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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Research study conducted by LocumTenens.com finds nearly 90 percent of healthcare facilities already use locum tenens staffing – and more than half who don't plan to in the coming year
ATLANTA, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LocumTenens.com recently surveyed healthcare leaders from across the country to get a clearer view of the challenges they are facing and to better understand how hospitals and medical practices are adapting how they deliver patient care. Its findings – which are detailed in a just-released Innovation & Flexibility: Journey to Sustainable Healthcare Report – uncovered new interest in alternative models of staffing, including a growing use of locum tenens staff and improving patient access to care with advanced practice providers (APPs) and telehealth expansion. A picture of hybrid staffing strategies that include elements of all three is emerging: locum tenens as a core staffing strategy, with more APPs in service, and more telehealth coverage.
"Healthcare leaders recognize the impact the gig economy is having on their workforce. They are evolving their hiring models to reflect a new appreciation for the flexibility that hybrid staffing models represent," said Chris Franklin, president of LocumTenens.com. "Solely relying on traditional staffing models and solutions won't work anymore. Through staffing innovation, hospitals are actively seeking options to improve access to care with more sustainable models."
Highlights from the survey, which can be found here, include:
- All things considered, the biggest concerns for healthcare facilities are attracting talent, retaining talent, and avoiding burnout.
- Nearly 57 percent of facilities who have not used locums staffing in the past are planning to use it in the next year.
- The use of APPs in combination with physicians as a strategy is growing, with 73.9 percent affirmatively responding to the question, "Do you plan to expand APP coverage?"
The Innovation & Flexibility: Journey to Sustainable Healthcare Report was compiled utilizing data from an original survey conducted by LocumTenens.com. The survey of healthcare leaders represents a broad range of facility types and sizes. The data was compiled and analyzed by experts in the healthcare industry to formulate the insights within this report.
ABOUT LOCUMTENENS.COM
LocumTenens.com specializes in optimizing healthcare staffing strategies with flexible, hybrid and temporary placement of physicians, advanced practice providers and psychologists through both onsite and telehealth services. As operators of the locum tenens industry's most-visited job board, LocumTenens.com connects healthcare organizations with medical professionals to ensure patients have access to quality care. Founded in 1995, LocumTenens.com is a leader in the healthcare staffing industry, and an employer of choice placing clinicians who deliver care to more than seven million patients in over 2,400 healthcare facilities in the U.S. Headquartered in Atlanta, LocumTenens.com is a Jackson Healthcare® company. Learn more at www.LocumTenens.com.
View original content:
SOURCE LocumTenens.com | 2022-08-22T13:35:20+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/new-survey-reveals-rising-demand-locums-staffing-that-combines-telehealth-advanced-practitioners-locum-tenens-coverage/ |
Green Bay vs. Cleveland State Women's Basketball Predictions & Picks - Horizon Tournament Championship
Published: Mar. 7, 2023 at 6:40 AM EST|Updated: 54 minutes ago
Tuesday's game that pits the Green Bay Phoenix (27-4) versus the Cleveland State Vikings (29-4) at Indiana Farmers Coliseum is expected to be a competitive matchup based on our computer prediction, which projects a final score of 64-63 in favor of Green Bay. Tipoff is at 12:00 PM ET on March 7.
The Phoenix are coming off of a 69-65 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne in their last game on Monday.
Green Bay vs. Cleveland State Game Info
- When: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 12:00 PM ET
- Where: Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Indiana
Use this link to get a free trial of fuboTV, where you can watch college hoops and other live sports without cable!
Green Bay vs. Cleveland State Score Prediction
- Prediction: Green Bay 64, Cleveland State 63
Green Bay Schedule Analysis
- The Phoenix registered their best win of the season on February 23, when they claimed a 64-49 victory over the Cleveland State Vikings, who rank inside the top 100 (No. 67) in our computer rankings.
- The Phoenix have tied for the 48th-most Quadrant 1 wins in the country (two).
- When facing Quadrant 4 teams, Green Bay is 17-1 (.944%) -- tied for the 11th-most wins.
Green Bay 2022-23 Best Wins
- 64-49 at home over Cleveland State (No. 67) on February 23
- 82-65 on the road over Cleveland State (No. 67) on January 14
- 63-49 on the road over Illinois State (No. 74) on December 18
- 73-70 on the road over Saint Louis (No. 117) on November 18
- 70-60 at home over Wisconsin (No. 121) on December 14
Cleveland State Schedule Analysis
- In their best win of the season, which took place on November 15, the Vikings beat the DePaul Blue Demons (No. 62 in our computer rankings) by a score of 90-83.
- The Phoenix have tied for the 63rd-most Quadrant 3 victories in the country based on the RPI (six).
- Cleveland State has 22 wins against Quadrant 4 opponents, the second-most in the nation.
Cleveland State 2022-23 Best Wins
- 90-83 on the road over DePaul (No. 62) on November 15
- 63-60 over Northern Kentucky (No. 152) on March 6
- 57-56 at home over Northern Kentucky (No. 152) on February 16
- 81-48 at home over Youngstown State (No. 173) on February 4
- 77-68 on the road over Youngstown State (No. 173) on December 29
Watch college hoops all season on all your devices without cable with a seven-day free trial on fuboTV!
Green Bay Performance Insights
- The Phoenix average 68.2 points per game (124th in college basketball) while giving up 53.4 per contest (ninth in college basketball). They have a +458 scoring differential overall and outscore opponents by 14.8 points per game.
- Green Bay is tallying 67.2 points per game this year in conference games, which is 1 fewer points per game than its season average (68.2).
- The Phoenix are posting 70.9 points per game at home. In road games, they are averaging 67.2 points per contest.
- In 2022-23, Green Bay is allowing 50.7 points per game when playing at home. On the road, it is allowing 55.6.
- The Phoenix have seen a downturn in scoring lately, racking up 67.1 points per game in their last 10 outings, 1.1 points fewer than the 68.2 they've scored this season.
Cleveland State Performance Insights
- The Vikings outscore opponents by 17.2 points per game (posting 74.5 points per game, 39th in college basketball, and conceding 57.3 per outing, 31st in college basketball) and have a +568 scoring differential.
- In conference play, Cleveland State is scoring more points (76.4 per game) than it is overall (74.5) in 2022-23.
- At home the Vikings are scoring 73.3 points per game, 3.3 fewer points than they are averaging on the road (76.6).
- At home Cleveland State is allowing 51.6 points per game, 13.1 fewer points than it is away (64.7).
- In their past 10 games, the Vikings are scoring 70.9 points per contest, compared to their season average of 74.5.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-07T12:34:39+00:00 | wnem.com | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/03/07/green-bay-cleveland-state-womens-college-basketball-picks-horizon-tournament/ |
Breanna Stewart traded for her Seattle teammate Sue Bird in the WNBA All-Star draft Saturday.
Bird was set to be a co-captain with A’ja Wilson before Stewart pulled off the deal to acquire Bird for Sylvia Fowles. Bird and Fowles are set to retire at the end of the season and were named co-captains with Stewart and Wilson.
“We can do legend for legend. Ok, I got that. I’m good with that,” Wilson said. ‘I feel good about that. We’re back on track. That was a good one.”
Bird will be playing in her record 13th All-Star Game on July 10 in Chicago. Fowles will be in her eighth.
Stewart also acquired Nneka Ogwumike for Sabrina Ionescu in a separate trade with Wilson.
Wilson had the first pick in the draft and chose Candace Parker, who will be playing in front of her home fans. The Las Vegas star then chose her Aces teammate Kelsey Plum with her second pick. Stewart drafted the third Las Vegas starter Jackie Young with her first pick and Jonquel Jones with her second choice.
Stewart had the first pick in the reserve round and selected her Seattle teammate Jewell Loyd. Stewart also drafted Kahleah Copper, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Alyssa Thomas, Arike Ogunbowale and Emma Meesseman.
Wilson chose rookie Rhyne Howard with her first pick of the All-Star reserves. Howard is the only rookie in the game. The co-captain then selected her Aces teammate Dearica Hamby. Wilson also drafted Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins, Brionna Jones and Natasha Howard.
The WNBA switched to the team captain format in 2018.
Ionescu, Plum, Howard and Young will be playing in their first All-Star Game.
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-07-03T11:26:22+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/stewart-trades-for-bird-in-wnba-all-star-draft/ |
Miami-Dade County is asking a federal bankruptcy court to allow it to end a naming rights deal with FTX. The county wants out of the $135 million sponsorship with the failing cryptocurrency exchange.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Miami-Dade County is asking a federal bankruptcy court to allow it to end a naming rights deal with FTX. The county wants out of the $135 million sponsorship with the failing cryptocurrency exchange.
Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-11-24T22:36:27+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/2022-11-24/miami-dade-county-asks-to-end-a-naming-rights-deal-with-ftx |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Tens of thousands marched Wednesday in Athens and cities across Greece to protest the deaths of 57 people in the country's worst train disaster, which exposed significant rail safety deficiencies.
Labor unions and student associations organized the demonstrations, while strikes halted ferries to the islands and public transportation services in Athens, where at least 30,000 people took part in the protest.
More than 20,000 joined rallies in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, where clashes broke out when several dozen youths challenged a police cordon. Twelve students from the city’s university were among the dead in last week's head-on crash between two trains.
Police fired tear gas in the southern city of Patras, where a municipal band earlier played music from a funeral march while leading the demonstration. In the central city of Larissa, near the scene of the train collision, students holding black balloons chanted “No to profits over our lives!”
The accident occurred on Feb. 28 near the northern Greek town of Tempe. A passenger train slammed into a freight carrier coming in the opposite direction on the same line, and some of its derailed cars went up in flames.
A stationmaster accused of placing the trains on the same track has been charged with negligent homicide and other offenses, and the country's transportation minister and senior railway officials resigned the day after the crash.
But revelations of serious safety gaps on Greece’s busiest rail line have put the center-right government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the defensive. He has pledged the government's full cooperation with a judicial inquiry into the crash.
“This is more than a train collision and a tragic railway accident. You get the sense that the country has derailed,” Nasos Iliopoulos, a spokesperson for Greece's main left-wing opposition party, Syriza, said.
Senior officials from a European Union railway agency were expected in Athens as part of promised assistance to help Greece improve railway safety. The agency in the past publicly highlighted delays in Greece's implementation of safety measures.
Safety experts from Germany also were expected to travel to Greece to help advise the government, Greece's new Transport Minister George Gerapetritis said.
“I, too, express my anguish and heartbreak over what happened in Tempe. This is an unprecedented national tragedy, which has scarred us all because of the magnitude of the tragedy: this unjustified loss of a great number of our fellow human beings,” Gerapetritis said.
He acknowledged major omissions in safety procedures on the night of the crash. Strikes have halted all national rail services since the collision.
Wednesday’s protests were also backed by striking civil servants’ associations and groups marking International Women’s Day.
Subways ran for a few hours in Athens to allow people to get to the demonstration. The strikes also closed state-run primary schools and had public hospitals operating at reduced capacity. ___ Thanassis Stavrakis in Athens and Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, contributed. | 2023-03-08T13:35:09+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/politics/article/greek-unions-stage-strikes-after-deadly-rail-17826269.php |
LOS ANGELES — The head of the Los Angeles City Council stripped two members of much of their power Monday to pressure them to resign for participating in a private meeting in which they did not object to a colleague's crude and racist remarks and at times joined in the offensive banter.
Acting Council President Mitch O'Farrell removed Gil Cedillo and Kevin de Leon from committee chairmanships and assignments and named them instead to a board that rarely meets as he turned up the heat on the veteran Democratic politicians.
"These members have lost all credibility, all standing," O'Farrell said at a City Hall news conference.
The two men have refused widespread calls to step down despite widespread condemnation that led former council President Nury Martinez to resign last week.
The leaked recording of the three powerful politicians discussing with a labor leader how to maintain their grip on power and expand Latino influence in the city has plunged the council into chaos as angry protesters shut down meetings last week.
The recording has also derailed their personal ambitions.
By losing committee assignments, their influence in City Hall has dwindled and they have largely become token figures, unable to participate in the day-to-day work of the council and unwanted in council chambers where their appearance is likely to cause an uproar.
The council has moved to censure Cedillo and de Leon but doesn't have the power to remove fellow elected officials from office unless they've been charged with a crime.
O'Farrell said the only path forward is through their resignation or a recall election in the case of de Leon, whose term ends in 2024. Cedillo lost his seat in the primary and will be replaced in December.
Both had been on several high-profile committees, with Cedillo chairing the Housing Committee and De Leon chairing the Homelessness and Poverty Committee.
Under city rules, each council member has to be assigned to one committee, so each man will now serve on the Board of Referred Powers, a rarely used body that takes over when other boards have a conflict of interest.
O'Farrell said the two men should not show up at Tuesday's meeting, which will be held virtually Tuesday because two members have tested positive for COVID-19 since the Oct. 11 meeting.
Councilmember Mike Bonin — the target of Martinez's most offensive remarks — tested positive for the virus after being consoled in the crowded chambers and appeared virtually at the following day's meeting. Councilmember Paul Krekorian tested positive Monday and was experiencing mild symptoms, his spokesperson said.
Meeting remotely will prevent a repeat of last week when angry protesters drowned out O'Farrell as he tried to call Wednesday's meeting to order. He canceled Friday's meeting, saying the council couldn't conduct business until the two men resigned.
Tuesday's agenda includes several items related to the incendiary recording made during a private meeting about the contentious issue of redrawing council districts, which can give some lawmakers significant power and dilute the influence of others — and by extension, disenfranchise the ethnic or racial groups they represent.
Martinez dominated the conversation, using profanity and racist slurs as she aired personal grievances. She called Bonin, who is white and gay, a "little bitch." She used a Spanish term to compare his young Black son to a little monkey.
De Leon and Cedillo chimed in and laughed at some of the gossip.
At the meeting, Ron Herrera, who was the president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor before resigning over the recording, called the group "a little Latino caucus of our own" as they discussed how to undo maps drawn up by a commission to benefit themselves and shore up power.
Some of the conversation focused on the influence of Black councilmembers and their allies, with de Leon referring derisively to Bonin, a white man, as the "fourth Black" on the council who wouldn't stand with Latinos.
While Latinos make up about half the population, they are underrepresented on the council with only four of the 15 seats at the time. Black people, by contrast, make up about 9% of the population and hold three seats.
In addition to electing a new president Tuesday to replace Martinez, the council is scheduled to discuss a charter reform proposal that would add more seats to the City Council to increase representation and decentralize power. It will also discuss creating an independent redistricting commission. Currently, the council appoints the members and then has authority to approve the maps.
Bonin, other council members and Democrats as prominent as President Joe Biden have called on de Leon and Cedillo to resign.
De Leon has apologized for seeming to make or condone "insensitive comments." Cedillo has said he should have objected to the language but didn't make derisive remarks himself.
Both men appeared at the Oct. 11 meeting but walked out after being jeered by raucous protesters who demanded they leave. They haven't appeared in public since.
O'Farrell has spoken with Cedillo and said he is "reconciling his feelings about this transgression and understood the gravity of the moment." He has not been able to reach de Leon.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-10-18T02:34:00+00:00 | iowapublicradio.org | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2022-10-17/two-la-city-council-members-have-lost-their-committee-positions-over-race-scandal |
Alleging Conversion and Aiding and Abetting Conversion of Cryptocurrency
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2018, Silver Miller (www.SilverMillerLaw.com) -- one of the leading cryptocurrency investor law firms in America, and the only law firm in America to successfully prosecute a class action lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase -- has been aggressively investigating, prosecuting, and resolving hundreds of cases related to account intrusions at cryptocurrency platforms. In many of those instances, cryptocurrency stolen from U.S.-based investors was allegedly deposited into accounts at Binance -- the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange -- which has allegedly become the preferred cryptocurrency exchange for criminal asset laundering due to Binance's grossly substandard security protocols.
On June 5, 2023, Silver Miller and co-counsel Kopelowitz Ostrow filed a new federal court class action lawsuit against Binance Holdings, Ltd. d/b/a Binance and its alleged United States-based alter ego BAM Trading Services, Inc. d/b/a Binance.US. As the lawsuit claims, Binance and Binance.US knowingly converted or aided and abetted in the conversion of stolen cryptocurrency worth tens of millions of dollars by not complying with basic Know Your Customer ("KYC") and Anti-Money Laundering ("AML") standards. The lawsuit also alleges that Binance unjustly enriched itself by collecting significant fees on transactions involving stolen cryptocurrency on the Binance platform.
READ THE LAWSUIT AT WWW.SILVERMILLERLAW.COM
If you are a U.S. resident and suffered an account intrusion resulting in cryptocurrency being stolen from you, and you would like to discuss our lawsuit or to investigate whether your stolen cryptocurrency was possibly laundered through Binance, please contact us by e-mailing David Silver of Silver Miller at DSilver@SilverMillerLaw.com or by calling (954) 516-6000.
For many years, Binance has acted with relative impunity in the U.S. by asserting that no U.S. legal or administrative authority can exercise its jurisdiction over Binance. Binance claims to have no sustaining business presence in the U.S. that would subject the company to jurisdiction here. However, both our class action lawsuit and a recent civil action brought against Binance and Binance.US by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allege that Binance should be subject to accountability and appropriate censure in the U.S. The widespread financial harm that has befallen U.S.-based investors and has allegedly flowed through Binance's platform, because of weak and unenforced KYC/AML protocols, with Binance's knowledge and participation is very real. Binance should be held responsible.
For more information about the class action lawsuit or our fight to protect investors against financial fraud, please contact:
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Silver Miller | 2023-06-06T22:43:02+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2023/06/06/silver-miller-kopelowitz-ostrow-file-class-action-lawsuit-against-binance-binanceus/ |
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Interim manager Tony Beasley was the first candidate interviewed in the Texas Rangers’ managerial search that general manager Chris Young hopes to wrap up in three to four weeks.
Young said Friday that Beasley would be the only internal candidate for the job, but didn’t say who else or how many other people would be interviewed in the process.
“We started with a large master list, and we’re narrowing that as we speak,” Young said, without elaborating two days after the Rangers finished their sixth consecutive losing season.
Young declined to comment when asked specifically if the search could proceed without knowing if three-time World Series champion manager Bruce Bochy had interest in the job or not.
The 67-year-old Bochy hasn’t managed since 2019, when he stepped away after 13 seasons and those titles with the San Francisco Giants. Young played for Bochy with San Diego in 2006.
Young had acknowledged earlier in his media availability that he loved playing for Bochy.
“We had a winning season together. I learned a lot from him, just a calm, steady presence,” Young said. “I have the utmost respect for him. It’s no surprise that he went on to win three world championships with the Giants, and he’s a tremendous person and manager.”
The Rangers fired fourth-year manager Chris Woodward on Aug. 15, two days before president of baseball operations and former GM Jon Daniels was also let go. Texas went on to finish 68-94, eight wins more than 2021 but what Young said, “was about half of our internal expectations.”
Texas was 17-31 under Beasley, the longtime Rangers third base coach who was once Young’s manager in the minor leagues. Several young players got extended looks during that span, and Young said back in August that Beasley wouldn’t be judged solely on win-loss record or how the team played.
“We knew that we had a young group coming in, that they were going to have to get exposure at the big league level,” Young said Friday. “In terms of what we were looking for with our culture, the management of the staff, those types of things, I thought he did a tremendous job.”
The departure of Daniels, who had led the club for 17 years as GM and then team president, put Young in charge of baseball operations for the team he pitched for to start his career after rooting for as a kid. He played for five teams over 13 big league seasons and was working in the Major League Baseball office before he joined the Rangers as GM in December 2020.
“The goal is that when we start to win, we win for a long time. And that’s important to get right on the front end here,” Young said. “This offseason is big to make sure we take the next step.”
Along with finding a new manager, Young said the Rangers will be in pursuit of top-line starting pitchers, in free agency or through trades.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-10-08T19:08:38+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-interim-beasley-1st-interviewed-in-rangers-managerial-search/ |
New research provides a 360-degree view of the customer claims experience to help insurers understand where dissatisfaction occurs and the correlation between policyholder satisfaction and retention.
ATLANTA, June 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, a leader in claims data and analytics for the insurance industry, today announced findings from its study examining the link between auto insurance claims and customer experience and retention. The study is comprised of two parts: consumer feedback from more than 1,400 insureds who experienced a claim within the past 12 months, coupled with an analysis of a customer's propensity to switch auto insurance carriers post-claim. Findings have been published in the whitepaper, Exceeding Expectations or Falling Short? U.S. Auto Insurance Claims Trends, Insights and Impacts Revealed.
"We know consumers leave their insurance carriers following the auto claims experience, and we wanted to look at dissatisfaction from multiple angles to root out its causes," said Tanner Sheehan, vice president and general manager, U.S. Claims, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "First, we found that one-third of a carrier's business is at risk following an auto insurance claim, and then we dove deeper to pinpoint which factors are triggering switching behavior."
Upon examining the results, LexisNexis Risk Solutions divided respondents into two distinct cohorts – consumers who weren't planning to leave their insurance carrier, labeled as "Loyalists," and individuals who indicated they switched or considered switching insurers post-claim, referred to as "Flight Risks" – and then compared their experiences.
"What we found fascinating was that consumers who self-identify as either Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied with the claims experience don't necessarily behave that way," said Sheehan. "That third of your business which could be at-risk does include customers who report some level of satisfaction, which insurers may find counter intuitive."
Highlights from the research include:
- Policyholders with an auto claim switch insurance companies at a rate that is about 35% greater than similar policyholders who have not had a claim.
- Flight Risks were four times more likely to experience slow response times after submitting a first notice of loss (FNOL).
- Forty percent of Loyalists spoke to one person to settle a claim, whereas only 17% of Flight Risks reported the same experience. In the Flight Risk cohort, 45% spoke to three or more representatives to settle their claim, whereas only 19% of Loyalists did the same.
"When customers speak to multiple adjusters, have to wait on responses or are forced to decipher confusing instructions on a website, customer satisfaction, and by extension loyalty, suffers," said Sheehan. "Insurers who can better align the claims experience to customer expectations are not only delivering the quick and easy interactions customers seek, but they are also better positioning themselves to retain policyholders."
For more information, download the LexisNexis Risk Solutions customer claims experience whitepaper or learn more about its suite of claims management solutions.
About LexisNexis Risk Solutions
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries including insurance, financial services, healthcare and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com, and www.relx.com.
Media Contacts:
Chas Strong
LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Phone: +1.706.714.7083
Charles.Strong@lexisnexisrisk.com
Donna Armstrong
Brodeur Partners for LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Phone: +1.202-510-3531
darmstrong@brodeur.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions | 2023-06-07T19:43:15+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/06/07/lexisnexis-risk-solutions-one-third-carriers-business-could-be-risk-following-auto-insurance-claims-experience/ |
Storm system dumps heavy, wet snow on Indiana and Michigan
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Heavy, wet snow — part of a storm system that spawned tornadoes in the Houston area — has covered roads, vehicles, houses and buildings Wednesday from central and northern Indiana into much of southeastern Michigan.
About six inches of snow was expected to fall on the Detroit area, while four inches was reported before noon in eastern Indiana, just southwest of Fort Wayne, said Maddi Johnson of the National Weather Service in northern Indiana.
The storm on Wednesday was expected to bring damaging winds to parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, forecasters said. Winter weather advisories stretched from southern Missouri to Maine, with areas of New England expected to see 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) of snow, the National Weather Service said.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, has seen numerous crashes due to the snowfall on the roads.
“People are sliding off exit ramps on the highways,” Johnson added. “They’re just driving too fast for the conditions.”
Just north of Indianapolis, some power outages were reported in Hamilton County as the wet snow accumulated on power lines, said meteorologist Gregory Melo with the weather service’s Indianapolis office.
Indianapolis had recorded 2.8 inches by about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday and while the snow was still falling it was expected to end by early afternoon. Total snowfall amounts were projected to range from 5 to 8 inches to the north and northeast of Indianapolis by mid to late afternoon.
“This is one of the first big snowfalls we’ve had,” said Scott Cabauatan, deputy director of public services in Wayne County, which includes Detroit. “This snowfall poses a concern from the aspect that it’s a wet, heavy snow versus a lighter snow.”
Cabauatan said crews will roughly clear on one regular pass just under 5,000 lane miles of roadway. “We will have right around 100 pieces of equipment and operators working” at any given time to salt and clear roadways of snow and ice, he added.
Snow also is in the forecast for late in the week and over the weekend. “We’re anticipating many days on end of working here and being in the trucks,” Cabauatan said.
Schools and businesses remained closed Wednesday in parts of Oklahoma, which saw snowfall totals of between 1 and 6 inches (3 and 15 centimeters) across central and eastern parts of the state. More than 160,000 homes and businesses were without power Wednesday morning in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri after heavy snow fell in the Ozarks a day earlier.
On Tuesday, forecasters issued a rare tornado emergency for the Houston area as the storm system moved through the heavily populated area. Substantial damage was reported in cities east of Houston, but there were no reports of injuries.
In Louisiana, three people suffered “mild to moderate injuries” when their mobile homes were flipped or destroyed after a tornado hit the Morel Lane area north of Baton Rouge, the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
In Texas, several businesses in Pasadena, east of Houston, sustained major damage, including the city’s animal shelter.
___
Householder reported from Wayne, Michigan. Associated Press writers Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas, David Phillip in Pasadena, Texas, and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-01-25T22:45:25+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/us-and-world-news/storm-system-dumps-heavy-wet-snow-on-indiana-and-michigan/ |
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has come under fire on social media in recent weeks over alleged admissions about clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccine.
Rob Roos, a conservative European Parliament member from the Netherlands, wrote in a viral tweet on Oct. 11, “BREAKING: In COVID hearing, Pfizer director admits: vaccine was never tested on preventing transmission. ‘Getting vaccinated for others’ was always a lie.” The tweet includes a video clip showing an exchange between Roos and a Pfizer executive.
Other posts shared on Twitter and Facebook have made similar claims, implying that Pfizer leadership was making this admission for the first time.
VERIFY reader Janet asked the team, “Is it true that Pfizer did not know whether the COVID vaccine stopped transmission before rollout?”
THE QUESTION
Did Pfizer admit that it didn’t know whether the COVID-19 vaccine stopped virus transmission before it was available to the public?
THE SOURCES
- Meeting of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Pfizer BioNTech
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- European Medicines Agency
- Kawsar Talaat, M.D., associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
THE ANSWER
It’s true that Pfizer didn’t know whether its COVID-19 vaccine stopped transmission before it was available to the public. But this wasn’t the primary goal of the vaccine, nor was it a requirement for authorization in the U.S. or Europe.
WHAT WE FOUND
The exchange between Roos and Janine Small, president of international markets at Pfizer, took place during a meeting of the European Parliament’s Special Committee of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Oct. 10. A video of that meeting is available on the European Parliament’s website.
About 15:23 into the video, Roos asks, “Was the Pfizer COVID vaccine tested on stopping the transmission of the virus before it entered the market? If not, please say it clearly. If yes, are you willing to share the data with this committee?”
Small answers the question at 15:31:45 into the video, saying, “No. We had to really move at the speed of science to really understand what is taking place in the market.”
The primary goal of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was not to prevent transmission, nor was that a requirement for its initial authorization in both the U.S. and Europe.
Kawsar Talaat, M.D., an expert on vaccine research and an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, told VERIFY that “clinical trials that evaluate vaccines are designed to assess prevention of disease, not prevention of transmission.”
More from VERIFY: Important context left out of COVID-19 natural immunity claims after CDC study release
In June 2020, as vaccines were still being researched and developed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laid out “key considerations” for COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials.
The FDA said, in part, that vaccine development programs should pursue approval by showing direct evidence of the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing coronavirus infection and/or disease. The federal health agency’s guidance did not mention transmission prevention.
Pfizer also clarified in a statement to VERIFY that its phase 3 clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine was designed to evaluate how effective the vaccine was at keeping people from getting sick.
The trials “were not designed to evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness against transmission of SARS-CoV-2,” a spokesperson for the company told VERIFY.
The European Medicines Agency’s 2020 authorization documents for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine make a similar statement.
“It is presently not known if the vaccine protects against asymptomatic infection, or its impact on viral transmission. The duration of protection is not known,” the documents say.
The FDA authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the U.S. on Dec. 18, 2020. In a press release about the authorization, the FDA said there wasn’t evidence that “the vaccine prevents transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from person to person.”
There wasn’t evidence that the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines prevented virus transmission when they were authorized, either, according to the FDA.
Research about the effects of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing spread of the virus is still ongoing, but some studies suggest that being up to date on vaccinations can provide some level of protection against transmission that wanes over time.
More from VERIFY: Yes, Pfizer’s CEO did get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine | 2022-10-21T14:38:14+00:00 | ktvb.com | https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/verify/vaccines-verify/claims-pfizer-didnt-know-if-covid-vaccine-prevented-transmission-missing-context-fact-check/536-aaf563f5-2286-44d4-ae0b-2c71812b84e4 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
LONDON (AP) — Amid the death and destruction war leaves in its wake, there are powerful dynamics and narratives: domination, besieged populations, occupation and their counterparts, resistance, freedom and liberation.
Vast swaths of Western and Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union knew this well at various points of the 20th century: Paris, Leningrad, Sarajevo. Iraq and Syria more recently in the 21st century.
In Russia's nearly nine-month war in Ukraine, the names of towns and cities like Mariupol,Bucha, Kharkiv and Kherson have been seared on the global consciousness as they witnessed the full spectrum of wartime horrors and more recently, jubilation.
Since Friday, striking scenes of unbridled joy and images from Kherson have shown troops being greeted as heroes as Ukrainian flags fly over liberated areas. As far as resounding inflection points in the war go, Russia's flight from the city of Kherson under prolonged Ukrainian assault is unmistakable.
Liberation and victory on the battlefield are also powerful incentives for allies like the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom to keep a steady flow of military aid that directly helps Ukraine's advances.
“Momentum is an important factor in war. Ukraine has it now. Kyiv and its partners must make the most of it,” the Institute for the Study of War said in an assessment.
Concerns about wavering support from Washington if the Democrats lost power on Capitol Hill to the Republicans seem unfounded now that U.S. President Joe Biden's party has maintained control of the Senate.
Chinese President Xi Jinping could also be less inclined to support Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as major losses pile up. Ukraine was one of several key issues when Biden and Xi held an in-person summit in Asia on Monday. Putin won't attend the Group of 20 nations gathering in Bali, Indonesia, this week, his global isolation at its peak now during his more than 20 years in power.
From massacres of civilians to occupation ending in villages, towns and cities, the war grinds on. The question of what happened, what was mined and booby-trapped, the ongoing bombardment and punishing lack of water and electricity, rebuilding, the prosecution of potential war crimes and what comes next are at the fore.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that “we will see many more such greetings” of Ukrainian soldiers liberating Russian-held territory. Ukraine’s retaking of the city of Kherson was a huge setback for the Kremlin and the latest in a series of battlefield humiliations. It was the only provincial capital that had been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion.
Late Sunday, Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of having committed “the same atrocities as in other regions of our country” before they were forced to pull out of Kherson and its environs. On, Monday he visited the liberated city himself. He described the whirlwind events as "the beginning of the end of the war.”
For Kyiv, and its allies, it's straightforward — a neighboring aggressor invaded, killed and destroyed, and is being driven from its territory even as it illegally annexed regions it loses control over day-by-day.
Moscow itself claimed that these eastern and southern areas were being “liberated" as part of Russia. That they were assimilating Russian-speaking Ukrainians in their embrace. But that's a similar argument to that which Nazi Germany used to march into Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland in 1938 and the Free City of Danzig, later Poland's Gdansk, in 1939.
In August 1944, France's wartime resistance leader Charles de Gaulle delivered these lines in the capital: “Paris outraged! Paris broken! Paris martyred! But Paris liberated!” It was a key inflection point as the Allies pushed on from the west and the Soviet Red Army from the eastern front to Berlin to extinguish the Third Reich within the year.
When Iraqi forces vanquished the barbaric Islamic State group in Mosul in July 2017, after the extremists had brutally held large parts of the nation, that also needed to be a bitter fight to the end that would shatter the aggressor, degrading them to a ramshackle force.
There are no such paths lying ahead in Russia's war in Ukraine. Russia may well be defeated on the battlefield, but it will remain a power to contend with one way or another. And the threat of the Kremlin's use of nuclear weapons hangs over the conflict, and the world.
The key question now is whether Ukraine can build on its Kherson city victory — a chunk of the region is still under Russian occupation — and expand its southern counteroffensive to other Russian-occupied areas, potentially including the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow seized in 2014.
The liberation of Crimea would be the greatest victory in the war for Ukraine, an unspeakable defeat for Russia, and even Putin's own hold on power could then hang in the balance.
___
EDITOR'S NOTE — Tamer Fakahany, deputy director for global news coordination at The Associated Press, has helped direct international coverage for the AP for 20 years.
___
Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/tamerfakahany | 2022-11-14T15:35:56+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Analysis-Ukrainian-liberation-a-powerful-dynamic-17582925.php |
RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hilb Group announced today that it has acquired The Nowell Agency, based in Mississippi, further expanding the company's growing presence in the Southeast region and building on its property and casualty expertise. The acquisition took effect December 1, 2022.
With offices in Brandon, Greenwood, Tupelo, Byram, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, The Nowell Agency provides an extensive array of insurance products for both individuals and businesses. The agency was established on the premise of providing affordable, customized insurance solutions for a variety of clients based on their unique requirements and needs, including specialized industries such as fuel distribution, habitational, agribusiness, and more. Michael Nowell and his team of insurance professionals will become part of Hilb Group's Southeast regional operations.
"Joining Hilb Group is an important step for us in continuing to grow and provide the best products to our clients," said Michael Nowell. "We are excited to deliver the same local, trusted service and commitment to our customers, while adding to our resources and contributing to Hilb Group's overall growth strategy for the future."
With the addition of The Nowell Agency, Hilb Group now has locations in 24 states, including a broad presence throughout the southeastern United States, as well as service to all 50 states.
"We are pleased to welcome The Nowell Agency and to expand our operations into an important state such as Mississippi," Hilb Group CEO Ricky Spiro said. "Michael and his team bring a strong knowledge of diverse customer needs and are geographically positioned throughout the state to provide superior products and service. Our partnership represents an ideal entry into Mississippi, and we look forward to our next steps together."
About Hilb Group: The Hilb Group is a leading property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and advisory firm headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Hilb Group is a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm. Hilb Group seeks to grow through strategic acquisitions and by leveraging its resources and expertise to drive organic growth in its acquired agencies. The company has completed more than 150 acquisitions with over 100 offices in 24 states. Hilb Group is rated as one of the Fastest Growing Brokers by Business Insurance, a Top P/C Agency by Insurance Journal, and one of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies in the Inc. 5000. For more information on Hilb Group's growth as well as career opportunities, please visit our website at http://hilbgroup.com.
Media Contact:
Peter Lobred
804.548.4629
plobred@hilbgroup.com
M&A Contact:
Ryan Havermann
804.414.6508
rhavermann@hilbgroup.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE The Hilb Group, LLC | 2023-02-09T16:23:24+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/02/09/hilb-group-expands-into-mississippi-acquires-nowell-agency-build-upon-southeast-market-presence/ |
An investigative report looking at Sharon Hill Borough’s police policies and procedures in the wake of a police shooting that killed 8-year-old Fanta Bility last year was released late Friday, but the report was largely redacted, with any findings and recommendations obscured from public view.
The report was given to the borough council almost a month ago. The release Friday quickly drew criticism from Bility’s family and from groups that demanded police reforms following the shooting.
“That Sharon Hill Borough officials chose to hide from the public those portions detrimental to itself and the conduct of its officials in the training and supervision of its police department, speaks loudly to Sharon Hill’s knowledge of its own guilt in connection with Fanta’s death,” Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. wrote in an emailed statement. “The redactions after having had the report for weeks (or months) is a shameful and outrageous demonstration that Sharon Hill Borough’s officials are not interested in providing the truth to the public as a beginning point to heal the community.”
Castor, who represents Bility’s family, said they plan to take time to study what was released and may respond further next week. He asserted that the borough’s police training failed to properly prepare officers for real word situations or to give them the ability to discern when fatal force is lawful.
