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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Democrats released six years of former President Trump’s tax return information last week as part of reports into the presidential audit program, revealing that the former president wasn’t receiving regular audits from the IRS and that he was reporting big business losses every year.
On Friday, Trump’s actual tax returns from 2015 to 2020 are set to be released, after Democrats said they needed additional time to redact the documents and remove personal information.
Tax experts aren’t expecting huge revelations from the raw returns, which were summarized in reports from both the Democratic-controlled Ways and Means Committee and the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). But the more detailed documents could provide additional information on key areas of interest regarding Trump’s businesses and his professional associations.
Were Trump’s losses refreshed in 2020?
The JCT report on Trump’s taxes revealed that Trump was reporting large losses every year, usually in the tens of millions of dollars, offsetting his gains and reducing what he owed in taxes — and sometimes wiping out his tax liability altogether, as in 2020.
The losses from 2015 to 2018 were actually just pieces of a larger $105 million loss, which was itself part of a $700 million loss that was broken up and reported over different years.
These broken-up losses are common accounting strategies for people in the real estate development world, who are allowed to report regular depreciation expenses as losses.
In 2019, Trump reported positive income and paid taxes, but then reported he was again in the red in 2020, leading some experts to think that Trump’s losses in that year go beyond strategic accounting and represent genuinely ailing businesses.
“Trump’s 2020 losses were not from net operating losses carried over. Rather, I think Trump’s 2020 losses were real, largely resulting from business losses he suffered at the start of the COVID pandemic. And that is why he paid zero taxes in 2020,” Steve Rosenthal of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center wrote in an email to The Hill.
“Yes, Trump generated a lot of losses in 2009, including a $700 million loss from his ‘abandonment’ of a partnership interest, some of which he carried over to future years. And Trump, apparently, continued to carryover these losses through 2018. But, by 2019, Trump had used all his carryover losses — and Trump reported positive income,” he wrote.
More information on Trump’s 2020 tax return could be a window into whether he got out of paying taxes that year due to common accounting practices or failing businesses.
Information on foreign entities and bank accounts
Trump’s foreign entanglements were one of the dominant narratives of his presidency, particularly the FBI investigation into his relationship with Russia.
Any foreign bank accounts cited in Trump’s tax returns or payments made to foreign entities are sure to receive scrutiny and could provide further insight into Trump’s relationships abroad.
“I’m going to be looking for things like foreign ownership, foreign accounts, foreign ownership of Trump businesses, payments to foreigners,” Rosenthal said. “There’s bound to be some items that may yet pop out to external reviewers that [the JCT] missed.”
“Those of us who are interested in his relationship with Russia will be looking for any kind of confirmation of what Don [Trump] Jr. said in 2008 that Trump interests had received much of their money from Russian sources,” former CIA officer and journalist Frank Snepp said in an interview.
“Obviously we’re not going to see in the tax returns a line that says ‘Russian Assets,’ but a forensic analyst would be well advised to look for anything related to the emoluments clause,” he said.
Trump also oversaw some major changes of the status quo in the Middle East, including the Abraham Accords, whereby Israel normalized relations with several Arab nations.
“Everybody who is interested in whether or not he received any money from Saudi Arabia will be looking for indications of that kind of foreign input,” Snepp said.
The profitability breakdown of Trump’s companies
In addition to Trump’s individual tax returns, Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee also obtained the returns for eight of Trump’s businesses. While that’s only a small subset of Trump’s nearly 500 commercial entities, seeing which companies were most responsible for Trump’s losses will provide a clearer picture of his tax avoidance and general business practices.
The eight business returns fall into three categories, encompassing trademark LLCs, golf club businesses and two high-level holding companies.
“Those two upper-tier entities sit at the top of Trump’s LLC empire. The numbers all roll into those, and I’d like to see some aggregate numbers there,” Rosenthal said.
According to the JCT report, an IRS agent assigned to Trump’s 2018 business returns noted numerous suspicious losses claimed by Trump on his tax returns.
“With respect to 2018, the agent noted several ‘Large unusual questionable items’ (‘LUQs’) including a $12.1 million loss from the Trump Corporation … [and] $55.2 million loss for DJT Holdings,” The JCT report said.
The report also mentioned a “history of difficult negotiations between Mr. Trump’s counsel and IRS personnel.”
Unlike his real estate businesses, Trump’s trademark LLCs are expected to be profitable enterprises, bolstered by the publicity he gained during his reality television career on NBC’s “The Apprentice.” | 2022-12-29T22:44:44+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/hill-politics/what-to-look-for-in-trumps-tax-returns/ |
LAS VEGAS — Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 23 points, including four in a game-ending 8-0 run, and New Mexico stayed unbeaten with a 67-64 victory over San Francisco on Monday night.
Khalil Shabazz paced the Dons (8-3) with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Tyrell Roberts had 13 points, six boards and four assists. Volodymyr Markovetskyy came off the bench to score 12 and grab eight rebounds.
Markovetskyy’s dunk with three minutes remaining gave San Francisco a 64-59 lead.
___
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | 2022-12-13T07:14:51+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/mashburn-lifts-unbeaten-new-mexico-over-san-francisco-67-64/2022/12/13/2ed0cd1c-7ab2-11ed-bb97-f47d47466b9a_story.html |
This week marks the 60th anniversary of a landmark Supreme Court case that guaranteed criminal defendants the right to a lawyer. That guarantee has been challenged by budgets and high demand.
Copyright 2023 NPR
This week marks the 60th anniversary of a landmark Supreme Court case that guaranteed criminal defendants the right to a lawyer. That guarantee has been challenged by budgets and high demand.
Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-03-17T10:24:53+00:00 | wbfo.org | https://www.wbfo.org/2023-03-17/in-1963-gideon-v-wainwright-assured-criminal-defendants-right-to-an-attorney |
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a heater that can be easily used and moved to any room in the home or any remote outdoor setting," said an inventor, from Strathroy, Ontario, Canada, "so I invented the ULTIMATE HEATER. My design would provide portable heat during a power outage, emergency situation, outdoor excursion or anytime."
The invention provides an improved portable space heater for both indoor and outdoor use. In doing so, it can be used when and where electricity is or is not available. As a result, it enhances safety and convenience and it could increase efficiency. The invention features a lightweight design that is easy to use so it is ideal for households, campers, hunters, etc.
The original design was submitted to the Toronto sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 21-TRO-692, 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 | 2022-10-03T16:05:37+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/03/inventhelp-inventor-develops-new-portable-space-heater-tro-692/ |
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OCI Solar Power, headquartered in San Antonio, signed an agreement with Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. ("Mitsui USA") yesterday memorializing their intent to collaborate on utility-scale solar energy projects in Texas. Under the agreement, OCI Solar Power will develop the projects and offer them to Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsui Tokyo") for investment.
"With its parent company in Japan, Mitsui Tokyo is one of the largest general trading companies in the world that actively seeks to balance its energy resource portfolio. We are extremely excited to team up with this global leader to bring more solar power to the Lone Star State. When big companies go green and invest in cleaner, safer, more sustainable energy, everyone wins," said Charles Kim, President & CEO, OCI Solar Power.
Signing the agreement on behalf of the companies were:
- Eiji Yanagawa, President & CEO, Mitsui & Co. Energy Marketing and Services (USA), Inc.
- Yosuke Matsumoto, SVP & DOO, Mitsui USA
- WooHyun Lee, Vice Chairman, OCI Company Ltd. (South Korea)
- Charles Kim, President & CEO, OCI Solar Power
Earlier this month, OCI Solar Power announced it has originated more than 3 gigawatts of solar projects in operation, under construction, and in development across Texas. It also has operating solar projects in Georgia and New Jersey.
About OCI Solar Power LLC
OCI Solar Power is a leader in the solar power industry. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, OCI Solar Power develops, constructs, finances, owns, and operates solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities, specializing in utility-scale and distributed generation solar projects throughout the U.S. OCI Solar Power is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OCI Company, Ltd., a publically-traded company in South Korea that provides solutions to customers worldwide through business portfolios ranging from basic chemical products to solar PV generation and urban development. For more information, visit ocisolarpower.com.
About Mitsui & Co. (USA), Inc.
With a long history in the United States, Mitsui USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui Tokyo, one of the most diversified and comprehensive trading, investment, and service enterprises in Japan. Mitsui Tokyo pursues "360° business innovation" that ranges from product sales, worldwide logistics and financing, through to the development of major international infrastructure and other projects. For more information about Mitsui USA please visit www.mitsui.com/us.
For More Information:
Leslie Garza-Wright, 210-612-4978
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE OCI Solar Power | 2023-02-23T17:54:26+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/oci-solar-power-announces-collaboration-with-mitsui-usa-solar-energy-projects-texas/ |
MARION COUNTY, Fla. – The Marion County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday will announce arrests made during an undercover operation targeting child sex predators.
Sheriff’s officials will discuss the case at 11 a.m.
The sheriff’s office said there were multiple arrests but did not specify the exact number.
According to a news release, the accused child sex predators traveled to meet minors for sex.
News 6 will stream the news conference live at the top of this story.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: | 2023-05-23T12:41:06+00:00 | clickorlando.com | https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/23/marion-county-deputies-discuss-child-sex-predator-arrests/ |
Request unsuccessful. Incapsula incident ID: 418000600022446021-34417217942720265 | 2023-03-14T03:51:06+00:00 | bizjournals.com | https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2023/03/13/usrealco-rebrands-as-affinius-capital.html |
SEATTLE, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CTI BioPharma Corp. (NASDAQ: CTIC) today announced the grant of equity awards to two new employees as equity inducement awards outside of the Company's Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (but under the terms of the Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan) and material to the employees' acceptance of employment with the company. The equity awards were approved on September 20, 2022 and September 21, 2022, respectively, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The employees received options to purchase an aggregate of 140,000 shares of CTI BioPharma common stock. The options will be issued upon each employee's grant date (the "Grant Date"), and all stock options included within the equity inducement awards will have an exercise price equal to the closing price of CTI BioPharma common stock on each respective Grant Date. One-fourth of the options will vest on each anniversary of the employee's Grant Date, subject to the employee's continued employment with CTI BioPharma on such vesting dates. The options have a ten-year term.
About CTI BioPharma Corp.
We are a commercial biopharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition, development and commercialization of novel targeted therapies for blood-related cancers that offer a unique benefit to patients and their healthcare providers. CTI has one FDA-approved product, VONJO® (pacritinib), a JAK2 and IRAK1 inhibitor, that spares JAK1. VONJO is approved for the treatment of adults with intermediate- or high-risk primary or secondary (post-polycythemia vera or post-essential thrombocythemia) myelofibrosis with a platelet count below 50 × 109/L. This indication is approved under FDA accelerated approval based on spleen volume reduction. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s). CTI is conducting the Phase 3 PACIFICA study of VONJO in patients with myelofibrosis and severe thrombocytopenia as a post-marketing requirement.
VONJO® is a registered trademark of CTI BioPharma Corp.
CTI BioPharma Investor Contacts:
Argot Partners
+212-600-1902
cti@argotpartners.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE CTI BioPharma Corp. | 2022-09-22T01:24:12+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/09/22/cti-biopharma-announces-inducement-grants-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4/ |
Youngkin to meet with Taiwan’s leader during trade mission
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will lead his first international trade mission later this month, a trip to Asia that will include a meeting with the president of Taiwan, his office said Tuesday.
From April 24 through April 29, Youngkin and the Virginia delegation accompanying him will visit Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea. In addition to meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, Youngkin will meet government officials, strategic business associations, company executives and industry leaders, his office said.
“I’m excited to represent the Commonwealth in my first trade mission to Asia that will focus on economic development opportunities, our shared priorities and national security,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia. In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to our allies but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia and America.”
The visit by Youngkin, who has not publicly ruled out a presidential bid, comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and treats dealings between American and Taiwanese officials as a challenge.
Youngkin’s trade mission was announced one day ahead of an expected meeting between Tsai and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles while Tsai returns home after a tour of Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies in Latin America.
Youngkin has recently taken an increasingly hard line against China. He disclosed in January that he scuttled an effort by Virginia to land a large electric vehicle battery plant, an initiative between Ford Motor Co. and a Chinese company that is setting up in Michigan instead. The governor’s administration labeled the project a “front” for the Chinese Communist Party that would raise national security concerns.
He also celebrated the passage of several bills during the recent legislative session that aimed to address the threat from China, including a measure that would prohibit foreign adversaries from purchasing or otherwise acquiring agricultural land.
That Youngkin waited so long into his term — which began in January 2022 — to embark on an international trade mission is somewhat unusual.
The Washington Post reported in December that he was the first governor in nearly 30 years not to lead such a trip in his first year in office. His press office said at the time that he would only undertake such trips if necessary and noted that Youngkin, a former private equity executive, had lured major new businesses to the state, including Boeing and Lego.
Virginia is home to scores of companies from the countries Youngkin will visit: five from Taiwan, 133 from Japan, and 25 from South Korea, according to his office.
The trip will be Youngkin’s first to Asia as governor.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-04-04T22:21:53+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/youngkin-to-meet-with-taiwans-leader-during-trade-mission/ |
SAN DIEGO — A former Marine who for years helped smuggle drugs from Mexico into the United States and even tried to get a song written to glorify his exploits was sentenced Friday to 12 years in federal prison.
Salazar, who pleaded guilty last October, could have faced up to life in prison.
He was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Prosecutors said that before joining the corps and while on active duty, he and couriers he recruited made dozens of smuggling trips across the border.
Salazar would obtain cars that were driven to Mexico, where drugs were loaded into the engine compartments. Couriers would then drive them back across the border into the U.S., prosecutors said.
The scheme began around 2015, authorities said.
By the time of his arrest last year, “Salazar had become so involved in drug trafficking that he was commissioning a Mexican songwriter to write a drug ballad known as a ‘narcocorrido about him,” the U.S. attorney’s office said.
“In one line that Salazar suggested to the songwriter, he boasted: ‘I wanted to study and became a soldier, but I liked the fast life better,’” the office said.
Some of the couriers recruited by Salazar were former Marines or classmates at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.
“This case involved a Marine who was supposed to protect and defend our country, but instead brought great harm to Americans by trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said. “He also betrayed his solemn oath by recruiting other Marines to do the same.” | 2023-04-22T02:10:20+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/04/21/marine-san-diego-mexico-drug-smuggling/caf2f252-e0a5-11ed-a78e-9a7c2418b00c_story.html |
Hundreds of parents and students gathered at the State Capitol Thursday morning demanding stronger gun laws.
Metro Nashville Public Schools parents are leading this rally in response to the Covenant School shooting Monday.
They were expected to sing to Tennessee elected officials and lift their signs, letting them know they want common-sense gun laws.
Thursday's protest is among several instances where students and parents have rallied in the wake of Monday's mass school shooting that left three adults and three students dead. Last night, Metro Nashville Public School Board of Education members shared how they felt when it comes to the fight to make schools safer.
"Thoughts and prayers are not enough. And if this is not a wake-up call, I do not know what is," said one student.
"Because you would feel like the label you receive as a student is being politicized and its being used as a weapon, but in reality we're just kids, and it's impossible not to feel frustrated," said another student.
SEE MORE: Police search for a motive in Nashville shooting
Following the shooting at the Covenant School, Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools Adrienne Battle issued a statement to reassure parents of students' safety.
"At Metro Schools, we have invested considerable resources to strengthen security at our facilities in response to the far too many, far too often instances of school shootings across the nation over the years. We will continue to reinforce our safety protocols and monitor and follow best practices on keeping students safe from harm," she said.
This article was written by Brianna Hamblin for Scripps News Nashville | 2023-03-30T17:56:12+00:00 | abc15.com | https://www.abc15.com/news/national/parents-students-demand-stronger-gun-laws-after-school-shooting |
Bam Adebayo NBA Playoffs Player Prop Bets: Heat vs. Bucks - April 19
Bam Adebayo and his Miami Heat teammates take the court versus the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, at 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday.
In this article we will dive into Adebayo's prop bets, using stats to help you make good predictions.
Bam Adebayo Prop Bets vs. the Bucks
Looking to bet on one or more of Bam Adebayo's player prop bets? Sign up at DraftKings with our link to get a first deposit bonus today!
Bam Adebayo Insights vs. the Bucks
- Adebayo has taken 14.9 shots per game this season and made 8.0 per game, which account for 15.9% and 18.7%, respectively, of his team's total.
- Adebayo's opponents, the Bucks, have a middling offensive tempo, ranking 12th in the NBA with 102.4 possessions per game, while his Heat rank 29th in possessions per game with 99.2.
- Defensively, the Bucks are 14th in the league, allowing 113.3 points per game.
- The Bucks allow 44.2 rebounds per game, ranking 20th in the NBA.
- Giving up 23.9 assists per contest, the Bucks are the fifth-ranked team in the league.
Bam Adebayo vs. the Bucks
Want another way to try to win cash prizes? Add Adebayo or any of his Heat teammates to your lineup in FanDuel Daily Fantasy NBA contests. Use our link to sign up and get a great offer for new users. (See website for offer details, not available in all areas.)
Not all offers available in all states. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has developed a gambling problem or addiction, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-04-19T19:54:32+00:00 | atlantanewsfirst.com | https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/sports/betting/2023/04/19/bam-adebayo-nba-playoffs-player-prop-bets-heat-vs-bucks/ |
GRAPHIC DETAILS: Veterinarians forced to euthanize nearly 30 dogs in animal cruelty case
NICHOLLS, Ga. (WALB/Gray News) - A woman is under arrest after police found multiple dogs living in deplorable conditions in a Georgia home.
Nicholls Police Department Chief Jamie Merritt said officers responded to a home regarding an animal complaint where they located seven adult dogs and 21 puppies at the residence.
WALB reports the home’s back door was open when officers arrived and found several adult dogs bleeding and hairless, covered with fleas.
Police said they found some animals deceased and dismembered.
According to authorities, three litters of puppies, some a few days old, were also found in the home with conditions so poor that the adult dogs were eating the puppies because they were without food.
Merritt said officers took the 28 animals to a veterinarian for assistance, but the team was forced to put the dogs down due to their health conditions.
Nicholls police reported Carol Dukes is facing eight counts of animal cruelty charges in the incident.
An arrest report showed she was already in jail since July 8, after being charged with a criminal trespass bench warrant, possession of meth and having a controlled substance.
Authorities said their animal cruelty investigation continues.
Copyright 2022 WALB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-22T21:54:01+00:00 | wnem.com | https://www.wnem.com/2022/07/22/graphic-details-veterinarians-forced-euthanize-nearly-30-dogs-animal-cruelty-case/ |
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Floods caused by the annual rains have left “a trail of destruction” across Somalia, a United Nations spokesman said, citing inundated homes and farmland as well as the shutdown of health facilities.
“According to early estimates by our partners, more than 460,000 people have been impacted, including nearly 219,000 men, women and children who have been displaced due to this (flooding),” Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
At least five people, including three children, have been killed in the flooding, Mohamed Moalim of the Somalia National Disaster Management Agency told The Associated Press.
The destruction is greatest in the Hiiraan region of the central Somali state of Hirshabelle. Thousands of families have been displaced in Beledweyne, the regional city with the highest population density. The Shabelle river running through the town burst its banks amid heavy rainfall.
If the rains persist in Somalia and in the Ethiopian highlands, “we estimate that up to 1.6 million people could be impacted, with more than 600,000 displaced,” Dujarric said.
Rising water levels in Beledweyne forced the closure of many important facilities, including government offices and the main hospital, residents said. Some said the flooding was the worst they had ever seen.
“It was very difficult for me to walk this morning because of the amount of water,” said Beledweyne resident Abdifitah Ahmed. “As you can see, this situation is getting worse as the amount of water increases.”
Another resident, Hussein Yusuf, said that the damage to property is extensive. “This flood is larger than any flooding in recent memory that has ever occurred in this region,” he said.
The Horn of Africa nation, one of the world’s poorest, faces multiple crises. Other parts of Somalia face drought conditions, and there’s an ongoing insurgency by Islamic extremist fighters opposed to the federal government in the capital, Mogadishu. | 2023-05-17T03:52:55+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/international/ap-international/un-reports-extensive-flooding-damage-in-central-somalia/ |
NEW YORK, April 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) between May 10, 2021 and February 28, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important May 30, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Marathon 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 Marathon class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3108 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 May 30, 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 handle 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: The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company overstated the efficacy of its disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting; (2) as a result, the Company's revenues and cost of revenue were materially misstated during the Class Period; (3) the foregoing, once revealed, was reasonably likely to have a material negative impact on the Company's financial condition; and (4) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Marathon class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3108 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. | 2023-04-08T20:59:29+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/04/08/rosen-respected-leading-firm-encourages-marathon-digital-holdings-inc-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-mara/ |
Nissan will use the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon in January to present a varied collection of cars, with the new Z sports car among the highlights.
One of the Zs will be fitted with a collection of official accessories that Nissan previewed in prototype form at this year’s Auto Salon. Unique elements include a new front fascia, a trunk lid spoiler, and graphics bearing “Fairlady,” the name the Z carries in Japan.
Also sharing Nissan’s stage will be an X-Trail fitted with parts from Nissan’s Autech accessories division. The X-Trail, which is sold in the U.S. as the Rogue, has been dressed up for the Auto Salon with a body kit, 20-inch wheels, and a white leather interior.
The new Ariya electric crossover will also make an appearance, though not in modified form. The version on display will be an Ariya from Nissan’s new E-Share Mobil car-sharing fleet.
Most of the other vehicles are Nissans sold outside the U.S. Among the vehicles will be custom Serena minivans, a Cube restomod, and a Note Aura enhanced by Nismo.
The Tokyo Auto Salon is scheduled for Jan. 13-15.
Related Articles
- Zagato reveals stunning Alfa Romeo Giulia coupe
- Hennessey dials up the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R to 1,000 hp
- Everrati offers EV conversion for original Defender and Range Rover
- Activesphere is Audi’s vision of an active lifestyle EV
- Ford Megazilla crate engine revealed with 615 hp | 2022-12-22T22:12:52+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/automotive/internet-brands/new-z-to-headline-nissans-2023-tokyo-auto-salon-lineup/ |
Days after the public launch of Twitter rival Threads, Meta executive Adam Mosseri was surprisingly transparent about the company's distaste for the news media: Meta will not be doing anything to encourage hard news and politics on the platform, he wrote.
Amid Twitter's turmoil under Elon Musk, more than 100 million people have rushed to join Threads, making it the most swiftly adopted app in history.
But if Meta executives have their way, Threads will not be where people turn to debate policy issues, or catch up on local political developments and learn about breaking news that could affect their lives.
Instead, Threads is being offered as a text-version of Instagram, where celebrities, influencers and corporate brands dominate. Or as Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg put it, a "friendly" shelter from the noisy and chaotic world of news and politics.
"Will this decision make society dumber?" Solomon Messing, a former Facebook research scientist said in an interview with NPR. "Gosh, it's really hard not to say yes."
News isn't a big social media moneymaker
Messing, who now teaches at New York University, has published research examining how social media shapes the public's grasp of politics and news events, and how being exposed to news on social media influences someone's likelihood to vote.
The conclusion was fairly obvious.
"When folks see more political content in their news feeds, they tend to become more interested in politics," Messing said. "They tend to develop more consistent policy preferences. They tend to report voting at higher rates."
Yet to Meta, the business case is straightforward: Want a big return on investment, or ROI? Then start pushing anything other than news and politics.
Messing adds: "What's the ROI on being a politics-focused social network versus a celebrity-focused social network?"
Alex Stamos, former chief security officer at Facebook, said the company learned long ago that the news industry needs social media platforms more than the platforms need the news.
"Overall, the amount of engagement and therefore money the company makes from hard news has shown to be quite small," Stamos said.
Political drama has plenty of fans
What keeps people scrolling so persistently that it supercharges advertising revenue? "Interactions between individuals, the family photos, the influencers, things like that," he said.
Meta can turn the knobs up or down for certain kinds of content, Stamos said. For instance, Threads could de-emphasize posts that include a link to a news organization. "They'll be trying to strike the right balance between their desire to stay relevant counterbalanced with their desire to not be pulled into controversies," Stamos said.
But saying Threads is not interested in courting political drama is not going to stop it, especially with such an influx of users coming over from Twitter, which is, as Stamos put it, "effectively an intellectual gladiator coliseum. People are there to see blood on the floor."
Many of those departing Twitter because of Musk's changes to the platform are left-leaning critics of Musk who tweet obsessively about news and politics. So if Threads does not encourage discourse about politics, it might leave them without a real replacement social media app.
But can Meta really avoid the combative tenor of Twitter? It is an open question, Stamos argues, but he said Threads is kidding itself by saying it can be something of an online town square without fierce political debates.
"Whatever they're saying publicly, they clearly want to displace Twitter. And in order to do that they have to become a very important platform for political speech," Stamos said.
Meta has de-emphasized news before
In some ways, Meta's growing distance from the news industry is nothing new.
In 2016, Facebook made major changes to its algorithm to favor posts from friends and family over news articles. That decision eviscerated the traffic publishers once received from the social network.
On Instagram, major news organizations promote stories that can garner impressive engagement, but it is usually drowned out by much lighter content showing off vacations, weddings and lifestyle trends.
Then there is the Russia controversy that former Facebook employees say the company is still smarting from.
After the 2016 presidential election, American intelligence agencies found that Russian-linked disinformation campaigns created posts around divisive, hot-button topics that reached many millions in an attempt to meddle in the 2016 presidential election.
In 2020, Russia-backed groups attempted to meddle again in a presidential election by pushing conspiracy theories on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but the efforts reached a far smaller audience.
Taken together, Meta executives want Threads to be a platform that makes the maximum amount of money, while steering clear of the kind of scrutiny that was heaped upon the company in the wake of the 2016 election.
But Brian Ott, a social media scholar who teaches at Missouri State University, said online platforms like Threads have a responsibility to encourage, not discourage, political debate and discussions that can influence how people engage in their communities and vote.
Ott said Meta is attempting to position Threads as an anti-Twitter Twitter, when in fact it is essentially a clone service.
"What Meta is engaged in right now is a marketing effort to try to tell people, 'hey this isn't going to be what happened last time,' well, in fact, it is going to be what happened last time," Ott said. "It's going to be exactly what happened last time. Because the fundamental technology hasn't changed."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-07-12T20:38:08+00:00 | kcbx.org | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-07-12/metas-threads-wants-to-become-a-friendly-place-by-downgrading-news-and-politics |
Enhancement provides Vertical IQ users expanded analysis on a particular industry's forecasted growth.
RALEIGH, N.C., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry Intelligence leader Vertical IQ has released an enhancement to its industry forecasting information. The Industry Forecast chapter of each Industry Profile now contains greater detail and data to support the forecast, all at no additional cost to subscribers.
This enhancement is designed to boost credit and sales professionals' confidence and credibility when advising a business owner on why a certain industry is forecasted to grow or shrink. It also facilitates an assessment of future industry performance based upon economic undercurrents that impact growth.
This newly enhanced forecast data is based on the Long-term Interindustry Forecasting Tool (LIFT), developed by economic insight and analysis experts Inforum, an economic research organization formerly at the University of Maryland. LIFT is an interindustry-macro [IM] model of the US economy, which incorporates annual governmental economic and demographic data.
"LIFT employs a 'bottom-up' approach to macroeconomic modeling," explains Ronald Horst, Director at Inforum. "This structure supports analysis of how changes in one industry, such as increased productivity or changing international trade patterns, affect related sectors and the aggregate quantities. In this way, the model works like the actual economy, building the macroeconomic totals from details of industry activity."
"With this improvement, users will find a written description of the economic conditions for sectors driving the outcomes of a particular industry," notes Bobby Martin, co-founder and CEO of Vertical IQ.
"When a bank officer or financial consultant is armed with this understanding, it enables them to share valuable forecasted growth insights with clients, allowing them to become better advisors to that person's business."
To learn more about Vertical IQ or to request a demo, visit www.verticaliq.com.
Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Vertical IQ is a nationally recognized leader in Industry Intelligence. Whether they're pitching a local brewery or a national biotech company, successful sales, marketing, and customer success teams use Vertical IQ to better understand a prospect's or client's business challenges before, during, and after meetings. Covering more than 540 distinct industries, 3,400 local economies, and more than 94 percent of the U.S. economy and Canada, Vertical IQ equips users with the confidence and credibility to make memorable first impressions and sustain enduring relationships.
View original content:
SOURCE Vertical IQ | 2022-06-08T12:11:12+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/vertical-iq-launches-expanded-industry-forecast-chapter/ |
Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize needs Tommy John surgery, manager AJ Hinch told reporters Friday.
Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has been out since mid-April because of elbow troubles.
Hinch said that while Mize's elbow ligament isn't torn, doctors say it has been stretched to a point where it has lost its elasticity.
Mize posted a 7-9 record and a 3.71 ERA last season. He was able to make just two starts in 2022, going 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA. | 2022-06-10T21:46:09+00:00 | espn.com | https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34070791/casey-mize-detroit-tigers-undergo-tommy-john-surgery |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people are flocking to central Florida this weekend to go on theme park rides, mingle with costumed performers, dance at all-night parties and lounge poolside at hotels during Gay Days, a decades-long tradition.
Even though Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers have championed a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ laws — spurring the most prominent gay rights group in the U.S. and other civil rights organizations to issue warnings that the Sunshine State may no longer be safe — Gay Days organizers are still encouraging visitors from around the world to come to one of Florida’s largest gay and lesbian celebrations.
They say a large turnout will send a message that LGBTQ+ people aren’t going away in Florida, which is continually one of the most popular states for tourists to visit. If the hoped-for 150,000 or more visitors come to the half-week of pool parties, drag bingo and thrill rides at Orlando’s theme parks and hotels, then “that’s the point,” said Joseph Clark, CEO of Gay Days Inc.
“Right now is not the time to run. It’s not the time to go away,” Clark said. “It’s time to show we are here, we are queer and we aren’t going anywhere.”
Unlike most of the country, which celebrates Pride in June, Orlando holds its Pride in October. Gay Days is a bonus celebration.
It’s not lost on the organizers that the highlight of the weekend will be a Saturday meetup of LGBTQ+ visitors at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, where the first Gay Days started as a single-day celebration in 1991. Traditionally, participants wear red shirts to identify themselves, and they meet for the afternoon parade in front of Cinderella’s Castle.
Currently Disney is embroiled in a legal fight with DeSantis over the governor and Republican lawmakers’ takeover of Disney World’s governing district — after Disney officials publicly opposed legislation that critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.”
At first, the law banned classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity up to third grade, but this year it was expanded to apply to all grades. On top of that, Florida lawmakers recently passed bills making it a felony to provide gender-affirming health care to transgender minors, as well as banning people from entering bathrooms other than their sex assigned at birth, and prohibiting children from some performances, which takes aim at drag shows.
The administration of DeSantis, who launched a campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination last week, also moved to revoke the liquor licenses of a Miami hotel and a performing arts center owned by the Orlando Philharmonic Plaza Foundation after they hosted drag shows where investigators claim minors were present.
In response, some Florida cities, including St. Cloud near Orlando, have canceled Pride events altogether.
“These laws have created a climate of fear and hostility for LGBTQIA+ people in Florida,” organizers for St. Cloud’s Pride events wrote to announce the cancellation. “We believe that holding an LGBTQIA+ event in this environment would put our community at risk.”
Responding to Florida’s new laws and policies, the Human Rights Campaign — the largest LGBTQ+ rights organization in the U.S. — recently issued a travel and relocation warning for the state, joining the NAACP, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Florida Immigrant Coalition and Equality Florida.
While the LGBTQ+ advocacy group said it wasn’t calling for a boycott of all travel to Florida, it said it wanted to highlight new laws passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature that they said are hostile to the LGBTQ+ community and restrict abortion access, as well as make the state unsafe for many by allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
Even before these travel advisories were issued, some regular Florida visitors were reconsidering their plans. Sara Haynes, who lives in metro Atlanta with her husband, decided not to visit the state after lawmakers started planning legislation to restrict treatment options for trans people.
