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DUBLIN, Dec. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced it will participate in the 41st annual J.P. Morgan healthcare conference.
Geoff Martha, Medtronic chairman and chief executive officer, will make a formal presentation on the company beginning at 9:00 a.m. PST (11:00 a.m. CST) on Monday, January 9, 2023. Immediately following the presentation, Martha, Karen Parkhill, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and other portfolio leaders will answer questions on the company.
A live webcast of the presentation and Q&A session will be available on January 9, 2023, by clicking on the Events link at http://investorrelations.medtronic.com. An archive of the presentation and Q&A session will be available on the same webpage later in the day.
About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.
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SOURCE Medtronic plc | 2022-12-19T18:48:56+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/19/medtronic-chairman-ceo-geoff-martha-speak-jp-morgan-healthcare-conference/ |
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A 32-year-old Helena man was arrested on suspicion of raping and sexually assaulting a child younger than 16, along with other crimes.
The iconic Montana Club in downtown Helena, which rose from the ashes after being destroyed by a fire in 1903 and sidestepped urban renewal in…
The Helena Fire Department responded to a fire in the Albertsons grocery store on Montana Avenue in Helena early Saturday.
The records will be reviewed by the judge and those found to be public documents will be turned over to the person who originally requested them.
A 55-year-old woman from Missoula is being charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs in Helena.
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Katherine Anne Proctor of Helena previously worked as an assistant attorney general, a title given to a number of prosecutors and other attorneys for the state.
Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins said he received numerous, sometimes "derogatory" emails demanding the city temporarily halt its plan to remove the trees. | 2022-12-17T13:11:12+00:00 | helenair.com | https://helenair.com/forrest/article_68329b8d-0566-5c43-b9ac-871bfab7fd75.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A military veteran who stormed the U.S. Capitol with a loaded pistol, metal-plated body armor and a gas mask was sentenced on Wednesday to seven years in prison, one of the longest among hundreds of Jan. 6 riot cases.
Christopher Michael Alberts isn’t accused of brandishing his concealed gun during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. But he used a wooden pallet as a makeshift battering ram against police officers who were guarding a stairwell outside the Capitol, according to federal prosecutors.
Alberts told U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper that he was trying to protect others outside the Capitol as police deployed tear gas and non-lethal munitions to hold back the mob.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt anybody,” he said. “I just wanted it all to stop.”
Cooper told Alberts that he was one of the leaders of the mob that day.
“You were not simply a bystander,” the judge said.
Alberts, a former Virginia National Guard member who lives in Maryland, spent six hours on Capitol grounds on the day of the riot. He was armed with a 9-millimeter pistol — loaded with hollow point and high-pressure rounds — and brought an extra magazine of ammunition.
Alberts was the first rioter to reach the northwest steps outside the Capitol and the first to “go hands on” with a Capitol police officer at that part of the complex, prosecutors said.
“Alberts, with his body armor, gas mask, military gear, and rage, rallied and instigated the mob,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
Cooper also sentenced Alberts to three years of supervised release after his prison term. Prosecutors asked for Alberts to be taken into custody immediately after his sentencing, but the judge allowed him to remain free until he reports to prison at a date to be determined.
Prosecutors had recommended a 10-year prison sentence for Alberts, who said he served in the Virginia National Guard from 2005 to 2011 and was deployed to Iraq for one year in 2007 and 2008.
In April, a jury in Washington, D.C., convicted Alberts of all nine counts that he faced at trial, including a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding police.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Capitol Police Officer Stephen Sherman described how helpless he felt when Alberts rammed into him with the wooden pallet as another rioter tried to pull him down the stairs.
“You came to the Capitol that day to start a war and you, in fact, turned that staircase into a war zone,” Sherman said.
Alberts’ voice cracked as he turned to apologize to Sherman.
“If I had known that day would turn into what it turned into, I would have stayed home,” Alberts said.
Defense attorney Roger Roots said Alberts, a tow truck driver, commonly carried a gun with him for self-protection while working.
A prosecutor, Shalin Nohria, said Alberts fully loaded a magazine with hollow point and high-pressure rounds — and had an extra round in the gun’s chamber — because he wanted to be “as lethal as possible” on Jan. 6.
Alberts attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally but left before it ended and headed to the Capitol building, yelling on his way that he was “taking over the Capitol.” He repeatedly screamed insults at police officers trying to hold off the mob of Trump supporters, who disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.
Alberts brought other tactical-style gear to the Capitol, including a two-way radio, an earpiece, a throat mic, bungee cords, binoculars, a ski mask and two knives.
Police officers tried to stop rioters from accessing the Upper West Terrace by deploying pepper spray and pepper balls, but the protection from his gas mask and body armor allowed Alberts to keep advancing toward the Capitol building, prosecutors said.
Alberts later urinated on a wall of the Capitol and then joined other rioters in confronting a line of police officers, throwing a bottle at them and using a bullhorn to berate them, according to prosecutors. Around 7:22 p.m., when an officer observed a bulge on Alberts’ right hip, police frisked Alberts, seized his loaded firearm and arrested him.
More than 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack. Approximately 100 of them have been convicted by juries or judges after trials. Over 600 others have pleaded guilty.
More than 570 riot defendants have been sentenced, with over half receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from three days to 18 years. Only 12 other rioters have received a longer prison sentence than Alberts, according to an Associated Press review of court records. | 2023-07-19T19:53:41+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-military-veteran-who-stormed-capitol-with-loaded-pistol-is-sentenced-to-7-years-in-prison/ |
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A divided Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a portion of the state’s near total ban on abortion, ruling women have a right to abortion when pregnancy risks their health, not just in a medical emergency.
It was a narrow win for abortion rights advocates since the U.S. Supreme Court s truck down Roe v. Wade.
The court ruled that a woman has the right under the state Constitution to receive an abortion to preserve her life if her doctor determines that continuing the pregnancy would endanger it due to a condition she has or is likely to develop during the pregnancy. Previously, the right to an abortion could only take place in the case of medical emergency.
The court, however, declined to rule on whether the state Constitution grants the right to an abortion for other reasons.
The court voted 5-4 on the ruling in the lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood and others challenging the state laws passed after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
“People’s lives have been endangered by Oklahoma’s cruel abortion bans, and now doctors will be able to help pregnant people whose lives they believe are at risk,” Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement after the ruling. “We are disappointed that the Court declined to rule whether the state Constitution also protects the right to abortion outside of these circumstances.” | 2023-03-21T21:03:41+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/oklahoma-court-oks-abortion-to-preserve-mothers-life/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
COLUMBUS, OH (WLIO) - The bill would require public schools in Ohio to notify parents when they are going to be teaching about sexuality or when their child requests recognition for a new gender identity.
The House passed House Bill 8 despite objections from LGBTQ+, rights advocates, civil rights groups, and school counselors. The House bill mandates that public school districts create policies that require parental notification of any lesson that contains sexual content or gender ideology. Lessons on sexual diseases, child sexual abuse prevention, and sexual violence prevention would be exempted under this bill.
The legislation would also require schools to inform parents of changes to a student's health and well-being, including, "Any request by a student to identify as a gender that does not align with the student's biological sex." The proposal is now headed to the Ohio Senate for consideration. | 2023-06-23T02:39:54+00:00 | hometownstations.com | https://www.hometownstations.com/news/ohio-house-passes-bill-on-that-requires-schools-to-notify-parents-of-sexual-content-and/article_3b1a00d8-112b-11ee-b3fa-97212ae0a852.html |
LENZING, Austria, March 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Everything that VEOCEL™, the nonwovens fiber brand under Lenzing, does is centered around care – care for the planet and care for future generations. As climate change continues to pose a significant threat to the planet, it is essential for the value chain and brands to implement mitigation initiatives and reduce the negative impact on the planet.
A sustainable future requires a massive drive for action to address climate change. Lenzing continues to maintain and pursue ways to reduce its carbon emissions for VEOCEL™ branded fibers, including efficient production processes, use of renewable energy sources, technology upgrades, carbon-reduced raw materials, and sourcing materials from suppliers who are also working hard to reduce carbon emissions. Some latest updates on the VEOCEL™ brand include:
VEOCEL™ recently partnered with wellness and lifestyle brand Goop to introduce sustainable beauty products which offer eco-friendly ingredients as an alternative to plastic.
While many companies are now on a mission to achieve carbon neutrality by means of reducing carbon emissions, consumers have also started to minimize their climate impact by seeking out products that have a low or negative carbon footprint. Therefore, more companies have started to carbon label their products to help inform and educate consumers on the environmental impact of their purchase decisions.
Flushable wipes have grown in popularity due to their low impact on the environment, especially wipes made with VEOCEL™ branded lyocell fibers with Disperse technology, as they do not contribute to water pollution nor microplastic accumulation problem. Claudio Zampino, Commercial Director, Specialty Applications for Global Nonwovens Business at Lenzing shared the solutions Lenzing has been offering to help reduce the issue of water pollution and outlined some exciting developments for the flushable wipes industry.
Lenzing's Miray Acar, Head of Marketing for Nonwovens in Europe, Americas & MEA shared her forecast on sustainability trends in the nonwovens segment and provided an overview of the upcoming VEOCEL™ brand partnerships which provide eco-friendly hygiene products for consumers.
To learn more about the latest developments of VEOCEL™ and inspirations for planet-friendly everyday care actions, visit the newly revamped VEOCEL.com!
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SOURCE VEOCEL | 2023-03-16T11:39:31+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2023/03/16/care-center-veocels-climate-action/ |
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Tyler Shough has been named Texas Tech's starting quarterback by new coach Joey McGuire.
The announcement Sunday came just less than two weeks before the Red Raiders play their season opener Sept. 3 against Murray State. Shough, a senior in his second year with the Red Raiders after transferring from Oregon, was picked as the starter over sophomore Donovan Smith and redshirt freshman Behren Morton.
“I first want to praise all three of our quarterbacks as this was an unbelievable competition,” McGuire said. “Tyler has played well and put our offense in position to be effective consistently throughout camp, which has earned him the right to be our starting quarterback. Tyler has a great football IQ and has really captured what we want this offense to look like with the type of responsibility we put on the quarterback."
Shough completed 64 of 92 passes (69.6%) for 872 yards and six touchdowns in Texas Tech's four games last season before breaking a collarbone. He had started 11 games at Oregon before joining the Red Raiders
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25 | 2022-08-22T05:06:56+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Texas-Tech-s-Shough-starting-QB-for-opener-vs-17388690.php |
BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Joe Budd, on June 15th, officially announced his campaign for Florida's newly drawn Congressional District 23. According to the Cook Political Report, this open seat only gives the democrats less than a 5% advantage.
In just 15 days, Joe managed to outraise all his Republican challengers for the quarter ending June 30th, 2022. Not only has Joe quickly taken the lead in fundraising, but he has accumulated some incredibly significant support like our former Congressman, Allen West. Additionally, Joe earned endorsements by the Broward County Police Benevolent Association, Florida Family Action, Tom Sheehan – President of the Sheehan Companies, Dr. Mary Drabik – President of South Florida Bible College, and Andrew Pollack – father of Parkland victim Meadow Pollack.
Joe is the only candidate who has won a general election. He defeated a popular three-term incumbent in 2016 while having been outspent 26-1! Winning while being outspent 26-1 is an important note since the Democrat frontrunner has already amassed a significant lead in fundraising. In 2020, Joe won re-election in a landslide with 73% of the vote. His consistent messaging and leadership have endeared him to the community he serves.
In addition to Joe's successful political experience, his real-life experiences have given him a unique ability to empathize with those going through the everyday issues life throws at you. Joe has faced and conquered some significant setbacks while remaining true to his character and the moral values he holds. When you turn your back on common decency and embrace evil over good, you are turning your back on the rich heritage and history which made America great.
We encourage you to read Joe's story, priorities, and endorsements on his website at www.VoteJoeBudd.com. Watch his videos on his YouTube channel at Vote Joe Budd or dialogue with him on his social media pages @VoteJoeBudd.
Vote by mail ballots have been mailed out. We are asking you to vote for Joe Budd to secure the best opportunity at flipping this seat RED!
Joe believes America is and will continue to be that shining city on a hill, a beacon of hope throughout the world, and that God's blessings are still on this great country. It only takes a proverbial sling and a stone to be victorious when you are doing the right thing. Remember, this Budd's for you!
Joe Budd, Florida Congressional District 23
Founder and President, www.Club45USA.com
Media contact: Media@votejoebudd.com
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SOURCE Joe Budd for Congress | 2022-08-01T16:39:38+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/01/joe-budd-congress-showing-significant-momentum/ |
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) on Wednesday accused Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) of hypocrisy for refusing to negotiate with House Republicans on raising the debt limit, even though the Democratic leader saw the debt limit as “leverage” to negotiate spending increases with former President Trump.
“It is right, appropriate, and entirely normal that our need to raise the debt limit would be paired with negotiations regarding Democrats’ runaway printing and spending,” McConnell said on the Senate floor, referring to the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, which Democrats passed without a single Republican vote in the last Congress.
McConnell said Democrats, including Schumer, are “trying to rewrite history and pretend that Republican demands for negotiation are unusual but that, of course, is just false.”
He noted that in 2017, Schumer and then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “said that the debt ceiling gave Democrats ‘leverage’ in broader talks.”
“As The New York Times explained back in 2017, then-Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leader ‘began formulating a plan to apply pressure, jettisoning the idea of backing a straightforward or clean debt limit as a way to gain muscle in the coming negotiations,’” McConnell said.
McConnell then quoted Schumer’s argument at the time that the debt ceiling “gives another ample opportunity for bipartisanship, not for one party jamming its choices down the throats of another.”
The Senate Republican leader delivered his remarks on the floor a few hours before Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was scheduled to meet with President Biden at the White House Wednesday afternoon, where the two leaders are expected to discuss the debt limit.
Schumer has urged Biden not to negotiate with McCarthy over attaching Republican-favored fiscal reforms to legislation to raise the debt limit unless House Republicans first introduce and pass a package of proposed spending caps through the lower chamber, where Republicans have a slim majority.
McConnell called out that position as inconsistent with the stance Schumer adopted after the 2018 midterm election, when Democrats captured the House. Schumer later negotiated a two-year budget deal with Trump and Senate Republicans that increased discretionary spending by $320 million and also raised the debt limit.
“I trust Democrats will be consistent with their past positions and the White House will waste no time beginning the customary negotiations with the majority over in the House,” he said. “The president of the United States does not get to walk away from the table.”
McConnell made his comments a few days after 24 Senate Republicans signed a letter to Biden stating their “outright opposition to a debt-ceiling hike without real structural spending reform that reduces deficit spending and brings fiscal sanity back to Washington.”
Asked last week whether he would be open to negotiating a deal on budget caps linked to raising the debt limit, Schumer told reporters: “I’m not going to negotiate in public.”
“Obviously, again we want to make sure that we negotiate a budget that’s good for the average working family. We did that in the omnibus bill. We were very pleased with the outcome there and hopefully it can be done again without brinksmanship, but I’m not going to get into specifics,” he said after the weekly Democratic lunch. | 2023-02-01T20:27:19+00:00 | upmatters.com | https://www.upmatters.com/hill-politics/mcconnell-accuses-schumer-of-hypocrisy-on-debt-limit/ |
Mainstream performance sedans with rear-wheel drive are a dying breed. The latest to receive its walking papers is the Kia Stinger.
Kia on Wednesday revealed the Tribute Edition as the final version of the Stinger. The Tribute Edition will be limited to 1,000 units for worldwide sale. It will be the final passel of Stingers built.
Kia spokesman James Hope told Motor Authority that approximately 400 are earmarked for the U.S. He also said timing for the start of sales is yet to be confirmed but will likely be in the first half of 2023.
The Tribute Edition is based on the Stinger equipped with the twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6, which pumps out 368 hp. It also gets the exclusive exterior color Moonscape matte gray, though buyers will be able to choose the existing Ascot Green as an alternative. With either color, the car has black accents on the side mirror caps, 19-inch wheels, and Brembo brake calipers.
For the interior, the special edition features an exclusive Terracotta brown hue for the leather used on the seats, steering wheel, door linings, and door grips. The car also uses a material resembling carbon fiber on the center console and upper door trim, as well as a pattern resembling a wasp on the headrests as a nod to the nameplate. A final touch is a numbered door sill tread plate on the driver side.
While the Stinger will soon be gone, Kia plans to keep the car’s sporty focus alive in its new range of GT-badged models. The first of these are already here in the form of the K5 GT sedan and EV6 GT electric crossover. The latter delivers some serious performance with its 576-hp output.
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- Zagato reveals stunning Alfa Romeo Giulia coupe | 2022-12-21T20:37:04+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/automotive/internet-brands/kia-stinger-to-bow-out-soon-with-tribute-edition/ |
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding almost $1.7 billion in grants for buying zero- and low-emission buses, with the money going to transit projects in 46 states and territories.
The grants will enable transit agencies and state and local governments to buy 1,700 U.S.-built buses, nearly half of which will have zero carbon emissions. Funding for the grants comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law by President Joe Biden. The Democratic president has made it a priority to put more electric vehicles on the road — especially for schools and public transit — in an effort to contain the damage from climate change.
“Every day, millions of Americans climb aboard over 60,000 buses to get to work, to school, doctor’s appointments, everywhere they need to be,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a call with reporters. “These are unprecedented levels of investment when it comes to putting modern cleaner buses on the road.”
Monday's announcement covers the second round of grants for buses and supporting infrastructure. All told, the U.S. has invested a total of $3.3 billion in the projects so far. Government officials expect to award roughly $5 billion more over the next three years.
The Biden administration said that the new buses will improve public health as diesel exhaust will no longer be going into the air and that the new buses will be easier to maintain.
The government received 475 project proposals for the grants that totaled roughly $8.7 billion, a sign of the demand for the funding.
The Seattle area will be getting $33.5 million to purchase 30 electric battery buses and chargers. The Washington, D.C., transit authority will use $104 million to make a bus garage an electric facility and buy roughly 100 electric battery buses. But money also is going outside of major U.S. cities, with Iowa City, Iowa, and the Seneca Nation in Western New York also receiving grants. | 2023-06-26T11:09:05+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/business/2023/06/26/the-us-government-is-awarding-17-billion-to-buy-electric-and-low-emission-buses/ |
CA Medford, OR Zone Forecast for Tuesday, December 6, 2022
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396 FPUS56 KMFR 071152
ZFPMFR
Zone Forecast Product for Southern Oregon and Northern California
National Weather Service Medford, OR
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
CAZ080-080000-
Western Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Somes Bar, Happy Camp, Callahan, Etna,
Fort Jones, Greenview, and Scott Bar
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST
THURSDAY...
.TODAY...Sunny until early afternoon then becoming partly cloudy.
Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s. South winds around 5 mph
shifting to the southwest this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the evening,
then rain and snow after midnight. Snow level 1500 feet after
midnight. Lows in the mid 20s to mid 30s. South winds 10 to
15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Rain and snow. Snow level 2500 feet rising to
3000 feet in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of 4 to 7 inches.
Highs in the lower 30s to lower 40s. South winds 10 to 15 mph.
Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow in the evening,
then chance of snow after midnight. Snow level 2500 feet in the
evening. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s. Southwest winds 5 to
10 mph. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
.FRIDAY...Cloudy. Slight chance of rain and snow showers in the
morning, then rain showers and snow in the afternoon. Snow level
3000 feet in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 30s to lower 40s.
South winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Rain and snow. Breezy. Snow may be
heavy at times. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Highs in the lower
30s to lower 40s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Rain and snow. Lows in the mid 20s to lower
30s.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow likely in the morning,
then chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower
30s to lower 40s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow.
Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the lower 30s to
lower 40s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow after
midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the morning,
then chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower
30s to lower 40s.
$$
CAZ081-080000-
Central Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Hilt, Klamath River, and Yreka
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST
THURSDAY...
.TODAY...Partly cloudy early this morning then clearing. Highs in
the mid 30s to lower 40s. East winds around 5 mph shifting to the
south late this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with
a 10 percent chance of snow after midnight. Lows around 30. South
winds 15 to 20 mph.
.THURSDAY...Patchy fog in the morning. Rain and snow. Snow level
1900 feet rising to 3000 feet in the afternoon. Snow accumulation
up to 1 inch at lower elevations and 2 to 3 inches above
3000 feet. Highs in the lower to mid 40s. Breezy. South winds
15 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow in the evening,
then chance of snow after midnight. Snow level 2400 feet in the
evening. Lows in the mid 20s. Southwest winds 15 to 20 mph
decreasing to around 5 mph late in the evening and overnight.
Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in the
morning, then rain and snow in the afternoon. Highs in the mid
30s to lower 40s. In the shasta valley, 20 to 30 mph. Winds south
around 5 mph early in the morning. Elsewhere, 10 to 20 mph in the
late morning and afternoon. Chance of precipitation 10 percent.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...Rain and snow. Breezy. Lows in the
lower to mid 30s. Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Rain and snow in the evening, then rain and
snow likely after midnight. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Highs in the lower
30s to lower 40s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the
evening. Patchy fog through the night. Lows around 20.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the
lower 30s to lower 40s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow after
midnight. Lows around 20.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow. Highs in
the lower 30s to lower 40s.
$$
CAZ082-080000-
South Central Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Mount Shasta, Dunsmuir, and McCloud
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST
THURSDAY...
.TODAY...Sunny until early afternoon then becoming partly cloudy.
Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Northeast winds around 5 mph
shifting to the south this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow. Patchy fog
after midnight. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s. South winds
10 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Patchy fog in the morning. Snow in the morning, then
rain and snow in the afternoon. Snow level 2800 feet. Snow
accumulation of 2 to 5 inches at lower elevations and 3 to
7 inches above 4000 feet. Highs in the lower 30s to lower 40s.
South winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation near
100 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Rain and snow in the evening, then chance of
snow after midnight. Snow level 2800 feet in the evening. Lows in
the lower to mid 20s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of
precipitation near 100 percent.
.FRIDAY...Cloudy. Chance of snow showers in the morning, then
snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 30s. South winds
10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 10 percent.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Snow. Snow may be heavy at times. Lows in the mid
20s to lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Snow in the morning, then rain and snow in the
afternoon. Snow may be heavy at times. Highs in the lower to mid
30s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Rain and snow in the evening, then snow likely
after midnight. Patchy fog through the night. Snow may be heavy
at times in the evening. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.SUNDAY...Patchy fog in the morning. Snow likely in the morning,
then slight chance of snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower
to mid 30s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the
evening. Patchy fog through the night. Colder. Lows 10 to 20.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly
cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the mid 20s to mid
30s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy in the evening, then partly cloudy
with a slight chance of snow after midnight. Lows 10 to 20.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly
cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
$$
CAZ083-080000-
North Central and Southeast Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Pondosa, Bray, and Tennant
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 10 PM PST
THURSDAY...