Courtney Richardson, the borough’s solicitor, told The Associated Press the redactions were made under attorney client privilege noting the outside firm under Kelley Hodge, a former Philadelphia prosecutor recently nominated for a federal judicial appointment, was hired as special counsel. She said borough officials do not plan to make the report public in the future, but said they planned to make changes to police department policies.
In a news release Richardson wrote, “This investigative report is an important step on the path to improve the practices of the (Sharon Hill Police Department) while providing transparency to the greatest extent possible in light of pending litigation,” referencing a civil lawsuit by Bility’s family and the pending criminal case against former officers Devon Smith, Sean Dolan and Brian Devaney.
On Aug. 27 of last year, the officers were monitoring patrons exiting the football game in Sharon Hill, a small borough just north of the Philadelphia International Airport. Two teenagers got into a fight and exchanged gunfire outside the school.
The officers told investigators they believed the gunfire was coming in their direction and they believed a car that was driving toward them was the likely source. The three returned fire, shooting 25 times at the car and also toward the exiting crowd that included many children and teenagers.
The people in the car were later cleared of any involvement in the initial incident. The police gunfire did not injure the driver or passenger but hit four people including the fatal shot that struck Bility. Investigators have said they cannot determine which officer fired the fatal shot because the bullet was badly damaged.
Murder charges in Bility’s death were initially filed against the two teens who fired shots in the unrelated argument, but were withdrawn after the grand jury recommendations to charge the officers.
The officers have filed a motion to toss out the manslaughter charges, saying prosecutors had not met their burden of proof that the charges were warranted. A hearing is scheduled for September on that motion. | 2022-07-29T22:51:01+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/findings-of-report-on-police-killing-of-8-year-old-withheld/2022/07/29/faacfaf0-0f8c-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html |
On Election Day, a video showing a man wearing a mask going through a stack of election ballots was shared repeatedly on social media, with people claiming he was “cheating in front of the cameras on mainstream media.”
One tweet, that has since been taken down from Twitter but archived here, included the hashtags #Philadelphia and #pennsylvaniafraud. The video with the tweet, before it was removed from Twitter, had more than 100,00 views.
The video was also shared on Telegram, Facebook and Truth Social.
THE QUESTION
Does this video show a man cheating in Philadelphia during the midterm election, like viral posts claim?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, the video doesn’t show a man cheating, and it wasn’t taken in Philadelphia. It shows a poll worker in Dane County, Wisconsin, who is marking the ballots per county rules.
WHAT WE FOUND
The clip being shared on social media was taken from a segment from “The Faulkner Focus,” a Fox News program that aired on Election Day. An archive of the original segment that was aired can be found here.
Harris Faulkner opens the show by showing people voting on Nov. 8 at 28 seconds into the archived clip.
“We begin with this Fox News alert. Game on. Election Day in America,” Faulkner says. On the screen to her left are scenes from various polling places, starting with New York City.
At 43 seconds into the clip, the location seen to Faulkner’s left changes to the exterior of Philadelphia’s East Passyunk Community Center. At 48 seconds into the video, the location changes again to inside a polling place in Madison, Wisconsin.
For a second, the location marker that said “Philadelphia” was still above the man seen in the video, before the tag switched to Madison, which may have led people to assume it was filmed in Philadelphia.
VERIFY reached out to Fox News for comment on the video, but had not heard back at the time of publishing.
Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein addressed the rumor himself on Twitter by confirming the video was not from the Philadelphia voting center.
“I personally visited the East Passyunk Community Center polling place today. The interior shot is not of a Philadelphia polling location, as you can see in these photos I just took tonight. This is another example of dangerous misinformation,” Bluestein wrote.
Dane County, Wisconsin, Clerk Scott McDonell told VERIFY the video was taken from Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison. The same room can be seen in images posted to the website for the location.
The man in the video wasn’t cheating, either. He was following procedures that all poll workers in Wisconsin have to follow. McDonell sent VERIFY a picture of the ballot and said as part of election procedure, the poll worker has to circle the ward location and initial the ballot.
In Wisconsin, the municipalities run the election. Then, the results are sent to the county for posting and certification, McDonell said.
“He is marking that same spot on one side of each ballot - quite clearly not filling out a ballot from top to bottom …That video clip shows a poll worker initialing and indicating the ward number on the back of the ballot. A second poll worker will add their initials to each ballot just before handing the ballot to a voter,” McDonell said.
“This process is required by law and is a routine part of the check and balance process. It is done in a public setting and the ballot would then need to be signed by a different poll worker before being handed to the voter. This is how you can verify the ballot was issued by the city,” McDonell said. | 2022-11-10T21:27:39+00:00 | 9news.com | https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/elections-verify/video-doesnt-show-a-man-cheating-on-election-day-in-philadelphia-fact-check/536-875583ab-0a68-49fc-8842-c3e507399c89 |
IRWINDALE, Calif. (AP) — Bottles of the popular Sriracha hot sauce could be hard to find on store shelves this summer.
Southern California-based Huy Fong Inc., told customers in an email earlier this year that it would suspend sales of its famous spicy sauce over the summer due to a shortage of chili peppers.
The company said in its April 19 email that all orders submitted after that date would be fulfilled after Labor Day.
“Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any of our products,” the company said.
The company sources its peppers from various farms in California, New Mexico and Mexico, and said that weather conditions are affecting the quality of the peppers and deepening the chili pepper shortage. It didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Thursday.
Hot temperatures and a historic drought across the U.S. West have been taking a heavy toll on California’s agriculture. The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that the whole state was in “severe drought” as of last week, with the Central Valley facing “extreme drought” conditions. | 2022-06-09T22:07:06+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/business-news/sriracha-hot-sauce-maker-warns-of-shortage/ |
JAKARTA, Indonesia, July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi Tbk (IDX: MTEL) or Mitratel, recorded a revenue of IDR 3.72 trillion in H1 2022, increasing 15.5% compared to H1 2021. This also contributed to the company's net profit soaring 27.2% to IDR 892 billion.
"In H1 2022 post-IPO, we had solid fundamentals for sustainable growth driven by organic growth strategy, strong revenue from tower-related businesses, product innovations, and cost efficiency," said Mitratel President Director Theodorus Ardi Hartoko, better known as Teddy Hartoko.
The earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and net profit margins in H1 2022 increased to 77.5% and 23.9%, respectively, with the EBITDA margin of tower rental portfolios increasing to 85.2% as the main contributor. This was achieved by cost efficiency and selecting revenue from businesses with higher margins for higher profitability in the industry.
In H1 2022, most revenue contributions came from tower rental incomes, which grew 13.5% from IDR 2.93 trillion to IDR 3.33 trillion, as well as other tower-related businesses, which increased 35.4% to IDR 399 billion.
The number of towers owned by Mitratel in H1 2022 reached 28,787, with 5,555 additional towers or 23.9% growth from H1 2021. The number of tenants increased by 20.3%, from 36,507 tenants to 43,900 tenants.
The company's total asset was recorded at IDR 55.06 trillion, with equity of IDR 33.49 trillion. Total liabilities in H1 2022 decreased by 10.4% to IDR 21.56 trillion, in line with the payment of long-term loans worth IDR 5.1 trillion, including early payment of IDR 4.3 trillion long-term debts using excess cash from operating activities and refinance loans at lower interest rates.
Mitratel is a telecommunications tower company consisting of the largest tower and number of subscribers growth in 2017 to 2021. Mitratel's biggest anchor customer, Telkomsel, has the largest cellular operator and the best credit rating. This gives telecommunication operators and non-operator tenants a chance to expand their service coverage to include other supporting businesses. Furthermore, Mitratel has no risk to foreign currency fluctuations as all loans are in Indonesian Rupiah. The debt to equity and net debt to EBITDA ratios were maintained at 44.3% and -0.4x.
Going forward, Mitratel will continue with its strategic initiatives to maintain its position in the market, strengthen new business portfolios, accelerate inorganic growth targeting 6,000 towers this year, and increase profitability and cash flow through cost efficiency.
"We are targeting an EBITDA margin of more than 80% in this medium-term through a series of programs that facilitate telecommunication operators in Indonesia to expand the reach using the collocation of Mitratel towers. We have prepared well-rounded solutions with attractive a business scheme for all telecommunication operators namely by bundling solutions such as tower, connectivity, and power. The connectivity includes fiber access (dark fiber, capacity leased, and hybrid) and non-fiber access (satellite). With these innovative product solutions, Mitratel aims to provide convenience to all operators to develop telecommunication networks throughout Indonesia, especially outside Java," concluded Theodorus.
View original content:
SOURCE PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi Tbk (Mitratel) | 2022-07-29T14:30:54+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/mitratel-succeeds-with-idr-372-trillion-revenue-net-profit-soars-272/ |
BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Delek Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE: DKL) today announced that 2021 Schedule K-3 tax packages are now available on its website, www.deleklogistics.com. Unitholders may access their 2021 tax information by selecting the Tax Information link on the website.
Questions regarding the 2021 Tax Reporting Package can be addressed by contacting 1-855-301-4589 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CST Monday through Friday, or via email at DelekLogisticsK1Help@deloitte.com
About Delek Logistics Partners, LP
Delek Logistics Partners, LP is a midstream energy master limited partnership headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Through its owned assets and joint ventures located primarily in and around the Permian Basin, the Delaware Basin and other select areas in the Gulf Coast region, Delek Logistics Partners, LP provides gathering, pipeline and other transportation services primarily for crude oil and natural gas customers, storage, wholesale marketing and terminalling services primarily for intermediate and refined product customers, and water disposal and recycling services. Delek US Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DK) ("Delek US") owns the general partner interest as well as a majority limited partner interest in Delek Logistics Partners, LP, and is also a significant customer.
Information about Delek Logistics Partners, LP can be found on its website (www.deleklogistics.com), investor relations webpage (https://www.deleklogistics.com/investor-relations), news webpage (https://www.deleklogistics.com/news-releases) and its Twitter account (@DelekLogistics).
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Delek Logistics | 2022-09-01T20:12:05+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/09/01/delek-logistics-partners-lp-2021-k-3-tax-packages-available-website/ |
Which organic dog food is best?
When you treat your dog as a family member, you’ll naturally want to buy the best food you can afford. Organic dog food is made using produce free from harmful pesticides and meat raised without antibiotic use.
While your selection is significantly limited if you only want to buy organic food, you’ll still find enough choices to discover one that’s right for your dog. Evanger’s Organics Dinner for Dogs is a top choice for those who prefer wet food.
What to know before you buy organic dog food
Types of dog food
Wet and dry dog food are the most common options, but you can also find fresh, freeze-dried and dehydrated foods.
- Wet: Wet dog food often contains more animal protein and fewer fillers than dry food, but it can get expensive to serve wet food only.
- Dry: Dry food is a more economical choice than wet food, but some dogs don’t find it all that palatable. You can mix in some wet food to increase the appeal.
- Fresh: Fresh dog food comes either refrigerated or vacuum-sealed. It’s similar to home-cooked food for dogs but is carefully nutritionally balanced.
- Freeze-dried or dehydrated: These foods can be cooked or raw. You add water to rehydrate them. Generally, they contain high-quality ingredients, but they’re expensive.
Life stages
Dogs’ nutritional needs change at certain points in their lives. Check the recommended life stage of any food you’re considering buying.
- Puppies: Puppies need more calorie-dense food than adult dogs and require food that’s higher in protein and other nutrients to support their rapid growth.
- Adult dogs: Quality food for adult dogs is well-balanced to maintain a healthy weight and support overall health and well-being.
- Senior dogs: As dogs get older, they’re more prone to weight gain, so senior foods are often less calorie-dense. Usually, they also contain more protein to maintain muscle mass and may contain ingredients that support joint health.
- All life stages: These formulas have adequate nutrients for all canine life stages, from the puppy period to older adulthood. That said, it’s generally best to feed dogs under 12 months a dedicated puppy food.
What to look for in a quality organic dog food
Breed size
You can find dog food tailored toward large or small breed dogs. Since their nutritional needs vary slightly from other dogs, it’s a good choice for those at the extreme ends of the size spectrum, such as Chihuahuas and Great Danes.
Organic certification
Look for certified organic foods by the United States Department of Agriculture. There are also some lesser-known organic certifications, such as one from Oregon Tilth.
Complete and balanced
Make sure your chosen dog food is complete and balanced. This means it contains all the necessary nutrients to keep your dog healthy.
How much you can expect to spend on organic dog food
Cans of wet food cost roughly $1-$4 per can, while bags of dry food can range from $20-$100, depending on size and overall quality.
Organic dog food FAQ
Do dogs need to eat organic food?
A. Feeding your dogs organic food is a personal choice. Much like humans, they can thrive on non-organic food, but there’s a chance that pesticides impact long-term health. By being organic, ingredients are often also more carefully selected, so dog food with organic certification is usually of high quality.
If you choose to eat organic food, you might see organic dog food as the obvious choice for your canine companion. That said, you can find many quality dog foods that aren’t organic, so it’s worth exploring high-end non-organic options.
Is grain-free better for dogs?
A. Dogs are omnivores, not carnivores, so they do not need to avoid grains in their diet. In fact, grain-containing foods may be healthier, particularly when they contain whole grains and when the grain content is kept moderate.
Recent evidence suggests some grain-free food is linked to higher rates of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. This is a heart condition that can be fatal. As such, avoid feeding your dog an exclusively grain-free diet. For instance, if you choose a grain-free wet food, mix it with a grain-containing dry food.
What’s the best organic dog food to buy?
Top organic dog food
Evanger’s Organics Dinner for Dogs
What you need to know: Certified by the USDA and Oregon Tilth, there’s no doubt about this food’s organic credentials.
What you’ll love: You can choose from four formulas: beef, chicken, turkey and chicken and turkey. It comes in BPA-free cans. It’s free from filler ingredients, instead packed with meat, vegetables and fruit. The Chicago Rabbinical Council has endorsed it as kosher.
What you should consider: It’s pricey, especially if you intend to feed only wet food and you have a large dog.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Top organic dog food for the money
Castor and Pollux Organix Dry Dog Food
What you need to know: With free-range chicken as the first ingredient, it’s a nutritious food that goes a long way.
What you’ll love: The added superfood blend boosts its nutrient content. It doesn’t contain soy, corn, wheat, chickpeas or lentils, all of which can be used as filler ingredients. It comes in three sizes: 4, 10 and 18 pounds.
What you should consider: The chicken and sweet potato version contains minimal grains, so it’s best to opt for chicken and oatmeal.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Worth checking out
Tender and True Organic Chicken and Liver Dog Food
What you need to know: This quality canned food is made with cage-free chicken and is USDA-certified organic.
What you’ll love: It’s a complete and balanced food for all life stages. It doesn’t contain corn, wheat or soy. The smooth pate consistency is appealing to many dogs and is easy to eat for puppies, seniors and dogs recovering from illness.
What you should consider: Some buyers find the smell overwhelming, though this may make it more appealing to dogs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
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.
Lauren Corona 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. | 2022-07-19T23:18:31+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/reviews/best-organic-dog-food/ |
SHANGHAI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Molecular Data, Inc. ("Molecular Data" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: MKD), a technology-driven platform in China, announced today that on May 25, 2021, it had received a letter from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq"), notifying the Company that its minimum closing bid price per share for its ordinary shares had fallen below $1.00 for a period of 30 consecutive business days and that the Company did not meet the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). On November 29, 2021, the Company was provided with an additional 180 calendar day compliance period, or until May 23, 2022, to demonstrate compliance.
On May 24, 2022, the Company received notice from Nasdaq that it has not regained compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and that its American Depository Shares ("ADS") would be delisted from the Capital Markets and a Form 25- NSE filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to remove the Company's securities from listing and registration on The Nasdaq Stock Market unless the Company requests a hearing for an appeal.
On May 26, 2022, the Company submitted a hearing request to a Hearings Panel (the "Panel") for an appeal pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5800 Series. The hearing request will stay the suspension and delisting action pending the issuance of a written Panel decision.
Molecular Data Inc. is a technology-driven platform in China's chemical industry, connecting participants along the chemical value chain through integrated solutions. The Company delivers e-commerce solutions, financial solutions, warehousing and logistics solutions, and SaaS suite that are intended to solve pain points for participants in the traditional chemical industry. Built upon a comprehensive knowledge engine and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, the Company's e-commerce solutions are mainly offered through its online platform, consisting of molbase.com, molbase.cn, Moku Data WeChat account, Chemical Community APP and other ancillary platforms.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including the potential impact of COVID-19 on our business within and outside of China. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.
View original content:
SOURCE Molecular Data Inc. | 2022-05-28T03:22:15+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/05/28/molecular-data-inc-receives-nasdaq-notification-regarding-minimum-bid-requirements/ |
Tim Hardaway took the stage and told a story of his early days in the NBA, when Golden State teammates Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin would often ask him the same question.
“They would ask me, ‘Tim, how great do you want to be?’” Hardaway said.
They have their answer. So does everyone else. He’s a basketball immortal.
Hardaway, Manu Ginobili, Swin Cash, Bob Huggins, Del Harris, Lindsay Whalen, Marianne Stanley, Theresa Shank Grentz and George Karl all delivered their enshrinement addresses as new members of the Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Springfield, Massachusetts.
“A kid from the east side of Chicago made it all the way to Springfield, Massachusetts,” Hardaway said. “Incredible.”
Such was the theme throughout the night: how an honor that none of the new Hall members imagined has now come their way, each of them thanking those who helped them reached the pinnacle.
Ginobili was presented by Tim Duncan, already a Hall of Famer himself, and next year the third member of San Antonio’s legendary Big 3 of players — Tony Parker — will be eligible for selection.
“The Spurs were one big, strong, supportive family for me,” Ginobili said.
Someday, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will be in the Hall as well; the NBA’s all-time wins leader doesn’t want to be considered until his career is over. Ginobili reserved special tribute for him.
“Pop, what can I say? You’ve been so, so important for me and my family, on and off the court, that’ll I never be able to thank you enough,” Ginobili said, his voice cracking.
Cash — an NCAA, WNBA and Olympic champion — also paid tribute to her coach at UConn, Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma and her Huskies teammates, including the group that went 39-0 for her senior season in 2001-02.
“If anyone’s debating the greatest basketball team ever, ask about us,” said Cash, who now works in the front office of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Duncan and Ginobili weren’t the only teammates in the building. Stanley and Shank Grentz were teammates at Immaculata in the 1970s, before going on to coaching careers — and now, the Hall, together.
“It’s the privilege of a lifetime,” Stanley said.
Added Shank Grentz, who, like all inductees, learned of her selection in April: “I am still overwhelmed.”
Whalen, whose legendary playing career has been followed by her returning to alma mater Minnesota and coaching there, might have had a Hall of Fame first by thanking a fast-food company.
“Thank you, Burger King,” Whalen said.
To explain: When Whalen — a converted hockey player — was going to her first basketball camp, she was anxious, crying, not wanting to go into the gym. But her parents had paid for camp and weren’t going to let her back out, so negotiations quickly took place. The agreement was eventually struck; if Whalen would go to camp, she’d get a Whopper Jr., with cheese, for the ride home.
“I ended up having a great time,” Whalen said.
Her parents not wanting her to play hockey was her twist of fate. For Harris, his was a professor encouraging him to take a year to coach a junior-high basketball team before joining the seminary.
Harris was going to be a pastor; ironically, basketball’s founder, Dr. James Naismith, also was a pastor. Instead, Harris followed in another set of Naismith’s footsteps, as a coach.
“After that year, I knew what I wanted to do with my life,” said Harris, who coached at just about every imaginable level — high school, college, the NBA, international teams and at the FIBA level.
His path to the Hall came from modest beginnings, just like Huggins — who now coaches at his alma mater, West Virginia and has won more than 900 games in his collegiate career — and Karl, who got emotional when he paid tribute to his college coach at North Carolina, Dean Smith, and got laughs when talking about the challenge of coaching a Hall of Famer like Gary Payton.
“This is really incredible for a guy from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania,” Karl said. “This is a ‘wow’ moment for me.”
Huggins even did a little coaching as he paid tribute during his speech to Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
“You’re allowed to clap, I think,” Huggins said. “I’m not real sure of the rules, but what the hell, let’s just make them as we go.”
Hardaway, Richmond and Mullin formed the trio known as “Run TMC,” which remains popular today. Mullin entered the Hall in 2011, Richmond three years later. And they were on the stage Saturday night, seated just to Hardaway’s left, when his wait finally ended.
“Legendary, baby,” Hardaway said. “We was legendary.”
Also honored were seven more new Hall members, all deceased: one of NBA’s first Black referees in Hugh Evans, six-time All-Star Lou Hudson, former coach Larry Costello, international great Radivoj Korac and a trio of former Harlem Globetrotters in Wyatt “Sonny” Boswell, Inman Jackson and Albert “Runt” Pullins.
And special tribute was paid to two-time Hall of Fame inductee Bill Russell, who made it in as a player, then as a coach. Russell died earlier this year, and the ceremony Saturday began with Hall of Famers Jerry West and Alonzo Mourning paying respect to the 11-time champion.
“Bill was the ultimate competitor on the court and a remarkable human being off of it,” West said. “And in his own way, he made all the lives he touched a little better. That’s why he’ll be missed, especially by those who were fortunate enough to know him.”
Added Mourning, who spoke of Russell’s work as a champion of social justice: “Rest in power, my friend.”
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-09-11T04:57:29+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-basketball-hall-of-fame-enshrines-its-new-class-of-2022/ |
WLIP Mornings Podcast-Tax Tips w/Paul Francetic
April 17, 2023 8:58AM CDT
WLIP’s Pete Serzant is joined by tax expert Paul Francetic from 262tax.com for the tax tip of the week! (from 4/17/23)
WLIP’s Pete Serzant is joined by tax expert Paul Francetic from 262tax.com for the tax tip of the week! (from 4/17/23) | 2023-04-17T18:39:59+00:00 | wlip.com | https://www.wlip.com/wlip-mornings-podcast-tax-tips-w-paul-francetic/ |
MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin System’s top leader says he may have to close campuses and raise tuition if the Legislature’s Republican-controlled finance committee follows through with proposed budget cuts.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has called on the committee to cut $32 million from the system over the next two fiscal years, an amount he says is equal to what it spends on diversity and equity officers biennially. The committee is expected to vote on including the cut in the 2023-25 state budget as it wraps up its work on the spending plan Thursday night.
Ten of the system’s 13 campuses are expected to face a combined $60 million deficit by the summer of 2024. UW System officials had asked for $435.9 million in additional state aid in the budget.
System President Jay Rothman told the Senate universities committee on Monday that the $32 million cut could mean campus closures, ending programs and raising tuition, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
“It's just that simple,” Rothman said. “We do not have the resources to continue to simply do what we have done before.”
Vos told reporters last week that he believes diversity efforts have become liberals' “new religion” and that tax dollars shouldn't support them. The conflict is part of a broader cultural battle over college diversity initiatives playing out nationwide; GOP lawmakers have proposed more than 30 bills in 12 states to limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education, an Associated Press analysis found in April.
Finance committee approval would send the budget to the full Assembly and Senate. If both chambers sign off on the spending plan, it would go to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who can sign it into law, veto the whole thing or use his partial veto powers to rewrite the document. Evers has vowed to veto the budget if it includes the UW cuts.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. | 2023-06-20T17:15:00+00:00 | tmj4.com | https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/university-of-wisconsin-president-warns-of-campus-closures-tuition-hikes-if-gop-cuts-budget |
DELPHI, Ind. — If you’re waiting for answers in the Delphi murders case, you may have to wait much longer than originally thought.
The legal team for murder suspect Richard Allen met with Special Judge Fran Gull Friday to discuss rescheduling Allen’s bail hearing and possibly the trial start date. The Carroll County Prosecutor’s Office supported that motion as well.
The bail hearing, originally scheduled for Friday, February 17th, has been scheduled for Thursday, June 15th. Allen’s defense team asked for more time to form a case because of the large amount of evidence they’ve received in discovery.
During the meeting, one member of Allen’s legal team said it would be “shocking” if the trial actually started before the end of this year. The trial date was originally scheduled for March 20th. Judge Gull has not yet ruled on a new trial date.
For now, all parties involved in the case cannot talk, as they’re under a permanent gag order.
Richard Allen was arrested in October of 2022, charged with two counts of murder for the 2017 deaths of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.
Police believe Allen is the man in the “down the hill” video. Clothing and a car found at Allen’s home also match the clothing worn by the suspect and a car spotted at the Monon High Bridge – that from the probable cause affidavit. | 2023-02-17T21:45:22+00:00 | wibc.com | https://wibc.com/146107/delphi-murders-trial-may-be-far-far-away/ |
LOS ANGELES, March 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Soylent, maker of award winning nutrition shakes, with a mission to make complete, sustainable nutrition accessible, appealing and affordable to all, today announced an expanded partnership with Meijer Grocery Stores, making their 4-pack nutrition shakes available at 219 Meijer locations across the Midwest, and single serve bottles available at all 260 stores. This follows a successful trial of single serve bottles in Meijer stores and increases Soylent's offline presence to over 30,000 stores, including Walmart, Target, and HEB.
"Our expanded Meijer partnership advances Soylent's mission of making healthy and complete nutrition accessible nationwide," said Soylent's CEO, Demir Vangelov. "Meijer customers are increasingly seeking great-tasting, plant-based products. Soylent's product line is delicious and scientifically developed to provide the perfect amount of vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein that the body needs - all in one convenient package."
Soylent was recently named the "Best Meal Replacement Shake" by Kantar Research, as voted by 40,000 consumers. Soylent's Creamy Chocolate has even outperformed dairy-based category leaders containing more sugar and less nutrition in blind taste tests.
Soylent's complete nutrition shakes are naturally flavored, crafted with 39 essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, Omega-3s and Omega-6s, have only 1g of sugar, and include complete, plant-based protein with at least 16g in every bottle.
Meijer shoppers will be able to discover Soylent complete nutrition shakes in a variety of flavors in both single bottles and 4-packs. To find out more about Soylent products or find a store near you, please visit www.Soylent.com.
In February 2023, Soylent was proud to become a business unit under the umbrella of Starco Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: STCB), an inventor and acquirer of consumer products with behavior-changing technologies that spark excitement in the everyday.
About Soylent
Soylent, the original plant-based food technology company, is on a mission to deliver complete nutrition products that are good for the body and the planet. Made from sustainably grown plant-based ingredients, Soylent's line of products is scientifically developed to provide the vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein that the body needs - all in convenient, affordable packages. Soylent's innovative product line-up includes Complete Nutrition Powders and Ready-to-Drink shakes, 100-Calorie Snack Bars, High Protein Nutrition Shakes, and Energy boosting nutrition shakes. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles and operates as a separate business unit under the Starco Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: STCB) umbrella. To learn more about Soylent, please visit the brand website or social channels via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.
About Starco Brands
Starco Brands invents consumer products with behavior-changing technologies that spark excitement in the everyday. Today, its disruptive brands include: Whipshots, the world's only vodka-infused whipped cream; Art of Sport, the body care brand designed for athletes and co-founded by Kobe Bryant; Winona Popcorn Spray, the first indulgent theater-popcorn spray powered by air; Skylar, the only fragrance that is both hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin; and Soylent, the complete non-dairy nutrition brand. A modern-day invention factory to its core, Starco Brands identifies whitespaces across consumer product categories. It draws upon a portfolio of innovative formulas spanning 8 product categories with limitless innovation potential. Starco Brands publicly trades on the OTCQB stock exchange so that retail investors can invest in STCB alongside accredited individuals and institutions. Visit www.starcobrands.com for more information.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Soylent | 2023-03-31T15:43:23+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/03/31/soylent-boosts-nationwide-accessibility-expands-partnership-with-meijer-offer-plant-based-nutrition-shakes-260-midwest-stores/ |
ROME (AP) — The floods that sent rivers of mud tearing through towns in Italy's northeast are another drenching dose of climate change's all-or-nothing weather extremes, something that has been happening around the globe, scientists say.
The coastal region of Emilia-Romagna was struck twice, first by heavy rain two weeks ago on drought-parched ground that could not absorb it, causing rivers to overflow overnight, followed by this week's deluge that killed 14 and caused damages estimated in the billions of euros.
In a changing climate, more rain is coming, but it's falling on fewer days in less useful and more dangerous downpours.
The hard-hit Emilia-Romagna region was particularly vulnerable. Its location between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic Sea trapped the weather system this week that dumped half the average annual amount of rain in 36 hours.
"These are events that developed with persistence and are classified as rare,'' Fabrizio Curcio, the head of Italy's Civil Protection Agency, told reporters.
Authorities on Friday said that 43 towns were impacted by flooding and landslides, and that more than 500 roads had been closed or destroyed.
Antonello Pasini, a climate scientist at Italy's National Research Council, said a trend had been establishing itself: "An increase in rainfall overall per year, for example, but a decrease in the number of rainy days and an increase in the intensity of the rain in those few days when it rains," he said.
Italy's north has been parched by two years of drought, thanks to less-than-average snowfall during the winter months. Melting snow from the Alps, Dolomites and Apennines normally provides the steady runoff through spring and summer that fills Italy's lakes, irrigates the agricultural heartland and keeps the Po and other key rivers and tributaries flowing.
Without that normal snowfall in the mountains, plains have gone dry and riverbeds, lakes and reservoirs have receded. They cannot recover even when it rains because the ground is essentially "impermeable" and the rain just washes over the topsoil and out to the sea, Pasini said.
"So the drought is not necessarily compensated for by these extreme rains," he said, "Because in northern Italy, the drought depends more on snow being stored in the Alps than on rain. And in the last two years, we have had very little snow."
Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said the new normal of extreme weather events in the Mediterranean requires Italians to adapt and Italy to rethink its flood protections nationwide. He cited a fierce storm-triggered landslide last fall on the southern island of Ischia, off Naples, that left 12 dead.
"We can't just pretend that nothing is happening," he said Thursday. "Everything must change: the programming in hydraulic infrastructures must change, the engineering approach must change."
He said those changes were necessary to prevent the types of floods that have left entire towns swamped with mud after two dozen rivers burst their banks.
The key going forward is prevention, he said, acknowledging that's not an easy sell due to costs.
"We are not a nation inclined to prevention. We like to rebuild more than to prevent," he told Sky TG24.
Italy is far from alone in lurching from dry to deluge. California and the United States West sloshed their way from a record-setting megadrought to at least a dozen atmospheric rivers dousing the region with so much rain that a long-dormant lake reappeared.
Scientists say flash floods of the kind seen in Germany and Belgium two years ago, which killed more than 220 people and caused billions of euros in damage, will become more likely as the planet warms.
"The rainiest events seem to be in many places getting rainier," Princeton University climate scientist Gabe Vecchi said Thursday.
In 2021, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scientific panel said it was "established fact" that humans' greenhouse gas emissions had made for more frequent and intense weather extremes. The panel called heat waves the most obvious, but said heavy precipitation events had also likely increased over most of the world.
The U.N. report said "there is robust evidence" that record rainfall and one-in-five, one-in-10 and one-in-20 year type rainfall "became more common since the 1950s."
___
Borenstein contributed from Kensington, Maryland.
____
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. | 2023-05-20T23:38:16+00:00 | ksby.com | https://www.ksby.com/news/italys-deadly-floods-just-latest-example-of-climate-changes-all-or-nothing-weather-extremes |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
When I first started writing this column in February 1992, it wasn’t uncommon to get questions — and answers — from readers who remembered places and events from the 1930s. This week, we’re looking into places that were popular in the early 1980s and are now part of local history, even if not well-represented in the written record.
There was a very high-end restaurant/bar behind the Alamo Café on I-10 or across the street from the Dianne Flack furniture store on Bluemel in the early 1980s. The employees wore tuxedos, (including) the valet drivers. I worked at USAA; none of us can remember the name of it. We thought it might have Mafia connections.
— Laura Redwine
The only family this posh dining spot belonged to is the family of restaurants started by entrepreneur Phil Romano.
Before the first Fuddruckers or Macaroni Grill, there was Enoch’s Dinner Club, opened in 1978 at 2619 Mossrock Drive. With the growing South Texas Medical Center, Datapoint Corp. and USAA all nearby, this part of Northwest San Antonio was a good place to start a hospitality business.
Paula Allen on Medical Center: Foundation behind push for San Antonio’s Medical Center marking 75th anniversary
Like most of Romano’s ventures, it started with a concept.
Enoch’s was a private club for traditional fine dining in an intimate space that once was the former Fat Robert’s restaurant that opened and closed in the mid-’70s. Never a chain, Enoch’s was intended to be exclusive, serving classic fare such as steaks, presented to diners before they were cooked, and Caesar salads, prepared at tableside. Prices were stated only upon request.
The diners themselves were hand-picked, starting with 25 people Romano invited to a free preview dinner. Acting as a focus group, they were asked what they thought of the experience, and — if they’d enjoyed it — to provide names of 10 people who also should receive invitations to belong.
As the process was repeated, the growing clientele could be fairly sure of meeting people they knew — or would like to know — over dinner at Enoch’s.
Membership cost $100, and the list eventually reached 6,000. Romano opened a second sophisticated venue, Barclay’s bar, in 1979, nearby at 2615 Mossrock. Another members-only enterprise, this one took advantage of the ’70s craze for the ancient board game of backgammon, reaching 2,000 members during Romano’s time as proprietor. Like Enoch’s, Barclay’s was a one-off; also like the dinner club, the neighboring bar didn’t hold its founder’s interest very long.
Paula Allen on another Northwest Side restaurant: San Antonio’s ‘favorite rural restaurant’ — Wolfe’s Inn — changed hands, not menu during its seven decades
Romano sold Enoch’s after a few years. It’s listed in San Antonio city directories through 1987, with Dow L. Roberts as proprietor from 1983 onward. Likewise, Romano sold Barclay’s in the early ’80s and was succeeded by Mike Pfeffer, then Ray Hymel before the bar dropped out of the directory at the end of the decade.
At about the same time Enoch’s and Barclay’s were finding success, Romano was working on his next venture, Fuddruckers, a build-it-yourself better-burger chain that eventually went national. Romano’s Macaroni Grill, launched in 1988 in Leon Springs, was a reproducible take on a neighborhood Italian restaurant. It also became a successful chain.
Profiles of Romano available online often highlight his San Antonio years, including the two relatively obscure membership clubs.
Anyone with memories or photographs of Enoch’s to share may contact this column.
Your (Aug. 13, 2022) article on San Francisco Steak House reminded me of the infamous Super Slide water park located right next door (or across the street, I believe it's a bank now).
It was built on a hill, now completely gone. There were two water slides that went down it, and that is all it was. It was only open one or two years, 1979-1980. From what I gather from vague memories of friends and family, they had a bracelet system, where one group could ride as much as they wanted for 20-30 minutes, while the other group took a break, then the groups would switch.
A fatal accident closed it permanently on May 17, 1980. A young boy hid in the caged-off intake area in order to ride more (during the group switch-off) and got sucked into the intake pipe. He did not die of drowning. I can remember seeing this on the news so I imagine there is a newspaper article on it somewhere.
I hope you can write an article on this to gather more information and possibly a photo. It seems everyone who was a kid during that time went there at least once; it was very popular while it was open. But since it was completely razed, there are some people that don't even believe it ever existed. There is so little information on this, and I have never seen a photo of it, but we all remember how it ended.
— Brian Sonnen
This was the short-lived Super Water Slides amusement park at 10331 Desert Sands Drive, near but not related to the Old San Francisco Steak House at 10223 Sahara Drive in the Harmony Hills subdivision (covered here Sept, 12, 2021). I didn’t find a photo, but the 1979 Bexar County plat map shows that the irregularly shaped site, owned by Hamby Enterprises, was bounded on the north by San Pedro Avenue, on the west by Morocco Drive and on the east by the access road of U.S. 281.
Paula Allen on Harmony Hills: ‘Ultramodern’ subdivision in San Antonio forecast housing trends
It wasn’t a very elaborate amusement park. “The water slide facility in north San Antonio features four water-filled flumes running down a 50-foot hill,” says an Associated Press story about the tragic accident you remember. “Patrons ride down the stream of water on rubber mats and into a 3-foot-deep landing pool.”
It’s not entirely clear why or how 13-year-old Eric M. Hayden lost his life while playing with his friends on a Saturday at the water park. A police officer quoted in the AP story said the boy “apparently slipped through an 8-inch opening at the top of a concrete duct under the slides” that carried water from the landing pool to a covered tank leading directly to the huge pumps (that) recirculated water back up to the top of the hill.”