“It’s less a crusade and more like, ‘I’m not going to spend my money where bad things are going on,’” Haynes said.
But the organizers of Gay Days and their supporters say that Orlando is as gay-friendly a city as they come, earning a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign index, which measures how inclusive cities are of LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. They say that tourists can support the LGBTQ+ community by visiting cities like Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg, which also received perfect scores.
“We live in a bubble here in Orlando, where even with the chaos in Florida, we feel safe here,” said Jeremy Williams, editor-in-chief of Watermark Publishing Group Inc., a Florida-based media company that is one of the sponsors of Gay Days.
Gay Days has survived past challenges, including in the early years when Disney posted signs at the Magic Kingdom’s entrance warning visitors there was a large gathering of gays and lesbians and offering passes to other parks for guests who might be offended. Over the last three decades, though, the theme parks and resorts have thrown down the welcome mats as Gay Days has become a profitable bounce between the spring break and out-of-school summer crowds. SeaWorld’s water park, Aquatica, is a sponsor this year.
Other groups have adopted hostile attitudes in the past. During Gay Days in the 1990s, hundreds of anti-abortion activists with Operation Rescue protested outside Walt Disney World, and the Southern Baptist Convention cited the gathering in calling for a boycott of all things Disney. Some Christian groups tried to buy air time during Gay Days in the late 1990s to pressure people to renounce their sexual orientation, but mainstream TV stations in Orlando rejected the ads.
If Clark, the CEO of the Gay Days business, had his wish, DeSantis would accept an open invitation to see one of the drag shows during this year’s festivities.
“Come on out and see that not everything you hear out there is reality,” said Clark, as if he were directly addressing DeSantis. “There’s a part of me that hopes that if he were to see a show, maybe his mind would change, or maybe he would see the people his actions are affecting.”
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | 2023-06-01T05:44:43+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/lgbtq-people-flock-to-florida-for-gay-days-festival/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
HELSINKI (AP) — Wireless and fixed-network equipment maker Nokia on Thursday reported a fall in second quarter profit as clients especially in North America postponed investments due to a slowdown in economic growth and rising financing costs.
The Espoo, Finland-based company reported net profit of 414 million euros ($464 million) for the April-June period, down 29% from 585 million euros a year earlier. Net income attributable to shareholders was 415 million euros, down from 582 million euros the previous year.
Nokia’s sales were down 3% at 5.7 billion euros.
Among other network products, Nokia is one of the world’s main suppliers of 5G, the latest generation of broadband technology, along with Sweden’s Ericsson, China’s Huawei and South Korea’s Samsung.
“Earlier in the year I highlighted that we were starting to see signs of macroeconomic challenges along with inventory digestion impacting customer spending and this has intensified through the second quarter,” CEO Pekka Lundmark said in a statement, pointing particularly to “significant decline in major North American operators’ investments.”
He said Nokia expected these trends to continue to impact its business during the rest of the year, “meaning we now see second half net sales broadly similar to the first half” with “some sequential improvement visible into Q4.” The Finnish company said it has reduced full year sales outlook with 2023 revenue now expected to fall within the range of 23.2 billion to 24.6 billion euros.
The highlight of the second quarter was the new long-term patent license agreement Nokia signed with Apple, Lundmark said.
The deal, concluded in late June, replaces the current cross-licensing deal between the two companies, starting from Jan. 1, 2024. It enables Apple to use the Finnish company’s technology in its products, including Nokia’s inventions in 5G and other technologies. | 2023-07-20T22:31:20+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/news/business/ap-nokia-profits-fall-as-clients-particularly-in-north-america-shun-investments/ |
Retailers warn of Visa, Mastercard fee hike
Published: May. 19, 2022 at 10:53 AM CDT|Updated: 15 minutes ago
(CNN) - Businesses are blaming credit and debit cards for higher prices at some stores.
Credit card giants Visa and Mastercard raised their interchange rates, also called swipe fees, last month.
Merchants pay the fees to banks and credit card companies for transactions made with credit or debit cards.
The fees are not a flat rate, but vary on several factors including the retailer, type of card and transaction size.
Some retailers say the increased fees will force them to raise prices on consumers or stop accepting certain credit cards.
Visa and Mastercard claim the fees help pay for reward programs and banking services, and to guarantee payment in case of customer overdraft or fraud.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-19T16:09:58+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/2022/05/19/retailers-warn-visa-mastercard-fee-hike/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — A hung jury has resulted in the mistrial of a Baltimore woman known as the “Wheelie Queen” who was accused of fatally stabbing her girlfriend.
News outlets report that a judge declared the mistrial Friday after nine hours of deliberations over two days.
Lakeyria Doughty was charged with murder in the stabbing death of Tiffany Wilson, on New Year’s Day in 2021.
Prosecutors said Doughty killed Wilson in a fight precipitated by the couple's breakup. Doughty took the stand in her own defense and said Wilson attacked her and accidentally stabbed herself during the struggle.
Doughty earned her nickname as a member of the 12 O'Clock Boys, a crew of dirt bike riders in the city. | 2022-06-25T16:40:53+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Mistrial-in-murder-case-against-Baltimore-s-17265398.php |
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - The spirit of giving recognized with a big event in Miami Beach tonight.
The Wolfson family received the United Way of Miami’s highest honor — the Tocqueville Award for outstanding philanthropy.
The Wolfsons — known for generations of support of education, healthcare, affordable housing and the arts — have devoted their lives to south florida.
“Our family’s DNA is made with philanthropy through and through,” said Louis Wolfson III.
“It’s a constant of the spirit, I believe in empathy, and luckily now we live in the time of empathy,” said Mitchell “Micky” Wolfson.
“The Wolfson family has been terrific,” WSVN owner and Sunbeam Television CEO Andy Ansin. “They’ve been in South Florida for over 100 years– five generations. They’re really a tremendous beacon, a leader for all of us to follow in their footsteps and to continue with their generational philanthropy and generational leadership.”
Ansin co-presented this year’s award.
The annual reception brings together hundreds of South Florida’s most generous philanthropists — who not only contribute money — but also their time and leadership to make our community better.
Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2023-03-29T03:55:23+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/wolfson-family-receives-united-way-of-miamis-highest-honor/ |
Betty Delores Dixon
January 13, 1929-November 9, 2022
Betty Delores Dixon, 93, a resident of Windhaven Assisted Living-Western Home Communities, passed away on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, while under the care of Cedar Valley Hospice. A graveside inurnment will be held on Saturday, November 19th at 11:00 AM at the Guttenburg Cemetery in Guttenburg, Iowa. Memorials may be directed in Betty’s name to Cedar Valley Hospice. Locke at Tower Park in Waterloo has been entrusted with arrangements. For further assistance, you may call the funeral home at (319) 233-3146.
Betty was born on January 13, 1929, in Dubuque, Iowa, to her parents Clesson and Elvina (Funk) McKinney. She grew up in Waterloo, where she attended school, graduating from Waterloo East High School in 1948. On July 19, 1950, Betty was united in marriage to James Dixon, in LaPorte City. They were married for 70 years, before his passing. The couple were blessed with 4 children.
She began her working career at Rath Packing in Waterloo, the summer after high school and worked for Montgomery Ward in Waterloo. Her main working years were in food service, where she was employed by Waterloo Schools.
In Betty’s free time, she enjoyed sewing, cake decorating, and enjoyed volunteering in many different capacities: volunteering at the Waterloo Senior Center, the Waterloo Schools, and was a past PTA President. Her volunteer service did not go unnoticed, and she was a Governor’s Volunteer Award Recipient.
Betty had a great sense of humor; she was funny and no matter where she went, she had the ability to make people laugh. One of her favorite things to do was dress up for every holiday; she was very festive and had a unique sense of style. She was a ‘simple’ lady, but those simple things in life, fulfilled her 93 years. She will be greatly missed by those she leaves behind.
She is survived by her children Scott Dixon of Colorado Springs, CO, Jerry (Terrie) Dixon and Brenda (Ray) Pavelec, both of Cedar Falls and Dawn (Matt) Bourseau of Arlington Heights, IL; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Betty was preceded in death by her parents; husband Jim; brother John “Jack” (Jean) McKinney and sister Virginia McKinney. | 2022-11-13T07:06:11+00:00 | wcfcourier.com | https://wcfcourier.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/betty-delores-dixon/article_8edbd3bf-0ab5-543d-a076-b845301e415f.html |
Artists take creations to the community on the Penn Street Art Bridge
Artists use various mediums to create their works.
Roger Myers and Nelson Delgado use a bridge.
They are among the many artists in the past five years who have used the Penn Street Art Bridge to express their artistic side.
Established in 2017, the Penn Street Art Bridge is a way to transform a “vandalism issue” into a creative community asset.
The art bridge is a footbridge connecting the 200 block of North Penn Street with Gay Avenue, close to Farquhar Park in York City.
Myers has been producing art on the bridge since it was opened up to artists.
"There's different all the time," Myers said, "We try to change it to challenge ourselves. A lot of people enjoy it and love it."
Delgado is new to the art bridge scene.
"I am the rookie," Delgado said. "I've been drawing on paper since I was a kid. Spray painting, I am new to this. I am a year into it."
Delgado got started creating on the bridge by watching Myers do his work. After a while, he jumped in and started painting as well.
The subject matter of what goes on the bridge depends on what's going on at the time. The two recently put up a piece to honor the 2022 graduates. Myers did a nurse with a face mask on the bridge when the COVID-19 pandemic first started, which won a lot of acclaim. Myers also welcomed the street rod drivers last year with a piece when they came to town.
With Juneteenth and the Fourth of July upcoming, Myers said he will be working on something surrounding those themes.
"We just like to make sure everyone gets a vibe of what's going on," Delgado said.
Every season things change on the bridge, Delgado said, unless something occurs, like when Kobe Bryant died.
Many of the artists that create works on the bridge, Myers said, didn't receive formal art training.
"A lot of the guys that come out here and do the art are tattooers as a way to get their shop recognized," Myers said.
Myers started out as an air brush artist and transferred that talent to the bridge.
"When I first started doing it, I did it for kids," Myers said. "I didn't want them to see all the crazy stuff that was up there."
He drew various cartoon characters when he started.
More:York County happenings: License plates; Artistic workshop; art exhibit; 'Peter and the Wolf'
More:York Against the Grain: York City woman found balance in nature and art
"That transformed into more grown-up things like the hot rods," Myers said. "The kids like that, too. I like to bring everyone along."
A basic art piece on the bridge takes two or three days to complete, Myers said. If he wants create something more detailed, it's longer.
"To me, the work is never done," he said. "You always add on. A picture is worth a thousand words. If I get really detailed with it and really get into it, it can take hours."
Delgado painted the Puerto Rican flag once. It took him 62 hours to complete.
Some works become interactive. Myers painted a limousine people could sit in one time. Another artist painted a surf board they could stand on.
"Usually when I put something up, it's to take pictures with," Myers said.
Delgado said people do video shoots at the bridge constantly.
"Everybody, constantly, does photo shoots on that wall," Delgado said. "It's something that's well known."
When they did the mural honoring the graduates, Delgado said a lot of people came and took pictures. The same was true for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
Many artists work on the bridge, Myers said. When he puts something up, it usually inspires the next guy to come along and put something up.
They all look at it as a way to bring something bright and inspirational to the neighborhood.
"It's fun though. It's all for the community. That's the way we look at it," Delgado said.
— Reach Anthony Maenza at amaenza@yorkdispatch.com or @atmaenza on Twitter. | 2022-06-07T17:17:19+00:00 | yorkdispatch.com | https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2022/06/07/artists-take-creations-community-penn-street-art-bridge/7512404001/ |
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP) — An Israeli court on Wednesday found a Gaza aid worker guilty of several terrorism charges.
Mohammed el-Halabi, who was the Gaza director for the international Christian charity World Vision from 2014 until his arrest in 2016, was accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to the Islamic militant group Hamas that rules the territory.
Both he and World Vision have denied any wrongdoing, and an independent audit in 2017 also found no evidence of support for Hamas.
He has been held in Israeli detention since 2016. He has not yet been sentenced.
The district court in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba read the verdict Wednesday, saying el-Halabi was guilty of several charges, including membership in a terrorism organization, providing information to a terror group, taking part in forbidden military exercises and carrying a weapon.
World Vision, a Christian charity that operates in nearly 100 countries and annually distributes some $2.5 billion in aid, has fully supported el-Halabi and says it has seen no evidence of wrongdoing.
An independent forensic audit and investigation carried out nearly five years ago also turned up no evidence against him, and instead found that he had actively worked to prevent funds from falling into the hands of Hamas. The Australian government, a major donor to World Vision, also said it found no evidence of wrongdoing.
El-Halabi’s lawyer, Maher Hanna, has said his client was offered multiple plea bargains in which he could have walked free — a common tactic in Israeli trials involving Palestinians — but refused on principle to admit to things he said he didn’t do.
Israeli authorities stuck to the allegations, repeatedly saying they had proof that Hamas had infiltrated the aid group and was diverting funds from needy Gazans. Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu trumpeted the charges in an online video shortly after el-Halabi’s arrest.
Critics say Israel often relies on questionable informants. They allege that Israel smears groups that provide aid or other support to Palestinians in order to shore up its nearly 55-year military occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state. | 2022-06-15T12:58:21+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/israeli-court-finds-gaza-aid-worker-guilty-on-terror-charges/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago prosecutor said Monday that she’s dropping sex-abuse charges against singer R. Kelly following federal convictions in two courts that should guarantee the disgraced R&B star will be locked up for decades.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced the decision a day ahead of a hearing related to state charges accusing him of sexually abusing four people, three of whom were minors. She said she would ask a judge to dismiss the indictments Tuesday.
Foxx, who in 2019 had pleaded with women and girls to come forward so she could pursue charges against Kelly, acknowledged that the decision “may be disappointing” to his accusers.
“Mr. Kelly is potentially looking at the possibility of never walking out of prison again for the crimes that he’s committed,” the prosecutor said, referring to his federal convictions. “While today’s cases are no longer being pursued, we believe justice has been served.”
Since Kelly was indicted in Cook County in 2019, federal juries in Chicago and New York have convicted him of a raft of crimes, including child pornography, enticement, racketeering and sex trafficking related to allegations that he victimized women and girls.
Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, is serving a 30-year prison sentence in the New York case and awaits sentencing on Feb. 23 in Chicago federal court. He is appealing those convictions. Based on the New York sentence alone, the 56-year-old won’t be eligible for release until he is around 80.
Foxx said she reached out to Kelly’s lawyer two weeks ago to indicate that charges might be dropped. She also spoke to the women whose allegations were at the heart of the case.
Foxx expressed praise for the “courage it took for them to come forward.”
Messages seeking comment from Kelly’s attorney were not immediately returned.
Prosecutors sometimes choose to go ahead with more trials out of a concern that convictions elsewhere could be reversed during appeals. They see an opportunity for additional convictions as insurance.
“We didn’t do a monetary cost-benefit analysis,” Foxx said, adding, however, that resources spent on a trial now could instead be used “in advocacy for other survivors of sexual abuse.”
Another sexual-misconduct case is pending in Hennepin County, Minnesota, where the Grammy Award-winner faces solicitation charges. That case, too, has been on hold while the federal cases played out. Minnesota prosecutors haven’t said whether they still intend to take Kelly to trial.
Known for his smash hit “I Believe I Can Fly” and for sex-infused songs such as “Bump n’ Grind,” Kelly sold millions of albums even after allegations about his abuse of young girls began circulating publicly in the 1990s. He beat child pornography charges in Chicago in 2008, when a jury acquitted him.
Widespread outrage over Kelly’s sexual misconduct didn’t emerge until the #MeToo reckoning and the release of the Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly” in early 2019.
Foxx announced the Cook County charges months before the federal cases in New York and Chicago. Foxx’s office alleged he repeatedly sought out girls for sex, including one he encountered at her 16th birthday party and another who met Kelly while he was on trial in 2008.
Federal prosecutors in New York told jurors at his 2021 trial that Kelly used his entourage of managers and aides to meet girls and keep them obedient, an operation that prosecutors said amounted to a criminal enterprise.
Last year, prosecutors at Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago portrayed him as a master manipulator who used his fame and wealth to reel in star-struck fans, some of them minors, to sexually abuse then discard them. Four accusers testified.
While prosecutors in that case won convictions on six of the 13 counts against him in that case, the government lost the marquee count — that Kelly and his then-business manager successfully rigged his 2008 child pornography trial.
___
Associated Press reporter Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.
___
Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtarm and find more of AP’s coverage of R. Kelly’s trials at https://apnews.com/hub/r-kelly | 2023-01-31T03:05:47+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-chicago-prosecutor-dropping-r-kelly-sex-abuse-charges/ |
Related to this story
Most Popular
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has been fined $13,261 for unsportsmanlike conduct for his actions in the pile Sunday that l…
Baltimore Ravens defensive back Marcus Peters had to be restrained after screaming in frustration at coach John Harbaugh as the Ravens were coming off the field, according to multiple reports.
Jay Skurski weighs in with his grades for the Buffalo Bills after their 23-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium …
Poyer was tended to on the sideline by athletic trainers after his second interception of the game. He was taken to the x-ray room after the game.
See who is buying and selling properties in Erie County.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen further clarified the “football stuff” that was happening at the bottom of the pile between he and Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins during Sunday’s game.
On Wednesday, Jackson participated in practice for the first time since leaving the game against the Tennessee Titans in an ambulance after a violent collision with teammate Tremaine Edmunds.
The increasing stardom of Bills quarterback Josh Allen is exemplified by how many advertisers now want him to hawk their products in commercials, Pergament says.
Eastbound traffic appeared to be at a standstill behind the crash.
How much of the debt Douglas MacKinnon is offering to pay is unclear – the proposal was not described during a status conference in federal court Monday or in any publicly filed court documents. | 2022-10-04T10:31:58+00:00 | buffalonews.com | https://buffalonews.com/article_675b475e-823a-562b-9ffe-220e42b7ffb4.html |
BOSTON (AP) — The mastermind of the nationwide college admissions bribery scheme that ensnared celebrities, prominent businesspeople and other parents who used their wealth and privilege to buy their kids' way into top-tier schools was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison Wednesday.
The punishment for Rick Singer, 62, is the longest sentence handed down in the sprawling scandal that embarrassed some of the nation's most prestigious universities and put a spotlight on the secretive admissions system already seen as rigged in favor of the rich.
Prosecutors had sought six years behind bars, noting Singer's extensive cooperation that helped authorities unravel the entire scheme. Singer began secretly working with investigators in 2018 and recorded hundreds of phone calls and meetings that helped authorities build the case against dozens of parents, athletic coaches and others arrested in March 2019.
Those sent to prison for participating in the scheme include "Full House" actor Lori Loughlin, her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli, and "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman. Coaches from schools including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown University and the University of California, Los Angeles, admitted to accepting bribes.
"It was a scheme that was breathtaking in its scale and its audacity. It has literally become the stuff of books and made-for-TV movies," Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Frank told the judge Wednesday.
The prosecutor called Singer's cooperation in the case "unparalleled" but said it was also problematic, noting that Singer admitted to obstructing the investigation by tipping off several of his clients who were under government scrutiny.
Defense attorney Candice Fields said Singer took great personal risk by wearing a wire to record meetings and "did whatever was necessary" to assist the government in its investigation. Fields had requested three years of probation, or if the judge deemed prison time necessary, six months behind bars.
Singer apologized to his family, the schools he embarrassed in the public eye and others. He also promised to work every day of his life going forward to make a positive impact in people's lives.
"My moral compass was warped by the lessons my father taught me about competition. I embraced his belief that embellishing or even lying to win was acceptable as long as there was victory. I should have known better," he said.
Singer pleaded guilty in 2019 — on the same day the massive case became public — to charges including racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Dozens of others ultimately pleaded guilty to charges, while two parents were convicted at trial.
Authorities in Boston began investigating the scheme after an executive under scrutiny for an unrelated securities fraud scheme told investigators that a Yale soccer coach had offered to help his daughter get into the school in exchange for cash. The Yale coach led authorities to Singer, whose cooperation unraveled the entire scheme.
For years, Singer paid off entrance exam administrators or proctors to inflate students' test scores and bribed coaches to designate applicants as recruits in order to to boost their chances of getting into the school.
Coaches in such sports as soccer, sailing and tennis took bribes to pretend to recruit students as athletes, regardless of their ability. Fake sports profiles were made to make students look like stars in sports they sometimes didn't even play. The bribes were typically funneled through Singer's sham charity, allowing some parents to disguise the payments as charitable donations and deduct the payments from their federal income taxes.
Singer took in more than $25 million from his clients, paid bribes totaling more than $7 million, and used more than $15 million of his clients' money for his own benefit, according to prosecutors.
"This defendant was responsible for the most massive fraud ever perpetuated on the higher education system in the United States," prosecutor Frank told the judge Wednesday.
Before Singer, the toughest punishment had gone to former Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst, who got 2 1/2 years in prison for pocketing more than $3 million in bribes.
Punishments for the parents have ranged from probation to 15 months behind bars, although the parent who received that prison sentence remains free while he appeals his conviction.
One parent, who wasn't accused of working with Singer, was acquitted on all counts stemming from accusations that he bribed Ernst to get his daughter into the school. And a judge ordered a new trial for former University of Southern California water polo Jovan Vavic, who was convicted of accepting bribes. | 2023-01-04T20:43:33+00:00 | kjrh.com | https://www.kjrh.com/news/national/college-scam-mastermind-rick-singer-gets-3-5-years-in-prison |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers were poised Tuesday to order an audit of a Wisconsin agency that has taken weeks to issue professional licenses, causing lengthy delays for thousands of workers across the state.
The Department of Safety and Professional Services oversees licensing for hundreds of occupations including doctors, nurses, construction and trade workers, accountants and tattoo artists. It reported an average wait time of 45 days for professional licenses last August, down from nearly 80 days in 2021.
The Republican-controlled Legislature’s Joint Audit Committee was scheduled to meet Tuesday to consider a proposed audit of the department's license processing.
Ahead of the meeting, Democrats sent a letter to the committee's Republican co-chairs saying the proposed audit would only further burden the staff responsible for issuing licenses.
Republicans made license delays a campaign issue during Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' reelection bid last fall, accusing him of hamstringing Wisconsin's workforce. But the department has blamed the backlog on inadequate staffing.
Republicans lawmakers have rejected Evers' requests to fund staff positions to address delays.
In its budget request, the department asked for 70 new full-time positions. Gov. Tony Evers will release his budget on Feb. 15, which the Republican-controlled Legislature will then rewrite over the coming months. | 2023-02-07T16:49:29+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/wisconsin-republicans-to-order-audit-of-licensing-17769002.php |
Sara Sabry is Selected as Space For Humanity's Second Citizen Astronaut to Experience the Overview Effect
DENVER, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Space For Humanity (S4H), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, announced its selection committee has chosen Sara Sabry to become the organization's second sponsored Citizen Astronaut. Sara will become the first Egyptian to fly to space when she flies aboard Blue Origin's NS-22 flight.
Sara, 29, is an Egyptian mechanical and biomedical engineer and founder of Deep Space Initiative (DSI), a nonprofit which aims to increase accessibility for space research. Sara became Egypt's first female analog astronaut in 2021, when she was selected to complete a two week analog Moon mission, which simulated the extreme conditions astronauts experience in Space. She will join five other crew members including Coby Cotton, Mario Ferreira, Vanessa O'Brien, Clint Kelly III, and Steve Young aboard New Shepard to experience the cognitive shift of the Overview Effect and incorporate that new found perspective into a social impact project with the support of S4H's Citizen Astronaut Program (CAP).
"When we dare to dream big, we achieve things deemed impossible, we break boundaries, write history, and set new challenges for the future," said Sabry. "I am incredibly excited that Space For Humanity has offered me this opportunity and I am honored to be representing Egypt in Space for the first time. My ancestors have always dreamt big and achieved the impossible, and I hope to bring that back. This is just the beginning."
Sara earned her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in biology, chemistry, and pre-med at the American University in Cairo, going on to earn a master's in biomedical engineering from the Politecnico di Milano. She is now pursuing a PhD in aerospace sciences with a focus on space suit design. Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, Sara grew up in Cairo and currently resides in Berlin. She shared that kids in the Western world grew up watching rocket launches, but children in the Arab world were mostly unaware of these exploits, which is why she is co-founding the Space Ambassadorship Program with the Egyptian Space Agency, to shed light on the important research opportunities and potential to benefit life on Earth.
"Many Egyptians have lost hope in our future and my hope is that by going to space, I can contribute to changing that; to bring hope to people, and to make them proud of where they come from," added Sabry. "I believe that sharing my experience with the world will motivate the younger generation of Egyptians to pursue education and help change the perception of women, showing the world what we are truly capable of."
Sara is the second beneficiary of S4H's Citizen Astronaut Program, which sponsors exceptional candidates to experience the Overview Effect and then employ that new perspective to solve some of humanity's most difficult challenges.
S4H has partnered with Paragon, a strategic advisory group focused on conscious leadership development programs that shift perspective, to design and implement the first-ever training program built specifically for the Overview Effect. Citizen Astronauts participate in training modules designed to optimize their ability to navigate the Overview Effect experience, fully integrate that experience, and equip them to live and lead from an Overview Perspective.
"In order to address the challenges that we face on a global scale, we need to look at the Earth as the complex, interconnected system that it is," said Rachel Lyons, Executive Director of Space For Humanity. "One of the most powerful ways to generate that perspective is through the Overview Effect and viewing our planet from afar. We believe space is a tool for transformation, so we're dedicated to giving as many people access to this experience as possible. Congratulations to Sara on being selected for this life-changing adventure, we know she will be an incredible ambassador for our mission and look forward to seeing how she uses this opportunity to change the world."
S4H sent its first citizen astronaut, Katya Echazarreta, to Space aboard NS-21 on June 4, 2022. Katya is completing the third and final Application phase of the Citizen Astronaut Program, designing a "Life and Leadership Agreement" that outlines how she will continue to integrate and apply the value of the Overview Effect to her leadership role and humanitarian initiatives.
Space for Humanity is expanding access to space for all of humanity. The nonprofit created the planet's first Sponsored Citizen Astronaut Program, giving leaders, from any walk of life, the opportunity to apply to go to space and experience the Overview Effect: the cognitive shift in awareness that occurs when a human being looks down on the Earth from space.
Through its citizen spaceflight program, leadership training, and collaborative efforts to educate the public, Space for Humanity is setting the stage to create the world we want, both here on Earth and throughout the cosmos. For more information, please visit www.spaceforhumanity.org
Sarah Nickell
sarah@nickellcommunications.com
Paragon Performance Evolution is a leadership & high-performance resource that combines the best of modern science, innovative technology and human behavior with timeless wisdom. They empower the world's elite performers to access and evolve their highest potential in all spheres of life. Paragon develops and implements customized programs for organizations and their people that create measurable change, allowing for greater productivity, inspired purpose, disciplined focus, and authentic communication.
Clients partner with Paragon to fuel positive shifts in humanity, greater impact in the world and meaningful systemic change and include Fortune 500 corporations, Tier 1 Military, law enforcement, Olympic and professional athletes and the YPO community. For more information, please visit www.performanceparagon.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Space for Humanity | 2022-07-22T21:34:33+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/space-humanity-will-send-first-egyptian-space-aboard-blue-origins-ns-22-flight/ |
Turkey awaits presidential election results as Erdogan’s leadership hangs in balance
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Election polls closed Sunday in Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 20-year leadership of the NATO member country grappling with economic turmoil and the erosion of democratic checks-and-balances hung in the balance after a strong challenge from an opposition candidate.
The election could grant Erdogan, 69, a new five-year term or unseat him in favor of the head of an invigorated opposition, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who has promised to return Turkey to a more democratic path. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the race will be determined in a May 28 run-off.
Voters also elected lawmakers to fill Turkey’s 600-seat parliament, which lost much of its legislative power under Erdogan’s executive presidency. If his political alliance wins, Erdogan could continue governing without much restriction. The opposition has promised to return Turkey’s governance system to a parliamentary democracy if it wins both the presidential and parliamentary ballots.
Opinion surveys indicated the increasingly authoritarian leader entered the election trailing a challenger for the first time. Erdogan has ruled Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003.
Pre-election polls gave a slight lead to Kilicdaroglu, 74, the joint candidate of a six-party opposition alliance who leads the center-left, pro-secular Republican People’s Party, or CHP.
Voting began at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) and polls closed at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT). Under Turkey’s election custom, news organizations are barred from reporting partial results until an embargo lifts at 9 p.m. (1800 GMT). There are no exit polls.
More than 64 million people, including 3.4 million overseas voters, were eligible to vote in the elections, which come the year the country will mark the centenary of its establishment as a republic. Voter turnout in Turkey is traditionally strong, reflecting citizens’ continued belief in democratic balloting.
Yet Turkey has seen the suppression of freedom of expression and assembly under Erdogan, and it is wracked by a steep cost-of-living crisis that critics blame on the government’s mishandling of the economy.
Turkey is also reeling from the effects of a powerful earthquake that caused devastation in 11 southern provinces in February, killing more than 50,000 people in unsafe buildings. Erdogan’s government has been criticized for its delayed and stunted response to the disaster, as well as a lax implementation of building codes that exacerbated the casualties and misery.
Internationally, the elections were being watched closely as a test of a united opposition’s ability to dislodge a leader who has concentrated nearly all state powers in his hands.
Erdogan has led a divisive election campaign, using state resources and his domineering position over media to woo voters. He has accused the opposition of colluding with “terrorists,” of being “drunkards” and of upholding LGBTQ+ rights, which he claims are a threat to traditional family values.
In a bid to secure support from citizens hit hard by inflation, he has increased wages and pensions and subsidized electricity and gas bills, while showcasing Turkey’s homegrown defense and infrastructure projects.
He also extended the political alliance of his ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, with two nationalist parties to include a small leftist party and two marginal Islamist parties.
Kilicdaroglu’s six-party Nation Alliance pledged to dismantle an executive presidential system narrowly voted in by a 2017 referendum. The opposition alliance also promised to restore the independence of the judiciary and the central bank and to reverse crackdowns on free speech and other forms of democratic backsliding under Erdogan.
The alliance includes the nationalist Good Party led by former Interior Minister Meral Aksener, a small Islamist party and two parties that splintered from the AKP, one led by a former prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, and the other by a former finance minister, Ali Babacan.
The country’s main Kurdish political party, currently Turkey’s second-largest opposition grouping, is supporting Kilicdaroglu in the presidential race. Erdogan’s government in recent years has targeted the party’s leaders with arrests and lawsuits.
People were seen walking to schools acting as polling stations on a warm spring day in much of the country, and forming long lines outside classrooms. Officials in Ankara said they expected turnout to be even higher than previous years.
The lines were partly due to problems many voters encountered trying to fold bulky ballot papers — they featured 24 political parties competing for seats in parliament — and to fit them into envelopes along with the ballot for the presidency.
“It’s important for Turkey. It’s important for the people,” Necati Aktuna, a voter in Ankara, said. “I’ve been voting for the last 60 years. I haven’t seen a more important election that this one.”
Large crowds gathered outside the polling stations where Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu cast their votes.
“We have all missed democracy so much. We all missed being together,” Kilicdaroglu said after voting at a school in Ankara, where his supporters chanted “President Kilicdaroglu!”
“From now on, you will see that spring will come to this country,” he said.
Erdogan said voting was underway “without any problems,” including in the earthquake-affected region where people were voting “with great enthusiasm and love.”
“It is my hope that after the evening’s count … there will be a better future for our country, our nation and Turkish democracy,” he said.
Also running for president was Sinan Ogan, a former academic who has the backing of an anti-immigrant nationalist party. Another candidate, center-left politician Muharrem Ince, dropped out of the race on Thursday following a significant drop in his ratings, the country’s election board said his withdrawal was invalid and votes for him would get counted.
Some have expressed concerns over whether Erdogan would cede power, if he lost. Erdogan, however, said in an interview with more than a dozen Turkish broadcasters on Friday that he came to power through democracy and would act in line with the democratic process.