.TODAY...Partly cloudy early this morning then becoming sunny.
Highs in the lower 30s to lower 40s. Southeast winds around 5 mph
shifting to the south this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Lows in the lower
20s to lower 30s. South winds 10 to 20 mph.
.THURSDAY...Snow. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. Highs in
the lower 30s to lower 40s. Breezy. South winds 15 to 25 mph.
Gusts up to 40 mph in the afternoon. Chance of snow near
100 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Snow in the evening, then chance of snow after
midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s. Breezy. Southwest winds
15 to 25 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph late in the evening and
overnight. Chance of snow near 100 percent.
.FRIDAY...Cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in the morning,
then snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
Breezy. South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 40 mph.
Chance of snow 10 percent.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Snow, breezy. Snow may be heavy at times after
midnight. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Snow in the morning, then rain and snow in the
afternoon. Snow may be heavy at times in the morning. Highs in
the lower to mid 30s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Rain and snow in the evening, then snow likely
after midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.SUNDAY...Snow likely in the morning, then slight chance of snow
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the
evening. Patchy fog through the night. Lows 15 to 20.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the
mid 20s to lower 30s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow after
midnight. Lows 10 to 15.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly
cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Highs in the mid 20s to mid 30s.
$$
CAZ084-080000-
Northeast Siskiyou and Northwest Modoc Counties-
Including the cities of Newell, Tulelake, Dorris, and Macdoel
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy late this
morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
Southeast winds around 5 mph.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with
a chance of snow after midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
South winds 10 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Patchy fog in the morning. Cloudy with snow. Snow
accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s.
South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph. Chance of
snow 90 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Snow in the evening, then chance
of snow after midnight. Lows around 20. Southwest winds 10 to
15 mph decreasing to around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of snow
90 percent.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. A 10 percent chance of snow in the
afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s. South winds 15 to 20 mph.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Snow likely in the evening, then snow after
midnight. Breezy. Lows around 30.
.SATURDAY...Snow in the morning, then rain and snow in the
afternoon. Breezy. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Snow in the evening, then snow likely after
midnight. Colder. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Highs in the lower
to mid 30s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the
evening. Patchy fog through the night. Colder. Lows 10 to 15.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the
mid 20s to lower 30s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows 10 to 15.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow. Highs in
the mid 20s to lower 30s.
$$
CAZ085-080000-
Modoc County-
Including the cities of Day, Lookout, Adin, Alturas, Canby,
Davis Creek, and Likely
352 AM PST Wed Dec 7 2022
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy late this
morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
Southeast winds around 5 mph shifting to the south this
afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow after midnight.
Lows in the lower to mid 20s. South winds 10 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the morning, then
snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs in
the mid 30s to lower 40s. South winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of
snow 80 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Snow in the evening, then snow likely after
midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s. Southwest winds 10 to
20 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph well after midnight. Chance of
snow near 100 percent.
.FRIDAY...Cloudy. A 10 percent chance of snow in the afternoon.
Highs in the lower to mid 30s. South winds 15 to 20 mph.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Snow likely in the evening, then snow after
midnight. Breezy. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Snow in the morning, then rain and snow in the
afternoon. Breezy. Highs in the mid 30s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...Snow in the evening, then snow likely after
midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.SUNDAY...Mostly cloudy. Snow likely in the morning, then chance
of snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 30s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the
evening. Patchy fog through the night. Colder. Lows 10 to 15.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the
mid 20s to lower 30s.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows 10 to 15.
.TUESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow. Highs in
the mid 20s to lower 30s.
$$
Visit us at www.weather.gov/Medford
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-12-07T12:58:13+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/weather/article/CA-Medford-OR-Zone-Forecast-17636976.php |
March 8 was International Women’s day so I feel it is appropriate to rise in defense of a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body; a right that, in my view, is both morally and historically fundamental. While women have achieved much in their continuing struggle for equality, the seemingly brief respite and right to choose conferred by the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade has now been shorn from the fabric of a woman’s life by that same court, creating once again the specter of back-room abortions and unregulated, potentially life-threatening procedures.
I urge everyone of good conscience to stand up and speak up for a woman’s right to choose. That’s a choice we can all make and one that, for now, hasn’t been taken away.
— Steve Pleich, Santa Cruz
The Sentinel welcomes your letters to the editor. Letters should be short, no more than 150 words. We do not accept anonymous letters. Letter-writers should include their full name as well as a street address and telephone number. We don’t publish those details in the newspaper, but need the information for verification purposes. Occasionally, we reject letters simply because we’ve had so many on the same subject. Submit your letters online at www.santacruzsentinel.com/submit-letters. | 2023-03-09T13:50:28+00:00 | santacruzsentinel.com | https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2023/03/09/letter-speak-up-for-a-womans-right-to-choose/ |
Were you told you owe taxes on California relief payments? Here's what to do about it
Have you received a letter in the mail stating you owe taxes on your Middle Class Tax Refund even though you have yet to actually receive the refund money? You're not the only one.
A Sacramento County husband and wife reached out to KCRA 3 Investigates after they received a 1099-MISC in the mail from the California Franchise Tax Board. The problem? They haven't received their Middle Class Tax Refund and want to know how they can be taxed on money that isn't in their possession.
"I said to myself, you know, this is crazy. I'm not going to claim that I got $700 when I didn't and have to pay taxes on it. So, you know, that didn't make sense to me," said the wife, who asked KCRA 3 not to use her name for this report.
The couple said they have repeatedly reached out to the FTB along with Money Bank — the bank issuing the Middle Class Tax Refund — for help, but can't get through to anyone on the phone.
"I think it's terrible. I think that they need to get their act together," the wife said.
The couple is hoping they receive their refund payment before they file their taxes.
"I'm really thinking positive here, that we might receive the $700 Before we file our taxes," the Sacramento County woman said. "We don't file our taxes until March. So, if we get the $700, everything's fine, we'll go ahead. But if we don't get the $700 I'm going to have to call someone because I'm not going to put it, on my taxes. And if I don't put my taxes, I can be in trouble. I think time will tell how this is going to play out."
Californians will not be taxed by the state for their MCTR, but the federal government recognizes the money as federal income, which is why people may receive a 1099-MISC for refund payments of $600 or more.
KCRA 3 Investigates reached out to the Franchise Tax Board to get more clarity as to why some of the relief payments are taxable, and what Californians should do if they receive a 1099-MISC but haven't received their refund payment.
Q: What should people do if they receive a 1099-MISC in the mail from the FTB for taxes on their MCTR, that they haven't received?
FTB: The FTB is required to provide the 1099-MISC for the year that the payment was issued. For some payments that were issued in 2022, the individual's MCTR payment may still be in the mail.
Q: Will people who received a 1099-MISC in the mail from FTB for taxes on their MCTR, that they haven't received, in fact, be taxed?
FTB: The MCTR payment is not taxable for California state income tax purposes. You do not need to claim the payment as income on your California income tax return. However, as we note on our MCTR Help webpage, the MCTR payments may be considered federal income.
For that reason, FTB is issuing a 1099-MISC for MCTR payments of $600 or more. Individuals can refer to IRS Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, or consult with a tax professional regarding the federal tax treatment of MCTR payments.
Q: What should people do if they receive a 1099-MISC in the mail from the FTB for taxes on their MCTR, but they were victims of fraud and never saw any of the money, or a portion of the money was wiped out due to fraud? Will these people still be taxed?
FTB: Please see responses to questions 2 and 4.
Q: How is/will FTB handle these claims?
FTB: Money Network is the state's vendor handling the MCTR debit cards and is responsible for processing MCTR debit card fraud claims. Anyone reporting potential MCTR debit card fraud should call Money Network immediately at 800-240-0223, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Call 800-240-0223, enter language preference and then the card # and the pin they set up.
From the menu, select Option 1 "To Activate, Customer Service, and Main Menu." The balance will be stated to the caller, and they can either press 1 to repeat or 2 to "continue"
Press 2 to continue
On the next menu, Select Option 6 for "new or existing dispute." Caller will be transferred to an agent to intake the claim.
Timeframe: Review and verification of the activity being either a fraudulent activity or a malfunction with the funding of the card can take 45 to 90 days.
Q: For people who have issues with their MCTR, but had the money wiped due to fraud, or who never received a MCTR, but still received a 1099-MISC, which entity should they reach out to? FTB, the IRS, Money Network? Is there a form people should be requesting?
FTB: First, it's important that anyone reporting MCTR debit card fraud reach out to Money Network immediately so they can begin the fraud verification and resolution process asap.
Those who have reviewed the MCTR eligibility requirements and payment schedule on FTB's website and believe they should have received a payment by now should contact Money Network customer service at 800-542-9332.
We advise people to call the Money Network customer service line as early as possible. Customer service representatives are available on weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wait times are typically the shortest on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Q: Does FTB see this as a problem or issue that people are being taxed on a relief payment they haven't received?
FTB: The MCTR payment is not taxable for California state income tax purposes. Individuals do not need to claim the payment as income on their California income tax return.
However, the MCTR payments may be considered federal income. As such, a 1099-MISC for MCTR payments of $600 or more will be issued. It should not be presumed that because a taxpayer did not get a 1099-MISC, their payment is not subject to federal tax.
The FTB is required to issue 1099-MISC forms for the taxable year that the payment was made for payments that exceed the $600 threshold. Individuals should consult the IRS or their tax professional regarding the federal tax treatment of these payments. | 2023-01-19T07:43:01+00:00 | kcra.com | https://www.kcra.com/article/california-middle-class-tax-refund-ftb-owing-taxes/42562278 |
Initial observations from the Avalanche’s 6-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken in Game 3 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
No Big Val, no problem: Following a theme that’s haunted Colorado throughout its title defense, forward Valeri Nichushkin was a late scratch Saturday with an undisclosed injury. This, of course, is where having a glut of superstar talent comes in handy. Held to one goal over Games 1 and 2, the triumvirate of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen delivered when the Avs needed them most, combining for five goals, and seven total points, to seize control of the series. While the first four goals were all vintage tallies, it was MacKinnon who truly stole the show. In the first period, the veteran center poked ahead a loose puck in his own end and turned on the afterburners to create a one-man rush that put the Avs ahead 2-1. Two periods later, he followed Rantanen’s five-hole masterpiece by deking Ryan Donato to the ice and firing off a top-shelf wrister that squeezed through the tiniest of cracks to beat Philipp Grubauer glove side.
Taking control of the circle: One game after the Avalanche scored a pair of goals off faceoff wins on Seattle’s end of the ice, including Devon Toews’ game-winner in the third period, Colorado struck again on Saturday night. With Colorado ahead 2-1 in the second period, Alex Newhook’s back tap found the stick of Makar for a 92-mph laser beam that Grubauer had no chance of stopping. Colorado won 62.5% of the faceoffs (25 of 40) through the first two periods of Game 3 after winning 56.4% in Game 1 and 55.2% in Game 3. So, could it be that one of the Avs’ biggest weaknesses (27th in the NHL in faceoff win percentage) has now become a strength? Here’s guessing it’s because Seattle (31st at 45.3% during the regular season) is even worse. And that’s just fine for Colorado … for now.
The seven-minute sleepwalk: Perhaps it’s time for the head coach Jared Bednar to switch up the pregame routine? Whatever the Avs are doing, it clearly isn’t working. For the third consecutive game to start the series, Colorado was on its heels almost immediately against a more aggressive and physical Kraken team. And for the third consecutive game, the Avs trailed 1-0 minutes into the game as a result. Seattle outshot the Colorado, 7-1, over the first seven minutes. While the they were able to kill off a penalty in the opening five minutes, the Kraken’s early surge eventually produced a goal after a scramble in front of the net caused enough chaos for defenseman Justin Schultz to snipe one past Alexandar Georgiev from the blue line. Constantly starting from behind is no way to win a series. Then again, who needs fast starts when you’ve got lightning fast skaters?
Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for the Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis. | 2023-04-23T05:12:28+00:00 | denverpost.com | https://www.denverpost.com/2023/04/22/avalanche-kraken-game-3-quick-hits-colorado-superstars-deliver/ |
Columbia High’s nine-team Bruin Invite track and field meet afforded local schools a chance to enjoy one of the better weather days of the spring. It also allowed the host Bruins to flex their track and field muscles on their home facility.
The Bruin girls won the meet with 220 points, while the Bruin boys did the same with 147.
Individually, Columbia freshman Sara Miller won two events and ran legs on two of the Bruin first-place relays to earn high-point scorer for the meet. Teammate Ella Zimmerman also won two races – her specialties, the 100- and 300-meter hurdles – and ran a leg on CHS’s winning 4x400 relay.
Miller combined with teammates Bella Hamilton, Saylor Hauge, and Sequoia Cohen to win the 4x100-meter relay in a season-best time of 52.67 seconds. Miller also won the long jump at 14 feet, 11 inches, and the 100 in 13.9.
Columbia had three other event winners in sophomore Saylor Hauge (200, 28.42); freshman Olivia Allen (400, 1:09.34); and sophomore Damarys Alvarez (1600, 6:49.87). Columbia’s Amya Shaw was second in the triple jump in a personal best 28-6.5, and teammate Madeline Allen added a PR in the shot put of 27-2. Also of note, freshman Bella Hamilton ran two relay legs and was second in the 300 hurdles (PR 53.65).
Seniors Calvin Andrews and Camden Uffelman led the Bruin boys. Andrews was second in the intermediate hurdles, third in both the javelin (season best 127-5) and high hurdles. Uffelman won both hurdles races – 17.03 PR in the highs and a 43.61 PR in the 300s – and joined Andrews on the long relay. Columbia’s other champion was junior Dakota Tama, who ran a 57.22 PR in the 400.
Also of note for the Bruin boys was junior Dylan Nortz, who PRd in the long jump at 17-9 (second place) and was third in the triple jump and 100.
Trout Lake’s boys team was second in the meet, led by the distance double of junior Alex Lopez and the first-place performances of the Mustang relay teams. Klayton Schmid, Sawyer Dean, Gael Fuentes, and Landon Herberling won the 4x100 in 47.06; Schmid, Dean, Trevor Collins and Herberling won the 4x400 in 3:46.85. The gutty Lopez won the 1600 by a 30-second margin in a PR 5:05.88 and ran alone in winning the 3200 in 11:15 (also a PR).
Collins, Schmid and Herberling also won individual events. Collins continued his consistent performance in the 800, winning in 2:10.84; Schmid won the javelin at 131-7 and added a PR in the 200 (25.17); and Herberling matched his PR in the high jump at 5-8 and added a personal best in the 100 (second place, 12.34).
The Mustang girls were led by junior Myana Stock, who won the 800 in a season best 2:40.95. She also ran a leg on Trout Lake’s second-place 4x400.
Dufur was led by junior Hayley Peterson and senior Brady Person. Peterson won the shot put (28-3) and discus (88-9 PR). Person was third in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the highs – each in personal record times.
Horizon Christian was led by sophomore Aaron Johnson and senior Gabby Fraioli. Johnson won the long jump in a personal best 18-7.5, was second in the 400 in a PR 59.98 and ran a leg on the Hawks’ third-place 4x400 relay. Fraioli placed in all three throwing events and also in the high hurdles for 14 team points. Her 74-1.75 toss in the discus was a personal best.
The South Wasco girls had three individual champions in Sadie McCoy, Macy Bell, and Bailey Udey – and each PR’d in their winning event. McCoy won the 3200 in 11:58.24; Bell cleared a PR 4-9 to win the high jump; and Udey bounded 29-7 to win the triple jump.
James Best led the South Wasco boys with an 18-point day that included PRs in the high hurdles and long jump. Best also cleared 5-6 in the high jump and went 33-5.25 in the triple – both season bests.
Lyle’s Kayden Woodman had a busy day, completing four events, including a PR 17-4 long jump best, good enough for fourth place.
Klickitat’s Zeke Goodlife’s four-event day was highlighted by a PR 17-5 in the long jump and PR 400 (1:00.52). Teammate Austin Fink won the shot put (44-0) and was second in the discus (119-3). | 2023-04-19T07:51:39+00:00 | columbiagorgenews.com | https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/hoodriver/sports/columbia-girls-boys-win-at-bruin-invitational/article_28210d1c-de33-11ed-b435-d7926ac080c8.html |
Army grounds fleet of Chinook helicopters after engine fires
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army said Tuesday it has grounded its fleet of about 400 Chinook cargo helicopters after fuel leaks caused a “small number” of engine fires.
Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said the Army has identified the cause of the leaks and is working to resolve the problem. Smith said that some aircraft may not requires the fix, so they may be able to return to flight soon.
The fleet was grounded during the past weekend. Smith said there were no injuries or deaths associated with the fires but the Army temporarily grounded the fleet out of an abundance of caution.
The Chinook is the Army’s key heavy-lift helicopter, used to transport troops and equipment, and was a familiar sight in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-31T03:31:08+00:00 | newschannel6now.com | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2022/08/31/army-grounds-fleet-chinook-helicopters-after-engine-fires/ |
Twitter under its 420-friendly owner Elon Musk earlier this year became the first major social media company to allow cannabis advertisements. Now, the platform is relaxing those rules in an attempt to lure in more advertisers from U.S. states where marijuana is legal.
“Going forward, certified advertisers may feature packaged cannabis products in ad creative,” Twitter said in a post on its website. Previously, cannabis advertisers could not show any products in their ads, nor could they actually promote their sale.
“They may also continue responsibly linking to their owned and operated web pages and e-commerce experiences for CBD, THC, and cannabis-related products and services,” Twitter said.
The billionaire Tesla CEO has been forced to make huge cost cuts and scramble to find more sources of revenue to justify his $44 billion purchase of Twitter. The platform also removed a ban on political advertisements in January.
Still, companies interested in advertising cannabis products on Twitter must comply with a long list of rules. They must be licensed and pre-authorized by Twitter, only target jurisdictions where they are licensed and refrain from targeting anyone under 21, among other policies.
Facebook parent Meta, Google and other major tech companies all prohibit cannabis ads. Google does allow ads for FDA-approved CBD products and topical, hemp-derived CBD products with THC content of 0.3% or less in California, Colorado, and Puerto Rico, but not for marijuana even in states where it is legal.
Musk became widely associated with marijuana usage in 2018 when he tweeted that he was mulling a buyout of Tesla for $420 per share – a price that was widely assumed to be tied to a specific time in the afternoon of April 20 when cannabis users annually celebrate the drug by partaking in it. Shortly after that August 2018 tweet, Musk smoked a marijuana joint on a podcast with Joe Rogan.
In a trial centered on whether Musk’s buyout tweet had misled Tesla investors, Musk testified the price of his offer wasn’t meant to be a marijuana reference while acknowledging why people might think it was.
“There is some, I think, karma around 420. I should question whether that is good or bad karma at this point,” Musk said on the witness stand.
The origins of the term “420” generally, were long murky. Some claimed it referred to a police code for marijuana possession or that it arose from a Bob Dylan song.
But a consensus has emerged that it started with a group of California high school students in the 1970s. With marijuana widely illegal at the time, a friend’s brother was afraid of getting busted for a patch of cannabis he was growing in the woods at Point Reyes, north of San Francisco, so he drew a map and gave the teens permission to harvest the crop, the story goes.
During fall of 1971, at 4:20 p.m., just after classes and football practice, the group would meet up at the school’s statue of chemist Louis Pasteur, smoke a joint and head out to search for the weed patch. They never found it, but the number stuck.
—
AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke contributed to this story. | 2023-04-27T10:53:40+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/news/business/ap-business/twitter-relaxes-pot-ad-rules-to-lure-in-more-advertisers/ |
DENVER, March 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: LUMN) ("Lumen") announced that its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, Level 3 Financing, Inc. (the "Issuer"), has commenced offers to issue senior secured notes in exchange for senior unsecured notes of Lumen.
Specifically, the Issuer has commenced offers to issue up to $1,100,000,000 principal amount (the "New Notes Cap") of new 10.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2030 of the Issuer (the "New Notes") in exchange for validly tendered outstanding senior notes issued by Lumen listed in the table below (collectively, the "Lumen Notes") upon the terms and conditions set forth in the offering memorandum, dated March 16, 2023 (the "Offering Memorandum").
The following table sets forth each series of Lumen Notes subject to the Exchange Offers, the acceptance priority level (the "Acceptance Priority Level") for such series and the applicable consideration offered for such series in the applicable exchange offer (each, an "Exchange Offer" and collectively, the "Exchange Offers").
The New Notes will mature May 15, 2030 and pay interest at a rate of 10.500% per annum. The New Notes will be (i) secured by the same collateral and (ii) guaranteed by the same entities that secure and guarantee the Issuer's outstanding secured notes, in each case subject to the receipt of the regulatory approvals described in the Offering Memorandum (which are consistent with the approvals obtained in prior offerings by the Issuer). In addition, the restrictive covenants and events of default with respect to the New Notes will be substantially similar to those applicable to the Issuer's outstanding secured notes.
The New Notes (i) will be unsubordinated and secured obligations of the Issuer, ranking equal in right of payment with all existing and future indebtedness of the Issuer that is not expressly subordinated in right of payment to the New Notes; (ii) will be secured on a senior lien basis by the collateral securing the New Notes, subject to a shared lien of equal priority with the other senior secured obligations of the Issuer secured by such collateral of the Issuer, and subject to other liens permitted by the New Notes' indenture; (iii) will be effectively senior to all existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of the Issuer to the extent of the value of the collateral provided by the Issuer (after giving effect to the sharing of such value with holders of equal ranking liens on such collateral); (iv) will be contractually senior in right of payment to all existing and future indebtedness of the Issuer that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the New Notes; (v) will be effectively subordinated to any obligations of the Issuer secured by liens on assets of the Issuer that do not constitute collateral with respect to the New Notes, to the extent of the value of such assets; (vi) will be effectively subordinated to all liabilities of the Issuer's subsidiaries that are not guarantors and (vii) will be effectively senior to all liabilities of Lumen and the other members of Lumen's credit group that are not guaranteed by the Issuer or the guarantors of the New Notes (including the Lumen Notes that remain outstanding following completion of the Exchange Offers), to the extent of the value of the assets of the Issuer (after giving effect to the sharing of such value with holders of equal ranking obligations or, in the case of assets constituting collateral, with holders of equal ranking liens on such collateral).
Subject to the receipt of certain applicable regulatory approvals, the New Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on an unsubordinated and secured basis by the Issuer's parent company, Level 3 Parent, LLC, and various subsidiaries, but not by Lumen or members of Lumen's credit group.
The Exchange Offers are being made only to Eligible Holders (as defined below). Eligible Holders must validly tender (and not validly withdraw) their Lumen Notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 29, 2023 (the "Early Tender Date"), in order to be eligible to receive the applicable "Early Exchange Consideration" shown in the table above. Lumen Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) after the Early Tender Date but prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below) will be eligible to receive the applicable "Late Exchange Consideration" shown in such table.