It was a small space for a boy his age to have squeezed through, and “authorities said it was not entirely clear how Hayden got over the barrier and into the pumping tank,” but he was thought to have been sucked into one of the pumps feet first.
When he didn’t return home, his parents and the park owner searched for him. He was found when the pumps were reversed for cleaning later that night. According to his death certificate, Hayden died of “asphyxiation due to drowning” before his body reached the pumping mechanism, as ruled by Bexar County Deputy Medical Examiner Nina Hollander.
Paula Allen on another S.A. tragedy: Witness to tragedy seeks location of river viewing spot
The park was closed after the accident, and screens were placed over the two ducts a few days later. A later AP story says that preventive measures also were being taken at “a similar facility on I-35 north of San Antonio.”
It’s not clear whether Super Water Slides ever reopened. Deed-record research by Beth Standifird, San Antonio Conservation Society Foundation librarian, shows that “three different suppliers of construction materials placed mechanics liens on the property to ensure payment between June and August 1979,” which may indicate a loss of income.
The fatality is one of many incidents at amusement parks mentioned in a 1983 Consumer Products Safety report to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health and Safety. In response to the manner of Hayden’s death, inspections at “a number of other water slide installations (led to modifications) to ensure that each park’s inlet pipes were closed off, so access, whether intentional or accidental, could not be gained.”
historycolumn@yahoo.com| Twitter: @sahistorycolumn| Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn | 2023-02-25T14:30:51+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/phil-romano-s-1980s-dinner-club-and-former-17805265.php |
SAO SEBASTIAO, Brazil (AP) — Hundreds of rescuers searched Monday for survivors of landslides and flooding that killed at least 36 people along the coast of Brazil’s southern state of Sao Paulo following a huge weekend downpour.
Worst hit was the city of Sao Sebastiao, where at least 35 were dead. In neighboring Ubatuba a 7-year-old girl was killed. The disaster, in an area famous for beaches flanked by mountains, prompted cancellations in many cities of the Carnival festivities now in full swing elsewhere in the country.
Gov. Tarcisio de Freitas told television network Globo that another 40 people were missing. Nearly 800 people were homeless and 1,730 people have been displaced, his state government said in a statement.
Television footage showed flooded homes with only their roofs visible. Residents used small boats to carry items and people to elevated positions.
A woman who gave only her first name, Mailsa, said she and her husband, daughter and grandson only barely escaped when a landslide destroyed her house in the Juquehy municipality of Sao Sebastiao. The house was partially submerged, parts of it fell away and the rest was left precariously perched on the edge of a hill.
“It was very quick. Either you run or you die,” she said. “It’s not possible to take anything, only your life, which is the most important thing.”
Members of the armed forces joined the search and rescue efforts, aggravated by poor access to many areas after landslides blocked the snaking roads in the region’s highlands and floods washed away chunks of pavement in low-lying and oceanfront areas.
“Our rescue teams are not managing to get to several locations. It is a chaotic situation,” Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto said on social media late Sunday night.
Augusto said about 50 houses collapsed in the city due to the landslides, and he posted several videos of destruction and search efforts, including one of a baby being rescued by locals lined up on a flooded street.
The highway connecting Rio de Janeiro state with Sao Paulo’s port city of Santos was blocked by landslides and floodwaters. Gov. de Freitas said the damage was so extensive, the highway may no longer exist.
Precipitation in Sao Sebastiao had surpassed 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) during a 24-hour period over the weekend, among the largest such downpours ever in such a short period in Brazil.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited the region on Monday. He observed the damage in Sao Sebastiao from a helicopter and met with Gov. de Freitas at Sao Sebastiao’s theatre, where search operations were being coordinated.
Lula called for people living in the hillside areas to be relocated to safer regions. “Every now and then nature plays a surprise on us, but also many times we defy nature,” Lula said in remarks to reporters in Sao Sebastiao.
De Freitas declared a state of emergency for the hardest-hit cities, including Sao Sebastiao, Ubatuba, Ilhabela and Bertioga, which enables expedited allocation of funds for relief. He said 7 million reais ($1.35 million) already had been released. On Monday, the governor also declared three days of official mourning throughout the state of Sao Paulo.
The heavy rain affected water, electricity and phone services, according to a statement from the state government, which posted on Twitter a video showing 30,000 liters of water being transported to Sao Sebastiao. Hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping bags, mattresses and medical supplies have also been sent.
The Minister of Integration and Regional Development Waldez Góes said on Twitter that experts already were looking into reconstruction plans. “In the coming days, we will work on the reconstruction of bridges, public buildings, housing units and all the public infrastructure affected,” Góes said.
The affected area, on the northern coast of Sao Paulo state, is a frequent Carnival destination for wealthy tourists who prefer to stay away from massive street parties in big cities.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2023-02-21T13:40:59+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/brazil-deluge-kills-36-search-continues-for-dozens-missing/ |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eric Weinberg, executive producer for the hit TV show “Scrubs," was denied bail on Tuesday after pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting five women whom prosecutors said he lured to photo shoots.
Weinberg was arrested earlier this month after being charged with 18 felony counts including rape, oral copulation, forcible sexual penetration, sexual battery by restraint, false imprisonment by use of violence, assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, and attempted forcible penetration with a foreign object, according to the district attorney’s office.
Weinberg entered not guilty pleas during the arraignment Tuesday and his lawyers argued for his release pending the next court appearance.
Prosecutors called Weinberg a potential danger to society. Superior Court Judge Victoria B. Wilson agreed and denied bail while ordering Weinberg held in custody until he returns to court Nov. 15.
Weinberg, 62, has been charged for alleged attacks between 2014 and 2019, but investigators said they believe there may be other victims of assaults dating back to the 1990s, District Attorney George Gascón said at an Oct. 6 news conference. He has urged those victims to come forward.
LAPD Detective Ryan Lamar said this month that investigators were looking into information received from a tip line regarding other possible assaults by Weinberg.
Weinberg was co-executive producer on nearly 100 episodes of the NBC hospital dramedy “Scrubs” between 2000 and 2006 and also wrote nearly a dozen episodes, according to the IMDB website.
He also was co-executive producer for “Californication” in 2007 and had producing and writing credits on other shows, including “Anger Management,” “Men at Work,” “Veronica’s Closet” and “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.”
In 2020, documents filed in Weinberg’s divorce and child custody proceedings included allegations by three women that he sexually assaulted them during photo shoots, the Los Angeles Times reported.
One woman alleged that she met Weinberg at a North Hollywood coffee shop in 2014 when she was 22 and he convinced her to come to a photo shoot at his home where she stripped to her underwear. The woman alleged that while taking photos, Weinberg grabbed her, forced to perform oral sex, choked her and then raped her, according to documents cited by the Times. | 2022-10-25T22:30:51+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Scrubs-producer-Eric-Weinberg-pleads-not-guilty-17534056.php |
FORT PIERCE, FLA. (WSVN) – Vanilla, a 28-year-old chimpanzee, has embarked on a remarkable journey of discovery after spending her entire life in captivity. Recently integrated into a large chimpanzee family at Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Vanilla and her companion Shake now have the opportunity to explore a sprawling 3-acre island that has become their new home.
The transition to freedom was not without its challenges.
As Shake confidently ventured onto the island, Vanilla hesitated at the doorway, her apprehension evident. However, with the encouragement of Dwight, the alpha male of the family, Vanilla took a leap of faith and joined him, an emotional moment captured on camera.
Vanilla’s earlier years were marked by confinement in a New York-based biomedical research lab, where she was housed in a small cage, suspended from the ground like a birdcage.
In 1995, she was one of thirty chimpanzees relocated to the Wildlife Waystation, where she became part of a small family group.
In 2019, the closure of the Wildlife Waystation necessitated the rehoming of nearly 480 animals, including 42 chimpanzees. Vanilla was among the final seven to be relocated, embarking on a cross-country journey from New York to Fort Pierce, thanks to the FedEx Cares program. Transported in a FedEx airplane, she was then driven to the sanctuary in a climate-controlled semi-truck, provided by Pero Family Farms.
Following a quarantine period, a standard procedure for all new chimpanzees at Save the Chimps, Vanilla and her family were introduced to one of the larger family groups in the sanctuary. Now fully integrated, Vanilla relishes the freedom to explore the 3-acre island and make her own choices.
Her first encounter with the outdoors left her awestruck as she gazed at the open and expansive sky, a sight she had never witnessed before due to the cage tops of her former homes.
Vanilla spends her days exploring the island, engaging in relaxation, and participating in grooming sessions with her newfound family. The sanctuary provides her with a long-awaited chance to live a life filled with freedom and natural experiences, a world she never thought she would be a part of until now.
Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2023-06-28T16:37:40+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/local/florida/28-year-old-chimpanzee-sees-sky-for-first-time-at-florida-sanctuary-after-spending-life-in-captivity/ |
TRABUCO CANYON, Calif. (KTLA) — A wildlife photographer may have gotten the shot of a lifetime Wednesday night when he encountered a mountain lion mere feet from him on a path.
Mark Girardeau said he was checking his motion-activated cameras in Trabuco Canyon when he saw the adult puma, which he calls “Uno,” “just chilling” on the trail.
When he zooms in on Uno, the camera shows that the cougar is calm and composed, seemingly more curious about Girardeau’s presence than anything else.
The big cat then saunters down the trail until she reaches the other side of the path from Girardeau’s position, then trots away.
“Oh s—. I had bear spray ready,” he narrates.
In another video, Uno, who is wearing a collar, walks within an arm’s length of Girardeau’s vehicle, seemingly unconcerned with his presence.
If you encounter a mountain lion in the wild, the National Park Service says to stay calm, make eye contact and stand and face the animal while making yourself as big as possible.
Don’t turn your back on the predator or bend down or crouch, as that could trigger the mountain lion’s instincts to chase or attack.
If that fails, throw things at the mountain lion and fight back.
But perhaps most importantly, you should leave the mountain lion an escape route.
“Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape,” the NPS said. | 2023-07-14T14:59:17+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/man-records-extremely-close-encounter-with-cougar-in-california/ |
DALLAS — A lawsuit against Fort Worth-based American Airlines says a man died on a flight in June after an onboard defibrillator failed to work because it wasn’t charged.
Kevin Greenidge was on flight AA614 from San Pedro Sula, Honduras traveling to Miami International Airport on June 4, when he went into cardiac arrest and became unconscious. When crewmembers tried to administer a shock from the automatic external defibrillator (AED), it did not shock Greenidge, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit filed in a district court in New York by his mother, Melissa Arzu, Greenidge’s death was a result of carelessness from the airline, citing the uncharged mobile battery pack and employees that were untrained in resuscitation.
American Airlines and the attorneys listed for the plaintiff did not respond to requests for comment.
The Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998 requires airlines to medical equipment such as defibrillators and train flight attendants to use the equipment. The complaint lists that Greenidge sustained several injuries prior to his death. Had he survived, the complaint reads he would have been entitled to actual and punitive damages.
A corporate medical doctor that worked at American Airlines from 1994 to 2002 convinced the carrier to keep defibrillators on board. David McKenas worked with American and its then-CEO Bob Crandall to make it the first U.S. airline to put defibrillators on board. On Feb 18, 1998, the first life was saved by a defibrillator on an American Airlines flight.
Over 350,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest in the U.S. every year, according to AED USA. If a person going into cardiac arrest is defibrillated within the first 3 minutes from collapse, there’s a 70% chance of survival. | 2023-03-20T16:58:14+00:00 | pennlive.com | https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2023/03/man-dies-after-defibrillator-on-american-airlines-plane-wasnt-charged-lawsuit.html |
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – House members who represent West Texas and Southern New Mexico reacted along party lines to Friday’s historic Supreme Court abortion ruling. One thing they agreed upon is the ruling will deeply impact American society.
“It is a dark day in America when a Supreme Court ruling ensures the generations that follow ours will have fewer rights than we enjoy now,” said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. “Striking down Roe v. Wade overturns 50 years of precedent and strips women of their reproductive freedom and control of their own bodies, lives, and futures.”
But U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, celebrated the decision that basically lets states legislate on a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy.
“Millions more will get to experience the beautiful gift from God that is life on Earth,” Gonzales tweeted under the hashtag #LifeWins.
He said Roe v. Wade has deprived of life 62 million unborn children and praised the U.S. Supreme Court majority for “standing up for the unborn.” He also asked for prayers for the Supreme Court justices who struck down Roe v. Wade who may face death threats.
Escobar said the case that set a new abortion precedent, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, is a “blatant attack on the rights of the American” people by an activist Court she referred to as Republican Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plaything.
“House Democrats will continue the fight to ensure every woman has the freedom to make personal decisions with those they love and trust without politicians trying to control them,” Escobar said. “I implore my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act with heightened urgency to enshrine access to abortion care into law in our country.”
U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-New Mexico, whose district includes the entire New Mexico-Mexico border, said the fight over abortion gets down to the state level.
“In Dobbs, (the Supreme Court) has finally returned the question of abortion to the 50 states and restored the democratic right of Americans to defend the unborn. Now, it is our responsibility as Americans to build a society where every mother and her child are protected, supported, and loved,” she tweeted Friday. | 2022-06-24T20:30:51+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/border-report/border-house-reps-split-on-abortion-ruling/ |
- Very light scattered showers for some Wednesday morning
- Isolated storms develop in the middle of the afternoon Wednesday
- Severe weather unlikely
- Storms will be slow moving
- Isolated storms possible again Thursday
- Memorial Day Weekend looks warm and humid, with isolated storms
FORECAST: Light rain Wed AM, Isolated storms PM
- Laura Mock
- Updated
Laura Mock
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
More News
FOX23 Tuesday Afternoon Forecast Read MoreFOX23 Tuesday Afternoon Forecast
FOX23 Monday Afternoon Forecast Read MoreFOX23 Monday Afternoon Forecast
FOX23 Sunday Evening Forecast Read MoreFOX23 Sunday Evening Forecast
FOX23 Sunday Morning Forecast Read MoreFOX23 Sunday Morning Forecast
FOX23 Saturday Morning Forecast Read MoreFOX23 Saturday Morning Forecast
Currently in Tulsa
68°
Cloudy
68° / 65°
8 AM
68°
9 AM
71°
10 AM
74°
11 AM
76°
12 PM
78°
Follow Fox23
Trending
-
Thieves steal over $350,000 in jewelry and money from Tulsa jewelry store
-
Woman's body found near Grand Lake
-
FBI identifies body found at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
-
Movie trailer released for 'Killers of the Flower Moon'
-
TPD finds several hundred pounds of bomb-making material in home of Tulsa man
© Copyright 2023
Imagicomm Communications, LLC
2625 S Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK
| Terms of Use
| Privacy Policy
Powered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital. | 2023-05-24T13:04:47+00:00 | fox23.com | https://www.fox23.com/weather/forecast-light-rain-wed-am-isolated-storms-pm/article_dc39c01c-f4fb-11ed-af73-e72e13500a61.html |
Just a couple weeks after she notched her 100th-career point, Commerce senior Leala Samuel recorded the 100th goal of her career during a 12-3 win over Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. | 2022-10-18T14:23:29+00:00 | masslive.com | https://www.masslive.com/highschoolsports/2022/10/commerces-leala-samuel-posts-100th-career-goal-in-win-over-pvcics.html |
Chelsea Becker spent 16 months in a California jail awaiting a murder trial after her pregnancy ended in a stillbirth. "I was prepared to just stay at least for the next 15 years in prison," she told NPR.
Becker's 2019 arrest drew national attention. With the backdrop of the Supreme Court blocking a Louisiana law that would shutter nearly all abortion clinics in that state, advocates warned that Becker's arrest would empower more prosecutions for pregnancy outcomes.
In less than three years, a radically reconstituted Supreme Court ruled again on an anti-abortion law — this time using a Mississippi law to abolish federally protected abortion rights. And advocates, again, warn that pregnant people will be prosecuted for pregnancy loss — including miscarriages and stillbirths.
"What we have seen in cases where we have provided legal defense, mothers who experience a stillbirth or a miscarriage are blamed for that loss," Dana Sussman, the acting executive director of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW), tells NPR.
"Because of behavior or exposure of an alleged risk of harm to the fetus, they are then blamed for causes the pregnancy loss," Sussman says.
Prosecuting pregnancy loss is not new
Prosecuting pregnancy loss has been a quiet, but upward trend across the nation — to such an extent that organizations like the NAPW have emerged to provide legal defense for people who have been charged due to their pregnancy outcomes. That is how Sussman's organization came to represent Becker.
In 2013, NAPW partnered with Fordham University to track the arrests and prosecutions of pregnancies. They found just over 400 cases where pregnancy, including pregnancy loss, was used in a criminal investigation or prosecution from the time Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973 until 2005. But from 2006-2020, that number nearly quadrupled. While this research is ongoing, Sussman suspects 200-300 cases in this range will involve pregnancy loss.
There is one striking detail that stands out for legal experts: States are using laws to target pregnant people that were originally used to protect them.
At least 38 states have laws that makes it a crime to harm a fetus, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Legal experts say that these laws were originally intended to stop violence against pregnant people.
These so-called "fetal harm" laws enhance penalties for crimes against a pregnant person. By treating a fetus as a separate crime victim, these laws recognize crimes against pregnant people as two separate crimes. But, in practice, they have been used to investigate and prosecute different forms of pregnancy loss, including miscarriages, stillbirths and self-induced abortions.
Fetal personhood, anti-abortionist's argument that the fetus deserves the full rights and protections as people, are at the heart of these fetal harm laws and other traditional murder laws being applied to pregnant people.
Applying these laws in this manner criminalizes a pregnant person's behavior during the course of their pregnancy. And now that federal abortion protections have been abrogated, more people can be at risk of criminal charges for what they do — or don't do — while pregnant.
In Becker's case, the prosecution attributed her stillbirth to her use of methamphetamine during pregnancy. She admittedly struggled with addiction during pregnancy. Although, California's primary murder law makes it a crime to kill a fetus in many circumstances, mothers are explicitly exempted from prosecution.
Nevertheless, the state argued that what Becker did during her pregnancy caused her stillbirth. This line of reasoning is widely rejected in the medical field.
Experts say women aren't responsible for their losses
"There is no biological basis for that opinion, specifically with methamphetamine," says Dr. Harvey Kliman, the director of the Reproductive and Placental Research Unit at Yale School of Medicine.
Kliman attributes prosecutions of pregnancy outcomes based on drug use to a misunderstanding about pregnancy.
"One has to have something called biological plausibility," he says. "And methamphetamine has no biological pathway to lead to the end of a pregnancy. It just doesn't."
He says that pregnancy outcomes are determined by the health of the placenta, and there are no mechanisms for meth to harm the placenta.
Twenty percent of pregnancies in the U.S. end in a loss, according to Kliman, who has worked as an expert witness with NAPW on several cases. He says over 90% of these losses are caused by genetic abnormalities, which are often undiagnosed.
Sussman adds that, though the science does not support it, data shows that drug use makes up the most prosecuted pregnancy losses. But Kliman says that's because prosecutors and pathologists misinterpret drug use as a causation, instead of a mere association.
Pregnant people are charged for ordinary conduct
Still, people using illicit drugs are not the only ones at risk of criminal charges for pregnancy outcomes. Sussman adds that she has worked with people who have been prosecuted for prescription medication such as legal medical marijuana, painkillers for preexisting conditions, or Adderall, which is medication commonly used to treat ADHD.
"We've had cases where a woman has fallen down a flight of stairs while light-headed during pregnancy and charged with attempted feticide because they suspected she did it on purpose," Sussman adds.
Yveka Pierre is the senior litigation counsel at If/When/How, a reproductive justice nonprofit that in part provides legal defense for people charged with crimes stemming from pregnancies.
Pierre points to the case of Marshae Jones, an Alabama woman who was indicted for manslaughter in 2019 after being shot in the stomach while five months pregnant. Police said Jones started the fight that led to the shooting and failed to remove herself from harm's way. But the district attorney later dropped the charge after a groundswell of national support.
"When someone wants to punish a group of people, they will get very creative in the ways that they try to effectuate a punishment," Pierre tells NPR. Experts agree that confusion around what actions or inactions are punishable creates untenable legal ground for pregnant people.
Pierre says that before abortion rights were overturned in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision last month if prosecutors could not charge someone for an abortion, they would charge them with murder. "But it's a murder case that's kind of imbued in the stigma of abortion," she adds.
"So it's not an abortion case, but they need to be able to put in front of the jury that this person considered an abortion or this person took pills to end their pregnancy, even though that has nothing to do with the facts they need to prove," Pierre says.
Prosecuting losses in the Dobbs era
Pregnancy loss prosecutions were already rising under the protections of Roe, Sussman says. Now that the Supreme Court has stripped away the constitutional right to abortion, legal experts expect that prosecutions may continue to increase.
"Without Roe and Casey pushing back the line on fetal person, we are about to see the full re-imagination of criminal and civil codes in this country in the states that have already redefined fetuses and fertilized eggs and embryos as children or as human beings," Sussman says. "Our data shows 1,700 cases [involving pregnancy loss] since 1973 and a rapid acceleration in the past 15 years."
Pierre agrees that the Dobbs decision could portend more criminal charges for pregnancy outcomes, but she stresses that there are resources to help.
"I want folks to understand that just because someone is being prosecuted does not mean that the law actually supports that prosecution," Pierre says, as she points to state constitutions and case law that can work in defense. She also points to organizations like hers which help highlight the various laws surrounding pregnancies.
But even if a person is able to obtain a lawyer and mount a successful defense, it may already be too late.
By the time NAPW successfully convinced a California judge to dismiss the murder charge against Becker, the penal system already owned 16 months of her life. But there are other costs associated with battling the criminal legal system.
The criminalization — and the participation of medical providers in the investigation — of pregnancy loss may dissuade people from seeking medical care. That leads to worse outcomes for pregnant people, mothers and babies, experts say. Sussman points to Tennessee's 2014 fetal assault law, which was allowed to expire two years later. Medical officials have warned that this law discouraged women from being forthcoming about their pregnancies.
Becker says her experience discouraged her from another pregnancy. But she is inspired to advocate for reform measures to ensure no one else endures her experience. In partnership with the NAPW, Becker submitted testimony in support of a California bill that would, in part, remove the requirement that a coroner investigate deaths surrounding known or suspected abortions.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-03T16:18:30+00:00 | kut.org | https://www.kut.org/health/2022-07-03/the-end-of-roe-v-wade-raises-fear-of-more-prosecutions-for-pregnancy-loss |
Mixpanel Makes Startup Program Available to More Companies, Introduces Free Company KPIs Dashboard Template to Help Startups Measure Metrics that Matter
SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mixpanel, the leading product analytics solution powering more than 6,000 of the world's most innovative digital companies, today announced that more than 1,000 companies have graduated Mixpanel for Startups, a free program that helps startups find product-market fit faster by giving them up to $50,000 in free credits a year, worth up to 430 million monthly events—more than double the number offered by comparable programs. To celebrate the milestone, Mixpanel is expanding eligibility for the program and introducing a free Company KPIs Dashboard Template—nine out-of-the-box, fully customizable reports that make it easy for all companies to measure metrics that matter.
Today, we are seeing high inflation, increasing interest rates, war in Europe, and signs that we could be headed for an economic downturn of an unknown duration. Capital is becoming increasingly scarce and startups must think twice about how they deploy their resources. In times like these, product analytics becomes indispensable, showing startups what is and isn't working with their websites and apps, what to prioritize, and what to invest in.
"Even in the best conditions, very few startups make it. That's why we introduced Mixpanel for Startups in 2020," said Mixpanel VP of Product Neil Rahilly. "In just two years, it has become the world's most comprehensive product analytics program and we've given $25 million in free credits to help more startups succeed. It's a dream come true to be working with so many startups, and to see them using their product analytics dashboards to secure funding. I'm so excited to celebrate this milestone by making the program available to more startups and introducing our new Company KPIs Dashboard Template."
Starting today, Mixpanel is expanding the criteria for startups that want to join: now every startup under five-years-old that has raised up to $8 million is eligible to apply for Mixpanel for Startups.
Paris headquartered healthtech app May is a graduate. It has provided more than 100,000 soon-to-be parents with access to pediatricians, midwives, and pediatric nurses since its launch in 2020. The company uses Mixpanel to better understand how customers use its product and make more informed decisions about its product roadmap, which has resulted in monthly user growth of more than 10 percent and a doubling in user retention. Being able to easily capture and visualize its growth metrics also supported May's pitch to investors during Q2 2022, helping the app secure $3.3 million in additional funding.
"Before Mixpanel, we made decisions based on conversations with users. Now we have dashboards measuring metrics including conversion, user growth, and stickiness," said May Co-Founder Antoine Creuzet. "Mixpanel is an absolutely critical tool—it gives us valuable insights into what our users want, which has helped us find product-market fit faster and made fundraising much easier. But most importantly, it has instilled within us a confidence that we truly know our business inside and out."
The Company KPIs Dashboard Template is available for free today to all Mixpanel customers. It includes a number of features that make it easier for startups in different industries and geographies to quickly get started with product analytics and measure engagement, retention, and growth metrics.
It's easy to get started. Companies only need two events in Mixpanel—a signup or session start event and a value moment event. The template also includes a new feature called Mixpanel Primers. The three primers link directly from the template dashboards and provide how-to's for interpreting the reports, as well as explanations for why certain metrics matter and what "good" looks like.
The Company KPIs Dashboard Template takes the guesswork out of determining which metrics to measure. It helps companies quickly answer questions like:
- How many users are experiencing value in my product?
- Who are my most engaged users?
- Which channels generate the most signups?
- How many of my engaged users come back?
The template also produces investor-worthy, intuitive, and fully-customizable public and private dashboards so that everyone can benefit from the insights.
"Mixpanel's Company KPIs Dashboard Template puts metrics at our fingertips that we didn't even think to measure," said Kelvin Yu, founding engineer at Zage. "It only took five seconds to set up our KPIs dashboard, and the reports were very easy to understand and take action on."
Mixpanel helps companies measure what matters, make decisions fast, and build better digital products through data. With its powerful, self-serve product analytics solution, teams can easily analyze how and why people engage, convert, and retain—in real-time, across devices—to improve their user experience. Headquartered in San Francisco, Mixpanel has an award-winning employee experience and culture, with offices in New York, Seattle, Austin, London, Barcelona, and Singapore. For more information, visit: www.mixpanel.com.
Media Contact: Joe Roualdes, joe.roualdes@mixpanel.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Mixpanel, Inc. | 2022-07-20T15:10:58+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/20/mixpanel-surpasses-1000-companies-graduating-its-free-startup-program/ |
WFO NORMAN Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, May 6, 2023
_____
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Southeastern Foard County in northern Texas...
East central Knox County in northern Texas...
Southwestern Wilbarger County in northern Texas...
Northwestern Baylor County in northern Texas...
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
* Until 545 PM CDT.
* At 507 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Red Springs,
moving northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.
* Locations impacted include...
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Seymour, Red Springs, and Lake Kemp.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Prepare immediately for large hail and damaging winds. People outside
should move immediately to shelter inside a strong building. Stay
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
away from windows.
Large hail, damaging wind, and continuous cloud to ground lightning
are occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is
one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder,
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of north central Nolan
and southern Fisher Counties through 600 PM CDT...
At 507 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Capitola, or 9 miles northeast of Wastella, moving northeast at 20
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Roby, Sylvester, Longworth, Gannon, Busby and Capitola.
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for
west central Texas.
LAT...LON 3247 10051 3260 10066 3282 10043 3268 10016
TIME...MOT...LOC 2207Z 225DEG 22KT 3260 10052
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southern Knox County
through 545 PM CDT...
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
At 509 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Rochester, moving northeast at 30 mph.
Munday, Knox City, Benjamin, and Rhineland.
LAT...LON 3340 9999 3362 9989 3351 9956 3340 9965
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
TIME...MOT...LOC 2209Z 211DEG 25KT 3329 9992
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT
FOR NORTHWESTERN BROWN AND EAST CENTRAL COLEMAN COUNTIES...
At 509 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Grosvenor,
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
moving north at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.
IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail
damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
This severe storm will be near...
Grosvenor around 515 PM CDT.
Burkett around 535 PM CDT.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Cross Cut around 545 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this severe thunderstorm include Thrifty.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-05-06T23:47:27+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/tx-wfo-norman-warnings-watches-and-advisories-18083503.php |
NEW YORK, June 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers and acquirers of the securities of Stem, Inc. f/k/a Star Peak Energy Transition Corp. (NYSE: STEM, STEM.WT, STPK.U): (i) pursuant and/or traceable to the offering documents issued in connection with the merger ("Merger") consummated on April 28, 2021 by and among the Company, STPK Merger Sup Corp. ("Merger Sub"), and Stem, Inc., ("Legacy Stem"); and/or (ii) between March 4, 2021 and February 16, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important July 11, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Stem securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Stem class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16161 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 11, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, the offering documents and defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Legacy Stem suffered from material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting related to accounting for deferred cost of goods sold and inventory, certain revenue recognition calculations, and internal-use capitalized software calculations; (2) the Company had overstated Legacy Stem's and its own post-Merger business and financial prospects; (3) Stem's software revenue did not make up 100% of the Company's services revenue; (4) Stem had overstated the benefits expected to flow from its AP partnership; and (5) as a result, the offering documents and defendants' public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Stem class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16161 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | 2023-06-24T22:34:05+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2023/06/24/rosen-leading-law-firm-encourages-stem-inc-fka-star-peak-energy-transition-corp-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-stem-stemwt-stpku/ |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — When Josh Sims reports on NASCAR this season, the stock car series these days — from the garage to the grandstands to top brass — looks more like him.
Yes, Sims takes pride in the fact that he will become the first Black pit reporter for the Daytona 500 and that his rapid rise at Fox has made him one of the primary faces of the network’s NASCAR coverage.
More than that, Sims sees that NASCAR may finally be running out of unconquered firsts for people of color. For women. For any minority who perhaps has experienced an uneasy relationship with a series founded in the South 75 years ago, a generation before the civil rights era.
Sims’ journey from NASCAR novice through a sports anchor gig in Charlotte, North Carolina, that sparked his passion in the sport had led to his biggest assignment yet: pit reporting as a Black man from one of auto racing’s signature events.
“I never set out to be a first,” the 35-year-old Sims said. “I never set out to make history. I just wanted to be the best at what I was doing, whether it was hosting or reporting. At the same time, I kind of understand the platform and what it means for me to be doing this.”
Sims has a full workload this season. He is the Cup Series pit reporter, teams with Regan Smith as an Xfinity Series reporter and is part of the host rotation for the FS1 show “Race Hub.”
And this season, he wants to share the stories on what he sees at the track beyond the in-race reports and fantastic finishes. Minorities may not necessarily become the dominant demographic for the series, but they can certainly grab a larger share of the marketplace.
“I think if more people out there saw it, saw people that looked them, instead of just driver, crew chief, you might be more inclined to feel like, hey, I feel a little more comfortable going to the track,” Sims said. “Getting that out there might help in terms of more people coming to the track and getting more different faces to the stands. It’s not necessarily about getting more people in, it’s showing what you already have.”
It was, of course, a very low bar but the garage and grid and fans certainly appears to be more diverse now than before 2020 when NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from its tracks and properties. NASCAR is still overwhelmingly white, but NASCAR President Steve Phelps isn’t exaggerating when he says you notice the change when walking through the garage.
“I think the events of 2020 allowed the sport to get younger and more diverse,” he said at his state-of-the sport address in November.
Among the notable achievements: Jusan Hamilton, who last year became the first Black race director in Daytona 500 history, will do it again this season. Amanda Oliver, a Black woman, negotiates high-profile deals as NASCAR’s senior vice president. John Ferguson, a Black man, is the chief human resources officer.
Owners now include Pitbull and Michael Jordan, whose team features Bubba Wallace, the Black driver who prompted the flag ban. Rising stars in the developmental series include Rajah Caruth, a 20-year-old graduate of the “Drive for Diversity” program.
Phelps said NASCAR was committed to strengthening ties to various programs that can attract a broader fan base, from Boys & Girls Clubs to “some of the other areas we have from a partnership standpoint that really speak to what’s happening in the African American community, what’s happening in the Hispanic, Latino community (to) what’s happening in the LGBTQ community.”
While the frequently toxic nature of social media makes it easier for haters to reach Sims and others, he’s a popular personality each weekend at the track.
“I never necessarily felt uncomfortable,” he said. “You get stuff here and there in terms of messages that’s emailed to you or sent to you but that’s par for the course if you’re a minority in the sport, a woman in the sport, even white drivers get stuff like that. But for every one or two of those, I get a lot more stuff from people excited that I’m here. You know, focus on the good.”
Raised in East Brunswick, New Jersey, Sims is a Villanova graduate who followed the Wildcats in NCAA Tournament games in 2009 and remained a fan of most Philly teams.
“I grew up in Jersey, so not exactly NASCAR country,” Sims said. “Growing up, you know the Jimmies and the Dale Seniors and the Tony Stewarts and everybody but it wasn’t something I followed week in and week out.”
His interest in NASCAR picked up in 2015 when he moved to Charlotte and hosted a pre-race show on the local Fox affiliate. Sims covered his first Daytona 500 in 2016 when Denny Hamlin nipped Martin Truex Jr. in the closest finish in race history.
“I was like, I am all in,” Sims said.
Charlotte can feel like a small town for a city and Sims kept bumping into friends and contacts in NASCAR. Fox Sports executives hired Sims in 2021 as a reporter for their slate of NASCAR shows. He also became the first Black pit reporter in any NASCAR series, for Trucks races.
“I kind of hope that young people that look like me, can see me doing it and now recognize that it’s possible,” Sims said. “I hope I can kind of blaze a trail for them to one day say, hey, because Josh Sims did it, I can do it, too. And that’s what’s important.”
___
AP Images blog on 75 years of NASCAR: https://apimagesblog.com/historical/2023/2/nascar-75
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-02-19T01:22:56+00:00 | cenlanow.com | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ap-fox-pit-reporter-sims-a-symbol-of-nascars-diversity-goals/ |
As Amazon grows, so does its eye on consumers
(AP) - From what you buy online, to how you remember tasks, to when you monitor your doorstep, Amazon is seemingly everywhere.
And it appears the company doesn’t want to halt its reach anytime soon. In recent weeks, Amazon has said it will spend billions of dollars in two gigantic acquisitions that, if approved, will broaden its ever growing presence in the lives of consumers.
This time, the company is targeting two areas: health care, through its $3.9 billion buyout of the primary care company One Medical, and the “smart home,” where it plans to expand its already mighty presence through a $1.7 billion merger with iRobot, the maker of the popular robotic Roomba vacuum.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a company known for its vast collection of consumer information, both mergers have heightened enduring privacy concerns about how Amazon gathers data and what it does with it. The latest line of Roombas, for example, employ sensors that map and remember a home’s floor plan.
“It’s acquiring this vast set of data that Roomba collects about people’s homes,” said Ron Knox, an Amazon critic who works for the anti-monopoly group Institute for Local Self-Reliance. “Its obvious intent, through all the other products that it sells to consumers, is to be in your home. (And) along with the privacy issues come the antitrust issues, because it’s buying market share.”
Amazon’s reach goes well beyond that. Some estimates show the retail giant controls roughly 38% of the U.S. e-commerce market, allowing it to gather granular data about the shopping preferences of millions of Americans and more worldwide. Meanwhile, its Echo devices, which house the voice assistant Alexa, have dominated the U.S. smart speaker market, accounting for roughly 70% of sales, according to estimates by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.
Ring, which Amazon purchased in 2018 for $1 billion, monitors doorsteps and helps police track down crime — even when users might not be aware. And at select Amazon stores and Whole Foods, the company is testing a palm-scanning technology that allows customers to pay for items by storing biometric data in the cloud, sparking concerns about risks of a data breach, which Amazon has attempted to assuage.
“We treat your palm signature just like other highly sensitive personal data and keep it safe using best-in-class technical and physical security controls,” the company said on a website that provides information about the technology.
Even consumers who actively avoid Amazon are still likely to have little say about how their employers power their computer networks, which Amazon — along with Google — has long dominated through its cloud-computing service AWS.