Aksener, the Good Party leader, appealed for respect after she cast her vote.
“Now we are moving to the stage where we must all respect the results that emerge from the ballot boxes where people have voted freely and (with) their conscience,” she said.
Balloting in the 11 provinces affected by the earthquake, where nearly 9 million people were eligible to vote, has raised concerns.
Around 3 million people have left the quake zone for other provinces, but only 133,000 people registered to vote at their new locations. Political parties and non-governmental organizations planned to transport voters by bus but it was not clear how many made the journey back.
Many of the quake survivors cast votes in containers turned into makeshift polling stations erected on school yards.
In Diyarbakir, a Kurdish-majority city that was hit by the earthquake, Ramazan Akcay arrived early at his polling station to cast his vote.
“God willing it will be a democratic election,” he said. “May it be beneficial in the name of our country.”
___
Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul. Mucahit Ceylan contributed from Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-05-14T14:52:38+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/us-and-world-news/turkey-awaits-presidential-election-results-as-erdogans-leadership-hangs-in-balance/ |
BILOXI, Miss., May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Peoples Financial Corporation (the "Company")(OTCQX Best Market: PFBX), parent of The Peoples Bank, announced earnings for the first quarter ending March 31, 2022.
First Quarter Earnings
Net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $887,000 compared to net income of $4,330,000 for the first quarter of 2021. The earnings per weighted average common share for the first quarter of 2022 were $0.19 compared to earnings per weighted average common share of $0.89 for the first quarter of 2021. Per share figures are based on weighted average common shares outstanding of 4,678,186 and 4,878,557 for the first quarters 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Earnings for the first quarter of 2021 included a reduction in the allowance for loan losses of $4,853,000. This reduction was the result of a recovery of $4,510,000 due to a previously charged off loan. Results for 2021 also included the cost of $1,125,000 relating to the settlement of a lawsuit.
Impairment of Investment
The Company completed its review (the "Review") of accounting related to the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") that was previously announced in the Current Report Form 8-K originally filed on April 25, 2022, and amended on April 26, 2022. As announced previously, the Review focused on the accounting for a limited partnership investment (the "Investment") in a Low Income Housing Tax Credit entity (the "LIHTC Entity") that is held by the Company separate from its investment in its wholly owned bank subsidiary, The Peoples Bank, Biloxi, Mississippi. As a result of the Review, the Company concluded that its accounting for the Investment under GAAP according to "Accounting Standards Codification ('ASC')" 323, Equity Method and Joint Ventures (the "Accounting Guidance"), through the application of the equity method should have also included a periodic evaluation of the Investment for impairment (the "Error") as required by the Accounting Guidance. The Investment was purchased in 2008 and was primarily designed to provide tax credits to the Company over 10 years. The Error resulting from the failure to periodically evaluate the Investment for impairment totaled $2,110,000 cumulatively and should have been recorded in years ending December 31, 2018 and earlier.
As part of the Review, the Company's management prepared an analysis relating to the potential impairment of the Investment. The analysis was prepared in accordance with the guidance set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Staff Accounting Bulletin 99, Materiality, and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin 108, Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financials (collectively, "SEC Guidance"). In reliance upon management's analysis prepared as part of the Review, the Audit Committee of the Company concluded that the Error did not create any material misstatement to previously issued financial statements for any prior periods, the current period or the trend in earnings considering both quantitative and qualitative elements as required by the SEC Guidance. The Audit Committee, in reliance upon management's analysis and recommendations, also concluded that correcting the cumulative effect of the Error in the current period would result in a material misstatement in the current period. Therefore, a correction of the Error will be reflected in the Company's previously reported financial information contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022. This decision was discussed with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, Wipfli, LLP, in connection with the preparation of the Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022.
Shareholders' Equity
Total shareholders' equity decreased from $92,350,000 at March 31, 2021 to $70,671,000 at March 31, 2022. The decrease is largely attributable to the increase in unrealized losses on the available for sale securities portfolio during the first quarter of 2022 of $19,334,000. These unrealized losses result from interest rate changes. The Company's risk-based capital ratios remain strong at 21.21% as of March 31, 2022.
About the Company
Founded in 1896, with $939 million in total assets as of March 31, 2022, The Peoples Bank operates 18 branches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Stone counties. In addition to offering a comprehensive range of retail and commercial banking services, the Bank also operates a trust and investment services department that has provided customers with financial, estate and retirement planning services since 1936.
Peoples Financial Corporation's common stock is listed on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol PFBX. Additional information is available on the Internet at the Company's website, www.thepeoples.com, and at the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission, www.sec.gov.
This news release reflects industry conditions, Company performance and financial results and contains "forward-looking statements,' which may include forecasts of our financial results and condition, expectations for our operations and businesses, and our assumptions for those forecasts and expectations. Do not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risk factors and uncertainties which could cause the Company's actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectation expressed in such forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements are described under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Regulation and Supervision" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and in other documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at the SEC's website and the Company's website, each of which are referenced above. To the extent that statements in this news release relate to future plans, objectives, financial results or performance by the Company, these statements are deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are generally identified by use of words such as "may," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "will," "should," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "continue" and "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.
Forward-looking statements represent management's beliefs, based upon information available at the time the statements are made, with regard to the matters addressed; they are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that change over time and could cause actual results or financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. All information is as of the date of this news release. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Peoples Financial Corporation | 2022-05-11T22:13:03+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/05/11/peoples-financial-corporation-reports-results-first-quarter-2022/ |
Mary Jo Schamber, 78
Published 1:26 pm Monday, July 11, 2022
Mary Jo Schamber, age 78, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Friday, July 8, 2022, at Good Samaritan Society – Comforcare in Austin.
Mary Jo (Werner) Schamber was born in July of 1943 in Walthill, Nebraska, where her father was the pastor of dual parishes for 55 years and her mother helped with the Ladies’ Aid and was the church secretary. Mary grew up serving at church and caring for her three younger siblings, Joe Jr., Dottie (Meschke), and David. As the first born daughter of a first born daughter, she was organized and thrifty. As the daughter of a man who was a farmer and mechanic at heart, she was hard-working and witty. As a model preacher’s kid, she was always selfless and kind.
Growing up, Mary played the French horn in the marching band and was a cheerleader, setting her up to be a super fan for her nieces and nephews, children, and grandchildren. In order to pay for college, she gleaned corn from the fields with her family. She was synodically trained to teach at Concordia Seward, NE, and served the Lord by shepherding His children for 21 years. She taught 2nd grade for four years at Trinity Lutheran School in St. Joe, MI (1965-69), and then was called to Trinity Lutheran School in Fremont, NE, where she taught 2nd graders for eight more years (1969 -1976).
While teaching in Fremont, Mary met the “deer” of her life, Arlen Schamber. He knew she was the one when she walked down the aisle, leading her 2nd graders to the front of the church to sing for the congregation. They were married in July of 1977 by her father at her hometown church in Walthill and moved to Minnesota to start their life together. They raised their two daughters in Austin, MN, where Mary spent countless hours serving at Holy Cross, cheering on the Austin Packers, and making delicious rhubarb desserts to share with her neighbors and friends. She stayed home to raise her daughters and then taught 1st and 2nd grade at Holy Cross Lutheran School until her retirement in the spring of 2002. She retired early to care for her parents who had moved across the street until they went home to their Heavenly Father.
Through her many years teaching, she exhibited continuous encouragement and endless patience as a light-bearer that answered the Lord’s call, reflecting Her Savior’s love and peace to all those who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her father, Rev. Joseph George Werner, Sr.; her mother, Irma Lucile Werner; her niece, Ruth Elizabeth Werner; and her brother-in-law, Mark Meschke.
She is survived by her husband Arlen Schamber; her siblings Joseph (Patti) Werner, Dottie Meschke, and David (Betsy) Werner; her daughters Rachel (Ben) Minerich and their two children (Finley Joseph and Elsa Ruth) and Gretchen (Paul) Reetz and their six children (Greta Kathryn, Xavier Robert, Dominic Joseph, Benedict Fulton, Annemarie Kathleen, and Pauline Lucile); her wonderful nieces and nephews; and her loving extended family and friends.
If you would like to honor Mary Schamber with a financial donation, please consider giving online to Concordia College in Seward, NE (https://www.cune.edu/giving/ways-give) or give to Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 300 16th St NE, Austin, MN 55912.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Austin. Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, at Worlein Funeral Home Chapel in Austin and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 15, 2022, in Menno Cemetery, Menno, SD. Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com. | 2022-07-12T02:42:28+00:00 | austindailyherald.com | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/07/mary-jo-schamber-78/ |
House GOP’s possible newcomers include outsiders, extremists
By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) — At least three Republicans running for the U.S. House attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, and made their way toward the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection to stop Joe Biden’s election.
Countless other House Republican candidates are skeptics and deniers of the 2020 election lost by Donald Trump.
There are veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, small-business owners and the most geographically, racially and culturally diverse group of Republicans seeking House seats in the modern era — many of whom, like Trump in 2016, are political newcomers who have never held elected office.
All told, the House GOP’s Class of 2022 midterm candidates includes a new generation of political outsiders, populists and some extremists who could bring an intensity to Capitol Hill. They would be an untested and potentially unruly majority if Republicans win the House in the Nov. 8 election.
“Trump inspires all of this,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist who was the long-serving spokesperson for former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
“There’s not a lot of shrinking violets,” Feehery said about the House Republican candidates. “Not a lot of people trying to be moderates. They’re warriors for their beliefs.”
Republicans are increasingly confident they will win control of the House, confronting Democrats on a widening map. The party in the White House traditionally suffers setbacks in the president’s midterm, and Democrats are weighed down by Biden’s lagging approval ratings and voter unease over inflation’s grip on the economy.
In many ways, Republicans are reassembling the Trump coalition with a well-funded but unusual alliance of candidates reflecting his supporters: charismatic Trump-styled media stars, “America First” military veterans, women, minorities and what’s left of the GOP’s traditional conservatives.
“This is going to be the most diverse class of Republicans — ever — in every sense of the word,” said Carlos Curbelo, a Republican former congressman from Florida. “What it means for governing is a big question mark.”
To be sure, some of the House Republican candidates are familiar with elected office or more moderate conservatives who have come up through the ranks of public service — like the former mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island, Allan Fung, the son of immigrants who is working to flip a seat opened by a Democratic retirement.
But the Republican class is likely to be defined by the Trump-styled newcomers.
Retired Navy SEAL Derrick Van Orden traveled to Washington for Jan. 6 — though he insists he didn’t join the mob attack on the Capitol — and is considered a rising star poised to defeat Brad Pfaff for an open Wisconsin seat long held by Democrats.
Florida’s Cory Mills caught attention with a provocative campaign ad in which the former combat veteran, who was also in special operations and went on to be a Trump adviser at the Pentagon, boasts about his company’s riot gear that was used on Black Lives Matter protesters and various liberal groups.
Karoline Leavitt was not her party’s first choice to take on Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire, but Republican voters made the former Trump White House press aide, who questioned the 2020 election results, their nominee.
“She’s an election denier who believes the last election was stolen from Donald Trump,” Pappas said during their recent debate.
Leavitt, who recently said during a WMUR event that Biden is, in fact, “the legitimate president,” retorted that Pappas voted with Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “100% of the time.”
Unlike the Republican tea party class of 2010 that came to Congress to slash federal budgets or the 2018 Democrats who swept to power on the promise of good governance, the 2022 candidates appear less unified around a common policy agenda.
Instead, what many of the Republican recruits do share is Trump’s rejection of the establishment and civic norms, an approach much like that of Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, that is transforming the party.
Across the country, the GOP candidates reflect Trump’s lasting influence and willingness to bring the far-right into the fold — as seen in Washington state after Joe Kent, a former Green Beret and CIA officer with a harrowing life story, advanced to the November general election over Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who voted to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 attack.
“Kevin McCarthy and MAGA Republicans have worked overtime to nominate extremist candidates across the country,” said CJ Warnke, the communications director at House Majority PAC, an outside group aligned with Pelosi. “We look forward to voters rejecting their out-of-touch policies at the ballot box in November.”
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is poised to become House speaker if Republicans gain control, has been instrumental in recruiting the new class that could lift him to power.
Learning from the past elections, McCarthy reached deeper for candidates that better reflect the diversity of America, a turnaround from the 2018 election that left about a dozen Republican women and no Black Republicans in the House.
Among Republican incumbents and other candidates, there are 28 Black nominees, 33 Hispanics, 13 Asian Americans and three Native Americans, according to the National Republican Campaign Committee, the party’s House campaign arm.
McCarthy has maintained a close if sometimes rocky relationship with the former president. In a speech this summer in South Carolina, he championed his far-flung recruits, many of whom have been endorsed by Trump. Since August, McCarthy has visited 34 states in support of Republican candidates and members.
“There’s not one place we are not going to play,” he vowed.
Not all those Republicans are party favorites. In fact, leaders tried to keep some of the more extreme Republican candidates off the ballot.
More than $11 million was spent during the primary campaigns to prop up favored GOP candidates in Virginia, Texas, California and other states by the Conservative Leadership Fund, the outside group aligned with McCarthy.
The leadership fund achieved its preferred outcome in most of those races, though there were setbacks. In North Carolina, Trump-styled Sandy Smith — she tweeted on Jan. 6, “In DC fighting for Trump! Just marched from the Monument to the Capitol! — trounced the party favorite.
McCarthy campaigned early with JR Majewski, another Republican nominee who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6. The party has stuck with the Ohio candidate after The Associated Press reported that he misrepresented his military record.
During the primaries, Democrats promoted some of the more far-right candidates, helping elevate Trump-backed John Gibbs in Michigan, in a controversial counteroffensive strategy designed to push centrist and independent voters away from Republicans.
But Republicans are digging deep into Democratic strongholds of New England, Florida and notably South Texas, where three Latina candidates with tough border control positions reflect a dramatic re-sorting of traditional party allegiances, sounding alarms among Democrats.
“The moment reflects where the party is right now — Republicans are becoming a more broadly tented party that is making inroads in all types of communities,” said CLF spokesperson Calvin Moore.
“It’s a whole cadre of new voices putting forward their vision of what it means to put the country back on track.”
But recruiting and electing candidates and governing the country are different skill sets.
If Republicans win the House, “they’re going to have to teach these guys the value of regular order and the value of working together as a team,” Feehery said. “And that’s not going to come naturally.”
___
Learn more about the issues and factors at play in the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections. And follow the AP’s election coverage of the 2022 elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections. | 2022-11-01T06:17:45+00:00 | keyt.com | https://keyt.com/news/2022/10/31/house-gops-possible-newcomers-include-outsiders-extremists/ |
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth can go into effect — at least for now — after a federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily reversed a lower court ruling.
Last month, a district court judge in Tennessee found that the state’s new law banning transgender therapies like hormone blockers and surgeries for transgender youth was unconstitutional because it discriminated on the basis of sex. The judge blocked large swaths of the law from taking effect.
On Saturday, however, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati granted an emergency appeal from Tennessee. In a 2-1 ruling, the majority wrote that decisions on emerging policy issues like transgender care are generally better left to legislatures rather than judges.
“Given the high stakes of these nascent policy deliberations — the long-term health of children facing gender dysphoria — sound government usually benefits from more rather than less debate,” wrote Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton, an appointee of former President George W. Bush.
Tennessee’s attorney general, Jonathan Skrmetti, praised the ruling, saying the ban can now be fully enforced. “The case is far from over, but this is a big win,” he said in a statement.
The ruling is preliminary, and remains in force only until the appeals court conducts a full review of the appeal. Sutton wrote that the appeal process will be expedited, with a goal of resolving the case by Sept. 30.
Tennessee is one of at least 20 states across the country that have recently enacted bans or restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors. Federal judges in Indiana and Kentucky have blocked those laws from taking effect, while a judge in Arkansas struck down that state’s law.
Sutton acknowledged that other judges have ruled differently.
“We appreciate their perspectives, and they give us pause,” he wrote. “But they do not eliminate our doubts.”
Judge Amul Thapar, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, joined White’s ruling. A third judge, Helene White, dissented in part and concurred in part.
White — who was first nominated by former President Bill Clinton and later nominated by Bush — ruled that she believes the Tennessee law is likely unconstitutional, but said she would not have applied her ruling statewide, as the district court did. She said she would have limited her ruling to apply only to the nine plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit and to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where some of the plaintiffs had sought care.
“I fail to see how the state can justify denying access to hormone therapies for treatment of minor Plaintiffs’ gender dysphoria while permitting access to others, especially in light of the district court’s robust factual findings on the benefits of these treatments for transgender youth,” White wrote.
Gillian Branstetter, a spokesperson with the American Civil Liberties Union, said the Sixth Circuit is the first federal circuit to allow a ban on transgender health care for minors to go into effect. The Sixth Circuit covers Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.
The ACLU, its Tennessee chapter and two law firms called Saturday’s ruling “beyond disappointing and a heartbreaking development.”
“As we and our clients consider our next steps, we want all the transgender youth of Tennessee to know this fight is far from over and we will continue to challenge this law until it is permanently defeated,” the joint statement said.
The federal government has also filed its own challenge to the Tennessee law.
The law bans health care providers in the state from offering hormone treatments or surgeries for transgender youth where the purpose is to allow the child to express a gender identity “inconsistent with the immutable characteristics of the reproductive system that define the minor as male or female.”
Tennessee’s Republican-dominant General Assembly, as well as some Democratic lawmakers, passed the law after Vanderbilt University Medical Center was accused of opening its transgender health clinic because it was profitable. Videos surfaced of a doctor there touting that gender-affirming procedures are “huge money makers.” Another video showed a staffer saying anyone with a religious objection should quit.
___
Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise contributed to this report from Nashville, Tennessee. | 2023-07-09T05:21:22+00:00 | upmatters.com | https://www.upmatters.com/health/ap-health/ap-tennessee-can-enforce-ban-on-transgender-care-for-minors-for-now-court-says/ |
The updates will give skilled professionals and companies alike an even more intuitive experience using the ecommerce talent marketplace platform, which uses AI to seamlessly match candidates with available positions.
HOUSTON, March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SkillGigs, Inc., an ecommerce talent marketplace that pairs skilled healthcare and technology job seekers with AI-matched work opportunities, today unveiled a new platform experience for its users. The re-engineered platform will give skilled professionals and companies an even more intuitive, easy-to-use direct sourcing application. Thanks to the new enhancements, both employers and job candidates can more effectively create listings, screen through matches and have more productive compensation negotiations during the interview process using the platform's bidding functionality. There are also improvements to the platform's critical credentialing management, interview scheduling, and onboarding functions.
"SkillGigs is the future of direct sourcing, and we will continue to evolve so that we can provide all users the best possible experience," said Kashif Aftab, CEO & Founder of SkillGigs. "The organizations we work with already enjoy a speedier, more rewarding hiring process and increased savings, and the job candidates we work with have continually reported more satisfaction with their job search. Now, all our users will have even more control over their searches while still enjoying a safe, transparent platform to negotiate and explore opportunities—all without the obstacles, cost and time delays of traditional recruiters."
SkillGigs is a "job matchmaker" dedicated to empowering candidates while bringing employers and top talent together. Job seekers with SkillGigs profiles utilize the company's patented AI-powered 3D Resume tool to accurately and effectively present themselves and match their skills to potential employers. Once they have created their SkillGigs 3D Resume profile and uploaded their credentials only once, they receive relevant job listings. They call the shots by responding "interested" or "not interested." The more they engage and respond, the more specific their job choices become. SkillGigs provides several benefits for talent using the platform, including referral bonuses, sign-on bonuses for their first month of employment, and funds for employers to give performance tips to workers throughout their engagement.
For employers, SkillGigs is a prime example of the power of direct sourcing—and the benefits of eschewing traditional third-party recruiters. Employers who use SkillGigs have access to a rigorously screened, constantly refreshed talent pool, and receive AI-matched profiles for job candidates. Once matched, employers can message and submit compensation bids directly to candidates, which often results in higher response rates—over 60% on average, compared to the usual 2-5% rate on other platforms. They can begin the interview process as soon as the candidate indicates "interested." All credentialing management, interview scheduling and billing can be handled through the platform, ensuring a more efficient, transparent hiring and onboarding process.
Here's a look at some of the new features that are part of SkillGigs' platform update.
One-Stop User Journey Within the Platform
One of the most impactful changes is to the user journey for both talent and employers. All engagement between employers and talent will now stay within the SkillGigs platform, from the moment an employer "bids" on a candidate by sending them a proposed compensation offer to off-billing after the worker's contract has ended.
This eliminates the need for additional systems or layers of communication, and makes the interview, hiring, onboarding and compensation process much simpler. As always, all job candidates' credentials are securely uploaded once into SkillGigs' platform so they can be easily accessed as needed during the interview process.
Advanced Search Options for Skills and Gigs
Another notable change is the addition of advanced search options for both employers seeking skills and job candidates looking for open positions. When both employers and talent first join the SkillGigs platform, their searches are a factor that informs the candidates or open positions they are matched with by the platform's proprietary AI. From there, they have the option to further refine their matches or add new searches.
Job candidates are now able to filter openings based on job type, skill listings, location and workplace policy, in addition to extensive existing options.
Employers are now able to filter their talent searches based on skill listings type, worker location, budget/compensation expectations and experience level, in addition to extensive existing options.
Seamless User Experience, New Design
Users who log in to the new SkillGigs platform will immediately notice the new look and feel, with new features added for enhanced user interface and experience. Notably, employer users are now able to create SkillGigs profiles by themselves and start posting jobs immediately, without any additional assistance from the SkillGigs team. Job candidates will also benefit from a personalized SkillGigs homepage with job listings that match with their skill profiles.
Other new user experience features include:
- Expanded sign-in options. Both job candidates and employers can now sign up for SkillGigs using their Apple and Google logins.
- Ratings and reviews. Job candidates can rate employers, and employers can rate talent, and provide reviews that will appear on their respective profiles, once vetted.
- Enhanced messaging. Job candidates can now see their last five chats with employers, and both talent and employers have separate views for messages and in-app notifications.
- Employer ATS. The overall enhancements to the talent stages allow employers to operate a free, within subscription applicant tracking system (ATS).
"Hundreds of skilled workers in healthcare and technology per day create profiles with SkillGigs, and millions have raved about their experience with the platform," continued Aftab. "Now, after months of extensive research and development, we are proud to be able to give employers an even more world-class direct sourcing experience with SkillGigs. I encourage any business with a need for project, contract or permanent workers to reach out, try our platform, and take the first step toward more intelligent, efficient hiring."
For more information about SkillGigs, please visit: https://skillgigs.com/
ABOUT SKILLGIGS
SkillGigs, Inc. is an ecommerce talent marketplace that pairs skilled healthcare and technology job seekers with AI-matched work opportunities. Launched in 2017 on the belief that companies and talent should be able to interact seamlessly, SkillGigs is dedicated to empowering the users. SkillGigs elevates and maximizes the hiring process by removing traditional barriers. The company's patented AI software matches talent with jobs tailored to their skills, while giving companies with open positions strong candidates who are ready to work—all without a single recruiter. Learn more at skillgigs.com.
CONTACT
Sarah Flocken
sarah@conwaymarketinggroup.com
(240) 630-0316
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Skillgigs | 2023-03-13T13:42:42+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/03/13/skillgigs-inc-debuts-new-platform-experience-talent-marketplace-users/ |
PHOENIX, Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) today announced that it will release its third quarter 2022 financial results on Thursday, October 27, 2022, after the market closes, and will host an investor conference call at 5 p.m. ET. A live audio webcast of the conference call can be accessed by logging onto the Company's Investor Relations page on republicservices.com, or listeners may access the call by dialing 1-844-890-1789 or 412-717-9598 (International), passcode "Republic Services."
The Company encourages participants who will be dialing in to pre-register for the conference call using the following link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10171102/f476a9cbc4
Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator on the day of the call. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.
A replay of the call will be available one hour after the end of the conference through November 3, 2022, by calling 877-344-7529 or 412-317-0088 (International), access code 7455107. The conference call will also be archived on the Company's website at republicservices.com.
Republic Services, Inc. is a leader in the environmental services industry. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides customers with the most complete set of products and services, including recycling, solid waste, special waste, hazardous waste, container rental and field services. Republic's industry-leading commitments to advance circularity, reduce emissions and decarbonize operations are helping deliver on its vision to partner with customers to create a more sustainable world. For more information, please visit RepublicServices.com.
The Company participates in investor presentations and conferences throughout the year. Interested parties can find a schedule of these conferences at republicservices.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Republic Services, Inc. | 2022-09-27T14:20:45+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/republic-services-inc-sets-date-third-quarter-2022-earnings-release-conference-call/ |
LONDON — Lines are forming along the bank of the River Thames in anticipation of seeing Queen Elizabeth II lying in state, even though authorities warn the wait could be up to 30 hours.
The public will be able to pay their respects to the deceased monarch at Westminster Hall from 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) Wednesday, after a procession bearing her coffin on a gun carriage from Buckingham Palace to Parliament.
The line starts near Lambeth Bridge and officials say it could eventually stretch several miles (kilometers) to Southwark Park in south-east London.
Some were so keen they started waiting early.
Vanessa Nathakumaran is first in line after turning up at 11:30 a.m. on Monday.
“It’s going to be an emotional one, and when you go in there, my main aim is to show respect,” she said.
Chris Imafidon is sixth in line and said, “I have 1,001 emotions when I see her. I want to say, God, she was an angel, because she touched many good people and did so many good things.”
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
— Thousands come for last glimpse of queen
— London diaspora district remembers a queen — ambivalently
— What to know about the queen’s lying in state
— Renewed interest in UK memorabilia in Hong Kong
— A piece of the queen: New souvenirs mark monarch’s death
— Anger over past, indifference meets queen’s death in India
— Former British colonies are conflicted over Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy
— Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
LONDON — Horses, troops and military bands performed a full dress rehearsal before daybreak for the procession that will take Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Parliament’s Westminster Hall.
Officials say the horses taking part have undergone special training for the Wednesday afternoon event, including how to handle mourners and flowers and flags being thrown toward the procession.
“They get exposure to loud noises, crowds, flags, flowers, people sobbing, even to the point of banging lots of drums and making aggressive noises,” said Sergeant Tom Jenks, who will be leading the gun carriage that carries the queen’s coffin.
Among the horses is Cassius, an 18-year-old horse who participated in former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s funeral in 2013.
The procession on Wednesday afternoon will feature King Charles III and other royals walking behind the queen’s coffin to Westminster Hall in Parliament. The queen’s coffin will lie in state for four days for people to pay their respects.
___
LONDON — Crowds are gathering in London as the city prepares for a somber procession taking Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament.
There, the late monarch will lie in state for four days before her funeral next Monday.
Huge crowds are expected for Wednesday’s somber afternoon procession, and long lines are also predicted to view the coffin at Parliament’s Westminster Hall.
People are standing behind metal barriers or sitting on folding chairs. Under gray skies hours before the coffin was scheduled to leave the monarch’s official London residence, they have umbrellas at the ready and takeout coffees in hand.
The coffin will be taken on a horse-drawn gun carriage past the crowds of mourners, with the queen’s son and heir King Charles III and other royals walking behind.
The queen died in Scotland last Thursday at age 96, ending a 70-year reign.
Crowds have lined the route of the queen’s coffin whenever it has been moved on its journey from Scotland back to London. | 2022-09-14T11:47:41+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/ap-international/ap-live-updates-horses-get-special-training-for-procession/ |
By Amy Lentz
Xeriscaping is becoming more popular along Colorado’s Front Range due to many factors such as a need to be good stewards of our water resources, attracting pollinators to the landscape or saving time and money spent on a typical lawn.
No matter the reason, it’s important to begin with a plan to convert your current landscape over to a more water-thrifty design. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and want to rip out your entire landscape all at once, but if you are part of the DIY crowd, you should consider starting small to avoid getting overwhelmed and overrun with weeds.
Xeriscaping is a method of gardening that utilizes both native and other low-water plants that can withstand our semiarid and dry climate. It is a term derived from combining the words “landscape” and “xeros” (meaning “dry” in Greek) and was created by Denver Water back in the early 1980s.
As the need to conserve water resources became increasingly apparent, the campaign helped introduce the public to the idea of planting more low-water plants in the landscape to help lower outdoor residential water usage.
Over the years, as water resources have remained threatened, Xeriscaping is becoming more popular than ever.
So just how does one get started with xeriscaping their yard? Start small.
The easiest way to convert part of your landscape into a xeric one is to start with your existing flower beds. Because you already likely have a drip system in place, you can swap out plants easily and adjust your watering practices slowly.
Although you will be planting xeric plants, they will still need to be watered regularly for the first year to help them establish. In addition, if you are keeping some of your more water-loving plants in place, you can increase the output of the dripper to continue providing water for things such as trees and shrubs that will be remaining in the landscape. Over time, you can greatly reduce the amount of water applied to these beds until — voilà, you have a more drought-tolerant, xeric landscape.
To prep your landscape beds for their new residents, you will want to pull back any wood mulch and remove all landscape fabric. Most xeric plants prefer a lean, rocky soil that is lower in organic matter, so skip adding any compost.
If you happen to have sandy soils, you are in good shape. If your soils are more claylike, mixing in some expanded shale can help you to increase air availability to the plants’ roots. If you prefer a wood mulch, that’s OK … some plants will do better than others. However, a finer rock mulch such as pea gravel is the preferred mulch for most of our xeric plants.
Now for the fun part … plants! Xeric plants come in all shapes, sizes, colors and kinds, from groundcovers to perennials, to trees and shrubs. When shopping for plants, look to local nurseries to carry varieties that are well adapted to Colorado’s environment.
Xeric plants can be native to the intermountain-west region while others are nonnative and sourced from similar climates around the world. Choose what works for you and your interests, such as creating pollinator habitats, mimicking the native landscape or creating a colorful design palette.
From beautiful purple native penstemons to yellow or pink ice plants from South Africa, the choices are endless. To help you along, CSU Extension has several lists of plants and xeriscaping instructions listed on their website (extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/).
If xeriscaping and retrofitting your landscape is appealing but has you a bit overwhelmed, just start small. Once you have the hang of it, you might decide it’s time to convert some of that turf, as well.
Amy Poston Lentz is the Home Horticulture Program Coordinator for Colorado State University Extension Boulder County in Longmont. | 2022-06-08T00:47:29+00:00 | coloradodaily.com | https://www.coloradodaily.com/2022/06/07/amy-lentz-colorado-state-university-extension-boulder-county-how-to-start-small-with-xeriscaping/ |
Final episode of ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ airs Thursday
(CNN) - After 19 seasons and 64 daytime Emmy awards, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is saying goodbye.
Thursday will be the final show.
DeGeneres said, “As great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore.”
But her next challenge is still up in the air. She might just relax for a bit, though DeGeneres herself admitted that’s not her style.
The stand-up comedian turned actress was the first lead actor in a sitcom to come out as gay in 1997. A few years later, she started “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
There have been some bumps along the way, including reports last summer of a toxic work environment.
But DeGeneres said the drama isn’t why she’s ending the show, calling her staff her “family and best friends.”
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-05-26T15:34:31+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/2022/05/26/final-episode-ellen-degeneres-show-airs-thursday/ |
The Supreme Court has reversed Roe v. Wade, the court’s five-decade-old decision that guaranteed the right to obtain an abortion.
Here & Now‘s Celeste Headlee speaks with Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, the country’s largest organization that opposes abortion rights.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-06-24T19:45:46+00:00 | klcc.org | https://www.klcc.org/2022-06-24/anti-abortion-rights-reaction-to-scotuss-decision |
MDT Expands TMR Magnetic Sensor Portfolios from Self-owned Automotive-qualified 8-inch Sensor Fab
SAN JOSE, Calif. and ZHANGJIAGANG, China, July 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd. (MDT), a leading supplier of magnetic sensors specializing in Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) technology, has released several new TMR switch sensors. Highlights of these new products include dual-axis quadrature-waveform TMR1222/TMR1228 bipolar switches for flow meters and rotary encoders, TMR1367 1.2V ultra-low voltage nanoAmpere wake-up switch for battery-powered portable medical devices, new additions to the 200nanoAmpere omnipolar series TMR1363/TMR1365, and TMR1148/TMR1348 series for automotive level-sensing applications.