The Exchange Offers will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on April 13, 2023, unless extended (such time and date with respect to an Exchange Offer, as it may be extended for such Exchange Offer, the "Expiration Date"). The final settlement date for the Exchange Offers will occur promptly after the Expiration Date and is expected to occur on April 17, 2023 (the "Final Settlement Date"), subject to all conditions to the Exchange Offers having been satisfied or waived by the Issuer. The Issuer may elect, in its sole discretion, to settle an Exchange Offer for any or all series of Lumen Notes and issue the New Notes with respect to such Lumen Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date (and not validly withdrawn) at any time after the Early Tender Date and at or prior to the Expiration Date (the "Early Settlement Date"). Such Early Settlement Date will be determined at the Issuer's option and, if elected, would be expected to occur on or after March 31, 2023, subject to all conditions to the Exchange Offers having been satisfied or waived by the Issuer.
In addition to the Early Exchange Consideration or the Late Exchange Consideration, as applicable, the Issuer will pay (or cause Lumen to pay) in cash accrued and unpaid interest on the Lumen Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offers from the applicable latest interest payment date to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date or the Final Settlement Date, as applicable. Interest on the New Notes will accrue from the date of first issuance of New Notes and, as described above, the Issuer may elect, in its sole discretion, to settle on the Early Settlement Date the Exchange Offers for any or all series of Lumen Notes and issue New Notes with respect to such Lumen Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date (and not validly withdrawn). If the Issuer elects to have an Early Settlement Date, any New Notes issued on the Final Settlement Date will be issued with accrued interest from the Early Settlement Date and to, but not including, the Final Settlement Date, subject to various adjustments described in the Offering Memorandum.
Tenders may be validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 29, 2023, but not thereafter unless required by law (the "Withdrawal Deadline"). The Issuer reserves the right to increase any of the New Notes Cap or the New Notes Series Caps at any time in its sole discretion without extending the Early Tender Date or Withdrawal Deadline or otherwise reinstating withdrawal rights, subject to compliance with applicable law and the terms of the Issuer's outstanding indebtedness. Accordingly, Eligible Holders should not tender any Lumen Notes that they do not want to have accepted for exchange.
Except as described in the following paragraph and subject to the New Notes Series Caps, all Lumen Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn having a higher Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted for exchange before any Lumen Notes tendered having a lower Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted for exchange (with 1 being the highest Acceptance Priority Level and 8 being the lowest Acceptance Priority Level). Accordingly, subject to the New Notes Cap and New Notes Series Caps, all Lumen Notes with an Acceptance Priority Level 1 will be accepted for exchange before any Lumen Notes with an Acceptance Priority Level 2, and so on, until the New Notes Cap or applicable New Notes Series Cap is allocated. Once all Lumen Notes tendered in a certain Acceptance Priority Level have been accepted for exchange, subject to the New Notes Series Caps, Lumen Notes from the next Acceptance Priority Level may be accepted for exchange. If the remaining portion of the New Notes Cap is adequate to exchange some but not all of the aggregate principal amount of Lumen Notes tendered within the next Acceptance Priority Level, Lumen Notes tendered for exchange in that Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted for exchange on a pro rata basis, based on the aggregate principal amount of Lumen Notes tendered with respect to that Acceptance Priority Level, and no Lumen Notes with a lower Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted for exchange, subject to the New Notes Series Caps.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the New Notes Series Caps, all Lumen Notes that are tendered for exchange in an Exchange Offer at or prior to the Early Tender Date will have priority over Lumen Notes that are tendered for exchange after the Early Tender Date, even if such Lumen Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date have a higher Acceptance Priority Level than Lumen Notes tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date and even if the Issuer does not elect to have an Early Settlement Date. If, subject to the New Notes Series Caps, the principal amount of Lumen Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date constitutes a principal amount of Lumen Notes that, if accepted for exchange by the Issuer, would result in it issuing New Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to or in excess of the New Notes Cap, the Issuer will not accept any Lumen Notes tendered for exchange after the Early Tender Date, regardless of the Acceptance Priority Level of such Lumen Notes, unless the Issuer increases the New Notes Cap. If the principal amount of 5.375% Senior Notes due 2029, 4.500% Senior Notes due 2029, 7.600% Senior Notes, Series P, due 2039 and 7.650% Senior Notes, Series U, due 2042 validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date constitutes a principal amount of Lumen Notes that, if accepted for exchange by the Issuer, would result in the issuance of New Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to or in excess of the 2029 Combined Cap or the 2039 and 2042 Combined Cap, the Issuer will not accept any 4.500% Senior Notes due 2029 or 5.375% Senior Notes due 2029 (in the case of the 2029 Combined Cap) or any 7.600% Senior Notes, Series P, due 2039 or 7.650% Senior Notes, Series U, due 2042 (in the case of the 2039 and 2042 Combined Cap) tendered for exchange after the Early Tender Date, regardless of the Acceptance Priority Level of such Lumen Notes, unless the Issuer increases the applicable New Notes Series Cap.
The Exchange Offers are conditioned on the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary conditions, as described in the Offering Memorandum. The Issuer may terminate, withdraw, amend or extend any of the Exchange Offers, in its sole discretion. The Exchange Offers are not conditioned upon any minimum amount of Lumen Notes being tendered. Each Exchange Offer is being made independently of the other Exchange Offers, and is not conditioned upon the completion of any of the other Exchange Offers.
The Exchange Offers will only be made, and the New Notes are only being offered and will only be issued, (1) to persons reasonably believed to be "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or (2) to non-U.S. persons outside the United States as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act in transactions in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act, who are "non-U.S. qualified offerees" (as defined in the eligibility letter) (such holders, the "Eligible Holders"). Only Eligible Holders who have properly completed and submitted the eligibility certification attached to the eligibility letter and, in the case of Canadian residents, the Canadian certification form, are authorized to receive or review the Offering Memorandum and participate in the Exchange Offers. Holders who desire to obtain and complete an eligibility letter should either visit the website for this purpose at https://www.gbsc-usa.com/eligibility/lumen or call Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the Exchange and Information Agent for the Exchange Offers at (855) 654-2014 (toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (collect for banks and brokers).
The New Notes and the offering thereof have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state or foreign securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to any U.S. persons except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Holders of New Notes will not be granted any registration rights. Investors should be aware that they may be required to bear the financial risks of this investment for an indefinite period of time. Only holders of Lumen Notes who certify in writing that they are Eligible Holders are authorized to participate in the Exchange Offers.
The Issuer is making the Exchange Offers through, and pursuant to, the terms of the Offering Memorandum. None of Lumen, the Issuer, the dealer managers for the Exchange Offers, any affiliate of any of them, or any other person makes any recommendation as to whether Eligible Holders should tender or refrain from tendering all of any portion of the principal amount of such holder's Lumen Notes for New Notes in the Exchange Offers. Eligible Holders must make their own independent decision as to whether to tender Lumen Notes and, if so, the amount of the Lumen Notes as to which such action is to be taken.
The Exchange Offers are an opportunistic implementation of Lumen's announced capital allocation priorities, expected to reduce Lumen's consolidated indebtedness, further strengthening Lumen's consolidated balance sheet.
This press release does not constitute an offer of, or an invitation to participate in, the Exchange Offers to any person in any jurisdiction in which it would be unlawful to make such offer or invitation or Exchange Offers under applicable securities or blue sky laws.
About Lumen
Lumen connects the world. We are dedicated to furthering human progress through technology by connecting people, data,and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, and managed service capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For news and insights visit news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies, and YouTube: /lumentechnologies.
Lumen and Lumen Technologies are registered trademarks of Lumen Technologies LLC in the United States. Lumen Technologies LLC is a wholly-owned affiliate of Lumen Technologies, Inc.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this release and other oral or written statements of Lumen, the Issuer or their affiliates identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "intends," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, are inherently speculative, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Lumen, the Issuer or their affiliates. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by Lumen, the Issuer or their affiliates in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the ability of the Issuer to consummate the Exchange Offers; the possibility that the Eligible Holders will not be receptive to the Exchange Offers; corporate developments that could preclude, impair or delay the aforementioned transactions due to restrictions under the federal securities laws; changes in the credit ratings of the Issuer or its affiliates; changes in the cash requirements, financial position, financing plans or investment plans of the Issuer or its affiliates; changes in general market, economic, tax, regulatory or industry conditions; and other risks referenced from time to time in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") of Lumen or Level 3 Parent, LLC. For all the reasons set forth above and in the SEC filings of Lumen and Level 3 Parent, LLC, you are cautioned not to unduly rely upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Neither Lumen nor the Issuer undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or otherwise. Furthermore, any information about the intentions of Lumen, the Issuer or their affiliates contained in any forward-looking statements reflects the intentions of such companies as of the date of such forward-looking statement, and is based upon, among other things, existing regulatory, industry, economic and market conditions, and their assumptions as of such date. Lumen, the Issuer or their affiliates may change their intentions, strategies or plans (including the plans expressed herein) without notice at any time and for any reason.
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SOURCE Lumen Technologies | 2023-03-16T11:38:48+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/03/16/exchange-offers-lumen-senior-notes/ |
LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi bent over, clutched his left hamstring and appeared to grimace, immediately spreading panic through the soccer world but especially among all Argentines.
Was their superstar — their idol — injured? Was he going to have to come off early in the World Cup semifinals?
No such luck for Croatia.
Before long, Messi was producing perhaps the best performance of his record-tying 25 appearances at the World Cup, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s final.
Messi is back in soccer’s biggest match on his mission to win the game’s greatest prize for the first time. At 35, he could hardly be playing any better.
Messi converted a penalty and played a part in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez — one with an outrageous piece of skill that brought roars of approval from Argentina’s huge following — to turn an initially tense occasion into a procession.
“A lot is going through my head — it’s very emotional seeing all of this,” Messi said in a post-match interview on the field as he looked up at Argentina’s celebrating, scarf-waving supporters. “To see the fans — ‘the family’ — during the whole tournament was so incredible. We’re going to the final, which is what we wanted.”
It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.
The stage is set for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best, if not the absolute best, to go out on the ultimate high.
He is thrilling his legion of fans along the way.
His swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air and epitomized Messi’s confidence and swagger.
He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar.
He even had a penalty saved in the one game in which he didn’t score.
“I am honored to train him and see him play,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was in tears in the post-match celebrations. “Every time you see him play, it’s a huge source of motivation for his teammates, fans and the whole world.”
Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium and Messi was raising concerns by rubbing his hamstring.
Maybe it was a ruse. Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past the Croatia goalkeeper.
Álvarez scored himself in the 39th after a surging run from halfway, which started after he collected Messi’s short pass. Then came the crowning moment, Álvarez’s second goal, after Messi took Gvardiol for a ride in the right corner.
It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — has likely played his final World Cup match.
Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed into his face moments earlier.
“The first goal took the match in a different direction,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said. “It’s the true Messi we all expected to see.”
Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time.
Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well.
“Even though we lost our first match, we were confident that this group was going to push forward,” Messi said. “We know what we are, and we called on the fans to believe in us.”
MESSI RECORDS
Messi became Argentina’s record scorer at World Cups with his third penalty of the tournament taking him to 11 goals in total — one more than Gabriel Batistuta. He also tied the record for most appearances at the World Cup by playing for the 25th time, the same number as Lothar Matthäus of Germany.
ALVAREZ
The 22-year-old Álvarez didn’t start the tournament as Argentina’s striker. He only took the place of Lautaro Martinez in the third group game and now has four goals, one behind Messi and Mbappé. He is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick in 1958.
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-12-14T02:38:29+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-messi-argentina-beat-croatia-3-0-to-reach-world-cup-final/ |
Wayward storm complexes bring potential for heavy rain
HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - We continue to watch for the possibility that storms moving toward the mountains could bring us some heavy rain. We just have to nail down the best timing for these storms to move in.
Tonight through Tomorrow Night
We continue to watch the possibility for complexes of showers and storms to push through the region as we head through tonight and tomorrow. The upper-air pattern that we’re in favors the mountains as a place these complexes could work into. The issue, as it was earlier this summer, is that timing these out is a bit tough thanks to the uncertainty with regard to where these storms will form and strengthen. So while any storms that form are likely to contain gusty winds and heavy rain, it’s still a bit tough to pinpoint exactly when these storms move in. We’ll continue to keep track of that. In the meantime, we’ll see plenty of mild and humid air with overnight lows only making it into the middle 60s.
Yet more of the same as we watch storm complex potential move back into the region for the midweek. They’re tough to pinpoint the exact time, but the likelihood is if/when they arrive, they’ll have the potential to produce torrential rainfall along with strong, gusty winds. Before they arrive, we’ll be warm and humid with highs in the middle 80s and dew points near 70º, making it feel more like the 90s. Chances continue overnight as lows fall back into the low to middle 60s.
Late Week and Beyond
Model trends are for storms to become spottier as we head into Thursday and Friday as our pattern becomes a little easier to discern. This will allow for slightly more predictable storm chances, mostly in the afternoon and evening. These storms could still contain some heavy rain and gusty winds, though, as we continue to be in summertime’s grip. Highs top out in the middle 80s during the day, we’re back in the 60s at night as storms diminish back to partly cloudy skies.
Things are looking better toward the weekend and into early next week. We still could see a spotty storm on Saturday, but Sunday is looking mostly dry as highs top out in the lower 80s both days. That drier pattern should work into July’s final week, at least the beginning of it, with comfortable temperatures and plenty of sunshine.
Copyright 2023 WYMT. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-18T16:26:51+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/2023/07/18/wayward-storm-complexes-bring-potential-heavy-rain/ |
COLUMBUS, Wis., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Packaging Corporation (APC) has announced that it's opening a new 275,000-square-foot Center of Excellence manufacturing facility in Cedar City, Utah. The new operation will add over 135 high-paying jobs to Iron County.
APC purchased the land in October 2021 and officially broke ground on February 8, 2022, during a groundbreaking ceremony with civic leaders and company officials. The new facility is expected to open and be fully operational in June 2023, and will include flexographic printing presses, laminating, preformed pouching and finishing equipment. APC will hire 75 new APC team members as part of phase one, with career opportunities in manufacturing, production, engineering and administration.
Various options were considered for the new facility during the site selection process for APC's first location in the western United States. Cedar City will serve as a strategic logistical location for both trucking and rail, providing excellent access to raw materials, as well as shipping to current and future customers.
"This is a great opportunity for APC to continue our growth strategy in current and new markets and attract new business opportunities," APC President Jeff Koch said. "It's an exciting time for APC and for our employees as we expand and diversify our customer base, which in return allows us to reinvest in all of our facilities nationwide."
"In addition to attracting new business opportunities, the Cedar City location will further enhance APC's support to our current customers with operations in the western half of the U.S. by providing a production option closer to our customers' operations with shorter delivery requirements," APC Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer Ray Graham said.
For APC, a family-oriented city with a rich history, a culture of hard work and integrity, and a supportive community was imperative to the selection of Cedar City. This new location enables APC to be closer to and collaborate directly with customers in the western market. The facility will include world-class print media technologies to support customers' unique packaging needs and deliver final products that distinctly stand out on the shelf.
"Our 1,200 APC employees are our family members — we treat them that way because we want them to succeed at their career at APC and at home," APC CEO Peter Schottland said. "Our employees' contributions and efforts are the reason we're able to expand our footprint, grow in markets and make improvements in technology."
The $100 million project in Cedar City is just the first of three planned phases. APC will begin recruitment and hiring efforts for the new facility this year.
To learn more about American Packaging Corporation and career opportunities in Cedar City, please visit americanpackaging.com/careers.
Founded in 1902, American Packaging Corporation is a recognized leader in the flexible packaging industry. Independently owned, APC is committed to innovation, sustainability and customer delight from a talented family of packaging professionals. Today, APC operates five Centers of Excellence in the United States and employs approximately 1,200 talented, motivated professionals, including nationwide sales reps and field technical support. For more information, please visit americanpackaging.com.
Media Contacts
Dixon Schwabl + Company
Carly Morabito
carly_morabito@dixonschwabl.com
American Packaging Corporation
Teri Meadow
TMeadow@AmericanPackaging.com
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SOURCE American Packaging Corporation | 2022-06-08T16:36:28+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/family-owned-business-american-packaging-corporation-bring-new-manufacturing-facility-jobs-cedar-city-utah/ |
When should social workers separate families? A federal lawsuit raises thorny questions
BOSTON (AP) — When child welfare workers and police knocked on Sarah Perkins’ and Joshua Sabey’s front door well past midnight one weekend last summer, the parents were shocked to learn the state of Massachusetts had come to take their two young sons.
It’s the kind of harrowing scene that plays out daily across the country as social workers motivated by a desire to protect children run up against confused and concerned parents.
What followed was emotional anguish, a bureaucratic battle, vindication for the parents and a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a legal advocacy group. The couple hopes for a favorable ruling that will increase oversight of child removals nationwide.
The children were taken in Massachusetts because of a child abuse report stemming from a hospital visit. On July 13, 2022, Perkins whisked their 3-month-old son Cal to an emergency room. He had a 103-degree fever.
An X-ray checking for pneumonia found a rib fracture the couple hadn’t noticed. After speaking with the boy’s grandmother, they learned the injury may have happened weeks earlier as she removed Cal from a car seat. He slipped, and she caught him with one arm.
Citing the fracture, hospital officials reported potential abuse to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
“It was such a roller coaster — this total terror that we’re going to lose this child at the hospital and then complete relief after we’re allowed to go home with a safety plan,” Perkins said.
They returned to their Waltham, Massachusetts, home. DCF social workers made a surprise visit and found no evidence of abuse, according to the lawsuit.
Days later, around 1 a.m. on July 16, DCF workers and police officers knocked at their door to take both sons away. They didn’t have a warrant or a court order, neither of which are required to remove a child in Massachusetts and other states.
“It was intense. We see that these police officers are armed. We’re asking for paperwork and there’s none to be had,” Perkins said. “Eventually we were told that either we hand over the kids or they’re going to break down our door and take them by force.”
Within 24 hours, Sabey’s parents were allowed to act as foster parents. Four weeks later DCF let Sabey and Perkins take their children home, and after another three months and eventually about $50,000 in private attorney fees, the government restored full parental custody. A short time later the couple moved to Idaho.
The couple’s lawsuit alleges constitutional violations including the unreasonable search of their house, the unreasonable seizure of their children and the deprivation of parental rights without due process.
“What’s really frightening is that it happens a lot. What was unique was our ability to hire an attorney,” Sabey said.
The couple are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a nonprofit focused on parental rights and other issues. It asks for compensatory and punitive damages.
It’s also part of a legal strategy to set precedent nationwide “confirming the importance of parental rights and clarifying the need to include a neutral judge in child removal decisions unless there is an emergency situation involving a risk of imminent harm to a child,” said Glenn Roper, a lawyer for the foundation.
The lawsuit names individual social workers, police officers and the City of Waltham, not the DCF. That’s in part because state agencies effectively can’t be sued in federal court for damages, according to Joshua Thompson, Pacific’s director of legal operations.
Perkins and Joshua Sabey say they feel responsible to pursue the lawsuit because many other parents can’t pay private attorney fees.
Joyce McMillan wasn’t so fortunate.
She relied on a public defender 23 years ago when her two children were removed after a drug test turned up positive for what the New York resident described as an illicit substance. McMillan said she had a job, a home, and was providing for her children.
“A drug test is not a parenting test,” she said.
McMillan said she fell into a depression and became homeless before getting her children back more than two years later. She’s currently executive director of the nonprofit JMACforFamilies. The group advocates for dismantling the child welfare system, which it calls “the family policing system.”
Welfare agencies should be required to advise families that they have a right to an attorney and typically don’t have to let them speak to their children or enter their home without a court order, McMillan said.
If she had deeper pockets at the time, “absolutely there would have been a different outcome,” she said.
A representative from the City of Waltham had no comment on the Massachusetts case.
The DCF also declined to comment. DCF policy allows the removal of a child without a court order when needed to avoid “a substantial risk of death, serious emotional or physical injury or sexual abuse” and when there’s “inadequate time to seek” one, but it must immediately file an affidavit.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, declined to comment on the lawsuit. She said her administration “is committed to making sure we do everything we can for the health and well-being of children and families.”
There are efforts to restrict the authority of child welfare agencies.
A bill before Massachusetts lawmakers would require child welfare workers get judicial approval within four hours of removing a child, according to bill sponsor Democratic state Rep. Joan Meschino. It would also make it easier for workers to contact judges outside of regular court hours, including overnight and on weekends.
An estimated 3 million children came under the scrutiny of child welfare agencies in the 2021 fiscal year. Nearly 600,000 were victims of mistreatment, according to a report by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.
An estimated 1,820 children died from mistreatment during that same period.
The report found that 76% were victims of neglect while 16% were physically abused, and 10% were sexually abused.
The child welfare system can be particularly risky for Black and indigenous families, according to Dorothy Roberts, professor of Africana studies, law and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania.
“The main reason why families get investigated is accusations of child neglect, which is basically defined as not meeting the needs of children like sufficient clothing or housing or child care,” she said. “It’s basically a definition of poverty.”
Instead of removing children, the government could help parents meet their needs, she argued.
Roberts pointed to a 2017 study that estimates more than one-third of all U.S. children will be the subject of a child abuse or neglect report before they turn 18, an estimate that jumps to more than half for Black children.
But social workers aren’t out to get children; they’re trying to protect them, said Yvonne Chase, president-elect of the National Association of Social Workers.
When a hospital, school, neighbor or older child reports mistreatment, social workers apply a risk assessment to determine how agencies should respond, she said.
“The child protective agency doesn’t create the reports of harm. Somebody calls us,” said Chase, a former head of child protective agencies in Alaska and Washington. “If a child is being seriously abused, they may be very happy to see that some relief is coming.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-05-31T20:25:30+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/us-and-world-news/when-should-social-workers-separate-families-a-federal-lawsuit-raises-thorny-questions/ |
DALLAS (AP) — The retrial of a man charged with killing 18 older women in the Dallas area over a two-year span began Monday, after the first jury to hear a case against him deadlocked last fall.
The start of the trial for Billy Chemirmir, 49, was delayed by several hours after a juror did not show up on time. Chemirmir faces life in prison without parole if he’s convicted of capital murder in the March 2018 smothering of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris.
Chemirmir’s attorney entered a not guilty plea for him Monday on the charge. Chemirmir has maintained that he’s innocent.
Though Chemirmir is only being tried in Harris’ death, prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin told jurors during his opening statements that they will also hear evidence that Chemirmir attacked 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel the day before Harris was killed and that he killed 87-year-old Mary Brooks about six weeks earlier.
“These are some of the most vulnerable people that we have in our community — three elderly women,” Fitzmartin said.