“It’s hard to think of another organization that has as many touch points as Amazon does to an individual,” said Ian Greenblatt, who heads up tech research at the consumer research and data analytics firm J.D. Power. “It’s almost overwhelming, and it’s hard to put a finger on it.”
And Amazon — like any company — aims to grow. In the past few years, the company has purchased the Wi-Fi startup Eero and partnered with the construction company Lennar to offer tech-powered houses. With iRobot, it would gain one more building block for the ultimate smart home — and, of course, more data.
Customers can opt out of having iRobot devices store a layout of their homes, according to the vacuum maker. But data privacy advocates worry the merger is another way Amazon could suck up information to integrate into its other devices or use to target consumers with ads.
In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Lisa Levandowski denied that’s what the company wants to do.
“We do not use home maps for targeted advertising and have no plans to do so,” Levandowski said.
Whether that will relieve concerns is another matter, especially in light of research about Amazon’s other devices. Earlier this year, a group of university researchers released a report that found voice data from Amazon’s Echo devices are used to target ads to consumers — something the company had denied in the past.
Umar Iqbal, a postdoc at the University of Washington who led the research, said he and his colleagues found Echo devices running third-party Skills, which are like apps for Alexa, that communicate with advertisers.
Levandowski said consumers can opt out of receiving “interest-based” ads by adjusting their preferences on Amazon’s advertising preferences page. She also said Amazon doesn’t share Alexa requests with advertising networks.
Skills that collect personal information are required to post their privacy policies on a detail page in Amazon’s store, according to the company. Researchers, however, found only 2% of Skills are clear about their data collection practices, and the vast majority don’t mention Alexa or Amazon at all.
For companies like Amazon, data collection is for more than just data’s sake, noted Kristen Martin, a professor of technology ethics at the University of Notre Dame.
“You can almost see them just trying to paint a broader picture of an individual,” Martin said. “It’s about the inferences that they’re able to draw about you specifically, and then you compared to other people.”
Amazon’s One Medical deal, for instance, has sparked questions about how the company would handle personal health data that would fall into its lap.
Should the deal close, Levandowski said customers’ health information will be handled separately from all other Amazon businesses. She also added Amazon wouldn’t share personal health information outside of One Medical for “advertising or marketing purposes of other Amazon products and services without clear permission from the customer.”
But Lucia Savage, a chief privacy officer at the chronic care provider Omada Health, said that doesn’t mean One Medical wouldn’t be able to get data from other arms of Amazon’s business that could help it better profile its patients. The information just has to flow one way, she said.
To be sure, privacy concerns are not limited to Amazon. In the aftermath of Roe v Wade being overturned, for instance, Google said it would automatically get rid of information about users who visit abortion clinics amid pressure from Democratic lawmakers. Meanwhile, Meta, which owns Facebook, settled a class action lawsuit in February over its use of “cookies” about a decade ago that tracked users after they logged off Facebook.
But unlike Meta and Google, whose focus is mainly on selling ads, Amazon might benefit more from collecting data because its primary goal is to sell products, said Alex Harman, director of competition policy at the anti-monopoly group Economic Security Project.
“For them, data is all about getting you to buy more and be locked into their stuff,” Harman said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-23T14:06:17+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/2022/08/23/amazon-grows-so-does-its-eye-consumers/ |
For Utah, one era is ending.
For Minnesota, one seems to be beginning.
The Jazz have agreed to trade Rudy Gobert — a three-time defensive player of the year — to the Timberwolves for a massive package of players and draft picks, according to a person with knowledge of the blockbuster deal.
Utah will receive four first-round picks between 2023 and 2029, a first-round pick from this year’s draft in Walker Kessler, along with Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the NBA had not approved the deal and neither team could announce it publicly.
ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said Jarred Vanderbilt was going from Minnesota to Utah as part of the deal for Gobert — who now gets paired alongside another elite big man in Karl-Anthony Towns.
“5 firsts …. Sheeeeeshhhhh,” New Orleans guard CJ McCollum posted on Twitter.
Indeed, it is a slew of assets for the Jazz, who made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons and now seem to be resetting in multiple ways. Quin Snyder decided to depart last month after eight years as coach; the Jazz hired Will Hardy, a longtime San Antonio assistant and an assistant for Boston on its run to the Eastern Conference title this past season, to take over on the bench.
And now, Gobert leaves, officially ending his pairing with guard Donovan Mitchell in Utah — an on-court relationship that seemed really good at times, and strained at other moments. And a series of disappointing playoff exits led to the annual question of whether the two could coexist on a title-contending team.
Gobert is part of a new duo now: Twin Towers in the Twin Cities.
He’ll start alongside Towns, forming what arguably will be the best 1-2 big-man punch in the league. Minnesota, barring other moves, could have a starting lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, along with Gobert and Towns.
Minnesota struck the deal less than 24 hours after coming to an agreement on a $224 million, four-year extension with Towns, who is now under contract for the next six years.
Gobert has four years and $170 million left on a five-year, $205 million deal he signed with the Jazz last summer.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-07-01T23:43:41+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/sports/ap-source-rudy-gobert-traded-by-jazz-to-timberwolves/ |
What’s the best tablet holder for use in bed?
As more and more people cut the cord, it is no longer necessary to keep a TV in the bedroom for late-night entertainment. A tablet can stream your favorite shows or give you access to more books than you could read in a lifetime. However, holding a tablet in bed is awkward and quickly becomes uncomfortable.
Getting a quality tablet holder is essential if you want to watch shows or read while in bed. Lamicall’s Gooseneck Tablet Holder is an excellent option because it clamps to your headboard and can be easily adjusted to suit your needs.
What to know before you buy a tablet holder for bed
Why you need a tablet holder in bed
Even if you are just watching your tablet in bed, chances are your posture will be poor. Your neck and back will round, and your shoulders pulled in as you try to focus on the screen that you are holding. Additionally, the tight bend of your wrist can cause many muscle, tendon and nerve problems. Using a tablet holder allows you to watch or read in bed using better posture without keeping your wrists flexed. If you suffer from back, neck, shoulder or wrist pain and you look at your tablet for hours before going to bed each night, by using a tablet holder, you might be able to alleviate a lot of your symptoms.
Where to use your tablet holder besides in bed
A quality tablet holder may be perfect for bedtime use, but it can also excel in other situations. For entertainment, you can use it in your living room or in the kitchen to keep you company while cooking. You can place it on a piano or in your studio to display digital sheet music. If you use your tablet for work, the right tablet holder is all you need to adjust your posture, so you no longer face many aches and pains at the end of each workday.
What to look for in a quality tablet holder for bed
Type of holder
There are three types of tablet holders: laptop, mountable and freestanding.
Laptop: A laptop-tablet holder means a model that sits directly on your lap. While this type of tablet holder is the most affordable and often offers the most flexibility, whether typing or streaming, it can be tough on your neck because it forces you to look down.
Mountable: A mountable tablet holder has a clamp that allows you to fasten the device to a stable location such as a shelf, the headboard or even a nearby table. This tablet holder features an extendable arm or a long gooseneck, so you can position the tablet precisely how you like it.
Freestanding: The priciest tablet stand is a freestanding unit. This type of model is somewhat similar to a mountable tablet holder in that it features an extendable arm or a long gooseneck. However, this model stands on the floor like a lamp, so it sits next to your bed, regularly providing access to your tablet.
Size
A tablet stand needs to be adjustable so it can securely hold a tablet of any size. The best models will even be able to hold a phone.
Screen tilt
A tablet stand should have an adjustable tilt. If the tablet is positioned lower than your eye line, it will need to tilt at roughly a 30-degree angle, but the higher up it is, the closer to 90 degrees it should be so you can easily see the screen. If the tablet is above your eye line, the screen will need to tilt closer to 120 degrees.
Places for accessories
Even if you are just using your tablet for streaming or reading, you may want a place to keep your glasses and earbuds. If you are using the tablet for work, you may also want a place to put your stylus and power adapter. A tablet stand that has designated places to stash your accessories will be appreciated.
How much you can expect to spend on a tablet holder for bed
A budget tablet holder, basically a plastic triangle that you can place on your lap while in bed, can cost as low as $10. If you want a freestanding floor model that holds your tablet, you can spend up to $200 or more. For most users, a tablet holder suitable for use in bed will cost between $15-$30.
Tablet holder for bed FAQ
What if I fall asleep while using a tablet holder in bed?
A. If you tend to fall asleep while using your tablet at night, not all tablet holders will be a good option for you. Any model that sits on or straddles your lap could get damaged if you fall asleep and start tossing and turning. If you think there is a risk of falling asleep while using your tablet, the best tablet holder to get will be one that clamps onto your headboard, so it won’t be a problem if you fall asleep and start rolling.
Can I charge my tablet while it is in a tablet holder?
A. This depends on how secure the tablet is to the tablet holder. If a support bracket covers the charging port, you won’t be able to charge your tablet. However, if you can access the charging port, it will be possible to charge your tablet while it is on its stand. Again, you mustn’t fall asleep while charging your tablet as you could get tangled up in the cord and cause damage to your tablet or roll and create a choking hazard with the charging cord.
What’s the best tablet holder for the bed to buy?
Top tablet holder for bed
Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder
What you need to know: This model is a top pick for its ease of use, dependability and versatility.
What you’ll love: This tablet holder can quickly attach to a headboard or shelf. The gooseneck design gives you full control over the screen’s position, and the side clamps can expand and contract as needed to hold either a tablet or a phone.
What you should consider: This tablet holder is designed for reading and viewing only. It is not stable enough for tapping the screen without additional support.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top tablet holder for the bed for the money
What you need to know: This soft, adaptable tablet stand can be unfolded to fit a keyboard, if desired.
What you’ll love: This stand uses linen and cotton for comfort. It can rest on your lap or stomach and features pockets that can hold accessories such as a stylus, headphones, a charger and more. If you like using a keyboard with your tablet, this stand can unfold to accommodate your needs.
What you should consider: The angle on this tablet holder is not adjustable, so it may work for some and not others.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This stand has adjustable legs that make it a highly versatile option that you can use on uneven surfaces such as a bed.
What you’ll love: When fully opened, the wide footprint of the gooseneck legs gives this stand a low center of gravity, so it is remarkably stable. The bungee restraining straps can accommodate various tablet sizes, while you can adjust the viewing angle to suit individual needs.
What you should consider: The design of this stand is a little clunky, making it difficult to position. But once you’ve got everything in place, it works great.
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.
Allen Foster 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. | 2023-01-11T22:13:56+00:00 | valleycentral.com | https://www.valleycentral.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tablets-accessories-br/best-tablet-holder-for-bed/ |
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Saudi Arabia will reduce how much oil it sends to the global economy, taking a unilateral step to prop up the sagging price of crude after two previous cuts to supply by major producing countries in the OPEC+ alliance failed to push oil higher.
The Saudi cut of 1 million barrels per day, to start in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers agreed in a meeting in Vienna to extend earlier production cuts through next year.
Calling the reduction a “lollipop,” Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman said at a news conference that “we wanted to ice the cake.” He said the cut could be extended and that the group “will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market.”
The new cut would likely push up oil prices in the short term, but the impact after that would depend on whether Saudi Arabia decides to extend it, said Jorge Leon, senior vice president of oil markets research at Rystad Energy.
The move provides “a price floor because the Saudis can play with the voluntary cut as much as they like,” he said.
The slump in oil prices has helped U.S. drivers fill their tanks more cheaply and gave consumers worldwide some relief from inflation.
“Gas is not going to become cheaper,” Leon said. ”If anything, it will become marginally more expensive.”
That the Saudis felt another cut was necessary underlines the uncertain outlook for demand for fuel in the months ahead. There are concerns about economic weakness in the U.S. and Europe, while China’s rebound from COVID-19 restrictions has been less robust than many had hoped.
Saudi Arabia, the dominant producer in the OPEC oil cartel, was one of several members that agreed on a surprise cut of 1.6 million barrels per day in April. The kingdom’s share was 500,000. That followed OPEC+ announcing in October that it would slash 2 million barrels per day, angering U.S. President Joe Biden by threatening higher gasoline prices a month before the midterm elections.
All told, OPEC+ has now dropped production on paper by 4.6 million barrels a day. But some countries can’t produce their quotas, so the actual reduction is around 3.5 million barrels per day, or over 3% of global supply.
The previous cuts gave little lasting boost to oil prices. International benchmark Brent crude climbed as high as $87 per barrel but has given up its post-cut gains and been loitering below $75 per barrel in recent days. U.S. crude has recently dipped below $70.
That has helped U.S. drivers kicking off the summer travel season, with prices at the pump averaging $3.55, down $1.02 from a year ago, according to auto club AAA. Falling energy prices also helped inflation in the 20 European countries that use the euro drop to the lowest level since before Russia invaded Ukraine.
The Saudis need sustained high oil revenue to fund ambitious development projects aimed at diversifying the country’s economy.
The International Monetary Fund estimates the kingdom needs $80.90 per barrel to meet its envisioned spending commitments, which include a planned $500 billion futuristic desert city project called Neom.
The U.S. recently replenished its Strategic Petroleum Reserve — after Biden announced the largest release from the national reserve in American history last year — in an indicator that U.S. officials may be less worried about OPEC cuts than in months past.
While oil producers like Saudi Arabia need revenue to fund their state budgets, they also have to take into account the impact of higher prices on oil-consuming countries.
Oil prices that go too high can fuel inflation, sapping consumer purchasing power and pushing central banks like the U.S. Federal Reserve toward further interest rate hikes that can slow economic growth.
The Saudi production cut and any increase to oil prices could add to the profits that are helping Russia pay for its war against Ukraine. Russia has found new oil customers in India, China and Turkey amid Western sanctions designed to limit Moscow’s crucial energy income.
However, higher crude prices risk complicating trade by the world’s No. 3 oil producer if they exceed the $60-per-barrel price cap imposed by the Group of Seven major democracies.
Russia has found ways to evade the price cap through “dark fleet” tankers, which tamper with location data or transfer oil from ship to ship to disguise its origin. But those efforts add costs.
Under the OPEC+ deal, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow will extend its voluntary cut of 500,000 barrels a day through next year, according to Russian state news agency Tass.
But Russia might not be following through on its promises. Moscow’s total exports of oil and refined products such as diesel fuel rose in April to a post-invasion high of 8.3 million barrels per day, the International Energy Agency said in its April oil market report.
___
AP reporter Fatima Hussein contributed from Washington. | 2023-06-05T01:31:07+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/world-news/ap-international/with-oil-prices-slumping-opec-producers-weigh-more-production-cuts/ |
Two Memphis, Tenn., fire department employees have been "relieved of duty" while an internal investigation is conductedin connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who died days after a traffic stop on Jan. 7.
Memphis Fire Department spokesperson Qwanesha Ward told NPR the employees — who were not identified — were "involved in the initial patient care" of Nichols. She did not go into further details.
"This is an ongoing investigation, and we cannot comment further at this time," Ward said.
Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after he was stopped by Memphis police for reckless driving. The 29-year-old fled the scene of the traffic stop but eventually was taken into custody after what Memphis police saywere two "confrontations" with its officers.
Nichols had complained of shortness of breath following his arrest and was taken to the hospital in critical condition, authorities said. His family said the police beat him so badly that he became unrecognizable.
Attorney Ben Crump, one of the family's attorneys, told reporters during a news conference Monday that Nichols was tased, pepper sprayed and restrained during the incident — part of which occurred nearly 80 yards from where he lived with his mother and stepfather.
Crump said that, in body camera footage of the incident, Nichols could be heard calling out for his mother.
"Yet again, we're seeing evidence of what happens to Black and brown people from simple traffic stops," he said. "You should not be killed because of a simple traffic stop."
Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, told reporters during Monday's news conference that her son didn't do drugs or carry guns. She questioned why police felt the need to violently arrest him.
"He had my name tattooed on his arm, and that made me proud, because most kids don't put their mom's name, but he did," she said.
Five Memphis police officers have already been fired
The Memphis Police Department announced last week it had concluded its administrative investigation into Nichols' death, saying it had fired five officers: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith.
Like Nichols, all of the dismissed officers are Black.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn 'CJ' Davis said the officers had violated multiple police department policies — including excessive use of force, duty to intervene and duty to render aid.
"The Memphis Police Department is committed to protecting and defending the rights of every citizen in our city," Davis said in her statement. "The egregious nature of this incident is not a reflection of the good work that our officers perform, with integrity, every day."
Please see the attached statement. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/5ParaWvR52
— Memphis Police Dept (@MEM_PoliceDept) January 21, 2023
Video footage still has not been released to the public
Additionally, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office said in its statement it understood the "reasonable request from the public" to view the video of Nichols' death. The office said it was working to determine how quickly it could release the footage.
"Our office is committed to transparency and understands the reasonable request from the public to view the video footage. However, we must ensure we abide by applicable laws and ethical rules so that we do not jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution," the district attorney's office said.
The Justice Department and the FBI have launched a civil rights investigation into Nichols' death alongside the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation launching its own separate investigation.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-01-25T02:37:04+00:00 | kpcc.org | https://www.kpcc.org/npr-news/2023-01-24/2-memphis-fire-department-employees-are-relieved-of-duty-after-tyre-nichols-death |
Chenoa Fund helps more than 42,000 families become homeowners
CEDAR CITY, Utah, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CBC Mortgage Agency (CBCMA), a Native American wholly owned and federally chartered housing finance agency, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by unveiling a dynamic new rebrand for the correspondent investor and its Chenoa Fund Program, which has extended down payment assistance (DPA) to more than 42,000 families.
The Chenoa Fund Program was launched in May 2013 to help families achieve home ownership. Today, it operates in 49 states and territories. Roughly three-quarters of the homebuyers who receive DPA from CBC Mortgage Agency are first-time homebuyers, while around half are minorities.
"Our rebrand represents our renewed commitment to extending housing programs, including providing down payment assistance for those who are most in need of it," CBC Mortgage Agency President Miki Adams said. "We are proud to support economic stability for homebuying families and their communities, and we look forward to continuing this for many more decades."
In addition to the rebrand unveiling, CBC Mortgage Agency announced several significant hires and promotions, with women now accounting for 70% of the management team. The recent executive additions are listed below.
- Pam Cooper CPA CMB, Chief Financial Officer
- Alicia Wood, Loan Servicing Director
- Cari Zwick, (promoted to) National Program Director
- Kira Gissell, (promoted to) Communications, and PR Director
- Dianah Hart, Director of Investor Relations and Fulfillment
- Latrese Flowers, Program Management and Compliance Officer
"Our refreshed brand reflects the evolving and inclusive nature of CBC Mortgage Agency, while the design reflects our commitment to breaking down barriers to homeownership," Adams stated. "As we continue to carry out our mission, I'm looking forward to unveiling some exciting changes and improvements later this year."
For more information, including a press kit with the Chenoa Fund's new marketing materials, please visit chenoafund.org.
About CBC Mortgage Agency
Founded in 2013, CBC Mortgage Agency is a nationally chartered housing finance agency. As a leading source of down payment assistance, the company helps low-to-moderate income consumers, often in minority neighborhoods, achieve the dream of homeownership. CBC Mortgage Agency, which was recognized as one of the Top 25 Companies in Mortgage & Servicing by MReport, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cedar Band Corp., a federally chartered tribal corporation founded by the Cedar Band of Paiute Indians. More information can be found at chenoafund.org.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Chenoa Fund | 2023-05-15T20:27:04+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2023/05/15/cbc-mortgage-agency-unveils-dynamic-rebranding-it-celebrates-10-year-anniversary/ |
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The air-conditioning gave out as students returned from summer break last year to Jim Hill High School in Jackson, Mississippi, forcing them to learn in sweltering heat. By Thanksgiving, students were huddling under blankets because the heat wasn’t working.
Along the way students dealt with broken showers in locker rooms, plumbing issues and a litany of other problems in the nearly 60-year-old school building.
“There’s been times we’ve been cold, there’s been times we’ve been hot,” said Mentia Trippeter, a 17-year-old senior. “There’s been times where it rained and it poured, we’ve been drowning. We go through it — we go through it, man.”
Like other schools serving low-income communities across the country, Jim Hill has long dealt with neglected infrastructure that has made it harder for students to learn. So when Jackson Public Schools received tens of millions of dollars in federal COVID relief money, it decided to put much of the windfall toward repairing heating and plumbing problems, some of which temporarily caused the school to switch to remote learning.
For poorer school districts, deciding what to do with that money has involved a tough tradeoff: work on long-term academic recovery or fix long-standing infrastructure needs.
All told, the federal government has allocated $190 billion in pandemic relief aid to help schools recover — more than four times the amount the U.S. Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year, and with few strings attached.
An Associated Press analysis of school district spending plans from across the country found that the poorest districts in each state are far more likely than the richest districts to spend emergency relief funds on upgrading their buildings or transportation systems.
Jackson’s academic needs are no less pressing. The majority of students in the district learned virtually for a year and a half during the pandemic and math test scores plummeted by the equivalent of over a full year’s worth of learning, according to Harvard and Stanford’s Education Recovery Scorecard. But school officials didn’t want to miss a rare opportunity to fix infrastructure issues — some of which date back decades.
William Merritt, the school district’s chief of staff, said the funds gave the district the ability to “provide our students with tools that other students in well-to-do districts have.”
The data in AP’s analysis came from education market research firm Burbio, which reviewed how more than 6,000 districts across the country, representing over 75% of the nation’s public school students, planned to spend their federal relief money. The data covered the final and largest round of federal aid to schools, totaling $122 billion.
The AP found that school districts with the highest percentage of children living in poverty — the poorest 20% of districts in each state — were more than three times as likely as the wealthiest school districts to dedicate money to the construction of new buildings or classrooms. School districts with high levels of poverty were also more than twice as likely to include money for facilities repairs.
“The poor districts are doing it because they’re chasing after emergencies,” said Mary Filardo, executive director of the 21st Century School Fund.
Infrastructure is a prime example of long-standing inequities in school funding. While affluent districts can rely on local tax revenue to pay for major improvement projects such as installing state-of-the-art heating and ventilation systems, poorer districts that cannot often spend more money over time on short-term fixes.
In Texas, the Victoria Independent School District is also grappling with competing infrastructure needs and pandemic recovery. It plans to spend half of the $28.4 million it received in the last round of relief funds on academics, teacher retention and student supports that include social-emotional behavior specialists.
But the other 50% of the money is devoted to improving air quality, such as updating ventilation systems. Superintendent Quintin Shepherd says he’d love to spend more on counselors and less on fixing broken air conditioners, but there’s no way kids can learn safely in a classroom that’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
“We got into education to improve educational outcomes and life expectations. It’s a hard position to have to make these impossible decisions,” Shepherd said.
Some have argued the money shouldn’t be spent on infrastructure projects, which can take years to complete and often with with no immediate benefit to students. But the government only required 20% of the emergency relief funds to be spent addressing learning loss.
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a recent speech that the relief funding was “intended to accelerate reopening and recovery, not to fill decades of underinvestment in education funding and support for students.”
Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University, said it was right for the government to allow a high degree of flexibility in how to spend the relief funds, rather than bogging districts down in red tape.
In Jackson, officials chose to spend over half of the $109 million the district received in the last round of federal funding on fixing the facilities in schools like Jim Hill.
Students at the school generally agreed that it needed infrastructure upgrades. Still, when asked what they would do if they were put in charge of spending that money for the district, some had bigger wishes.
“I believe we could hire more teachers to teach different types of subjects,” said Elijah Fisher, a 17-year-old junior. But, he admitted, first he would use the money to fix the drainage system around the school.
Overall, officials in Jackson are confident that they’re making the right investment.
Though much of the funding went toward infrastructure needs, the school district also bought laptops for every student and invested in after-school programming. Jim Hill now offers near year-round school with the summer term devoted to field trips and “learn by doing” experiences.
The school’s principal, Bobby Brown, said the money spent on infrastructure needs is very necessary — although not enough to address decades of inequity in the majority Black school system.
“As you listen to the students, and them having generations of families that have similar experiences,” Brown said, “this also sheds light on the types of investment that we have — or the lack of investment that we have in communities where people look like us.”
___
The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | 2023-02-24T02:06:05+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-for-poor-schools-building-repairs-zap-covid-relief-money/ |
LANSING, Mich., May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Accident Fund is proud to recognize UNICO Group Inc. as its 2022 Agency of the Year. This is the second year in a row that Lincoln, Nebraska-based UNICO has received the award.
"We place tremendous value on our agency partnerships – and Accident Fund's longstanding relationship with UNICO is a great example of what can be accomplished together through trust and a mutual commitment to servicing our customers," said Steve Cooper, president of AF Group Commercial Markets. "Their back-to-back Agency of the Year recognition further demonstrates the investment they've placed in building a long-term relationship with Accident Fund!"
"We at UNICO are thrilled to be recognized as Accident Fund's Agency of the Year for a second year in a row," said Ric Stoakes, executive vice president and partner at UNICO. "Our reputation in the industry is a testament to the strong relationships we've fostered with our carrier partners. We value the importance of personal connections that extend beyond business. We're proud of our long-standing partnership with Accident Fund and appreciate their commitment to providing our clients with exceptional service and tailored solutions."
"Our partnership with UNICO was developed with a core belief to keep our mutual policyholders' workplaces safe and productive and to stand behind our promises to be there for them in their time of need," said Mike Valiante, vice president of Business and Development Operations for Accident Fund. "We are absolutely thrilled to award UNICO with another Agency of the Year recognition and are even more excited about what the future holds moving forward."
About UNICO Group
UNICO Group is a client-focused insurance broker headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our consultative and relational approach develops customized solutions for clients all around the nation. At UNICO, we are fueled by our core values: Professional, trust, team player and positive. By living our values and providing the best insurance products, service, and support to our clients, we strive to create lasting connections and partnerships.
About Accident Fund
Accident Fund has provided exceptional workers' compensation insurance, loss prevention strategies and superior claims service for more than 100 years, with a focus on customer experience and innovation to achieve the best outcomes for customers and their injured workers. Accident Fund is a division of AF Group. All policies are underwritten by a licensed insurer subsidiary. For more information, visit afgroup.com. © AF Group.
Contact:
Marissa Sura
(517) 896-3707
marissa.sura@afgroup.com
AFGroup.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE AF Group | 2023-05-10T13:41:46+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/05/10/accident-fund-names-unico-group-agency-year/ |
Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna was arrested early Friday morning on a charge of driving under the influence.
According to the Associated Press, Ozuna was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail at 4:39 a.m. ET and released on a $1,830 bond.
In a statement, the Braves said they were aware of the designated hitter's arrest and were gathering information about it, the news outlet reported.
"Our organization takes these matters very seriously and are obviously disappointed by the situation. As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment until the process is complete," the team said, according to the Associated Press.
This marks the second arrest in two years of Ozuna, who was arrested in 2021 for a domestic violence incident involving his wife, the news outlet reported.
According to the news outlet, the 31-year-old was placed on administrative leave after his arrest as Major League Baseball investigated the incident.
In November, the league suspended him for 20 games under its domestic violence policy, the Associated Press reported. | 2022-08-19T19:09:47+00:00 | kjrh.com | https://www.kjrh.com/sports/braves-slugger-marcell-ozuna-arrested-on-driving-under-the-influence-charge |
If you’re a fan of iced tea, get ready for this sweet treat!
McAlister’s Deli is celebrating National Iced Tea Day, June 10, by partnering with Creamalicious to launch a sweet tea ice cream.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
“We’re thrilled to put such a fun twist on our most iconic menu item and allow fans the opportunity to experience their favorite Sweet Tea in a new way,” Courtney Bufford, executive chef at McAlister’s Deli said. “With Creamalicious being known for transforming blissful Southern recipes into ice cream, we knew they were the perfect partner to collaborate on a unique confection out of our Famous Sweet Tea.”
The limited-edition pint is a blend of McAlister’s Deli’s Famous Sweet Tea with Sugar Cookie and Lemon Swirls. Starting today through June 12, customers can purchase a pint of sweet tea ice cream for $7.99 at participating locations nationwide, while supplies last.
“Creamalicious was born out of honoring traditional dessert recipes passed down for generations and churned to take people deep into the heart of the South where ice cream means connecting with loved ones over a spoonful of goodness,” Creamalicious owner and executive chef Liz Rogers said. “McAlister’s Deli captures the essence of genuine hospitality, so we’re excited our Sweet Tea Ice Cream will be an extension of the authentic nature both brands embody.”
The sweet tea ice cream is available at McAlister’s Deli’s locations in Beavercreek, Dayton, Mason, West Chester and Cincinnati. Pints will also be sold on Creamalicious’ website.
The ice cream creation kicks off McAlister’s Deli’s annual Sweet Sips Tea Fest, which celebrates the brand’s Famous Sweet Tea. McAlister’s Deli’s annual Free Tea Day will return on Thursday, July 21.
For more information about McAlister’s Deli’s, visit www.mcalistersdeli.com.
About the Author | 2022-06-10T15:00:16+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/what-to-know/national-iced-tea-day-mcalisters-deli-launches-new-ice-cream/EDJVRZFG7JE6TJUG6FCLGPYBRI/ |
AP source: Panthers owner, Jim Harbaugh discuss coaching job
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has talked to University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh about the team’s head coaching position, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person characterized the meeting as a conversation, not an interview. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because the team does not typically release details of its coaching search.
Charlotte Sports Live was first to report the conversation.
The Panthers’ head coaching search is expected to begin in earnest in the coming weeks.
Carolina (6-10) was eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday following a 30-24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Steve Wilks has been serving as interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired in the middle of his third season as head coach. The Panthers are 5-6 under Wilks.
Carolina is required to interview at least two minority candidates in person, and those can’t come until after the wild-card weekend if those coaches are employed by another NFL team.
Harbaugh has had success coaching at the NFL and college levels.
He coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014, winning two NFC West titles and reaching the NFC championship game three times in four seasons. He was 44-19-1 during that span and helped the 49ers get to Super Bowl 47, where they lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens.
He left the 49ers after going 8-8 in 2014 — the only season the 49ers didn’t make the postseason under his direction — to take the job at Michigan.
The 59-year-old Harbaugh has spent the past eight seasons coaching the Wolverines, compiling a 74-25 record. Michigan was 13-0 this season before getting upset this past weekend by TCU in the College Football Playoffs.
Harbaugh also spent four seasons as head coach of Stanford and three more at San Diego.
He was the AP NFL Coach of the Year in 2011 and AP College Coach of the Year in 2021.
He spent 15 seasons as an NFL quarterback, wrapping up his career with a short stint with the Panthers in 2001, although he didn’t play.
The Panthers, who have failed to reach the playoffs the past five seasons, wrap up the season Sunday at New Orleans.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved. | 2023-01-04T04:26:51+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/2023/01/04/ap-source-panthers-owner-jim-harbaugh-discuss-coaching-job/ |
Majority of US renters saw price hike in the past year, study says
Published: Aug. 16, 2022 at 9:31 AM CDT|Updated: 35 minutes ago
(CNN) - Renters in the U.S. are facing more worries about paying for housing.
Nearly 60% of people were hit with a rent increase during the past year, according to a study from Freddie Mac.
Just 38% of those renters said they saw an increase in take-home pay.
The study also found higher housing costs and inflation have altered the plans for many potential home buyers.
Nearly three-quarters of renter households who were planning to buy a home say that’s become more out of reach over the past year.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-16T15:07:25+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/2022/08/16/majority-us-renters-saw-price-hike-past-year-study-says/ |
Georgia vs. Ohio State College Football Playoff picks, predictions: Who wins Peach Bowl?
The Georgia Bulldogs face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Which team will win the game and advance to the National Championship Game?
Check out these picks, predictions and odds for the game, which is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. MST and can be seen on ESPN.
More:College football bowl schedule, TV information: How to watch 2022-23 bowl games
Georgia is a 7-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
The Bulldogs are -260 on the moneyline. The Buckeyes are +210.
The over/under for the game is set at 62 points.
Sporting News: Georgia 33, Ohio State 28
Bill Bender writes: "The Buckeyes are in a rare underdog role, and that makes them dangerous against the Bulldogs. Georgia is 4-0 ATS when favored by 20 points or less, and they are going to hit the Buckeyes with a rushing attack that averaged 207 yards per game. Quarterback Stetson Bennett also hasn't been sacked in his last six games. C.J. Stroud, however, will have success on the perimeter with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. The Buckeyes will push the Bulldogs to the limit, but Georgia comes up with the stop in crunch time."
Bookies.com: Take Ohio State with the points vs. Georgia
Dan Kilbridge writes: "We can’t wait to see how these coaches scheme it up in what’s really a dream matchup for college football betting fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. We’re expecting a close fight all the way and would be stunned by a blowout on either side."
Clutch Points: Ohio State will upset Georgia
Jonathan Alfano writes: "Ohio State is one of the few college football teams that can match Georgia in terms of talent. The Bulldogs just surrendered 30 points and over 500 passing yards against LSU in the SEC Championship, and a repeat performance could spell trouble. If C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes receivers can exploit that secondary, they will be in great shape. Georgia is still an incredibly tough team to beat and will not go down easily. However, Ohio State may have the right combination of talent and scheme to pull off the upset."
More:Michigan vs. TCU College Football Playoff picks, predictions, odds: Who wins Fiesta Bowl?
ESPN: Georgia 38, Ohio State 28
Adam Rittenberg writes: "Ohio State has new life after the Michigan loss, and it’s notable that the Buckeyes’ only CFP championship came in a season (2014) where they were largely counted out because of injuries. Still, Georgia seems like a better version of Michigan, which repeatedly gashed the Buckeyes for long touchdowns. Ohio State starts quickly with a long touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr., but Bennett and the Dawgs take control down the stretch and advance to the national title game."
College Football News: Ohio Stte 34, Georgia 30
Pete Fiutak writes: "Who’s the one team in college football that can hang player for player with Georgia? It’s not Alabama. Not this year. It’s Ohio State if it gets enough healthy parts back. This is where not playing in the Big Ten Championship really matters – the extra time gives this wounded team that much more of a chance to heal. Of course, Georgia is Georgia. The lines could take over right away and pound the Buckeyes into submission like Michigan did, but … You let 2014 Ohio State and 2017 Alabama in as a 4 seed. You don’t give teams this talented an extra chance."
FanDuel: Georgia 27, Ohio State 20
Adam Taylor McKillop writes: "This matchup features a pair of powerhouse teams, but ones that play very different styles of football. Georgia is looking to defend their national title from a year ago and ranks second in the country in terms of points allowed at an outstanding 12.77 per game. Georgia also ranks ninth in yards allowed. Michigan and their top-10 defense showed what a stalwart defensive front can do to the Buckeyes’ offense. Stroud ended up tossing 349 yards but threw to costly interceptions in the defeat. That proves the difference."
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | 2022-12-27T16:25:06+00:00 | azcentral.com | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/2022/12/27/georgia-ohio-state-college-football-playoff-peach-bowl-picks-odds/69754438007/ |
The number of children’s items recalled in 2022 in the U.S. topped 100 for the first time since 2013, according to Kids in Danger (KID).
KID found that 34% of all Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notices involved items used by children. Of those, 19 included lead content. Also, the number of clothing recalls doubled in 2022, from 16 in 2021 to 32.
KID noted that many recall notices are not posted on the CPSC’s social media pages and that parents rarely learn about them. KID found that recalls on children’s items generally were corrected 25% of the time.
“Recalling companies must use all tools at their disposal to retrieve recalled products. This includes social media for every recall and other measures such as direct notification of consumers and marketing recalls to the same extent as they market products,” according to the KID report.
SEE MORE: More than 59,000 child car seats recalled for anchor failure
KID’s data found a decline in injuries and deaths before recalls were initiated.
“Recalls are the most direct way of warning consumers about unsafe products and removing them from the market and homes,” the report read. “This report shows that while CPSC is making progress in recalling more dangerous products, more must be done to make the recalls effective in removing products from homes.”
The CPSC posts updated recall notices on its website every Thursday. You can search through past CPSC recalls on its website.
You can also be among the first to learn of product recalls by signing up for emails directly through the CPSC. | 2023-03-16T18:43:47+00:00 | wkbw.com | https://www.wkbw.com/news/national/childrens-product-recalls-reach-highest-level-in-nearly-a-decade |
The final episode of Succession airs on Sunday, bringing an end to the hit HBO series and, almost as importantly, what some have called "the definitive TV theme of the 21st century."