MDT's TMR switch sensors are equipped with advanced features of ultra-low power consumption, high sensitivity, and high-speed operation. They include the always-active series operating at 1.5microAmpere current consumption, and the 200nanoAmpere series with 50Hz power cycling. Furthermore, they support flexible configurations including unipolar/bipolar/omnipolar functionality, CMOS/ open-drain output, 1.8~5.5V or 3~40V in supply voltage, and factory-preset switching sensitivities in the programmable TMR13Dx series to meet various application requirements.
Empowered by its state-of-the-art 8-inch fab in full production with IATF-16949 qualification, MDT continues to reinforce its position as a leading manufacturer of magnetic sensors. MDT's new products will all benefit from the process upgrades targeting automotive applications, with higher performance and improved cost-effectiveness. MDT is fully committed to closely working with customers, ensuring accelerated time-to-market and offering an extensive range of magnetic sensing solutions to meet their growing needs.
Key features and parameters of new products in this release:
Samples of the new models are available for ordering online at Digi-key. Please contact sales@dowaytech.com and sales@dowayusa.com for China-domestic and international sales inquiries.
About MDT
MultiDimension Technology was founded in 2010 in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China, with branch offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Ningbo in China, Tokyo, Japan, and San Jose, Calif., USA. MDT has developed a unique intellectual property portfolio, and state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities that can support volume production of high-performance, low-cost AMR and TMR magnetic sensors to satisfy the most demanding application needs. Led by its core management team of elite experts and veterans in magnetic sensor technology and engineering services, MDT is committed to creating added value for its customers and ensuring their success. For more information about MDT please visit http://www.multidimensiontech.com.
Media Contacts
Jinfeng Liu, jinfeng.liu@dowayusa.com,
Tel: +1-650-275-2318 (US), +86-189-3612-1156 (China)
Jilie Wei, kevin.wei@dowaytech.com,
Tel: +86-189-3612-1160 (China)
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd. | 2023-07-18T14:34:38+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/18/mdt-introduces-upgraded-tmr-switch-sensors-industrial-medical-automotive-applications/ |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)The Big Ten’s 2023 football schedule caused a big gulp for Gophers fans when it was finally unveiled last week.
The three crossover games against East Division foes assigned to Minnesota next fall? Michigan and Michigan State at home. Ohio State on the road.
That’ll be quite the test for the Gophers, who will be replacing sixth-year starters at both quarterback (Tanner Morgan) and tailback (Mohamed Ibrahim). This could also be the last time a Big Ten team ever receives such a daunting surprise, if the conference decides to follow the trend and ditch the two-division format once UCLA and USC arrive in 2024.
In that case, the Big Ten would likely designate up to three rivals for each program out of protection for the annual grudge matches – Michigan-Ohio State, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Indiana-Purdue and so on – that make up the rich history of the league.
Then teams would play the remaining opponents on an every-other-season basis to strike better competitive balance and maintain more scheduling consistency to thus avoid the post-expansion quirks like Purdue not visiting Michigan since, yes, 2011 or not playing at all since 2017. The Boilermakers, for the record, will play the Wolverines at the Big House next year.
”I think it’s less about the rivalries and more making sure that our players and our fans are able to step into every venue and able to experience the pageantry of Big Ten football and find a way to be able to put that into the schedule,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said this summer at media day. ”It’s going to be complicated.
”But when you look at it from a holistic standpoint, I hope that’s the experience of our Big Ten student-athletes. Being able to play a game in Piscataway, New Jersey, and going out and able to play a regular season game in the Coliseum or the Rose Bowl and everything in between, nobody else will be able to say that.”
One of the many mantras and slogans employed by the Gophers under coach P.J. Fleck is the ”one-game championship season” approach to each week, a preparatory view designed to eliminate distraction and focus on the present.
Fleck, predictably, responded with a smile but little else when the topic of future schedules – including his own team’s challenge next year – was raised at his news conference this week.
”There’s a lot of unanswered questions right now and not much certainty about what the Big Ten will look like in terms of how many teams, divisions, pods,” Fleck said. ”Nobody really knows. All we have to focus on is right now. I’m glad we’re in the Big Ten. I’m glad we’re at Minnesota.”
The soon-to-expand College Football Playoff will factor into what the league decides for a future format, with the addition of more schools always possible.
The Pac-12 ditched divisions prior to this season. The Big 12 recently announced it will stick with a single group when four new schools join next year. The ACC is doing away with its divisions in 2023 as well. The SEC still has East and West divisions for 2023, but Oklahoma and Texas are on the way with no guarantee of future geographical organization.
The Big Ten created divisions – the ill-fated Leaders and Legends groupings that prioritized competitive balance over geographical proximity – in 2011 when Nebraska became the 12th member. The entrance of Maryland and Rutgers in 2014 triggered another realignment, resulting in the current East and West divisions.
Even after the ninth conference game was added to the schedules in 2016, there are four other schools that each team does not face in a given season – nowhere close to a round-robin format. The pandemic-shrunken 2020 schedule also threw a wrench into the system.
The finalization of the Big Ten’s new TV contracts were delayed by the UCLA-USC addition, too, which in turn pushed out the 2023 slate and the ultimate decision for Commissioner Kevin Warren on the fate of the divisions.
Not all the wrinkles were ironed out.
Penn State, strangely, will play its first conference game on the road for the eighth straight year and the 13th time in 14 seasons, and athletic director Patrick Kraft issued a statement about the school’s ”incredibly frustrating and disappointing” feelings.
”When I arrived on campus, I shared with the conference staff my concerns and repeatedly referenced their failure to address this issue in the past. I have been in communication with Commissioner Warren and I am confident that this issue will be addressed moving forward,” said Kraft, who was hired earlier this year.
—
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap-top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2. | 2022-11-02T12:32:10+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/sports/ncaa-football/b1g-23-schedule-brings-challenges-quirks-unclear-future/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The new comedy “Champions” stars Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson, but the veteran actors have tough competition for the spotlight with some charismatic newcomers.
Harrelson plays a college basketball coach with a bad temper who’s facing jail time or community service for some bad behavior. To avoid punishment, he finds himself coaching a basketball team of young adults with intellectual disabilitie , who help him rediscover the joy of the game.
Harrelson’s agent and another producer wanted to remake the original film, called “Campeones” — Spain’s biggest box-office hit in 2018 — and thought the actor and basketball lover would be a great fit. Harrelson loved the story and signed on as star and executive producer, and tapped his longtime friend Bobby Farrelly to direct.
Casting was challenging as the producers wanted the athletes played by disabled actors, who also needed basketball skills. They auditioned hundreds of people before finding the 10 standout personalities who make up the Friends basketball team.
Harrelson says he wasn’t sure what to expect on the first day of shooting. “Once I came in and met everybody and we started at it, I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be so much fun!’ And it really was,” Harrelson told the Associated Press. “They taught me that they can nail the lines, no problem. But also they just taught me, just the great fluidity of being who they are.”
The 10 actors have different intellectual challenges but many found their comedy chops on screen.
“Everybody brought something so unique and different to it,” Olson said. “And parts of their actual personalities shone through, which is probably why they … got the role in the first place. There was a lot… of wonderful acting, but there’s also a lot of wonderful just being themselves, and it gave us an opportunity to just play off of that.“
The film was a chance for Harrelson to collaborate again with Farrelly after making the bowling comedy “Kingpin” in 1996. The director said he thinks audiences are more open to disabled actors on screen and seeing their stories. He recalled making the 2005 movie “The Ringer” with his brother, Pete Farrelly, where Johnny Knoxville infiltrated the Special Olympics. Farrelly said they cast nondisabled actors in disabled roles back then.
“We would never do that nowadays so the world has changed in that regard,“ Farrelly said. “We played that a lot broader. It was… much more of a kind of a goofy comedy. This one here, it’s set in reality. These are all very real people. Before, we didn’t think anything of it. It was just what people were doing. Dustin Hoffman played ‘Rain Man,’ you know? But nowadays I think we’ve come to realize that disabled actors have a hard time getting roles … so the parts that that they do have in the Hollywood world, it should go to them.”
Some of the actors playing the Friends team members attended the film’s New York premiere last week and for many it was their first time on a red carpet. James Day Keith, a Special Olympian for basketball, who plays Benny in the film said he likes setting a positive example for other disabled actors. “I do see myself as a role model because seeing what I did will probably make them want to do it themselves because there’s no limit to success,” Keith said.
Casey Metcalfe, who plays Marlon, said he hopes disabled actors have a place in Hollywood going forward. “The more people we have in this industry who are diverse, like myself … not just racially diverse … but you’re neurodiverse. I think that’s exactly, you know, what the industry needs,” Metcalfe said.
Some of the actors, like Madison Tevlin who plays the only woman on the team, said learning the basketball moves was harder than acting.
“I’m really natural on camera when it comes to acting, but with basketball, I never played before … so the team helped me a lot.”
Olson, who gave big hugs to all the Friends at the premiere, called working with them “really inspiring.”
“They showed up every single day, 100%. They’re ready to work, ready to do the best that they could, ready to take in all the information. And it was really beautiful,” Olson said. “You work with a lot of people sometimes who are just like, ‘this is just a job and they’re getting it done.’ These guys were like, ’We’re here. We’re ready to milk every single ounce out of it.”
“Champions” is in theaters Friday.
___
Associated Press producer John Carucci contributed to this report. | 2023-03-09T11:58:00+00:00 | texomashomepage.com | https://www.texomashomepage.com/entertainment-news/disabled-actors-shine-in-basketball-comedy-champions/ |
Loss of shade can lead to sun damage, borer attacks
Q: I had an irrigation issue in July that caused some heat stress to all three of my plum and pluot trees. I believe this may have killed them. I lost my second pluot one limb at a time starting in August. I believe this was caused by borers. Can you let me know what you think and what to do to prevent this in the future?
A: The reason for the death of your ornamental plum was most likely because of boring insects, aka borers. In the hot desert, loss of shade from an irrigation problem leads to attacks on those areas by borers.
Leaf drop on the side of fruit trees on the west or south sides only needs about 20 minutes before sun-drenched limbs overheat and creates sun damage. Sun damage frequently leads to borer problems.
Keep the tree shaded and full of leaves when it’s young. Keep the lower limbs intact when they are young. Let the lower limbs shade the trunk as much as possible. Keep the trunk shaded until the tree establishes itself and can shade the trunk on its own as it gets older and the canopy is full of leaves.
Fruit trees standing by themselves, not surrounded by other trees and growing in hot areas of the landscape, may have the biggest problems with borers when first getting established.
What can you do? Try everything in your power to not lose shade in your fruit and ornamental fruit trees during the early or middle of summer. Or for that matter, any time of the year. Provide shade for young fruit trees and plant them in cooler parts of the landscape.
If leaf loss happens, assume the worst and use a chemical approach. Drench the soil with borer insecticide and sacrifice the fruit for next year. At least that way you save the tree.
If you are opposed to the use of chemicals, then use a nonchemical approach. This requires that you substitute inspections of the tree for borer activity frequently.
Borer activity in trees can be difficult to see. The best time to look for borers is the day after it rains.
Substituting the spray from a hose might substitute for rain. The activity is easy to see then because of the frass (sawdust, poop and sap) forced to the limb or trunk surface.
Extract insect borers with a clean knife if you can. Shade the area affected until sufficient shade is produced by the tree.
Q: My neighbor’s tree is planted next to our shared block wall. The roots of the tree have grown under the wall and have spread underneath my lawn. Their horticulturist indicated the roots in our yard would continue to grow regardless of whether the tree was removed and the lawn was kept. They suggested we remove the sod on our side of the fence, dig up the roots and keep trying. What do you say?
A: Predicting where roots are growing and if they can be removed or not can be tricky. What is known for sure is that your lawn does provide frequent watering and fertilizer so the tree roots will love that area.
The general rule of thumb is that established tree roots grow 2 to 2½ times the tree’s height in rainy areas. To visualize where they might be, visually lay the tree on its side and spin a circle with it. This area roughly describes where the tree’s roots can grow.
In the desert where rainfall is very limited, they grow into areas where there is water. Tree roots do not grow where there is no water. Tree roots grow best when they can get water and fertilizer regularly.
The tree’s primary growth comes from your lawn. Adding water to get the tree roots to grow in a different direction is futile unless the lawn and roots are removed.
I disagree with the horticulturist. The roots will stop growing and die if the tree is killed and removed.
What to do? Remove or cut the roots and install a root barrier to the inside of the wall. Commercial root barriers are sold, and licensed landscape contractors or certified arborists know how to install them correctly.
Q: Is this the best time to plant lantanas? Or is early spring better?
A: It doesn’t make any difference when they are planted if the maximum temperatures are in the 90s. Now with cooler weather, it is a great time to plant lantanas.
Plant them now to get them established in case it freezes this winter. If the tops are pruned they will grow back in the spring if they are damaged from winter freezing weather.
Q: I have a 3-year-old tangerine shrub. I got a good crop this year but sunscald got the fruit. Should I leave fruit on until it ripens or remove it?
A: Most citrus (in your case clementines or tangerines) produce fruit that is harvested as early as mid-November and may be kept on the tree until it starts flowering again in January or mid-February. I would harvest the fruit when it is ready this winter and not earlier.
These citruses originate from southeast Asia (semi to tropical) but are not desert plants that can handle our high light intensities, high temperatures and low humidity. The most attractive fruit is protected by growing inside the canopy of the tree which happens normally when the tree is larger and older.
When these trees are young, they produce most of their fruit outside the canopy where there is more damage to the fruit caused by our intense desert sun.
You can increase the number of fruit grown in the shade of its own canopy by making some shorter pruning cuts inside the canopy when pruning in early spring. Otherwise, keep the branches originating from the trunk as low on the tree as possible and do not remove the lower limbs until they get older.
Q: Underneath my pistache tree, I am finding a lot of small holes in the soil. Could they be from leaf-cutter bees? Do they burrow into the ground to make their nest? I have a lot of leaf cutters around as evidenced by their prolific leaf cutting. I’m also thinking that they’re relatively harmless to the tree.
A: Probably not. Most likely they are exit holes from cicadas.
Leaf-cutter bees usually breed in cracks and crevices above ground. When they do go below ground, they usually don’t make holes that large or any holes at all.
Cicadas feed on tree roots and leave these exit holes but are usually not a problem due to the small amount of feeding they do. Root loss is compensated by lightly fertilizing each year. I would not do anything but live with it if you see no other problems with the trees.
Q: Our privet leaves are being savaged by something. I can’t find any insects that are leaving the sawtooth edges around the outside of the leaves. Any advice?
A: Most likely the culprits are feeding at night when you aren’t there. Your picture of the damage to the outside edges of the leaves reminds me of adult root weevil damage.
The young ones, or grubs, feed on plant roots and the adults are more mobile so they can climb. Adult root weevils climb or fly (weevils can be weak flyers) and leave the protection of the soil to feed at night. You would need a flashlight to see them at night and you would look for them starting in early summer.
For more information on root weevil behavior look at https://extension.usu.edu/pests/ipm/notes_ag/fruit-root-weevils.
Partial control can be gotten by using sticky traps that are bought or homemade and hung in the shrub when damage is seen, usually during the summer months.
Getting total control requires the application of a soil-applied insecticide. Some of these insecticides are systemic and some are contact poisons. Systemic insecticides should be applied to the soil after your euonymus flowers in the spring to avoid poisoning honeybees. Contact insecticides can be applied at any time to the soil.
Bob Morris is a horticulture expert and professor emeritus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Visit his blog at xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com. Send questions to Extremehort@aol.com. | 2022-10-22T15:02:36+00:00 | reviewjournal.com | https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/home-and-garden/loss-of-shade-can-lead-to-sun-damage-borer-attacks-2662364/ |
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions have generated enough excitement that the NFL chose them to kick off the season against the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
“It shows that they see we’re on the come up and we’re trying to build something special,” rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs said Saturday.
Detroit, favored to win the NFC North, is counting on Gibbs and some other rookies to help the franchise live up to the hype.
“It will be fun to watch,” Gibbs said.
The on-the-rise team began the process of acclimating its rookie to the league with a three-day minicamp that wraps up Sunday.
Gibbs, the No. 12 overall pick, and Brian Branch, a third-round selection, were held out of drills on Saturday with injuries as a precaution for the former Alabama stars.
When Gibbs is healthy, he’s expected to play running back and receiver — and doesn’t have a preference.
“Whichever one I get the ball,” he said. “It don’t matter, as long as I get it.”
The Lions bolstered each position group on both sides of the ball last month in the draft and attempted to take advantage of a rare opportunity to have a pair of picks in each of the first three rounds.
Third-year general manager Brad Holmes raised eyebrows when he went against a league trend by drafting a running back (Gibbs) and a linebacker (Iowa’s Jack Campbell) in the first round.
Gibbs said he heard critics say the team reached when drafting a player who was projected to be taken much later, but was unfazed.
“I really don’t care,” he insisted.
Holmes took Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta early in the second, a pick before Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, widely regarded as the best prospect at the position, and Branch midway through the round.
When the media had access to the minicamp, LaPorta looked dynamic as he made a move on Campbell and fast when he ran past his college teammate and housemate in a drill. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound LaPorta appears to be more athletic in person than he does on film and said someone once told him that he was underwhelming during his junior year.
“My play will do the talking hopefully,” LaPorta said.
Detroit’s third-round picks addressed the long-term need of a developmental quarterback with injured Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker and an immediate concern with Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin.
Hooker is recovering from surgery he had after tearing the ACL in his left knee last November. The injury knocked him out of contention to win the Heisman Trophy and led to him lasting until the No. 68 slot in the draft.
“It just turns into fuel and a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “Film doesn’t lie. SEC offensive player of the year for a reason.”
Martin, meanwhile, was not a big name in college football last year and yet the 6-5, 337-pound defensive lineman was picked to help Detroit’s interior of the defensive line.
“It makes me feel great to know the organization believes in me,” he said. “Now, I got to come out here and perform.”
___
Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-05-14T13:10:11+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/sports/lions-rookies-gibbs-campbell-part-of-teams-plan-to-meet-higher-expectations/ |
The guitar solo holds a cherished place in American culture. There's even a popular video game that allows non-musicians to "play" along with their idols.
But the man credited with playing some of the first recorded guitar solos has largely been forgotten. Lonnie Johnson was one of the few musicians to successfully straddle the worlds of blues, jazz and pop.
Now, nearly 40 years after his death, a new tribute album is trying to restore Johnson's place as the original guitar hero. Called Rediscovering Lonnie Johnson, the name applies as much to the people playing the music as it does to the listeners.
Jef Lee Johnson, a guitar hero in his own right, has backed up the likes of Aretha Franklin and McCoy Tyner. He isn't related to Lonnie Johnson — in fact, until he was invited to play on the tribute album, he had never really listened to Lonnie Johnson.
"He was insane," Jef Lee Johnson says. "And I mean that in a good way. ... Every track, every take, he's trying to play, like, everything that he can. And he can play everything. It was almost avant-garde, as much stuff as he was playing."
A Life in Music
It's not surprising that even a pro like Jef Lee Johnson was caught off guard. Lonnie Johnson was a private man. In 1967, he explained to Moe Asch of Folkways Records why no one ever wrote his biography.
"Some have started," Johnson said. "They quit for some reason, I don't know. My life hasn't been that bad that I shouldn't tell it. But some parts of a man's life, he keeps it for himself. He don't tell it to the public. "
Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson was born in New Orleans just before the turn of the 20th century. He got his start playing violin with his father.
"I just bought an instrument, and in six months I was holding a good job," Johnson said. "I was playing with my father's band — he had a string band."
Johnson's father and nine other members of his family died in the influenza epidemic of 1918. So Johnson headed north. He played on riverboats and wound up in St. Louis.
By that time, he was playing guitar. In 1925, he entered a blues contest. He won, and landed a deal with Okeh Records.
Soon, Johnson was soloing on records by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. These recordings built his reputation as the first jazz guitarist to base his style on single-note melodies, like a horn player — a decade before Charlie Christian or Django Reinhardt. It's an approach he perfected on his duo recordings with white guitarist Eddie Lang, who worked with Johnson under a pseudonym at a time when the music industry was segregated.
Lonnie Johnson's first recording contract ran out in the early 1930s, and he spent much of the Great Depression working other jobs to pay the bills.
"I went back to the steel mill, and start working again," he said. "Cause I didn't know the nightclub work, and I didn't take any chance. So went back to the steel mill in East St. Louis, and working five years. Started as a sander, and end up as a molder. Molding big box car wheels, that's what I was molding."
At the end of the 30s, Johnson went back into the recording studio — first as a blues singer, and later as a ballad singer. At the end of the 1940s, he actually scored a pop hit called "Tomorrow Night."
Rediscovery
A decade later, Lonnie Johnson was all but forgotten. But in 1959, a jazz radio DJ in Philadelphia played a Lonnie Johnson cut, and then mused on what had happened to the guitarist.
"And then I got a call from somebody at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, someone who worked there," says Chris Albertson, now a music journalist in New York. "Who said, I work with somebody named Lonnie Johnson. He's a janitor, he never talks about music. But he's very careful with his hands. So maybe he is the Lonnie Johnson!"
Albertson had Johnson on his show many times in the early '60s, and helped engineer his comeback on the folk revival scene in New York. Albertson also produced a handful of Lonnie Johnson records.
Johnson was able to quit his job as a janitor at the hotel, and toured extensively. But he kept his home in Philadelphia, where he'd met Susie Smalls a few years earlier.
Smalls still lives in the North Philadelphia row house she bought with Lonnie Johnson in 1960, and where she raised their daughter.
"He was just plain," Smalls says. "He never did brag. At all. He just kept his guitar, played his guitar."
Johnson's self-deprecating humor and modesty are part of the reason he's not more famous, says Aaron Levinson, who produced the new tribute CD.
"People tend to minimize the contribution of folks that don't have roman candles associated with his life," Levinson says. "He had the roman candles, but they were all coming out of his guitar."
If Johnson was bitter about the ups and downs of his career, he never let on.
"These 68 years has been beautiful, hard," Johnson said. "I can go to sleep, and sleep at night. I won't have to worry about I told someone the wrong direction to go, rather than the right direction. It don't hurt to do a favor."
Johnson spent his last years in Toronto, where he died in 1970. Nearly four decades after his death, his guitar solos sound as crazy as ever.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-27T10:15:10+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/arts-and-entertainment/2008-03-28/saluting-lonnie-johnson-original-guitar-hero |
LOS ANGELES, April 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, today announced the appointment of John D. Carpten, Ph.D., as director of the National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, director of Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and chief scientific officer. Carpten will also hold the Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director's Distinguished Chair and the Morgan & Helen Chu Director's Chair of the Beckman Research Institute. Carpten will provide overall executive leadership and strategic direction for research at City of Hope. He joins City of Hope from the University of Southern California (USC), where he was professor and chair of the Department of Translational Genomics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and associate director of the cancer center.
"We are excited to welcome Dr. Carpten to City of Hope and look forward to his leadership in advancing the research mission of our growing national cancer research and care system," said Robert Stone, City of Hope's CEO and Helen and Morgan Chu Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair. "Dr. Carpten's expertise and unwavering commitment to drive and accelerate cancer research and discovery will benefit our patients across the country."
Carpten is an internationally recognized expert in genome science, with training in multiple disciplines, including germline genetics for disease risk and predisposition, somatic cancer genomics, health disparities research, cell biology, functional genomics and precision medicine. Prior to USC, he served as director of the Division of Integrated Cancer Genomics, and later, deputy director of Basic Research at Translational Genomics Research Institute, now a part of City of Hope. Earlier in his career, Carpten completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Human Genome Research Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health) in cancer genetics, where he was later promoted to the tenure track in 2000. Carpten earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1994, with a focus on human genetics.
Nationally recognized as a leader in health disparities research, he has been a tireless advocate for reaching underserved populations. Carpten has been a pioneer in the understanding of the role biology plays in disparate cancer incidence and mortality rates experienced by underrepresented populations. As such, his work has impacted our understanding of a variety of cancer types, particularly those that disproportionately affect underrepresented minorities, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma and pediatric cancers.
Carpten has also played a significant role in the national cancer research agenda and has won numerous awards. He has served as a member of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Board of Scientific Counselors. In 2019, he served as Program Committee chair for the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Scientific Conference in Atlanta, which included over 21,500 international participants. In 2021, he was inducted into the AACR Fellows of the Academy. Appropriately, in 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Carpten as the first African-American chair of the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Advisory Board, a distinguished post that helps set the national cancer research policy agenda.
"Dr. Carpten will be a key catalyst in driving the democratization of cutting-edge cancer care across the City of Hope national network in order to ensure more patients and diverse communities have full access to the leading cancer research, treatment and care they need," said Michael A. Caligiuri, M.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center and the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair. "He has been a leading national voice and expert in ending disparities in cancer outcomes and care, and the importance of building a more diverse workforce in cancer research."
"Along with tremendous honor and humility, I am both thrilled and eager to work with the exceptional leadership, faculty, staff and trainees to build upon the significant success of the research enterprise at City of Hope," said Carpten. "My goal is to create, execute and advance a transformative vision for cancer research that aligns with national priorities to significantly reduce cancer mortality rates and improve outcomes for patients from all walks of life through the unique national patient reach of City of Hope. To have the opportunity to help lead this world-class, translational cancer research platform is a dream come true."
As part of this transition, City of Hope's current provost, chief scientific officer, and Beckman Research Institute and cancer center director, Steven T. Rosen, M.D., will step into a new leadership role as executive vice president and director emeritus of Beckman Research Institute and City of Hope's cancer center, continuing to improve the lives of cancer patients through his research and patient care, and his dedication to building coalitions among like-minded organizations and individuals dedicated to preventing and curing cancer. During his decade-long tenure, Rosen has made countless contributions to faculty recruitment, research and treatment advances in the field, to the growth and reach of City of Hope, to the education, development and mentorship of faculty and staff, and to guiding City of Hope as one of only 53 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers, most recently earning an "exceptional" rating by the NCI in the 2023 renewal of this designation.
"City of Hope and the countless patients he has so positively impacted owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Dr. Rosen for all he has done to advance science and research at City of Hope and save lives," said Caligiuri. "We will benefit tremendously from Dr. Rosen's continued leadership and expertise through this transition and into the future."
About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope's growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. City of Hope's affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE City of Hope | 2023-04-06T16:11:59+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/04/06/city-hope-appoints-john-d-carpten-phd-director-its-comprehensive-cancer-center-beckman-research-institute-chief-scientific-officer/ |
LONDON (AP) — Katie Taylor had Olympic dreams long before she became one of the faces of women’s professional boxing.
The Irish fighter won a gold medal at the 2012 London Games, setting her on course for a hugely successful pro career.
She’s worried that future generations won’t get the same chance because of a long-running dispute between Olympic officials and the International Boxing Association. The International Olympic Committee has declined to confirm boxing’s place in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“It will be a huge blow to boxing overall, even professional boxing,” Taylor told The Associated Press ahead of her fight against Chantelle Cameron in Dublin on Saturday. “The biggest incentive for amateur boxers is the Olympics. If they (don’t) have that, I think it might put a lot of people off the sport. It could be a big blow for the sport as a whole really.”
The impact on women’s boxing could be particularly damaging considering it only made its Olympic debut in 2012.
Taylor and Claressa Shields have used their Olympic success as a springboard into the pro ranks — headlining cards, selling out big arenas and garnering more media attention to help push the women’s game into the mainstream.
“I hope they can sort out their issues because the Olympics is a huge part of boxing,” said Taylor, the undefeated and undisputed lightweight champion who will challenge for Cameron’s super-lightweight belts on Saturday.
The 2024 Paris Olympics isn’t in question — the IOC plans to run the qualifying and final tournaments like its boxing task force did for the Tokyo Games in 2021.
The IOC cut ties with the sport’s governing body in 2019 because of concerns about governance and fair judging. It also has distrust about the IBA’s ties to Russia.
An investigation found that some bouts at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics were fixed by “complicit and compliant” referees and judges. In Rio, Ireland’s Michael Conlan accused Russia and the sports governing body of corruption after his bantamweight quarterfinal loss to Vladimir Nikitin.
In recent weeks, boxing officials in the United States and Britain announced plans to preserve the sport’s place at the Olympics by launching a new federation to rival the IBA, formerly known as AIBA.
Boxing has been part of every Olympic program but one since 1904, and the IOC has said it still could be added for 2028. Roland Garros, the home of the French Open, is one of the main venues for boxing at next year’s Paris Games.
Boxing is Ireland’s most-successful Olympic sport. Eighteen of the country’s 35 medals are in boxing.
In Tokyo, Kellie Anne Harrington became only the second female Irish boxer to win an Olympic medal when she took gold in the lightweight division — like Taylor did earlier.
“Ever since I was a kid, my dream was to win an Olympic gold medal. That’s all I dreamt of,” the 36-year-old Taylor said. “It’s quite sad that if it does go out … kids are going to grow up without that dream.”
___
More AP coverage of the Paris Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-05-17T11:36:48+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/sports/katie-taylor-worries-loss-of-olympic-boxing-would-be-huge-blow-to-the-sport/ |
Obit Directory 020423 Michelotti-Sawyers Feb 3, 2023 2 hrs ago 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save No Services Planned Tags Obit Directory 020423 Michelotti-sawyers Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Load comments Related to this story | 2023-02-04T08:18:21+00:00 | billingsgazette.com | https://billingsgazette.com/announcements/other/obit-directory-020423-michelotti-sawyers/article_f91e82a5-43e0-5004-8d65-b2e9395f4034.html |
In light of the recent gun violence that continues to target marginalized communities, we have to name the underlying issue at hand: gender-based violence.
So far in 2022, there have been over 200 mass shootings in the United States, a significant number of which include the murder of an intimate partner or family relative — generally women and children. It's a trend that continues to grow as demonstrated in 2019, when the California Law Review noted nearly 40 percent of mass shooting perpetrators have a history of engaging in domestic violence against their partner or a relative. Most recently, we have learned that number has increased to 68 percent in 2022.
We need to recognize that perpetrators of extreme violence and domestic terrorism have a history of gender-based violence toward women and children, and it is not just limited to domestic violence. So it begs the question — where does this violence come from and how do we garner solutions?
Colonization and settler colonialism fostered an adverse environment that allowed patriarchy, capitalism and imperialism to fester and infect our communities in detrimental ways. But the solution to colonial violence lies in our communities, where we and our partners are doing the work to heal from and prevent it.
As we work toward liberation and safety for our communities, it’s important that we uplift the critical efforts of grassroots organizations doing the work to end violence against Black and brown communities. Examples of organizations doing liberation and anti-violence work and directly addressing prevention and community response to gender based violence are:
- The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women's mission is to stop violence against Native women and children by advocating for social change in our communities. The coalition provides training and education, technical assistance, political advocacy and community support within the Southwest region.
- Pueblo Action Alliance is a collective intent on fighting for environmental justice through culture, education and direct action to protect tribal communities and have a youth component that ensures this valuable knowledge is carried through to the next generation.
- Missing & Murdered Diné Relatives is a task force of volunteers working with Diné families calling for justice of their murdered relatives and to recover missing loved ones. The group utilizes the Diné Wellness Model that centers kinship, harmony, balance and the land as components of solutions to modern-day "monsters" plaguing the Navajo Nation. These community groups are leveraging traditional knowledge and value systems to end violence and combat other social issues so pervasive in their communities that they have not been wholly safe. This can change.
These types of mobilization are not new, rather they are ongoing processes that tribal nations have shifted over the centuries to survive, preserve and thrive in conditions that have been forced upon them. It is community work actively pushing against systemic oppression and reminding us that our women and children must be protected, while supporting the healing of our men.
