Clinical Supplies domains. Their addition to the board marks a pivotal moment in Atreo's journey, further solidifying its position as a technology leader in RTSM space.
Jon Dole is a RTSM visionary and successful entrepreneur. Jon has founded multiple RTSM companies and has been instrumental in driving Atreo's innovation focus. His strategic vision and deep understanding of the RTSM space will undoubtedly complement Atreo's growth objectives.
Mark Paiz is a seasoned Life Sciences Technology executive and entrepreneur, bringing several decades of experience to Atreo, having held prominent leadership roles at both startups and Fortune 500 organizations. His insights into scaling technology organizations and Clinical Supplies experience make him an invaluable asset to Atreo.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jon and Mark to Atreo's Board of Directors. Their impressive track records and deep understanding of our industry will significantly enhance our ability to chart a successful course for the future," said Ryan Harrison, CEO of Atreo. "Both Mark and Jon have been actively providing their expertise and guidance since Atreo's founding, demonstrating their dedication to our mission from day one. Their commitment to the organization's values and vision makes them an ideal fit to support Atreo's continued growth."
About Atreo:
Atreo is a modern RTSM company, comprised of experienced clinical technology experts, that has created the next generation of RTSM platform. Atreo helps clinical teams to modernize the RTSM experience with unmatched agility and simplicity by leveraging advanced technology and testing practices. Atreo has solved all common RTSM challenges, offering numerous advantages, with a specific emphasis on:
Speed: 1 - 2 Week RTSM build from Kickoff to Launch
Collaborative RTSM Design: RTSM configured prior to Kickoff Meeting
Agility: System changes at no cost and unmatched quality
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Atreo, Inc. | 2023-07-24T19:52:20+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/07/24/atreo-welcomes-jon-dole-mark-paiz-new-board-members/ |
In 2020, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke reached out to 17 composers for songs that spoke to their experiences of the pandemic. The resulting album, “How Do I Find You” is up for a Grammy for Best Classical Vocal Solo Album.
Here & Now‘s Robin Young speaks with Cooke about the album.
Click here to listen to an interview Young did with composer Caroline Shaw, who is featured on the album.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-02-01T20:13:13+00:00 | wyomingpublicmedia.org | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2023-02-01/mezzo-soprano-sasha-cooke-sings-songs-of-the-pandemic-on-grammy-nominated-how-do-i-find-you |
MORBI, India (AP) — Military teams were searching Monday for people missing after a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river Sunday in the western Indian state of Gujarat, sending hundreds plunging into the water and killing at least 132 in one of the worst accidents in the country in the past decade.
At least 177 survivors were pulled from the river and teams from the army, navy and air force were looking for others still missing, said Jigar Khunt, an information department official in Gujarat said.
Live video reports showed hundreds of others desperately clinging to the broken structure and trying to make their way to safety, as crowds onshore shouted or swam to try to rescue who had fallen in.
Authorities said the 19th-century, colonial-era pedestrian bridge over the Machchu river in the state’s Morbi district collapsed because it could not handle the weight of the large crowd, as the Hindu festival season drew hundreds of sightseers to the recently opened tourist attraction. Security footage of the disaster showed the suspension bridge shaking violently and people trying to hold on to its cables and green-colored metal netting before the walkway gave way and crashed into the river.
The 232-meter (761-foot)-long bridge had been closed for repairs for almost six months and had reopened just four days earlier for the Gujarati New Year.
Visuals from the disaster site showed the bridge split in the middle and the metal carriageway hanging down, its metal cables snapped in places.
State minister Harsh Sanghvi told reporters that 132 people were confirmed dead and many were admitted to hospitals in critical condition. Sanghvi said emergency responders and rescuers worked overnight to search for the survivors. Most of the victims were teens, women and older people, he said.
It was not immediately clear exactly how many people were on the bridge when it collapsed but survivors said it was so densely packed that the crowd was unable to move to safety when the cable strings began to snap.
“There were just too many people on the bridge. We could barely move,” Sidik Bai, 27, said while recovering from injuries in a hospital bed in Morbi.
Sidik said he jumped into the water when the bridge began to crack and saw his friend being crushed by its metal carriageway. He survived the disaster by climbing on the bridge and holding onto its cables, but his friend couldn’t make it.
“Everyone was crying for help, but one by one they all began disappearing in the water,” Sidik said.
Local news channels ran pictures of the missing shared by concerned relatives searching of their loved ones. Many family members raced to overcrowded hospitals looking for their kin.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in his home state of Gujarat on a three-day visit, said he was “deeply saddened by the tragedy.” His office announced compensation to the families of the dead and urged for speedy rescue efforts.
“Rarely in my life, would I have experienced such pain,” Modi said during a public event in the state on Monday.
Modi ruled Gujarat as its top elected official for 12 years before becoming India’s prime minister in 2014.
A Gujarat’s state government election is expected in the coming months and opposition parties have demanded an investigation into the collapse, saying that the bridge was reopened without having a safety clearance. The claim could not be independently verified, but the state government said it has formed a special team to investigate the disaster.
The state’s civic body officials told local news media that the bridge — built by the British in late 1880 during the Victorian era and touted by the Gujarat government as an “engineering marvel” — might have been opened by the private company that runs it without a “fitness certificate.”
India’s infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on its highways and bridges.
The bridge collapse is Asia’s third major disaster involving large crowds in a month.
On Saturday, a Halloween crowd surge killed more than 150 mostly young people who attended festivities in Itaewon, a neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea. On Oct. 1, police in Indonesia fired tear gas at a soccer match, causing a crush that killed 132 people as spectators tried to flee.
___
Saaliq and Pathi reported from New Delhi. | 2022-10-31T10:18:00+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-at-least-32-dead-many-injured-after-india-bridge-collapse/ |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco's national soccer team is set to return home Tuesday after accomplishing the seemingly impossible feat of finishing fourth at the World Cup in Qatar. Tens of thousands of Moroccans were expected to turn out to greet the players.
As the first African or Arab team to reach the World Cup semifinals, the Moroccan team, known as the Atlas Lions, made history and was one of the big success stories of this year's tournament, the first hosted by an Arab nation.
Big crowds were in the streets of the Moroccan capital, Rabat, and the rest of the North African kingdom for the homecoming. After the team beat former European colonial powers Belgium, Spain and Portugal, it lost to France in the semifinals. Its record-setting performance means the players are likely to receive a hero’s welcome.
“Morocco’s run in the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be remembered in the history books as one of the most exciting campaigns since the tournament’s inception,” café owner Reda Ghazi, 27, told The Associated Press. “It was the dream of every Moroccan to win something, especially because Morocco is a country where the passion for football is overwhelming.”
After their plane touches down, the players are set to ride an open-top bus through the major avenues of the capital. The royal court said Monday that King Mohammed VI would receive the team at the palace in Rabat “to celebrate their great and historic accomplishment.”
Morocco finished fourth in the competition after losing to Croatia 1-2 in the third-place play-off on Saturday, exceeding the expectations of most Moroccans.
“I still can’t wrap my head around what happened in this World Cup,” added student Anour El Berkaoui, 23. “The team has now set the bar so high that we won’t be happy with anything less than winning the upcoming African Cup of Nations.”
The Moroccan team charmed many Arab soccer fans who saw in the team a reflection of themselves. Players waved the Palestinian flag after their wins and celebrated on the field with their mothers and children.