The opening theme, with its dissonant chords, dramatic strings and 808 beats, has remained a popular earworm over the last few years, not to mention fodder for high-profile remixes and viral memes.
All of that came as a surprise to Nicholas Britell, the composer behind the show's Emmy-winning score.
"What's happened with Succession has been beyond my, any of our wildest dreams, I think," he told Morning Edition. "And certainly on the music side, it's been very special that the music has resonated the way it has. I did not expect that."
Succession is Britell's first foray into television. He previously worked on acclaimed films including Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, Don't Look Up and The Big Short. That's how he knew director Adam McKay, who told him in 2016 about the new show he was executive producing.
Once Britell came on board, his first task was to figure out what the project should sound like.
"So much of my early work on anything is really sort of trying to experiment and see what could work and what feels right," he says, adding that the process usually starts with conversations with the showrunner and ends once there's an edited episode to work off. "The picture tells you what it's looking for."
The sound of Succession came from Britell's early conversations with McKay and the show's creator, Jesse Armstrong, as well as his visits to the set.
He watched the filming of the pilot — including a fight scene between patriarch Logan Roy and his son-slash-original heir apparent, Kendall — an experience Britell describes as "subconsciously kind of taking things in about the frequency of the show."
Then Britell invited McKay and Armstrong back to his studio and played them some early ideas, one of which was a chord progression "that felt very, very 1700s." And that's how the Succession theme was born.
The show's musical signature is its mix of "dark, courtly classical sound" with "oversize hip-hop beats and 808s," with the latter reflecting the taste of both protagonist Kendall and real-life hip-hop enthusiast Britell.
And it's meant to sound "off-kilter." Britell says he gets asked whether the piano and strings are supposed to be out of tune — and the answer is always yes.
"I have takes of some of these things where it's perfect and it does not sound right because when things sound, quote unquote, 'right' for the Roy family, it's wrong," he adds. "It doesn't work because the family is so dysfunctional that the music has to have this kind of brokenness to it somehow."
Britell's Succession repertoire includes far more than just the opener. He says he does five to 10 new themes every season, in addition to variations on the main theme chords, which was part of his conscious effort to evolve the music throughout the show's four seasons.
"I had this framework, it was kind of like an early thesis of, well, what if every season was a little bit like a movement of a classical symphony?" he explains, adding that each has its own "emotional hue."
Season one, like the first movement of a classical symphony, was an allegro: "You're setting out a certain set of ideas in perhaps a slightly quicker tempo." Season two was an adagio, or a "slower, more inward, more introspective kind of a movement" (inspired by Kendall's arc). Season three was a lighter scherzo, which comes from the Italian word for joke.
Britell said season four could have been many things, and he approached it not through one particular angle but by considering the shape of the storyline and the characters' journeys. Logan's death posed a particular challenge: It arguably changed the nature of the show and demanded a new sound, and yet Britell didn't want that sound to "not feel like Succession."
"I think the biggest challenge was figuring out a way forward for the sound where it could allow for the possibility of a future of some sort, while also staying true to, to me, that strange mixture of absurdity and gravitas that is the essence of the show," he says.
Britell spoke to Morning Edition about his process, the final season and what comes next.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Interview highlights
On his use of hip-hop
I was obsessed with hip-hop and in college was in a hip-hop band. ... So when the idea struck me to perhaps experiment with utilizing 808s or or beats with this sound, it was something that I knew how to do because I'd spent 20 years doing it. ... The hip-hop is used very specifically in certain places — the beats, the use of 808s — certainly in the main title sequence.
In season four, there's a sequence where Kendall is walking into the office and he listens to hip-hop as a way clearly of giving himself more confidence. It's sort of a boost in a sense, and the sequence where I put one of my beats under him walking into the office, it's directly after he's listening to a Jay-Z track in the car, so there's a bit of a parallel, I think, in that to the pilot episode where he's listening to the Beastie Boys and then he's walking into the office and then the main title beat sort of comes in. ... I like attempting to draw certain connections and parallels and symmetries to things.
On the process of scoring an episode
I get a full episode from editorial and ... I go through and I start experimenting with, where do I put music? ... It's a big, big question, because you could put music theoretically anywhere, but there are certain places where music goes that have a power to them, that work in relation to the grammar of a particular project. ... And then once you have a sense that there could be a moment for music, well then you have to actually say, OK, well then what is the music? What do we put there? One of the wonderful things with Succession is that having lived with it for four seasons now, you get an instinct for where and what and how for the music.
On the episode where Logan dies
That episode in particular was really fascinating for me, because I had written a few pieces of music imagining what that might be. But when I finally got the episode and I saw the phone call sequence ... I realized that that whole sequence actually required a type of music or a sound that I had never used in the show before, because Logan had never died before. ... To me, the key for that sequence in particular was that we had to feel like we were inside that emotion. I didn't want to push people to feel a certain way, I wanted it to feel like you were actually one of them, feeling this, feeling your father dying on the phone and you can't be there.
I called [Armstrong] up and I think he was traveling, he was out of the country. And I said, "I really think we need to get in the room together, because this sequence is so important and I think the only way we will be able to have it feel right is if we're sitting together, looking at it and in the minutest detail shaping it together." ... He flew to New York and came over to the studio and ... we basically sat together like a whole day, just looking at this sequence and talking about it and experimenting with it.
On whether there's more TV work in his future
Television is a lot of work. I mean, it's been a joy to work on Succession. I'm very driven by the collaborators that I work with, it's sort of the trust of working with certain people and believing in the projects themselves. So to me, I would go forward and work on another show if it was the right great people for sure. ... And I think television does require an order of magnitude more work than movies, just because of the sheer scope of a show. So I think before I would go into any other television series, I would think about the sheer amount of music that needs to be written.
The broadcast interview was produced by Chad Campbell and edited by Olivia Hampton.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-05-25T11:08:35+00:00 | upr.org | https://www.upr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-05-25/how-composer-nicholas-britell-created-the-sound-of-succession |
This weekend’s college football on FOX: Indiana vs. No. 2 Ohio State highlights Week 11 quadruple header
College football fans can start their day and end their night on FOX with four great games featuring conference rivals this weekend.
Coverage kicks off at 10 a.m. ET Saturday with Big Noon Kickoff on FOX followed by a Big Ten clash between Indiana (3-6) and No. 2 Ohio State (9-0) at noon ET.
And the second game of the quadruple header is at 3:30 p.m. ET when Maryland (6-3) hits the road for a matchup with No. 14 Penn State (7-2).
Then the action heads to the west coast for a pair of PAC-12 showdowns beginning with No. 25 Washington (7-2) vs. No. 6 Oregon (8-1) at 7 p.m. ET. And at 10 p.m. ET, the action concludes when Arizona (3-6) travels to California to take on No. 12 UCLA (8-1).
FILE-Ohio State Buckeyes running back Evan Pryor (21) stiff arms Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Weston Kramer (99) during a game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers in 2021. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Indiana vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Ohio State didn’t look sharp in their win against Northwestern last week and will have a chance to get back on track against Indiana, who lost to Penn State.
The Buckeyes can't look past the Hoosiers, who have lost six-straight games, this weekend since OSU next week has a big Thanksgiving week showdown with No. 3 Michigan that has massive college football playoff implications.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will look to get their offensive passing game going Saturday against an Indiana defense that struggled this season on defense.
Indiana QB Connor Bazelak returns as the starter after missing last week's game against Penn State with an injury. Bazelak averages a Big Ten-high 47 pass attempts per game but is completing a conference-low 54.9%.
Indiana hasn't beaten Ohio State since 1988 and has a 26-game losing streak against the Buckeyes. The Hoosiers desperately need a win to remain eligible for a bowl game.
Maryland vs. No. 14 Penn State
Penn State must keep winning to get to a New Year’s Six bowl and Maryland looks to rebound after losing at Wisconsin last week.
Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa’s versatility as a passer and runner will be key against a Penn State secondary that rarely gets beat on timing routes.
The Nittany Lions have won six of eight in the series since the Terrapins joined the Big Ten in 2014. Penn State averaged nearly 44 points per game in those wins. Maryland’s 35-19 victory in 2020 came with Beaver Stadium empty amid the pandemic.
If Maryland wants a chance to win, they will have to get help from their running game led by RB Roman Hemby who's averaging 6.17 yards per carry this season. Hemby has 63 touches for 391 yards and four touchdowns in three games.
The Nittany Lions have won six of eight in the series since the Terrapins joined the Big Ten in 2014. Penn State averaged nearly 44 points per game in those wins. Maryland’s 35-19 victory in 2020 came with Beaver Stadium empty amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
No. 25 Washington vs. No. 6 Oregon
This game features two of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.
Nix had a great game in a win against Colorado last week. Nix had his third straight game with at least five touchdowns. He now has 36 total touchdowns this season — 22 passing, 13 rushing, and one receiving — and is getting more Heisman Trophy consideration as the season continues.
Penix Jr. is the national leader in passing yards per game with 359.1. He has 3,232 yards passing for the season, 23 touchdown passes, and five interceptions. The QB had a streak of eight straight games with 300 or more yards passing that just ended last week in a victory over Oregon State.
The Huskies defense led by linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio faces a tough task against a Ducks offense that ranks first in the Pac-12 and second nationally with an average of 520.6 yards of offense per game. They rank first in the Pac-12 and are tied for third nationally with an average of 43.1 points a game.
The rivalry between the two schools dates back to 1900 and Washington hasn’t traveled to Eugene, Oregon, since 2018, when the Ducks beat them 30-27 in overtime.
Arizona vs. No. 12 UCLA
UCLA is ranked in the Top 10 in November for the first time in eight years and finds itself among the top 12 teams in the College Football Playoff.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson rushed for a career-high 120 yards, and Keegan Jones added 98. Kazmeir Allen led the way with 137 yards and had his second straight game with a TD run of at least 70 yards.
Arizona is ranked 11th in the conference in rush defense, allowing 218.7 yards per game. The Wildcats have given up over 200 yards five times and 300 yards in three games.
If the Wildcats want to pull an upset, the team needs a better performance from quarterback Jayden de Laura. He threw for a season-low 159 yards and no touchdowns in last week’s 45-20 loss to Utah.
The sophomore is seventh nationally, averaging 312.6 yards per game. Over the last five games, de Laura has completed 62.1% of his passes for 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions and is averaging 344.2 yards per game.
Arizona faces their fourth AP top 12 team in their last five games, making them the first Pac-12 program since Washington in 2012 to go through that kind of a stretch.
The Associated Press contributed to this story. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. | 2022-11-12T00:09:49+00:00 | fox6now.com | https://www.fox6now.com/news/this-weekends-college-football-on-fox-quadruple-header |
The Rapid City Police Department Thursday identified the man found dead in a drainage tunnel Sunday near East Boulevard and Omaha Street Sunday as Duane Yellow Cloud, 52, of Rapid City.
An autopsy performed in the investigation revealed no evidence of traumatic injury, according to RCPD. During the investigation, police say they found evidence that the water drainage tunnels in the area have been used as shelter intermittently by members of the city’s homeless population.
RCPD believes Yellow Cloud was using the tunnel as shelter when he died. His heavy clothing indicates he died during the winter months. Recent heavy rains likely swept his body to the gated runoff tunnel where he was discovered.
"There is no way to describe this situation as anything but tragic, and the collective sympathies of the RCPD go out to Mr. Yellow Cloud’s family and friends in the wake of his passing," RCPD said in a post to social media Thursday. | 2023-05-25T16:23:46+00:00 | rapidcityjournal.com | https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/body-found-in-drainage-ditch-sunday-identified-as-missing-duane-yellow-cloud/article_4cdc867e-fb0a-11ed-b4a7-bb36a590d6da.html |
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) suggested Democrats are fearful GOP candidate Herschel Walker will win the Senate election in Georgia because it would poke a hole in their assertions that the Republican Party is racist.
“Hollywood will melt down if Herschel wins. Every Republican is getting beat up pretty bad, we got no friends in the media, all this money coming out of Hollywood trying to make up down, but why are they so focused on Herschel?” Graham said during a stump speech for Walker on Thursday.
“They’re afraid of Herschel Walker because if Herschel Walker wins, that mean we’re not racist. And if you’re a Republican, aren’t you tired of being called a racist all the time by everybody?”
Walker is locked in a tight race with incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) in an election that is seen as key to control of the Senate in the next Congress.
Walker’s campaign has been dealing with a number of negative stories published in the national press over the last several weeks, including allegations from multiple women saying Walker encouraged them to get an abortion. | 2022-10-28T03:34:48+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/news/graham-democrats-fear-walker-win-because-it-would-mean-gop-is-not-racist/ |
A good baby walker can feel like a game-changer, giving your growing toddler independent mobility as they get the hang of walking while keeping them safe from mishaps. Functionality and reliability are key. You want your baby entertained when your hands are full, but you also want them to be safe.
The most important safety features differ depending on the type of baby walker you choose. Baby walkers are made for children 4 to 18 months old, with some more age-specific while others are designed to adapt as your little one grows. There are three styles: seated, standing and convertible walkers. But here’s a key to safety in all of them — never leave a child unsupervised in any type of baby walker.
In this article: Fisher-Price Learn With Me Zebra Walker, Baby Trends Smart Steps 3.0 Activity Walker and Hape Push-and-Pull Wonder Walker.
Seated walker
A seated walker with wheels is made for babies 4 to 16 months old who can sit up on their own. It’s generally considered the most dangerous, because it elevates the baby so that they can reach potentially hazardous items on shelves. The wheels can spin too fast, too, another significant safety concern.
If you decide to go with a seated walker, apply the same rule as with a car seat: Buy new. Don’t accept a second-hand seated walker, which may not have the most up-to-date safety features. The newest seated walkers have lower rails that are more likely to get stuck when a baby approaches danger zones such as the edge of the stairs or hazardous dips in the ground level. The friction slows the walker, preventing incidents.
Standing walker
When your baby starts using nearby furniture to pull themselves up, it’s time for a standing or push walker. This can happen around the 6-month mark, though age varies depending on your child’s development. Unlike a seated walker, the standing walker doesn’t hold the baby up on all sides. Instead, it features a push handle for support while the baby walks behind.
Think of it like a shopping cart. There might be an activity center up front for play, but the baby isn’t confined to the walker. They can let go whenever they want. While this might lead to them stumbling more often, the standing walker ensures that their hands are occupied when they are using the walker. This means they can’t be pulling things down off shelves and potentially hurting themselves as they walk.
Convertible walker
The sit-to-stand convertible walker is designed to evolve as your child grows. Convertible doesn’t necessarily mean a walker changes from a seated walker to a standing walker, though some do. More and more, convertible walkers take a more creative approach with detachable play panels that can be used without the walking component.
Best seated walkers
Top seated walker
What you need to know: This plastic walker offers four wheels, a tray table with a cushioned seating area, and a weight capacity of 30 pounds.
What you’ll love: It has rubber stair pads for uneven surfaces and three adjustable heights. Reinforced steel is used in the frame for extra sturdiness. The tray table is spacious and dishwasher-safe. The fabric seat is removable and machine-washable.
What you should consider: It doesn’t work as well on carpet as on hard flooring.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top seated walker for the money
Baby Trends Smart Steps 3.0 Activity Walker
What you need to know: This walker has a metal and plastic frame with four wheels, a play tray, cushioned seating and a weight capacity of 30 pounds.
What you’ll love: It features an extra-wide base for stability and comes with a detachable toy bar. There are three height settings and it folds up for easy storage.
What you should consider: The wheels don’t lock.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best standing walkers
Top standing walker
Hape Push-and-Pull Wonder Walker
What you need to know: This push walker has a wooden frame with four wheels and five brightly colored play activities built in.
What you’ll love: It’s sturdy and well-made. The wheels are rubber-trimmed. The paint is nontoxic and child-safe. The handle is a great size for little hands. There are toy nobs and gears for lots of engagement.
What you should consider: It can be tricky to assemble.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top standing walker for the money
Fisher-Price Learn With Me Zebra Walker
What you need to know: This push walker has a plastic frame and a fun zebra motif with light-up buttons and sing-along audio features.
What you’ll love: It’s lightweight with sturdy wheels. It engages multiple senses, teaching numbers and letters. There are different textures and seven built-in activities. It also works well on carpet.
What you should consider: The wheels don’t have any grip and can roll a bit fast on non-carpeted flooring.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best convertible walkers
Top convertible walker
Bright Starts 4 Ways to Play Walker Ford Mustang
What you need to know: This plastic walker features four modes of play with a fun car theme and a weight capacity of 26 pounds.
What you’ll love: It adjusts to three heights, and the rubber feet function as a brake. It works as a seated walker or a push walker with a removable steering wheel that your baby can play with separately. It features car lights and sounds.
What you should consider: It requires three AA batteries, not included.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top convertible walker for the money
VTech Sit-To-Stand Learning Walker
What you need to know: This versatile plastic walker has a fun-filled activity panel, lights and music.
What you’ll love: It functions as a push walker but can also be collapsed into a stationary activity panel with piano keys, shape sorters and a toy phone handset. There’s a two-speed control switch.
What you should consider: The removable interactive panel can be tricky to reattach.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
- The Small Foot “Move It!” Wooden Baby Walker functions as a push walker and activity center with five ways to play and a parking brake.
- Durability and stability come together with the musical Kub Interactive Baby Push Walker.
- The nostalgic Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon is an attractive push walker with plenty of toy storage.
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.
Emily Verona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-01T21:08:05+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/activity-br/which-baby-walker-has-the-best-safety-features/ |
Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Thank you for signing in! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading!
We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading!
We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading!
We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading!
We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading!
We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Checking back? Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again.
Thank you for reading!
Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.
Print Subscriber Verification
Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label.
An Oregon State Police (OSP) Trooper located a deceased pedestrian on Interstate 84, westbound near milepost 89 Aug. 19; troopers later located this vehicle belonging to the pedestrian in the area.
On Aug. 19 at about 9 a.m., an Oregon State Police (OSP) Trooper located a deceased pedestrian on Interstate 84, westbound near milepost 89.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the pedestrian was struck by an unknown vehicle between the hours of 4-5:20 a.m. Troopers located a vehicle that belonged to the pedestrian in the area (see photo).
OSP is requesting anyone that may have witnessed or been traveling through the area and hit what they thought could be an animal during those hours to please call *OSP (*677) or 800-442-0776; Reference Case Number SP22-217109.
More information will be released when it becomes available. | 2022-08-20T10:23:37+00:00 | columbiagorgenews.com | https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/news/osp-requesting-public-assistance-with-wasco-county-pedestrian-hit-and-run-crash-on-i-84/article_02d34152-2019-11ed-b9d1-23cf1d7d2f86.html |
Defensive tackle Daron Payne is under contract long term, and now the Washington Commanders are starting to address their biggest need, the offensive line.
A person with knowledge of the contract said Washington agreed to terms with Wylie on a $24, million, three-year deal. A person with knowledge of Gates’ deal said he got a three-year contract.
Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contracts cannot be signed or become official until the new league year opens Wednesday.
Wylie, who turns 29 in August, started all 17 regular-season and all three playoff games for the Chiefs on their second Super Bowl run in four years. He played guard when they won it all during the 2019 season.
Gates, 27, brings similar position flexibility after splitting time at guard and center during his 42 games with the Giants over the past four seasons. Adding Gates is similar to Washington bringing in Wes Schweitzer for interior depth in 2020.
Wylie is the second player to follow new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to the Commanders from Kansas City. Wide receiver/special teams player Marcus Kemp signed not long after the Super Bowl when the Chiefs opted not to keep him.
Coach Ron Rivera and Bieniemy agreed the offensive line needed fixing after the Commanders allowed 48 sacks last season, eighth most in the league. The unit could have a few new starters in front of likely starting quarterback Sam Howell.
Washington in free agency is still looking for a veteran to compete with, push or fill in for Howell if things go wrong for the 2022 fifth-round pick with just one game of NFL experience. That could be Taylor Heinicke if he returns.
There was little doubt Payne was coming back after leading the team with a career-high 11 1/2 sacks. The Commanders put the $18.9 million franchise tag on Payne last month in the hopes of hammering out a long-term deal, and that came to fruition Sunday with the second-biggest contract for a defensive tackle, behind only seven-time All-Pro Aaron Donald.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-03-13T20:38:54+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2023/03/13/commanders-nfl-free-agency/594c9f8e-c1da-11ed-82a7-6a87555c1878_story.html |
NEW YORK, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Bakkt Holdings, Inc. f/k/a VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings (NYSE: BKKT).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/bakkt-holdings-inc-f-k-a-vpc-impact-acquisition-holdings-loss-submission-form/?id=28311&from=4
This lawsuit is on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired: (a) Bakkt securities between March 31, 2021 and November 19, 2021, both dates inclusive; and/or (b) Bakkt Class A common stock pursuant and/or traceable to documents issued in connection with the business combination between the Company and Bakkt Holdings, LLC completed on or about October 15, 2021.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until June 20, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Bakkt Holdings, Inc. f/k/a VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company had defective financial controls; (ii) as a result, there were errors in the Company's financial statements related to the misclassification of certain shares issued prior to the business combination between the Company and Bakkt Holdings, LLC; (iii) accordingly, the Company would need to restate certain of its financial statements; (iv) the Company downplayed the true scope and severity of these issues; (v) the Company overstated its remediation of its defective financial controls; and (vi) as a result, the documents issued in connection with the business combination and defendants' public statements throughout the class period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
View original content:
SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | 2022-06-10T09:51:05+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/bkkt-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-bakkt-holdings-inc-fka-vpc-impact-acquisition-holdings-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-june-20-2022/ |
By The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine — The CEO of a Ukrainian regional power company has accused Russian troops of deliberately destroying energy infrastructure in the southern Mykolayiv region.
“Electricity for the population, industry and agriculture is a basic good, without which normal life is impossible. Therefore, energy facilities become a target for enemy troops,” Vadym Danylkiv, CEO of regional monopoly Nikolaevoblenergo, said in a statement Friday.
Since the start of June, Russian shelling has destroyed 14 overhead power lines and 377 transformer substations, and damaged a key 40 MVA transformer, the company said. Danylkiv said the Mykolayiv region has “an acute need for transformer oil.”
“Just as a result of the latest damage, as a result of the shelling of a powerful transformer, we lost 26 tons of oil. Its purchase means (spending) about UAH 2.6 million for such a volume, plus complex logistics,” Danylkiv was cited as saying.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Ukraine fears a long war might cause West to lose interest
— Ukraine: Drivers risk all to bring aid, help civilians flee
— Ukraine: 100-200 soldiers die daily, new plea for heavy guns
— Ukraine soccer club Shakhtar survives into 9th year of exile
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
KYIV, Ukraine — At least two civilians have been hospitalized following Russian shelling on the outskirts of Ukraine’s second largest city, according to regional emergency services.
Emergency teams on Friday were searching for more casualties in Derhachi, a town 12 kilometers northwest of Kharkiv, which has been targeted in a series of strikes in recent weeks.
Following the shelling, fires broke out in residential buildings, the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in the Kharkiv region said in a statement.
Kharkiv’s mayor said the city, which was a key military objective in the early stages of Russia’s invasion, continues to suffer regular strikes.
“The intensity of shelling … has become a little less, but bombs and rockets of higher power are being used in the city of Kharkiv. The destruction that we see today is very, very serious,” Ihor Terekhov said in a televised briefing.
He said Moscow was sabotaging what he called Kharkiv’s ongoing return to normality.
“The process of restoring everyday life in Kharkiv is underway. The subway is working, public transport is working … Many enterprises have begun to open, many Kharkiv residents have begun to return. The enemy sees all this, it makes him furious. It is clear that he wants to destabilize the situation,” Terekhov said.
___
LONDON — British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a previously unannounced visit to Kyiv.
The U.K. defense ministry says Wallace also held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, during the two-day visit this week.
It said Friday Wallace told Zelenskyy that “U.K. support will continue to meet Ukraine’s needs as the conflict enters a different phase.”
Britain has been one of the biggest donors of military equipment to Ukraine and recently agreed to send rocket launch systems that can target Russian artillery positions in eastern Ukraine.
Western officials say the conflict is becoming a grinding slow-motion war as Russian forces inch forward in their offensive to capture Ukaine’s eastern industrial heartland.
___
Russia’s central bank has cut interest rates back to their prewar levels, saying inflation and economic activity are developing better than expected despite sweeping Western sanctions imposed in response to the war in Ukraine.
The bank lowered its key rate Friday by 1.5 percentage points to 9.5%. It had been as high as 20% in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions that restrict dealings with Russian banks, individuals and companies.
Economists say that over time the sanctions will corrode growth and productivity, but the central bank has managed to stabilize Russia’s currency and financial system through drastic measures such as high interest rates, restrictions on flows of money out of the country and a requirement that importers sell their foreign currency earnings for rubles.
Those measures have helped push the Russian currency’s exchange rate to 58.12 against the dollar Friday, compared with 78.8 rubles to the dollar on Feb. 23, the day before the invasion.
The central bank says inflation was an annual 17% in May but appeared to have passed its post-invasion peak of 17.8% and to be headed down amid lower price increases in May and June.
___
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging the European Union strongly to put his country on track to membership.
In a video address on Friday to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, Zelenskyy said the EU should act quickly to offer Ukraine the status of a candidate to join the 27-nation bloc.
He said that the “gray zone” Ukraine has been left in has encouraged Russian aggression. He urged the EU to show “that its words about the Ukrainian people being part of the European family aren’t a hollow sound.”
Zelenskyy deplored that “there are still some political skeptics who doubt whether we should be allowed to move to join the EU.”
___
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Finland plans to send more defense equipment to Ukraine but isn’t specifying what it is or when it will be delivered.
The government said Friday that President Sauli Niinistö agreed to its request to send more military aid. It said it wasn’t giving more information in order “to ensure that the help arrives.”
The Nordic nation already has sent rifles and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, among other things.
Finland, a European Union member that has a long border with Russia, sought NATO membership following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
___
VATICAN CITY — The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has met with Pope Francis to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine and relieve the global food crisis it has exacerbated.
In a tweet after the 20-minute audience Friday, von der Leyen wrote: “We stand with those suffering from the destruction in Ukraine. This war must end, bringing peace back to Europe.”
Von der Leyen also met with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who recently returned from Ukraine. The Vatican said their talks focused on the “common commitment to work to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, dedicating particular attention to the humanitarian aspects and the food consequences of the continuation of the conflict.”
___
GENEVA — The U.N. human rights office has voiced concern about the death sentences imposed by pro-Moscow rebels in Ukraine on three captured foreigners who were fighting on the Ukrainian side.
A court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic found two Britons and one Moroccan guilty of seeking the violent overthrow of power. The men were also convicted of mercenary activities and terrorism.
U.N. rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani noted Friday that, according to the Ukrainian military, all three were part of Ukraine’s armed forces. She said if that is the case they “should not be considered as mercenaries”
Shamdasani said that, since 2015, the office has observed that the judiciary in rebel-run separatist areas “has not complied with essential fair trial guarantees, such as public hearing, independence and impartiality of the court and the right not to be compelled to testify.”
She added that “such trials against prisoners of war amount to a war crime.”
___
ZAGREB, Croatia — Croatia’s HRT state television says a Croatian citizen who has been wounded while fighting in Ukraine has been transferred home and hospitalized in the capital, Zagreb.
HRT reported Friday that the man is in stable condition after suffering serious injuries to an arm and leg. Doctors say they are assessing his condition to determine whether and when to perform surgery.
The man fought alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia. Another Croatian citizen was detained by Russian troops last month after fighting in the port city of Mariupol.
HRT identified the injured fighter as Jozinović Vuković.
___
KYIV, Ukraine — A regional governor says Ukrainian soldiers are fighting for every house in street battles in a key city in eastern Ukraine.
Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai told The Associated Press on Friday that the Ukrainian forces have retained control of the industrial area on the edge of the city of Sievierodonetsk and also control some other sections.
He said that “battles are going on for every house and every street.”
Sievierodonetsk, the administrative center of Luhansk province in the Donbas industrial region, has been the focus of the Russian offensive in recent weeks.
___
LONDON — The British government says Russia must take responsibility for the “sham trial” of two Britons who have been sentenced to death for fighting against Russian forces in Ukraine.
Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, were convicted along with a Moroccan man by a court run by Russia-backed rebels in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, which is not recognized internationally.
The two Britons were members of a Ukrainian military unit and were captured in the southern port of Mariupol.
Government minister Robin Walker said it was “an illegal court in a sham government” but that the U.K. would use “all diplomatic channels to make the case that these are prisoners of war who should be treated accordingly.”
He said “Russia needs to take responsibility, its responsibilities under the Geneva Convention, for the treatment of prisoners of war.”
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is due to speak to her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba later Friday about the case. The U.K. has not announced any plans to speak to Russian officials.
___
KYIV, Ukraine — As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds into its fourth month, officials in Kyiv have expressed fears that the specter of “war fatigue” could erode the West’s resolve to help the country push back Moscow’s aggression.
The U.S. and its allies have given billions of dollars in weaponry to Ukraine. Europe has taken in millions of people displaced by the war. And there has been unprecedent unity in post-World War II Europe in imposing sanctions on President Vladimir Putin and his country.
But as the shock of the Feb. 24 invasion subsides, analysts say the Kremlin could exploit a dragged-out, entrenched conflict and possible waning interest by the West that might lead to pressuring Ukraine into a settlement.
___
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — Volunteer drivers are risking everything to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukrainians behind the front lines of the war — and to help many of them escape.
The routes are dangerous and long and the drivers risk detention, injury or death. Ukrainian activists say more than two dozen drivers have been detained and held for more than two months by Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk region.
In Donetsk and the Luhansk region, vans and minibuses of volunteers zip through towns and down country roads, racing to evacuate civilians as artillery shells whistle through the air. Russian forces are doubling down on their offensive in the regions.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2022-06-10T18:39:04+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/06/10/live-updates-utility-russia-wrecks-energy-infrastructure/ |
New strategic roles join over 10 new hires in the region in 2022 so far
NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blis, the audience-first platform that doesn't rely on personal data, today announced the hire of David Asch as VP of Programmatic Partnerships and Jonathan Alt as RVP Midwest and West in the US. The new strategic roles were created to fulfill the increasing demand from Blis' clients in the US.
With over fifteen years of industry experience working in the region, David Asch joins Blis from AudienceX, where he was the VP of sales for the US, leading the entire sales management for the region – ensuring that campaigns were leveraging the best performing blend of tactics across channels and screens.
Jonathan Alt joins the Blis team to support Blis' growth across the Midwest and West coast. For the past seven years, Jonathan held different positions at Dotdash to ultimately become Chief Revenue Officer, Lifestyle Brands at the company. Prior to that, Jonathan worked across different media and adtech companies, including Basis Technologies, Game Show Network and Viacom.
"For the first time, Blis has hired a VP of Programmatic Partnerships exclusively dedicated to the US market," said Gil Larsen, Managing Director Americas at Blis. "Expanding our operations across the country is extremely important to Blis' future plans. Supporting our clients to navigate this new privacy-first scenario with a platform that doesn't rely on personal data is our highest priority. Both Jonathan and David will be instrumental to the success of our business and I'm excited to have them on board to support our growth in the region."
Blis has been operating in the US since 2016 and growing rapidly since then, with employees based in key markets across the nation. In addition to David and Jonathan's hires, Blis also announced several other important hires in the region, following the recent investment from LDC, with headcount growing by 41% so far in 2022.
"Blis has made significant investments in our product over the past two years with a focus on delivering client outcomes programmatically without relying on personal data," said David Asch, VP of Programmatic Partnerships at Blis, US. "Being able to develop our programmatic partnerships even further is critical to the business and I'm looking forward to delivering our roadmap across the country in 2022."
About Blis
Blis is the audience-first platform that doesn't rely on personal data. We're an integrated planning and buying platform that delivers scaled, relevant and high-performing audiences, helping the world's largest brands and media agencies achieve their goals.
Over the past 18 years, Blis has built its reputation on delivering award-winning location-powered advertising solutions. In today's consumer-centric landscape, Blis is transforming the role of location data by combining it with a broad range of rich and powerful datasets to give our clients the deepest audience understanding available. Our unique approach to integrated planning and buying provides personalized targeting and performance without reliance on personal data. We serve relevant ads to the highest-value addressable audiences across any channel and deliver our clients' campaign outcomes every time, from brand awareness and engagement through to store/site visits and sales.
Established in the UK in 2004, Blis now operates in more than 40 offices across five continents. Working with the world's largest and most customer-driven companies across all verticals including Unilever, Samsung, McDonald's, HSBC, Mercedes Benz and Peugeot, as well as every major media agency.
To learn more, visit blis.com.
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1501097/Blis_Logo.jpg
View original content:
SOURCE Blis | 2022-08-17T15:46:12+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/17/blis-appoints-new-vp-programmatic-partnerships-new-rvp-midwestwest-continuing-hiring-spree-us/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A far-right internet personality who streamed live video while he stormed the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday to two months of imprisonment for joining the mob’s attack on the building.
Anthime Gionet, known as “Baked Alaska” to his social media followers, declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him to 60 days behind bars followed by two years of probation. Gionet had faced a maximum of six months of imprisonment.
Gionet incriminated himself and other rioters with the video that he streamed to a live audience of roughly 16,000 followers. The 27-minute video showed him encouraging other rioters to stay in the Capitol.
“You did everything you could to publicize your misconduct,” the judge told Gionet. “You were there encouraging and participating fully in what was going on.”
The judge allowed Gionet to remain free until he must report to prison. After his sentencing, Gionet told reporters that he views his sentence as a “win” and said he plans to write a book while in jail.
Despite his guilty plea, Gionet said he didn’t think he was breaking the law on Jan. 6 and doesn’t regret being there.
“I have grown immense amounts,” he said outside the courthouse. “But I still hold firm that I was there because I believe the election was fraudulent, and I believe people should have a right to speak freely as long as they are being peaceful.”
Inside an office for Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, Gionet filmed himself picking up a telephone and pretending to report “a fraudulent election,” parroting former President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
“We need to get our boy, Donald J. Trump, into office,” Gionet added.
Gionet joined others in chanting, “Patriots are in control!” and “Whose house? Our house!” Before leaving, he profanely called a Capitol police officer an “oathbreaker.”
Gionet, 35, pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing inside a Capitol building.
Prosecutors recommended sentencing Gionet to 75 days of incarceration, three years’ probation and 60 hours of community service.
Gionet worked at BuzzFeed before he used social media videos to become an influential figure in far-right political circles. He was scheduled to speak at the white nationalist “Unite the Right” rally in 2017 before it erupted in violence on the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan originally was scheduled to sentence Gionet. Sullivan recently withdrew from Gionet’s case and several others for reasons that aren’t specified in court filings, although he took “senior status” and retired from full-time duty nearly two years ago.
Gionet celebrated online when his case was reassigned to McFadden, a Trump nominee. On a live stream, Gionet praised McFadden as “a very awesome judge who is a pro-Trump judge and one of the judges that let one of the guys off innocent in his trial.”
McFadden acquitted a New Mexico man, Matthew Martin, of riot-related charges in April 2022 after hearing trial testimony without a jury. Martin is the only Jan. 6 defendant who has been acquitted of all charges after a trial.
More than 900 people have been charged with federal crimes related to Jan. 6. Nearly 500 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor offenses, and over 350 of them have been sentenced.
Federal authorities have used Gionet’s video to prosecute other rioters, including three men from New York City. Antonio Ferrigno, Francis Connor and Anton Lunyk pleaded guilty last year and were sentenced to home confinement. Gionet’s livestream showed them in Merkley’s office.
Defense attorney Zachary Thornley argued in a court filing that Gionet “never crossed the line from being a protestor to a rioter.” Thornley described his client as “sort of a guerrilla journalist.”
“He was there to document. That’s what he does,” the lawyer told the judge.
Mainstream internet platforms, including Twitter, suspended Gionet’s accounts before Jan. 6. At the Capitol, he was livestreaming video using a fringe service called DLive. He told authorities that viewers paid him $2,000 for his livestreams on Jan.5 and Jan. 6.
Under Elon Musk’s ownership, Twitter has reinstated accounts belonging to Gionet and other far-right figures.
Gionet, who grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, was arrested in Houston less than two weeks after the riot and jailed for five days. He moved from Arizona to Florida after his release.
McFadden also ordered Gionet to pay a $2,000 fine and $500 in restitution. The judge said the Jan. 6 riot was the “culmination of a petty crime spree” by Gionet.