Collectively, we can work towards a future where communities are free from violence, and we must nurture these community solutions through action and compassion. | 2022-06-26T03:41:54+00:00 | santafenewmexican.com | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/underlying-gun-violence-gender-based-violence/article_27e8e23e-f18f-11ec-83ee-03806e3c7717.html |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Marine scientists are tracking a 5,000-mile-wide seaweed bloom that is so large, it can be seen from space.
These sargassum blooms are nothing new, but scientists say this one could be the largest in history. At last check, it was heading toward Florida’s Gulf coast.
The thick mat of algae drifts between the Atlantic coast of Africa and the Gulf of Mexico, providing habitat for marine life and absorbing carbon dioxide, but it can also wreak havoc when when it gets closer to shore. It blocks light from reaching coral and negatively impacts air and water quality as it decomposes.
Florida’s Gulf coast is already grappling with an algae bloom amid the busy spring break tourism season. Red tide has caused dead fish to wash ashore in droves, while the risk of respiratory irritation for humans has canceled events and driven beachgoers away.
With a blanket of sargassum approaching, spanning twice the width of the continental U.S., scientists warn that Florida beaches could soon be inundated with seaweed.
“It’s incredible,” Brian LaPointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute told NBC News. “What we’re seeing in the satellite imagery does not bode well for a clean beach year.”
LaPointe, who has studied the blooms for decades, said beaches in the Florida Keys are already being affected. Earlier this week, parts of Mexico were told to prepare for up to three feet of sargassum to build up on shore.
Chunks of brown plant matter may be unappealing to look at, but the impact on humans does not end there. Large pieces of sargassum can ensnare boats and other machinery in the water.
“Even if it’s just out in coastal waters, it can block intake valves for things like power plants or desalination plants, marinas can get completely inundated and boats can’t navigate through,” Brian Barnes, an assistant research professor at the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science told NBC News. “It can really threaten critical infrastructure.”
Rotting sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide, which can cause respiratory problems for tourists, residents and anyone who works on the water, LaPointe told NBC News.
“Following the big 2018 blooms, doctors in Martinique and Guadeloupe reported thousands of people going to clinics with breathing complications from the air that was coming off these rotting piles of sargassum,” LaPointe said.
Barnes and his colleagues at USF’s Optical Oceanography Laboratory track sargassum blooms. The blanket of seaweed appears to be growing each year, but 2018 and 2022 had the largest blooms, he said. This year could top last year’s record.
“Historically, as far back as we have records, sargassum has been a part of the ecosystem, but the scale now is just so much bigger,” Barnes told NBC News. “What we would have thought was a major bloom five years ago is no longer even a blip.”
Scientists have found that climate change is causing ocean temperatures to rise, creating a more ideal environment for the algae to thrive. Meanwhile, urban and agriculture runoff is sending nitrates from fertilizers and other nutrients flowing into the ocean, feeding the bloom.
Typically, rafts of sargassum gather in the Sargassum Sea region in the northern Atlantic Ocean. From there, the Gulf Stream pushes the algae around the Atlantic basin, which allows it to spread and grow in different areas. | 2023-03-12T19:27:40+00:00 | qcnews.com | https://www.qcnews.com/news/giant-seaweed-blob-twice-the-width-of-the-us-takes-aim-at-florida/ |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2022-10-21T14:51:32+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/10/21/ap-top-entertainment-news-at-923-a-m-edt-4/ |
Hundreds of learning and event technology professionals convened for two-day hybrid event, Cadmium Spark
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadmium concluded their annual conference this week at Nationals Park. Conceived as an essential hybrid event for leaders in the professional events and online learning space, Cadmium Spark was attended by over 300 technologists from associations, non-profits, healthcare and life sciences organizations.
The program commenced on July 25 with a virtual address from John Pierson, CEO of Cadmium. Pierson revealed the company's advancements in creating an integrated life-cycle suite of applications and services for the events and educational initiatives of their customers.
Acknowledging an unprecedented period of change in the learning and events industry, Pierson remarked: "We're ready for whatever in-person, virtual, or hybrid activity is going to be needed. The products have been built, the teams have been trained, and the capabilities are there to be leveraged."
Throughout the conference, in-person and virtual attendees visited an assortment of concurrent sessions. Thought leadership from industry insiders, hands-on technology workshops, and other learning opportunities punctuated the program. A keynote address on the future of associations by Artesha Moore, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO of Association Forum, concluded the first day's activities.
The second day of programming began with an analysis of recent and upcoming enhancements to the Cadmium product suite. Recent innovations include:
- An assortment of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) enhancements to Cadmium's flagship learning management systems, Elevate and EthosCE
- Warpwire Live, an ultra-low latency live streaming solution built to promote real-time, accessible virtual event experiences
- An integration between CLEAR Health Pass and Cadmium's proprietary registration platform, providing a seamless and secure way to verify vaccination and health status at in-person and hybrid events
- Stronger integrations between Cadmium's suite of event, learning, and video management technology for more seamless administrator experiences
Cadmium technology powered Cadmium Spark. The company itself supplied the mobile app, website, live streaming, badge printing, and registration platform. Cadmium's own speaker and exhibitor management, survey collector, and abstract review tool worked behind the scenes.
The conference served as a vital opportunity for new, existing, and prospective Cadmium customers to experience the past, present, and future of content delivery. Individuals interested in learning more about Cadmium Spark can explore the program here.
Cadmium simplifies the production of live, hybrid and virtual events and maximizes the value of online learning with a single, flexible platform designed to capture the chemistry of people, ideas and knowledge. The company's software products are trusted by more than 1000 content-driven organizations worldwide to generate revenue, drive customer retention, and lower operational costs for their events and education initiatives. For more information, visit gocadmium.com.
Contact:
Jessie Reyes, Director of Marketing | Cadmium
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Cadmium | 2022-07-29T17:02:50+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/cadmium-reveals-innovations-events-education-annual-conference/ |
A therapist in the Chicago area once wanted most abortions to be illegal. Adopting a child from an unwanted pregnancy changed her view.
Copyright 2022 NPR
A therapist in the Chicago area once wanted most abortions to be illegal. Adopting a child from an unwanted pregnancy changed her view.
Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-06-27T10:38:59+00:00 | wyomingpublicmedia.org | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-06-27/a-woman-reevaluates-her-anti-abortion-rights-views-after-adopting-a-child |
LATEST Aug. 2, 6:15 p.m. In a statement to SFGATE on Tuesday night, Kaiser Permanente's senior vice president of human resources, Deb Catsavas, referred to the upcoming strike as "unethical” and “counterproductive.”
Catsavas told SFGATE that union leaders were actually close to reaching an agreement with Kaiser and “were about 1% apart in our respective wage proposals.” She said Kaiser hoped to bring negotiations to a conclusion, but the union delivered a new economic proposal last Friday that set plans back.
“We believe the bargaining table is the best place to resolve our differences; nevertheless, we regularly prepare comprehensive contingency plans and remain prepared to ensure our members will receive the care they need, should NUHW move forward with this strike,” Catsavas said.
Soroken, however, contested Catsavas’ assessment that the two sides were on the verge of an agreement.
“Their whole premise that we were close to reaching a contract couldn’t be further from the truth,” she responded to SFGATE. ”They've rejected all of our proposals. That’s the reason why we are striking.”
Aug. 2, 4:50 p.m. At Kaiser Permanente’s Fairfield office, where therapist Sarah Soroken has worked for six years, the calls never stop coming.
Some of them are from patients who scheduled an initial session with a therapist and hadn’t heard back in over a month, despite declines in their mental health. Other calls are from parents, pleading for help because their children have relapsed into active symptoms of severe mental illness, after months of trying and failing to see a doctor.
Soroken works in triage, conducting brief assessments and initial phone screenings before linking clients with therapists who work at Kaiser, or referring them to an outside provider or facility. But most of the time, her hands are tied. There just aren’t enough therapists to go around.
“It’s so egregious,” she told SFGATE by phone on Tuesday. “We have to put patients on wait lists because we simply do not have appointments available.”
People stay on those wait lists for months, according to internal Kaiser documents shared by the National Union of Healthcare Workers. In San Francisco, patients who received an initial mental health assessment on June 13 weren’t scheduled for follow-up appointments for up to a month. In Sacramento, people wait more than two months. Elsewhere in the Bay Area, people wait more than three months to actually see a mental health provider.
When patients finally receive an appointment, things don’t get much better. Soroken said therapists are already “overburdened” with patients, especially amid the pandemic and a rising demand for therapy. Kaiser does not place restrictions on individual caseloads, so providers are required to take on multiple new clients every week. That punishing schedule has led to widespread burnout and a retention crisis, stretching the therapists who stay even thinner.
Soroken noted that delaying care like this is a violation of state laws like Senate Bill 221, which took effect in July and requires that patients of health care providers like Kaiser receive a follow-up appointment within 10 days of requesting one. SB 855, which went into effect in January 2021, similarly places health insurance companies under an obligation to provide full coverage for all mental health conditions.
“It’s not uncommon for patients who are minors, or adults who have even had suicide attempts, and are still waiting long periods of times between appointment, and the dangerousness of that cannot be understated,” Soroken said. “That’s just a window into the pain and lack of care I see, and it’s on a daily basis I get calls like this.”
On Tuesday, more than 2,000 of Kaiser’s licensed therapists in Northern California, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, announced plans to start an open-ended, or indefinite, strike on Aug. 15, demanding better working conditions and care for their patients. The news comes after a year of contract negotiations in which Kaiser rejected proposals to increase staffing and improve access to care. Also this week, the union sent a letter to the state Department of Managed Health Care requesting that they ensure the company continued to provide Kaiser enrollees with health care during the work stoppage.
The Department of Managed Health Care already has its eye on Kaiser, having launched an investigation of Kaiser’s behavioral health services in May, after receiving complaints from patients.The department also fined Kaiser $4 million in 2013 for problems related to its mental health services, including long wait times and inaccurate education materials, and again in 2017 for failing to disclose Medicaid data.
“It’s crushing. … The heavy burden, the emotional weight of not being able to provide the care that you were trained to provide, that’s codified in state and federal law,” Soroken said. “The fact that these therapists cannot comply because of how Kaiser is run is a huge burden. I think that is a huge reason that therapists are leaving at record numbers.”
According to regional data provided by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, 377 clinicians based in Northern California left their jobs at Kaiser between June 2021 and May 2022. That’s more than double the previous year, when 186 clinicians quit their jobs, while 191 clinicians left the year before that. Clinicians cited factors like an unsustainable workload and their inability to “treat patients in line with standards of care and medical necessity” as reasons for leaving the company.
“Patients are getting ripped off while Kaiser’s coffers are bulging,” Sal Rosselli, president of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, said in a statement. “We don’t take striking lightly but it’s time to take a stand and make Kaiser spend some of its billions on mental health care.”
SFGATE reached out to Kaiser Permanente for comment but did not hear back by time of publication.
“This status quo cannot go on one more day. Patients are suffering. Therapists are leaving. Kaiser is blatantly ignoring new state laws,” Soroken said. “All these things put together have made it so a strike seems to be the only option at this point.” | 2022-08-03T02:16:07+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/kaiser-permanente-therapists-announce-strike-17346841.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama said she struggled with a “crushing sense of hopelessness” after the 2020 presidential election that was brought on by the death and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, a summer of political and racial unrest and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
“I was in a low place,” she said. Then she got an idea.
“Everyone was searching for some answers of how to cope. And for some reason they were asking me, ‘What do you do?’ I had to start thinking about that,” the former first lady told People magazine in an interview pegged to Tuesday’s release of her second book, “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.” She is set to open a six-city book tour in Washington on that day.
In the book, former President Barack Obama’s wife, who is one of the world’s most famous women, tells how she steadies herself during these anxious times and how she works at overcoming her lifelong fear of change and doubts about herself.
“Over the 58 years that I’ve lived, I can look back and I can say, ‘This is how I deal with fear. These are the things I say to myself when I need to pick myself up. This is how I stay visible in a world that doesn’t necessarily see a tall Black woman,'” she said. “This is how I stay armored up when I’m attacked. The book is that offering.”
“I think people learn not through edict, but through stories,” she said. People posted a report on the interview on its website on Thursday, and it will appear in the magazine’s Nov. 21 issue, available nationwide on Friday.
Mrs. Obama, the mother of Sasha and Malia Obama, opens up in the book about everything from how awkward it is to make new friends to her experiences with racism, marriage, parenting and even menopause.
She also writes about leaning on a “kitchen table” of close girlfriends, led by her 85-year-old mother, Marian Robinson. The group includes Kathleen Buhle, a hiking and yoga pal who is the ex-wife of President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and the mother of Maisy Biden, Sasha Obama’s best friend.
In 2018, Mrs. Obama released her best-selling memoir, “Becoming,” and embarked on a U.S. and international book tour to promote it. The book has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, surpassing the sales of any memoir by a previous first lady or modern president, including her husband.
In her new book, the former first lady describes looking in the mirror and only seeing her flaws, and how she practices being kind to herself.
She said she also copes by indulging in what her husband calls “lowbrow TV.”
“You name it, I watch it,” she said, naming HGTV, anything on the Food Channel and dating shows like “Married at First Sight” among her viewing choices.
The former first lady described herself as an informed citizen who reads the newspaper, gets briefs, sits with her husband every night and knows what’s happening in the world.
But she said that “when I’m by myself, I need to be able to turn my head off and think about wallpaper.”
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of Michelle Obama at https://apnews.com/hub/michelle-obama. | 2022-11-11T05:28:19+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-michelle-obama-shares-personal-stories-of-coping-in-new-book/ |
PHNOM PENH – Three Cambodian land rights activists who were arrested on charges of plotting against the government planned to provoke a peasant revolution by teaching farmers about class divisions between rich and poor, an official said Tuesday.
Theng Savoeun, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community, and his colleagues Nhel Pheap and Than Hach were charged Monday by a court in the country’s northeast with plotting against the state and incitement to commit a felony, said Am Sam Ath of the local rights group Licadho.
He said plotting against the government carries a possible prison term of five to 10 years, while incitement to commit a felony is punishable by six months to two years. He described the charges as sending “a message of intimidation” to civil society groups.
The three suspects were not available for comment and their lawyers were not immediately reachable.
A senior government official likened their nonviolent activities to what the communist Khmer Rouge taught peasants five decades ago before carrying out their bloody revolution.
The arrests in Ratanakiri province came as Cambodia prepares for a general election in July that is certain to return to power the governing Cambodian Peoples Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has led the country for 38 years with little tolerance for dissent. The opposition Candlelight Party, the sole group posing a credible challenge to the governing party, was not allowed by the National Election Committee to contest the polls and expects a ruling this week on its appeal of that decision.
The three activists were arrested on May 17 after hosting a workshop in Ratanakiri province about land rights and other issues affecting farmers. The police detained 17 of the workshop’s 39 participants but released all but the three, who were charged and placed in pre-trial detention on Monday.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Gen. Khieu Sopheak said the three were arrested because their activities violated the law and were outside the main goals of their organization, which he said were to teach farmers more productive agricultural techniques.
He said the workshop instead discussed political issues such as the division between rich and poor and how to incite farmers to hate the rich.
“Their lecture was to teach about peasant revolution, about the class divide in society,” Khieu Sopheak said. He said such language mirrored the ideology taught by the communist Khmer Rouge to poor farmers, especially in Ratanakiri province, in the early days of their revolutionary struggle before taking power in April 1975.
The brutal Khmer Rouge regime, which was ousted in 1979, is blamed for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians from starvation, illness and killing.
Hun Sen joined the Khmer Rouge in 1970 when it was fighting against a pro-American government but defected from the group in 1977 and allied himself with a resistance movement backed by neighboring Vietnam.
"Fabricating these bogus charges against prominent civil society leaders shows how far the government is willing to go to silence critics in advance of the Cambodia elections in July,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement issued Wednesday. “There needs to be a chorus of international condemnation targeting Prime Minister Hun Sen and his government to demand an end to these intimidating tactics.”
Land grabs by wealthy and influential people have been a major problem for many years in Cambodia. Land ownership was abolished during the rule of the Khmer Rouge and land titles were lost, making ownership a free-for-all when the communist group lost power. Under Hun Sen’s government, much land that had been resettled was declared state land and sold or leased to wealthy investors, many of whom critics said were cronies of the governing party. Security forces have been employed to help evict tenants from such areas.
Khieu Sopheak said the three land activists admitted their crimes during police interrogation and that the authorities had found evidence of their activities on a computer and in documents from the group’s training workshop.
However, according to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, “They were initially denied access to legal representation, before their lawyer was eventually allowed to be present as they were being interrogated by the prosecutor" on May 22.
A statement on Theng Savoeun’s Facebook page said, “In this life, we have tasted all sorts of flavors, but we remain firmly strong because our daily work is not what they have accused of us, rather we work at basic humanitarian tasks, helping the victims, helping farmers, helping the community, to make them understand their rights and obligations, and to help them find a solution.”
Farmers from other provinces who support the three activists have defied official harassment to travel to Phnom Penh to stage protests in front of the Interior Ministry demanding their release.
Rights worker Am Sam Ath expressed his concern that the three face such serious charges for working for the benefit of farmers and their communities. He said it might make it harder to help farmers in the future.
___
Peck reported from Bangkok. | 2023-05-24T06:07:20+00:00 | local10.com | https://www.local10.com/news/world/2023/05/23/cambodian-land-activists-arrested-for-allegedly-inciting-farmers-to-hate-the-rich/ |
SHENZHEN, China, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Anycubic, a globally renowned 3D printing brand, has announced the release of the Kobra 2, a new FDM 3D printer designed to deliver a remarkable speed and enhanced user-friendly experience. In addition to its stable performance and budget-friendly price, the Kobra 2 is an excellent choice for hobbyists and professionals alike who are seeking rapid printing and cost-effective 3D printers.
5x the Speed, Faster Than Ever
Kobra 2 has a default print speed of 150mm/s and a maximum print speed of 250mm/s, allowing it to complete a Benchy model with 0.28mm layer height in just 30 minutes. The following features contribute to its impressive print speed:
- New Dual-Gear Direct Drive Extrusion System:
The direct drive extrusion system has a 4:1 gear ratio, which means it tightly grips the filament and prevents it from slipping, allowing for precise extrusion and flow control even when the printer is moving quickly. Moreover, a higher print speed necessitates a higher extrusion rate to compensate for slow extrusions during speed changes. Kobra 2's 60W high-power hot end enables it to achieve this and melt the filament more quickly, leading to improved flow and higher print speed.
- Upgraded Cooling Fan
The upgraded cooling fan helps to cool down the filament when it has been extruded from the nozzle. With an optimized dissipation design and a spin speed of 700rpm, the fan cools down the prints quickly, enabling the next layer to be applied with precision.
- New Dynamic Structure
Kobra 2 features double metal spindles and SG15 bearings structure on the X and Y axes, which reduces friction between the moving parts, leading to smoother, faster movements that are more wear-resistant than the regular D shape wheel structure. The double screw motion mechanism on the Z-axis is another special feature, improving the speed of the Z-axis movement, reducing lifting resistance during the printing process, and keeping the X-axis level to minimize layer lines and achieve excellent results even at high speeds.
"Turning your ideas into reality with 3D printers quickly can be a challenging process, especially with regular speed printers. However, Kobra 2 has revolutionized the process by making it more accessible and efficient." said James Ouyang, Vice President of Anycubic. "The 3D printer can deliver fast prints while maintaining high-quality results, enabling creators to have more time to focus on their ideas rather than the production process."
A More User-Friendly Printing Experience
- Anycubic LeviQ 2.0 auto bed leveling with Smart Z Offset
Kobra 2 is equipped with the Anycubic LeviQ 2.0 auto-leveling system, featuring a smart Z-axis offset modular that enables accurate Z offset automatically. This makes the leveling process effortless for beginners.
- Semi-assembled design:
Kobra 2 comes in a semi-assembled state and requires no soldering or complex mechanical assembly, ensuring a user-friendly assembly experience that can be set up in 10 minutes even for 3D printing novices.
- 4.3-inch colored LCD touchscreen:
The user interface on the Kobra 2 is a 4.3-inch color touchscreen LCD mounted on the right side of the machine. This location means that it can easily access during printing. Besides, the touchscreen is also very responsive and easy to navigate.
- Magnetic Spring Steel Build Plate:
The textured surface can lock parts down during printing when hot, and after cooling they just slide right off with no tools required. So with hits, users can easily remove the prints, even the larger or more sticky PETG prints.
- Power Loss Recovery and Filament sensor
The Kobra 2 3D Printer incorporates a power-loss recovery feature that enables the printer to recover from unexpected power outages and resume printing from the point of interruption. Moreover, the filament run-out sensor, which detects when the printer runs out of filament and halts the printing process, is an added benefit that prevents printing errors.
Pricing and Availability
The Kobra 2 3D printer will go on sale at 9:00 am EDT May 20th, 2023, in the US from $269, and will be available in Europe at 9: 00 am CEST June 1st, 2023 from €299. Users can subscribe for updates on this page and buy from the official Anycubic store, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and AliExpress from May 20th.
About Anycubic
Since its establishment in 2015, Anycubic is committed to propelling 3D printing technology to ensure 3D printing is accessible and affordable to people from all walks of life. We are happy to see people unleash their imagination and creativity into reality. Anycubic has made hits presence in over 200 countries and regions since 2015. The company has released more than 20 widely favored products, with 3 million units sold over the past 7 years. With the commitment of "For Freedom to Make," Anycuibic will continue to bring the best products and technologies to all makers.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Anycubic | 2023-05-15T14:35:28+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/05/15/anycubics-kobra-2-brings-5x-speed-an-affordable-price/ |
WILMINGTON, Del. – Patrick Cantlay won another thriller Sunday in the BMW Championship, getting a great bounce on the 17th hole that set up a short birdie and led to a 2-under 69 and a one-shot victory over Scott Stallings.
Cantlay became the first player to win the BMW Championship back-to-back since the FedEx Cup began in 2007. This was on a different course and he didn't have to go six playoff holes. He also doesn't have the FedEx Cup lead going to the finale next week at East Lake.
All that mattered was winning at Wilmington Country Club, but he needed a little help.
He was tied for the lead on the 420-yard 17th hole when he decided to hit driver, and he feared it would get hung up in a series of bunkers down the right side. But the ball landed short of the last under, took a big hop over the sand, and tumbled through the first cut and into the fairway just 64 yards from the hole.
“I hit a lot of solid and got a lot of good breaks,” Cantlay said. “That break was something I was not expecting. It was big for me to take advantage of it.”
That he did. Cantlay hit a spinner that skipped and stopped 5 feet from the flag, holed the birdie putt for the lead and then found the green on No. 18 from a fairway bunker.
A year ago, he made one clutch putt after another about an hour down the road at Caves Valley and beat Bryson DeChambeau. That gave him the top seed at the Tour Championship, which comes with a two-shot margin before the tournament starts, and Cantlay won the FedEx Cup and its $18 million prize with a one-shot win over Jon Rahm.
This time, he goes into the FedEx Cup finale as the No. 2 seed, meaning he will start next week two shots behind Masters champion Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler put on a late charge with three birdies in a four holes and was one shot behind. But he missed a 4-foot par putt on the final hole for a 70, and it looked like it might cost him.
Xander Schauffele, playing in the final group with Cantlay, had a 7-foot birdie putt. If he made it, Schauffele would have finished alone in third, moving Scheffler to fourth. That would have made Cantlay the top seed. But the putt slid by on the right. Schauffele had a 71.
Stallings has gone 238 starts since his last victory eight years ago at Torrey Pines, and he played like that drought might end. But he missed four birdie chances inside 18 feet at the end, the last one from just inside 10 feet.
The consolation prize is his first trip to the Tour Championship.
Stallings wasn't alone. Adam Scott is making his way back to East Lake. He was at No. 77 in the FedEx Cup when the postseason started and a tie for fifth last week moved him to No. 45.
Scott made eagle on the 12th hole and hit some superb lag putts on firm, crispy greens at Wilmington for a 71 to tie for fifth.
Needing a par on the last hole, Scott tugged his tee shot to the edge of a bunker, meaning he had to stand in the sand and try to hit out of a sticky first cut with the golf ball about thigh-high. He pulled that into a bunker, then hit a splendid shot to tap-in ran.
Aaron Wise had a 73 and earned the 30th spot. He was among four players who moved into the top 30 who are eligible for the Tour Championship. The others were Stallings, Scott, Aaron Wise and K.H. Lee, who had a 65 on Sunday to tie for fifth.
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-08-21T23:05:18+00:00 | local10.com | https://www.local10.com/sports/2022/08/21/patrick-cantlay-wins-another-thriller-at-bmw-championship/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Charles Fuller, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of the searing and acclaimed “A Soldier’s Play” who often explored and exposed how social institutions can perpetuate racism, has died. He was 83.
Fuller died of natural causes on Monday in Toronto, said his wife, Claire Prieto-Fuller.
Fuller’s plays were filled with complex characters and an undercutting of conventions. “The best way to dispel stereotypes and massive lies is telling something as close to the truth as you can,” Fuller told Newsday. In one review of his work, The New York Times said “clichés of form, plot and character shatter like skeets at a shooting range.”
Fuller’s most famous work, “A Soldier’s Play,” used a military setting in its tale of the search for the murderer of a Black sergeant on an Army base in Louisiana during World War II. It dissected entrenched racism as well as internal divisions in the Black military community, wrapping it in a murder mystery.
The play won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1982 and two years later was made into the Oscar-nominated best picture “A Soldier’s Story,” for which Fuller wrote the screenplay and earned an Oscar nomination.
“I’d just like to be considered a playwright fortunate enough to have written a ‘hit,’ and who wants to keep on writing plays that break through the wall,″ he told The New York Times in 1982.
The work has attracted a who’s who of Black acting talent. The film version starred a young Denzel Washington, who had appeared in its first stage incarnation in New York alongside Samuel L. Jackson. A 2005 revival off-Broadway lured Taye Diggs, Anthony Mackie and Steven Pasquale.
It made its Broadway debut in the pandemic shortened season of 2020-21 with David Alan Grier and Blair Underwood and earned seven Tony nominations, including best play revival. Grier won the Tony for a featured actor and the play won best revival.
“It has been my greatest honor to perform his words on both stage and screen, his genius will be missed,” Grier tweeted in mourning. Playwright Lynn Nottage wrote: “His work was & remains a major source of inspiration for me & in many ways became my invitation to write plays.”
Born in Philadelphia, Fuller attended Villanova University and then joined the Army in 1959, serving in Japan and South Korea. He later studied at La Salle University.
He was working as a housing inspector in Philadelphia when the McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey, mounted his drama ″The Perfect Party,″ which moved off-Broadway in 1969. The theme was intermarriage, but Fuller joked “it was one of the world’s worst interracial plays.”
Fuller wrote plays for the Negro Ensemble Company, and his works were mounted at New Federal Theater and Henry Street Settlement. His breakthrough came with “The Brownsville Raid,” which told the true story of Black soldiers who were dishonorably discharged in 1906 after they were wrongly accused of murder. Only decades later did the Army exonerate them.
Five years after “The Brownsville Raid,” Fuller used similar themes and settings in “A Soldier’s Play,” for which he was influenced by Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd.” Both novels were set in the military during wartime, but Fuller used the structure to discuss race in modern America.
In its 2005 review of the play, The New York Times said Fuller “uses clean-lined conventions to elicit disconcertingly blurred shades of racism, resentment and self-hatred among Black men waiting to fight in a white man’s Army,” adding, “These feelings are messy, confusing, contradictory.” (In the play, one Black sergeant welcomes the jailing of a Black private: “one less fool for the race to be ashamed of.″)
Fuller said he was drawn to the military in his plays because, “historically, it’s the only place where Black men have risen equal to white men,” he told Newsday in 1988.
Another of his more successful plays was the 1980 domestic drama “Zooman and the Sign,” which is about an ex-prizefighter whose 12-year-old daughter is killed while playing. None of his neighbors will come forward to identify the murderers. When the father puts up a sign asking for help, it attracts the press. But that makes him — not the killers — a neighborhood pariah.
The New York Daily News called the play in a 2009 revival as “powerfully plain-spoken, if less than subtle.” Chadwick Boseman played Zooman in 2000 at age 23 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Fuller wrote a made-for-TV movie of the play in 1995.
Fuller also produced a cycle of Civil War-era plays that included “Sally,” “Prince,” “Jonquil” and “Burner’s Frolic.” His other works include the coming-of-age drama “The Sky Is Gray” for PBS and “A Gathering of Old Men” for CBS in 1987.
Fuller returned to the topic of the military with the play “One Night…” in 2013, which centered on a former Army truck driver whose life has unraveled since she went public with charges of rape against three fellow servicemen in Iraq. In one scene, she asks the Veterans Affairs Department for disability benefits. “Why am I a hero if I die,” she says, “and a nuisance if I live?”
In addition to his wife, Fuller is survived by a son, David, a daughter-in-law, four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
___
Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits | 2022-10-07T12:14:42+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/entertainment/ap-entertainment/ap-a-soldiers-play-playwright-charles-fuller-dies-at-83/ |
(WSYR-TV) — Yesterday the Major Leagues threw out their first pitch, and soon ballfields all over Central New York will be filled with people playing in America’s national pastime.
Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex in Cortland is hoping to attract lots of teams to its newly revamped facilities. Marie Darling of Guthrie and Cortlandville town supervisor Tom Williams are here to fill us in on their renovations.
To learn more about the Gutchess Sports Complex, visit Cortlandville.org
To learn more about Guthrie, visit Guthrie.org. | 2023-03-31T18:50:12+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/gutchess-lumber-sports-ready-for-baseball-season/ |
Annual Educator of the Year Awards are Nominated by Fellow Educators, Administrators and Students
SALT LAKE CITY, July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Instructure, the maker of Canvas, today announced the winners of its 2022 Educator of the Year Awards in connection with today's InstructureCon 2022 edtech conference. The program recognizes outstanding educators in North America working to embrace remote learning, prepare students for the workforce and support student success and achievement in an evolving education landscape.
"Over the past few years, educators everywhere have taken on unprecedented challenges with patience, grace and skill," said Melissa Loble, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Instructure. "We were overwhelmed by the number of impressive nominations this year, but have selected six inspirational educators that demonstrate an uncommon level of dedication, love for their students and passion for education. Congratulations to all of our 2022 winners!"
The 2022 Educator of the Year Award winners for North America are:
Elementary
Nicole Morton - Third Grade Teacher, Lake Ridge Elementary School (Woodbridge, VA)
Having worked as an elementary educator for the past 16 years, Nicole truly knows how to spark intrinsic curiosity and create a culture of lifelong learning within all her students. Every year she inspires her students in a special way by setting high goals and expectations, making those expectations clear and holding the students accountable for meeting those goals. Her main objective is to spark intrinsic curiosity among all students and create a culture of lifelong learning. Nicole takes learning beyond the classroom and makes connections so the content she teaches is relevant in everyday situations.
Nicole has cleverly incorporated The Class Pet Store to manage student positive behavior, establish a class community, and reward positive behavior, creating an inviting classroom experience.
Middle School
Isidro Legara, Jr. - Eighth Grade Teacher, Westridge Middle School (Orange County, Florida)
Isidro teaches at a Title-1 school composed of students with various cultural backgrounds. Being born and raised in the Philippines, Isidro understands how challenging it is to be in a new academic atmosphere. An advocate of social-emotional learning and culturally responsive standards-based teaching, Isidro wants all his students to feel safe, welcomed, loved and accepted in his classroom.
Isidro utilized technology to more effectively reach students at all learning levels during the pandemic and after. His courses on Canvas help students learn both in the classroom and at their own pace. Three days before the start of the '21-'22 academic year, Isidro deftly pivoted from teaching 7th grade to fill an unexpected teaching vacancy in the 8th grade.
High School
Ashley Jackson - Ninth Grade Teacher, Garland ISD (Garland, TX)
As an instructional technology coach, Ashley works with teachers from all departments at her campus, helping them use MasterPaths to personalize learning and utilize New Quiz data to inform remediation and extension.