The team also galvanized support across Africa.
“As an African team, we broke a lot of records and made the whole continent proud,” Rabat resident Omar Zorgane said .
“Morocco as a whole will gain a lot from this year’s World Cup, from tourism to getting the attention of other countries to possibly hosting one of the biggest tournaments in the world in the future,” he said.
___
Follow AP's World Cup coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup | 2022-12-20T14:31:47+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/Moroccans-to-welcome-home-history-making-World-17666148.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Self-help author Marianne Williamson, whose 2020 White House campaign featured more quirky calls for spiritual healing than actual voter support, launched another longshot bid for the presidency on Saturday, becoming the first Democrat to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the 2024 nomination.
“We are upset about this country, we’re worried about this country,” Williamson told a crowd of more than 600 at a kickoff in the nation’s capital. “It is our job to create a vision of justice and love that is so powerful that it will override the forces of hatred and injustice and fear.”
The 70-year-old onetime spiritual adviser to Oprah Winfrey should provide only token primary opposition — a testament to how strongly national Democrats are united behind Biden. Still, she tweaked the president, a longtime Amtrak rider, by holding her opening rally at the ornately marble-columned presidential suite at Union Station, Washington’s railway hub.
Biden gave his own speech from Union Station just before last November’s elections, when he led Democrats to a surprisingly strong showing, urging voters to reject political extremism and saying “democracy itself” was at stake.
Williamson, whose red, blue and black campaign signs feature the dual slogans “A New Beginning” and “Disrupt the System,” says she’ll be campaigning in early-voting states on the 2024 election calendar.
That includes New Hampshire, which has threatened to defy a Biden-backed plan by the Democratic National Committee to have South Carolina lead off the nominating contests. Democrats and Republicans in New Hampshire have warned that if Biden skips the state’s unsanctioned primary and a rival wins it, that outcome could prove embarrassing for the sitting president — even if that challenger has no real shot of actually being the nominee.
Striking a defiant tone Saturday, Williamson denounced “those who feel they are the adults in the room” and aren’t taking her candidacy seriously, proclaiming, “Let me in there.”
“I have run for president before. I am not naïve about these forces which have no intention of allowing anyone into this conversation who does not align with their predetermined agenda,” she said. “I understand that, in their mind, only people who previously have been entrenched in the car that brought us into this ditch can possibly be considered qualified to bring us out of it.”
Luke Stowell, 20, a musician and student at American University in Washington who sat in the front row for Williamson’s announcement, said “she has a really nice message that incorporates all of the prejudices and the social structures that inhibit, I think, a lot of people on a daily basis.”
Seated next to him, 24-year-old American University law student Ivan Claudio noted that, should he win a second term, Biden would be in his late 80s by the time he leaves office and “I think it is a cause for concern.”
Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, would be 86 at the end of a second term. Most people in the United States — and even most Democrats — say they don’t want him to run again, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The president is expected to announce in the coming weeks that he’s running again. His political advisers have said they aren’t worried about the Democratic primary but that Biden is anxious to defeat Donald Trump again in the general election. They say a 2024 campaign against another GOP nominee, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, would look much the same because top Republicans remain promoters of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.
Williamson didn’t mention Biden by name in her speech, and though she noted that Trump not being reelected in 2020 kept the country from going “over the cliff,” she also said it was still “six inches” from doing so.
The Democratic establishment — and even potential presidential hopefuls who could have competed against Biden from the left or middle — is behind Biden, showing how smooth his path to the nomination probably will be. Even if other Democrats follow Williamson into the race, the party is not planning to hold primary debates.
Williamson said she was opposing a free market “mindset” and corrupt political system that she said prioritized greed above all else “like an atomizer spray of economic injustice.”
“The American people have been trained to expect so little,” she said. “The American people have been played.”
A Texas native who now lives in Beverly Hills, California, Williamson is the author of more than a dozen books and ran an unsuccessful independent congressional campaign in California in 2014. In 2020, she was best known for wanting to create a Department of Peace and arguing the federal government should pay large financial reparations to Black Americans as atonement for centuries of slavery and discrimination.
Arguably her most memorable moment of that campaign came during a primary debate when she called for a “moral uprising,” but she dropped out of the race shortly before the leadoff Iowa caucuses began.
She said Saturday that the nation faced so many challenges, “I’m not saying one person can fix it. Not even one president can fix it.”
“But let me tell you something,” Williamson added. “A president who tells it like it is would do a lot of good.” | 2023-03-05T06:35:37+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-marianne-williamson-opens-long-shot-2024-challenge-to-biden/ |
Coalition begins its second year emboldened with over 100 members and launching new initiatives to create a more accessible and welcoming outdoors
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Together Outdoors (TO), a coalition committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the outdoor recreation experience, commemorated its first anniversary with a look back at a year of progress, and a look ahead at new efforts to make the outdoors more accessible and welcoming for everyone.
More than 100 organizations joined TO in its first year, with an initial focus on educating coalition members on the history of exclusionary practices in the outdoors and the challenges that remain for members of under-represented groups who seek to enjoy America's outdoor spaces. TO's debut learning tool was an eight-module online training program for outdoor companies, nonprofits, and land management agencies. Topics included insights into, and best practices for, hiring and retaining a diverse workforce, implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) at all levels of the organization, and improving accessibility for the disabled.
"Together Outdoors was born as the result of outdoor industry leaders asking how they could help provide education and drive desperately needed change. TO's first year was one of reflection, strategic planning and learning," said Coalition Lead Gerry Seavo James. "With the support of our funders, member organizations, Governance Council, and Advisory Council, we have built a solid foundation and developed effective programs to help make the great outdoors great for everyone. We are proud of everything Together Outdoors has accomplished in its first year and are excited for what's to come." Read more of Gerry's reflections on TO's first year here.
Together Outdoors' new efforts build upon 12 months of work made possible by foundational and multi-year support from THOR Industries and the guidance of our Advisory Council and Governance Councils.
TO's next phase is focused on helping members put what they've learned into practice, as well as launching more tools and programs to support its vital mission and to provide ways for the general public to become involved with the coalition's efforts.
Together Outdoors' new initiatives include:
Resource Hub Beta Launch – This innovative online database provides a wealth of curated information about building an outdoor community where everyone belongs. These materials include books, articles, research papers, videos, podcasts, and toolkits. Additionally, the hub includes a directory of inclusion-related outdoor organizations, a grant opportunity directory, and the ability to host web-based training programs. The platform will be launched as a Beta with user feedback providing the basis for upgrades and improvements.
Inclusive Spaces Program – Together Outdoors, in partnership with the Trust for Public Land, is piloting a program to help recreation space operators and public land management agencies improve accessibility and inclusion in their spaces. Findings from the pilot program, conducted in the Chattanooga, TN region, will be used to develop best practices in every area of outdoor space operation, including the design of physical facilities, staff trainings, storytelling, and language used in printed materials and signage.
Branding and Merchandise – Together Outdoors is pleased to unveil its new logo, which visually conveys the coalition's message of accessibility and inclusion. The new online store offers logoed clothing that allows people to show their support for TO and a more accessible and welcoming outdoors for all people.