Chemirmir faces capital murder charges in all 18 of the women’s deaths — 13 in Dallas County and five in nearby Collin County. However, he’s currently only scheduled to stand trial in the death of Harris. Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, who isn’t seeking the death penalty for Harris’ killing, has said he plans to try Chemirmir for at least one more death, though he hasn’t said whose.
The defense declined to make an opening statement on Monday.
Chemirmir was arrested after Bartelsaid a man forced his way into her apartment at an independent living community for older people and held a pillow over her face.
Fitzmartin said that after the attack on Bartel, police found that a few days before they had gotten a call about a suspicious person at the independent living center where she lived and the license plate from that report led officers to Chemirmir.
According to police, when officers tracked Chemirmir to his nearby apartment, he was holding jewelry and cash. Documents in a large red jewelry box that police say he had just thrown away led them to Harris’ home, where the widow was found dead in her bedroom, lipstick smeared on her pillow.
Fitzmartin said evidence will show that about two hours before Chemirmir was found with Harris’ items, including her house keys, they had both been at the same Walmart.
Fitzmartin said evidence will show that Chemirmir listed jewelry that belonged to Bartel and Brooks on an online selling site. He said that Brooks and Chemirmir were also at the same Walmart prior to her death.
“All of this evidence is going to be overwhelming for you all,” Fitzmartin said.
As in the first trial, jurors on Monday were shown a taped deposition with Bartel, who died in 2020. She said that on the day she was attacked, she’d opened her door after hearing an “insistent” knocking and immediately fixated on green rubber gloves the person was wearing.
She said she tried to push the door shut but was overpowered. “He said: ‘Don’t fight me, lie on the bed,’” Bartel said. Bartel said her attacker “slammed” the pillow to her face and used “all his weight to keep me from breathing.”
Bartel, who lost consciousness during the attack and later discovered she was missing her wedding band, diamond engagement ring and other jewelry, said she couldn’t remember details about the appearance of the man who attacked her.
The number of people Chemirmir was accused of killing grew after his arrest, with most of the families of his alleged victims only learning months or years after their loved one’s death that authorities believed they had been killed.
Most of the people Chemirmir is accused of killing were found dead in their apartments at independent living communities for older people, where he allegedly forced his way in or posed as a handyman. He’s also accused of killing women in private homes, including the widow of a man he had cared for in his job as an at-home caregiver. | 2022-04-25T22:40:42+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/retrial-begins-in-texas-for-man-charged-with-killing-18/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for LOW, PGR, HD, LLY, and COST.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | 2022-08-17T17:14:59+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/17/thinking-about-trading-options-or-stock-lowes-progressive-home-depot-eli-lilly-or-costco/ |
WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. (AP) — A broad effort to find two young siblings who were swept away from their car during flash flooding in the Philadelphia suburbs over the weekend may soon pivot to underwater searching, authorities said Tuesday.
Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer provided an update near the search area, saying the team was still looking for Matilda Sheils, 2, and her 9-month-old brother Conrad Sheils. If the children are not located by day’s end, Brewer said, the focus will be on the water, using dive teams.
With the search in a fourth day, officials acknowledged the many that have asked to volunteer to help but said they are not needed. Brewer asked people to avoid the area.
Some 100 officials, as well as drones and cadaver dogs, have combed the area near the creek that drains into the Delaware River. The search has covered about 117 acres (47 hectares), with those on land logging some 160 miles (257 kilometers), often going back and forth over the same ground, he said.
The children are members of a Charleston, South Carolina, family that was visiting relatives and friends when they got hit by a “wall of water” Saturday, Brewer said.
The children’s father, Jim Sheils, grabbed their 4-year-old son, while the children’s mother, Katie Seley, and a grandmother grabbed the other children, Brewer said. Sheils and his son made it to safety, but Seley and the grandmother were swept away. The grandmother survived, but Seley was among the five people who drowned, according to the Bucks County Coroner’s office.
The others who died were Enzo Depiero, 78, and Linda Depiero, 74, of Newtown; Yuko Love, 64, of Newtown; and Susan Barnhart, 53, of Titusville, New Jersey, Bucks County Coroner Meredith Buck said.
The deaths and the search for the children have led to an outpouring of support, particularly in social media posts in the suburb about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Philadelphia. A community vigil for those affected was planned for Thursday evening. | 2023-07-18T21:30:34+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-effort-to-find-2-children-lost-in-a-pennsylvania-flash-flood-may-soon-pivot-to-an-underwater-search/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — In what would be a reversal, the Biden administration is poised to approve sending M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Tuesday, as international reluctance to send tanks to the battlefront against the Russians begins to erode. A decision to send a bit more than 30 tanks could be announced as soon as Wednesday, though it could take months for the tanks to be delivered.
U.S. officials said details are still being worked out. One official said the tanks would be bought under an upcoming Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package, which provides longer-range funding for weapons and equipment to be purchased from commercial vendors.
The U.S. announcement is expected in coordination with an announcement by Germany that it will approve Poland’s request to transfer German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, according to one official. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not yet been made public.
By agreeing to send the Abrams at an as-yet unspecified time under the assistance initiative, the administration is able to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s demand for an American commitment without having to send the tanks immediately.
Much of the aid sent so far in the 11-month-old war has been through a separate program drawing on Pentagon stocks to get weapons more quickly to Ukraine. But even under that program, it would take months to get tanks to Ukraine and to get Ukrainian forces trained on them. It wasn’t clear Tuesday how soon the U.S. will start training Ukrainian troops on the Abrams and roughly how soon they can get to the battlefront.
Until now, the U.S. has resisted providing its own M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, citing extensive and complex maintenance and logistical challenges with the high-tech vehicles. Washington believes it would be more productive to send German Leopards since many allies have them and Ukrainian troops would need less training than on the more difficult Abrams.
Just last week, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl told reporters that the Abrams is a complicated, expensive, difficult to maintain and hard to train on piece of equipment. One thing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been very focused on, he said, “is that we should not be providing the Ukrainians systems they can’t repair, they can’t sustain, and that they, over the long term, can’t afford, because it’s not helpful.”
A U.S. official familiar with White House thinking said the administration’s initial hesitancy was based on concerns about the requisite training and the sustainment of the tanks. The official added that the administration believes that such plans are now in place, but it could take time to implement them.
At the Pentagon, spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said he had nothing to announce on any U.S. decision regarding Abrams tanks. But he said, “anytime that we’ve provided Ukraine with a type of system, we’ve provided the training and sustainment capabilities with that.”
The administration’s reversal comes just days after a coalition of more than 50 senior defense officials from Europe and beyond met in Germany to discuss Ukraine’s war needs, and battle tanks were a prime topic.
Ukrainian leaders have been urgently requesting tanks, but Germany had resisted mounting pressure either to supply its own tanks or clear the way for other countries, such as Poland, to send the German-made tanks from their own stocks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the deployment of Western tanks would trigger “unambiguously negative” consequences.
Defense leaders from the countries that have Leopard 2 tanks met with the Germans during the Friday conference at Ramstein Air Base in an effort to hammer out an agreement.
On Sunday, Berlin indicated it wouldn’t stand in the way if other countries wanted to send the Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv. Germany needs to agree for the tanks to be given to Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO.
U.S. and German officials have given mixed signals about whether the U.S. and German decisions are linked, and whether Berlin was hesitant to send its tanks unless the U.S. sent Abrams.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said Tuesday that Poland has officially requested permission from Germany to transfer its Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.
German officials confirmed to the dpa news agency they had received the application and said it would be assessed “with due urgency.” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Sunday that Berlin wouldn’t seek to stop Poland from providing the high-tech armor to Kyiv.
German officials declined to comment on the reports of a tank deal. The news weekly Der Spiegel reported Tuesday, without citing a source, that Germany will provide Ukraine with at least one company of Leopard 2 tanks from its own army’s stock. A company comprises 15 tanks.
Scholz is due to deliver an address to parliament Wednesday and field questions from lawmakers, many of whom have been pressing the government to join allies in providing the tanks to Ukraine.
Lawmakers in Congress have also been pushing the U.S. to beef up its aid to Ukraine.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday “it’s time, past time” for the Biden administration and allies to send more military aid to Ukraine, and that the U.S. must provide more tanks and weapons to help Ukraine “win this war.”
“It’s time, past time, for the Biden administration and our allies to get serious about helping Ukraine finish the job and retake their country.”
The likely plans to send the Abrams were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
__ Associated Press writers Tara Copp, Kevin Freking and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2023-01-25T15:07:12+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/in-reversal-us-poised-to-approve-abrams-tanks-for-ukraine/ |
A FIFTH 'GOD'S NOT DEAD' FILM IS SLATED FOR 2023
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pure Flix and Pinnacle Peak Pictures are proud to announce the fifth installment in the "God's Not Dead" franchise: "God's Not Dead: Rise Up."
"This is a new chapter in the 'God's Not Dead' franchise and we can't wait to share this with all the fans. I'm still humbled, eight years later, that this type of movie and this message resonates with so many people," said producer and actor David A.R. White, who plays Reverend Dave in the franchise. "The legacy and impact of 'God's Not Dead' is undeniable and I'm so proud and honored to be a part of this movement."
The announcement came during a special Pure Flix member appreciation red carpet screening at the AMC Century City in Los Angeles where producer and actor David A.R. White was joined by franchise stars Dean Cain, Isaiah Washington, Cory Oliver and Brad Heller.
"God's Not Dead" was a record-breaking film released in 2014. The "God's Not Dead" franchise has grossed more than $100 million worldwide. The success of the original movie ignited the Christian entertainment world and proved there is a demand for positive entertainment that upholds values and is safe for the entire family to watch.
"I've been drawn to faith and family projects, like 'God's Not Dead,' since my son was born. I wanted to be able to bring him to work with me and have him walk away with a positive and uplifting message," said actor Dean Cain, who played Marc in the first installment of "God's Not Dead," and will return for the fifth installment. "I'm blessed to come back and be a part of the 'God's Not Dead' legacy – it's such a moving message and challenge to audiences to get them thinking about the difference they can make in their communities and country."
Here's what to expect in "God's Not Dead: Rise Up": When a favored incumbent suddenly suspends his candidacy for Congress, an embittered but brilliant campaign strategist is lured out of retirement and convinces Reverend Dave Hill to run for office. The race pits them both against formidable opponents from their past, each with plans to inexorably remove religion's influence on public policy. Set against a backdrop of unprecedented political, civil and spiritual unrest, Dave struggles to answer an increasingly relevant question of our time: Is God dead in American politics?
David A.R. White, Dean Cain, Isaiah Washington, Ray Wise, Cory Oliver and Brad Heller are set to reprise their roles in the new "God's Not Dead: Rise Up," which will film later this year in South Carolina. Harold Cronk, who directed the original "God's Not Dead" and the sequel, "God's Not Dead 2", will return to direct "God's Not Dead: Rise Up."
"It's important to me to be involved in projects that will resonate with an audience for a long time after they've seen it and that's exactly what the 'God's Not Dead' franchise is about. It's about calling people to use their talents and be of service in their communities in a way that is unique to them," said Isaiah Washington, who played Rep. Daryl Smith in "God's Not Dead: We The People" and will reprise the role for "God's Not Dead: Rise Up."
Pure Flix, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, is a faith and family-friendly streaming service. The latest installment in the "God's Not Dead" franchise is just one of 25 original movies and shows that the streaming platform has announced for 2022 and 2023.
For the first time ever, all four movies in the "God's Not Dead" franchise are now streaming on Pure Flix. Click here to see trailers for "God's Not Dead," "God's Not Dead 2," "God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness" and "God's Not Dead: We The People."
Pure Flix is your home for faith and family-friendly movies and shows where you can confidently stream with the entire family. With new premium and exclusive original entertainment choices every week, you can strengthen your faith and family with Pure Flix – a streaming service that inspires, uplifts and entertains.
You'll get access to the largest variety of high-quality wholesome movies, series and kids' content at one low price. Experience the difference that positive, encouraging entertainment can have in your home.
Pure Flix is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, alongside AFFIRM Films. Discover more at www.pureflix.com
CONTACT:
Angela Sullivan
angela.sullivan@pureflix.com
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SOURCE Pure Flix | 2022-09-14T09:55:03+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/pure-flix-announces-new-gods-not-dead-rise-up/ |
(NEXSTAR) – Jeremiah Green, drummer and founding member of rock band Modest Mouse has died just days after the band announced he had been diagnosed with cancer. He was 45.
“Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah,” the band wrote in a Saturday night Facebook post. “He laid down to rest and simply faded out. I’d like to say a bunch of pretty words right now, but it just isn’t the time. These will come later, and from many people.”
Last week, lead singer Isaac Brock announced Green had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment.
“It seems to be going smoothly and making a positive difference,” he wrote Wednesday.
In a Christmas Day Facebook post, Green’s mother, Carol Namatame, said her son was “battling stage 4 cancer,” Nexstar’s KOIN reports. Green’s brother Adam told Fox News the drummer had roughly a month of chemotherapy and radiation left.
“He went peacefully in his sleep,” Namatame wrote Saturday. She went on to say her son “was a light to so many” and that more information regarding a celebration of life for friends and family is forthcoming.
Green and Brock founded Modest Mouse alongside bassist Eric Judy in 1992 in Washington, according to Variety. Green also played with Vells, Satisfact, Red Stars Theory, and Peeved. He landed on Stylus Magazine’s list of the top 50 best rock drummers, coming in at No. 37.
Modest Mouse has released seven albums since its founding, including “The Golden Casket,” released in 2021. The band is scheduled to start touring in March, their website shows. | 2023-01-01T15:34:46+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/news/national/jeremiah-green-modest-mouse-co-founder-and-drummer-dies-at-45/ |
Frustrated with book challenges and bans in their school district, a parent in Utah decided to submit a complaint of their own — about the Bible.
The Davis School District took the parent's objection seriously, placing the Bible under review. This week, the district officially decided to remove the religious text from elementary and middle school libraries for containing "vulgarity or violence." The ban will take effect immediately, with Bibles being removed from classrooms even as they close down for the summer.
The parent's complaint, which gained national attention when it was reported in March, cites Utah's 2022 law banning any books containing "pornographic or indecent" material. The statement calls the Bible "one of the most sex-ridden books around," and includes an attachment of passages from the Bible they believe violate the law.
Under Utah's law, books like The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe have been removed from schools.
The committee assigned to review the Bible for the Davis School District determined that it does not meet the requirements to violate the state's law, but that it should still be limited to high school-aged students. The decision is already being appealed by another parent, and that appeal will be decided at a public meeting in the future.
Ken Ivory, a Republican legislator in the state, released a statement on Thursday reversing his position on the ban, after initially calling the complaint a "mockery." He wrote that the Bible is a "challenging read" for children, and that the Bible is "best taught, and best understood, in the home, and around the hearth, as a family."
The Bible was sixth on the American Library Association's list of most banned or challenged books in 2015, though these were largely challenges, not full bans. The Bible has not been on the list since then. In 2022, PEN America recorded just one instance of the Bible being removed pending review in Texas.
In the day since this decision was announced, the Davis School District has also received a request for the Book of Mormon to be reviewed for inappropriate content. The Book of Mormon is a foundational text for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a prominent religion in the state. A spokesperson for the district told the Salt Lake Tribune they plan to form a similar committee to review this text as well.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-03T12:00:12+00:00 | wboi.org | https://www.wboi.org/npr-news/2023-06-02/a-utah-school-district-has-removed-the-bible-from-some-schools-shelves |
BOSTON (AP) — Chris Ledlum scored 29 points as Harvard beat Northeastern 70-69 on Wednesday night.
Ledlum shot 12 for 17 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 2 of 5 from the free throw line for the Crimson (3-1). Idan Tretout was 2 of 3 shooting and 4 of 6 from the free throw line to add nine points. Evan Nelson finished 3 of 7 from the field to finish with nine points.
Jahmyl Telfort led the way for the Huskies (0-3) with 23 points and six rebounds. Northeastern also got 13 points and six rebounds from Coleman Stucke. Harold Woods also had 13 points and three steals.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | 2022-11-17T04:17:09+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/Ledlum-scores-29-as-Harvard-beats-Northeastern-17590918.php |
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s New Year’s address to the nation usually is rather anodyne and backed with a soothing view of a snowy Kremlin. This year, with soldiers in the background, he lashed out at the West and Ukraine.
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The conflict in Ukraine cast a long shadow as Russia entered 2023. Cities curtailed festivities and fireworks. Moscow announced special performances for soldiers’ children featuring the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus. An exiled Russian news outlet unearthed a video of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, now the Ukrainian president despised by the Kremlin, telling jokes on a Russian state television station's New Year’s show just a decade ago.
Putin, in a nine-minute video shown on TV as each Russian time zone region counted down the final minutes of 2022 on Saturday, denounced the West for aggression and accused the countries of trying to use the conflict in Ukraine to undermine Russia.
“It was a year of difficult, necessary decisions, the most important steps toward gaining full sovereignty of Russia and powerful consolidation of our society,” he said, echoing his repeated contention that Moscow had no choice but to send troops into Ukraine because it threatened Russia’s security.
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“The West lied about peace, but was preparing for aggression, and today it admits it openly, no longer embarrassed. And they cynically use Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia,” Putin said. “We have never allowed anyone and will not allow anyone to do this."
The Kremlin has muzzled any criticism of its actions in Ukraine, shut independent media outlets and criminalized the spread of any information that differs from the official view — including diverging from calling the campaign a special military operation. But the government has faced increasingly vocal criticism from Russian hardliners, who have denounced the president as weak and indecisive and called for ramping up strikes on Ukraine.
Russia has justified the conflict by saying that Ukraine persecuted Russian speakers in the eastern Donbas region, which had been partly under the control of Russian-backed separatists since 2014. Ukraine and the West says these accusations are untrue.
“For years, the Western elites hypocritically assured all of us of their peaceful intentions, including the resolution of the most difficult conflict in the Donbas,” Putin said.
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Western countries have imposed wide sanctions against Russia, and many foreign companies pulled out of the country or froze operations after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine.
“This year, a real sanctions war was declared on us. Those who started it expected the complete destruction of our industry, finances, and transport. This did not happen, because together we created a reliable margin of safety,” Putin said.
Despite such reassurances, New Year’s celebrations this year were toned down, with the usual fireworks and concert on Red Square canceled.
Some of Moscow’s elaborate holiday lighting displays made cryptic reference to the conflict. At the entrance to Gorky Park stand large lighted letters of V, Z and O – symbols that the Russian military have used from the first days of the military operation to identify themselves.
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“Will it make me a patriot and go to the front against my Slavic brothers? No, it will not,” park visitor Vladimir Ivaniy said.
Moscow also announced plans to hold special pageant performances for the children of soldiers serving in Ukraine.
The Russian news outlet Meduza, declared a foreign agent in Russia and which now operates from Latvia, on Saturday posted a video of Zelenskyy, who was a hugely popular comedian before becoming Ukraine’s president in 2019, performing in a New Year’s Day show on Russian state television in 2013.
Zelenskyy jokes that the inexpensive sparkling wine Sovietskoe Shampanskoye, a popular tipple on New Year’s, is in the record books as a paradox because “the drink exists but the country doesn’t.”
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Adding to the irony, the show’s host was Maxim Galkin, a comedian who fled the country in 2022 after criticizing the military operation in Ukraine.
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Elise Morton contributed to this report from London. | 2023-01-01T05:37:55+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/On-New-Year-s-Putin-slams-West-for-hypocrisy-17686981.php |
Investment Positions Company for Accelerated Growth and Expansion in Highly Fragmented Residential Services Market
NEW CANAAN, Conn., Jan. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gridiron Capital, LLC ("Gridiron Capital"), an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, today announced a growth investment in Legacy Service Partners, LLC ("Legacy" or the "Company"), a leading provider of residential heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and electrical services. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Legacy offers replacement, repair, and maintenance services, with a large and growing installed base across the United States. Founded in 2021 by Jake Sloane, Frank Zhang, and Rob Millock, Legacy has united exceptional brands with strong operators and leading local market competitive positions under a national platform. Through its partnership model, Legacy provides guidance and support through a strategic division of functions to integrate local operational expertise with centralized platform scale and sophistication.
Legacy provides top-notch customer service to customers across 16 states and 28 brands throughout the U.S. The Company's diversified business mix, premier acquisition engine, and best practice playbooks differentiate Legacy as a uniquely positioned platform. This partnership builds on Gridiron's successful experience working closely with and supporting great residential services and products businesses, including Leaf Home and Erie Home.
Legacy CEO and Co-Founder Rob Millock commented, "We couldn't be more excited to partner with Gridiron as we rapidly scale our operations. The Legacy platform is well positioned to continue to distinguish itself as a leader in the residential services space and we look forward to working with the Gridiron Centers of Excellence to build a playbook that will benefit all our partners and end clients."
Legacy Co-Founder Jake Sloane added, "We are excited to leverage Gridiron's experience within the residential services space to expand our capabilities and drive this next phase of growth. Our shared strategic goals and vision for Legacy are aligned and this partnership with Gridiron will allow us to continue to enhance our service offerings to meet the needs of our customers and communities."
Kevin Jackson, Managing Partner of Gridiron, said, "We are proud to partner with Rob, Jake, Frank, and the entire Legacy team. The Company has a strong employee-centered culture, a shared vision of partnership, and a relentless focus on providing a superior customer experience. We are excited to support a best in-class operator and leverage our successful track record of investing in residential services businesses, an area of Gridiron's Thematic Areas of Expertise, to drive accelerated growth in a highly fragmented market."
Bradley Skaf, Principal at Gridiron Capital, added, "With a leading position across attractive geographies, exceptional local brands, a proven M&A track record, and strong leadership, Legacy is a differentiated platform with multiple avenues for continued growth. We look forward to working alongside the Legacy team to continue to grow their existing partner companies and add additional brands under the national platform."
Gridiron's legal counsel was Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP and lending partners were Churchill Asset Management (lead left arranger), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Audax Private Debt, accounts managed by Hamilton Lane and Jefferies Credit Partners. Solomon Partners served as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to Legacy Service Partners.
About Gridiron Capital
Gridiron Capital is an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams and creating value by building middle-market companies into industry-leaders in branded consumer, B2B and B2C services, and niche industrial segments in the United States and Canada. They help transform growing companies by winning together through hard work, partnerships grounded in shared values, and a unique culture that comes from hands-on experience building and running businesses. As a team led by former operators and entrepreneurs, we know what it takes to run successful businesses on a day-to-day basis.
About Legacy Service Partners
Legacy Service Partners was founded in 2021 to offer entrepreneurs and business owners in the home service sector the ability to realize immediate financial value for the companies they've built, while partnering to continue to grow their business long into the future. Our capital is patient and flexible, and we provide our local partners with dedicated, bespoke support that helps them navigate the changing competitive dynamics of the home services industry. We are guided by our four core values – ethics, transparency, alignment, and service – and aspire to build the highest quality network of home service companies in the United States. Learn more at legacyservicepartners.com.