A champion for accessibility, Ashley's strength lies in the relationships she builds with educators and students alike. She supports teachers as they try new things and innovate in their classrooms. This willingness to experiment and walk with teachers as a servant leader extends beyond her initial campus and expands further into the district. She has been working for the past few years to ensure that teachers understand how to leverage Canvas to meet the needs of all their students.
Adjunct Instructor
Chrystal Trapani - Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA)
As an instructional technologist with the Center for Learning and Teaching, an adjunct instructor for the Department of English at Old Dominion University and a doctoral graduate student, Chrystal works with students from every background including first-generation, veteran and disabled students. She works tirelessly to ensure that all of her course content exceeds accessibility standards, carefully scaffolding every major assignment into small goals she knows will work best based on her students' needs.
For example, she spent weeks building an interactive Pac Man-like activity, in her Visual Argument module, where the students work through the module to learn the course material while escaping ghosts. Also, she knows that students do their best work when examining their passions, so she requires them to work on projects that will further their intended major or career field in all of their work.
Assistant/Associate Professor
Dr. Yunlong Shao - New York Institute of Technology (New York, NY)
As an assistant professor at the New York Institute of Technology Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Yunlong long ago stepped away from the "sage on the stage" approach to teaching and has been offering students real-world and hands-on learning experiences that are underpinned by top-notch teaching instincts. He has built many courses with a blend of genuine collaboration among students, authentic assessments, tireless availability and presence and a sincere and admirable devotion to their continued success.
Yunlong offers students assignments in written format and uses Canvas tools to record short explanatory videos, creates demonstrations of successful work and strives to make his materials as accessible as possible using Canvas' accessibility checker and captioning tools. Showing vulnerability and a growth mindset is a key factor in engaging at-risk populations and his students are more successful because of his willingness to do so. His indefatigable work ethic, poise and consistency make him a teacher students can rely on well after the class has ended.
Professor
Dr. Ronald Miller - Utah Valley University (Orem, Utah)
As a professor in the Strategic Management and Operations Department of the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University, Ronald is a visiting scholar with Harris Manchester College, Oxford University, bringing with him a vast resume of international work in countries such as Ghana, Mexico, India, the Philippines, Fiji, China, Tonga and more.
Ronald is known to customize and modify his course instruction so that every student can not only grasp the concept but can also apply the principles in a real context. Potentially at-risk students regularly seek out Ronald due to his reputation as an instructor that accommodates all students as they work toward academic excellence. Hoping to guide his students to fulfilling careers or even graduate school, Ronald always wants to know each student's trajectory and then works to give them the boost they need for long-term success.
Selecting the 2022 Winners
The Educator of the Year Awards were judged on the following criteria, with specific emphasis on adapting to hybrid and remote teaching and making learning more accessible for at-risk students:
- How does this teacher redefine classroom activities based on evidence to help students meet their academic goals? Share examples of how they went above and beyond by adapting to reach students and/or embraced technology in the classroom in new and exciting ways. (50%)
- How does this educator's classroom experience support inclusion and improve achievement for at-risk populations? (25%)
- How does this educator inspire students, spark curiosity, and support student growth and achievement? Provide specific examples of results. (25%)
InstructureCon 2022 takes place on Thursday, July 14th in North America. This is the first year that Instructure is holding regional events in Latin America, Europe/Middle East/Africa and the Asia Pacific regions. This year's free virtual events can be seen for up to a year online. To register visit https://www.instructure.com/events/instructurecon.
ABOUT INSTRUCTURE
Instructure (NYSE: INST) is an education technology company dedicated to elevating student success, amplifying the power of teaching, and inspiring everyone to learn together. Today the Instructure Learning Platform supports tens of millions of educators and learners around the world. Learn more at www.instructure.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains "forward-looking" statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the potential, timing, and examples of any strategic alternatives. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, but are based on management's expectations as of the date of this press release and assumptions that are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include the risk factors described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 22, 2022, and other documents filed with the SEC and could cause actual results to vary from expectations. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof and Instructure undertakes no duty to update this information except as required by law.
CONTACT:
Brian Watkins
Corporate Communications
Instructure
801-610-9722
brian.watkins@instructure.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Instructure | 2022-07-14T20:55:21+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/instructure-recognizes-six-outstanding-north-america-educators/ |
LAS VEGAS, July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Rock Resorts, Inc. ("Red Rock Resorts", "we" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: RRR) announced today that it will release the Company's financial results for the second quarter 2022 on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 and will hold a conference call on the same day at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT). The conference call will consist of prepared remarks from the Company and will include a question and answer session.
To listen to the conference call, please dial into the conference operator no later than 4:15 p.m. ET (1:15 p.m. PT) at (888) 317-6003 using the passcode: 4438478. For those of you dialing in internationally, your dial in number is (412) 317-6061. A live audio webcast of the call will also be available at www.redrockresorts.com.
A replay of the call will be available through August 16, 2022 by dialing in at (877) 344-7529 or internationally at (412) 317-0088 using conference ID: 3347737. An audio archive of the call will also be available at www.redrockresorts.com.
Red Rock Resorts is a holding company that owns an indirect equity interest in and manages Station Casinos LLC ("Station Casinos"). Station Casinos is the leading provider of gaming and entertainment to the residents of Las Vegas, Nevada. Station Casinos' properties, which are located throughout the Las Vegas valley, are regional entertainment destinations and include various amenities, including numerous restaurants, entertainment venues, movie theaters, bowling and convention/banquet space, as well as traditional casino gaming offerings such as video poker, slot machines, table games, bingo and race and sports wagering. Station Casinos owns and operates Red Rock Casino Resort Spa, Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa Casino, Palace Station Hotel & Casino, Boulder Station Hotel & Casino, Sunset Station Hotel & Casino, Santa Fe Station Hotel & Casino, Wildfire Rancho, Wildfire Boulder, Wild Wild West Gambling Hall & Hotel, Wildfire Sunset, Wildfire Valley View, Wildfire Anthem and Wildfire Lake Mead. Station Casinos also owns Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel, Fiesta Rancho Casino Hotel and Fiesta Henderson Casino Hotel, which have been closed since March 2020, and owns a 50% interest in Barley's Casino & Brewing Company, Wildfire Casino & Lanes and The Greens.
Investors:
Red Rock Resorts
Stephen L. Cootey
(702) 495-3550
View original content:
SOURCE Red Rock Resorts, Inc. | 2022-07-12T02:03:42+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/07/12/red-rock-resorts-announces-second-quarter-2022-conference-call-earnings-release-date/ |
New report from Bain & Company, OneTen and Grads of Life illustrates business case for skills-first hiring
BOSTON, Feb. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Obtaining a job with family sustaining wages is critical to reducing the income and family wealth gap that exists between Black and white Americans. Too often these jobs have college degree requirements locking out qualified candidates that could be considered based on skills and work experience. Today, Bain & Company, OneTen and Grads of Life launched a new report "Eliminate a Degree of Difficulty: Hire for Skills, Not School," that outlines the business case for skills-first hiring and how companies can successfully make the transition. A four-year degree can be a valuable credential in hiring, but it is not the only way to assess talent and is not necessary for all roles. A skills-first hiring approach can mitigate this credentials barrier, allowing employers to evaluate underlying skills and making the process fairer for all job applicants.
"Skills-first hiring does not only widen job opportunities for qualified candidates to be considered, but has a strong business case for success," said Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen. "Skills-first hiring criteria are five times more predictive of future job performance than educational background and two and a half times more predictive than work experience."
Bain research indicates that more than 60% of middle-skilled positions in America today are "soft bachelor's" jobs. This means that they are positions for which a four-year college degree is required by the employer even though it is not a good evaluation for the skills needed to perform the job. OneTen's research shows that these roles go across industry and most often in areas such as information technology, customer service, maintenance/ manufacturing, healthcare, sales and business management and operations. By recredentialing these jobs, companies can remove the degree requirements and focus the job description on technical, industry-specific, and/ or soft skills that are needed for the position.
"While the business case is clear for skills-first hiring, the shift in company culture and mindset are challenging," said Maria Gordian, partner at Bain. "There are proven steps that can be integrated into pre-hiring, interviewing and post-hiring process to ensure success for both the candidate and the company."
- Pre-hiring process: Companies that have made this shift ensure that in the pre-hiring process, in addition to restructuring the job requirements and description, they are also ensuring a broader set of qualified candidates see the opportunities. For example, sharing job postings with targeted channels such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-focused recruiters and Black professional network associations in addition to the standard channels.
- Hiring process: In the hiring stage it's critical to shift to an inclusive hiring panel. A good rule of thumb is that at least 30% of panel members should represent diverse groups across dimensions. Additionally, the hiring panel needs to be educated on both how to mitigate bias and the shift to a skills-first interview guide.
- Post-hiring: Lastly, when skills-first candidates are hired, the post-hiring process is critical to ensure success at the company. Bain research and experience shows an onboarding process focused on key skills helps to provide initial grounding for these new hires. This should also be part of an ongoing effort to build an inclusive workplace that values all employees, regardless of background, for their unique contributions.
The shift to skills-first hiring is not only a business imperative that helps open job opportunities to Black talent, but it also helps employers hire a more diverse workforce. In December 2020, Bain and Grads of Life helped establish OneTen, with the goal of getting 1 million Black individuals without 4-year degrees hired or promoted into family-sustaining jobs in 10 years. Bain has adopted skills-first hiring internally in certain areas as well. This shift has enabled Bain to see firsthand the methods used by organizations that are making the switch successfully can be implemented by any organization. OneTen's launch companies belonging to the coalition have already scaled up their total hirings and promotions of Black talent dramatically. In one year since OneTen was founded, there have been 17,000 new hires, 4,000 promotions and a retention rate of 89%.
Despite early success, there are still several challenges to reaching OneTen's goal. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this shift, and each company will need to find its own path to determine where and how skills-first hiring and promoting can be beneficial.
Editor's Note: For more information or interview requests please contact: Dan Pinkney, Bain & Company, tel. +1 646 562 8102, email: dan.pinkney@bain.com
About Bain & Company
Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.
Across 64 cities in 39 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Bain & Company | 2023-02-22T13:53:59+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/02/22/college-degree-requirements-are-locking-out-qualified-candidates-widening-income-gap-between-black-white-americans/ |
PennLive wrapped up its 2022 Mid-Penn fall sports media day on Thursday, with the conference’s boys soccer, girls soccer and field hockey teams heading up Carlisle Pike to Cumberland Valley High School to meet with reporters, get their photos taken and more ahead of the upcoming season.
Media members from PennLive, the Carlisle Sentinel, the Chambersburg Public Opinion and Mid-Penn Sports Weekly stopped by to chat with representative athletes and coaches across the four divisions, as players detailed outlooks on the season with the start of the year just weeks away.
And to top things off, everyone was treated to some slices of JoJo’s Pizza and Pasta cheese pizza.
SPECIAL THANKS
We owe a shout-out to a number of groups and organizations that chipped in for a successful morning and afternoon with all the coaches and players.
• Trinity cheerleaders
• Central Dauphin cheerleaders
• CD East cheerleaders
• Cumberland Valley High School
• Renewal by Andersen of Central PA - Sponsor
Round 2 of #plmediaday at Cumberland Valley HS. Today MPC field hockey and soccer squads wreck the joint! ⚽️🏑🍕😀 pic.twitter.com/4psO8Kp9Ek
— Eric Epler (@threejacker) August 4, 2022
Some @miltonhershey boys soccer players getting a lift in here at day 2 of PennLive Media Day pic.twitter.com/hE9rMgpAV6
— Dan Sostek (@dan_sostek) August 4, 2022
Chambersburg girls soccer being interviewed by Jimmie (@JimmieRBrownJr) at #PLMediaDay pic.twitter.com/mEUQd5orL0
— reese 🇹🇹 (@tyreesesmithh) August 4, 2022
Hershey’s boys soccer team said they had the best “Happy Media Day” roar so far. What do you think? @DTSDathletics #PLMediaDay pic.twitter.com/zOVjqmqiY2
— Nebiy Esayas (@_nebiy_) August 4, 2022
@McDCruSoccer @McDSoccer representing at Penn Live Media Day!! Proud of all of you! pic.twitter.com/iTn4YsReOI
— Lady Cru Soccer - Bishop McDevitt Girls Soccer (@McDCruSoccer) August 4, 2022
Special shout out to @CDEastHigh cheerleaders who have been a MAJOR help here today in Day 2 of our, escorting athletes to each different station. #PLMediaDay pic.twitter.com/KNagWLfHJ8
— Nebiy Esayas (@_nebiy_) August 4, 2022
Mid Penn Media Days for the fall are done. I really loved learning the ropes of reporting, interviewing athletes and more at Media Days! Thanks @PennLive, @chopkins44 @SportsByBLinder @_nebiy_ and @dan_sostek for having me and helping me the past couple days! pic.twitter.com/2KhWw7rHKc
— Luke Brown (@lukebrownpxp) August 4, 2022
@PennLive Media Day! pic.twitter.com/AgJJNRSzIz
— CD Girls Soccer (@CDGirlsSoccer) August 4, 2022
#PLMediaday @PennLive @pasports @Pa_Preps pic.twitter.com/K9wjeJqXrb
— Kari Powell (@KariPowell_) August 4, 2022
• Mid-Penn Field Hockey and Soccer Media Day: Live Updates
Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
-- Follow Dan Sostek on Twitter @dan_sostek | 2022-08-04T22:55:04+00:00 | pennlive.com | https://www.pennlive.com/highschoolsports/2022/08/pennlives-mid-penn-conference-fall-sports-media-day-wrap-up-photos-tweets-and-more-from-day-2-at-cumberland-valley.html |
Simpsonville power lifter returns home after winning the gold at Special Olympics
SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - A community gathered to welcome home a power lifter who represented the Upstate at the Special Olympics USA Games.
Alan Stephens had been training for the Special Olympics four days a week, every week for more than a year.
The games united more than 55,000 athletes and coaches from across the country and the Caribbean.
On Sunday, he was welcomed home with an escort from Mauldin Police and the Fire Department.
" It’s overwhelming but it’s been that way from the beginning. He’s had so much support from we started a program for him when he was young and until now,” said Bobette Stephens, Alan’s mom. “So I think for parents with children with autism or any special need, you know, there’s hope. There’s hope it can turn out so much better.”
Alan brought home the gold in the overall combination, silver in deadlift, gold in squats, and silver in bench.
Copyright 2022 WHNS. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-13T03:15:48+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/2022/06/13/simpsonville-power-lifter-returns-home-after-winning-gold-special-olympics/ |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s embattled top accountant will step down next month after a $3.5 billion error in the year-end financial report he oversaw, according to a resignation letter written Thursday that was obtained by The Associated Press.
Republican Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom’s decision to leave the post he has held for 20 years came after intense scrutiny of his performance following the blunder and amid rising calls for him to either quit or be removed.
The Senate panel investigating the financial misstatement issued a damning report last week accusing Eckstrom of “willful neglect of duty.” As recently as last week, however, Eckstrom had said he would not resign.
“I have never taken service to the state I love or the jobs to which I have been elected lightly, endeavoring to work with my colleagues … to be a strong defender of the taxpayer and a good steward of their hard-earned tax dollars,” Eckstrom wrote in the letter to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. “They deserve nothing less.”
The governor accepted the resignation, effective April 30.
The Senate report concluded that Eckstrom was solely responsibile for the mapping error, which happened during the state’s transition to a new internal information system from 2011 to 2017. State officials testified that Eckstrom ignored auditors’ yearslong warnings of a “material weakness” in his office and flawed cash reporting.
Eckstrom has said the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report exaggerated the state’s cash balances for a decade by double counting the money sent to colleges and universities. The mistake went unsolved until a junior staffer fixed the error this fall.
Officials have said the overstatement did not affect the state budget. But lawmakers alarmed by Eckstrom’s inconsistent testimony slammed his failure to fulfill one of his primary constitutional duties: to publish an accurate account of state finances.
The fallout for the state agency that typically flies under the radar is expected to continue. A Senate subcommittee recently approved a joint resolution that would let voters decide whether the comptroller general should continue as an elected position or be appointed by the governor. Eckstrom reiterated his support for that change Thursday in his resignation letter.
The next comptroller general may also lead a much weaker office. The investigating panel suggested its responsibilities be transferred to one or more agencies. State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, an elected Republican, has testified that his office could absorb the main tasks.
Republican Sen. Larry Grooms, who led the investigation, said the comptroller general’s office could also be “done away with altogether.”
Grooms thanked Eckstrom for doing the “honorable thing” and sparing the General Assembly from using an obscure state constitutional provision to remove him from office.
Between a 104-7 House vote to cut the comptroller general’s annual salary to $1 and the Senate’s scheduled April 11 vote to oust Eckstrom, Grooms suggested the rising heat had grown too intense for him to remain on the job.
The Senate must now select a replacement to serve out the rest of Eckstrom’s term, which ends in 2027. Grooms said the next comptroller general should be someone who recognizes that their job is to spend the next three years overseeing the office’s incorporation into other state agencies. He does not anticipate any other heads will roll.
“The buck stopped with him,” Grooms said. “The accountability was with him.”
A certified public accountant, Eckstrom, 74, spent four years as state treasurer before assuming his current office. He has run unopposed in the past two elections and last faced a Republican primary challenger in 2010.
McMaster — who had resisted calls for impeachment and endorsed elections as the proper vehicle for accountability — thanked Eckstrom for his 24 years of “dedicated service.” The governor previously served as the state’s attorney general alongside Eckstrom early in the comptroller general’s tenure.
“The Eckstrom and McMaster families have been dear friends for decades,” McMaster said Thursday in a letter accepting the resignation. “I know that your every wish has been, and always will be, prosperity and happiness for the people of South Carolina.”
—-
James Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
—- | 2023-03-23T22:50:23+00:00 | myfox8.com | https://myfox8.com/news/ap-top-headlines/south-carolina-comptroller-to-resign-after-3-5b-error/ |
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TuSimple (Nasdaq:TSP), a global autonomous driving technology company, announced today that Evan Dunn has been promoted to serve as the company's General Counsel. The position oversees TuSimple's legal department, including compliance, corporate governance, litigation and intellectual property. Mr. Dunn replaces Susan Marsch who held the position on an interim basis since September 2022.
Prior to his promotion, Mr. Dunn wasTuSimple's Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Prior to joining TuSimple, he held a similar role as Deputy General Counsel for a publicly-traded real estate investment trust company and prior to that he worked in the corporate practice groups of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Mintz Levin, and Perkins Coie.Through his career, Mr. Dunn has built significant experience in public company guidance, corporate governance, advising boards of directors, capital market transactions, and mergers and acquisitions.
"We are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Susan Marsch and are appreciative of her leadership and expertise," said Cheng Lu, President and CEO of TuSimple. "Evan Dunn has been a valued member of the TuSimple team since last spring, and by promoting him to General Counsel, we are continuing to make positive additions to our company's leadership team and corporate governance."
Mr. Dunn graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Michigan Law School and received his bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Williams College.
About TuSimple
TuSimple is a global autonomous driving technology company headquartered in San Diego, California, with operations in Arizona, Texas, Europe, and China. Founded in 2015, TuSimple is developing a commercial-ready, fully autonomous (SAE Level 4) driving solution for long-haul heavy-duty trucks. TuSimple aims to transform the $4 trillion global truck freight industry through the company's leading AI technology, which makes it possible for trucks to drive safely autonomously, operate nearly continuously, and reduce fuel consumption by 10%+ relative to manually driven trucks. Global achievements include the world's first fully autonomous, 'driver-out' semi-truck run on open public roads, and development of the world's first Autonomous Freight Network (AFN). Visit us at www.tusimple.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE TuSimple Holdings, Inc. | 2023-02-09T22:50:29+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2023/02/09/tusimple-names-permanent-general-counsel/ |
A 29-year-old Yarmouth man has died after being pulled from a pond in town on Saturday, police say.
At 6:20 p.m. Saturday, police and firefighters responded to Long Pond in South Yarmouth for a report of a missing swimmer, according to a Facebook post by the Yarmouth Police Department. The man had last been seen approximately 50 yards from the shore.
The man was not found in a shoreline search, but Yarmouth Fire Department divers were able to locate him approximately 100 yards from the shore. He was taken to Cape Cod Hospital where he was pronounced dead. | 2022-06-26T13:18:21+00:00 | masslive.com | https://www.masslive.com/police-fire/2022/06/29-year-old-yarmouth-man-dies-after-being-pulled-from-pond.html |
(The Hill) – Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said on Saturday that he hopes the newly proposed Electoral Count Act is passed through Congress and enacted before November’s midterm elections.
During an appearance on CNN’s “Newsroom,” Cardin told host Pamela Brown that he hopes the proposed legislation will be brought up the Senate floor by September, lauding the bipartisan effort.
“We do hope that it’ll be brought up before November’s election. We’re hoping that Leader [Chuck] Schumer will bring it to the floor in September. We have bipartisan support. We think we have enough support to pass this bill,” Cardin told Brown. “We’ve already talked to our colleagues in the House and I think they’re ready to take it up as soon as we pass it in the Senate.”
“So we do hope that this bill would be enacted prior to the November elections. Let’s get this done. Let’s make it very clear. And I am very proud of the fact that this is bipartisan,” Cardin added. “We have Democrats and Republicans working together that recognize that Electoral Count Act particularly needs to be enacted immediately.”
The Electoral Count Act, unveiled by a bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday, intends to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887 by making sure that the sitting vice president doesn’t have the power to overturn a presidential election and make it harder for lawmakers to object the Electoral College vote.
The proposed legislation came in response to the Jan 6, 2021 attack at the Capitol, where a mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in an effort to stop the certification of President Biden’s Electoral College victory. Former President Trump had pressured his Vice President Mike Pence to overturn results in certain states in order to hand Trump a win but Pence said it was not within his authority.
The purpose of the act is to reiterate the vice president’s ceremonious role in Congress’ counting of Electoral College votes after a presidential election.
Cardin, one of the co-sponsors of the proposed legislation, added that the Capitol insurrection played a role in the creation of the Electoral Count Act, saying that lawmakers want to make sure that something like this never happens again.
“So the laws that are in effect before the election are what used in order to, who certifies the electors, and how that process moves forward,” Cardin told Brown. “So clearly, these most recent hearings, point out what happened on January 6, we want to make sure that never happens again, and one of the things we can do is clarify our election laws.” | 2022-07-24T17:10:23+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/national-news/senator-says-he-hopes-electoral-count-act-is-passed-before-november-midterms/ |
Biden-Modi relationship built around mutual admiration of scrappy pasts, pragmatic needs
BY AAMER MADHANI and KRUTIKA PATHI
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — No one would mistake them for best of friends.
But U.S. President Joe Biden, the son of blue-collar Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who rose from tea seller’s son to premier, have developed a relationship based on mutual respect of their scrappy backgrounds and a pragmatism about the shared challenges their two countries face.
Biden is hosting Modi for a state visit this week as he looks to tighten his relationship with the leader of a nation of 1.4 billion that the U.S. administration sees as a pivotal force in Asia for decades to come. The pomp-filled visit will mark the two leaders’ 10th in-person or virtual engagement since Biden became president in 2021. They’re expected to meet again in September in India at the Group of 20 summit.
The U.S.-India relationship is complicated. There are deep differences over Russia’s war in Ukraine and India’s human rights record.
But the frequent engagement between the leaders is seen by both sides as a reflection that, whatever their personal dynamics, Biden and Modi see the U.S.-India relationship as a defining one in the face of an increasingly assertive China and monumental challenges posed by climate change, artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience and other issues.
“They get along well personally, but even more important, I think both realize it is in the interest of the U.S. and India to advance the relationship,” said Arun K. Singh, a former Indian ambassador to the U.S. “For both Biden and Modi, there is a convergence of interests and you can see both leaders are invested personally in moving ties ahead.”
Biden and Modi haven’t developed the sort of tight bond that former President Barack Obama had with Modi’s predecessor, Manmohan Singh.
Singh was the first leader that Obama honored with a state visit during his presidency. In his post-presidency memoir, “A Promised Land,” Obama heaped praise on the former Indian premier as “wise, thoughtful, and scrupulously honest” and credited Singh as the “chief architect of India’s economic transformation.”
Nor will Biden and Modi be co-headlining raucous stadium rallies like Modi and former President Donald Trump did together in Houston and Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Trump likened Modi to Elvis Presley for his star appeal at a joint rally in Houston in September 2019 that drew about 50,000 to NRG Stadium. The two leaders more than doubled that crowd about five months later with a massive rally at a cricket stadium. In Ahmedabad, Modi praised Trump as a “unique friend of India” and Trump called Modi “an exceptional leader.”
Even without big rallies, though, the Biden White House says there is still plenty of evidence that the U.S.-India relationship is growing.
Trade between the U.S. and India in 2022 climbed to a record $191 billion. Through the Quad, an international partnership of the U.S., Australia, India and Japan, the countries launched a plan in 2021 to donate 1.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the Indo-Pacific.
Earlier this year, the two countries launched the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies that sets the path for collaboration on semiconductor production, developing artificial intelligence, and a loosening of export control rules that could allow U.S. defense contractors to transfer critical technology. U.S.-based General Electric is now awaiting approval from the administration to produce jet engines in India.
“I think with Biden you don’t have these explosive warmth moments,” said Richard Rossow, chair of U.S.-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “But the tenor and pace of engagement has escalated quite a bit.”
The two leaders — Biden, a center-left Democrat, and Modi, a Hindu nationalist leading the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party — aren’t exactly cut from the same political cloth. Still, the leaders have connected over each other’s relatively humble beginnings, according to a senior Biden administration official.
The prime minister was the third of six children born to Damodardas Modi, who ran a small tea shop at the local railway station in the tiny town of Vadnagar, in the western state of Gujarat. The family struggled to make ends meet, which meant Modi had to help his father run the shop. Biden, who has been in elected office more than half his life, often speaks of his father’s own struggles to maintain a foothold in the middle class as shaping his own worldview.
Both leaders seem to appreciate each other’s “scrappiness,” said the official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Biden-Modi relationship isn’t without tension. Biden last year publicly called India’s response to the war in Ukraine “shaky.” India abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions condemning Russia and refused to join the global coalition against Russia. Since the start of the war, the Modi government has also dramatically increased its purchase of Russian oil.
Human rights groups and press freedom advocates are also pressing Biden to publicly raise concerns with Modi about democratic backsliding in his country. Modi has faced criticism over legislation amending the country’s citizenship law that fast-tracks naturalization for some migrants but excludes Muslims, a rise in violence against Muslims and other religious minorities by Hindu nationalists, and the recent conviction of India’s top opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, for mocking Modi’s surname.
But in the leadup to the trip, Biden administration officials have sought to focus on the countries’ “shared values” and India’s critical role in finding solutions to some of the biggest problems facing the world.
“If you want to make a dent in the energy transition, it’s not even remotely possible to do that without India,” Amos Hochstein, a senior White House adviser, told U.S. and Indian business leaders at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce gathering ahead of Modi’s visit. Hochstein added, “I think what brings Prime Minister Modi and President Biden together is great ambition.”
Biden and Modi have had their lighter moments.
When Modi came to Washington in September 2021, he brought with him documents about people with the last name “Biden” in India.
“Are we related?” Biden asked. Modi without missing a beat responded jokingly, “Yes.”
At the Group of Seven summit in Japan last month, Modi greeted Biden by wrapping him in a tight hug that grabbed headlines around India.
Nirupama Rao, a former Indian ambassador to the United States and China, says Modi has an “aptitude and a talent” for the softer skills of politics. It’s something that the Indian premier and Biden share, she said.
“This state visit, I think, affords an opportunity and provides the backdrop perhaps for Mr. Modi to develop a very good understanding with President Biden and vice versa for Mr. Biden,” Rao said.
___
Pathi reported from New Delhi. AP journalist Tracy Brown in Washington contributed to this report. | 2023-06-21T07:23:41+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/2023/06/20/biden-modi-relationship-built-around-mutual-admiration-of-scrappy-pasts-pragmatic-needs/ |
The maker of the popular Fortnite video game will pay $520 million in penalties and refunds to settle complaints revolving around children’s privacy and its payment methods that tricked players into making unintended purchases, U.S. federal regulators said Monday.
The Federal Trade Commission reached the settlements to resolve two cases against Epic Games Inc., which has parlayed Fortnite’s success in the past five years to become a video game powerhouse.
The $520 million covered in the settlement consists of $245 million in customer refunds and a $275 million fine for collecting personal information on Fortnite players under the age of 13 without informing their parents or getting their consent. It’s the biggest penalty ever imposed for breaking an FTC rule.
“Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement.
Even before the settlement was announced, Epic said in a statement it had already rolled out a series of changes “to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry.” The Cary, North Carolina, company also asserted that it no longer engages in the practices flagged by the FTC.
The $245 million in customer refunds will go to players who fell victim to so-called “dark patterns” and billing practices. Dark patterns are deceptive online techniques used to nudge users into doing things they didn’t intend to do.
In this case, “Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button,” the FTC said.
Players could, for example, be charged while trying to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing a nearby button when simply trying to preview an item, it said.
“These tactics led to hundreds of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges for consumers,” the FTC said.
Epic said it agreed to the FTC settlement because it wants “to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players.”
“No developer creates a game with the intention of ending up here,” Epic said.
During the past two years, Epic also has been locked in a high-profile legal battle with Apple in an attempt to dismantle the barriers protecting the iPhone app store, which has emerged as one of the world’s biggest e-commerce hubs during the past 14 years. After Epic introduced a different payment system within its Fortnite app in August 2020, Apple ousted the video from the app store, triggering a lawsuit that went to trial last year.
A federal judge ruled largely in Apple’s favor, partly because she embraced the iPhone maker’s contention that its exclusive control of the app store helped protect the security and privacy of consumers. The ruling is currently under appeal, with a decision expected at some point next year. | 2022-12-20T11:32:59+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/business/ap-business/ap-fortnite-maker-epic-games-to-pay-520m-to-settle-ftc-cases/ |
Which facial wax strips are best?
Waxing one’s face can be a painful and messy experience. Some strips cling too tightly or aren’t the right shape. On top of that, the wax can make a mess and get everywhere it shouldn’t. That said, not all facial wax strips have to be as uncomfortable or disorderly.
For example, the Parissa Face and Lip Wax Strips place the wax right on the strips, and they require no heating so you can peel, stick and rip. There’s also a bottle of soothing oil for aftercare.
What to know before you buy facial wax strips
Facial wax strips types
There are three types of facial wax strips:
- All-in-one strips are the most common and easiest to use. They rarely require more heat than the warmth from your hand to activate them and you can travel with them without fear of making a mess. However, the wax dries over time, so the strips may only last a few months.
- Wax-and-strips kits contain everything you need to wax in separate parts, so you have more control over each stage of the process. They take more effort to use, but they can be messy for the inexperienced, and you can run out of wax before you use all your strips.
- Hard wax kits don’t use strips at all. You just heat the wax to your desired temperature, use disposable spatulas that are usually included to spread it on your desired area and peel it off once it dries. However, they can be just as messy as wax-and-strips kits, and you typically need to buy more spatulas to use up all the wax.
Strip types
Strips come in two forms, whether they have wax pre-applied or not:
- Cut-to-size strips are rectangular and meant to be cut to fit your desired area. They’re great for making sure the strip fits perfectly, but there’s more waste.
- Pre-cut strips are easier to use since they’re already sized to certain areas, but as their area usage is restricted, you may run out of one type of pre-cut strip before the others.
What to look for in quality facial wax strips
Ingredients
The wax found in facial wax strips can come from many places, such as beeswax or glycerin. They can also include soothing ingredients such as shea butter or honey. Always double-check the ingredients to make sure there’s nothing you might be allergic to.
Guides
Some facial wax kits include guides to help you carefully and precisely apply your wax. These are great for beginners but restricting for those with more experience.
How much you can expect to spend on facial wax strips
Facial wax strips can cost as little as $5 or as much as $40. If you’re waxing for the first time, try a $10-or-less strip first. After that, you can spend up to $25 on a better kit. If you want the best, expect to spend between $30-$40.