Grant Program – TO recently debuted a grant program designed to support organizations on the front lines of building a more accessible and welcoming outdoor ecosystem thanks to support from THOR Industries and Winnebago Industries. To help offset the history of exclusion of marginalized communities in the grant-making process, TO's criteria will give priority to individuals from those communities, as well as organizations run by members of those groups.
See more commentary and reflection from coalition members and partners below and here.
"The first year of Together Outdoors was an impactful bringing together of many insightful voices throughout the outdoor landscape," said Danica Carey, Seirus Innovation, Director of Marketing Operations. "Now moving into their second year, I am very hopeful that the strong leadership of Gerry James supported by the team at ORR will be able to continue to grow this network of resources and collaboration. There is great foundation here for the community building needed to bring forward the cultural shift that is crucial for all of us to thrive into the future."
"We are proud to serve on the Together Outdoors Governance Council, which has allowed Brunswick Corporation a distinct opportunity to work collaboratively with our peers across the outdoor industry to promote our shared goals of ensuring equitable access to our public lands and waters," said Lee Gordon, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Brunswick Corporation.
"Together Outdoors' mission to celebrate and share the joys and experiences found in the great outdoors with communities from different walks of life, experiences, and backgrounds is just the first step toward creating a more inclusive and welcoming outdoor recreation space," said Kevin Williams, Vice President of Marketing at the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Together Outdoors Governance Council Member. "As we celebrate our one-year anniversary, this milestone marks the exciting next step in nurturing an environment where all are welcome and we look forward to continuing our partnerships with leaders across diverse spaces, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and historically marginalized people to create a better, more inclusive outdoor space."
Together Outdoors is an initiative administered under the auspices of ORR that nurtures an environment where all people have access to welcoming outdoor recreation experiences. We pursue this work through engagement, partnership, and education across all segments of the outdoor community.
Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is the nation's leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations representing the $689 billion outdoor recreation economy. ORR focuses on the growth of outdoor recreation by building a better environment for the sustainable growth of outdoor recreation businesses and driving a broader understanding of the value of the outdoor recreation economy. Our membership includes national outdoor trade association members, business entities, nonprofit organizations, and universities — serving more than 110,000 businesses and representing America's boating, fishing, RVing, biking, hiking, camping, hunting, ATVing, diving, horseback, and skiing communities among many more.
View original content:
SOURCE Together Outdoors; Outdoor Recreation Roundtable | 2022-08-25T13:00:11+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/25/together-outdoors-marks-one-year-fostering-diversity-equity-inclusion-outdoor-recreation/ |
Celtics: Udoka suspended for ‘multiple’ policy violations
BOSTON (AP) — The reigning Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics suspended coach Ime Udoka after a months-long investigation by an outside law firm that found multiple violations of team policies but did not point to a larger cultural problem of sexual misconduct, owner Wyc Grousbeck said Friday.
“We go to great lengths ... to run the organization with the central core value of respect and freedom in the workplace from harassment or any unwelcome attention,” Grousbeck said at a news conference. “This feels very much, to me, like one of a kind. That’s my personal belief. But I’ll have to verify that.”
Neither Grousbeck nor president of basketball operations Brad Stevens would elaborate on the specifics of the violations or the private report that was delivered to the team two days ago. But a person with knowledge of the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the details were not made public, told The Associated Press that it involved an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization.
Udoka’s multiple violations involved one woman, a Celtics spokesman said Friday. No one else in the organization is facing discipline, Grousbeck said, adding that the team will be vigilant to make sure that Udoka’s actions aren’t a signal that there is a larger problem.
“I personally don’t believe that they’re a deeper signal,” Grousbeck said. “But we will be — I will be, personally — talking to members of the organization to make sure that that’s the case.”
A first-year coach who is three months removed from a trip to the NBA Finals, Udoka was suspended less than a week before training camp was to open for a team considered among the favorites to win it all this season. Assistant Joe Mazzulla was elevated to interim coach through June 30, 2023; the Celtics say they have not decided about Udoka’s future beyond then.
Stevens grew emotional when discussing the effect the scandal has had on the team — especially the women who were singled out on social media as possibly being involved. The team reached out to employees to offer support.
“We have a lot of talented women in our organization. I thought yesterday was really hard on them,” Stevens said. “Nobody can control Twitter speculation, rampant (expletive), but I do think that we as an organization have a responsibility to make sure we’re there to support them now. Because a lot of people were dragged unfairly into that.”
Grousbeck said the team learned of the problem earlier this summer and immediately brought in an outside law firm to investigate. After receiving the report, Grousbeck met with Udoka and he expressed “acceptance and appreciation for how this has been handled.”
Grousbeck would not say whether the suspension was unpaid but confirmed that it comes with a “significant financial penalty.” A year-long suspension is uncommon but not unprecedented for a professional sports coach, but the lack of public detail about Udoka’s behavior has led some — including Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce — to question whether it was too severe.
Grousbeck disagreed, and noted that Udoka accepted the punishment and apologized.
“I personally feel that this is well-warranted and appropriate, backed by substantial research and evidence and facts,” the owner said. “It was clear that something substantial needed to be done. And it was.”
Mazzulla, 34, led West Virginia to a victory in the 2007 NIT tournament and an upset over ninth-ranked Duke in the next year’s NCAA’s. His only head coaching experience was a two-year stint from 2017-19 at Division II Fairmount State in West Virginia.
“Joe’s going to be in charge. It’s not easy timing for him or the rest of the staff, but he’s an exceptionally sharp and talented person,” said Stevens, who added that he gave no serious thought to stepping back onto the bench himself. “This will be an unbelievable challenge, but I’m really confident in the team and the coaching staff that’s going to take the court on Tuesday. It’s not what we expected to happen, but I’m very confident in them.”
___
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-09-23T21:05:06+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/2022/09/23/celtics-udoka-suspended-multiple-policy-violations/ |
Essential things you need to stream 4K at home
Streaming has taken the world by storm and is now how most people watch TV. 4K streaming offers a fantastic TV-watching experience and is becoming increasingly popular as the standard for watching sports and the latest movies.
However, if you’re not tech-savvy, the terminology surrounding 4K streaming can be confusing. Nevertheless, setting yourself up to stream 4K at home is pretty straightforward, but there are a few things you’ll need.
What you need to know about 4K
What is 4K?
It refers to an ultra-high-definition resolution of 3480 x 2160 pixels. A 4K-resolution displays approximately four times the pixels as a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080, resulting in higher picture quality with more vivid colors and highly detailed visuals.
4K content
When first introduced, there wasn’t much content available on 4K TVs to justify their expensive cost. However, now most streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offer 4K streaming content. Streaming services are subscription-based, but you can take advantage of a free trial with each one to check out their library and see what catches your eye.
What devices do I need to stream 4K?
4K smart TV
A full HD TV won’t cut it since they can only display a maximum resolution of 1080p, so you need a TV that supports a 4K UHD resolution. Nearly all 4K TVs have smart functions, which bodes well for those who want the most straightforward TV setup possible.
With a smart TV, all you need to do is hook it up to an internet connection and download and log in to any streaming apps where you have a subscription. However, it’s important to note that some TVs have a limited selection of streaming apps.
4K streaming device
If you don’t have a smart TV or prefer a separate device to use as a media source, you can use a laptop, tablet or phone to relay 4K content to your TV. You can also use a streaming set-top box, which usually has additional accessibility features.