Contacts
Gridiron Capital
Jonathan Keehner / Erik Carlson
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449
Legacy Service Partners
Rob Millock | Legacy Service Partners
rob@legacyservicepartners.com
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SOURCE Gridiron Capital, LLC | 2023-01-18T16:36:43+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/01/18/gridiron-capital-partners-with-legacy-service-partners/ |
Running community honors Eliza Fletcher by finishing her last run
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – Community members in Memphis and people across the country are honoring 34-year-old Eliza Fletcher’s life in a special way.
The teacher and mother of two is believed to have been kidnapped and killed during an early morning jog near the University of Memphis campus on Sept. 2.
Cleotha Abston, 38, is accused of forcing Fletcher into an SUV and is charged with murder in connection to her death. He is facing several other charges, like kidnapping and identity theft, as well.
Memorials filled with flowers, balloons and messages to Fletcher have formed around Memphis, from the UofM area at the site where police say she was abducted to South Memphis where her body was recovered.
A run is planned for Friday morning on Central Avenue in the UofM area where Fletcher’s run came to an abrupt stop. Organizers say this event is a way to honor and finish the run Fletcher started the day she was abducted.
Friday morning’s 8.2-mile run is set to begin at 4:20 a.m. at Central and Belvedere. According to the Facebook page for the event, more than 550 people say they are taking part.
A gym in Jonesboro, Arkansas held similar events to symbolize the end of Fletcher’s run.
“We’re going to come together as a gym family, as a local community, as a running family to finish the run for her,” Callie Talley said.
Talley says some gym members knew Fletcher and her family and wanted to put on this event to pay tribute to her life.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2022-09-07T15:49:43+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/2022/09/07/running-community-honors-eliza-fletcher-by-finishing-her-last-run/ |
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Teledyne LeCroy, the worldwide leader in connectivity test solutions, is pleased to announce that their Frontline Test Services team has developed SmartTest automated testing to enhance their testing capabilities. SmartTest automated testing enables the most rigorous and repeatable testing possible while reducing test times and customer costs.
While estimates vary, most experts agree that the number of interconnected IoT devices is growing exponentially each year. To ensure these devices can connect seamlessly and work together, design and test engineers across markets from automotive to healthcare, and from consumer electronics to enterprise devices, need to perform thorough robustness and interoperability testing. This type of testing can improve product reliability, stability, data-integrity and security. Many IoT device manufacturers do not have these testing capabilities, and some find outsourced testing services to be cost prohibitive. Frontline Test Services has been one of the best sources for interoperability testing, consulting, and training services for Bluetooth, 5G, Wi-Fi, USB, ZigBee, Matter and other connecting technologies. Now, with the adoption of SmartTest automated testing, testing is better and more affordable.
By incorporating artificial intelligence, machine learning and smart robotics, as well as a multitude of interfaces to the devices-under-test, Frontline Test Services' SmartTest automation system provides faster and consistent testing when compared with manual robustness and interoperability testing. Nick Kriczky, Vice President of Services at Teledyne LeCroy commented, "A person can test a Bluetooth connection by dropping and re-establishing the connection 10, 20, maybe even 30 times as part of a test routine. With SmartTest automation, we could drop and reconnect all night – perhaps thousands of times. It's a much more robust approach to testing. Combined with Frontline Test Services' expert-level testing and analysis, the SmartTest automation system can speed up test cycles from years to just days. In real terms, this allows IoT device manufacturers to be more effective using their testing budget, cut down on technical support and update releases and deliver the best quality product to their customers." The repeatable and rigorous testing available from Frontline Test Services allows engineers to uncover critical and hard-to-find issues within their IoT device designs and implementations. Using SmartTest testing ensures quicker and more efficient test cycles, lowers manufacturing and development costs, reduces time to market, and helps improve customer satisfaction of tested products.
Frontline Test Services offers consultancy and interoperability services to help in all stages of the product lifecycle, from specification to market launch and beyond. Our global dedicated test labs for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, and phone projection technologies (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) help to minimize field issues, lower development costs, and speed time to market with products that you can feel confident will deliver a superior user experience.
The Frontline Test Services' SmartTest Automation system is now available. For additional information, contact Teledyne LeCroy at 1-800-5LeCroy (1-800-553-2769) or Frontline_OnlineSales@teledyne.com or visit Teledyne LeCroy's Frontline web site at https://teledynelecroy.com/services/frontline.aspx
Teledyne LeCroy is a leading manufacturer of advanced oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and other test instruments that verify performance, validate compliance, and debug complex electronic systems quickly and thoroughly. Since its founding in 1964, the Company has focused on incorporating powerful tools into innovative products that enhance "Time-to-Insight". Faster time to insight enables users to rapidly find and fix defects in complex electronic systems, dramatically improving time-to-market for a wide variety of applications and end markets. Teledyne LeCroy is based in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. For more information, visit Teledyne LeCroy's website at teledynelecroy.com.
© 2022 by Teledyne LeCroy. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
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SOURCE Teledyne LeCroy | 2022-07-28T16:56:57+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/07/28/smarttest-automation-improves-internet-things-iot-device-testing/ |
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) — Dezi Jones had 21 points in Quinnipiac's 88-76 victory over Marist on Saturday night.
Jones added seven rebounds and six assists for the Bobcats (20-11, 11-9 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Matt Balanc shot 7 for 11 (5 for 6 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free throw line to add 21 points. Tyrese Williams was 5 of 8 shooting (4 for 7 from distance) to finish with 14 points.
Patrick Gardner led the way for the Red Foxes (10-19, 6-14) with 27 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Marist also got 15 points from Kam Farris. Trace Salton also had 11 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | 2023-03-05T05:16:46+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/sports/article/jones-scores-21-quinnipiac-defeats-marist-88-76-17820575.php |
Acquisition marks first location in Wisconsin
HALTOM CITY, Texas, Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BMS CAT is proud to announce the acquisition of Accent Property Restoration in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Accent has been in business since 2008, serving the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities, providing restoration, mitigation and reconstruction services for residential and commercial properties.
"I am very excited to announce that BMS CAT has acquired Accent Property Restoration. Since 2008, Dean Rossey has built a tremendous organization that is focused on a great work environment and exceptional customer experience. These are two core competencies that match well with BMS CAT. We look forward to working with our new team members from Accent, as we combine forces to create an environment around teamwork and the best customer experience in the industry," said Tom Head, President & CEO of Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT.
"I couldn't be prouder of the achievement of being able to sell my company, and for a company like BMS CAT to show interest in our location was an amazing opportunity. After visiting BMS CAT's headquarter office, I knew they were the right fit as my successor, to continue my legacy for generations to come. The best part of this process has been meeting the BMS CAT Team. They are like-minded in the fact that people and culture mean more than the bottom line. I can't wait to see the growth my current team members will experience as part of the BMS CAT Family," said Dean Rossey, former CEO of Accent Property Restoration.
Today's announcement is the ninth in a strategic plan of acquisitions to support BMS CAT growth. The company has previously acquired North Carolina-based Diamond Restoration, Arizona-based Stratton Restoration, Michigan-based Jarvis Restoration, Pennsylvania-based FireDEX of Pittsburgh, South Carolina-based CATCON, Pennsylvania-based Mellon Certified Restoration, Florida-based Guardian Restoration, and North Carolina-based Highland Construction.
Started in 1948 as a furniture and dye shop, Blackmon Mooring has grown to become a leader in each service area it practices – from fire and water restoration to storm damage recovery. The earliest founders of Blackmon Mooring built their business on reliability, quality and superior customer service. In 1981, the company expanded its reach globally with the addition of the BMS CAT division and since then, it has responded to some of the world's most devastating disasters. Today, the company follows the same principles it was founded upon, and always remembers that the customer is the cornerstone of the business. www.blackmonmooring.com
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SOURCE Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT | 2022-10-12T13:36:03+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/10/12/bms-cat-acquires-accent-property-restoration/ |
JACKSON, MI -- On a hot summer day, dozens of Jackson residents were happy to finally visit Jackson’s Nixon Water Park.
“This is a big deal for the city” said Supervisor Antuan Williams.
After a nearly three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the water park reopened on Monday, June 27.
Related: A way to beat the heat is coming with opening of Nixon Water Park in Jackson
Mechanical issues and supply delays pushed the park’s opening day back from its original date, but the community has been ecstatic it’s open now, Williams said, adding that Nixon Water Park is “one of the main spots for the city during the summertime.”
The city is partnering with the Jackson YMCA, to fully staff the water park with lifeguards throughout the rest of the summer.
Besides the pool, the park features a water slide, waterfall and wading area. The complex also has an event space for community use.
The water park hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, through Aug. 20. The cost is $5 per person or 10 swim passes for $40. Extended daily hours are likely to be announced later this summer, officials said.
More from The Jackson Citizen Patriot:
Western grad takes over Western boys basketball program
Jackson man killed when car strikes tree, catches fire
Additional parking is coming to the Cascades to help with larger events
1 killed in wrong-way, head-on crash on I-94 in Jackson County | 2022-06-29T13:31:16+00:00 | mlive.com | https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2022/06/a-favorite-jackson-summer-tradition-is-back-with-the-opening-of-nixon-water-park.html |
Don’t let the pineapple house and cheery disposition fool you: SpongeBob SquarePants is more metal than most cartoon characters. Fans of the long-running animated TV series have been treated to some surprising guest appearances during the show’s 25-year run, including Pantera providing the “Pre-Hibernation” instrumental in a 2001 episode, and Ween instructing viewers on how to tie their shoes.
Dante DeLaurier, lead singer and guitarist of Denver trio Flak, credits another unexpected musical moment — a version of Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock,” from 2004’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie — for ultimately inspiring him to pick up the instrument and form a band. And Flak wants to rock.
“I overheard my brother and his friend talking about wanting to play guitar, but they wanted to do it for chicks. I guess that’s cool. But then I saw this SpongeBob episode where he was shredding really hard and saving Bikini Bottom with this awesome guitar solo,” he says, adding that he bought a guitar and the required gear from a friend before recruiting lifelong partner-in-crime Ben Christ on bass.
The band, which also includes drummer Eddie Eaton, started gigging locally in 2021 and has released a handful of singles since then. On Thursday, February 9, Flak is opening for Rookie of the Year, along with Wiff and Tiny Humans, at the Marquis Theater.
DeLaurier credits such heavy hitters as Black Sabbath and Melvins for shaping the band’s sound, which the members call “gunk” — a mash up of “grunge” and “punk.”
“It was just like, ‘Let’s mess around.’ We had that moment where we were really terrible but were like, ‘Dude, this could be our life. It just has to be catchy. It doesn’t even have to be good,’” he adds with a laugh. “The main people that I looked up to and tried to make music similar to was Black Sabbath. I wanted to shy away from being the typical new band that was trying to do Nirvana better than Nirvana. I was really into Black Sabbath, but when I would write music, it wasn’t like I was thinking, ‘What would Sabbath do?’ I was just playing what I could.”
After seeing Melvins at the Fox Theatre last September, as well as receiving some razzing about having a hairdo similar to that of legendary frontman Buzz Osborne, DeLaurier started mixing sludgier elements into Flak’s music.
“We are really inspired by the Melvins,” he says, explaining that it was a sound guy who teased him about resembling a younger King Buzzo initially, which prompted him to check out the grunge gods. “I ended up listening to the music, and I just loved everything about it. It wasn’t typical. It was kind of weird, but it was still heavy and fast. There were some metal aspects in there. Just sludge and doom music.”
Eaton — who is also in local bands Deadpan, Undissassembled and Warsaw — brings more of a hardcore edge to Flak through influences like Drain and Sunami, DeLaurier adds.
“I really wanted to start making heavier music," he says, "and ever since he came on board, he’s helped us with that."
Flak is also busy working on a “string of singles” to release this year, but the trio is “always down for a show,” which is what DeLaurier told Wes Luna of Wiff when reaching out about being on the Marquis bill. “We’re writing a bunch and trying to figure out our process of recording,” he adds.
While DeLaurier is in school for music — he originally was studying film — he and his bandmates are dedicated to making Flak their livelihoods sooner rather than later.
“Ultimately," he says, "I want this to be my life."
Flak, 7 p.m. Thursday, February 9, Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer Street. Tickets are $12. | 2023-02-07T17:41:07+00:00 | westword.com | https://www.westword.com/music/spongebob-squarepants-metal-denver-flak-16103114 |
Mathew Barzal has agreed to terms with the New York Islanders on an eight-year extension, a move that keeps the franchise’s top forward under contract for the balance of his prime.
The deal is worth $73.2 million with an annual salary cap hit of $9.15 million, according to a person with knowledge of the contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team did not announce terms.
Barzal has led the team in scoring, or been tied for the lead, every season since he became a full-time NHL player in 2017-18. He has 349 points in 411 regular-season and playoff games for the defensively stingy Islanders, who qualified for the postseason three consecutive times before an injury- and virus-altered last year.
“We feel recharged,” Barzal said recently. “We feel like everybody had good summers and worked hard, and we got that excitement back.”
Barzal, now 25, is coming off putting up 59 points in 75 games. The offensive star will now be asked to round out his game.
“I’m a fan because Mat has the ability to raise his game and to be a special player,” general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters at the team’s practice facility on Long Island. “And now, with this contract and our faith in him, (it) puts that responsibility on him. We’re trusting that. It’s up to him to respond to that.”
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-10-04T22:31:01+00:00 | kron4.com | https://www.kron4.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-islanders-agree-to-terms-with-barzal-on-8-year-extension/ |
SALEM, VA. (WAND) -- The Millikin softball team had the day off today thanks to weather.
The NCAA delayed games till tomorrow and with the spare time, the Big Blue visited the Salem Museum and hit in the batting cages.
WAND mic'ed up senior Cassie Reed throughout the day to get an inside scoop on the team.
Millikin is tentatively scheduled to play at 10:30am against Eastern Connecticut State.
Copyright 2022. WANDTV. All Rights Reserved. | 2022-05-28T05:03:58+00:00 | wandtv.com | https://www.wandtv.com/sports/millikin-softball-makes-the-most-of-day-off-will-play-eastern-connecticut-state-tomorrow/article_d2bd7efe-de34-11ec-98c7-27f02858ce32.html |
The top overall seed, Alabama, has been on a roll despite being entangled in a murder case. Another No. 1 seed, defending national champion Kansas, is coming off a blowout loss and has a coach coming out of the hospital. Yet another, Houston, just watched its best player go down in a heap with a scary injury.
This year’s March Madness frontrunners are anything but perfect, but the presence of these teams and all their questions at the top of the bracket could make for precisely what the NCAA wants its tournament to be – a perfectly unpredictable mess.
Most of the drama in picking this year’s bracket was resolved far before Selection Sunday.
Arizona State and Nevada made it off the bubble and into the 68-team field. Rutgers and Oklahoma State did not. Purdue, with 7-foot-4 Zach Edey leading the way, edged out UCLA for the fourth and final No. 1 seed.
And in a decision most everyone saw coming, the selection committee left North Carolina, last year’s national runner-up, out of the tournament. It made the Tar Heels the first team since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985 to start the season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll and finish it by not making the Big Dance.
The team they lost to, Kansas, is trying to become the first back-to-back NCAA champion since Florida in 2007.
The Jayhawks earned the top seed in the West Region, but only the third overall, behind the Crimson Tide and the Cougars. The Jayhawks are awaiting the return of coach Bill Self, who went to the hospital last week complaining of chest tightness and concerns with his balance. He has been discharged and is expected back this week.
The head of the selection committee, Chris Reynolds, said it took every injury, and every absence, into account.
“It’s certainly something the committee talked about during the course of the year, and certainly played a factor in seeding and selection,” said Reynolds, the athletic director at Bradley.
He said the committee also did not ignore lopsided losses: Two of Kansas’ seven Ls came in March to Texas, a No. 2 seed, by 16 and 20 points.
“They mark it how they feel and we’re just going to do what we need to do to get where we need to be,” Kansas forward KJ Adams said.
The tournament begins Tuesday with two First Four games. The full madness starts Thursday with 16 first-round games, then 16 more the next day.
Kansas’ loss to Texas in the Big 12 semifinal Saturday likely played into FanDuel Sportsbook setting the Jayhawks at 10-1 to win the title, behind both Alabama of the South Region (8-1 odds) and the overall favorite, Houston (5-1 odds), which would be playing the Final Four in its hometown if it wins the Midwest Region. The semifinals and finals are set for NRG Stadium on April 1 and 3.
The Cougars lost their conference title game Sunday, i n large part because they were without Marcus Sasser, the leading scorer who left the previous day’s game early after sliding awkwardly and hurting his groin.
Purdue likely found its way onto the “1” line when it won the program’s second Big Ten tournament title Sunday, less than 24 hours after UCLA, also dinged-up this season, fell by two to Arizona in the Pac-12 title game.
For Alabama, the SEC tournament was a relative breeze – nobody stayed within double digits of the Tide — unlike the past two months, which have been met with a near constant flow of headlines about a former player, Darius Miles, who is accused of capital murder In the Jan. 15 killing of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.
“I’m not sure we would have predicted this,” said coach Nate Oats of the Tide, which is a No. 1 seed for the first time. “Being the No. 1 overall seed is great. It says what an unbelievable regular season we’ve had. You’ve still got to go win the games.”
The SEC and Big Ten led the way by placing eight teams each in the 68-team field. Duke won the ACC for the 22nd time and was one of five teams from that conference in a relatively weak year.
But this tournament is always about more than big schools with big pedigrees.
Some teams to watch for include 13th-seeded Iona, coached by the legend, Rick Pitino, who has the Gaels in the show for the second time in three years – with some people wondering if he’ll be heading over to a vacant job at St. John’s soon. Iona got a brutal draw – a first-round meeting against fourth-seeded UConn.
There is Southern Conference champion Furman, back in the tournament for the first time since 1980, and MEAC champ Howard, back in the tourney for the first time since 1992.
There is Kennesaw State, the program that went 1-28 in 2019-20 and now finds itself in the bracket. For the rest of the dreamers, there is Texas Southern – the team that won its conference tournament as a No. 8 seed and comes to March Madness at 14-20 for a play-in game against Fairleigh Dickinson.
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AP March Madness coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | 2023-03-13T18:10:49+00:00 | everythinglubbock.com | https://www.everythinglubbock.com/sports/alabama-earns-top-billing-in-march-madness-bracket/ |
NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Olo Inc. (NYSE: OLO).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/olo-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=32458&from=4
This lawsuit is on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased shares of Olo's Class A common stock between August 11, 2021 and August 11, 2022.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until November 28, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Olo Inc. issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Subway was ending its contract with Olo; (2) Olo's key business metric – active locations – could not continue to grow as defendants touted due to the loss of Subway's business; and (3) as a result of the above, defendants' statements about Olo's business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | 2022-10-07T11:13:07+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/10/07/olo-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-olo-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-28-2022/ |
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) ("MGM Resorts" or the "Company") has been named to the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI). The index tracks public companies' business practices and policies in advancing gender equity.
MGM Resorts is among 483 organizations included in this year's GEI, reflecting a high level of disclosure and overall performance across several pillars. These include establishing a leadership & talent pipeline, equal pay & gender pay parity, inclusive culture, and sexual harassment policies.
"MGM Resorts is proud to be recognized for our long-standing commitments to progressing gender equity throughout our company and communities in which we operate," said Jyoti Chopra, Chief People, Inclusion and Sustainability Officer at MGM Resorts International. "As a leader in our industry, we strive to foster a diverse workplace where everyone can achieve their full potential, regardless of gender."
Programs highlighting MGM Resorts' year-long efforts in achieving gender equity include the Accelerated Leadership Program, Professional Women Employee Network Group and Mentorship Program. The Company is also a founding sponsor of the annual Women's Leadership Conference, bringing together a diverse community of professionals seeking to improve their leadership competencies.
These efforts are part of Focused On What Matters, MGM Resorts' larger commitment to embracing humanity and protecting the planet.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 32 unique hotel and gaming destinations globally, including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. The Company's 50/50 venture, BetMGM, LLC, offers U.S. sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands, including BetMGM and partypoker, and the Company's subsidiary LeoVegas AB offers sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands in several jurisdictions throughout Europe. The Company is currently pursuing targeted expansion in Asia through the integrated resort opportunity in Japan. Through its "Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet" philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make a bigger difference in the lives of its employees, guests, and in the communities where it operates. The global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgmresorts.com. Please also connect with us @MGMResortsIntl on Twitter as well as Facebook and Instagram.
About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration.
For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.
MGM RESORTS CONTACTS:
Michael Haddad
Social Impact & Sustainability Communications Manager
mhaddad@mgmresorts.com
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SOURCE MGM Resorts International | 2023-01-31T17:18:01+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/01/31/mgm-resorts-international-recognized-workplace-gender-equity-by-bloomberg/ |
Feds: Ghislaine Maxwell deserves at least 30 years in prison
NEW YORK (AP) — British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell should spend at least 30 years in prison for her role in the sexual abuse of teenage girls over a 10-year period by her onetime boyfriend, financier Jeffrey Epstein, prosecutors said Wednesday in written arguments.
Prosecutors said she should serve between 30 years and 55 years in prison, reflecting the federal sentencing guidelines. They made their recommendations to the judge who will preside over a sentencing hearing on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court.
The 60-year-old Maxwell was convicted in December of sex trafficking and other crimes after a month-long trial that featured testimony from four women who said they were abused in their teens.
Defense lawyers said in a sentencing submission last week that she should spend no more than five years in prison and shouldn’t pay for Epstein’s crimes, since he was the mastermind and principal abuser and “orchestrated the crimes for his personal gratification.” Epstein took his own life in 2019 in jail as he awaited a Manhattan federal sex trafficking trial.
But prosecutors said Maxwell played an “instrumental role in the horrific sexual abuse of multiple young teenage girls” between 1994 and 2004 at some of Epstein’s palatial residences. They called her crimes “monstrous.”
“As part of a disturbing agreement with Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell identified, groomed, and abused multiple victims, while she enjoyed a life of extraordinary luxury and privilege. In her wake, Maxwell left her victims permanently scarred with emotional and psychological injuries,” prosecutors wrote.
“That damage can never be undone, but it can be accounted for in crafting a just sentence for Maxwell’s crimes,” they added.
Prosecutors also urged the judge to reject Maxwell’s pleas for leniency on the grounds that she has suffered in extraordinary ways in jail while awaiting trial and afterward. Defense lawyers said she has faced death threats and harsh conditions that have caused her to lose hair and weight.
Maxwell’s appearance at trial proved those claims were wrong, prosecutors said, adding: “The defendant is perfectly healthy, with a full head of hair.”