Gionet was sentenced to 30 days in jail for misdemeanor convictions stemming from a December 2020 encounter in which authorities say he shot pepper spray at an employee at a bar in Scottsdale, Arizona. Gionet also was convicted of a criminal damage charge and fined $300 for damaging a Hanukkah display in December 2020 outside the Arizona Capitol.
McFadden noted that Gionet recorded his crimes to drum up social media followers and money.
“That is a very disturbing vocation, sir,” the judge told him.
“Without him going to prison, he won’t stop what he’s going,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franks said.
Gionet initially balked at pleading guilty to the Jan. 6 charge during an earlier hearing. Sullivan refused to accept a guilty plea by Gionet in May after he professed his innocence at the start of what was scheduled to be a plea agreement hearing.
___
Associated Press video journalist Nathan Ellgren contributed to this report. | 2023-01-11T06:11:34+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/politics/ap-capitol-riot-far-right-internet-personality-gets-60-days/ |
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The city of Buffalo will pause Sunday to mark the passing of one year since a gunman killed 10 people and injured three others in a racist attack that targeted Black people at a city supermarket.
A moment of silence followed by the chiming of church bells at 2:28 p.m. will honor victims of the massacre at the Tops Friendly Market on May 14, 2022.
“The racially motivated mass shooting shook our community to its core. It was the day the unthinkable happened,” Mayor Byron Brown said in announcing plans for the commemoration, to be held at the now-reopened supermarket.
Earlier in the week, panelists discussed ways to combat racism and social media radicalization and residents were invited to reflect at an outdoor community gathering.
In the year since the shooting, relatives of the victims have spoken before Congress about white supremacy and gun reform and organized events to address food insecurity that worsened when the neighborhood’s only grocery store was inaccessible for two months.
Wayne Jones, whose mother Celestine Chaney, 65, died in the attack, urged the city and its institutions to keep on investing in the area and its residents even after the anniversary events are over.
That’s why he is willing, he said, “to keep opening up this wound that I have” and talk about it.
The son of 63-year-old shooting victim Geraldine Talley on Sunday released a book that he said describes what he went through after losing his mother. He titled it: “5/14 : The Day the Devil Came to Buffalo.”
“I definitely know that she wouldn’t want me to be consumed by sadness and anger,” Talley said of his mother, speaking outside of the store as the anniversary approached, “so I will definitely try to find strength in her memory and use it to fight injustice and racism for the rest of my life in her name.”
Inside the remodeled store, fountains flank a poem dedicated to the victims. A commission is at work designing a permanent memorial for outside.
In the meantime, a hand-painted mural overlooking the parking lot promotes unity, with a Black hand and white hand meeting together in prayer.
The 18-year-old white supremacist carried out the attack after driving more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) from his home in rural Conklin, New York.
Besides Chaney and Talley, the dead included Andre Mackneil, who was buying a cake for his son’s third birthday; church deacon Heyward Patterson; community advocate Katherine Massey; Ruth Whitfield, whose son was a Buffalo fire commissioner; Roberta Drury, who had moved back to Buffalo to help a brother diagnosed with cancer; church missionary Pearl Young; Margus Morrison, who was buying dinner for a family movie night; and Aaron Salter, a retired Buffalo police officer who was working as a security guard.
The gunman pleaded guilty to murder and other charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole in February. A federal case against him is pending. | 2023-05-14T10:04:01+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/a-year-after-mass-shooting-at-buffalo-supermarket-bells-to-toll-for-victims/ |
TOKYO (AP) — Days after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination, his party vowed to use its victory in a parliamentary election to achieve his unfinished goals, including strengthening the military and revising the country’s pacifist, postwar constitution.
While the comfortable majority secured Sunday by the governing Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito could allow Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to rule uninterrupted until a scheduled election in 2025, the loss of Abe also opened up a period of uncertainly for his party. The promised constitutional amendment, for one, faced an uphill battle.
In a country where gun crime is vanishingly rare, Abe’s shooting shook the nation, and Japanese flocked to a Buddhist temple Monday to mourn their former leader, while police looked into a possible motive.
Kishida, meanwhile, welcomed his party’s victory but also acknowledged that it was entering a new era without the towering politician, who even after resigning as prime minister in 2020 remained a force in the party and national politics.
“Because we’ve lost a great leader, undeniably we could be affected in many ways,” Kishida said. “Our party must unite as we face difficult issues.”
Experts said Abe, a kingmaker and head of the largest wing in the party, had no clear successor and his absence could trigger a power struggle among members of that faction.
“The absence of Mr. Abe and his grip on power in the party could give Mr. Kishida more of a free hand to take his own initiative,” said Koichi Nakano, a professor of international politics at Tokyo-based Sophia University. Kishida has enjoyed relatively high approval ratings for his perceived effort to listen to the people. That suggested support could be growing for his more moderate stance — and lessening for Abe’s more conservative approach, Nakano said.
But he added any significant change in direction would be hard for Kishida and would take time. Much of Japan’s current diplomatic and security policies, such as the stronger Japan-U.S. alliance and pushing for a free and open Asia-Pacific region as a counter to China’s rise, were set by Abe and remained unchanged, he said.
Kishida said the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rising prices would be his priorities. But he also vowed to push for reinforcing Japan’s national security and amending the constitution, which only allows the country’s military to act in self-defense.
Abe, along with some of the country’s ultraconservatives, considered the document written by the U.S. in the wake of World War II a humiliation and have long sought to give a greater international role to the country’s military, called the Self Defense Force. But many in the public are more supportive of the document and see addressing the pandemic and the soaring cost of food, fuel and childcare as more pressing.
“We will inherit his will and tackle the issues he had to leave unachieved,” Kishida said.
To propose a constitutional amendment, both houses of parliament need to support it by a two-thirds majority. Sunday’s vote gave the LDP-led coalition and two opposition parties open to a charter revision that margin in the upper chamber of parliament.
Experts suggested Abe’s assassination may have garnered his party some sympathy votes, and the governing coalition alone now has 146 of the house’s 248 seats. All four parties together control 179. That group of four parties also has the necessary seats in the more powerful lower house.
Still, it’s far from clear sailing: Komeito, the centrist party that forms part of the governing coalition, says changing the article in the constitution that puts constraints on the military is unnecessary. In addition, any amendment would need to secure a majority of support in a national referendum to pass.
Abe, who stepped down as prime minister two years ago, citing health reasons, said at the time he regretted leaving many of his goals unfinished, including revising the constitution.
On Monday evening, a wake was held for Abe at a Buddhist temple in downtown Tokyo where Kishida and top former and current political leaders, as well as ordinary mourners, paid tribute. Some broke down in tears.
A funeral is planned at the temple Tuesday by his family. The government is expected to hold a separate memorial service at a later date.
Earlier in the day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Kishida to offer condolences and deliver a letter from President Joe Biden to Abe’s family.
“We simply want them to know that we deeply feel the loss on the personal level as well,” Blinken told Kishida. “Mostly I’m here because the United States and Japan are more than allies — we are friends.”
Also Monday, Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-Te paid his respects at Abe’s Tokyo residence. Lai in his Facebook called Abe “a good friend who loves and supports Taiwan.” Abe was known as a staunch Taiwan supporter.
Japan’s longest-serving political leader, Abe was the grandson of another prime minister and became the country’s youngest leader in 2006, at age 52. That stint in office abruptly ended a year later, also because of his health.
He returned to the premiership in 2012, vowing to revitalize the nation and get its economy out of its deflationary doldrums with his “Abenomics” formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. He won six national elections and built a rock-solid grip on power.
On Sunday, the suspect accused of his murder was transferred to a local prosecutors’ office for further investigation.
Police said the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, told investigators he acted because of Abe’s rumored connection to an organization that he resented. Some Japanese media identified the group as South Korea’s Unification Church, and reported that the suspect’s mother donated large amounts of money to the church. They suggested that the donations and her subsequent bankruptcy were a possible motive.
The Japan branch of the church acknowledged Monday that the suspect’s mother was a member, but denied that it demanded large donations from anyone.
Tomihiro Tanaka, head of the church, declined comment on the specifics of donations, saying a police investigation was ongoing. Speaking in generalities, he confirmed some people had made generous donations, but stressed none were forced.
Tanaka said Abe was not a member though he supported its global peace movement. | 2022-07-11T18:58:00+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/international/ap-international/japans-kishida-gets-mandate-blinken-brings-us-condolences/ |
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Russia convicted a woman from a Siberian city over social media posts condemning the war in Ukraine and punished her Friday with a steep fine even though both she and the prosecution asked for a prison sentence.
Marina Novikova, a 65-year-old lawyer, was found guilty of “spreading false information” about the Russian army, which was made a criminal offense after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine more than 14 months ago.
Novikova's posts on the messaging app Telegram decried the invasion and criticized the Russian government.
The court in Seversk, Novikova's hometown, imposed a fine of 1 million rubles (over $12,400), the Russian human rights and legal aid group OVD-Info quoted her husband, Alexandr Gavrik, as saying.
Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison sentence. Novikova herself pleaded with the court to send her to prison rather than the alternative: a fine of at least 700,000 rubles ($8,700) that the law allowed. She said she didn't have the money to pay a fine of that size.
“I am prepared to pay the price for the right to remain a human ... because I understand that there will be no acquittal,” Novikova was quoted by Russian media as saying in court.
An average salary in Siberia's Tomsk province, where Seversk is located, is 56,000 rubles, or just under $700, according to official government statistics.
OVD-Info, which monitors protests and tracks arrests, said the case against Novikova was among the first ones launched under the new law that prohibited spreading false information about the Russian military. But the number of such prosecutions has mushroomed as part of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent since the start of invasion of Ukraine.
The sweeping campaign of repression has been unparalleled since the Soviet era. It has effectively criminalized independent reporting on the conflict and any criticism of the war, with the authorities targeting not only prominent opposition figures who eventually received draconian prison terms but but people not known for anti-government activity.
A court in Moscow convicted a former police officer Monday of publicly spreading false information about the country’s military for criticizing the war in Ukraine to his friends over the phone. Semiel Vedel was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Authorities argued his phone conversations qualified as “public” because his phone was wiretapped in connection to another criminal case, and there was a third person listening in.
Last month, a Russian court convicted a single father over social media posts critical of the war and sentenced him to two years in prison. His 13-year-old daughter, who drew an antiwar sketch at school, was sent to an orphanage.
A recent report by the Russian Supreme Court said that in 2022, courts ordered citizens to pay fines for discrediting the military 4,439 times, the equivalent of about $1.8 million, according to independent Russian news site Mediazona.
___
Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | 2023-04-29T14:05:48+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/politics/article/russian-court-fines-war-critic-who-asked-for-17963531.php |
Campaign will offer up to $200,000 for AVMF REACH Program to provide veterinarians relief from stress brought on by financial struggles of pet owners
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Clients who love their pets but can't afford to pay for vital veterinary care represent a significant source of burnout and stress for compassionate veterinary practitioners. To help ease this burden, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets is partnering with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) to help expand the AVMF Reaching Every Animal with Charitable Care (REACH) program, which offers grants to veterinarians who provide immediate care for owners experiencing financial hardship. For each purchase made on Purina Pro Plan's VetDirect website from January 15, 2023 through June 30, 2023, Purina will donate $1 to the AVMF to support the REACH program, up to $200,000, so veterinarians don't have to choose between their patients and their practice.
The Cost of Caring for Pets
While the global pandemic has worsened the situation, the stress caused by the financial hardships of clients is not a new problem; in a survey of veterinarians published in JAVMA in 2017, 77% of respondents reported that the economic limitations of clients (regardless of whether those limitations were by choice or necessity) were either a moderate or primary contributor to their level of professional burnout¹.
"Over the past several years, many veterinary practitioners have been riding a roller coaster of emotional and operational challenges in their practices, between working through a global pandemic, staffing challenges, and—most recently— inflationary pressures making it harder for clients to make ends meet," notes Dr. David Granstrom, Assistant Executive Director at AVMF. "The goal of the AVMF REACH program is to remove some of the difficult decisions practitioners must make when a client can't afford lifesaving care for their pet. Thanks to the donation from Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, more of their answers can be 'yes' instead of 'no.'"
The REACH program offers grants to AVMA members who provide low or no-cost veterinary services for the treatment of illness or conditions requiring immediate care for owners experiencing financial hardship. The program is soon expanding its eligibility criteria to go beyond helping underserved clients affected by COVID-19, disaster relief and domestic violence to those with other, more general financial needs.
"Veterinarians today face so many challenges, from working extra-long hours to providing quality care for their patients to keeping their own staff members motivated. We believe this program not only honors the calling of veterinarians but will also directly alleviate some of the everyday stress practitioners feel as they make decisions regarding patient care," says Jason Gagné, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition), Director of Veterinary Technical Communications for Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets.
In 2022, the AVMF funded more than 600 grants, assisting more than 700 animals, through its charitable care programs. The Foundation is hopeful that the additional funding, along with changes to the program, will result in a significant increase in participation and the number of animals helped.
To apply for a grant or to learn more about the REACH program criteria and eligibility, visit vcare.avmf.org. To enroll your clinic in VetDirect or learn more, visit www.proplanvetdirect.com.
About Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare, a global leader in the pet care industry. Purina promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premier global manufacturer of pet products, Purina is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.
Information about Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets can be found at PurinaProPlanVets.com.
About the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, the AVMF has been dedicated to developing resources to advance the science and practice of veterinary medicine to improve animal and human health. Foundation programs and activities are designed to benefit veterinary medicine, promote animal welfare, and enhance research so that the profession is better prepared to deal with difficult problems facing animal health today and tomorrow. Charitable contributions and support to the Foundation assist veterinarians and the entire veterinary healthcare team help animals. Our funding priorities include Education, Disaster Relief, Crisis Support, Charitable Veterinary Care and Animal Health Research.
¹Kipperman BS, Kass PH, Rishniw M. Factors that influence small animal veterinarians' opinions and actions regarding cost of care and effects of economic limitations on patient care and outcome and professional career satisfaction and burnout. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2017 Apr 1;250(7):785-794. https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/250/7/javma.250.7.785.xml
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets | 2023-01-26T13:56:34+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/26/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets-announces-partnership-with-avmf-support-veterinarians/ |
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — With hot temperatures continuing to plague Northwest Arkansas, many residents might be looking for a pool area where they can cool off.
The Siloam Springs Family Aquatics Center opened for the season on Memorial Day and will remain open through Labor Day. Admission is just $5 for those ages 4 and up and $3 for those 3 and under.
The center says children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a parent or authorized guardian.
2022 seasonal memberships can be purchased from 1-5 p.m. May 23 through May 27 at the Parks and Recreation office located at 401 West University. Membership passes will also be available for purchase at the Family Aquatic Center beginning May 28.
If you become a member, the aquatics center holds members-only swims every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, which will make it slightly less crowded for you and your family.
Large groups can also rent out the pool for birthday parties or other recreational activities.
The Aquatics Center’s hours are 1-6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 1-9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and 2-6 p.m. on Sundays.
For more information regarding the facility, visit their website at https://www.siloamsprings.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Family-Aquatic-Center-1 | 2022-07-27T13:58:29+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/summer-road-tour/cool-off-at-the-siloam-springs-family-aquatic-center/ |
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum’s expensive effort to influence the GOP primary and reshape the Legislature with more people who support his spending and policy goals was a mixed bag, with one of his main political foes ousted but some others winning their races.
Burgum, a wealthy former Microsoft executive, gave more than $1.2 million ahead of Tuesday’s primary to a political action committee that spent against certain lawmakers, including some from the North Dakota GOP’S ultraconservative wing. The second-term governor also gave more than $3 million to the PAC in 2020 with similarly mixed results.
Burgum has declined interviews with The Associated Press to talk about his campaign spending. In a statement Wednesday, Burgum congratulated the winning candidates and said the election “saw healthy and spirited competition which is a win for North Dakota voters.”
Burgum’s PAC named eight districts it was targeting. Based on advertising the PAC paid for, three of Burgum’s likely preferred Senate candidates won, while three lost. At least seven House candidates likely supported by the governor in those districts will advance this fall, while four will not.
Burgum’s biggest win — and probably the costliest campaign — came with the defeat of state Rep. Jeff Delzer, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee who has clashed with the governor of policy and spending priorities.
Burgum supported political newcomers Anna Novak and Mark Pierce for two seats in the district, one occupied by Delzer and one held by incumbent Republican Bill Tviet, who is not part of the ultraconservative Bastiat Caucus. Novak and Tviet were the top vote-getters and will move on to the November election unopposed to represent the sprawling rural area northwest of Bismarck.
Burgum’s spending flooded the airwaves, internet and mailboxes with advertising backing his candidates.
Tviet called Burgum’s spending “unfair and unethical — it was garbage.”
“He was trying to get us both out of there,” Tviet said Wednesday.
Delzer, a farmer who has served in the Legislature since the early 1990s, did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday.
It’s not the first time Burgum successfully spent money defeating Dezler. He also lost two years, but Burgum’s hand-picked candidate died after winning the election, and Republicans chose Delzer to fill the seat.
In other races Tuesday, Republican state Rep. Jeff Magrum, a plumber and rancher, won a Senate seat over a Burgum-backed candidate. Two GOP-endorsed House members also prevailed over moderate candidates backed by Burgum.
Magrum is one of the Legislature’s most conservative members. He has fought mask mandates and falsely contends Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election. He unsuccessfully pushed an abortion ban and successfully pushed legislation that allows someone to use deadly force without retreating in certain circumstances.
Burgum’s focus and advertising for his preferred candidates in the rural district south of Bismarck was a turnoff to many voters, Magrum said.
“So many people were so upset about the many fliers in their mailboxes” Magrum said. “The older people were really irritated.”
“People just don’t want their Legislature bought and paid for by (Burgum),” Magrum said.
Magrum last year sought to prohibit a North Dakota governor from giving cash or endorsing a member of the Legislature, but his bill failed.
Burgum and his supporters say the spending is a form of free speech.
North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Perrie Schafer said the makeup of the Legislature will remain largely the same, with ultraconservatives making little inroads in the GOP-dominated chamber
“Certainly, some from the far right won and some moderate Republicans won,” he said. “I’m not sure the calculus in the Legislature has changed.” | 2022-06-16T02:47:06+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/nd-governor-targets-fellow-republicans-to-mixed-results/ |
Dear Readers: Like you, I’m often curious about what happens to the advice I offer once it leaves my desk, and so I’ve asked readers to send in “updates” to let all of us know how my advice was received, if it was followed, and how things turned out.
The responses have flowed in, and I’m interested and often gratified to learn what impact this experience has had on readers.
To refresh all of our memories, I’m running the original Q&A, followed by the update.
Dear Amy: I am 58 years old. I was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s two years ago. My friends all know about my diagnosis.
My question relates to my sister. She and I had been estranged for almost a decade. Two years ago, I realized that our disagreements were water under the bridge, and we re-established a relationship. She lives several states away and has no contact with my friends.
I have never disclosed my diagnosis to her.
I don’t want her to come to the conclusion that I broke down the barriers between us because of my illness.
I did that because I love her, and not because I am staring into the face of my own mortality.
I also don’t want to bring stress into her life, she has enough of that, and she will fly into stress mode — that is who she is.
Also, because she is my “big sister” I also know that she will go into: “I’ll take care of you” mode (again, it is her nature), which is not what I need or want to be the basis for our relationship.
On the other hand, I don’t want her to feel betrayed when she inevitably learns about my illness.
Right now, I am able to hide my symptoms well.
When the day comes when this is not the case, I plan on telling her (and her children).
I am extremely torn as to whether I am making the right decision.
Am I?
— Torn
Dear Torn: I believe you are making the right decision, because — right now, this is how you are coping with a very challenging diagnosis. You have the right to control your own health information — for whatever reason you choose.
You seem to be protecting yourself from the stress of your sister’s anticipated reaction, but I want to remind you that people do not always react in expected ways.
Now that your relationship with her is on a better footing, you might be closer to breaking this news to her, telling her explicitly in advance that she can help you the most by staying calm and by letting you call the shots.
The timing of your diagnosis and the reconnection with your sister does seem more than coincidental, and, in my opinion, awareness of your own mortality is the best reason in the world to reconnect.
(Originally published in September, 2021)
Update, from “Torn”: Dear Amy, This is a strange slow-motion disease for which you have to keep a healthy balance between keeping hope that there may be a medical solution, and embracing reality.
My experience with my sister illustrates what you often discuss in your column: that we shouldn’t rely on our assumptions.
Long story short, I kept my diagnosis private from my sister until a Thanksgiving weekend family conversation, during which out of the blue someone raised the issue of whether our family is vulnerable to the disease because of the family’s medical history.
At that point I felt that saying nothing created a lie by omission, so I told the family.
I feared my sister would go into over-protective, over-involved mode. Bizarrely, the opposite happened. None of the family said anything other than a few value-neutral questions, like, “When did you find out?”
It was such a stereotypical WASPy family reaction (which we are).
After that, we have never discussed the topic again (and it’s going on a year since the conversation).
I’m not angry or upset with the reaction, just baffled. As we got into the car to leave the dinner, my partner turned to me and said only, “Well, that was weird.”
Several months later I tried to broach the bizarre family reaction with my sister in a joking manner and with a smile, and she quickly changed the subject.
Nevertheless, my relationship with my sister continues to strengthen and that’s what matters to me, so I count my blessings.
Go figure!
— Torn
Dear Torn: Go figure, indeed. I hope you’ll keep in touch.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.) | 2023-06-23T09:33:03+00:00 | denverpost.com | https://www.denverpost.com/2023/06/22/ask-amy-alzheimers-disclosure-is-met-with-silence/ |
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A seed-to-table cafe in Cleveland is serving up much more than fresh fruits and veggies.
News 5 anchor Mike Brookbank stopped by Susanna's in the Midtown neighborhood to see how the eatery is empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
HELP Harvest is providing a path toward meaningful employment for Scott Dunn.
"It’s hands-on. Help me get a job out in the community," said Dunn.
The program is giving Dunn, and hundreds of other individuals, a chance to grow their skill set.
"Better social skills to learn how to do math better and living skills," said Dunn.
It's giving participants the opportunity to put down roots as respected, valued members of the community.
"Individuals who don't have supports and services really fall through the cracks," said Tami Honkala, President and CEO of HELP.
Before the ingredients reach Dunn at HELP’s Lakewood kitchen, they're grown and harvested at a 4,000 hydroponic greenhouse in Euclid.
"Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, microgreens, all kinds of herbs," said Honkala.
All of it is used to create healthy meals that are sold at Susanna's Café which is in the new home of the Cleveland Foundation.
At every stage of the process, hundreds of participants get the chance to show their disability is not what defines them.
"Allows them to be successful in a community setting that makes them feel valued, and also gives them a real opportunity to earn money," said Honkala.
That boost of confidence is opening doors and making what seemed like distant dreams a reality.
"Never dreamed of having their own apartment and a job. And we've made all of those things happen," said Honkala.
As Dunn works in the kitchen, he is also trying to sharpen his interviewing skills with the goal of getting a job in the community.
With the team behind him, he's confident he will soon be landing a new gig.
"Everybody is nice, and everybody is helpful. You have good supervisors and it's fun to work here," said Dunn. | 2023-06-20T15:24:40+00:00 | news5cleveland.com | https://www.news5cleveland.com/a-better-land/seed-to-table-cafe-in-cleveland-serves-up-success-for-its-employees |
(NerdWallet) – The latest Mega Millions lottery jackpot has passed $1 billion for only the third time in the lottery game’s 26-year history. That’s, well, a lot of money.
How much? Here’s one way to think about it: Let’s say you’ve just scored a dream salary of $1 million a year. Go, you! So, at that blistering pace, just how long would it take you to earn a billion dollars in total salary?
Oh, only a thousand years.
So it’s not surprising that when a potential shortcut to big-time riches is dangled in front of us, we reach for it. Somebody’s going to win that jackpot, so why not us? And if we don’t, that $2 was worth the daydreams it spawned. Right? Right?
Stay with me here. If you’re having trouble daydreaming, I’ve got some starter ideas for you. Most aren’t practical, or even socially responsible. Some might be called vulgar. Still, I think you’ll find they’re kinda fun to think about.
We’re NerdWallet, so allow us a sober moment here before we drift off fully into dreamland. Here’s a bit about what a “billion-dollar jackpot” really means, and what you do should any large sum of money magically fall into your hands.
- How much do I really get? As I write this, the Mega Millions jackpot for the Friday, July 29, draw is $1.02 billion. But you don’t actually get all that money if you win. Oh, no. If you choose a lump sum, you get $602.5 million. Or you can spread that billion bucks over 30 years, hauling in about $15 million the first year and going up gradually in subsequent years. What’ll it be?
- Do I have to pay taxes? Of course you do. There’s 24% in federal taxes off the top, probably more down the road, plus state income taxes where they apply.
- What are my chances of winning? Sorry, but you asked. They’re roughly 1 in 303 million.
If you do win, or otherwise become instantly wealthy, please don’t rush off and do any of the things on this list without first getting some real, trusted financial and tax advice. And lay low until you figure this all out. A billion dollars should last a while if you play it right. And if you’re still tempted to blow it all at once, read one of the countless lottery horror stories on the web. Murder! Divorce! Bankruptcy! Betrayal! Endless, soul-sucking legal proceedings! (Trust me, just search for “lottery horror stories.”)
Individual reality checks are offered for each item below. You may shield your eyes if they spoil the mood.
So, here are five often irresponsible things that you could do with your jackpot winnings, should you win. But you won’t. (OK, you could totally win. That’s how these things work.)
1. Buy a big (and I mean really big) boat
Interesting fact: Billionaires, on average, take up no more physical space than non-billionaires, yet require much larger boats.
But seriously, is there anything more cliché than a rich person owning a yacht? So lean into it. If someone gives you grief, call it irony. Or ignore them. You’re rich, am I right? Get one of those skipper hats, then buy a big yacht. Superyachts also come in handy should you decide to become a supervillain.
I did a little shopping at yachtworld.com and found a lot of yachts for sale, and settled on an adorable little German-made yacht, 331 feet long (football field, plus one end zone, for reference) and only $185 million. It’s brand-new — in fact, you have to order it and wait 42 months. But that will allow you to add your own private touches, the particulars of which we don’t need to hear about, frankly. And as long as you have to wait anyway, why not just order two?
Reality check: There will probably be a tax of some kind depending on where you live, where you buy your boat and how creative your accounting team is. Also, don’t forget you need to hire a crew. These things don’t drive themselves. Towergate Insurance, a maritime insurance company, estimates the annual operating cost for a luxury yacht to be 10% of its initial value. Bet you didn’t imagine budgeting almost $19 million for things like fuel, dockage, vessel insurance, maintenance and repairs, and crew salaries in your yacht fantasy, did you?
Fun billionaire fact: Jeff Bezos decided he wanted the biggest yacht in the world (naturally), and it has been under construction in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The boat is almost ready, but there’s a hitch — it’s too big to pass under the bridges that lead out to the open sea. It’s stuck in the harbor. Twitter loves this story.
Nerdy tip: If you really want a boat, lottery be damned, you can get a personal loan for that.
2. Buy a private jet
A private jet carries much the same baggage, metaphorically speaking, as a boat, while being faster. I’ll lay out my own prejudices: Rich people with a private jet want to project a ruthless corporate-raider image, rich people with a gigantic yacht are inherently partiers who fell into a lot of money, and rich people who own both are corporate raiders who want to pretend they have fun sometimes. Forced to choose, I’d be a boat person. However, planes do also get points for supervillain potential.
It’s hard to price new jets. The websites are coy. Basically, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. So I looked at used jets on avbuyer.com. I found a 2020 Gulfstream G600 — the only G600 currently for sale, according to the ad — for just under $53 million. Do you go to a lot of places? Do you need to get to them fast? And alone, if possible? This may be your ticket.
Reality check: Taxes. Operational costs, again. I’m not going to look up the math this time, just assume it’s a lot. Also, an indefensible carbon footprint. Don’t buy a jet, seriously.
3. Buy a house. Heck, buy houses for all your friends.
The national average price of a home, say the feds, is $525,000. If you had $1 billion, by my calculations, you could buy about 1,900 average houses. That’s more than one person could live in, presumably, but you could give houses to all your friends and family and still have houses left over for bare acquaintances. Houses for everybody you know, or think you know, or who want you to think you know them.
But maybe you’re newly elite and want to live in a coastal city. Average just won’t do. San Francisco usually ends up at or near the top of “most expensive city” lists, and Zillow says a “typical” house there costs $1.6 million. Again, by my calculations (and I was a journalism major, mind you), you could buy 625 houses with a billion dollars. Friends and family still in, hangers-on may have to be pared back.
If you wish to buy fewer houses in closer proximity, you could buy what the Bohemia Realty Group site alternately calls a “neighborhood” and a “compound” in the Bronx — “where you can gather your extended family or co-workers in one picturesque location and still be within NYC.” I find myself slightly skeeved out by this listing, but if this is your thing: $120 million for 15 brand-new luxury homes ranging from 8,000 to 15,000 square feet, each with a pool and an elevator.
Reality check: There are annual property tax and maintenance costs to consider. That’s true if you buy one or many houses. And, remember, you don’t really have a billion dollars, even if you win.
Nerdy tip: If you want to buy a house whether you win the lottery or not, check out our fancy mortgage calculator.
4. Give it away
Really, if we’re honest about it, who needs a billion dollars, or the things a billion dollars can buy? A billion dollars is a ridiculous amount of money for one person to possess. But that kind of money can do a lot of good in the right hands. That kind of money can make a difference.
I’ll weave the reality check right into the item here. Give away as much as you feel comfortable giving away, but leave yourself and your significant circle enough to live on comfortably. For as long as you expect to live, and then some. Get expert advice before you give any person or organization a dime. Then decide what causes you’re really passionate about.
And if you decide you want to make giving an important, ongoing part of your life, create a family foundation. That builds a process around each decision. Let your money do smart work. Foundations in the United States gave away $90.88 billion in 2021, according to the National Philanthropic Trust, supporting everything from the arts to the environment to social justice. Well spent, the money can build a social good. But do it carefully so you don’t become another lottery horror story.
Nerdy tip: You don’t have to be rich to give your time or money. And, in some cases, your donations can generate tax benefits.
5. Buy an island. Or make a movie.
I didn’t know which to choose for my fifth and last item, so I picked both. I’ll handle them separately first.
Make a blockbuster: Some movies make a billion dollars in profit, so theoretically you could make your money back and then some. How much does it cost to make a blockbuster? The newest Thor movie from Marvel cost about $250 million to make, according to Variety. The most expensive movie ever made was “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” at an estimated $379 million. So what could go wrong?
Buy your own island: May I interest you in Pumpkin Key, one of the famed Florida Keys? Ten minutes to Miami by private helicopter (note to self: buy helicopter). Pumpkin Key is 28 acres and will set you back $95 million. It has a single large home, but plans sketch out a compound (there’s that word again) of 12 additional homes, according to the listing site, Vladi, an online marketplace of islands for sale or rent. Pumpkin Key includes a “dock master office and 20-slip marina able to accommodate a mega-yacht.”
And there you have it. A place to park the yacht we bought earlier in this article and thus complete the supervillain ensemble.
Or do both: Hear me out: Buy the island, make a pirate movie. The world is ready again.
Reality check (movie): Movies often flop. Also, movie costs cited in the press (and above) are typically just the production costs and don’t include marketing and distribution, which can run into tens of millions of dollars. “Avengers: Endgame” spent $200 million on worldwide marketing — and seriously, do you want to compete with Disney? Start small. Find a kid with a camera and an idea and see what they make. Even if it’s bad, it’s bad for the right reasons.
Reality check (island): Don’t forget property taxes. Also, sea-level rise is swallowing the Keys, thanks in part to people in private jets and superyachts.
Reality check (island and movie): Pirate movies are never coming back. “Our Flag Means Death” is a good show, though.
Good luck on Friday. | 2022-07-29T15:10:09+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/national/5-ways-to-spend-a-billion-dollars-if-you-win-the-mega-millions-jackpot/ |
WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, November 28, 2022
_____
WINTER STORM WATCH
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Spokane WA
934 PM PST Fri Nov 25 2022
...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING
THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...
* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations between 8 and
15 inches possible. Winds could gust 40 to 50 mph.
* WHERE...Holden Village, Stehekin, and Stevens Pass.
* WHEN...From Saturday evening through Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will
likely become slick and icy. Travel could be very difficult. The
conditions could impact travel in the area.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Persons should consider delaying all travel. If travel is absolutely
necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter
storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains,
booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing.
Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help
you survive in case you become stranded.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-11-26T06:58:30+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-SPOKANE-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17611761.php |
Arizona lottery numbers, July 15
Associated Press
These Arizona lotteries were drawn Friday:
Pick 3
0-4-8
Fantasy 5
13-23-37-38-41
Estimated jackpot: $80,000
Triple Twist
03-26-32-35-37-38
Estimated jackpot: $824,000
Mega Millions
08-20-26-53-64, Mega Ball: 15, Megaplier: 5
Estimated jackpot: $480 million
Powerball
Estimated jackpot: $82 million | 2022-07-16T04:00:56+00:00 | azcentral.com | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/07/15/arizona-lottery-numbers-july-15/10076310002/ |
Calling all pottery lovers, your day has come. On Sunday, November 6, the gorgeous Sydney Ceramics Market is landing in Forest Lodge for the very first time, and for all those who dig perusing the wild and wonderful handmade wares of local creatives, this is a weekend potter-around that we reckon shouldn’t be missed.
Kicking off at 10am and running till 5pm, this one-day event will be all about celebrating the diverse talents of 36 local ceramics artists, showcasing one-of-a-kind homewares, jewellery and art pieces that rarely get seen by the public.
You'll have the opportunity to discover, explore and buy a colourful variety of clay-based wares, with the market bringing together the work of artists, potters and ceramists from all over Sydney and NSW. Expect to get your paws on the likes of the goopy pastel work of Voluptuary Ceramics, the ethereal fairy shapes of Albatross Ceramics and the glossy neutrality of Glost Studios, amongst a whole lot more.
Everything will be going down at Harold Park Community Lodge, upstairs at the Tramsheds. Entry is free, you can RSVP here, and you can stay up to date with any additional information on their Instagram and website.
Happy pottering! | 2022-11-02T10:34:22+00:00 | timeout.com | https://www.timeout.com/sydney/things-to-do/sydney-ceramics-market |
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a new line of wrapping papers for smokers to help expedite the process of rolling a cigar, cigarette or blunt," said an inventor, from Nashua, N.H., "so I invented the MOIST FLAVOR TOBACCO LEAF WRAP. My design eliminates the need to lick the papers and it would offer a slow, even and flavorful burn."
The patent-pending invention provides an enjoyable new line of rolling papers/wraps for smokers that would eliminate the need to moisten the entire wrap. It also eliminates the mess associated with cigars. As a result, it saves time and effort and it offers pristine rolled smoking products with a flavorful experience. The convenient and flavorful invention would be simple and easy to roll so it is ideal for smokers. Additionally, various designs are available.
The original design was submitted to the Boston sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 21-BMA-5702, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE InventHelp | 2022-12-27T16:59:00+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/12/27/inventhelp-inventor-develops-new-line-wrapping-papers-smokers-bma-5702/ |
New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to nine counts of weapons violations in connection with his arrest at a Logan Airport security checkpoint with two loaded guns in his carry-on bag.
Jones was charged with two counts each of unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a large-capacity magazine and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card. He was also charged with an airport security violation. Jones was released on a $30,000 cash bail pending an Aug. 18 probable cause hearing, his attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, said.
Scapicchio said Jones has been cooperative and respectful throughout the process, bristling at media reports that portray him as a “thug” and compare him to “other people.”
Asked if she was referring to Aaron Hernandez, the Patriots player who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2013 — and acquitted in a separate double-homicide — Scapicchio declined to elaborate.
“All Mr. Jones wants to do is play football and support his family,” she said. “How he’s been portrayed in some of the media is not even remotely borne out. He’s not a thug, he’s not a wannabe gang member. The comparisons to other people are unwarranted and unfair.”
A Patriots spokesman said the team was not expected to comment until the legal issues are resolved.