High-speed internet wireless router
Streaming 4K requires a stable high-speed internet connection, so you’ll need to contact your service provider to determine if your download speed is sufficient to support 4K streaming. The more bandwidth you have available, the more your devices can stream content without experiencing significant lag, so it’s best to have a wireless router that covers the entire area of your home so that you always have a stable internet connection while streaming 4K.
Best 4K TVs
Top 4K TVs
Samsung 50-Inch Class The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV
What you need to know: This smart TV delivers stunning visuals and has a sophisticated standby art mode.
What you’ll love: It has a modern frame design and uses quantum dot technology to display millions of color shades without any washing-out at any brightness level. The stand is height-adjustable, and a One Connect Box is included for keeping external media devices out of sight.
What you should consider: It comes with 20 pre-installed art portraits, but downloading more requires a subscription.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top 4K TV for the money
Samsung 65-Inch Class Q60T QLED 4K UHD HDR Smart TV
What you need to know: This TV is loaded with smart features and displays excellent clarity with vibrant colors.
What you’ll love: It uses dual-LED backlighting technology so you can adjust the color tone to your liking, and an intuitive game mode enhances image quality and reduces stuttering. It also has a high-dynamic range feature that enhances images and produces deeper blacks.
What you should consider: Some users complained about the menu freezing from time to time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best 4K streaming devices
Top 4K streaming devices
What you need to know: The Roku Ultra delivers on all fronts as a top streaming device offering access to tons of apps and a user-friendly interface.
What you’ll love: The Roku Ultra is powerful for its compact size and offers both wired and wireless internet connectivity. It supports Dolby Atmos sound, and the voice remote can power your TV on or off and control volume.
What you should consider: Some users complained about not being able to connect Bluetooth headphones.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top 4K streaming devices for the money
What you need to know: This streaming device is compact and nearly twice as fast as the original Fire TV Stick 4K.
What you’ll love: It supports HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos and is compatible with devices that support Wi-Fi 6. It comes with an Alexa-enabled remote and offers access to popular streaming services and even some free live TV apps.
What you should consider: It doesn’t support hands-free Alexa voice control.
Where to buy: Sold by Kohl’s
Best wireless router
Top wireless router
Netgear 4-Stream Wi-Fi 6 Router
What you need to know: This router supports blazing fast internet speeds and offers impressive area coverage.
What you’ll love: It has four ethernet ports for fast, wired connections and supports Wi-Fi 6 for smooth HD gaming, video calling and 4K streaming. Also, it’s compatible with any internet service provider.
What you should consider: It doesn’t have any USB ports, and some users find the mobile app clunky.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top wireless router for the money
What you need to know: This router is excellent for most households and moderate 4K streaming.
What you’ll love: It has dual-band technology and a Smart Connect switch for seamlessly changing between bands. It supports download speeds up to 1,750 Mbps and has a USB port for sharing local USB drive files on your network.
What you should consider: It doesn’t have rubber grips on the bottom, so it slides around easily on smooth surfaces.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-03T15:23:44+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tv-video-br/everything-you-need-to-stream-4k-at-home/ |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Contract Industry Council -- With Black Friday and Cyber Monday rapidly approaching, American consumers are racing to find the best deals on everyday products and appliances amid unwanted inflation. Recent survey findings show that over one-third (38%) of U.S. adults are prepared to spend less than before this holiday season, and two-thirds (67%) say they've already reduced spending on non-essential items. With consumers across the nation pinching their pennies, it's essential to protect those hard-earned holiday purchases from damage and unexpected malfunctions.
"We urge shoppers to safeguard any and all new appliances with a service contract to eliminate the hassle of expensive product replacement and repairs," said Tom Keepers, Executive Director of the Service Contract Industry Council. "At a time when so many Americans are struggling to make ends meet, service contract plans provide crucial financial security for consumers on the most popular holiday gifts, including smart technology and home appliances."
According to a recent study, 3 in 4 Americans (76%) believe that any new smart appliance will need to be repaired within five years of purchase. With inflation already causing hefty price increases, consumers should plan for unexpected financial burdens – and those shopping for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals can protect their new purchase with a service contract. Keepers reminds consumers that by purchasing a service contract, they can access discounted repairs, product replacement, pre-qualified technicians, in-home repair service, 24-hour technical assistance, comprehensive coverage, and free shipping.*
Whether that prized holiday purchase is a smart speaker, an air fryer, a computer, or a television, accidents and malfunctions are bound to occur – and never at a convenient time. For certain purchases that are teetering on the brink of the holiday budget, the appliance's long-term reliability shouldn't be left up to chance. An investment in a service contract can save any wallet from expensive repairs down the line.
For more information, visit the Service Contract Industry Council at go-scic.com.
The Service Contract Industry Council is a national trade association that works with policymakers across the country to develop fair and uniform regulation of the service contract industry. Learn more at www.go-scic.com.
*Actual coverage may vary. SCIC is not a service contract provider and cannot warrant or otherwise guarantee coverage. Be sure to reference your service contract for the terms and conditions of coverage.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Service Contract Industry Council | 2022-11-10T18:30:47+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/this-black-friday-cyber-monday-prioritize-peace-mind-by-protecting-your-purchases-with-service-contract/ |
Michelle Williams is gearing up for the holidays after getting a truly heartwarming gift -- her third child!
The actress -- who recently welcomed an adorable baby with husband Thomas Kail -- walked the red carpet at the premiere of her new film The Fabelmans, as part of AFI Fest 2022 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday.
Williams spoke with ET's Matt Cohen about the upcoming holidays and the actress admitted she's super excited to welcome the festive season.
"I really am [excited], I'm already singing Christmas songs," Williams marveled. "I just bought an advent calendar, I'm so excited."
And she's embracing the spirit, gleefully detailing the Christmas decor: "It's from Etsy, it's handmade, it's super beautiful... it is like little ornaments that you're gonna put on the tree. It's so cute!"
Williams and Kail -- a Tony-winning Broadway director -- were spotted out and about with their newborn earlier this month. The pair also share a 2-year-old son, Hart. Williams is also mom to 16-year-old Matilda, whose father is the late Heath Ledger.
In The Fabelmans, Williams plays Mitzi Fabelman -- a mother with a creative and ambitious son with dreams of being a filmmaker.
When asked about her thoughts on the best way to guide a child's interest and nurture their passion, Williams shared, "I think recognizing the individual and seeing them for who they are. That is separate from who you are or who you want them to be."
"Really, allow them to be themselves and to to help grow -- whatever that is, in whatever direction they want to go," she added.
The Fabelmans is in select theaters Nov. 11, and expands nationwide on Nov. 23.
RELATED CONTENT: | 2022-11-07T13:54:42+00:00 | wgrz.com | https://www.wgrz.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/michelle-williams-talks-motherhood-holiday-plans-after-welcoming-baby-no-3-exclusive/603-a3e930df-94a0-49b1-aa7e-e298a1d2219e |
CLEVELAND (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday evening's drawing of the Ohio Lottery's "Rolling Cash 5" game were:
06-27-30-32-35
(six, twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-two, thirty-five)
Estimated jackpot: $167,000
In Other News
1
Roe v. Wade overturned: Hundreds protest in Cincinnati
2
Salvagnini debuts its expanded Hamilton manufacturing campus
3
Clark-Shawnee substitute replacement levy slated for Aug. 2 ballot
4
School leaders react to governor’s letter promising more help keeping...