They said Maxwell “has enjoyed remarkable privileges as a high-profile inmate that vastly exceed the benefits accorded to the average inmate. It is unsurprising that a woman who had led a life of incredible luxury should complain about her life as a prisoner, but that fact does not come close to meriting leniency at sentencing, much less the extraordinary degree of leniency the defendant seeks.”
Prosecutors also attacked claims by Maxwell’s lawyers that she suffered “a credible death threat” in jail, saying that an internal probe of the purported threat revealed that an inmate remarked to someone in passing something to the effect of: “I’d kill her if someone paid me a million dollars.” As a result, they said, someone who overheard the remark reported it and the inmate was moved from the housing unit.
They also cited what they described as Maxwell’s “complete failure to address her offense conduct and her utter lack of remorse. Instead of showing even a hint of acceptance of responsibility, the defendant makes a desperate attempt to cast blame wherever else she can.”
Maxwell’s efforts to cast aspersions on the motives of the government for prosecuting her and her claim that she is being held responsible for Epstein’s crimes are “absurd and offensive,” prosecutors said.
“Maxwell was an adult who made her own choices. She made the choice to sexually exploit numerous underage girls. She made the choice to conspire with Epstein for years, working as partners in crime and causing devastating harm to vulnerable victims,” they said.
Prosecutors said nearly all of the $22.5 million in assets that Maxwell claimed in a bail proposal that was never granted was given to her by Epstein.
“The defendant’s access to wealth enabled her to present herself as a supposedly respectable member of society, who rubbed shoulders with royalty, presidents, and celebrities. That same wealth dazzled the girls from struggling families who became the defendant and Epstein’s victims,” prosecutors said.
The sentencing submission also included quotes from letters written to the judge by women who testified during the trial, including Kate, an ex-model from Great Britain who said “the consequences of what Ghislaine Maxwell did have been far reaching for me.”
“I have struggled with, and eventually triumphed over, substance use disorder. I have suffered panic attacks and night terrors, with which I still struggle. I have suffered low self esteem, loss of career opportunities. I have battled greatly with feeling unable to trust my own instincts, in choosing romantic relationships,” she wrote.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-23T05:58:49+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2022/06/23/feds-ghislaine-maxwell-deserves-least-30-years-prison/ |
CHICAGO (AP) — On an early morning in June, Flower Nichols and her mother set off on an expedition to Chicago from their home in Indianapolis.
The family was determined to make it feel like an adventure in the city, though that wasn’t the primary purpose of the trip.
The following afternoon, Flower and Jennilyn Nichols would see a doctor at the University of Chicago to learn whether they could keep Flower, 11, on puberty blockers. They began to search for medical providers outside of Indiana after April 5, when Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a law banning transgender minors from accessing puberty blockers and other hormone therapies, even after the approval of parents and the advice of doctors.
At least 20 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for trans minors, though most are embroiled in legal challenges. For more than a decade prior, such treatments were available to children and teens across the U.S. and have been endorsed by major medical associations.
Opponents of gender-affirming care say there’s no solid proof of purported benefits, cite widely discredited research and say children shouldn’t make life-altering decisions they might regret. Advocates and families impacted by the recent laws say such care is vital for trans kids.
On June 16, a federal judge blocked parts of Indiana’s law from going into effect on July 1. But many patients still scrambled to continue receiving treatment.
Jennilyn Nichols wanted their trip to Chicago to be defined by happy memories. They would explore the Museum of Science and Industry and, on the way home, stop at a beloved candy store.
Preserving a sense of normalcy, she decided — well, that’s just what families do.
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Families in Indiana, Mississippi and other states are navigating new laws that imply or sometimes directly accuse parents of child abuse for supporting their kids in getting health care.
Some trans children and teens say the bans send the message that they cannot be themselves. That leaves parents looking for out-of-state medical care that can help their children to thrive.
“What transgender expansive young people need is what all young people need: They need love and support, and they need unconditional respect,” said Robert Marx, an assistant professor of child and adolescent development at San José State University. Marx studies support systems for LGBTQ+ and trans people aged 13 to 25. “They need to feel included and part of a family.”
Some families in Indiana have turned to the support group GEKCO, founded by Krisztina Inskeep, whose adult son is transgender.
“I think most parents want to do best by their kids,” Inskeep said. “It’s rather new to people, this idea that gender is not just a binary and that your kid is not just who they thought at birth.”
The perceptions of most parents, Marx said, do not align neatly with the extremes of full support or rejection of their kids’ identities.
——
On June 13, Flower and Jennilyn left Indianapolis with a care plan from Indiana University’s Riley Children’s Hospital, the state’s only gender clinic. The decision to start puberty blockers two years ago wasn’t one the family took lightly.
Jennilyn recalled asking early on whether her daughter’s gender expression was permanent. Ultimately, she listened to her daughter and learned that it was never in doubt.
Conversations between Flower and her mother are often marked by uncommon candor.
“Before I knew you and before I walked this journey with you,” Jennilyn told her, “I would not have thought that a kid would know they were trans or that a kid would just come out wired that way.”
Now, Jennilyn said her worries have shifted to Flower’s spelling skills or how she’ll navigate crushes, seeing her early anxieties as irrational.
Flower said she and her parents make medical decisions together because, “of course, they can’t decide on a medicine for me to take.”
“At the same time, you can’t pick a medicine that we can’t afford to pay for or that, you know, might harm you,” Jennilyn responded.
—— In Mississippi, a ban on gender-affirming care became law in the state on Feb. 28 — prompting a father and his trans son to leave the state at the end of July so the teenager can find health care in Virginia.
Ray Walker, a 17-year-old honor student, lives with his mother, Katie Rives, in a suburb of Jackson. His parents are divorced, but his father also lived in the area.
When Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed the bill banning hormone therapy for anyone younger than 18, he accused “radical activists” of pushing a “sick and twisted ideology that seeks to convince our kids they’re in the wrong body.”
As the provision of gender-affirming care became scarce and was later outlawed, Walker’s father, who declined to be interviewed, accepted a job in Virginia. Rives, however, is staying in Mississippi with her two younger children.
Walker’s memories of the anguished period when he started puberty at 12 still haunt him. “My body couldn’t handle what was happening to it,” he said.
After a yearslong process of evaluations, then puberty blockers and hormone injections, Walker said his self-image improved. Then came the ban.
“Mississippi is my home, but there are a lot of conflicting feelings when your home is actively telling you that it doesn’t want you in it,” Walker said.
The family sees no alternative. As Walker’s moving date approaches, Rives savors the moments they share. She says she still feels lucky, as not all families are able to afford to travel out of state.
“We know that’s an incredibly privileged position to be in,” Rives said.
——
Flower’s favorite activities are often less inflected with politics than with her status as a soon-to-be teenager. She’s a Girl Scout who enjoys catching Pokemon with her 7-year-old brother Parker. Over a milk shake and vegan grilled cheese at a Chicago diner, she offered a joyful take on their itinerary.
“First of all, we’re going be able to chill at the hotel in the morning,” Flower explained. “Second of all, there’s a park nearby that we can have a lot of fun in. Third of all, we might have a backup plan, which is really exciting. And fourth of all: Candy store!”
The appointment the next day gave them another reason to celebrate: If care was not available in Indiana, they could get it in Illinois.
“Indiana could do whatever the hell they’re going to do,” Jennilyn said, “and we can just come here.”
___
Arleigh Rodgers reported from Chicago and Indianapolis. Michael Goldberg reported from Jackson. Rodgers and Goldberg are corps members 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. | 2023-07-10T14:33:09+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-families-with-transgender-kids-are-increasingly-forced-to-travel-out-of-state-for-the-care-they-need-2/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run home run in his return to the lineup, Ryan McKenna had his first three-hit game and an RBI, and the surging Baltimore Orioles improved to 9-4 in August by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-3 Monday night.
“Really happy with how we played tonight,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
Baltimore (60-55) reached 60 wins in a season for the first time since going 75-87 in 2017. The Orioles didn’t win more than 54 games in any of the past three full seasons. Baltimore is fourth in the race for one of three AL wild-card spots.
Mountcastle sat out Sunday’s loss at Tampa Bay after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch Saturday. He reached base three times Monday, walking in the first and fifth innings and homering off Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi in the third.
“It was great to see him back in the lineup today,” Hyde said.
Mountcastle left without speaking to reporters.
Five of Mountcastle’s 16 home runs this season have come against the Blue Jays. He has 12 home runs and 25 RBI against Toronto since the start of 2021. He also homered off Kikuchi in his last start, a week ago in Baltimore.
“He’s a great player, a great hitter, especially in Toronto,” Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish said. “Any time he gets up to bat, he can do damage.”
Bradish allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings and Bryan Baker (4-3) worked 1 1/3 innings for the win.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 24th home run as the struggling Blue Jays (61-53) lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Toronto outfielder George Springer was activated off the injured list after missing eight games because of a sore right elbow. The Blue Jays went 2-6 without him.
Springer led off and started at designated hitter Monday, going 2 for 4 with a walk and scoring once. Springer’s elbow is still too sore to throw, preventing him from playing defense for now.
Baltimore didn’t have a baserunner until the ninth inning in Sunday’s 4-1 loss at Tampa Bay, when Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen was perfect through eight. Getting on the board early Monday was a relief to Hyde.
“We had a tough series in Tampa,” Hyde said. “It was a tough last two games there and there was a lot of disappointment. For us to score right away in the first inning, for me, that was big.”
Kikuchi (4-7) allowed a season-high six runs, three earned, and four hits in 3 1/3 innings, losing for the sixth time in 11 starts.
“It’s frustrating for us, but I thought overall his stuff was OK,” interim manager John Schneider said of Kikuchi.
Some in the crowd of 26,769 booed when Kikuchi was removed after McKenna’s RBI double in the fourth.
Anthony Santander hit an RBI single off Kikuchi in the first, and Mountcastle made it 3-0 with his drive into the second deck in left field in the third. Toronto’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr. cut it to 3-2 with a bases-loaded single in the bottom half.
Tyler Nevin’s fielder’s choice made it 4-2 in the fourth and, after McKenna chased Kikuchi, Adley Rutschman greeted right-hander Trevor Richards with a sacrifice fly.
Orioles infielder Terrin Vavra added a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Guerrero replied in the bottom half.
ALL PRESENT
Santander and left-hander Keegan Akin missed Baltimore’s visit to Toronto in June because they were not vaccinated against COVID-19. The Orioles lost two of three that series, falling to 28-37. They’re 32-18 since.
In late July, the Orioles announced that every player on the 40-man roster was vaccinated. Baltimore has one more series in Toronto, Sept. 16-18.
ROSTER MOVES
Blue Jays OF Bradley Zimmer was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Springer.
RUDE RECEPTION
Orioles infielder Rougned Odor was booed throughout his pinch-hit appearance in the eighth, a ground out to first. Odor served a seven-game suspension after he punched Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista during a May 2016 game in Texas.
HELP COMING?
Schneider said the Blue Jays are close to a minor league deal with free agent utilityman Yoshi Tsutsugo. Pittsburgh released Tsutsugo, a left-handed batter, in early August after he hit .171 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 50 games. Tsutsugo previously played for Tampa Bay and the Dodgers.
UP NEXT
Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (4-4, 3.69) starts Tuesday against Blue Jays RHP Alek Manoah (12-5, 2.56). Manoah is 2-0 with a 2.96 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore, with 34 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-08-16T03:33:37+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mountcastle-hrs-surging-orioles-beat-struggling-jays-7-3/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
NEW YORK, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. ("Innovative Industrial Properties") (NYSE: IIPR) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors who purchased between May 7, 2020 and April 13, 2022.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Innovative Industrial Properties, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Innovative Industrial Properties includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Innovative Industrial Properties' focus is to be a cannabis company lender rather than a REIT; (2) that the true values of the Company's properties are significantly lower than Innovative Industrial Properties represents; (3) there are existential issues in its top customers; (4) as a result, its top customers may not be able to continue making payments to Innovative Industrial Properties and the Company would face significant issues replacing these customers; and (5) as a result, defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
DEADLINE: June 24, 2022
Aggrieved Innovative Industrial Properties investors only have until June 24, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong | 2022-06-20T11:10:25+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/06/20/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-innovative-industrial-properties-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-june-24-2022/ |
*October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month*
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
There's a wealth of information about breast cancer out there, which can be extremely helpful but also overwhelming. Breast cancer is not a one size fits all journey so it's imperative to gather your family's comprehensive health history and talk to your doctor about your own personal health history and everyday lifestyle choices to better understand your risks for breast cancer.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9059451-invitae-navigating-personal-risks-for-breast-cancer/
The management plan you choose to take should be informed by three overarching factors:
- Family History. If your family has a history of cancer, it's critical for your doctor to know that.
- Personal History. Cancer risks are truly personal, and your health history can impact your risk assessment and potential care you need.
- Your Genes. An individual's genetics can have significant implications for their own health and the health of their children and family, so it's important to ask your doctor if genetic testing might be right for you. 1 in 8 patients with cancer has a gene variant, a change in their DNA, that increases the risk for cancer and can be passed down through their family; and one-third of patients with high-risk variants could benefit from different, more tailored cancer treatment after genetic testing.
On October 4th, Dr. Robert Nussbaum, Chief Medical Officer at Invitae provided an educational overview on how to assess risks for breast cancer and why genetic testing can be very effective for gathering necessary insights to help navigate proactive and reactive care.
For more information please visit: www.invitae.com and consult with your doctor if you're interested in genetic testing.
Dr. Nussbaum is a medical geneticist and researcher who has devoted his life to using the power of genetics to improve human health. He is a board-certified internist and medical geneticist who holds a A.B. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard College and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in the Harvard-MIT joint program in Health Sciences and Technology. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and a fellowship in medical genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine.
His contributions to genetic science include work leading to the discovery of the first gene behind an inherited form of Parkinson's disease as well as helping to establish the National Human Genome Research Institute laboratories in Bethesda, one of the National Institutes of Health, where he served as chief of the Genetic Disease Research Branch from 1994 to 2006. Later in his career, he specialized in clinical genetics at the University of California San Francisco where he was chief of the Division of Genomic Medicine at UCSF Health, and also held leadership roles in the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, the Program in Cardiovascular Genetics and the UCSF Institute for Human Genetics. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
His research and vision for the future of precision medicine is sought out regularly in esteemed forums, from The New York Times to The National Academy of Sciences. A champion for advancing genetic science and reducing barriers to testing, he joined Invitae as the company's chief medical officer in 2015 with a desire to help make genetic testing affordable and accessible to all who can benefit from it.
Produced for: Invitae
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SOURCE Invitae | 2022-10-11T00:34:48+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/10/what-look-when-navigating-personal-risks-breast-cancer/ |
For the third year, Tiny Desk concerts team up with globalFEST for a thrilling online music festival — Tiny Desk meets globalFEST.
Hosted by Angélique Kidjo, the series echoes globalFEST's live flagship event in spirit but is centered in the framework of the Tiny Desk concert series. This collaboration presents exclusive video performances from nine artists filmed in their respective homelands, on the road and in exile all over the world. There will be three nights of concerts, each featuring three bands, on consecutive nights beginning Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. ET. The globalFEST team wrote the following biographical information about each performer.
Septeto Santiaguero, Cuba
Septeto Santiaguero was founded in 1995 by members of Melodías de Ayer, a group formed in the early 1960s, together with the Estudiantina Invasora and the Cuarteto Patria, had for over three decades animated many a day and night at the Casa de la Trova in Santiago de Cuba. In 1993 and 1994, a number of young musicians from other septets — such as Sones de Oriente and Septeto Luz — joined Melodías de Ayer, and Fernando Dewar, a tres player, took over the leadership of the group. Seeking to return to their roots, the group decided to give up the mambos and stick to the discipline of the traditional septet: guitar, tres, bongo, clave, maracas, acoustic bass and trumpet, with the addition of the drum, which it retained in honor of Arsenio Rodríguez. In the Santiago de Cuba style, the two singers maintain the first and second harmony with equal emphasis. The group preserves and pays homage to one of Cuba's most important musical forms, with a vitality demonstrating that the septeto tradition is still fresh and alive in Santiago de Cuba today.
SET LIST
MUSICIANS
CREDITS
Bia Ferreira, Brazil
Bia Ferreira is a Brazilian singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and activist. Her music, which she defines as "MMP — Música de Mulher Preta," discusses topics such as feminism, anti-racism and homophobia. She makes music that harnesses a combination of funky beats, reggae and soulful ballad grooves while lyrically pushing her listeners toward the discomfort that generates "movemente," or action. Her lyrics have been described as "escrevivência," a term Conceição Evaristo uses to "tell our stories from our perspectives." It represents the subjectivity of a Black woman in Brazilian society.
SET LIST
MUSICIANS
CREDITS
Moonlight Benjamin, Haiti / France
Moonlight Benjamin describes her music as a blend of vodou and rock and roll. Born in Haiti and living in France, she is both a vodou priestess and a powerful singer-songwriter with an impressive vocal range. Benjamin's sounds are both thrilling and thoughtful.
SET LIST
MUSICIANS
CREDITS
TINY DESK TEAM
GLOBALFEST TEAM
FUNDERS:
SPECIAL THANKS:
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-02-10T00:55:25+00:00 | kvpr.org | https://www.kvpr.org/npr-news/2023-01-25/tiny-desk-meets-globalfest-septeto-santiaguero-bia-ferreira-moonlight-benjamin |
Nearly a year after their lives were shattered when a man drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, dozens of people who were hurt or saw their loved ones killed or injured unleashed raw emotions and anger in court Tuesday as they begged the judge to put the driver away for life.
Darrell Brooks Jr. drove his red Ford Escape through the parade in downtown Waukesha on Nov. 21, 2021. Six people were killed, including an 8-year-old boy who was marching with his baseball team and three members of a group known as the Dancing Grannies. Scores of others were injured.
A jury convicted Brooks last month of 76 charges, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide and 61 counts of reckless endangerment. Tuesday’s sentencing hearing marked the first time victims and survivors could address Brooks, who rolled his eyes at some of their comments.
“I feel gutted and broken. It hurts to breathe sometimes,” said Sheri Sparks, the mother of Jackson Sparks, the 8-year-old who was killed. “My mama’s soul aches for him.” She said that Brooks “violently ripped Jackson from our lives.”
One by one, Sparks and others recounted the horrors of the crash. They talked about having nightmares and reliving the screams of mothers searching for their children. They described painful injuries, surgeries, survivor’s guilt and depression. More than one parent said Brooks ran over children like “speed bumps”; multiple people said he was“evil.”
Aliesha Kulich, 18, is the daughter of Jane Kulich, who was among the people killed. She described looking for her mother in a hospital and seeing children bleeding and screaming in the waiting room. She said Brooks’ conviction “doesn’t do crap for me” and won’t bring back her mother, who never saw her go to prom or graduate, and won’t see her get married.
“I’ve never felt so alone,” Aliesha Kulich said through tears. “I never thought I’d be capable of feeling this much pain in my life.”
Brooks, 40, almost certainly will spend the rest of his life in prison, since each homicide count carries a mandatory life sentence. District Attorney Susan Opper asked that the sentences be consecutive so they stack up “just as he stacked victims up as he drove down the road.”
Nearly everyone who spoke Tuesday asked Judge Jennifer Dorow to give Brooks the maximum penalty when she sentences him Wednesday.
“All I ask is you rot, and you rot slow,” Chris Owen, son of Leanna Owen, one of the Dancing Grannies who was killed, said Tuesday.
Sparks talked about how her boys were marching in the parade with their baseball team, the Waukesha Blazers.
After the red SUV plowed through the crowd, she ran toward her boys. She saw Jackson in the arms of a police officer who was running to get him medical attention. She found Tucker, 12, under a blanket — first identifying him by his shoes.
Both boys had traumatic head and brain injuries. Sparks told the judge it was “gut wrenching” to have to tell Tucker that his brother was not going to make it, saying the older boy blamed himself and felt he should’ve “done more to protect his little brother.”
Jessica Gonzalez, who was at the parade with her children, tearfully told the court her family was unharmed physically but is emotionally and mentally scarred. Her son was on Jackson Sparks’ baseball team, and when she saw the SUV, she ran toward the team, screaming for her son.
“I found Jackson first,” she said, as she cried. “I saw his little body in his Blazers jersey. His eyes looking up. Looking nowhere. I knew he was hurt badly.”
She said she heard other children crying “Mom!” from many directions, and finally found her son. She said she has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder that has forced her to quit her job as a teacher.
“The toll this event has taken on everyone, physical or not, is tremendous,” she said.
Dorow plans to resume the sentencing hearing at noon Wednesday, saying she expects three people, including Brooks’ mother, to speak on his behalf. Brooks also plans to make a statement before he is sentenced.
Brooks chose to represent himself during his monthlong trial, which was punctuated by his erratic outbursts. He refused to answer to his own name, frequently interrupted Dorow and often refused to stop talking. The judge often had bailiffs move him to another courtroom where he could participate via video but she could mute his microphone.
Brooks was handcuffed Tuesday as he sat at the defense table in orange jail garb orange and a surgical mask. At times he shook his head or looked down with his hands clasped.
He was briefly removed from the courtroom after asking the judge if he could respond to one of the victim statements. The judge denied the request and Brooks started talking over her. When Dorow warned him he was on the verge of being removed he responded: “Come with it.”
After interrupting Opper’s statement, Brooks apologized to the judge for disrespecting the court. Dorow replied: “I think the apology needs to be made to the victims, sir.”
Tuesday’s hearing was paused for more than an hour after the judge took an abrupt, unexplained break. The sheriff later released a statement saying that an unknown caller had threatened a mass shooting. Security at the courthouse was increased.
__
Forliti reported from Minneapolis; Richmond reported from Madison, Wisconsin. | 2022-11-16T02:52:24+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-victims-ready-to-speak-at-christmas-parade-crash-sentencing/ |
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Block, Inc. ("Block" or the "Company") (NYSE: SQ).
Class Period: November 4, 2021 – April 4, 2022
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 12, 2022
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Block lawsuit, you can submit your contact information at www.glancylaw.com/cases/block-inc/. You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at shareholders@glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that the Company lacked adequate protocols restricting access to customer sensitive information; (2) that, as a result, a former employee was able to download certain reports of the Company's subsidiary, Cash App Investing, containing full customer names and brokerage account numbers, as well as brokerage portfolio value, brokerage portfolio holdings and/or stock trading activity; (3) that, as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to suffer significant damage, including reputational harm; (4) and that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendant's positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Charles Linehan, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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SOURCE Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP | 2022-11-04T18:13:38+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/11/04/sq-investors-have-opportunity-lead-block-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ |
As New Hampshire lawmakers prepare to consider bills aimed at banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth, local medical providers and mental health professionals are pushing back — saying the proposed legislation is not based in science and would be damaging to vulnerable young people.