Massachusetts State Police were called to the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Boston airport on Friday after two firearms were found in a traveler’s carry-on luggage. Police said they identified the person as Jones and arrested him.
Jones’ troubles predate his arrival in New England.
While in college, he was kicked off the Southern California football team in 2018 after two seasons because of academic issues. Later that year he served 45 days of house arrest after police said he burglarized a Panda Express. After transferring to Arizona State, Jones was suspended for most of the 2020 season because of a violation of team rules.
The Patriots drafted Jones in the fourth round in 2022 and he played in 13 games, starting two, with 30 tackles and two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He was suspended for two games at the end of the season for reasons that coach Bill Belichick did not disclose.
Hernandez’s 2013 arrest led to a reckoning within the Patriots organization, with the usually reticent Belichick promising to improve how the team evaluates players “to build a winning football team, to be a strong pillar in the community and be a team that our fans can be proud of.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-06-21T13:19:24+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/sports/ap-sports/patriots-defensive-back-jack-jones-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-gun-charges/ |
ALPHARETTA, Ga., March 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanos Medical, Inc. (NYSE: AVNS) today announced that Michael Greiner, senior vice president, chief financial officer and chief transformation officer, will present and participate in an analyst-led fireside chat at the 2023 virtual KeyBanc Capital Markets Life Sciences & MedTech Investor Forum on Wed., March 22 at approximately 9:45 a.m., ET.
A webcast of the conference presentation will be available on the Investors section of the Avanos Medical website and will be archived on that site.
About Avanos Medical: Avanos Medical, Inc. (NYSE: AVNS) is a medical technology company focused on delivering clinically superior medical device solutions that will help patients get back to the things that matter. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, we are committed to addressing some of today's most important healthcare needs, including providing a vital lifeline for nutrition to patients from hospital to home, and reducing the use of opioids while helping patients move from surgery to recovery. We develop, manufacture and market our recognized brands globally and hold leading market positions in multiple categories across our portfolio. For more information, visit Avanos.com and follow Avanos Medical on Twitter (@AvanosMedical), LinkedIn and Facebook.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Avanos Medical, Inc. | 2023-03-15T12:45:50+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/03/15/avanos-medical-inc-present-2023-virtual-keybanc-capital-markets-life-sciences-amp-medtech-investor-forum/ |
Fire breaks out in home undergoing renovations in McCandless
No injuries reported
Fire breaks out in home undergoing renovations in McCandless
No injuries reported
LILLY, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US RIGHT NOW? WELL, RYAN, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. THAT SCENE. VERY, VERY ACTIVE STILL THIS MORNING AS CREWS ARE WORKING TO PUT OUT SOME HOTSPOTS HERE. I’M GOING TO STEP OUT OF THE WAY AND SHOW YOU WE’RE ON FOREST VIEW AVENUE. THE CALL CAME IN JUST AFTER THREE THIS MORNING. THE FIRE CHIEF TELLS ME SOMEONE DRIVING BY SAW THE SMOKE AND FLAMES AND ACTUALLY CALLED THIS IN. NOW, HE TELLS ME THIS HOME IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THAT VISIBLE HERE IN OUR VIDEO.3 THERE ARE NO INJURIES TO REPORT AND THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF CREWS HERE WORKING THIS MORNING TO GET THINGS UNDER CONTROL. WE ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU, THERE IS A TRAFFIC ALERT FOR YOU AT THIS POINT. FIREFIGHTERS DO HAVE A PORTION OF PERRY HIGHWAY CLOSED AS THEY CONTINUE TO WORK THIS MORNING. ONE SOUTHBOUND LANE IS CLOSED. BOTH NORTHBOUND LANES ARE OPEN. WE ARE EXPECTING AN UPDATE FROM THE CHIEF, BUT AGAIN, NO INJURIES TO REPORT AND CREWS ARE STILL WORKING TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL THIS MORNING. REPORTING LIVE, LI
Advertisement
Fire breaks out in home undergoing renovations in McCandless
No injuries reported
A fire broke out in a home that was undergoing renovations in McCandless on Wednesday morning.The fire was reported a little after 3 a.m. at the house on Forestvue Avenue.The fire chief said no one was living in the house at the time.No injuries were reported.The home was under renovations because of damage done in a previous fire.The cause of Wednesday morning's fire remained under investigation. There were restrictions on nearby Perry Highway while fire crews were on the scene.
MCCANDLESS, Pa. —
A fire broke out in a home that was undergoing renovations in McCandless on Wednesday morning.
The fire was reported a little after 3 a.m. at the house on Forestvue Avenue.
Advertisement
The fire chief said no one was living in the house at the time.
No injuries were reported.
The home was under renovations because of damage done in a previous fire.
The cause of Wednesday morning's fire remained under investigation.
There were restrictions on nearby Perry Highway while fire crews were on the scene. | 2023-02-15T11:21:17+00:00 | wtae.com | https://www.wtae.com/article/fire-breaks-out-in-home-undergoing-renovations-in-mccandless/42907960 |
ROYAL CITY, Wash. (AP) — A Moses Lake woman drowned Sunday trying to rescue a dog in a canal, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies and medics responded at about 12:45 p.m. to a report of a woman who fell into a canal off Dodson Road Southwest, near Road 12 Southwest, about three miles east of Royal City, the Longview Daily News reported.
Witnesses told deputies the 46-year-old woman, later identified as Brigetta Delgado, was trying to rescue a dog when she fell into the canal.
She went under and did not resurface, becoming trapped by the turbulence in a plunge pool.
Her body was recovered once the water released its grip.
Delgado’s body was transported to the coroner’s office for an autopsy and her family was notified. | 2022-07-26T13:22:58+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Moses-Lake-woman-drowns-while-trying-to-rescue-dog-17329218.php |
LONDON (AP) — As the World Health Organization convenes its emergency committee Thursday to consider if the spiraling outbreak of monkeypox warrants being declared a global emergency, some experts say WHO’s decision to act only after the disease spilled into the West could entrench the grotesque inequities that arose between rich and poor countries during the coronavirus pandemic.
Declaring monkeypox to be a global emergency would mean the U.N. health agency considers the outbreak to be an “extraordinary event” and that the disease is at risk of spreading across even more borders. It would also give monkeypox the same distinction as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing effort to eradicate polio.
Many scientists doubt any such declaration would help to curb the epidemic, since the developed countries recording the most recent cases are already moving quickly to shut it down.
Last week, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the recent monkeypox epidemic identified in more than 40 countries, mostly in Europe, as “unusual and concerning.” Monkeypox has sickened people for decades in central and west Africa, where one version of the disease kills up to 10% of people. In the epidemic beyond Africa so far, no deaths have been reported.
“If WHO was really worried about monkeypox spread, they could have convened their emergency committee years ago when it reemerged in Nigeria in 2017 and no one knew why we suddenly had hundreds of cases,” said Oyewale Tomori, a Nigerian virologist who sits on several WHO advisory groups. “It is a bit curious that WHO only called their experts when the disease showed up in white countries,” he said.
Until last month, monkeypox had not caused sizeable outbreaks beyond Africa. Scientists haven’t found any major genetic changes in the virus and a leading adviser to WHO said last month the surge of cases in Europe was likely tied to sexual activity among gay and bisexual men at two raves in Spain and Belgium.
To date, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed more than 3,300 cases of monkeypox in 42 countries where the virus hasn’t been typically seen. More than 80% of cases are in Europe. Meanwhile, Africa has already seen more than 1,400 cases this year, including 62 deaths.
David Fidler, a senior fellow in global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, said WHO’s newfound attention to monkeypox amid its spread beyond Africa could inadvertently worsen the divide between rich and poor countries seen during COVID-19.
“There may be legitimate reasons why WHO only raised the alarm when monkeypox spread to rich countries, but to poor countries, that looks like a double standard,” Fidler said. He said the global community was still struggling to ensure the world’s poor were vaccinated against the coronavirus and that it was unclear if Africans even wanted monkeypox vaccines, given competing priorities like malaria and HIV.
“Unless African governments specifically ask for vaccines, it might be a bit patronizing to send them because it’s in the West’s interest to stop monkeypox from being exported,” Fidler said.
WHO has also proposed creating a vaccine-sharing mechanism to help affected countries, which could see doses go to rich countries like Britain, which has the biggest monkeypox outbreak beyond Africa — and recently widened its use of vaccines.
To date, the vast majority of cases in Europe have been in men who are gay or bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, but scientists warn anyone in close contact with an infected person or their clothing or bedsheets is at risk of infection, regardless of their sexual orientation. People with monkeypox often experience symptoms like fever, body aches and a rash; most recover within weeks without needing medical care.
Even if WHO announces monkeypox is a global emergency, it’s unclear what impact that might have.
In January 2020, WHO declared that COVID-19 was an international emergency. But few countries took notice until March, when the organization described it as a pandemic, weeks after many other authorities did so. WHO was later slammed for its multiple missteps throughout the pandemic, which some experts said might be prompting a quicker monkeypox response.
“After COVID, WHO does not want to be the last to declare monkeypox an emergency,” said Amanda Glassman, executive vice president at the Center for Global Development. “This may not rise to the level of a COVID-like emergency, but it is still a public health emergency that needs to be addressed.”
Salim Abdool Karim, an epidemiologist and vice chancellor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, said WHO and others should be doing more to stop monkeypox in Africa and elsewhere, but wasn’t convinced that a global emergency declaration would help.
“There is this misplaced idea that Africa is this poor, helpless continent, when in fact, we do know how to deal with epidemics,” said Abdool Karim. He said that stopping the outbreak ultimately depends on things like surveillance, isolating patients and public education.
“Maybe they need vaccines in Europe to stop monkeypox, but here, we have been able to control it with very simple measures,” he said. | 2022-06-23T09:38:21+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/who-considers-declaring-monkeypox-a-global-health-emergency/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Our HS sports photos like the ones below put you right up close with the action and the whole experience. Check them out by clicking anywhere in the collage below to open the photo gallery. Don’t forget to share the gallery with friends and relatives.
These photos are also available for purchase in a variety of sizes and finishes – just click the “BUY IMAGE” link below any photo to see available options and make a purchase. NJ.com subscribers can also get free print-quality digital downloads of any images in this gallery.
NOTE: Because we are trying to make these galleries available for viewing as quickly as possible, the gallery may not be in its final form. If you only see a few photos, you are probably seeing an early version and more photos will be added later. Please return and refresh the page to see additions. | 2022-09-17T01:51:17+00:00 | nj.com | https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2022/09/field-hockey-photos-princeton-day-at-stuart-country-day-sept-16-2022.html |
Prosecutors drop charges against NYPD officer accused of acting as foreign agent for China
By Lauren del Valle and Eric Levenson, CNN
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn moved to dismiss charges against a New York Police Department officer who had been accused of acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the Chinese government.
Baimadajie Angwang was charged in September 2020 with acting as a foreign agent for China without notifying American authorities, wire fraud, making false statements and obstruction of an official proceeding, according to court documents.
But on Friday, prosecutors for the US Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York filed a motion to dismiss the indictment.
“As a result of our continued investigation, the government obtained additional information bearing on the charges,” prosecutors said in the document. “Having assessed the evidence as a whole in light of that information … the government hereby moves, in the interests of justice, to dismiss the indictment without prejudice.”
A federal judge must now sign a court order to officially dismiss the indictment. The US Attorney’s Office declined to comment.
Defense attorney John Carman told CNN the government’s motion to dismiss is “appreciated” but “long overdue.”
“The anguish and expense that this police officer and Marine Corps veteran has endured is not easily described,” he said. “We are optimistic that the Court will grant the motion and that this great American will have the opportunity to repair untold damage to his life.”
The 2020 arrest was one of a number of federal cases brought against Chinese Americans connected to the Trump Administration’s “China Initiative,” a Department of Justice program focused on “countering Chinese national security threats.” The program was scrapped in February 2022 under the Biden Administration after a string of case dismissals and criticisms it fueled suspicion and bias against innocent Chinese Americans.
“Anything that creates the impression that the Department of Justice applies different standards based on race or ethnicity harms the department and our efforts, and it harms the public,” assistant attorney general for national security Matthew Olsen said last year in ending the program.
Angwang, an ethnic Tibetan, joined the NYPD in 2016 and worked as part of the community affairs unit based in Queens. A naturalized US citizen, he came to the US from China on a cultural exchange visa, overstayed his second visa and eventually applied for asylum, claiming he was “arrested and tortured” in China due in part to his Tibetan ethnicity, according to the complaint.
He is a former Marine who served in Afghanistan in 2013, according to his service record. Since 2014, he served as a US Army Reservist, where he was a staff sergeant working as a civil affairs specialist.
Prosecutors said in the 2020 complaint an investigation revealed Angwang allegedly acted at the direction and control of Chinese officials to report on activities of ethnic Tibetans in the New York City area to the consulate, and helped spot and assess potential Tibetan intelligence sources.
He was suspended at the time of the charges and remains suspended with pay, according to his attorney.
In court documents, defense attorneys argued the government had a “hyper-suspicious” view of Angwang’s interactions with the Chinese consulate official and had cherry-picked quotes and cut out others from their conversations. Angwang’s only goal in cultivating a relationship with the official was because the official had power to grant or deny visa applications for New York-based ethnic Tibetans, like himself, trying to return to China, the attorneys wrote.
“Mr. Angwang can be seen not only lobbying for his own visa, but for all ethnic Tibetans who desire improved opportunities to visit the place of their birth,” Carman, the attorney, wrote in a February 2021 document. “The idea that Mr. Angwang is an ‘intelligence asset’ collecting information about his fellow Tibetans is simply not borne out by the transcripts of the conversations.”
The Chinese consulate in New York issued a statement at the time of Angwang’s arrest, describing its work as “above board and beyond reproach.”
“The staffs of the Chinese Consulate General in New York have always been fulfilling duties in accordance with international law and the law of the United States,” the statement said. “They have been conducting normal exchanges with various sectors of society in its consular district, and have been committed to promoting friendly communication and exchanges between the Chinese people and the people from all works of life in its consular district.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Sonia Moghe, Steven Jiang and Evan Perez contributed to this report. | 2023-01-17T00:45:54+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/2023/01/16/prosecutors-drop-charges-against-nypd-officer-accused-of-acting-as-foreign-agent-for-china/ |
Report highlights company efforts to formalize sustainability function and governance through an outcome-based approach
ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CHS (NASDAQ: CHSCP), the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative, has released the 2022 CHS Sustainability Report, describing the company's approach to sustainability and highlights of some of its sustainability initiatives.
"CHS is integrating sustainability into our core businesses and creating opportunities for owners and customers," said President and CEO Jay Debertin. "In 2022, we added dedicated leaders and support resources and formalized our sustainability business function. We also focused on developing the internal governance and processes needed to execute long-term success related to environmental and social factors."
The actions taken by CHS will help the company reduce impact on the planet, respond to opportunities related to enhanced sustainability and continue to build a better future for the farmers and ranchers who own the cooperative system.
In 2022, CHS added Megan Rock as vice president, sustainability and innovation and chief sustainability officer (CSO). "As we formalize our sustainability function, we will continue to develop our efforts in environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) programs through a dedicated climate director and by expanding our innovation team, as technology advancements will play a key role in long-term success for CHS and our owners," said Rock.
CHS will place an emphasis on helping owners and other stakeholders understand the company's approach to ESG reporting, including providing definitions and interpretations in the 2022 CHS Sustainability Report. The company is also exploring technologies that impact supply chain automation, real-time soil sensing and traceability in row crops as part of its sustainability efforts.
Rock added, "CHS is committed to working closely with cooperative owners, customers and other stakeholders on developing an outcome-based approach to sustainability that leads to a stronger cooperative system, one that is able to feed the world through sustainable business practices that protect and preserve our limited resources."
For an in-depth look into the 2022 CHS Sustainability Report, visit chsinc.com/sustainability.
CHS Inc. (www.chsinc.com) is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Diversified in energy, agronomy, grains and foods, CHS is committed to creating connections to empower agriculture, helping its farmer-owners, customers and other stakeholders grow their businesses through its domestic and global operations. CHS supplies energy, crop nutrients, seed, crop protection products, grain marketing services, production and agricultural services, animal nutrition products, foods and food ingredients, and risk management services. The company operates petroleum refineries and pipelines and manufactures, markets and distributes Cenex® brand refined fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products.
This document and other CHS Inc. publicly available documents contain, and CHS officers and representatives may from time to time make, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on CHS current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of its businesses, financial condition and results of operations, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of CHS control. CHS actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause CHS actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are discussed or identified in CHS filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the "Risk Factors" discussion in Item 1A of CHS Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022. These factors may include: changes in commodity prices; the impact of government policies, mandates, regulations and trade agreements; global and regional political, economic, legal and other risks of doing business globally; the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine; the impact of inflation; the impact of epidemics, pandemics, outbreaks of disease and other adverse public health developments, including COVID-19; the impact of market acceptance of alternatives to refined petroleum products; consolidation among our suppliers and customers; nonperformance by contractual counterparties; changes in federal income tax laws or our tax status; the impact of compliance or noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations; the impact of any governmental investigations; the impact of environmental liabilities and litigation; actual or perceived quality, safety or health risks associated with our products; the impact of seasonality; the effectiveness of our risk management strategies; business interruptions, casualty losses and supply chain issues; the impact of workforce factors; our funding needs and financing sources; financial institutions' and other capital sources' policies concerning energy-related businesses; uncertainty regarding the transition away from LIBOR and the replacement of LIBOR with an alternative reference rate; technological improvements that decrease the demand for our agronomy and energy products; our ability to complete, integrate and benefit from acquisitions, strategic alliances, joint ventures, divestitures and other nonordinary course-of-business events; security breaches or other disruptions to our information technology systems or assets; the impact of our environmental, social and governance practices, including failures or delays in achieving our strategies or expectations related to climate change or other environmental matters; the impairment of long-lived assets; and other factors affecting our businesses generally. Any forward-looking statements made by CHS in this document are based only on information currently available to CHS and speak only as of the date on which the statement is made. CHS undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise except as required by applicable law.
View original content:
SOURCE CHS Inc. | 2022-12-15T15:43:32+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/chs-releases-2022-sustainability-report/ |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Burke Porter Group (BPG) today announced the acquisition of Quantum 3 (Q3). Located in County Cork, Ireland, Quantum 3 is a leading global designer and builder of innovative solutions focused on optimizing critical workflow processes for manufacturers in the medical and life sciences industries. Quantum 3 leverages its unique modular flexible aluminum profile and framing systems to design lean assembly and production line solutions that enable customers to optimize their workflows and realize process improvements in cleanroom and other demanding environments.
"The strength of Quantum 3's relationships with medical and life science OEM companies in conjunction with its collaborative engineering approach perfectly complements BPG's offering," said Jeff Moss, BPG CEO. "We are excited at the opportunity of expanding our footprint into Ireland, one of the world's most important biomedical markets, while strengthening our portfolio of solutions across emerging and growing markets."
Founded in 2000, Q3 has become recognized by leading medical and life sciences customers for its lean approach to production lines and workspace development based upon modular and reconfigurable products. Providing turnkey solutions -- manual, semi-automated or automated -- Q3 collaborates closely with the customer from concept creation and design engineering through manufacturing, installation, and after-market support. Over the last 20 years, Q3 has partnered with international clients to deliver solutions that optimize space usage and workflow for production, assembly, and storage applications in Ireland, the U.S. and Costa Rica.
Quantum 3 founders Pat Hayes and Paul McGrath will remain with the company, working closely with the BPG leadership team and Rich Carone, who leads BPG's Medical and Life Sciences Division.
"Joining a proven and creative company like BPG is a great opportunity for Q3 to expand our global reach and develop our capabilities," said Hayes. "Plus, BPG's 'innovation-first' mindset and relentless focus on the customer fit perfectly with our culture and mission, making this an exciting next step for Q3's growth."
Mr. Carone added, "Pat and Paul have assembled a highly talented, motivated team with excellent customer relations. We are really looking forward to partnering with them to create a synergy that strengthens all of us, providing even more value for our customers."
For nearly two decades, Q3 has partnered with international clients in the medical and life sciences industries to develop production, assembly, workspace and storage solutions using Q3's modular and flexible framing systems featuring patented connector blocks. With capabilities spanning the complete production design with high attention to ergonomics, from requirements definition, concept creation, design, manufacturing, installation to after-market support, Q3's experience-driven engineering, manufacturing and supply chain services evolve hardware, systems, and product ideas through all development stages and into stable manufacturing. Q3 is headquartered in Killaloe, Ireland.
Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, BPG is a leading global supplier of automated diagnostic, testing and production solutions serving life science and specialty industrial end markets. BPG focuses on automating high-precision processes, leveraging its capabilities in microfluidics, optical design, additive manufacturing, motion control and software to develop solutions tailored to its customers' needs.
With customers across a wide range of markets within the medical and life sciences and specialty industrial sectors, BPG is dedicated to bringing them the most intelligent, high-value systems and solutions available. BPG maintains close proximity to its worldwide customer base through a global footprint of 45 locations to provide responsive and local supply, service and support.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Burke Porter | 2022-12-06T16:11:19+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/12/06/burke-porter-group-expands-life-sciences-capabilities-with-acquisition-quantum-3/ |
COVID-19 vaccine study links side effects with greater antibody response
Video above: Doctor breaks down new COVID-19 vaccine data from Moderna
People who reported experiencing side effects to the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines such as fever, chills or muscle pain tended to have a greater antibody response following vaccination, according to new research.
Having such symptoms after vaccination is associated with greater antibody responses compared with having only pain or rash at the injection site or no symptoms at all, suggests the paper published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
"In conclusion, these findings support reframing postvaccination symptoms as signals of vaccine effectiveness and reinforce guidelines for vaccine boosters in older adults," the researchers — from Columbia University in New York, University of Vermont and Boston University — wrote in their paper.
But even though some people may have small, localized side effects or no symptoms at all, the vaccine still elicits robust immune responses in them too. Nearly all study participants exhibited a positive antibody response after completing a two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine series.
"I don't want a patient to tell me that, 'Golly, I didn't get any reaction, my arm wasn't sore, I didn't have fever. The vaccine didn't work.' I don't want that conclusion to be out there," said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, who was not involved in the new study.
"This is more to reassure people who have had a reaction that that's their immune system responding, actually in a rather good way, to the vaccine, even though it has caused them some discomfort," Schaffner said.
Video below: Doctors address parents' concerns about getting their children vaccinated
The researchers analyzed data on 928 adults who self-reported what symptoms they experienced after receiving Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as submitted a dried blood spot to test for antibodies. Most of the participants were White adults, with a mean age of 65.
The researchers found that after either vaccine dose, 446 or 48% of participants reported systemic symptoms while 12% reported only local symptoms and 40% reported no symptoms at all.
Meanwhile, antibody reactivity was observed in 444 or 99% of participants with systemic symptoms, 99% of those with only local symptoms and 98% of those with no symptoms.
"A lot of people have speculated over the years whether people who had more of a reaction to the vaccine might actually have that represent a more vigorous immune response," Schaffner said. "And these data would appear to support that."
Video below: Younger kids experience fewer side effects from COVID-19 vaccine | 2022-10-24T21:18:22+00:00 | wmur.com | https://www.wmur.com/article/covid-19-vaccine-study-links-side-effects-with-antibody-response/41757793 |
TEL AVIV, Israel, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- During its meeting on June 14, 2022, held in Washington D.C., the Board of Governors of the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation approved $7.9 million in funding for nine new projects between U.S. and Israeli companies. In addition to the grants from BIRD, the projects will access private sector funding, boosting the total value of all projects to $20 million.
The BIRD Foundation promotes collaborations between U.S. and Israeli companies in various technological sectors for joint product development. In addition to providing conditional grants of up to $1 million (and in rare cases up to $1.5m for exceptional projects), the Foundation assists by working with companies to identify potential strategic partners and facilitate introductions.
The submitted projects are reviewed by evaluators appointed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Israel Innovation Authority.
The nine projects approved by the Board of Governors are in addition to the 1000 projects which the BIRD Foundation has approved for funding during its 44-year history. To date, BIRD's total investment in joint projects is over $370 million, helping to generate direct and indirect sales of more than $10 billion.
The projects approved include:
- Compentex Ltd. (Yavne, Israel) and ChemImage Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA) to develop NurseSpace- a portable AI-based error-preventing robot for automated identification, dispensing, and administration of medications
- Extreme Simulations (Tel Aviv, Israel) and SynDaver Labs (Tampa, FL) to develop a modular manikin for healthcare training that meets the needs of life-threatening events through the healthcare system
- FlyWorks (Beer-Sheva, Israel) and DelMar Aerospace (Las-Vegas, NV) to develop a novel high-performance UAS solution for detecting greenhouse gas emissions over large-scale energy infrastructure
- High Lander Ltd. (Raanana, Israel) and Stephenson Technologies Corporation (Baton Rouge, LA) to develop an Enhanced Drone Digital Sensor Dome providing Domain Awareness for Critical Infrastructures
- Overwolf (Ramat Gan, Israel) and Kidas, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA) to develop voice and text chat protection in gaming
- Tech Innosphere Engineering, dba Innosphere, (Haifa, Israel), and Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX) to develop and evaluate a wearable brain stimulation medical device for treating ADHD
- Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Tel Aviv, Israel) and FIND Surgical Sciences (Boston, MA), to develop and commercialize a clinical decision support system for neurological and psychiatric disorders
- Wavelength Pharmaceuticals, a SEQENS company (Petah Tikva, Israel) and On Demand Pharmaceuticals (Rockville, MD) to advance the development and pilot of an on demand medicine manufacturing system
- ZutaCore (Shaar Hanegev, Israel) and World Wide Technology (St. Louis, MO) to develop technology for eco-friendly transformation of data centers: ESG compliance to net-zero carbon and water by revolutionizing and optimizing cooling energy and heat reuse
Ms. Mojdeh Bahar, Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and co-Chair of BIRD's Board of Governors said: "The diverse array of projects funded through the BIRD Foundation demonstrates how international cooperation can spur creative solutions and bring important solutions and services to the market. The BIRD Foundation brings together companies from Israel and the U.S. that possess a strong balance of technical expertise and commercial foresight. The challenges these projects seek to address-in patient care and therapeutics, energy efficiency, industrial services, and more, support essential sectors of our economy. We wish all the companies great success!"
Dr. Amiram Appelbaum, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority, and co-Chair of BIRD's Board of Governors said: "Our long-standing collaboration with the BIRD Foundation has yielded some spectacular technological innovations. We are proud that the Foundation supports various technologies that will make a difference in the productivity and the standard of living for the people of both countries. In the post-COVID-19 world, these technologically groundbreaking projects will improve the health and quality of life for citizens of both countries as well as provide solutions that deal with the global climate crisis. We congratulate the awarded companies and look forward to the successful results of their innovative products."
Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation, said: "The selected projects reflect a diverse group of technology sectors, company size, and U.S. geographical locations. This is very rewarding as it results from our continuous outreach efforts and close interactions with companies interested in U.S.-Israel R&D partnerships. We congratulate the winners and wish them much success in their innovative joint projects."
The deadline for submission of Executive Summaries for the next BIRD cycle is September 7, 2022. Approval of projects will take place in December 2022.
About the BIRD Foundation
The BIRD (Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation works to encourage and facilitate cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies in a wide range of technology sectors and offers funding to selected projects.
The Foundation supports projects without receiving any equity or intellectual property rights from the participating companies or the projects, themselves. BIRD funding is repaid as royalties from sales of products that were commercialized as a result of BIRD support. The Foundation provides funding of up to 50% of a project's budget, beginning with R&D and ending with the initial stages of sales and marketing. The Foundation shares the risk and does not require repayment if the project fails to reach the sales stage.
For more information, please contact, in Israel: Ms. Limor Nakar-Vincent, Deputy Executive Director of Business Development and BIRD Energy, Tel: +972-3-698-8310, limorn@birdf.com. In the U.S., contact: Ms. Andrea Yonah, Director, Business Development, East Coast/Midwest, Tel: +1-609-356-0305, andreay@birdf.com, Ms. Shiri Freund-Koren, Director, Business Development, South, Tel: +1-512-436-1609 or Ms. Maya Vardi Shoshani, Director, Business Development, West Coast, Tel: +1-650-752-6485, mayav@birdf.com.
View original content:
SOURCE The BIRD Foundation | 2022-07-13T08:32:16+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/bird-israel-us-binational-industrial-rampd-foundation-invest-79-million-9-new-projects-approved-projects-with-an-overall-budget-20-million-involve-innovations-areas-drones-energy-efficiency-environment-protection-medical-devices-pharma-software-ai/ |
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman met with the media during his annual roundtable on Wednesday, recapping the 2022-23 school year, and looking ahead to the 2023-24 seasons. Here is a brief recap of what Whitman said during his two-plus hours meeting with the media.
ILLINOIS AD JOSH WHITMAN 2023 MEDIA ROUNDTABLE REVIEW
On 2022-23 school year: “A tremendous step forward, a year we’ve been building for really every year of my tenure…Now the key is to not become satisfied…we have to make sure we’re prepared for success and that’s been the focal point”
Second highest revenue in program history, $135 million
Finish FY23 with $35 million new business on fundraising
Active donor count, over 7,300 accounts
On NIL: “another topic that’s settling in a little bit”
“Proud how we’re navigating the NIL space”
“The relationship we have with ICON (collective) is the envy of many”
On NCAA future: “We need to take steps to control our own future because if we don’t, someone else will”
Concerned about state law activity recently, number of states passing laws that allow them to break NCAA rules over NIL
On Illinois men’s basketball in NCAA tournament: “Understand the disappointment the past couple of March’s but important to understand perspective…best thing we can do is keep showing up. Our day is coming”
“Go back two years, that was the one that stung” – on No.1 Illinois losing to Loyola
On stability in program and players transferring: “I know that we’ve had some share of roster turnover, it’s something we’re experiencing across the country. We have to do a good job of introducing our people to the public.”
“I think the transfer portal remains the shiny new object. There are changes that can be made to both NIL and the transfer portal to minimize that activity. We have try to sync up these transfer windows, doesn’t make sense to have window open during NCAA tournament. December is a nightmare for our football coaches”
Illinois women’s basketball one of the great stories coming out of 22-23 season, attendance up 165% from previous year: “We’re just scratching the surface…I think we’ve reset expectations”
“With nearly everyone returning, tremendous opportunity to take another step forward”
Football ticket revenue exceeded $8 million, 38% increase, highest since 2011
Nearly 8,000 new season tickets sold for this fall, expect it surpass 9k, 92% renewal rate
“If we want to accomplish our goals, we need to fill Memorial Stadium”
Will announce single game ticket pricing for this fall next week
Bret Bielema leaves no stone unturned in recruiting
50 new points of sale on concessions at Memorial Stadium, will have multiple walk-thru concessions like at several professional stadiums
Will have in-seat service in west balcony in select areas
Has been a proponent of Friday night Illinois football games, “we’re not going to make a living there”
Says he prefers Illinois-Northwestern to be played in the final game of the season, expects it to stay that way going forward
Six facility projects in five years (will be eight soon), first big phase is in
Invested in $8 million in Memorial Stadium in last three years, bulk on east side, troughs are gone in bathrooms
After this season, plans to fully gut and remodel south bathrooms
Future timeline TBD: stadium four-pack (wi-fi, video board, LED lights, new sound system), price tag $25-$30 million
On new B1G commissioner Tony Petitti: “Couldn’t be more impressed”
Excited about new football scheduling model, took more than a year to develop the model
Integration of UCLA and USC: “A very delicate and layered process”
“We have to lean into change. We get caught up in what’s always been”
On sports gambling: Whitman led charge to politicians, state elected to extend sunset clause another year to continue prohibiting mobile gambling on Illinois schools, can still bet on colleges in-person
“We’re not opposed to gambling, we’re opposed to college sports gambling”
Graduation rate is 95%, combined GPA 3.45, highest on record for both
On hosting IHSA state events: “We remain very excited to be partners with the IHSA”
Whitman will now be on NCAA council and strategic vision and planning committee (five-year terms) | 2023-06-21T22:26:22+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/illinois-ad-josh-whitman-media-roundtable-2023/ |
MCKINNEY, Texas, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Globe Life Inc. (NYSE: GL) reported today that for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, net income was $1.79 per diluted common share, compared with $1.92 per diluted common share for the year-ago quarter. Net operating income for the quarter was $2.07 per diluted common share, compared with $1.85 per diluted common share for the year-ago quarter.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Net income as an ROE was 9.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. Net operating income as an ROE excluding net unrealized gains or losses on fixed maturities was 12.6% for the same period.
- Life premiums increased 8% at the American Income Life Division and 5% at the Liberty National Division over the year-ago quarter.
- Total health premiums increased over the year-ago quarter by 8%.
- Life net sales increased 16% at the American Income Life Division and 7% at the Liberty National Division over the year-ago quarter.
- 1.4 million shares of Globe Life Inc. common stock were repurchased during the quarter.
COVID-19 Update: COVID life claims expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 was not significant. Year to date through June 30, we incurred $45 million of COVID life claims. For the full year, we expect to incur approximately $62 million of COVID life claims at the mid-point of our guidance, based on a range of $2.4 million to $2.6 million of COVID life claims per 10,000 U.S. deaths and total U.S. COVID deaths of 215,000 to 275,000.
Note: As used in the earnings release, "Globe Life," the "Company," "we," "our," and "us" refer to Globe Life Inc., a Delaware corporation incorporated in 1979, its subsidiaries and affiliates.
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Net operating income, a non-GAAP(1) financial measure, has been used consistently by Globe Life's management for many years to evaluate the operating performance of the Company, and is a measure commonly used in the life insurance industry. It differs from net income primarily because it excludes certain non-operating items such as realized investment gains and losses and certain significant and unusual items included in net income. Management believes an analysis of net operating income is important in understanding the profitability and operating trends of the Company's business. Net income is the most directly comparable GAAP measure.
The following table represents Globe Life's operating summary for the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021:
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
MANAGEMENT VS. GAAP MEASURES
Shareholders' equity, excluding net unrealized gains or losses on fixed maturities, and book value per share, excluding net unrealized gains or losses on fixed maturities, are non-GAAP measures that are utilized by management to view the business without the effect of unrealized gains or losses which are primarily attributable to fluctuation in interest rates associated with the available-for-sale portfolio. Management views the business in this manner because the Company does not intend to sell, nor is it likely that management will be required to sell, the fixed maturities prior to their maturity. It also creates more meaningful and easily identifiable trends, as we exclude fluctuations resulting from changes in interest rates. Shareholders' equity and book value per share are the most directly comparable GAAP measures.
INSURANCE OPERATIONS—comparing Q2 2022 with Q2 2021:
Life insurance accounted for 71% of the Company's insurance underwriting margin for the quarter and 70% of total premium revenue.
Health insurance accounted for 29% of the Company's insurance underwriting margin for the quarter and 30% of total premium revenue.
Net sales of life insurance increased 2% for the quarter and net health sales increased 3%.
The following table summarizes Globe Life's premium revenue by product type for the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021:
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
INSURANCE UNDERWRITING INCOME
Insurance underwriting margin is management's measure of profitability of the Company's life, health, and annuity segments' underwriting performance, and consists of premiums less policy obligations, commissions and other acquisition expenses. Insurance underwriting income is the sum of the insurance underwriting margins of the life, health, and annuity segments, plus other income, less insurance administrative expenses. It excludes the investment segment, Parent Company expense, stock compensation expense and income taxes. Management believes this information helps provide a better understanding of the business and a more meaningful analysis of underwriting results by distribution channel. Insurance underwriting income, a non-GAAP measure, is a component of net operating income, which is reconciled to net income in the Results of Operations section above.
The following table summarizes Globe Life's insurance underwriting income by segment for the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021:
The ratio of administrative expenses to premium was 6.8%, compared with 6.6% for the year-ago quarter.
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
LIFE INSURANCE RESULTS BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
Our distribution channels consist of the following exclusive agencies: American Income Life Division (American Income), Liberty National Division (Liberty National) and Family Heritage Division (Family Heritage); an independent agency, United American Division (United American); and our Direct to Consumer Division.
Total premium, underwriting margins, first-year collected premium and net sales by all distribution channels are shown at https://investors.globelifeinsurance.com at "Financial Reports and Other Financial Information."