5
Former Butler Co. politician, public figure Michael Fox dies at 73 | 2022-06-27T01:02:34+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio/winning-numbers-drawn-in-rolling-cash-5-game/DWX2EPQEE5FJTOFA66K7MEOVKI/ |
Félix Bautista doesn’t really understand the reference. He’s never seen “The Wire” on HBO. But the Orioles closer still wore the T-shirt with his own face photoshopped where the face of Omar Little should be.
The Orioles love their T-shirts, and the latest addition was seen Thursday in the clubhouse with most of Bautista’s teammates wearing a shirt that reads “Félix Comin’,” referencing the phrase used in the show to signal that Little, the beloved stickup man played by the late Michael K. Williams, was on his way to the neighborhood.
The connection took off earlier this month when the Orioles began to play the iconic whistling of “The Farmer in the Dell” from Little on “The Wire” before Bautista entered for a save situation. The stadium lights flashed at Camden Yards, too.
“It feels great,” Bautista said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “It’s super enjoyable, super exciting. When I come in, there’s a lot of adrenaline.”
“The Wire” is set in Baltimore and was created by former Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon, and the whistling, a distinctly Baltimore tune, has been used before by the Ravens. Last year, less than two weeks after Williams died of an accidental drug overdose at 54, the Ravens played the whistling before kickoff against the Kansas City Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football” in September.
It’s not the first unique T-shirt to appear in the Orioles’ clubhouse. Earlier this month, they unveiled a “Robbie’s Playlist” shirt that featured all of catcher Robinson Chirinos’ favorite sayings. Several of the starting pitchers, including Tyler Wells, wore “Best dad ever” shirts with Jordan Lyles’ face on it for Father’s Day.
“It’s a light environment,” right-hander Joey Krehbiel said. “There’s no eggshells to be walking on. There’s guys with a lot of big league time. There’s guys that have five days of service time and everyone gets treated the same and we’re a winning environment, and we’re trying to keep that on the shirts, just any little thing like that helps.”
“Félix Comin’” is the latest addition, and fans can purchase it from BreakingT.
()
Join the Conversation
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. As of June 15, 2022, comments on DenverPost.com are powered by Viafoura, and you may need to log in again to begin commenting. Read more about our new commenting system here. If you need help or are having issues with your commenting account, please email us at memberservices@denverpost.com. | 2022-08-18T19:57:47+00:00 | denverpost.com | https://www.denverpost.com/2022/08/18/orioles-closer-flix-bautista-is-embracing-michael-k-williams-omar-whistle-now-he-has-his-own-t-shirt/ |
David Jolicoeur, known by his stage name Trugoy the Dove, one of the co-founders of the hip-hop trio De La Soul, has died at age 54, his representative Tony Ferguson confirmed on Sunday.
“We’re all devastated,” Ferguson, who has been the group’s representative for about seven years, told The Washington Post. “And it’s just been a really sad day today. Huge loss.”
Jolicoeur, along with De La Soul co-founders Kelvin Mercer, also known as Posdnuos or “Pos,” and Vincent Mason, known as Maseo, achieved success starting with their debut album “3 Feet High and Rising” in 1989. The trio became known for producing music with a quirky sound that differed from other rap styles at the time.
Originally from Brooklyn, Jolicoeur met Mercer and Mason during high school in the 1980s. The group went on to produce a total of eight studio albums together.
Last week, De La Soul was a part of a 50-year tribute to hip-hop at the 65th Grammy Awards, but Trugoy was not in the performance. The artist, who was recently going by Dave, disclosed a few years ago that he was battling congestive heart failure.
Rapper Erick Sermon shared a photo of Jolicoeur on Instagram on Sunday, writing: “This one hurts. From Long Island from one of the best rap groups in Hiphop … you will be missed.”
The artist’s death comes weeks before De La Soul’s full catalogue was set to hit digital streaming services, aligning with the 34th anniversary of the group’s debut album.
In an early January interview with The Washington Post about the highly anticipated release, Pos shared that he was confident the group would be making music and sharing it for many years to come.
“We love doing what we do with each other and we all equally love our history, our legacy and what we can see for ourselves for the future,” he said. “You know, not to sound corny, [but] three is the magic number when it comes to that — when it comes to us.” | 2023-02-13T01:22:53+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/02/12/trugoy-the-dove-dead/ |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) –
The Baldwinsville girls lacrosse team won its second straight Section III Class A title on Tuesday night, defeating C-NS 18-11.
Carlie Desimone led the Bees with three goals and three assists. Mia Pozzi, Sophia Muscolino, Brianna Peters and Sierra Natoli each chipped in three goals in the win for B’ville.
Baldwinsville (14-4), the defending state champs advance to the NYSPHSAA Class A Regional on Thursday to face Corning (Section IV Champion) at Ithaca High School. | 2023-05-31T06:47:46+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/local-sports/baldwinsville-girls-lacrosse-repeats-at-section-iii-class-a-champs/ |
In Partnership with Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), the Special Edition Device Pairs all the Great Features of the CAMON 19 Pro with Industry-First Light Sensing Technology
Color Changing Design Pays Tribute to 20th Century Art Icon Piet Mondrian
BOSTON, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TECNO, a global premium smartphone brand, today announced it has partnered with Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to unveil the CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition Gift Set with a TECNO CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition smartphone - the world's first smart device that uses "sunlight drawing" technology to allow the phone to change colors in sunlight – creating a device that is both artistic and intuitive. In addition to the device, included in the special edition gift set is a pair of TECNO TWS SONIC 1 earbuds, and other two Mondrian-style accessories.
TECNO's "sunlight drawing" technology – more formally known as polychromatic photoisomer technology – is a process that breaks through the technical limitations of single-color or dual-color discoloration, and inspired by the impressionist works of Mondrian, enabling the phone's shell to follow geometrical patterns of color change in the sun.
"We've taken everything our users love about CAMON series – great camera, stylish look and super thin bezel - and created a smartphone experience that delivers a truly one-of-a-kind aesthetic never before seen on a mobile device," said Lucia Liu, Chief Brand Officer, TECNO. "Today, with the continuous development of the consumer experience economy, art and commercial products are now intertwined. We are so excited to partner with Boston MFA on Mondrian to reinforce our commitment to innovation – both in the arts and in tech."
TECNO and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston have joined to bring the unique vision of Piet Mondrian - the Dutch pioneer of abstract art best known for his bold and colorful block paintings - to a new format that is accessible to consumers in a way not previously explored
"Technology as a canvas is a medium we've been exploring for years, with the hope that we can - with the help of TECNO - bring our renown collections to a broader audience," said Debra LaKind, Senior Director, Intellectual Property & Business Development at MFA. "It's incredible to see the work of Piet Mondrian serve as inspiration for a completely new kind of smartphone design, one that embraces the true sentiment of abstract art brought to life through technology."
The Mondrian Edition is launched on the heels of the CAMON 19 Pro, with the same key features, including:
- First high-clear crystal sensitive lens with RGBW sensor for the 64MP Bright Night Portrait
- The 0.98mm bezel offers the industry's slimmest form factor, framing a 6.8-inch FHD+ display, to deliver an unsurpassed immersive experience
- Dual-ring triple-camera design perfectly balances the camera and back panel aesthetic to create a seamless overall feeling. The metal dual-ring is perfectly integrated with the triple camera using an anodizing process, bringing a sense of professional performance.