New Hampshire-based providers said access to medical care that affirms their gender identity — and a supportive social environment — can make a huge difference in the mental health of trans youth, who struggle with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.
Harvey Feldman, a New Hampshire-based therapist who works with LGBTQ youth, said the mere existence of these proposals can take a toll, even when they don’t pass.
“There's lots of questions coming up about, ‘What does this mean for me?’ ‘What if I can't get care?’ ‘What if the care that I am getting gets taken away from me?’” Feldman said. “You know, there's a lot of stress and anxiety and worry.”
This is not the first time, he added, “that we have to go to the state Legislature and essentially ask to be able to exist.”
Conservative state lawmakers across the U.S. have increasingly sought to restrict access to this kind of care in recent years, as part of a larger push to restrict the rights of trans youth.
The ban on gender-affirming care for minors in New Hampshire is included in a sweeping Republican-sponsored bill before New Hampshire lawmakers Tuesday, which would also prohibit trans students in K-12 schools from using the bathrooms that align with their gender identities, among other restrictions. Another Republican bill also scheduled for a public hearing Tuesday would define gender-affirming care as child abuse.
Democrats have put forward their own bill protecting access to gender-affirming care, which will also be heard Tuesday.
Gender-affirming care has the backing of major medical groups including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association and the Endocrine Society.
For youth, this kind of care could involve counseling, drugs that delay the onset of puberty and hormone therapy later in adolescence.
Research has found that gender-affirming care is associated with better mental health outcomes, including decreases in depression and anxiety and fewer suicide attempts.
People “experience a tremendous amount of relief — and a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, distress, depression — when they can align who they are with their body,” Feldman said. Banning that care would have a “catastrophic” impact on the mental health of people who need it, he added.
“I think if we were talking about someone who had juvenile diabetes, and then was not allowed to access insulin, we could understand,” Feldman said.
In written testimony opposing one of the proposed bans in New Hampshire, Caroline Callery, a registered nurse at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center’s pediatric endocrinology department, described similar impacts.
“Most of the patients I initially meet are hurting, they are depressed, anxious and sometimes suicidal,” Callery wrote. “After getting on these life-saving medications such as puberty blockers, to delay puberty and give them the time to decide what is right for their own bodies, I personally see these adolescents experience a metamorphosis.”
Dr. Jack Turco is an endocrinologist who co-directs Dartmouth Health’s transgender and gender-diverse health program. Withholding gender-affirming care, he said, would violate his ethical obligation as a doctor to do no harm.
“We have very good data to show that without being supported, these children and families have a lot of potential for negative outcomes,” he said.
Susan Stearns, the executive director of the New Hampshire chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, echoed Feldman’s concerns about the impact of legislative debates over trans rights on youth.
She mentioned a 2021 poll commissioned by national LGBTQ advocacy group The Trevor Project, which found 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth surveyed said debates about such restrictions had been detrimental to their mental health.
“There's no question that our youth are listening, and our youth are well aware of these bills, here in New Hampshire, and across the country,” Stearns said.
People experiencing a mental health crisis in New Hampshire can call or text 833-710-6477 for the state’s Rapid Response Access Point or 988 for the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Trevor Project also offers access to counselors. | 2023-03-07T16:41:57+00:00 | mainepublic.org | https://www.mainepublic.org/2023-03-06/bans-on-gender-affirming-care-would-have-a-catastrophic-impact-on-lgbtq-youth-in-nh-health-providers-warn |
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A local hairstylist named Tina Ortiz is battling cancer, and some are hoping the community will rally around her.
The fundraiser will be this Saturday, June 3, at the Elks Lodge starting at 5:30 p.m.
One ticket costs $20, and two cost $35. All proceeds will go toward Tina’s medical bills.
Carney Porter: Well, joining us now is Dawn Thompson. She’s here to spread the word about an upcoming event that she and many others hope will make a great impact to one special Wichitan. Thank you so much for joining us.
Dawn Thompson: Yes, thank you so much for having me.
Carney Porter: Of course. Well the event is called Turn Out for Tina. So tell us a little bit about Tina and her situation right now.
Dawn Thompson: So Tina has been doing hair here for 26 years in Wichita Falls, Burk and Wichita Falls, Texas. And she, her and her sister both had cancer. Her sister passed away, and she is now fighting it. So they’re having a fundraiser just to help with medical bills.
And I called her up the other day and I said, what would you want the viewers to know? And she said, ‘I’m really accepting prayers that I make it to my daughter’s wedding on- in December.’
She really wants to be here for that. And it just I- just touched my heart. And she’s and she wanted everybody to know life’s short and get out there and live your dream.
Carney Porter: Yeah, and enjoy, you know, an event like this. Get out. Even if, you know, you’re just there to have a good time and just kind of rally more so than anything. And just be someone who’s supportive to her. I’m sure that even counts so much more than they know.
Dawn Thompson: Absolutely. I know that they’re going to have a live auction, and they’re having music. It’s going to be a really fun time at the Elks. You know, you can’t go wrong with that food, can you? And if, by chance, if you cannot help, they have something set up at Revive Salon that people can donate to.
Carney Porter: That’d be great. But like you said, tickets are going to be one for $20, correct? Yes. Or two for $35.
Dawn Thompson: Yes.
Carney Porter: Gotcha. And it’s going to go all towards her and her family helping towards those medical bills. It’s going to be money well spent. And I know something that is very appreciated and a weight lifted off of your shoulders. If you could give anyone one last push to make sure they get out there and show their support, what would you say right now?
Dawn Thompson: You know, we’re all in it together, and we- we never know when we could be affected by something like this. So let’s all just- together, we rise and let’s come out and let’s celebrate Tina and her life and help her and her family.
Carney Porter: Absolutely. Make sure we’re a supportive community. Thank you so much for joining us.
Dawn Thompson: Thank you for having me.
Carney Porter: Of course. We’ll be right back. | 2023-06-01T23:27:21+00:00 | texomashomepage.com | https://www.texomashomepage.com/events/fundraiser-planned-for-local-woman-battling-cancer/ |
DARIEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The McDonald’s meals at a Connecticut location are going viral for all the wrong reasons — and no, it has nothing to do with the disturbing Grimace Birthday Meal TikTok trend.
The meals — which included a Big Mac combo and a Quarter Pounder combo — were selling for $17.59 (Big Mac meal) and $17.99 (Quarter Pounder meal) at a McDonald’s restaurant on Interstate 95 in the town of Darien, photos shared by Twitter user Sam Learner appeared to show.
Just a Big Mac alone was going for $8.29, according to Learner’s photos.
“This was at a rest stop, but these McDonald’s prices are nuts right???” Learner wrote in his Twitter post, which has been viewed over 300,000 times since it was posted on Tuesday afternoon.
He also provided a link to the restaurant’s online menu, so other users could “see/gawk at the prices for yourselves.”
The photos have since sparked outrage on Twitter, though some noted that McDonald’s prices at highway rest stops are always inflated.
“Yes it’s nuts. But! How much is the rent for his location at this rest stop[?]” one user asked. “That’s probably where the money is going.”
“I wouldn’t pay half that for any McDonald’s hamburger or combo meals,” another said.
According to McCheapest — a website that tracks the price of a Big Mac at every McDonald’s location across the country — the cost of a Big Mac at a northbound I-95 rest stop in Darien is about $8. But as Learner claimed, the specific restaurant he visited was on the southbound side, and its price ($8.29) is not currently listed on McCheapest.
Many restaurant prices on McCheapest were also last updated in February, so it’s unclear if the pricing information on the platform is still accurate.
Even still, the prices at the Darien location where Learner allegedly too the photo appeared to be quite steep all around, according to its online menu (via the McDonald’s app). That particular location also charges $18.29 for a 10-piece McNuggets meal, and $8.99 for a children’s hamburger Happy Meal.
Nexstar’s WTNH reached out to the restaurant to confirm the menu prices.
According to the company’s website, McDonald’s allows its franchisees to set their own prices on menu items.
The coastal town of Darien, located in Fairfield County, is one of the wealthiest in Connecticut with a median household income of just over $250,000, according to U.S. Census data. | 2023-07-20T19:50:11+00:00 | keloland.com | https://www.keloland.com/news/national-world-news/big-mac-big-bucks-photo-of-mcdonalds-prices-at-connecticut-restaurant-go-viral-on-twitter/ |
PARIS (AP) — A French court on Tuesday convicted eight people charged in connection with a truck attack more than six years ago by an Islamic State sympathizer that killed 86 people celebrating Bastille Day in the French Riviera city of Nice.
The judge’s verdict followed 3 1/2 months of sometimes heart-wrenching testimony from survivors of the 2016 attack, who during the trial described the horrors and carnage they witnessed that Thursday summer night and the impact on their lives since.
The driver of the truck that plowed into crowds watching fireworks, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was killed by police the night of the attack.
The eight defendants, seven men and one woman, were convicted of helping him orchestrate a terrorist attack. The judge gave them prison sentences ranging from two to 18 years. Prosecutors had acknowledged not all of them had a clear connection to terrorism or knew what Lahouaiej-Bouhlel planned.
The pair most closely associated with Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, Mohamed Ghraeib and Chokri Chafroud, were convicted of terror charges and handed the longest sentences of 18 years.
The prosecution said both had had “an intense relationship” with Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. Ghraieb had known the attacker for 15 years, attended the same gym and haf 1,278 telephone communications with him in one year.
Ghraieb’s lawyer, Vincent Brengarth, said his client would appeal.
Attack survivors reacted positively to the judge’s verdict.
“I am satisfied to see that the two main defendants have been sentenced to 18 years in prison, even if it is nothing compared to what we have experienced,” said survivor Laurence Bray. “This verdict is a relief. Now, there will be a big void.”
“It won’t bring my family back, my mom, my son, but it’s a small victory that feels good,” Caroline Villani, another survivor, said.
Others defendants who were convicted on Tuesday were said to know the perpetrator’s plans more vaguely, such as Ramzi Arefa. He was convicted of selling the attacker a weapon while allegedly not knowing his terrorist intentions. Arefa received a 12-year prison sentence.
The trial was painful for survivors and victims’ families. Some were able to come to Paris for the proceedings, but many watched on a secured online site or at a special viewing center set up near the Nice beachfront.
Among the victims, 33 were foreign citizens and 15 were children. More than 2,400 people are civil parties to the trial.
On July 14, 2016, thousands of people had packed Nice’s famed boardwalk on the Mediterranean coast to celebrate France’s national holiday. In 4 minutes and 17 seconds, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel rammed his 19-ton truck at full speed into a crowd of families, tourists and others on the picturesque Promenade des Anglais, killing 86 and leaving 450 others injured.
While investigators found Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had vocalized support for the Islamic State group, they found no clear proof of his links to IS operatives. The group was active in Syria and Iraq at the time.
The truck massacre followed deadly attacks in Paris at the Bataclan theater and other sites in France and Belgium orchestrated by the extremist group. | 2022-12-14T03:25:31+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/international/ap-8-in-france-convicted-of-roles-in-bastille-day-truck-attack/ |
HERSHEY, Pa., Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced today that Marlene Creighton has been named as Global Chief Sales Officer, effective September 5, 2022. After 26 years with Hershey, Phil Stanley, currently serving in this role, will transition out of the company to pursue his next opportunity following a very successful sales career at Hershey.
"In her four years at Hershey, Marlene has led incremental growth with our retail partners and is spearheading our commercial strategy as part of our company's Snacking Powerhouse vision. Her energy and passion for building diverse and inclusive teams, developing people and driving new capabilities are a perfect match for our growth ambition and employee experience," said Michele Buck, The Hershey Company President and CEO. "I want to thank Phil for the legacy he has built here at Hershey to set us up for success in the future. From his earliest days on the retail floor to building our category management capabilities and partnering with our longstanding retail partners, his energy and influence have been felt across the company."
Marlene brings more than 20 years of CPG experience working across sales, category management and brands with P&G, Unilever and now Hershey. Throughout her career, she has a track record of building winning partnerships inside and outside of the company with retail partners and community organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club and Champion for Kids. She is an advocate for mentoring and dedicates time to helping colleagues develop personally and professionally. Most importantly, Marlene is a mom, and she spends as much time as she can volunteering for her children's school and sports activities.
"As Hershey's Chief Global Sales Officer, alongside our extremely talented sales organization, I am committed to continuing to strengthen our relationships across the business and with our retail partners," said Marlene. "I want to thank Phil for all he has done to shape our sales team and lead our category. Building from a position of strength, we have so much potential in front of us, and I can't wait to get started."
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has approximately 19,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 100 brand names in approximately 80 countries around the world that drive more than $8.9 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers, and fast-growing salty snacks including SkinnyPop, Pirate's Booty and Dot's Pretzels.
For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed.
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SOURCE The Hershey Company | 2022-08-31T14:05:22+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/08/31/hershey-company-names-marlene-creighton-global-chief-sales-officer/ |
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 9-8-8, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Text messages, Instagram posts and TikTok profiles. Parents often caution their kids against sharing too much information online, weary about how all that data gets used. But one Texas high schooler wants to use that digital footprint to save lives.
Siddhu Pachipala is a senior at The Woodlands College Park High School, in a suburb outside Houston. He's been thinking about psychology since seventh grade, when he read Thinking, Fast and Slow by psychologist Daniel Kahneman.
Concerned about teen suicide, Pachipala saw a role for artificial intelligence in detecting risk before it's too late. In his view, it takes too long to get kids help when they're suffering.
Early warning signs of suicide, like persistent feelings of hopelessness, changes in mood and sleep patterns, are often missed by loved ones. "So it's hard to get people spotted," says Pachipala.
For a local science fair, he designed an app that uses AI to scan text for signs of suicide risk. He thinks it could, someday, help replace outdated methods of diagnosis.
"Our writing patterns can reflect what we're thinking, but it hasn't really been extended to this extent," he said.
The app won him national recognition, a trip to D.C., and a speech on behalf of his peers. It's one of many efforts under way to use AI to help young people with their mental health and to better identify when they're at risk.
Experts point out that this kind of AI, called natural language processing, has been around since the mid-1990s. And, it's not a panacea. "Machine learning is helping us get better. As we get more and more data, we're able to improve the system," says Matt Nock, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, who studies self-harm in young people. "But chat bots aren't going to be the silver bullet."
Colorado-based psychologist Nathaan Demers, who oversees mental health websites and apps, says that personalized tools like Pachipala's could help fill a void. "When you walk into CVS, there's that blood pressure cuff," Demers said. "And maybe that's the first time that someone realizes, 'Oh, I have high blood pressure. I had no idea.' "
He hasn't seen Pachipala's app but theorizes that innovations like his raise self-awareness about underlying mental health issues that might otherwise go unrecognized.
Building SuiSensor
Pachipala set himself to designing an app that someone could download to take a self-assessment of their suicide risk. They could use their results to advocate for their care needs and get connected with providers. After many late nights spent coding, he had SuiSensor.
Using sample data from a medical study, based on journal entries by adults, Pachipala said SuiSensor predicted suicide risk with 98% accuracy. Although it was only a prototype, the app could also generate a contact list of local clinicians.
In the fall of his senior year of high school, Pachipala entered his research into the Regeneron Science Talent Search, an 81-year-old national science and math competition.
There, panels of judges grilled him on his knowledge of psychology and general science with questions like: "Explain how pasta boils. ... OK, now let's say we brought that into space. What happens now?" Pachipala recalled. "You walked out of those panels and you were battered and bruised, but, like, better for it."
He placed ninth overall at the competition and took home a $50,000 prize.
The judges found that, "His work suggests that the semantics in an individual's writing could be correlated with their psychological health and risk of suicide." While the app is not currently downloadable, Pachipala hopes that, as an undergraduate at MIT, he can continue working on it.
"I think we don't do that enough: trying to address [suicide intervention] from an innovation perspective," he said. "I think that we've stuck to the status quo for a long time."
Current AI mental health applications
How does his invention fit into broader efforts to use AI in mental health? Experts note that there are many such efforts underway, and Matt Nock, for one, expressed concerns about false alarms. He applies machine learning to electronic health records to identify people who are at risk for suicide.
"The majority of our predictions are false positives," he said. "Is there a cost there? Does it do harm to tell someone that they're at risk of suicide when really they're not?"
And data privacy expert Elizabeth Laird has concerns about implementing such approaches in schools in particular, given the lack of research. She directs the Equity in Civic Technology Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT).
While acknowledging that "we have a mental health crisis and we should be doing whatever we can to prevent students from harming themselves," she remains skeptical about the lack of "independent evidence that these tools do that."
All this attention on AI comes as youth suicide rates (and risk) are on the rise. Although there's a lag in the data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults ages 10 to 24 in the U.S.
Efforts like Pachipala's fit into a broad range of AI-backed tools available to track youth mental health, accessible to clinicians and nonprofessionals alike. Some schools are using activity monitoring software that scans devices for warning signs of a student doing harm to themselves or others. One concern though, is that once these red flags surface, that information can be used to discipline students rather than support them, "and that that discipline falls along racial lines," Laird said.
According to a survey Laird shared, 70% of teachers whose schools use data-tracking software said it was used to discipline students. Schools can stay within the bounds of student record privacy laws, but fail to implement safeguards that protect them from unintended consequences, Laird said.
"The conversation around privacy has shifted from just one of legal compliance to what is actually ethical and right," she said. She points to survey data that shows nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ students report they've been outed, or know someone who has been outed, as a consequence of activity monitoring software.
Matt Nock, the Harvard researcher, recognizes the place of AI in crunching numbers. He uses machine learning technology similar to Pachipala's to analyze medical records. But he stresses that much more experimentation is needed to vet computational assessments.
"A lot of this work is really well-intended, trying to use machine learning, artificial intelligence to improve people's mental health ... but unless we do the research, we're not going to know if this is the right solution," he said.
More students and families are turning to schools for mental health support. Software that scans young peoples' words, and by extension thoughts, is one approach to taking the pulse on youth mental health. But, it can't take the place of human interaction, Nock said.
"Technology is going to help us, we hope, get better at knowing who is at risk and knowing when," he said. "But people want to see humans; they want to talk to humans."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-05-20T16:02:46+00:00 | nepm.org | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-05-20/this-high-school-seniors-science-project-could-one-day-save-lives |
NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for ATCO, UBX, ABMD, TLRY, and PFE.
To see how InvestorsObserver's proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
- ATCO: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=ATCO&prnumber=110120225
- UBX: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=UBX&prnumber=110120225
- ABMD: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=ABMD&prnumber=110120225
- TLRY: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=TLRY&prnumber=110120225
- PFE: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=PFE&prnumber=110120225
(Note: You may have to copy this link into your browser then press the [ENTER] key.)
InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alerts are based on our proprietary scoring methodology. Each stock is evaluated based on short-term technical, long-term technical and fundamental factors. Each of those scores is then combined into an overall score that determines a stock's overall suitability for investment.
InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | 2022-11-01T15:25:42+00:00 | waff.com | https://www.waff.com/prnewswire/2022/11/01/thinking-about-buying-stock-atlas-corp-unity-biotechnology-abiomed-tilray-or-pfizer/ |
It was a high scoring week on the lanes as reports show a perfect 300 game, three games with 11 strikes in a row and several bowlers just a strike away from posting an 800 series.
The top story is the one with the least information available but we could not hold off on sharing the news of Ryan Thomas rolling his first career perfect 300 game while bowling in the His and Hers league at Thunderbird Lanes last Tuesday evening.
Word has it that Thomas was bowling unopposed and until the opponent bowls, scores are not avail-able, but who can keep quiet about something like this?
Besides bowling on lanes 1 and 2, which truly is all we know though so, congratulations Ryan, here is to many more and by the way, that is the first 300 game of the 2022-2023 season.
Apparently, Thomas wasn’t the only bowler to find a line in the His and Hers as Troy Hardin went 244 and 237 before putting up a 290, 11 in a row, for game three to sum up a 771 series for his entry on this week’s astronomical honor roll.
And Secretary Jeff Janssen rolled 215 and 227 before lining up for the front ten strikes of game three that ended at 288 for a 730 series.
Keeping with the theme, congratulations are also in order for Tim Lundquist who put his second 11 in a row in the books for this season with a 290 opener from the Goodyear Mixed.
Lundquist added a 196 and a 248 to put his name on the 700 list at 734.
Our third and final 11 in a row bowled last week came from the senior Entertainers league where Kenny Ratke opened in first frame of his second game before going off the sheet for a 279.
Ratke sandwiched the local honor between games of 237 and 206 for a 722.
Kaplan scores top series
Bill Kaplan earned top billing in the series category with a 782 rolled in the Tuesday Night Mixed at Twin Oaks Bowling Center.
Kaplan was in the zone scoring 258, 245 and 279 to make up the total.
Tracy Price was another TNM bowler scoring on the plus side with games of 256, 257 and 248 for a 761 and rounding out the top three was Jimmy Bomboy who shot 728 after opening with a front ten, 288 score.
Bomboy followed with 193 and 247 to make up the series.
On his previous outing, bowling in the Suburban league, young Mr. Bomboy neared his first 800 series with games of 279, 229 and 265 for a 773.
It was reported that he needed to double in the 10th frame of game three but threw a little too far inside and ended up opening in the tenth instead.
Kenny Ratke was another bowler double-dipping in the high series department, putting together a 766 in the Suburban league on games of 222, 265 and 279.
Phil Kilmartin had a rough start to last Monday’s bowling but regrouped and recouped with a 781 series from the Early Birds setting.
Kilmartin had games of 278, 245 and 258 to make up the week’s second highest honor roll series.
David Yett found success in the Early Birds as well, posting a 722 that included games of 255, 210 and 257.
Kellan Hill continued his run in the TNT league with a 748 series this week on games of 246, 258 and 244, Chris Dickerson put the Friday Night Mixed Rollers in the news with a 740 series that went 215, 257 and 268 and the bowling column would not be complete without an entry from Richard Jacoby.
Jacoby was last week’s high roller in the senior Goodtime league, posting 704 on games of 266, 243 and 195.
Youth with 725
Youth bowler Caden Burk threw his hat in the ring with a nice 725 series from the TBird Legends youth league, bowled last Saturday morning at Thunderbird Lanes.
Burk put games of 237, 267 and 221 together to make up the series.
Adonis Coleman led in the U12 TBird HotShots with a 415 set that included games of 153, 126 and 136.
And bowling league for the first time ever, 7 year old Tessa Derenoncourt joined the HotShots and posted her first certified 100 game.
No-Tap Colorama Results
David Yett was the no-tap bowler of the day scoring 300, 255 and 298 for an 886 handicap series to take first place in the men’s division of the senior No-Tap Colorama a week ago last Friday afternoon at Thunderbird Lanes.
James Halstead Jr. took second with a handicap total of 833.
Sue Avis was the winner in the women’s division with 836 on games of 228, 206 and a no-tap 300 for good measure.