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
HEALTH INSURANCE RESULTS BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
PRODUCING EXCLUSIVE AGENT COUNT RESULTS BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
INVESTMENTS
Management uses excess investment income as the measure to evaluate the performance of the investment segment. It is defined as net investment income less both the required interest attributable to net policy liabilities and the interest on debt. We also view excess investment income per diluted common share as an important and useful measure to evaluate performance of the investment segment, since it takes into consideration our stock repurchase program.
The following table summarizes Globe Life's investment income, excess investment income, and excess investment income per diluted common share.
Net investment income increased 2.2%, and average invested assets increased 4.1%. Required interest on net policy liabilities increased 5.0%, and average net policy liabilities increased 4.0%. The weighted average discount rate for the net policy liabilities was 5.8% and was in line with the year-ago quarter.
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
The composition of the investment portfolio at book value at June 30, 2022 is as follows:
Fixed maturities at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses, by asset class as of June 30, 2022 are as follows:
Below are fixed maturities available for sale by amortized cost, allowance for credit losses, and fair value at June 30, 2022 and the corresponding amounts of net unrealized gains or losses recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
At amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses, 97% of fixed maturities (97% at fair value) were rated "investment grade." The fixed maturity portfolio earned an annual taxable equivalent effective yield of 5.16% during the second quarter of 2022, compared with 5.24% in the year-ago quarter.
Globe Life is not a party to any credit default swaps and does not participate in securities lending.
GLOBE LIFE INC.
Earnings Release—Q2 2022
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
(Unaudited)
Comparable information for acquisitions of fixed maturity investments is as follows:
SHARE REPURCHASE:
During the quarter, the Company repurchased 1.4 million shares of Globe Life Inc. common stock at a total cost of $134 million and an average share price of $96.64.
LIQUIDITY/CAPITAL:
Globe Life's operations consist primarily of writing basic protection life and supplemental health insurance policies which generate strong and stable cash flows. These cash flows are not impacted by volatile equity markets. During the second quarter, the Company issued $400 million of 4.800% Senior Notes due 2032. Proceeds from the issuance will be used to fund $300 million of 3.800% Senior Notes maturing in September of 2022, with the remaining net proceeds to be used for general corporate purposes. Refer to recent SEC filings for further information. Liquidity at the Parent Company is sufficient to meet additional capital needs of the insurance companies.
EARNINGS GUIDANCE FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2022:
Globe Life projects that net operating income per share will be in the range of $7.90 to $8.30 for the year ending December 31, 2022.
NON-GAAP MEASURES:
In this news release, Globe Life includes non-GAAP measures to enhance investors' understanding of management's view of the business. The non-GAAP measures are not a substitute for GAAP, but rather a supplement to increase transparency by providing broader perspective. Globe Life's definitions of non-GAAP measures may differ from other companies' definitions. More detailed financial information, including various GAAP and non-GAAP measurements, is located at https://investors.globelifeinsurance.com on the Investors page under "Financial Reports and Other Financial Information."
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements related to the expected impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business operations, financial results and financial condition. These prospective statements reflect management's current expectations, but are not guarantees of future performance. Whether or not actual results differ materially from forward-looking statements may depend on numerous foreseeable and unforeseeable events or developments, which may be national in scope, related to the insurance industry generally, or applicable to the Company specifically. Such events or developments could include, but are not necessarily limited to:
1) Economic and other conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the U.S. economy, leading to unexpected changes in lapse rates and/or sales of our policies, as well as levels of mortality, morbidity, and utilization of health care services that differ from Globe Life's assumptions;
2) Regulatory developments, including changes in accounting standards or governmental regulations (particularly those impacting taxes and changes to the Federal Medicare program that would affect Medicare Supplement);
3) Market trends in the senior-aged health care industry that provide alternatives to traditional Medicare (such as Health Maintenance Organizations and other managed care or private plans) and that could affect the sales of traditional Medicare Supplement insurance;
4) Interest rate changes that affect product sales and/or investment portfolio yield;
5) General economic, industry sector or individual debt issuers' financial conditions (including developments and volatility arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in certain industries that may comprise part of our investment portfolio) that may affect the current market value of securities we own, or that may impair an issuer's ability to make principal and/or interest payments due on those securities;
6) Changes in pricing competition;
7) Litigation results;
8) Levels of administrative and operational efficiencies that differ from our assumptions (including any reduction in efficiencies resulting from increased costs arising from operating during the COVID-19 pandemic);
9) The ability to obtain timely and appropriate premium rate increases for health insurance policies from our regulators;
10) The customer response to new products and marketing initiatives;
11) Reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements which are based on management estimates and judgments which may differ from the actual amounts ultimately realized;
12) Compromise by a malicious actor or other event that causes a loss of secure data from, or inaccessibility to, our computer and other information technology systems;
13) The severity, magnitude and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including effects of the pandemic and the effects of the U.S. government's and other businesses' response to the pandemic, on our operations and personnel, and on commercial activity and demand for our products; and
14) Globe Life's ability to access the commercial paper and debt markets, particularly if such markets become unpredictable or unstable for a certain period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Readers are also directed to consider other risks and uncertainties described in other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Globe Life specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement because of new information, future developments or otherwise.
EARNINGS RELEASE CONFERENCE CALL WEBCAST:
Globe Life will provide a live audio webcast of its second quarter 2022 earnings release conference call with financial analysts at 12:00 pm (Eastern) tomorrow, July 28, 2022. Access to the live webcast and replay will be available at https://investors.globelifeinsurance.com on the Calls and Meetings page, at the Conference Calls on the Web icon. Immediately following this press release, supplemental financial reports will be available before the conference call on the Investors page menu of the Globe Life website at "Financial Reports."
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Globe Life Inc. | 2022-07-27T20:30:10+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/globe-life-inc-reports-second-quarter-2022-results/ |
U.S. Supreme Court will hear North Carolina redistricting case on Wednesday
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case out of North Carolina on Wednesday. Congressional maps, tossed out by state courts for partisan gerrymandering, are under the microscope. The repercussions of this case may go well beyond just North Carolina though, and impact how much power state legislatures have to manage federal elections.
Moore v. Harper started as a case about partisan gerrymandering. At the U.S. Supreme Court this case will focus on part of the Constitution called the Elections Clause, which says, “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof;”
The two sides in this case each argue that “Legislature” refers to different things. The respondents say it means the state’s government as a whole, while petitioner say it just means the elected lawmakers in each state’s statehouse.
Kathay Feng from Common Cause, one of the groups leading the respondents, said, “It’s so much bigger than just the conversation about redistricting or gerrymandering.”
The nonpartisan group that sued over maps drawn by North Carolina republican state lawmakers.
Feng said, “Ultimately the state supreme court agreed with us and redrew those lines so they would be fair to all voters.”
North Carolina Republican House Speaker Tim Moore is the leading petitioner and is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the state supreme court’s decision to redraw temporary maps.
Moore said, “The state courts have... been given authority to weigh in on state elections and on state redistricting, but not on federal redistricting.”
Moore said the state court is stepping on the Constitution’s Elections Clause.
Feng and liberal groups who have filed briefs say if the U.S. Supreme Court sides with Moore in this case that it could potentially set precedent giving state legislatures near complete power to regulate federal elections, and immunity from state courts checks.
Moore countered, “Our argument is to simply affirm what has been the law for decades and decades. It’s the left, it’s Common Cause, these folks who simply want to try and use these courts to get around the will of the voters.”
Each side is seeing support from idealogical allies.
But some Republicans are also breaking with Moore’s argument.
In a filing from more than a dozen former republican officials they wrote that it, “...Would frustrate constitutional values and achieve none of its purported goals: it contradicts constitutional text and history, runs counter to longstanding practice, and would wreak unparalleled havoc on the electoral landscape.”
The Supreme Court will hear the case on Wednesday morning.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-07T00:06:00+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/2022/12/06/us-supreme-court-will-hear-north-carolina-redistricting-case-wednesday/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — As it pushes to renew a cornerstone law that authorizes major surveillance programs, the Biden administration faces an American public that’s broadly skeptical of common intelligence practices and of the need to sacrifice civil liberties for security.
Congress in the coming months will debate whether to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Section 702 authorizes U.S. spy agencies to collect large amounts of foreign communications for intelligence purposes ranging from stopping spies to listening in on allies and foes. Those collection programs also sweep up U.S. citizen communications that can then be searched by intelligence and law enforcement officers.
The new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that Democrats and Republicans have similar views on surveillance tactics, while Republicans have become substantially less likely over the last decade to say it’s at least sometimes necessary to sacrifice freedom in response to threats.
U.S. intelligence officials say Section 702 is necessary to protect national security and to counter China, Russia and other adversaries. They credit the program with better informing U.S. diplomats and enabling operations like last year’s strike to kill a key plotter of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
But officials will have to overcome sharp divisions in Congress and bipartisan anger at the FBI, though most observers still believe Section 702 will be renewed in some form.
Driving a political shift is increasing skepticism among Republican elected officials of the FBI and intelligence agencies. Conservatives have battered the FBI for misleading the primary surveillance court in its investigation into former President Donald Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Trump and other top Republicans often accuse the so-called government “deep state” of using its powers to target conservatives.
Historically, “the left flank has been the more vocal objector to government surveillance on privacy and civil liberties grounds,” said Carter Burwell, who was chief counsel to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, when the law was last renewed in early 2018.
”Over the past five or 10 years, with the rise of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, call it the antigovernment wing of the Republican Party, that is an equally vocal and powerful plurality,” said Burwell, now a lawyer at the firm Debevoise & Plimpton.
The poll asked U.S. adults whether they support several practices authorized by Section 702. It found that 28% of adults support the government listening to phone calls made outside of the U.S. without a warrant, while 44% oppose the practice. Views are similar about the U.S. reading emails sent between people outside of the U.S. without a warrant.
The public was more receptive to surveillance of activity outside of the U.S. a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. That shifted significantly by the 20th anniversary of the attacks in 2021.
In the latest poll, 48% of Americans this year said they believed it necessary to sacrifice their rights and freedoms to prevent terrorism, down from 54% in 2021 and nearly two-thirds in 2011. That shift was especially dramatic among Republicans, with just 44% saying that’s sometimes necessary compared with 69% in 2011. Among Democrats, 55% still say so, similar to the 59% who said so in 2011.
Sarah Apwisch, a 57-year-old from Three Rivers, Michigan, described herself as somewhat opposed to the monitoring of foreign emails and phone calls. A Democrat, Apwisch said she was “mostly pro-FBI” but concerned after years of negative stories about the bureau.
“Honestly, I don’t want to hear anything about the FBI,” she said. “I want the FBI to go do their business and not be in the news because they’re doing their job well and not doing things that make waves. How they do that, I don’t know.”
Apwisch also said she supports the FBI and other agencies trying to hunt down enemy spies, but was uncertain about whether the FBI should also use foreign intelligence to investigate other U.S. crimes.
White adults were somewhat more likely to say they were opposed to various forms of surveillance — 48% said they opposed the government listening to foreign calls without a warrant — than Black or Hispanic adults, each at 34%.
Rob Redding, a 47-year-old journalist who lives in New York City, said he was neutral about many surveillance practices — but said he felt that way because as a Black man, he didn’t expect to have privacy.
Redding mentioned the FBI’s spying in the 1960s on Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders as well as officials in Black nationalist movements.
“As a Black man in America, as someone who speaks out about the government all the time, I understand that Black people and especially Black leadership cannot trust America,” Redding said.
In Congress, some Democrats and Republicans have found common cause over their complaints about Section 702. Two lawmakers earlier this year issued a statement calling for an end to U.S. surveillance without a warrant. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chairs the liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus, while Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
“We must take this opportunity to reform Section 702 and overhaul privacy protections for Americans so that they truly protect the civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy rights that are foundational to our democracy,” Jayapal and Davidson said.
Previous lawmaker efforts to require warrants for searching intelligence databases have failed. Intelligence officials argue they have ramped up training for agents searching the databases and tightened requirements to consult with lawyers on sensitive queries.
Supporters of Section 702 argue most U.S. adults want the government to stop foreign adversaries even if they state misgivings about how American intelligence operates.
Glenn Gerstell, a former general counsel at the National Security Agency who is advocating for Section 702 to be extended, noted that while Congress has to be responsive to public opinion, “some of this gets pretty technical and isn’t easily understood by the public.”
He said he still believed the law would be renewed with some amendments to bolster civil liberties protections and enshrine into law changes that the FBI has made in response to a series of wrongful uses of foreign intelligence.
“At the end of the day, I think most members of Congress understand the value of the statute and understand that when we don’t have the statute, there is no substitute,” Gerstell said.
___
Associated Press writer Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
___
The poll of 1,081 adults was conducted March 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. | 2023-06-08T11:20:00+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/politics/ap-norc-poll-finds-both-democrats-republicans-skeptical-of-us-spying-practices/ |
Recently arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department:
Charles R. Karn, 19, of Grier Boulevard for felony aggravated assault with injury at 3 a.m. Wednesday at a redacted Cheyenne address.
Jaylon Helling, 21, transient, for misdemeanor interfering/obstructing and giving false identity at 1:10 a.m. Wednesday in the 2500 block of Windwood Drive.
Michael I. Robin Sr., 43, of Van Lennen Avenue for felony possession of schedule I and II narcotics and misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear out of Laramie County and Larimer County, Colorado, at 11:21 p.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block of Dell Range.
Cristian R. Garcia, 26, of Missile Drive for felony motor vehicle theft, and misdemeanor interference with a peace officer (no injury), expired or improper registration and no liability insurance at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 800 block of Randall Avenue.
Robert Snow, 72, transient, for misdemeanor disturbing the peace/property at 6:16 p.m. Wednesday in the 600 block of West 21st Street.
Willis W. Wheeler, 56, of Foxcroft Road for felony possession of a methamphetamine type drug and misdemeanor possession of a marijuana type drug at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday at Nationway and Ridge Road.
Bernadette M. Herrera, 48, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at Frontier Court and Frontier Street.
Kegan E.A. Dawdy, 22, transient, for misdemeanor theft (less than $1,000, shoplifting) at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday in the 3300 block of North College Drive.
Joey R. Easterwood, 34, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for probation violation at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of West Ninth Street.
Parker C. Ewig, 31, transient, on a misdemeanor municipal warrant 2 p.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of West 17th Street.
Steven P. Munoz, 47, transient on misdemeanor warrants for violating a protection order, failure to comply, failure to appear and destruction of property (less than $1,000) at 12:38 p.m. Tuesday in the 1500 block of Hot Spring Avenue.
Christina Medina, 40, transient, for misdemeanor possession/use of a controlled substance (suspected fentanyl pill) and disturbing the peace/property at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of West 17th Street.
Christopher L. Grant, 23, transient, for misdemeanor assault (battery) and interference with a peace officer (no injury) at 5:59 a.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of Central Avenue.
Lorenzo J. Martinez, 34, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 3:45 a.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of West 17th Street.
Shaina P. Goggles, 35, of East Lincolnway for misdemeanor public intoxication and possession of an open container of alcohol at 1:20 a.m. Tuesday at her residence.
Louis J. Garcia Jr., 51, of Phoenix Drive for misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and refusing to obey at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday in the 3900 block of East 12th Street.
Joseph A. Gamez, 28, of Pioneer Avenue on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to pay at 4:43 p.m Monday at Deming Drive and West Fifth Street.
Anthony J. Gello, 36, of Lee Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 12:15 p.m. Monday in the 3600 block of Lincolnway.
• • •
Recently arrested by Laramie County Sheriff’s Office:
Justina Y. Marfil, 25, of South Greeley Highway for misdemeanor domestic battery and assault (battery) at 10:39 a.m. Wednesday at a redacted Cheyenne address.
Christopher A. Sontag, 40, of Leisher Road on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 10:25 p.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of East Jefferson Road.
Eugene S. Garrido, 48, transient, on a felony district court warrant for failure to comply and a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 2:31 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of East Fox Farm Road.
Mario F. Ramirez, 30, of Calumet Drive on a misdemeanor warrant for domestic battery at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County Governmental Complex, 309 W. 20th St.
Jay M. King, 26, of East 12th Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Laramie County jail, 1910 Pioneer Ave.
Jesse J. Deen, 34, transient, on felony warrants for burglary, destruction of property (less than $1,000) and theft (deprivation of firearm/livestock, less than $1,000) at 3:04 p.m. Monday at the Laramie County jail.
Mark A. Martinez, 47, of Third Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 11:50 a.m. Monday at the Laramie County jail.
• • •
Recently arrested by the Wyoming State Highway Patrol:
Harley S. Kingma, 35, of Lusk for wrongful taking or disposing of property (vehicle theft) at 8:08 a.m. Tuesday at mile marker 47 of northbound Interstate 25. | 2023-06-16T13:29:33+00:00 | wyomingnews.com | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-6-16-23/article_c4cd70fa-0afd-11ee-a56f-af3f5034636b.html |
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Each year on Nov. 11, Americans nationwide honor military heroes and their service to our country on Veterans Day. On this national holiday, you may be wondering how to fly your flag to properly mark the day.
An amendment that was adopted into U.S. law in 1942 provides the rules for using and displaying the Star-Spangled Banner nationwide.
According to United States Code, unlike on Memorial Day, “when the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only,” on Veterans Day the American flag should be flown at full staff all day.
When is the flag flown at half-staff?
- May 15: Peace Officers Memorial Day
- Memorial Day (until noon only)
- By order of the President
- For the death of prominent U.S. government figures (president, vice president, chief justice, etc.) or others
- July 27: Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
- Sept. 11: Patriot Day
- Dec. 7: Pearl Harbor Day
- Following a national tragedy
Flag etiquette
In addition to guidance on when to fly the flag, there are also guidelines on how to display it, as laid out by American Flagpole & Flag Co.
- The U.S. flag should be displayed only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. The flag may be displayed for 24 hours if properly lit during the night hours.
- Raising the flag should be done briskly. When lowering, it should be done ceremoniously.
- When displaying the flag against a wall, the union – or stars – should be in the top left corner. If displaying the flag in a window, you should display it in the same way, keeping the stars in the upper left corner as viewed by people on the street looking into the window.
- Generally, no flag or pennant should be placed above the U.S. flag, though there is an exception: During church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea for Navy personnel, the church pennant may be flown above the flag.
For more flag etiquette, click here. | 2022-11-10T21:56:48+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/national-news/is-the-american-flag-flown-at-half-staff-on-veterans-day/ |
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — One of the greatest mountain guides regained his title for the most climbs of Mount Everest after scaling the peak for the 27th time on Wednesday, just three days after a fellow Sherpa climber had equalled his previous record.
Kami Rita, 53, reached the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit guiding a group of climbers on the world’s highest mountain, and was safe and in good health, said Mingma Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based Seven Summit Treks.
A fellow Nepali Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa scaled the peak on Sunday for the 26th time, equalling Kami Rita’s record last year.
The season’s first wave of climbers reached the summit over the weekend as Sherpa guides fixed ropes and made paths for the hundreds who will attempt to scale the peak over the remaining days of May.
May is the best month to climb Everest since it has the best weather conditions. There are generally only a couple of windows with good weather on the highest section of the mountain in May that enable climbers to reach the summit.
After the end of May, the weather on the mountain deteriorates and climbing becomes dangerous.
Climbers generally reach the Everest base camp in April and spend weeks acclimatizing to the high altitude, rough terrain and thin air before they go up the summit.
By the first or second week of May, they are usually making attempts for the summit. This year’s climbing, however, was slightly delayed after three Sherpa climbers fell into a deep crevasse on a treacherous section of the mountain in April. Rescuers have not been able to find them.
A rush for the summit is expected in the next couple of weeks. Nepalese authorities have issued nearly 470 permits for Everest this spring.
Kami Rita first scaled Everest in 1994, and has been making the trip nearly every year since then. He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers who seek to stand on top of the mountain every year.
His father was among the first Sherpa guides. In addition to his Everest climbs, Rita has scaled several other peaks that are among the world’s highest, including K-2, Cho-Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse. | 2023-05-17T15:02:04+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/nepals-sherpa-guide-regains-title-for-most-climbs-of-mount-everest-after-27th-trip/ |
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The leader of global track and field said it would have been “inconceivable” to have allowed Russians into this week’s world championships given the country’s war against Ukraine.
At his news conference Thursday, the eve of the championships, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said there was no budging from the position the federation took shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
“It was made from a very clear standpoint, and that was about the integrity of competition,” Coe said. “It would have been inconceivable to have a world championships here with athletes from Belarus and Russia, two aggressive nations who have walked into an independent state.”
Belarus, an ally of Russia in the war, is also banned from the worlds, which run from Friday through July 24.
One Russian athlete, three-time world-champion high jumper Maria Lasitskene, has publicly criticized Coe and IOC president Thomas Bach for their stance on her country.
The IOC recommended that sports exclude Russia from their events, and many sports followed that lead. Coe noted that World Athletics was one of the first federations to reach a position, one that won’t change “for the foreseeable future,” in large part because of the challenges involved in getting the 22 Ukrainian athletes who qualified for worlds safely to the championships.
The position on Russia is separate from that country’s athletics federation’s ongoing suspension, which dates to 2015. That stems from the long-running doping scandal that spread through Russia starting two years previous to that. The suspension triggered a sanction that limited the number of Russian athletes who can compete at major events as neutrals. At the last worlds, in 2019, 29 competed.
But that program isn’t in play here because of the war. Coe said that in this week’s council meeting, members received an update about the doping issues from the task force in charge with monitoring Russia’s compliance to the roadmap for reinstatement.
“I sort of feel like it’s Season 17, Box Set 126” on the issue, Coe said, before ticking off the latest updates from the task force.
Most important is an independent audit of the Russian federation, results of which will be presented at a council meeting in November.
That’s also when the council will consider changes in rules governing participation by transgender athletes and intersex athletes. Earlier this summer, Coe signaled that changes to those rules could be coming, but he said it was not an agenda item in this week’s meetings.
“Though inclusivity has really been a watch word, the balance between inclusivity and fairness will always, in my view, fall now on the side of fairness,” he said in repeating comments he’d made earlier this summer that indicate there could be tighter restrictions on allowing transgender and intersex athletes to compete.
___ | 2022-07-15T04:31:39+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/coe-inconceivable-russians-would-be-allowed-at-worlds/ |
Enjoy two-level townhouse, maintenance free living in your stylish new build! Look over the eight-foot island from the kitchen into your open concept living and dining areas or open your back door to a private patio and seating area. Upstairs, you'll find the spacious walk-in closet off of the primary bedroom. Location, Location, Location! Centrally located just off of Highway 73 with easy access to all of Greensboro's hubs! Just 8 minutes from PTI or take a short drive to Friendly Shopping Center to get to all your favorite restaurants and shops. Hop on the Bicentennial Greenway just minutes from your home for a walk or bike ride!
2 Bedroom Home in Greensboro - $274,900
Related to this story
Most Popular
The Greensboro Food Truck Festival will be in a new location when it returns Aug. 28.
After a brutally hot summer, our recent slightly cooler temperatures have some people looking forward to even cooler weather the coming fall and winter seasons will bring. But just how cold will it get in North Carolina this winter? Can we expect a snowy winter wonderland, or will we be bringing out the flip flops in January? To get some possible answers to those questions, we consulted the ...
The festival will take place Sept. 9-11.
The lists were compiled by OpenTable, a restaurant reservation service that tracks ratings by diners. It also matches diners with restaurants based on their needs and occasions.
Guilford County Schools held groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Kiser Middle School and the new Claxton and Brooks elementary schools on Monday.
Searchers have worked about 28 hours combing a 3-mile radius around Heddie Dawkins' home, including neighborhoods, nature trails, bodies of water and woods, police said in a news release.
Officials said the stop was initiated at approximately 9:08 p.m. Sunday for a traffic violation in the 4900 block of West Market Street. Moments later, it was determined the vehicle was stolen.
A Winston-Salem man was arrested Monday on charges that he killed his mother by pouring gasoline on her and setting the woman on fire.
A well-known Iredell County, N.C., farmer died in an accident Monday evening.
Authorities had a suspect in custody, but additional information was not immediately released. | 2022-08-27T06:49:54+00:00 | greensboro.com | https://greensboro.com/2-bedroom-home-in-greensboro---274-900/article_5d7d4be5-4d19-53aa-ab20-c1f1f0e55c37.html |
Airobotics receives order from UAE government entity for its Optimus Drone System
Order represents first fleet deployment of autonomous drones in urban environments
Customer plans city-wide deployment of Optimus Urban Drone Infrastructure over several years
PETAH TIKVAH, Israel, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AIROBOTICS Ltd. (TASE: AIRO) ("Airobotics" or the "Company"), which collects and analyzes aerial data via its automated drone infrastructure, has announced it is supplying additional drone systems and services to a UAE government entity. This represents the next step towards a larger fleet deployment by that government entity, to extensively install the Optimus Urban Drone Infrastructure, developed by Airobotics.
The order is a follow-on order to initial systems and services that were provided and thoroughly reviewed by the customer during the Dubai Expo. During the event, the Company successfully carried out thousands of operational drone flights without human intervention under challenging environmental conditions and in densely populated areas, to the end user's satisfaction.
The Airobotics system is designed to operate as a network of smart drones linked to an urban control center and will function as a municipal infrastructure providing a variety of automated data solutions. The primary function of the deployed Urban Drone Infrastructure is to shorten response times of security and rescue forces to emergency situations, supporting law enforcement and homeland security activities, and streamlining diverse services provided by the municipality for the public's benefit. The Company is also examining drone parcel delivery and other smart city applications to be provided by the infrastructure.
Airobotics is active in the UAE and additional countries and has plans with other customers to establish permanent infrastructure which rely on fleets of automated drones that do not require on the ground human intervention to operate. The drones are able to operate as a taskforce that can simultaneously collect and provide critical information for a variety of customer requirements. The Airobotics drone infrastructure is specifically designed for urban environments and strategic facilities that require immediate security, monitoring and emergency response. Each system within the infrastructure framework includes a smart airbase enabling automated battery changes enabling 24/7 operations, along with the automated loading and installation of sensors appropriate for each specified mission. Each system covers a perimeter up to 80 square kilometers surrounding an airbase. Drone flights can be tasked to carry specific sensors, enabling every drone in the system to execute diverse tasks. The drones can be activated for complex longer-term operations. Flights are overseen by remote operators in a command-and-control center.
Airobotics believes the Optimus Urban Drone Infrastructure will be widely deployed across this specific UAE city over the next few years. To date, two systems have already been deployed. Completion of the current transaction will bring this customer's deployed Airobotics fleet to four systems.
About AIROBOTICS
Airobotics Ltd. (TASE: AIRO) is an Israeli manufacturer and operator of autonomous Unmanned Aircraft (UAs) and Aerial Data Infrastructures. Airobotics UAs are used for smart city, homeland security and industrial services, providing automated data capture and analysis services, performed 24/7 without human intervention, and addressing the needs of the world's most complex environments. Airobotics is actively deployed in Israel and the UAE and has business development activities in the USA and Singapore. Airobotics' Optimus System provides an end-to-end solution, comprising an industrial grade UAV, an automated base station, wide-ranging regulatory certification, and an automated data analysis and visualization platform. The company's systems are in the process of type certification, the first of its kind in the US under the US Civil Aviation Authority, the FAA. The Type Certificate will allow Airobotics to perform flights over population, in populated areas, and in complex terrains as never before approved.
Earlier this year, Airobotics announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:ONDS) a leading provider of private wireless, drone and automated data solutions through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Ondas Networks Inc. and American Robotics Inc.
Contact:
Eitan Rotberg SVP
office@airoboticsdrones.com
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1942606/Optimus_Drone.jpg
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Airobotics | 2022-11-09T14:12:02+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/09/airobotics-deploying-automated-urban-drone-infrastructure-uae/ |
SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRTX), a clinical-stage targeted oncology company, today announced positive results from the registration-enabling Phase 2 cohort of the KRYSTAL-1 study evaluating adagrasib 600 mg BID in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring the KRASG12C mutation who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. Findings will be presented on June 3 at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, as an oral presentation during the "Lung Cancer – Non-Small Cell Metastatic" session from 2:24 to 2:36 PM ET/ 1:24 to 1:36 PM CT (Abstract #9002).
- As of October 15, 2021, 116 patients were enrolled and treated in the study. Of the patients enrolled, 98% had prior treatment with a PD-1/L1 inhibitor following or in combination with chemotherapy. Median follow up was 12.9 months.
- Of the patients evaluable for response (n=112), initial results showed that the objective response rate (ORR) by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) was 43%, the disease control rate (DCR) was 80%, the median duration of response (DOR) was 8.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.2 – 13.8), and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.5 months (95% CI: 4.7 – 8.4).
- With a January 15, 2022 data cutoff, the median overall survival (OS) was 12.6 months (95% CI: 9.2 – 19.2).
- The safety profile of adagrasib in this study was consistent with prior reports and no new safety signals were observed. The most frequent treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) included gastrointestinal events and fatigue. The majority of TRAEs were Grade 1–2 (53%) with Grade 3–4 TRAEs observed in 43% of patients. Two Grade 5 TRAEs were observed. TRAEs led to discontinuation of therapy in only 7% of patients.
"The positive and encouraging data from this trial further support the scientific rationale for targeting the KRASG12C mutation with adagrasib, which fully and continually inhibits mutant KRASG12C throughout the entire dosing period," says Alexander I. Spira, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, Co-Director, Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute. "This important dataset demonstrates positive clinical activity with adagrasib across molecular and clinical subgroups, including patients with treated and stable CNS metastases."
The Company also presented results from an exploratory, retrospective subgroup analysis from the Phase 2 NSCLC cohort of the KRYSTAL-1 study evaluating adagrasib in patients with KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC and stable, previously treated central nervous system (CNS) metastases (n=33). These results showed CNS-specific activity, including a 33% intracranial (IC) ORR by response assessment in neuro-oncology-brain metastases (modified RANO-BM). The IC DCR was 85% (95% CI: 68 – 95).
"The exploratory, retrospective subgroup analysis of adagrasib in patients with stable and previously treated CNS metastases showed intracranial tumor regression," added Dr. Spira. "These data are encouraging and contribute to the rapidly advancing science seeking to better understand how KRASG12C inhibitors like adagrasib can help improve patient outcomes."
In addition to these results, the Company reported updated findings from a pooled analysis in a total of 132 patients from the KRYSTAL-1 study, including the registrational Phase 2 and Phase 1/1b NSCLC cohorts evaluating adagrasib at a dose of 600mg BID.
As of October 15, 2021, results from this pooled analysis showed an ORR of 44% and a disease control rate of 81% based on central independent review. The median DOR was 12.5 months and the median PFS was 6.9 months. With a January 15, 2022 data cutoff, (median duration of follow-up of 15.9 months) the median OS was 14.1 months. The safety and tolerability profile was consistent with the above reported findings for adagrasib in patients with advanced NSCLC. The Company plans to present full results from this pooled analysis at a future medical congress.
"The data from the registrational lung cancer cohort of KRYSTAL-1, including the clinical activity shown in patients with stable, previously treated CNS metastases, further support adagrasib's unique profile," says Charles M. Baum, M.D., Ph.D., president, founder and head of research and development, Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. "Mirati is at the forefront of KRAS research, and we are pleased with the meaningfully positive clinical outcomes patients are experiencing with adagrasib, both in previously treated lung cancer and in other tumor settings."
On June 6, 2022, during an oral presentation at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Company will present new, late-breaking results from the Phase 1b cohort of the KRYSTAL-1 study evaluating adagrasib in active, untreated CNS metastases (Abstract #LBA9009).
The adagrasib New Drug Application is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Accelerated Approval (Subpart H) as a treatment for patients with NSCLC harboring the KRASG12C mutation who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. Adagrasib has also received Breakthrough Therapy Designation status from the FDA for the same indication. The Company has an ongoing confirmatory Phase 3 trial, KRYSTAL-12, evaluating adagrasib versus docetaxel who have been previously treated for metastatic NSCLC with a KRASG12C mutation.
Mirati Therapeutics will host an Investor Event on Monday, June 6, 2022, at 8:00 PM ET/7:00 PM CT.
Company executives will provide an overview of the adagrasib clinical data presented at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting and the Company's broader lung cancer strategy, including in earlier lines of therapy.
Investors and the general public are invited to register and listen to a live webcast of the event through the "Investors and Media" section on Mirati.com. A replay of the event will be available shortly after the conclusion of the event.
The brain, along with the bone, adrenals, and liver are common sites of extra-thoracic metastases in NSCLC.[1]−3 CNS metastases occur in 27−42% of patients with KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC at diagnosis.1,4−6 Additionally, patients with CNS metastases and KRAS-mutated NSCLC may have poor outcomes, with median overall survival (OS) of approximately five months.7-9
Adagrasib is an investigational, highly selective, and potent oral small-molecule inhibitor of KRASG12C that is optimized to sustain target inhibition, an attribute that could be important to treat KRASG12C-mutated cancers, as the KRASG12C protein regenerates every 24–48 hours. Adagrasib is being evaluated as monotherapy and in combination with other anti-cancer therapies in patients with advanced KRASG12C-mutated solid tumors, including NSCLC, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. For more information visit Mirati.com/science.
Mirati has an Expanded Access Program (EAP) for investigational adagrasib for the treatment of eligible patients with KRASG12C-mutated cancers, regardless of tumor type, including patients with treated or untreated CNS metastases, in the U.S. Learn more about the EAP at Mirati.com/expanded-access-policy.
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company whose mission is to discover, design and deliver breakthrough therapies to transform the lives of patients with cancer and their loved ones. The company is relentlessly focused on bringing forward therapies that address areas of high unmet medical need, including lung cancer, and advancing a pipeline of novel therapeutics targeting the genetic and immunological drivers of cancer. Unified for patients, Mirati's vision is to unlock the science behind the promise of a life beyond cancer. For more information about Mirati, visit us at Mirati.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the business of Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. ("Mirati"). Any statement describing Mirati's goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs, development plans and the commercial potential of Mirati's drug development pipeline, including without limitation adagrasib (selective KRASG12C inhibitor), sitravatinib (TAM receptor inhibitor), MRTX1719 (MTA cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor), MRTX1133 (selective KRAS G12D inhibitor), and MRTX0902 (SOS1 inhibitor), is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, particularly those challenges inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercialization of new drug products that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs.
Mirati's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Mirati's forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Mirati. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements.
These and other risks concerning Mirati's programs are described in additional detail in Mirati's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K, which are on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and Mirati assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
1. Lohinai Z, Klickovits T, Moldvay J, et al. KRAS-mutation incidence and prognostic value are metastatic site-specific in lung adenocarcinoma: poor prognosis in patients with KRAS mutation and bone metastasis. Sci Rep. 2017;7:39721.
2. Milovanovic IS, Stjepanovic M, Mitrovic D. Distribution patterns of the metastases of the lung carcinoma in relation to histological type of the primary tumor: an autopsy study. Ann Thorac Med. 2017;12(3):191-198.
3. Wang X, Wang Z, Pan J, et al. Patterns of extrathoracic metastases in different histological types of cancer. Front Oncol. 2020;10:715.
4. Cui W, Franchini F, Alexander M, et al. Real world outcomes in KRAS G12C mutation positive non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer. 2020;146:310-317.
5. Offin M, Feldman D, Ni A, et al. Frequency and outcomes of brain metastases in patients with HER2-mutant lung cancers. Cancer. 2019;125(24):4380-4387.
6. Tomasini P, Serdjebi C, Khobta N, et al. EGFR and KRAS mutations predict the incidence and outcome of brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):2132.
7. Cagney DN, Martin AM, Catalano PJ. Incidence and prognosis of patients with brain metastases at diagnosis of systemic malignancy: a population-based study. Neuro Oncol. 2017;19(11):1511-1521.
8. Chi A, Komaki R. Treatment of brain metastasis from lung cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2010;2(4):2100-2137.
9. Mak KS, Gainor JF, Niemierko A, et al. Significance of targeted therapy and genetic alterations in EGFR, ALK, or KRAS on survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with radiotherapy for brain metastases. Neuro Oncol. 2015;17(2):296-302.
Mirati Contacts
Investor Relations: ir@mirati.com
Media Relations: media@mirati.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. | 2022-05-26T21:32:25+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/investigational-adagrasib-delivers-positive-results-registration-enabling-study-patients-with-krasg12c-mutated-advanced-non-small-cell-lung-cancer/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.