- 50MP 2X Optical-Zoom Lens for clearer, more detailed portraits
- AI Face Beauty technology intelligently identifies different facial structures and skin tones, and delivers smoothing complexions and accurate skin tones
- Powerful performance optimizes the phone for the clarity, brightness, and color accuracy for a stunning viewing experience. Certified by TuV Rheinland, the display minimizes blue light for more comfortable viewing, reducing eye strain and fatigue.
TECNO SONIC 1 earbuds are another key product in TECNO CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition Gift Set, for users who are pursuing valuable products that combine fashion look and elegance with the industry's most advanced technology. TECNO Sonic 1 applied the cutting-edge battery technology to to support double battery life with 50 hours ultra-long lasting battery life compared to competitors. Meanwhile, advanced magnetic absorption technology enables free switching between in-ear and half-in-ear wearing modes, to meet the needs in different scenarios, and ensure the comfort for long-lasting usage.
The CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition(Gift Set), CAMON 19 Pro and other models from the CAMON 19 series are expected to be broadly available in July across global regions including Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Southern Asia. Pricing varies by region.
TECNO is a premium smartphone and AIoT devices brand operating in over 70 markets globally. With "Stop At Nothing" as its brand essence, TECNO is committed to unlocking the best contemporary technologies for progressive individuals across global emerging markets, giving them stylishly designed intelligent products that inspires consumers to uncover a world of possibilities. TECNO understands the needs of consumers from different markets and provides them with localized innovations and design breakthroughs demonstrated through their mastery of serving consumers who are "young at heart" and never stops pursuing excellence. TECNO's portfolio spans across smartphones, smart wearables and AIoT devices. For more information, please visit: www.tecno-mobile.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE TECNO | 2022-07-07T13:37:37+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/technology-meets-artistry-new-tecno-camon-19-pro-mondrian-edition/ |
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday presented the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to 17 people, including gymnast Simone Biles, the late John McCain, the Arizona Republican whom Biden served with in the Senate, and gun-control advocate Gabby Giffords.
“Today, she adds to her medal count,” Biden said as he introduced Biles, a former foster child whose 32 Olympic and World Championship medals make her the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history.
“I don’t know how you’re going to find room,” for another medal, Biden joked. The 25-year-old is an advocate for athletes’ mental health, foster care children and sexual assault victims. She’s also the youngest person to ever receive the medal, Biden said.
The Democratic president, who took office at a critical point during the coronavirus pandemic, also honored Sandra Lindsay, the Queens, New York, nurse who was the first person to be vaccinated against COVID-19 outside of clinical trials during a live television appearance in December 2020.
It was the first time Biden had awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His recipient list included both living and deceased honorees, some of them representing various stages of the president’s life, from the Catholic nuns who taught him as a boy growing up in Claymont, Delaware, to Republican lawmakers he served with in the Senate to a college professor like his wife, Jill, to advocates of tightening access to firearms.
Biden introduced Giffords as “one of the most courageous people I have ever known.”
The former Arizona congresswoman founded the organization named Giffords to campaign for an end to gun violence and restrictions on access to guns. The Democrat almost died after she was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson.
Biden noted that he recently signed the most sweeping gun-control legislation in decades — though he and others would like even more restrictions — and credited Giffords and families like her own whose lives have been altered by gun violence for helping to make it happen.
“She’s the embodiment of a single signature American trait: never, ever give up,” Biden said.
Biden also recognized former Republican Sens. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and John McCain of Arizona, recalling a less partisan era of Washington in which members of different parties would argue over issues during the day and then meet over dinner at night.
McCain died of brain cancer in 2018. He spent more than five years in captivity in Vietnam while serving in the U.S. Navy. He later represented Arizona in the House and Senate, and was the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, competing against Democrats Barack Obama and Biden.
Biden said he didn’t appreciate the political competition, but “I never stopped admiring John ... I knew his honor, his courage and commitment.”
The 17 people receiving honors “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come,” the White House said.
Biden himself knows what it’s like to receive the medal. Then-President Obama honored Biden’s decades of public service by awarding him a Presidential Medal of Freedom “with distinction” during a ceremony shortly before they left office in January 2017.
Biden closed the ceremony by declaring, “This is America.”
The other 13 medal recipients are:
— Sister Simone Campbell, a member of the Sister of Social Service and a former executive director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization.
— Julieta Garcia, a former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville. Garcia was the first Latina to become a college president, the White House said.
— Fred Gray, one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. He was a prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr. and, at age 91, continues to practice law.
— Steve Jobs, the co-founder, chief executive and chair of Apple Inc. He died in 2011.
— Father Alexander Karloutsos, the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. Karloutsos has counseled several U.S. presidents, the White House said. Biden said he is “one of my dear friends.”
— Khizr Khan, a n immigrant from Pakistan, Khan’s Army officer son was killed in Iraq. Khan gained national prominence, and became a target of Donald Trump’s wrath, after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
— Diane Nash, a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked with King.
— Megan Rapinoe. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup soccer champion captains the OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights. Biden said she is the first soccer play to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
— Simpson, who served in the Senate with Biden and has been a prominent advocate for campaign finance reform, responsible governance and marriage equality. Biden called Simpson the “real deal” and joked that “he never takes himself too seriously nor takes me seriously.”
— Richard Trumka, who had been president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade at the time of his August 2021 death. He was a past president of the United Mine Workers.
— Wilma Vaught. A brigadier general, Vaught is one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history, breaking gender barriers as she has risen through the ranks. When Vaught retired in 1985, she was one of only seven female generals in the Armed Forces.
— Denzel Washington, a double Oscar-winning actor, director and producer. He also has a Tony award, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Washington could not attend Thursday’s ceremony after testing positive for COVID-19, the White House said. Biden said Washington will receive his medal “when he’s able to get here.”
— Raúl Yzaguirre. A civil rights advocate, Yzaguirre was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. | 2022-07-07T21:20:22+00:00 | chicagotribune.com | https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-aud-nw-biden-medal-of-freedom-20220707-6hbqdbe7g5crhpw2tegfzlih6y-story.html |
Westphalia, Tx (FOX 44) – UPDATE: The victim in Thursday’s fatal auto-pedestrian accident has been identified as 52-year-old Joseph Edward Bredemeyer, of Abilene.
DPS investigators say the crash happened about 5:30 a.m. Thursday on State Highway 320, near County Road 3000.
DPS Sgt. Ryan Howard said the preliminary trooper investigation indicated the victim was in the roadway and was struck by a Hyundai passenger car going south on the highway.
Bredemeyer was pronounced dead at the scene. | 2023-07-14T13:44:10+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/local-news/falls-county/victim-in-westphalia-auto-pedestrian-crash-identified/ |
Sarasota-based Seaward Development promises its plan will pay homage to Mira Mar's 100-year history.
The historic Mira Mar building on Palm Avenue has been sold to a local developer who plans to demolish the existing building and build 70 condominiums as well as retail space there.
The Sarasota developer, Seaward Development, is promising to build a new structure that pays homage to the original look and design of the property, originally built in 1922. Seaward is scheduled to go before the city’s Historic Preservation Board on Tuesday, June 15 to get permission to tear down the existing structure.