Facial wax strips FAQ
What steps can I take to make facial waxing at home as smooth and successful as possible?
A. The most important component is preparation before waxing and treatment afterward. Make sure to exfoliate the areas you’ll be waxing the day before and wash your face with a gentle soap or facial cleaner right before you wax. You can also apply a pre-wax treatment to soothe the skin. After you’re done waxing, wash your face again with the same gentle facial cleaner and apply a soothing oil to the waxed skin.
Can I use facial wax on other parts of my body?
A. Technically, you can, but you shouldn’t. Facial wax is specially formulated to be used on the delicate skin around your face, so it may not be strong enough to properly wax other areas of the body. Conversely, body wax shouldn’t be used on the face as it’s too tough for facial hair and can cause nasty damage.
What are the best facial wax strips to buy?
Top facial wax strips
Parissa Face and Lip Wax Strips
What you need to know: These strips are smooth and easy to use.
What you’ll love: The 20 pre-waxed strips don’t require any heating to get ready, plus once you’ve waxed, there’s a bottle of soothing oil to help you heal faster. They’re made of natural ingredients and are cruelty-free. They’re perfect for traveling.
What you should consider: They don’t work as well on thick, coarse hair. Those with more sensitive skin reported having rashes for a day or two after use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Ulta Beauty
Top facial wax strips for the money
What you need to know: These budget strips are great for trying at-home facial waxing for the first time.
What you’ll love: It comes with 20 pre-waxed strips that only require the heat from your palm to activate. There are also four calming oil wipes for aftercare and cleaning. The results last as long as four weeks, plus the wax is hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.
What you should consider: Some customers had issues with rashes and welted skin after use. The amount of wax is small and narrow, so you made need several strips to clear an area.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Ulta Beauty
Worth checking out
KoluaWax Hard Wax Beads for Hair Removal
What you need to know: These melting beads are perfect for at-home waxing pros.
What you’ll love: This 1-pound bag contains enough wax to perform 100-plus brow waxings, plus there are 20 disposable wooden spreading spatulas. There’s no need for strips; once the wax dries, pull it off directly. It contains shea butter to help soothe irritation, and it has a coconut colada scent.
What you should consider: You will need to buy more spatulas before you use all of the wax. Some purchasers didn’t like the scent at best or had reactions at worst.
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.
Jordan C. Woika 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. | 2023-01-24T23:19:38+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/hair-removal-shave-br/best-facial-wax-strips/ |
Daunting recovery underway in tornado-devastated Mississippi
Help began pouring into one of the poorest regions of the U.S. after a deadly tornado tore a path of destruction for more than an hour across a long swath of Mississippi, even as furious new storms Sunday struck across the Deep South.
At least 25 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Mississippi as the massive storm ripped through more than a half-dozen towns late Friday. A man was also killed in Alabama after his trailer home flipped over several times.
"Everything I can see is in some state of destruction," said Jarrod Kunze, who drove to the hard-hit Mississippi town of Rolling Fork from his home in Alabama, ready to help "in whatever capacity I'm needed."
Kunze was among volunteers working Sunday at a staging area, where bottled water and other supplies were being readied for distribution.
Video above: Rolling Fork's mayor is thankful to volunteers who have helped his community following a deadly tornado
Search and recovery crews resumed the daunting task of digging through flattened and battered homes, commercial buildings and municipal offices after hundreds of people were displaced.
The storm hit so quickly that the sheriff's department in Rolling Fork barely had time to set off sirens to warn the community of 2,000 residents, said Mayor Eldridge Walker.
"And by the time they initiated the siren, the storm had hit and it tore down the siren that's located right over here," Walker said, referring to an area just blocks from downtown.
The mayor said his town was devastated.
"Sharkey County, Mississippi, is one of the poorest counties in the state of Mississippi, but we're still resilient," he said. "We've got a long way to go, and we certainly thank everybody for their prayers and for anything they will do or can do for this community."
President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi early Sunday, making federal funding available to hardest hit areas.
"Help is on the way," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference with local, state and federal leaders.
Recovery efforts in Mississippi were underway even as the National Weather Service warned of a new risk of more severe weather Sunday — including high winds, large hail and possible tornadoes in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
A tornado touched down early Sunday in Troup County, Georgia, near the Alabama border, according to the Georgia Mutual Aid Group. Affected areas included the county seat of LaGrange, about 67 miles (108 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta
About 100 buildings were damaged, with at least 30 uninhabitable, and five people suffered minor injuries, officials said. Many roads, including Interstate Highway 85, were blocked by debris.
Two tigers briefly escaped from their enclosures at Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, Georgia, after the park sustained extensive tornado damage. "Both have now been found, tranquilized, and safely returned to a secure enclosure," the park said on Facebook. None of its employees or animals were hurt, it said.
Outside of Rolling Fork, a tornado ripped apart the home where Kimberly Berry lived in the Delta flatlands. The twister left only a foundation and a few belongings — a toppled refrigerator, a dresser and nightstand, a bag of Christmas decorations, some clothing.
Berry said she and her 12-year-old daughter huddled and prayed inside a nearby church as the storm roared outside.
"I didn't hear nothing but my own self praying and God answering my prayer. I mean, I can get another house, another furniture. But literally saving my life — I'm thankful," she said.
Video below: Mississippi's governor, FEMA officials, and others offered information during a news conference on Sunday
Following Biden's declaration, federal funding will be available for recovery efforts in Mississippi's Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties, including temporary housing, home repairs, loans covering uninsured property losses and other individual and business programs, the White House said in a statement.
The twister flattened entire blocks, obliterated houses, ripped a steeple off a church and toppled a municipal water tower.
Based on early data, the tornado received a preliminary EF-4 rating, the National Weather Service office in Jackson said in a tweet. An EF-4 tornado has top wind gusts between 166 mph and 200 mph (265 kph and 320 kph).
In Rolling Fork, the tornado reduced homes to piles of rubble and flipped cars on their sides. Other parts of the Deep South were digging out from damage caused by other suspected twisters.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said 25 people were confirmed killed in Mississippi, 55 people were injured and 2,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. High winds, hail and strong storms were expected for parts of Alabama and Georgia on Sunday, the National Weather Service said.
Video below: Drone footage shows some of the damage in Rolling Fork, Mississippi
The tornado that slammed into Rolling Fork tore across Mississippi for about 59 miles (95 kilometers) over a period that lasted more than one hour, the National Weather Service said in a preliminary report Sunday. The tornado was an estimated three-quarters of a mile wide at some points, according to the preliminary estimate.
The supercell that produced the deadly twister also appeared to produce tornadoes causing damage in northwest and north-central Alabama, said Brian Squitieri, a severe storms forecaster with the weather service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
In Georgia, Rachel McMahon awoke Sunday to news from her father that the Troup County motel he'd been staying in was destroyed. She said her dad, who is disabled, took shelter in the bathtub when the tornado hit.
He was badly shaken up, but not injured. She had to walk the last half-mile to his motel because of downed trees.
"SO thankful my dad is ok," she posted on Facebook, along with photos and videos of the damage: houses with gaping holes in roofs, massive tree trunks snapped in half and powerlines dangling every which way.
___
Associated Press journalists Leah Willingham in Charleston, West Virginia; Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri; Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jeff Martin in Woodstock, Georgia; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report. | 2023-03-27T05:31:16+00:00 | 4029tv.com | https://www.4029tv.com/article/daunting-recovery-underway-in-tornado-devastated-mississippi/43423028 |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 4 Midday" game were:
1-7-2-8
(one, seven, two, eight)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 4 Midday" game were:
1-7-2-8
(one, seven, two, eight) | 2022-08-27T19:02:53+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-4-Midday-game-17402327.php |
Shaving money off your grocery haul each week can really add up, even if it’s just a few dollars at a time. Think about it: If you save just $10 a week on average, by the end of the year you’ve kept $520 in your pocket. While it’s nice to get everything you need in one stop, making an extra trip to the dollar store for grocery items can help you eat well on a tight budget.
While a lot of people head to their local dollar store for school supplies or party items, the store’s food options can be just as thrifty. However, keep in mind that goods at some places, such as Dollar Tree, aren’t just $1 anymore. Prices there can clock in at upwards of $1.25 thanks to a price hike back in 2021, and some items are even $3 and $5.
Similarly, at Family Dollar everything is sold at heavily discounted prices, but is not necessarily $1. It’s best to remember that wherever you’re shopping for food, you should consider the unit price versus the total price.
We’ve rounded up a list of seven grocery items that you’re better off picking up from the dollar store — and some of them might surprise you!
Herbs And Spices
Adding herbs and spices to a dish can greatly enhance flavor without drastically increasing the cost. The next time you run out of garlic powder, consider picking it up at a dollar store. Family Dollar sells a 6.5-ounce bottle for $1, while a smaller bottle (5.37 ounces) will cost you $2.59 at Target. Just be sure to check the expiration date before purchasing.
Coconut Milk
Canned coconut milk is a shelf-stable ingredient that can add a rich, creamy flavor to curries, soups, desserts, sauces and other dishes. Be sure to pick up a can at Dollar Tree for $1.25, because a generic brand will run you $1.98 or more at Walmart.
Juice
If you have kids, you probably go through gobs of juice boxes, but the price for a conveniently packaged serving can really add up. A 4-pack of Juicy Juice at Dollar Tree is a killer deal at just $1.25, especially when you compare it to a $27.80 32-count bulk buy at Walmart. After doing the math, the dollar store version offers each box at roughly $0.31 each compared to $0.86 each at Walmart.
Chili
If you’re hungry and need to whip up a budget-conscious meal, cracking open a can of chili can fill you up in a pinch, and for just pennies. A 15-ounce can of all-beef chili is just $1.25 at Dollar Tree, while the same size of a generic can of beef chili is $1.63 at Walmart, and even more at Target.
Dried Rice
Whether you’re a fan of sushi rice, basmati rice, brown rice or white rice, rice at the dollar store tends to be much cheaper than at other stores. Pick up a 2-pound bag of white long-grain rice at Dollar Tree instead of Target, where it will run you $.54 more for a bag from their generic brand, Good & Gather.
Beans
From lima beans, to pinto and kidney beans, it’s wise to stock up on dry beans on your next dollar store shopping spree. A 32-ounce bag of Great Value pinto beans will cost you $1.98 at Walmart — that’s $.73 more than you’ll find for at Dollar Tree.
Condiments
Ketchup and mustard are kitchen — and outdoor barbecue — staples. Brand-name varieties often cost less at the dollar store. For example, find this 20-ounce bottle of Hunt’s Ketchup for $1.25 at Dollar Tree compared to $1.38 at Walmart.
Do you frequent dollar stores? We’d love to hear what your favorite thing is to buy.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | 2023-04-24T13:03:09+00:00 | ktvq.com | https://www.ktvq.com/grocery-staples-you-should-buy-from-the-dollar-store |
HOUSTON (AP) — Thirty women who had accused the Houston Texans of turning a blind eye to allegations that their former star quarterback Deshaun Watson was sexually assaulting and harassing women during massage sessions have settled their legal claims against the team, their attorney said Friday.
The terms of the settlements between each of the women and the Texans are confidential, said attorney Tony Buzbee.
While only one of the women had filed a lawsuit against the team, the others intended to make legal claims against the Texans before the settlements were reached, Buzbee said.
In separate lawsuits, 24 women accused Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will during massage appointments while he played for the Texans. One woman alleged Watson forced her to perform oral sex. Last month, Buzbee announced 20 of those 24 lawsuits have been settled.
In a statement, Texans owners Janice McNair and Hannah and Cal McNair said while the team did not have any knowledge of Watson’s alleged misconduct, they were “shocked and deeply saddened” when they first learned about the accusations and chose to resolve the claims against the team “amicably.”
“This is not an admission of any wrongdoing, but instead a clear stand against any form of sexual assault and misconduct. We hope that today’s resolution will provide some form of closure to the parties involved, our fans and the Houston community at large. As an organization, we will now turn our focus to the future and doing what we can to ensure respect for all,” the McNairs said in their statement.
In the lawsuit filed last month against the Texans, a woman accused the team and some of its employees of having been told or being aware of Watson’s troubling behavior and “known tendency to push boundaries during massage sessions.” The lawsuit alleged the Texans provided Watson with various resources, including rooms at a Houston hotel, massage tables and a nondisclosure agreement the women were told to sign, that allowed the quarterback “to further his misconduct with women.”
Buzbee said while he would have no additional comment on the allegations against the Texans, in a statement he added “there is a marked contrast in the way in which the Texans addressed these allegations, and the way in which Watson’s team has done so.”
Watson, who agreed to be traded to the Cleveland Browns in March after four seasons with Houston, has claimed his innocence and that any sex with the therapists was consensual. The 26-year-old is facing possible discipline from the NFL over the allegations.
Watson, who signed a five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns, is waiting to see if he’ll be eligible to play this season. NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson will decide whether the three-time Pro Bowler violated the league’s personal conduct policy with his off-field behavior.
A former federal judge in Delaware, Robinson held a hearing last month during which the league and the NFL Players Association presented arguments. The league has insisted on an indefinite suspension for Watson while the union says there are no grounds for a lengthy ban since he did not commit any crimes.
Two separate grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on any criminal complaints.
This is the first case for Robinson, who was jointly appointed by the league and union to handle discipline. She has been reviewing post-hearing briefs from both sides.
The Browns, who traded three first-round picks to Houston and six total for Watson, are eager to know how long they could be without their starting quarterback. The team opens training camp July 25.
Buzbee said he hopes to take to trial the four remaining lawsuits against Watson sometime next spring.
___
AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston and AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
___
Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2022-07-16T14:26:00+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/lawyer-30-women-settle-watson-related-claims-against-texans/ |
Strategic integrations enable users across hundreds of wallets, as well as a growing number of blockchains and protocols, to leverage a single application for DeFi management
DENVER, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ShapeShift DAO, a decentralized, non-custodial cryptocurrency platform and community, announced today that their open-source web app is now integrated with the WalletConnect v1.0 protocol as well as Keplr, XDEFI Wallet and Tally Ho wallets. These integrations potentially represent over a million qualified new users: WalletConnect provides a gateway to hundreds of ETH and EVM-compatible wallets and DApps and is chain agnostic; Keplr is the trusted wallet of the Cosmos ecosystem; XDEFI Wallet supports over 10,000 assets/DApps across 11 blockchains; and Tally Ho is a free, open-source, community-built Web3 wallet. Combined with ShapeShift's current wallet and chain support, app.shapeshift.com users can more easily manage all of their DeFi activities non-custodially and without fees. ShapeShift already supports more wallets, chains and protocols than any other free, community-owned crypto application.
"ShapeShift DAO is working hard to build the best interface to the decentralized universe: a single app where users can seamlessly interact with aggregated DeFi protocols across chains," said Willy Ogorzaly, Head of Decentralization for ShapeShift DAO. "At our core, we believe the ultimate interface should be open-source, community-owned, decentralized and free. This needs to exist but doesn't yet, so that's what we're building. We also believe the ultimate interface to the decentralized universe should support many wallets, and we're excited to finally welcome the 1M+ users of WalletConnect, Keplr, XDEFI Wallet and Tally Ho to ShapeShift."
WalletConnect is an open-source Web3 communications protocol connecting wallets and DApps. Its decentralized messaging backend enables a wallet to connect and interact with another wallet or DApp using a QR code or deep link. Because of its encrypted security, convenience and ease of use, WalletConnect is built into over a hundred leading wallets as well as hundreds of DApps. In this first integration, ShapeShift's application will support WalletConnect v1.0's ecosystem of wallets—in an upcoming release, WalletConnect support will expand to enable ShapeShift users to connect to any DApp that supports WalletConnect and execute transactions from any wallet supported by app.shapeshift.com.
"WalletConnect is thrilled to provide the infrastructure support enabling ShapeShift to connect with a growing ecosystem of wallets and users," said Pedro Gomes, CEO of WalletConnect. "Our protocol enables any wallet and any DApp to connect with one another in a secure and seamless experience. We are excited to welcome ShapeShift as a partner and look forward to building the future of Web3, together."
Keplr is an open-source browser extension wallet for the Cosmos interchain ecosystem, also recently available for mobile devices. It provides the most flexible and versatile account management and wallet functionalities for all Cosmos SDK-based blockchains and is the preferred and most widely used wallet for Cosmos users. ShapeShift announced native wallet support for Cosmos functionality in April; supporting Keplr is an extension of the DAO's commitment to the Cosmos community.
XDEFI Wallet is a non-custodial, multi-chain wallet that allows you to securely store, swap and send crypto and NFTs across 11 blockchains. XDEFI Wallet is trusted by more than 80,000 users and has a five-star rating after 180 reviews in the Google Chrome store. Its native integration with THORChain as well as other leading DEXs and bridges means users can seamlessly swap and bridge across chains from a single wallet.
Tally Ho is an open-source and community-owned wallet built to support decentralized communities. Paralleling ShapeShift's core ethos and principles, Tally Ho is built on openness through its product, culture, code and community. The Tally community is also aligned with ShapeShift's vision for a multi-chain future, and we look forward to enabling Tally for other chains that ShapeShift supports as soon as Tally supports them.
Since 2014, ShapeShift has been pioneering self-custody for digital asset trading. Today's ShapeShift DAO is an engaged community of builders working to advance the state of crypto trading, investing and access to open, decentralized financial systems. Our web and mobile platforms empower users to safely buy, hold, trade, invest and interact with thousands of digital assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Cosmos.
All Chains, All Protocols, All Wallets. Share Our Vision at app.shapeshift.com.
Learn more at ShapeShift.com
Media Contact:
Lindsay Smith
Lindsay@foxfoundation.io
View original content:
SOURCE ShapeShift DAO | 2022-07-28T17:47:07+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/shapeshift-integrates-walletconnect-v10-keplr-xdefi-tally-ho-wallets-expanding-app-access-potential-million-new-users/ |
U.S. consumers are breathing a bit easier now that gasoline prices have come down from record levels, but pump prices are still high, and the two-month slide could be nearing an end.
The nationwide average price for a gallon of gas dropped to $3.99 on Thursday, according to AAA. That’s down 20% from the mid-June high, and it’s the first time the average has dipped below $4 since early March.
Gasoline prices usually rise and fall with the cost of oil, and crude has also been dropping. The U.S. benchmark price is down nearly one-fourth since early June.
Other factors are also behind this year’s roller-coaster ride in energy prices.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Gasoline prices hit a record $5.02 on June 14. At the time, U.S. crude was about $120 a barrel and the benchmark international price was even a couple dollars above that. Since then, however, oil prices have tumbled.
Oil prices had been rising since April 2020, as economies around the world recovered from the shock of the pandemic, and reopened — slowly at first, then more rapidly. Demand for energy outstripped supply, pushing prices higher through all of 2021 and early this year. Then in late February, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused oil prices to spike, and they remained high into June — although not as high as in July 2008 if inflation is considered.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
High energy prices contributed to inflation, which led the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates. Concern has increased in recent weeks about the direction of the global economy.
A recession — or even slower growth — hurts energy demand and usually pushes down oil prices. That is the scenario that oil investors now fear.
Even with prices coming down, OPEC on Thursday lowered its forecast of global oil demand for the rest of this year and next year. The cartel based those expectations on a belief that economic growth in the U.S., China and other key countries will be slower than it previously forecast.
ARE THERE OTHER FACTORS?
It’s unusual for gas prices to fall during the summer, because that’s the peak driving time for American motorists. Some analysts think the high prices have led drivers to cut back, but the evidence is mostly anecdotal.
Some states suspended their gasoline taxes, shaving more off the final price at the pump, at least temporarily.
WHERE ARE GAS PRICES HEADED?
Most analysts don’t think prices will spike in the short term unless something unexpected happens, such as a big storm that shuts down oil production in the Gulf of Mexico or floods refineries along the Gulf Coast. That has happened before, and we are still in hurricane season.
Patrick De Haan, an analyst for GasBuddy, said this week that absent something like a hurricane, gasoline prices should drop another 10 cents to 25 cents a gallon over the next couple weeks.
Tom Kloza, an analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, is a bit less sanguine. He says the 58-day streak of lower nationwide average gasoline prices “may stumble soon.”
Besides the hurricane threat, Kloza says refineries — which have been running nearly full-steam — will have to take a breather because they have delayed maintenance work and “that can’t be delayed indefinitely.”
WHAT ABOUT THE U.S. OIL SUPPLY?
U.S. oil production hasn’t fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels; it’s still down about 4.5% from 2019, according to the most recent government figures, for May.
President Joe Biden has ordered releases from U.S. oil reserves. Kloza said “even Biden bashers have to admit that the release of over 150 million barrels of (Strategic Petroleum Reserve) crude worked,” but he said it’s unclear what will happen when those releases end later this year.
WHAT’S ENERGY’S ROLE IN INFLATION?
Higher prices for energy and food have been key contributors to inflation. It works the other way too. When gasoline prices slid in July, it helped slow the overall rate of inflation.
But gasoline prices in July were still 28% higher than a year earlier, and that helped inflation roar along at 8.5%. | 2022-08-12T22:00:47+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/business/ap-business/explainer-why-gas-prices-are-falling/ |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president slammed NATO’s policy on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Monday, calling it “immoral.”
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s did not mention NATO or the United States by name, but his comments were the latest example of his party's ambiguous stance on the invasion.
Mexico has voted to condemn the invasion, but refused to join in sanctions on Russia.
López Obrador said Monday that the allies’ policy was equivalent to saying “I’ll supply the weapons, and you supply the dead. It is immoral.”
“How easy it is to say, ‘Here, I’ll send you this much money for weapons,” Lopez Obrador said. “Couldn't the war in Ukraine have been avoided? Of course it could.”
In March, a half-dozen legislators from López Obrador’s Morena party helped create a congressional “Mexico-Russia Friendship Committee.”
The Morena party said “we respect the freedom of thought of our members” after a youth group apparently affiliated with the party sent an open letter to the Russian ambassador supporting the invasion. | 2022-06-13T16:46:01+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Mexican-president-slams-NATO-policy-in-Ukraine-17238046.php |
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY — A Pine Hall woman has been charged with felony death by vehicle in connection with the May 17 head-on collision that killed a Mayodan man.
Raymond Edwards, 86, was traveling north on US 220 Business to a Stoneville High School reunion when Sarah Christine Smith, 36, of 3757 Hwy. 311, Pine Hall, struck him head-on while impaired, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Smith was charged in late April with failure to appear April 19 in Rockingham County District Court on other charges, according to court records. Information about related charges were not immediately available.
The charge Smith faces for Edwards' death carries a punishment of between 38 and 160 months in prison and fines in an amount a judge deems appropriate, according to North Carolina statutes. | 2022-06-05T16:19:00+00:00 | greensboro.com | https://greensboro.com/community/rockingham_now/news/pine-hall-woman-faces-felony-charge-in-connection-with-mayodan-mans-death/article_ce2a83f6-e34c-11ec-ba59-43725ba4cac2.html |
CHICAGO -- Justin Fields put the Chicago Bears on his back for the second straight week. But despite another massive day on the ground for the quarterback, the Detroit Lions were able to crawl out of a 14-point fourth-quarter hole to win 31-30 at Soldier Field in Week 10.
Fields ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 67-yard score after throwing a pick-six interception to Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah in the fourth quarter. And despite his 325 rushing yards across the previous two weeks, the Bears are 0-2 during that span, and the young quarterback is taking the hit for his costly fourth-quarter interception.
The Bears’ all-access postgame show noted Fields was sitting at his locker in silence while still in uniform for 45 minutes after Detroit’s come-from-behind win.
“Just a dumb play, screen, the D-end (Aidan Hutchinson) sifted out pretty good,” Fields said after the game. “I can assure you that will never happen again for the rest of my career. Just screen, being sifted out, tried to move him a little bit and tried to float it over to Cole and just overthrew it. Just got to dirt it and play the next play.”
Related: Lions center Frank Ragnow in walking boot after win against Bears
Related: Lions made conscious effort to get WR Amon-Ra St. Brown involved early and often
Fields said he was hurting pretty badly after the game, saying his legs are sore from all the running and his gashed ear from a hit down the stretch. And when it comes to his record-setting stretch on the ground? Fields said he doesn’t car about those records, and that “I just want to win games.”
In contrast, the Lions have won two in a row and on the road for the first time since 2020. Detroit (3-6) heads into its Week 11 game back on the road against the New York Giants with a chance to dig even further out of the NFC North cellar.
“I’m not even that far. Honestly, I’m just like, man, that’s two,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. “Now we got to go to New York and play the Giants, who are winning a lot of games, are playing good football.
“But I know this, man, that’s two. That’s two. We talked about, you got to get one to get to the next one. We got one and then we got the next one. So now it’s all about going back to work and seeing if we can stack three in a row together.”
See below for more from inside the locker room:
Lions LB Alex Anzalone on defending Bears QB Justin Fields and getting the win: “He’s a special player, obviously. And he’s strong. He’s fast. He’s elusive. So, he’s an impressive player in my opinion. And eventually I got him down and we kept fighting and clawing and we were able to get away with one ... It’s huge (back-to-back wins). I think it’s just a testament of, like I said, just taking it one day at a time and sticking to the process. Sticking to the script and having trust in Dan and AG (Aaron Glenn) and Ben and what they put together is the game plan.”
Lions HC Dan Campbell on the last stop of Fields: “I mean, just probably like y’all, I’m like, ‘well, we’ve got him. Oh, no, we don’t. Oh, we got him. No, we don’t.’ And then it’s like, ‘oh, man, just don’t.’ You’re just hoping, okay, yeah, you want want him down, but you’re also hoping he doesn’t break out of the pocket. It’s broken, but he’s staying in there. It’s broken, but you’re keeping him kind of corralled in there, and we did that. And then come up with a big one there at the end.”
Bears HC Matt Eberflus on blowing a 14-point lead: “You have to be able to overcome things. I’ve seen it before through my years of coaching that you have to be able to overcome adversities. That could come in many forms, like I said. When you do that, you’ll see it. You’ll be like, okay, there it is, and guys are overcoming through execution, making plays in the critical moments, and then what you do is you end up winning the game.”
Lions CB Jeff Okudah on his interception: “It was a crazy moment. Obviously we were down two scores and it was a play that on the sideline we were saying, We got to get a turnover. One of you guys got to be the guy to change the course of this game. So I took a lot of pride in creating that play for our defense.”
Campbell on getting Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown involved early and often: “Well, certainly we had enough in there for him. I mean, we, you know how we feel about St. Brown. He’s a guy that’s highly productive for us. He’s feeling better too. Every week he’s starting to feel better. But it’s also like, without him speaking, he, you could tell he wanted the ball. Just the nature of the way he was playing. He was coming up with the big plays and it’s hard not to continue to feed him the ball. So that’s a credit to him. He showed up.”
Okudah on Fields: “I was so gassed that I had nothing to say, and then unfortunately, he came back. I didn’t realize how fast he’s gotten since college. He’s a fast guy now. But we left with a dub, so that’s all that matters.”
Buy Lions gear: Fanatics, NFL Shop, Amazon, Lids
Buy Lions tickets: StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster
Stream Lions Games Live: fuboTV, Hulu + Live, Sling | 2022-11-14T01:49:45+00:00 | mlive.com | https://www.mlive.com/lions/2022/11/inside-the-locker-room-bears-justin-fields-laments-key-mistake-in-loss-to-lions.html |
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Abraham Ancer had a 6-under 64 to bump his lead to two shots over Cameron Young on Saturday going into the final round of the Saudi International.
Ancer and Young, the PGA Tour rookie of the year who had a 65, have separated themselves from the field in the $5 million Asian Tour event.
Ancer was at 17-under 193, two clear of Young. The next group of players was another five shots behind, which included Matthew Wolff (63).
Ancer, who has dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico, has two wins on top tours, including a World Golf Championship in Tennessee. Young is still trying for his first win on a top tour.
The tournament featured a majority of Saudi-funded LIV Golf players, whose season doesn’t start for three weeks. Ancer joined LIV last summer after the U.S. Open. Young is still part of the PGA Tour, though he has been targeted by LIV Golf. He received a conflicting event release from the PGA Tour to play.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-02-05T16:49:00+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/sports/sports-headlines/ap-ancer-keeps-his-distance-over-young-in-saudi-arabia/ |
Mobile Visual Processing Solutions Coupled with Dedicated Game Tuning Services Take Mobile Gaming Experience to a Brand-New Level
SHANGHAI, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of innovative visual processing solutions, today announced the official launch of its new IRX gaming experience brand. As a brand targeted at smartphone users, IRX is grounded on Pixelworks' mobile visual processing solutions and coupled with in-depth game tuning services. This combination leverages Pixelworks' expertise to achieve ultra-smooth gaming experience and the highest picture quality for different types of games on mobile devices. In addition, it exercises effective control of power consumption, latency and other performance variables to ensure stable and long-lasting gaming with optimal visual performance, providing end users with unparalleled mobile gaming experiences.
The IRX gaming experience is enabled by a portfolio of technology advantages and product application experiences based on the Company's innovative distributed rendering architecture. More specifically, Pixelworks' ultra-low latency MotionEngine® technology, low power super-resolution technology, AI Always-on HDR and other technologies bring optimized rendering capabilities to smartphones that exceed what can be achieved by a traditional chipset. Together with Pixelworks' profound tuning experience for different games on various mobile devices the result is a meaningfully enriched visual experience for smartphone users, which is the core foundation for the IRX gaming experience.
The IRX gaming experience brand will be supported by a certification program for mobile devices that incorporates Pixelworks visual processors. The certification program will be backed by a suite of visual quality evaluation systems agreed upon with smartphone manufacturers to ensure that Pixelworks powered smartphones provide the most outstanding gaming performance and utmost visual quality for consumers.
The IRX branded certification program is comprised of both device certification and game tuning services. Pixelworks will optimize the rendering capabilities and display quality of top games on mobile devices based on its visual processors' capabilities as well as the devices' performance characteristics. Smartphones that meet the technical requirements as well as Pixelworks' visual processing standards will be granted the IRX branded certification, and games that meet Pixelworks' visual quality requirements will be included in the IRX-supported game list. To date, there are 20 top games being enlisted on the IRX-supported game list, which can be found on Pixelworks' official IRX gaming experience website. Furthermore, Pixelworks plans to establish expanded communication channels with consumers to help further educate end users on the benefits of the IRX gaming experience.
"IRX is a gaming experience brand from Pixelworks targeted directly towards mobile device users." said Ting Xiong, President of Pixelworks China. "Pixelworks would like to empower smartphone manufacturers to break the ceiling of mobile gaming experience from content optimization to performance enhancement with its innovative rendering technologies and years of game tuning and optimization experience. Additionally, we are also aiming to develop and promote consumer awareness around how to better evaluate visual display quality and the mobile gaming experience, enabling them to make smarter choices when purchasing a smartphone. By utilizing professional technologies and services to build more links across both products and users, we hope to drive mutual growth through in-depth interactions while bringing display performance and the mobile gaming experience to a brand-new level."
About Pixelworks
Pixelworks provides industry-leading content creation, video delivery and display processing solutions and technology that enable highly authentic viewing experiences with superior visual quality, across all screens – from cinema to smartphone and beyond. The Company has more than 20 years of history delivering image processing innovation to leading providers of consumer electronics, professional displays and video streaming services.
For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.pixelworks.com.
Note: Pixelworks, MotionEngine and the Pixelworks logo are trademarks of Pixelworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Pixelworks, Inc. | 2023-07-31T10:46:50+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pixelworks-announces-launch-irx-gaming-experience-brand/ |
LONDON (AP) — Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who dominated politics in Scotland for almost a decade, was arrested and questioned for several hours on Sunday by police investigating the finances of the governing, pro-independence Scottish National Party.
Police Scotland said a 52-year-old woman was detained Sunday morning “as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party.”
She was “released without charge pending further investigation” about six hours later, the force said. British police do not identify suspects until they are charged.
Sturgeon said after her release that her arrest had been “both a shock and deeply distressing.”