Although the Mira Mar, at 49 S. Palm Ave., is considered historic to many in the community, it is not the original building that sits on the site and so many renovations and changes have been made in the past century that its application to the National Register for Historic Places was rejected in 1983.
“Unfortunately, Mira Mar has now passed its useful life,” Mark Kauffman, one of the current owners, says in a statement. “A confluence of situations have led to the professional realization that repairs, and restorations are not a fiscal option for the permanent sustained future of the Mira Mar.”
The sale price has not been disclosed, and Seaward is in the due diligence stage of the agreement. The hope is to close in the third quarter.
The plan is to keep the zoning, which allows for a 10-story building, as is. Seaward will build two floors of retail facing Palm Avenue and a second residential building behind the commercial space that pays “homage and to the original look and design of the property when the Mira Mar Hotel stood tall in the early 1900s.”
There is no timetable yet for when the work will begin.
Seaward is not new to the Mira Mar. Its offices have been in the building for five years. Patrick DiPinto, Seaward’s managing partner, says the company considered remodeling the property, but because of “the declining state of the building, that is not feasible, which is why we are asking for a demolition permit.”
According to Seaward, engineers say that despite the work done to keep the property intact, the 100-year-old wood frame is badly damaged, including drastically undersized foundations, corroded structural wood wall studs, extensive insect damage and wood rot. This, the developer says, calls “into question the load path for gravity loads and walls observed with no lateral resistance to wind loads.”
The buildings assessed value is about $2 million but it needs more than $22 million in repairs, according to Seaward.
Kauffman, one of the more prolific property owners in Sarasota who’s owned the building since about 1989, understands the high cost of maintaining the property and say it’s no longer fiscally prudent to keep pouring money into it. What it needs, he says, is to be demolished and for "a new replica" to be built.
That is what Seaward offered and why he sold to them without putting the property on the market.
As for what happens to the Mira Mar if the Historic Preservation Board does not grant permission to bring the building down, Kauffman is very straightforward about what will happen next.
“If demo is not allowed,” he says, "we will allow leases to run out over next two years then close the building and fence it off, and allow it to decay as we cannot afford the repairs anymore.”
This article originally published on BusinessObserverFL.com.
Join the Neighborhood! Our 100% local content helps strengthen our communities by delivering news and information that is relevant to our readers. Support independent local journalism by joining the Observer's new membership program — The Newsies — a group of like-minded community citizens, like you. Be a Newsie. | 2022-06-15T22:37:43+00:00 | yourobserver.com | https://www.yourobserver.com/article/mira-mar-building-could-be-demolished-to-build-more-downtown-condos |
Related
LONDON (AP) — Charles became king immediately upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Thursday. He was officially proclaimed King Charles III on Saturday during a ceremony at St. James’s Palace in London, and many more formal steps will follow until his coronation, which may not come for months.
A look at the centuries-old traditions and rules surrounding the accession of a new British monarch:
WHO FORMALLY DECLARES NEW MONARCHS?
In Britain the death of a sovereign and their successor is officially proclaimed by the Accession Council, formed of a large group of senior politicians and officials.
Traditionally the council is summoned within 24 hours of a monarch’s death for a ceremonial meeting at St. James’s Palace. But the accession ceremony for King Charles III was delayed because the queen’s death wasn’t announced until early evening on Thursday, and there was not enough time to set the plans in motion for Friday.
The Accession Council is formed of members of the Privy Council — mostly past and present politicians, including all living prime ministers, as well as Church of England leaders and senior royals — and other ceremonial leaders, such as the Lord Mayor of London.
The Privy Council advises the monarch and is one of the oldest parts of government. It can be traced back to the time of the Norman kings when the monarch met with a group of advisers in private, predating the modern functions of a government cabinet.
Historically the entire Privy Council is called to the Accession Council to oversee the new monarch’s proclamation. But just 200 were summoned Saturday because the number of Privy Council members now stands at 700.
The ceremony was broadcast live on television for the first time Saturday.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER CHARLES IS PROCLAIMED?
Shortly after a new monarch is formally confirmed, the sovereign holds his first Privy Council meeting, makes a personal declaration and then signs an oath to maintain the Church of Scotland, according to the Act of Union of 1707.
Afterward, a heraldic official known as the Garter King of Arms publicly reads out the proclamation of the new sovereign from a balcony at St. James’s Palace and gun salutes are fired around London.
The proclamation is also read aloud in locations across the U.K., including in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast — the capital cities of the other three nations that make up the United Kingdom.
Union flags will be flown at full-staff for about 24 hours, before returning to half-staff in mourning for the queen.
Parliament is then recalled as soon as possible for senior lawmakers to take their oaths of allegiance to the new monarch.
The new monarch must make another oath to declare that he is a faithful Protestant and will maintain the Protestant succession later at the state opening of Parliament. The oath is mandated by the Accession Declaration Act of 1910.
WHAT ABOUT THE CORONATION?
After the initial flurry of formalities, there will be months before the next big event — the king’s coronation. This is to allow for a period of mourning and to leave time for officials to organize the ceremony.
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2, 1953 — some 16 months after her accession on Feb. 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died.
The date for Charles’ coronation is not yet known. It will most likely be held at London’s Westminster Abbey, where coronation ceremonies have taken place for the past 900 years.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2022-09-10T11:58:39+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/explainer-the-formal-rules-around-charless-accession/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee has unveiled a criminal referral for former President Donald Trump, citing evidence that it says merits prosecution by the Justice Department.
Among the crimes the panel cited are obstruction of an official proceeding, aiding in an insurrection and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
While a criminal referral is mostly symbolic, with the Justice Department ultimately deciding whether to prosecute Trump or others, it is a decisive end to a probe that had an almost singular focus from the start.
Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said the criminal justice system can provide accountability, adding, “We have every confidence that the work of this committee will help provide a roadmap to justice.”
Thompson said Trump “broke the faith” that people have when they cast ballots in a democracy. “He lost the 2020 election and knew it," Thompson said. “But he chose to try to stay in office through a multi-part scheme to overturn the results and block the transfer of power."
Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the panel’s Republican vice chairwoman, said in opening remarks that every president in American history has defended the orderly transfer of power, “except one.”
The committee also voted 9-0 to approve its final report, which will include findings, interview transcripts and legislative recommendations. The report is expected to be released in full Wednesday.
The panel, which will dissolve on Jan. 3 with the new Republican-led House, has conducted more than 1,000 interviews, held 10 well-watched public hearings and collected more than a million documents since it launched in July 2021. As it has gathered the massive trove of evidence, the members have become emboldened in declaring that Trump, a Republican, is to blame for the violent attack on the Capitol by his supporters almost two years ago.
After beating their way past police, injuring many of them, the Jan. 6 rioters stormed the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential election win, echoing Trump's lies about widespread election fraud and sending lawmakers and others running for their lives.
The attack came after weeks of Trump’s efforts to overturn his defeat — a campaign that was extensively detailed by the committee in its multiple public hearings, and laid out again by lawmakers on the panel on Monday. Many of Trump’s former aides testified about his unprecedented pressure on states, on federal officials and on Vice President Mike Pence to find a way to thwart the popular will. The committee has also described in great detail how Trump riled up the crowd at a rally that morning and then did little to stop his supporters for several hours as he watched the violence unfold on television.
California Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democratic member of the panel, said ahead of the hearing that Trump is someone who “in multiple ways tried to pressure state officials to find votes that didn’t exist, this is someone who tried to interfere with a joint session, even inciting a mob to attack the Capitol."
“If that’s not criminal, then I don’t know what it is,” Schiff said.
The panel aired some new evidence at the meeting, including a recent interview with longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks. Describing a conversation she had with Trump around that time, she said he told her that no one would care about his legacy if he lost the election.
Hicks told the committee that Trump told her, “The only thing that matters is winning."
While a so-called criminal referral has no real legal standing, it is a forceful statement by the committee and adds to political pressure already on Attorney General Merrick Garland and special counsel Jack Smith, who is conducting an investigation into Jan. 6 and Trump’s actions.
“We obviously want to complete the story for the American people,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., another member of the committee. “Everybody has come on a journey with us and we want a satisfactory conclusion, such that people feel that Congress has done its job.”
The panel was formed in the summer of 2021 after Senate Republicans blocked the formation of what would have been a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the insurrection. When that effort failed, the Democratic-controlled House formed an investigative committee of its own.
As the committee was getting started, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California, a Trump ally, decided not to participate after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected some of his appointments. That left an opening for two anti-Trump Republicans in the House — Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — to join seven Democrats, launching an unusually unified panel in the divided Congress.
While the committee’s mission was to take a comprehensive accounting of the insurrection and educate the public about what happened, they've also aimed their work at an audience of one: the attorney general. Lawmakers on the panel have openly pressured Garland to investigate Trump’s actions, and last month he appointed a special counsel, Smith, to oversee two probes related to Trump, including those related to the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at Trump's Florida estate.
In court documents earlier this year, the committee suggested criminal charges against Trump could include conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress.
In a “conspiracy to defraud the United States,” the committee argues that evidence supports an inference that Trump and his allies “entered into an agreement to defraud the United States” when they disseminated misinformation about election fraud and pressured state and federal officials to assist in that effort. Trump still says he won the election to this day.
The panel also asserts that Trump obstructed an official proceeding, the joint session of Congress in which the Electoral College votes are certified. The committee said Trump either attempted or succeeded at obstructing, influencing or impeding the ceremonial process on Jan. 6 and “did so corruptly” by pressuring Pence to try to overturn the results as he presided over the session. Pence declined to do so.
A criminal referral on the charge of insurrection is a clear effort to hold Trump directly accountable for the rioters who stormed the building. The rarely used insurrection statute criminalizes any effort to incite, engage in or assist a rebellion or insurrection “against the authority of the United States.”
The committee may make ethics referrals for five House Republicans — including McCarthy — who ignored congressional subpoenas from the panel.
The panel subpoenaed McCarthy, R-Calif., and Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Mo Brooks of Alabama. The panel has investigated McCarthy’s conversations with Trump the day of the attack and meetings the four other lawmakers had with the White House beforehand as Trump and some of his allies worked to overturn his election defeat. | 2022-12-19T21:04:14+00:00 | denver7.com | https://www.denver7.com/news/national/jan-6-committee-refers-trump-for-possible-prosecution |
Deputies seize more than 150,000 fentanyl pills, sheriff’s office says
WASHINGTON COUNTY Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) – Authorities in Oregon said they’ve seized more than 150,000 fentanyl pills and three kilograms of powdered fentanyl.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said it received a report from California’s Alameda County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday for a car that was heading to Portland.
California officials said the vehicle was likely trafficking a large amount of fentanyl.
Authorities said the car was found at a home. After securing a search warrant, deputies recovered the fentanyl pills and fentanyl in powder form with the help of a K-9 patrol.
If the seized drugs were sold at street value, deputies said the total cost of the drugs would come to $575,000.
Copyright 2023 KPTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-19T18:28:41+00:00 | foxcarolina.com | https://www.foxcarolina.com/2023/03/19/deputies-seize-more-than-150000-fentanyl-pills-sheriffs-office-says/ |
Woman gives birth in the middle of sold-out concert
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) - A new mother from California has an interesting birth story to tell after her baby girl made her entrance at a sold-out concert.
The sold-out crowd at Karol G’s concert Tuesday night in Fresno, California, got just a little bigger when baby Anahi decided to make her entrance to the world. She was born weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces.
Her mother, Norma, had been at the Colombian singer-songwriter’s concert with friends.
The superstar was so excited about the news that after the show, she made a trip to the hospital, where the new mom was rushed after giving birth. She posted some photos to her Instagram story.
One of the photos shows both Norma’s hospital bracelet and her wristband from the concert on her arm.
Another photo shows Karol G’s tears of joy for the “healthy and beautiful” mom and newborn, writing she’s happy, blessed and grateful for these incredible experiences.
Norma and the baby’s father, Francisco, live in Hanford, which is about 35 miles away from where the concert was held.
Copyright 2022 KFSN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-10-30T09:33:15+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/2022/10/30/woman-gives-birth-middle-sold-out-concert/ |
It's been an exciting Thursday for the BeyHive -- and Queen Bey has another trick up her sleeve! Not only was it announced that Beyoncé is releasing Renaissance, her long-awaited seventh studio album and her first solo album in six years on July 29, but British Vogue also reveals that the GRAMMY-winner is their cover star for the July issue.
Editor in Chief Edward Enninful takes readers for a fantastical ride describing the process of creating Rafael Pavarotti’s "fashion fantasia" photo shoot for the issue, and shares the brief but intriguing hints the mother-of-three laid out about her upcoming project. Enninful describes the "magical mood" on set where Beyoncé is surprised by a visit from husband JAY-Z and her children for a "slightly surreal" family day out.
And when it comes to Renaissance, Bey's first solo album since Lemonade in 2016, the editor shares that Beyoncé contributed the long creative process to the pandemic. It gave her "far longer to spend thinking and rethinking every decision. Just the way she likes it."
"New music is coming - a thrilling abundance of it," the singer tells Enninful.
Although Beyoncé didn't say much else, this confirms that Renaissance is the first part of a much larger project, and fans can look forward to discovering whatever follows "Act I."
News of Queen Bey's upcoming album broke on the social media accounts of Columbia Records, Tidal and Spotify early Thursday morning. The announcement was simply a black square with "act i" and "RENAISSANCE" written in white on each side.
Additionally, Beyoncé updated the bios on her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to reflect the release.
On Beyoncé's website, fans can already pre-order the album, with four box sets available, some of which include a CD, T-shirt, mini-poster and a 28-page photo booklet. According to the website, the product "begins shipping July 29th upon album release." Fans can also save the album in advance to their Spotify and/or Apple Music playlists.
Although Renaissance will be the first full-length studio album she's dropped in years, Beyoncé has put out quite a bit of music. She appeared on the 2018 collaborative album Everything Is Love with her husband, as well as Disney's The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack in 2019. That same year, she released Homecoming: The Live Album, which accompanied her iconic Coachella performance from 2018.
The July issue of British Vogue is available on newsstands and via digital download on June 21.
RELATED CONTENT | 2022-06-16T20:24:39+00:00 | ktvb.com | https://www.ktvb.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/beyonce-teases-what-to-expect-from-renaissance-album-as-she-poses-for-british-vogue/603-dc06cf65-59d9-470c-a307-3d7758650672 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.