“Obviously, given the nature of this process, I cannot go into detail,” she said in a statement on social media. “However, I do wish to say this, and to do so in the strongest possible terms. Innocence is not just a presumption I am entitled to in law. I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.”
The SNP said the party had been “cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so. However, it is not appropriate to publicly address any issues while that investigation is ongoing.”
Scottish police opened an investigation in 2021 into how more than 600,000 pounds ($754,000) designated for a Scottish independence campaign was spent.
Two former SNP officials, Colin Beattie, who was treasurer, and Peter Murrell, who was chief executive, were previously arrested and questioned as part of the investigation. Like Sturgeon, both were released pending further inquiries.
Murrell is Sturgeon’s husband, and police searched the couple’s home in Glasgow after his arrest in April.
It is highly unusual for a leader or former leader of a UK political party to be arrested. The last such case also concerned the Scottish Nationalists: Sturgeon’s predecessor as first minister, Alex Salmond, was arrested in 2019 and charged with a series of sexual offenses, including attempted rape. He was acquitted on all 13 charges after a trial in January 2020.
Before that, in 1979, the former Liberal party leader, Jeremy Thorpe, went on trial, accused of conspiracy and incitement to murder. The man he was charged with trying to kill claimed they had a sexual relationship at a time when homosexuality was illegal. Thorpe denied his claim and was acquitted.
Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned in February after eight years as Scottish National Party leader and first minister of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government. She said then that she knew “in my head and in my heart” that it was the right time for her, her party and her country to make way for someone else.
The first female leader of Scotland’s devolved government, Sturgeon led her party to dominance in Scottish politics and refashioned the SNP from a largely one-issue party into a dominant governing force with liberal social positions.
She guided her party during three U.K.-wide elections and two Scottish elections, and led Scotland through the coronavirus pandemic, winning praise for her clear, measured communication style.
But Sturgeon left office amid divisions in the SNP and with her main goal — independence from the U.K. for the nation of 5.5 million people — unmet.
Scottish voters backed remaining in the U.K. in a 2014 referendum that was billed as a once-in-a-generation decision. The party wants a new vote, but the U.K. Supreme Court has ruled that Scotland can’t hold one without London’s consent. The central government has refused to authorize another referendum.
Sturgeon’s departure unleashed a tussle for the future of the SNP amid recriminations over the party’s declining membership and divisions over the best path towards independence. Opinion polls suggest support for the party has sagged, though it remains the most popular in Scotland.
An acrimonious leadership contest to replace her saw contenders feud over tactics and Sturgeon’s legacy, particularly a bill she introduced to make it easier for people to legally change gender. It was hailed as a landmark piece of legislation by transgender rights activists, but faced opposition from some SNP members who said it ignored the need to protect single-sex spaces for women
First Minister Humza Yousaf, who won the party contest in March, told the BBC before Sturgeon’s arrest that the SNP had been through “some of the most difficult weeks our party has probably faced, certainly in the modern era.”
“I know there will be people, be it our opposition, be it the media, that have somehow written the SNP off already,” he said. “They do that at their own peril.” | 2023-06-12T04:38:47+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/international/ex-scottish-leader-nicola-sturgeon-arrested-by-police-investigating-governing-partys-finances/ |
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons made a bold move in their latest attempt to become relevant in the NBA again.
Detroit reached an agreement to hire former Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams, according to two people familiar with the situation.
One of the people, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced, told The Associated Press on Wednesday night that Williams agreed to a six-year contract.
Phoenix fired Williams two-plus weeks ago, two years after reaching the NBA Finals and a year after he won the league’s coach of the year honors.
The 51-year-old Williams won 63% of his games over four regular seasons with the Suns, but they were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals two years in a row after losing to Milwaukee in the 2021 NBA Finals.
The Pistons would be thrilled to approach that level of success anytime soon under Williams.
Detroit won an NBA-low 17 games last season, losing 30% or fewer games for the fourth straight season under Dwane Casey, who stepped down as coach with one year left on his contract to take a role in the front office.
The Pistons did not have good fortune in the draft lottery, landing the No. 5 pick overall for the second straight year and missing out on an opportunity to draft 7-foot-3 French pro Victor Wembanyama, a 19-year-old supertalent expected to be the first overall pick of the San Antonio Spurs.
Detroit, a three-time NBA championship franchise, has earned a spot in the playoffs just twice in 14 years. The Pistons have not won a postseason game since 2008, when they advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth straight time during a remarkable run that included winning the 2004 NBA title and falling a game short of repeating as champions.
Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, the No. 5 and No. 13 pick overall last summer, did provide hope for the future with their play last season. Cade Cunningam, the No. 1 pick overall in 2021, had his second season stunted by shin surgery after playing in just 12 games.
Bojan Bogdanovic, who averaged a career-high 21.6 points, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley are expected to be back.
The young team, with some experienced players in the rotation, will have a proven leader on the bench.
Williams is 367-336 in nine seasons as an NBA head coach with a 29-27 postseason record. He had a five-year stint with the New Orleans Pelicans, who fired him in 2015 with a 173-221 record and two playoff appearances.
While Williams was an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016, his wife, Ingrid, died from injuries sustained from a car crash in which she was hit head-on by an SUV that crossed the center line after losing control.
___
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Denver contributed to this report.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-06-01T18:53:54+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/national-sports/pistons-reach-agreement-to-hire-former-suns-coach-monty-williams-ap-sources-say/ |
WHL
All Times Local
Eastern Conference
Central Division
East Division
Western Conference
B.C. Division
U.S. Division
Note: Two points for a team winning in overtime or shootout; the team losing in overtime or shootout receives one which is registered in the OTL or SOL columns.
Friday's results
Prince Albert 2 Red Deer 1
Calgary 2 Moose Jaw 1 (SO)
Brandon 3 Portland 2
Swift Current 5 Saskatoon 4 (SO)
Seattle 6 Regina 0
Medicine Hat 3 Edmonton 2
Everett 4 Prince George 2
Kelowna 3 Kamloops 2
Vancouver 3 Tri-City 2 (OT)
Victoria 6 Spokane 3
Saturday's results
Saskatoon 6 Red Deer 2
Prince Albert 6 Brandon 2
Moose Jaw 6 Seattle 2
Prince George 3 Everett 1
Swift Current 6 Medicine Hat 4
Edmonton 3 Lethbridge 2 (SO)
Tri-City 6 Victoria 4
Kamloops 5 Kelowna 1
Vancouver 2 Spokane 1
Sunday's results
Regina 6 Calgary 2
Winnipeg 6 Portland 3
Tuesday's games
Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Portland at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday's games
Portland at Saskatoon, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Winnipeg, 7:05 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Everett at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Friday's games
Saskatoon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Portland at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Spokane at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday's games
Prince George at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Saskatoon, 7 p.m.
Portland at Regina, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Victoria, 6:05 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Winnipeg, 8:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Everett, 6:05 p.m.
Spokane at Kamloops, 7 p.m. | 2023-01-10T03:27:23+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/HKO-WHL-Standings-17706383.php |
First Texas bus of migrants has arrived in Chicago.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 1, 2022
Biden's inaction at our border puts Texans at risk & is overwhelming our communities.
We'll continue bussing migrants to sanctuary cities like NYC, DC, & now Chicago until the federal gov't does its job & secures the border. pic.twitter.com/RccsdIOXiI
SPRINGFIELD — About 60 migrants arrived in Chicago Wednesday on buses from Texas as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s ongoing policy to send undocumented immigrants to so-called “sanctuary cities.”
But Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, both Democrats, say the new arrivals are welcome in Illinois, and they are vowing to make sure the new arrivals receive essential services.
“Illinois welcomes refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants and we are working with federal and city officials to ensure that these individuals are treated with respect and safety as they look to connect with their family and friends,” Pritzker said in a statement.
“My great-grandfather came to this country as an immigrant fleeing Ukraine in 1881. Immigrants just like my family seeking freedom and opportunity built this country. Illinois is and has always been a welcoming state.”
Illinois has always been a state that welcomes refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers with dignity and respect, and we’re proud to continue that tradition. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/Fnd85TpvLE
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 1, 2022
Abbott launched the program in April when he issued a memo directing the state’s Department of Emergency Management “to begin coordinating the voluntary transportation” of immigrants who had been released from federal custody.
Abbott began by busing immigrants to Washington, D.C., and later to New York City. Chicago is the third city he has targeted to receive immigrants.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that most of those arriving Wednesday originated from Venezuela, a country in the grips of a yearslong economic crisis that has reportedly forced some 6.8 million inhabitants to leave their homeland.
Abbott’s memo also directed mayors and county judges to notify the agency of any “drop-offs” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security “that may necessitate dispatching a bus, a plane, or some other means of evacuating such migrants from our state.”
The move was part of Abbott’s protest of President Joe Biden’s decision in April to end what are known as Title 42 expulsions — a practice used during the Trump administration to immediately expel immigrants, including asylum seekers, arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border based on public health concerns related to COVID-19.
HAPPENING NOW: Mayor Lightfoot is joined by community partners, state, and local elected officials to give an update on migrant arrivals. https://t.co/apj9kIF7QL
— Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) September 1, 2022
Abbott has complained that the decision to end that program has resulted in an explosion of illegal border crossings into Texas and that the Biden administration has failed to deal with the issue.
“President Biden’s inaction at our southern border continues putting the lives of Texans — and Americans — at risk and is overwhelming our communities,” he said in a statement Wednesday. “To continue providing much-needed relief to our small, overrun border towns, Chicago will join fellow sanctuary cities Washington, D.C. and New York City as an additional drop-off location.”
“Mayor Lightfoot loves to tout the responsibility of her city to welcome all regardless of legal status,” he continued, “and I look forward to seeing this responsibility in action as these migrants receive resources from a sanctuary city with the capacity to serve them.”
A spokesperson for the mayor quickly fired back, posting a statement on Twitter around 8:30 p.m. saying: “We know that racism, discrimination and human cruelty have played a pivotal role in how immigrants are received within our borders, and we are still working to recover from the previous presidential administration, which encouraged this behavior.
"This is such an important moment for Chicago as a city has been a sanctuary for thousands of newcomers. We are welcoming them and we will not turn our backs on those who need our help the most.”
According to a timeline by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago officially became a sanctuary city in 2006 with the passage of an ordinance prohibiting city agencies from inquiring about a person’s immigration status when they seek city services.
Another ordinance passed in 2012 prohibits police from detaining anyone solely on the belief that they are in the U.S. illegally and prohibiting them from cooperating with federal authorities when they believe a person’s immigration status is the only reason a warrant has been issued.
At the state level, Illinois lawmakers passed a package of bills in 2021 aimed at protecting the state’s immigrant population, including a requirement for local governments to end partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a law making a person’s citizenship or immigration status a potential motivation for a hate crime, and protections from workplace discrimination based on a person’s work authorization status.
At the same time he signed those bills, Pritzker also signed an executive order establishing a Welcoming Illinois Office within the governor’s office to develop and coordinate policies to make Illinois a more welcoming and equitable state for immigrants and refugees.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, issued a statement Thursday calling Abbott’s actions “abhorrent.”
“Using men, women, and children seeking asylum as political pawns is inhumane,” Welch said. “While he's wasting $12 million taxpayer dollars on these stunts, Illinois will be working with state and federal officials to ensure these new Americans find opportunity, peace, and a new home in Illinois." | 2022-09-01T23:58:01+00:00 | news-gazette.com | https://www.news-gazette.com/news/pritzker-lightfoot-say-migrants-are-welcome-in-chicago-accuse-texas-governor-of-racism/article_05b36a17-8679-528a-9ae8-0dfde51b9596.html |
The Aurora City Council has approved $185,850 for new concrete safety barriers at RiverEdge Park.
The contract approved Tuesday will go to ConServe Co. of Sidney, Nevada, and will be for decorative concrete barriers along North Broadway, to create more safety between people going to RiverEdge Park and the traffic going by.
The barriers will run the entire length of the park along Broadway.
The money will come from a line item in the 2023 budget for upgrades and modifications to RiverEdge Park. The park is owned by the city and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority, or ACCA. The city and ACCA have an arrangement that the two will identify and work on improvements to the park.
The barriers are considered an upgrade to improve the barrier between pedestrians and vehicles.
The project was advertised publicly, and four bids were received. City staff recommended ConServ Company.
The city originally wanted 110 barriers, which are about three-feet high, but added 40 more to make sure there are enough to conform with recommendations from the Aurora Police Department.
Ken Schroth, the city’s Public Works director, told aldermen the city will put the barriers out in the early spring before the summer events start, and collect them again in January. The barriers have to stay up through December because of the Christkindlmarket at RiverEdge during the Christmas holidays.
“What we do with them between January and May, we can still decide,” Schroth said. | 2023-04-14T23:31:19+00:00 | chicagotribune.com | https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/ct-abn-aurora-barriers-st-0416-20230414-mvuanllvfrg6rh32ofkbjbva5e-story.html |
HOUSTON, May 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, April 25th, Papa Johns Houston and Houston Area Ford Dealers announced Danielle Adams as the winner of their #PapasPickup Powered by F-150 giveaway.
"Being able to tell Danielle in-person that she is the winner of #PapasPickup was one of the greatest feelings," said Lance Stafko, Papa Johns Houston - President. "Seeing her pure joy made our day. Thank you to all of the participants of #PapasPickup from Papa Johns and Houston Area Ford Dealers."
"On behalf of all the Houston Area Ford Dealers, I'd like to congratulate Danielle on winning the Papa Johns Ford F-150® truck," said Ryan Laskowski, Chairman of the Houston Ford Dealers Association. "The F-150 is the Best In Texas. We're sure this truck will help Danielle in the very best ways."
View original content:
SOURCE Papa Johns Houston | 2023-05-08T14:40:16+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/05/08/papa-johns-houston-houston-area-ford-dealers-papaspickup-powered-by-f-150-truck-giveaway-winner-announced/ |
ROSEMONT — A Palos Park man left a quadriplegic and requiring round-the-clock care after an indoor sky diving accident in January 2021 has filed an amended lawsuit alleging willful and wanton misconduct and negligence on the part of the facility's operator, the man's attorney said Tuesday.
David Schilling, 63, an Air Force veteran, crashed headfirst into a glass wall at an iFLY Indoor Skydiving center in Rosemont, and had initially sued in spring 2021.
Schilling suffered a "catastrophic spinal cord injury," his attorney, Jack Casciato, said at a news conference.
The lawsuit blames staff at the facility for not assisting Schilling to avoid the injury, according to the lawsuit.
"He was in distress, out of control," Casciato said.
The amusement simulates the sensation of a sky diving free fall by using a vertical wind tunnel that causes patrons to float or fly in the air, according to Casciato's firm, Clifford Law Offices.
The amended complaint is premised on iFLY instructors allegedly failing to ascertain Schilling's abilities and failing to intervene when it was obvious Schilling was unstable and in danger, according to the law firm.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and Casciato said it is scheduled to go to trial next October.
"David will spend the rest of his life as a permanent quadriplegic," Casciato said.
"His life has completely changed," Casciato said. "He can't do anything for himself."
Austin, Texas-based iFLY said in a statement that in its more than 20 years of operation, more than 15 million customers have safely taken part, and that the company "will continue to make the safety of its customers its highest priority."
"iFLY has great empathy for Mr. Schilling and his family," according to the statement. "At the time, Mr. Schilling was a very experienced, licensed skydiver with the United States Parachute Association with over 80 jumps who was receiving instruction in the iFLY wind tunnel from another experienced skydiver from Skydive Chicago at their private event for experienced skydivers."
Casciato said the statement is not accurate, and whatever prior sky diving experience Schilling had took place outdoors and doesn't mean he had the same level of experience in an indoor setting.
"They are nowhere near the same," Casciato said. "It would have no bearing on one's abilities."
Schilling worked as a behavioral counselor and was an active runner who ran marathons, Casciato said.
He and his wife have two sons who are in high school, he said.
Casciato said that between hospitalization and rehabilitation, it was about a year before Schilling was able to return home.
A short day-in-the-life video of Schilling, posted on the law firm's website, shows a grimace on Schilling's face as he undergoes physical therapy and a lift being used to move him from the hospital bed set up in his home to a motorized wheelchair.
His wife, Kimberly, is shown helping her husband get his coat on before they and their sons go outside.
Casciato said that the iFLY facility is not designed safely, and rather than a glass wall it should incorporate some type of netting to protect patrons if they are in distress.
In the amended complaint, the law firm alleges that iFLY and employees supervising Schilling's time in the wind tunnel "acted with utter indifference and conscious disregard" for his safety. The lawsuit also alleges the employees and iFLY knew the wind tunnel speed was too powerful for Schilling given his limited experience level.
Several years ago, Schilling's wife, Kimberly, founded Animals for Awareness, a shelter for abandoned and abused exotic animals.
The nonprofit has displayed and talked about animals it has rescued at several schools, libraries and other locations in the south and southwest suburbs.
She had posted last year on the organization's Facebook page about her husband's injuries, and a friend had established a GoFundMe page to help with modifying the family's home and providing for at-home care.
Affordable Cities With the Most 6-Figure Jobs
Affordable Cities With the Most 6-Figure Jobs
The share of employees in six figure occupations declined last year after decades of growth
Software developers represent the largest share of all six figure occupations
Coastal states have some of the highest concentrations of employees in six figure occupations
Affordable small and midsize US metros with the most 6 figure jobs
Less than 7% of construction professionals are Black or African American, according to 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly 33% are Hispanic or Latino and 2.1% are Asian.
Bailey this week plans to air his first broadcast TV ads of the general election campaign, aiming to underscore his criticism that Gov. J.B. Pritzker is responsible for rising crime. | 2022-10-12T21:49:57+00:00 | pantagraph.com | https://pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/cook-co-man-left-quadriplegic-after-indoor-sky-diving-accident-alleges-operator-negligence/article_80640ac0-4a58-11ed-8756-530a9dff9db8.html |
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — An American woman who prosecutors say led an all-female battalion of Islamic State militants in Syria pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a case that a prosecutor called a first of its kind in the United States.
Allison Fluke-Ekren broke down sobbing after admitting in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, a charge that carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
The guilty plea resolves a criminal case that came to light in January after Fluke-Ekren, 42, who once lived in Kansas, was brought to the U.S. to face accusations that she led an Islamic State unit of women and young girls in the Syrian city of Raqqa and trained them in the use of automatic rifles, grenades and suicide belts.
It is the first prosecution in the U.S. of a female Islamic State battalion leader, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh. More than 100 women and young girls received training. And some of the girls, who were as young as 10 or 11 years old, may wish to speak at Fluke-Ekren's sentencing hearing, Parekh said.
“Some of them may wish an opportunity to address the court because we would argue that there is lifelong trauma and pain that has been inflicted on them,” Parekh said.
Charging documents in the case trace Fluke-Ekren's travels and activities in the Middle East over the last decade, including a move with her second husband to Egypt in 2008, though they don't shed light on what inspired her alleged allegiance to foreign militant groups.
After moving back and forth throughout the region, including to Libya and Turkey, she settled in Syria in late 2012 or early 2013, where her husband ascended to a leadership position in the Islamic State with responsibility for training snipers.
In Syria, according to one witness cited in court documents, she spoke openly about her desire to conduct an attack in the U.S., including by parking a car loaded with explosives in a shopping mall garage. Another witness said Fluke-Ekren discussed ideas for a bomb attack on a college campus in the Midwest.
Prosecutors say that after Fluke-Ekren's second husband was killed in an air strike in Syria in February 2016 while conducting reconnaissance on a hill, she spearheaded the creation of a Women's Center that offered medical services and child care — but also advanced weapons training — to dozens of women and young girls.
Her all-female battalion, known as Khatiba Nusaybah, began operations in 2017, with a goal of teaching female Islamic State members how to defend themselves against the group's enemies and to defend the territory of Raqqa, prosecutors say.
In 2018, she told a witness that she had instructed someone in Syria to get a message to her family that she was dead so that the U.S. government would not try to find her.
The following year, though, she ended her affiliation with the Islamic State and was smuggled out of IS-controlled territory, according to court documents. Fluke-Ekren has said she tried to turn herself in at a local police station last summer because she wanted to leave Syria, and that about two weeks later, she was taken into custody at her home and later held for months in prison.
A criminal complaint against Fluke-Ekren was filed under seal in the U.S. in 2019 but not made public until she was brought to Virginia in January to face charges.
Fluke-Ekren, who said in court that she had a master's degree in the U.S. in teaching, moved to Egypt with her second husband in 2008 and lived in Benghazi, Libya in the fall of 2012, when a n attack on U.S. government facilities resulted in the deaths of four Americans.
Fluke-Ekren is not alleged to have played any part in that attack, but prosecutors say she helped her second husband review and summarize documents that he said were stolen from the U.S. compound there.
Fluke-Ekren admitted Tuesday to the gist of the government's allegations, though at one point she said one of the witnesses quoted in court documents was young at the time of their interactions and may have come away with a different understanding of their conversations. She also suggested that she had not intentionally trained young girls.
Sentencing was set for October 25. A lawyer for Fluke-Ekren declined to comment after the plea hearing.
____
Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP | 2022-06-07T21:29:10+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/us-woman-pleads-guilty-to-leading-islamic-state-battalion/PWEGFENXNRCBZNBMNMNLRTBW6M/ |
Search Query
Show Search
Home
Delaware News
Arts
Business
Culture, Lifestyle & Sports
Education
Politics & Government
Science, Health, Tech
Other Delaware Stories
Campaign 2022
Arts
Business
Culture, Lifestyle & Sports
Education
Politics & Government
Science, Health, Tech
Other Delaware Stories
Campaign 2022
Programs
Radio Schedule
The Green
Candidate Conversations
Generation Voice
Hometown Heroes
Radio Schedule
The Green
Candidate Conversations
Generation Voice
Hometown Heroes
About Us
2022 Annual Report
People
Board of Directors
Community Advisory Board
General Info & Policies
Underwriting
Employment Opportunities
Contact Us
2022 Annual Report
People
Board of Directors
Community Advisory Board
General Info & Policies
Underwriting
Employment Opportunities
Contact Us
Find Us
General Info
Mobile App
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
General Info
Mobile App
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
Radio Schedule
Newsletters
Ways to Donate
Donate Online Now
Donate A Vehicle
Donate Online Now
Donate A Vehicle
© 2023 Delaware Public Media
Menu
Show Search
Search Query
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
On Air
Now Playing
Delaware Public Media
On Air
Home
Delaware News
Arts
Business
Culture, Lifestyle & Sports
Education
Politics & Government
Science, Health, Tech
Other Delaware Stories
Campaign 2022
Arts
Business
Culture, Lifestyle & Sports
Education
Politics & Government
Science, Health, Tech
Other Delaware Stories
Campaign 2022
Programs
Radio Schedule
The Green
Candidate Conversations
Generation Voice
Hometown Heroes
Radio Schedule
The Green
Candidate Conversations
Generation Voice
Hometown Heroes
About Us
2022 Annual Report
People
Board of Directors
Community Advisory Board
General Info & Policies
Underwriting
Employment Opportunities
Contact Us
2022 Annual Report
People
Board of Directors
Community Advisory Board
General Info & Policies
Underwriting
Employment Opportunities
Contact Us
Find Us
General Info
Mobile App
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
General Info
Mobile App
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
Radio Schedule
Newsletters
Ways to Donate
Donate Online Now
Donate A Vehicle
Donate Online Now
Donate A Vehicle
Delmarva Clergy United in Social Action Foundation | 2023-07-25T22:49:25+00:00 | delawarepublic.org | https://www.delawarepublic.org/tags/delmarva-clergy-united-in-social-action-foundation |
Political leaders in New Mexico call for accountability after a convicted felon and failed GOP legislative candidate was arrested for conspiring to shoot up homes and offices of elected Democrats.
Copyright 2023 KUNM
Political leaders in New Mexico call for accountability after a convicted felon and failed GOP legislative candidate was arrested for conspiring to shoot up homes and offices of elected Democrats.
Copyright 2023 KUNM | 2023-01-18T13:29:00+00:00 | mainepublic.org | https://www.mainepublic.org/2023-01-18/a-losing-gop-candidate-in-n-m-is-charged-with-shootings-at-homes-of-democrats |
- Meta’s Reality Labs unit had a $TK billion operating loss in the first quarter, after losing $13.72 billion last calendar year.
- The division is tasked with developing the virtual reality and augmented reality technologies that make up the metaverse.
- Outside of Reality Labs, Meta is in cost-cutting mode as it copes with a slowdown in the online ad market.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg keeps racking up losses from his metaverse investments while downsizing his social media company through cost cuts.
In its first-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, Meta said its Reality Labs unit, which is tasked with building the virtual reality and augmented reality technologies for the futuristic metaverse, recorded a $3.99 billion operating loss.
The unit generated $339 million in revenue during the quarter, a miniscule sum for a company that brings in tens of billions of dollars a quarter in advertising sales.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
The numbers show a slowdown from last quarter, when Reality Labs lost $4.28 billion on $727 million of revenue.
For all of last year, Reality Labs recorded an operating loss of $13.72 billion on $2.16 billion in sales, underscoring how VR and AR technologies have yet to reach the mainstream.
Zuckerberg has touted 2023 as the company's "year of efficiency" and has implemented major cost-cutting initiatives that include layoffs targeting an expected 21,000 employees.
Money Report
But while the company slims down, it's still pumping billions of dollars into the metaverse after changing its name from Facebook to Meta in late 2021.
Data provided to CNBC by research firm NPD Group showed that sales of VR headsets in the U.S. declined 2% year-over-year in 2022 as of December, as the holiday season failed to spark a rush of new purchases.
In March, Meta cut the price of its Quest 2 VR headset as well as the high-end Quest Pro. The Quest 2 now costs $70 less than before, selling for $430, while the price of the Quest Pro was reduced by $500 from its original price to $1,000.
Watch: Investors should look for Meta's ad revenue in earnings | 2023-04-26T22:24:49+00:00 | nbcmiami.com | https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/business/money-report/metas-reality-labs-records-3-99-billion-quarterly-loss-as-zuckerberg-pumps-more-cash-into-metaverse/3022713/ |
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas, July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Patten Properties, a leader in premium recreation and residential property celebrates the 1st Anniversary of the Next Great Acreage Community in Texas, Republic Grand Ranch, Nearly 900 homesites have sold in the first year of this Montgomery County land development, featuring high elevation 2+ acre wooded homesites at pre-development pricing.
Residents of Republic Grand Ranch are enjoying the freedom of living in a community that offers privacy and boundless natural beauty, while just a short drive down a country road to the world class amenities of The Woodlands and Houston.
"There continues to be a high demand for acreage in Texas," says Gary Sumner, Developer of Republic Grand Ranch. "Quality of life is better when you love where you live. And our residents fall in love as soon as they drive in. It's a magical setting."
Republic Grand Ranch has been designed to maximize outdoor living and seclusion, with tree-lined walking and hiking trails, parks and a private 8-acre lake. Yet with modern touches like high-speed fiberoptic internet & underground utilities.
Republic Grand Ranch is celebrating their 1st Anniversary with a 2-Week Land Sale. New homesites will be available, including cul-de-sac and high elevation lots, as well as Manager's Specials, starting Friday, July 15th.
In conjunction with Camp Hope's 10th Anniversary, Republic Grand Ranch will be donating $100 for every property tour during their 1st Anniversary Land Sale to Camp Hope, a place Veterans can find help and healing while enduring the effects of post-traumatic stress.
2 + Acre homesites are available starting at $79,900 with excellent financing available.
Get a sneak peek now by scheduling your viewing online at https://republicgrandranch.com/schedule-a-viewing/. Or call (888) 473-5175 for more information.
ABOUT PATTEN PROPERTIES
Patten Properties and its partners are recognized as being among the industry's foremost authorities on real estate investment and development across the nation. Our culture is founded on integrity and professionalism, which we proudly combine with a commitment to creating value and opportunity in today's exciting real estate environment.
Contact: republicgrand@pattenco.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Patten Companies | 2022-07-13T16:17:41+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/07/13/republic-grand-ranch-hosts-1st-anniversary-sale-celebration-nearly-900-homesites-sold/ |
The corrupting influence of big political donors has become a rare area of bipartisan agreement. Fifty-five percent of Republicans and 63 percent of Democrats say “reducing the influence of money in politics” should be a top concern for Congress.
Overall, political spending has ballooned in recent years:
One big reason for this has been an innovation known as “joint fundraising committees.” Both parties use them. And their influence is growing.
Like “mortgage-backed security” or “civil asset forfeiture,” these committees use jargon to hide some often unseemly practices. Here’s how they work: Election laws try to limit the influence of any one rich person by capping how much the individual can donate to a given candidate. In 2020, individuals could give no more than $5,600 directly to Joe Biden or Donald Trump. That’s a tidy sum, but it’s not enough to curry favor with Biden, who amassed more than a billion dollars in the 2020 election, or Trump, whose haul surpassed $800 million.
Joint fundraising committees render such limits meaningless. They allow presidential candidates to bring their campaign, their national party and state parties into a single fundraising entity. Donors can give a limited amount to each group — but, thanks to the Supreme Court’s 2014 decision in McCutcheon v. FEC — they can hit the contribution limit for as many groups as they want.
The result: The maximum donation to these mega-committees is not $5,600. It’s the combined maximum for each participating group.
This is how two donors were able to cut $817,800 checks to Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee run by the former president in 2020. Multiple donors gave $730,600 to the Biden Victory Fund. Both campaigns amassed hundreds of millions of dollars this way.
This would be less troubling if the checks were distributed fairly among the disparate groups within the joint committees. But in practice, much of the money flows to the national party.
The Post’s Chris Zubak-Skees calculates that, in 2016, for example, state-level Republican parties sent 90 percent of their cut of the Trump Victory Fund to the Republican National Committee. In 2020, they sent 96 percent to the RNC. Meanwhile, Democratic state parties sent three-quarters of their haul from the Hillary Victory Fund to the DNC in 2016. In 2020, state parties gave about a quarter of their take to the DNC.
And, unlike super PACs — which can raise and spend infinite sums but can’t legally coordinate messaging strategy with candidates — joint fundraising committees allow politicians to have direct control over these pooled funds.
That gives large donors ever-greater power to buy influence with candidates. As Brendan Doherty, a political scientist at the Naval Academy, told me, “Joint fundraising encourages presidents to raise money in even larger amounts from high-dollar donors. That, in turn, has led to them spending more time at fundraisers with people who can cut ever larger checks.”
And candidates love these fundraisers. Between October 2017 and mid-February 2020, The Post found that Trump attended “at least 48 intimate gatherings with the Republican Party’s elite donors” where ticket prices “can range from $50,000 to six figures per person.” And while America was in lockdown, then-candidate Biden often solicited six-digit checks from Silicon Valley and Wall Street donors via Zoom.
It’s impossible to know with certainty whether billionaires try to influence politicians in these intimate settings. But what are people outside the room supposed to think?
Fred Wertheimer, the president of the reform group Democracy 21, says simple changes could improve the system. One example: Congress could cap the number of committees that can fundraise together. If a joint fundraising committee included just two groups, the maximum contribution would stay low, and rich donors would have one less option to get into the pockets of politicians. Wertheimer also advocates for overhauling the Federal Election Commission to increase its enforcement capabilities by streamlining its operations and bulking up its staff.
Of course, campaign finance policy is littered with difficult trade-offs. As Doherty noted, if politicians were no longer able to solicit big checks directly from billionaires, they might spend more time soaking medium-dollar donors — and even less time governing.
But fundraising is an arms race. Both sides are terrified of being outspent by the other, and they’ll do almost anything to stay ahead. Politicians might save time in the short term by focusing on lucrative donors. But they still need to keep fundraising through other means to stay ahead in the long term.
In the end, reforming how joint fundraising committees operate won’t stop the deluge of funds pouring into our political system from moneyed interests. Any solution to America’s campaign finance woes must address super PACs, too.
But Americans know that democracy is drowning in cash. They want to throw it a lifeline. Reforming joint fundraising committees would be a solid first step. | 2023-04-17T12:08:56+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/04/17/campaign-spending-megadonors-joint-fundraising-committees/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.