Yett and Halstead were also 1 & 2 in the Scratch Singles race, Yett with 853 and Halstead with 683.
Mystery Doubles winners went as follows.
Gm. 1, 1st – Don Ginter Jr/Shirley Hanley, 584
Gm. 1, 2nd – Diane Frame/David Yett, 540
Gm. 2, 1st – Roy Johnson/Damon Foster, 539
Gm. 2, 2nd – Sue Avis/Charles Norman, 504
Gm. 3, 1st – Sue Avis/Charles Norman, 648
Gm. 3, 2nd – Peggy Towne/Robert Lansberry, 585
Every strike pot ticket saw a winner including Dee Gustafson, Diane Frame, Charles Norman, James Halstead Jr., JP Nauman and Roy Olson.
However, there were no winners on the special challenge shots.
JP Nauman was looking for trip 7’s but threw a strike on ball three and busted with twenty-four on the “21 Jackpot”.
Don Ginter Jr. rolled a strike for his target goal on “Match Play”, but only got eight on the next ball to end the run.
Sue Avis needed five but got six for her “Pill Draw” attempt and Robert Lansberry succeeded in get-ting only one pin on the “Snake-Bite”. We are still wondering what happened with that one.
Just the same though, Roy Johnson thought he had Waldo in the bag as well but instead, caught the head pin and got a strike as you never know what might happen under these circumstances.
And finally, the All New “Make That Spare” shot had Peggy Towne looking at the 2-4-7-8-10.
Peggy got them all except for the 10-pin sitting over in the corner all alone.
Join the fun every Friday at 1pm at Thunderbird Lanes. Bowlers must be at least 50 years old to participate. | 2022-10-02T07:49:22+00:00 | swoknews.com | https://www.swoknews.com/sports/thomas-joins-300-club-in-his-and-hers/article_27c58a7f-5e6c-5c6e-8407-66ad4a6c2279.html |
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If making holiday mementos with your family is one of your favorite traditions at this time of year, it’s never been easier to find ideas for your next project. You can always run to your local craft store but Amazon also has a ton of materials and kits for making Christmas crafts for kids.
We were browsing the site’s massive stock and found everything from DIY ornaments to snow globes, stickers, gingerbread houses and even a make-your-own-snowman kit. Take a look at a few of our favorite Christmas crafts for kids we found on Amazon, which you can have delivered in time for the holidays.
Make Your Own Christmas Stickers Kit ($8)
This DIY Christmas stickers kit includes 30 pieces in six different styles so your little ones can create their own elf, gingerbread man, snowman, gnome, reindeer and, of course, Santa, using different facial features.
The reusable stickers can then be used windows to decorate the house or stuck onto on gift boxes, Christmas cards and more. The stickers are non-toxic and do not use adhesives or glue, so they can peel off and be used repeatedly, which is one of the reasons it has such high ratings at Amazon.
Foam Putty Snowman Kit ($26)
If you live somewhere that doesn’t get snow — or just want to make sure you definitely have a White Christmas — this Do You Want to Build a Snowman Kit will ensure your kids can build a snowman regardless of the weather. Priced at $26, the kit includes enough to make three foam putty snowmen, including snow, eyes, a carrot nose, mouth and arms. Made of moldable foam putty, it is nontoxic and for ages 3 and up.
Nearly 2,000 customers have given the kit a perfect grade, saying it’s easy to use, super cute, fun for kids and that it makes a great stocking stuffer. One customer who lives in a hot climate at winter gave it a full five stars said it is a great Christmas craft for kids.
“My kids LOVED these. My husband works Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so I let them open one gift early to still have some Christmasy spirit while daddy is at work. The parts *are* small, and it does say ages 5+. That said, I had no problem sitting and supervising my children (6, 4, 2) playing with their snowmen kits,” wrote Amazon customer Anie D. “We also live in a very hot climate (no white Christmases here) so, it was fun for them to build snowmen in an unconventional way.”
Beaded Ornament Kit ($17)
This classic Beaded Ornament Kit makes 24 Christmas wreaths and 15 candy canes in five different styles for a total of 39 ornaments that you can cherish for many years.
Easy to make, simply use one red chenille to string 28 green beads and eight red beads together, then tie a bow and attach it all to a green ribbon. Because the kit makes so many, it would be good for a party, classroom, family gathering or for your child to give as gifts.
DIY Holiday Stickers & Suncatchers Kit ($13)
Regularly priced at $15.99, this holiday stickers and suncatchers craft kit is currently on sale for a few bucks less. The kit includes 12 shimmering stickers and two festive holiday suncatchers. The stickers include printed dots for guided gem placement and the suncatchers have an open-ended design, allowing kids can decorate them however they want. They are self-adhesive so there is no glue or mess.
With a whopping 10,000 reviews, the kit has a stellar grade of 4.7 stars out of 5, with customers saying it’s easy to use, helps children use their fine motor skills and makes a great gift. One customer who gave the kit five stars says their 6-year-old granddaughter loved it.
“My 6-year-old granddaughter absolutely loved this craft project. In fact, she worked on it for hours. She will get another one for Christmas,” an Amazon customer wrote. “Was pleased that she was able to manage the stylus, adhesive and beads easily. I did sort them by color into jello shot cups where placing a few in the lid made them very easy to manage. Then cleanup and storage was very easy, too.”
If none of these Christmas crafts for kids seem like they would appeal to your little holiday helpers, the selection on Amazon is virtually endless!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | 2022-12-09T19:10:11+00:00 | krtv.com | https://www.krtv.com/christmas-crafts-for-kids-easy-kits |
Which Playmobil set is best?
There’s nothing better than watching a child engage with a world of their own creation. Playmobil sets let them build simple to elaborate scenes, using scenarios based on their real-world experience or a fantasy world full of knights and fairies. These toys build on each other so kids can collect more to tell increasingly complex stories.
For a set that includes multiple figures and features a favorite childhood place, the Playmobil Adventure Playground is the best.
What to know before you buy a Playmobil set
Assembly
Many of the accessories and figures are ready to use out of the box, but expect to help your child put a new Playmobil set together if they are under the age of 6. Older children can use the included instruction booklet to assemble their set. Some of the attachment points require some force to get together securely.
Once the set is put together, your child will not need to disassemble it to add elements to their play.
Size
All Playmobil toys are a standard size, whether they’re from the City Life line or a Dino Rise set. Some include small accessories. These are recommended for children age 3 and older.
Keep in mind that these small pieces, such as the water bottle included with the Adventure Playground set or the coins in the Pirate Raider set, cannot be purchased on their own. Make sure you establish a reliable way to store them so they do not get lost.
Compatibility
All Playmobil sets are compatible with each other, one of their top benefits. Children can combine toys to play together in an entire world of their own design. The figures of one set can also be used in other vehicles, houses and structures. This means the pirate can fly a jet while the pilot steers the pirate’s ship. This open-ended play encourages kids to use their imaginations.
What to look for in a quality Playmobil set
Realistic figures
The City Life, Family Fun and Country sets are designed to provide realistic play scenarios that replicate common events and places in a child’s life. These include playing at the park on the swings or slide, going camping or visiting the pediatrician. These sets are ideal for letting your child learn more about these places and situations through play. They also let them form their own opinions and connections about things that are parts of their life.
Engages interest
Playmobil sets have something for every child, from fairies and princesses to dinosaurs and fire rescue vehicles. Look for a set that caters to your child’s likes. One of the best aspects of the compatibility between sets is it does not limit your child to one interest. They can crew a pirate ship with farmers and firemen from other sets, pushing them to think of new stories.
Included storage
Some sets come with a storage case, loved by parents trying to keep track of all the pieces. Most storage cases are large enough to hold multiple sets. If you are looking for your child’s first Playmobil toy, consider one with storage you can use for future additions as well.
Toys designated as Starter Sets usually include a case and are some of the most budget-friendly.
How much you can expect to spend on a Playmobil set
They cost $9-$190, depending on size and included accessories.
Playmobil set FAQ
How many Playmobil sets are there?
A. Playmobil has made thousands of sets since launching in the 1970s, although not all are currently in circulation. The most common sets include the City Life and Family Fun themes. Some are made with popular characters, such as those from “Star Trek” and “How to Train Your Dragon.”
Is Playmobil better than Lego?
A. Playmobil encourages open-ended play and world-building. It also has more real-world scenarios and figures that let children create stories that fit into their actual everyday experiences. Lego sets have more opportunities for mechanical construction. They also have more characters based on popular movies and TV shows.
What’s the best Playmobil set to buy?
Top Playmobil set
Playmobil Adventure Playground
What you need to know: Your child can act out playing on the playground with their figures, just like they do in real life.
What you’ll love: The set includes an adult, two children and a toddler. The playground structure has everything from a slide to a rock wall and swing. It also comes with separate accessories to make play even more realistic, including a seesaw, stroller, sandbox kit and scooter.
What you should consider: There are a lot of small pieces and no included storage.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Playmobil set for the money
Playmobil Camping Adventure Carry Case Set
What you need to know: The included carrying case can hold multiple sets as your child builds their collection.
What you’ll love: It includes everything for camping, such as a tent, campfire and backpack. The two figures fit in the canoe and can hold the fishing poles, cooking sticks and canoe paddles. This is the ideal set for portability and storage.
What you should consider: This set is recommended for kids ages 4 and up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Playmobil Volkswagen T1 Camping Bus
What you need to know: It engages adults’ nostalgia as much as kids’ imaginations.
What you’ll love: It uses the iconic look of the Volkswagon camper van, from the red-and-white vehicle exterior to the plaid seats that fold down to create a bed. It comes with two figures and plenty of accessories, such as toothbrush and toothpaste, luggage, map, camera and food. Everything fits inside the van or on the roof luggage rack when you are done playing.
What you should consider: There aren’t any child figures with this set, which may limit the way your child can play and envision themselves in their story.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-09-13T22:56:07+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/action-figures-playsets-br/best-playmobil-set/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden is helping National Geographic promote its upcoming documentary series on U.S. national parks.
The first lady introduces each installment of “America's National Parks,” a five-night series scheduled for broadcast on consecutive nights beginning Aug. 29.
She introduces the series from the Grand Canyon and encourages people to visit.
“America's national parks are full of unrivaled beauty, geological wonders, cultural history and amazing wildlife," she says in a video clip released Tuesday as National Geographic announced the series and her participation in the project.
“Each national park connects people to a piece of the American story, who we are and where we came from,” the first lady says. "With more than 400 national park sites, there are so many unique places in our country that are just waiting to be explored.”
Country music star Garth Brooks is executive producer and narrator of the series. Individual episodes feature the landscapes and wildlife inhabitants of Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Big Bend, Badlands and Hawaii Volcanoes national parks.
In conjunction with the first lady's “Joining Forces” initiative for military and veteran families, National Geographic will also air a public service announcement during the series in which Biden reminds service members, veterans and their families of their free admission to all national parks.
The series kicks off National Geographic's new event, America's National Parks Week. | 2022-08-09T16:45:40+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/living/article/Jill-Biden-helps-National-Geographic-promote-17361692.php |
Updated July 31, 2023 at 4:09 PM ET
Pee-wee Herman, the comic creation of actor/writer Paul Reubens, would often toss taunts of the schoolyard into his casual conversation. It was one of the character's go-to bits.
"Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer!"
"That's my name! Don't wear it out!"
And, most iconically,
"I know you are, but what am I?"
Of course, when it came to Pee-wee himself, with his tight gray suit, red bow tie, crew cut, rouged cheekbones and ruby-red lips, "What am I?" was the real question – it was the one he posed merely by existing.
Reubens died Sunday of cancer at the age of 70. He was an actor – but for a long time, he tried to convince the public that Pee-wee was a real person, not a character.
Folks didn't know what to make of Reubens' petulant man-child at first. Created in 1977, while Reubens was a member of the Los Angeles sketch troupe The Groundlings, Pee-wee was part prop comic, part brat and part trickster spirit. There was something fearless in Pee-wee, something unapologetic and brash that took you a second to process. The character was very obviously and intentionally what folks used to call a sissy – but how could a sissy own the stage like he did? Bask in the spotlight like he did? How could a sissy so confidently and explicitly dictate the terms for his audience on how to experience him?
The Pee-wee Herman Show at The Groundlings Theatre soon had LA hipsters lining up around the block for a midnight show that mixed puppets and parody with archival educational films – the precise fuel mixture that powered Reubens' later CBS Saturday morning show, Pee-wee's Playhouse.
It was never Peter Pan, what he was doing. Yes, Pee-wee was a boy who never grew up, but he was more than that — he was one singular adult's remembrance of what it was like being a kid. Specifically, of those parts of childhood we pretend not to see in our own children — the narcissism, the selfishness, the utter lack of basic human empathy. The monstrous bits.
In Pee-wee's Big Adventure, it manifested in his hilariously obsessive drive to recover his stolen bike — a quest which would cause him to trample on the feelings of friends like Amazing Larry (Lou Cutell) and Dottie (E.G. Daily). On Pee-wee's Playhouse, it took the form of gleeful admonitions to his viewers to "scream real loud" whenever anyone said the week's secret word. (Spare a thought for the long-suffering parents who'd hoped that sitting their kids in front of the TV would allow them a moment's peace to finish their coffee.) On 1988's magnificent holiday staple Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special, Reubens zeroed in kids' ravenous greed for presents, turning Pee-wee into a monster who only reluctantly sees the light once guilted into it. (Like Scrooge, he's a lot more fun to hang around with before his last-minute epiphany.)
To watch Pee-wee was to re-experience childhood the way we'd forgotten it actually was – pure, concentrated, distilled to its essence, when riding your bike and playing with your toys and screaming real loud was all it took to fill a day. Pee-wee was a creature of impulse, anarchy and id – which is probably why Reubens' frequent appearances on Late Night with David Letterman helped launch him to stardom.
Reubens' silliness worked on a different frequency than Letterman's – Pee-wee was wilder and far less inhibited than Letterman could ever hope to be, and Letterman knew to play up his own tetchy, aggrieved discomfort at Pee-wee's hijinks for comedic effect. The two men vibrated at opposite ends of the comedic spectrum, but they worked together brilliantly. In those interview segments, which quickly devolved into Pee-wee's signature giggles, you laughed at Reubens' ability to take complete control of the experience, and at Letterman's entirely uncharacteristic willingness to give over the reins.
In the coming days, our social media feeds will fill up with a lot of Pee-wee's greatest hits – Large Marge; "Tequila!"; Jambi the Genie; Chairy; Reubens' extended and entirely improvised death scene in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie; "I'm a loner, Dot. A rebel."; and, of course, "Come on, Simone. Let's talk about your big 'but.'"
Me, though, I'll be putting on the aforementioned Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special, because it will remind me of one of Reubens' most overlooked talents – his ability to sneak an artisanal blend of fey subversiveness into the mainstream. That special injected a defiantly, yet matter-of-fact, queer sensibility into the CBS primetime airwaves of Reagan's America: The Del Rubio Triplets! Zsa Zsa Gabor! Little Richard! Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon! KD Lang! Charo! The LA Men's Chorus dressed up as a Marine choir! And, most indelibly, Grace Jones as green Gumby, drag singing a club mix of "The Little Drummer Boy."
Keep your "I meant to do that." Keep your dancing on the biker bar to "Tequila." The image of Reubens that I'll be holding closest to my heart over the next few days is of him rocking out in the background as Jones sings in the glare of the spotlight.
Because I swear you can see, in just the way he holds his body, the mischievous delight he's taking in what he's unleashing on an unsuspecting public: Grace Jones, ladies and gentlemen, delivered unto your living rooms, pulling up to the bumper of your cozy family holiday special, an entirely singular brand of weirdness served up to you hot and fresh, with a high, unselfconscious giggle.
Jennifer Vanasco contributed to earlier versions of this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-07-31T21:30:39+00:00 | kclu.org | https://www.kclu.org/national-and-global/national-and-global/2023-07-31/but-what-am-i-pee-wee-herman-creator-paul-reubens-dies-at-70 |
Masked juveniles fire shots, injure 2 with police feet away
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Police in Minneapolis are looking for suspects in a shooting that left two people injured, including a woman who was shot while sitting on a metro transit bus.
The incident happened Tuesday around 7:15 p.m. Surveillance cameras caught the bus pulling up moments before the shots were fired.
The video shows three masked juveniles walk into a parking lot near the intersection of Lowry and Penn Avenues and open fire. A Minneapolis Police squad car with an officer inside was just feet away from the gunmen.
“Two innocent bystanders had been shot. One was a female who was on the bus, and the other was someone standing out in the vacant lot,” said LaTrisha Vetaw, the Ward 4 city council member.
She says she is concerned about the gun violence near that intersection and the innocent people caught in the crossfire.
“It was 30 shots that went out, and this woman is just sitting on the bus trying to get somewhere, " Vetaw said.
Vetaw says people tend to gather in the vacant parking lot, which is adjacent to a liquor store.
“It’s a vacant county lot that we need to do something with. There are a lot of people sitting in that area, like a park. People just set up on this county vacant lot and start grilling and selling food out of food trucks, and that brings unwanted traffic,” she said.
Vetaw is chair of the public safety committee and says Operation Endeavor, a coalition of law enforcement getting some of the most violent criminals along with drugs and guns off the street, is working.
But she believes more can be done.
“[Maybe we] have some ongoing monitoring of these places and a presence. We know that presence changes everything,” Vetaw said.
She believes continued collaboration between police and community is key.
Police are still investigating the shooting. No one is in custody.
The two people injured are expected to survive.
Copyright 2022 WCCO via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-03T07:37:14+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2022/11/03/masked-juveniles-fire-shots-injure-2-with-police-feet-away/ |
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Richard Watts, University of Vermont
(THE CONVERSATION) The local news business is in crisis. The nation is currently losing two community newspapers a week, on average, and 70 million Americans live in news deserts, communities with little or no local news coverage. In much of the remaining territory, all that’s left are decimated newsrooms and advertisement-heavy publications with little local news, sometimes called “ghost papers.”
The problem is even more acute when it comes to covering the nation’s statehouses. The total number of full-time statehouse reporters declined by 6% from 2014 to 2022. Yet state legislatures handle key issues, including abortion rights, voting rights and educational curriculum standards.
Where full-time staff reporters have disappeared, university-led statehouse reporting programs have stepped in, according to research from the nonprofit, nonpartisan Pew Research Center. More than 10% of statehouse reporters are students, and in some states they are a significant presence in the statehouse media corps.
University of Vermont Center for Community News.Journalism boosts democracy
An informed citizenry is vital to a thriving democracy. Researchers have found strong ties between the availability of local news and community engagement, voting participation and number of candidates running for local office. Less local news leads to increased polarization and higher municipal government costs to taxpayers as accountability reporting declines.
Statehouse reporting programs are part of a larger commitment by universities to connect student education with local news needs. Through classes, newsrooms and media collaborations, these programs give students essential opportunities to use skills they have learned in classrooms – and provide badly needed local news coverage. Emerging scholarship finds partnerships between news outlets and universities are effective at both teaching students and serving the public.
I lead a national effort to document these programs around the country as part of the Center for Community News. As of early 2023, we had cataloged more than 120 programs in which university-led student reporting is contributing to local news coverage.
Among those, we found 20 instances of university-coordinated statehouse reporting, covering 19 states; Florida has two.
How the programs operate
These programs are not internships but statehouse reporting bureaus led by veteran journalists who assign, edit and vet student work to ensure it meets ethical and professional standards.
Once ready for publication, the students’ work is shared with media platforms around the state, almost always free of charge. During 2022, about 250 student reporters produced more than 1,000 stories for 1,200 media outlets across 17 states. The remaining two states’ programs, in Texas and Vermont, started in 2023.
Under professional direction, student reporters are producing important state-government stories across the country.
For example, at the University of Missouri, student stories on lack of high-speed internet service in rural areas in 2018 built momentum for lawmakers to pass new legislation that has provided millions of additional dollars to increase access to broadband.
In early 2023, the University of Florida’s statehouse team broke the story of a new US$300,000 private swimming pool being built at the mansion occupied free of cost by the university president just before Ben Sasse, a former U.S. senator, assumed that role.
In Louisiana, 92 publications run stories from Louisiana State University’s statehouse reporting team. In a companion effort, called the Cold Case project, students dive deeply into racist murders from the state’s past. In late 2022, a series of stories about the police killing of two students at Southern University led to a public apology by Gov. John Bel Edwards.
In Montana, a student statehouse reporter wrote a probing story in early 2023 questioning spending in a state fund focused on mental health and health prevention. The story was republished widely, including in small papers like the Ekalaka Eagle, serving a town of 400 people, as well as the statewide news outlet the Montana Free Press. A week later, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced $2.1 million in new spending on universal mental health screening from the fund.
As far back as 2016, series of stories from the University of Maryland’s Capital News Service generated a lot of attention about the lack of state oversight of nursing homes. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh cited the students’ work in his pursuit of new regulations; legislators passed two laws addressing issues raised in the series.
New programs launch
In Vermont, the University of Vermont’s Community News Service started a statehouse reporting program this spring with three students who each receive six credits and a stipend of $1,000. Together the students have already published 23 stories on issues as wide-ranging as diversifying agriculture and child marriage.
For our university, the program meets several needs: Students get experience, media outlets get content and the university meets its public-service mission.
Clearly, more colleges and universities can step in to fill statehouse reporting gaps. We found that in just eight states – Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island – there are 42 colleges and universities with more than 200,000 students within 10 miles of the statehouses.
Public universities, with their public service mission and long-standing journalism programs, provide most of the student reporters in our study. Private colleges are largely missing.
But in Indiana, some of the 1,000 students at tiny Franklin College staff the Statehouse File, producing stories like a deep dive into the KKK’s effects on the state and an examination of pregnancy-related deaths due to new abortion laws.
Student journalists in these university-led programs are filling local news gaps, adding legislative stories that are lacking while also building skills, polishing their clips and learning how government works.
I believe more public and private universities need to follow their lead. Democracy depends on an informed public.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/student-reporters-fill-crucial-gap-in-state-government-coverage-201456. | 2023-04-06T14:17:53+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/student-reporters-fill-crucial-gap-in-state-17881948.php |
MAKARIV, Ukraine (AP) — The truck driver had the radio on, his daughter’s stuffed toy keeping him company, and was bouncing his lumbering vehicle down one of the innumerable dirt tracks in Ukraine that are vital thoroughfares in the country’s vast agricultural heartlands.
Then the right rear wheel hit a Soviet-era TM-62 anti-tank mine. The explosion blew Vadym Schvydchenko and his daughter’s toy clean out of the cabin. The truck, and his livelihood, went up in flames.
Astoundingly, the 40-year-old escaped with just minor leg and head wounds. Others haven’t been so lucky. Russia’s war in Ukraine is spreading a deadly litter of mines, bombs and other explosives. They are killing civilians, disrupting planting, complicating the rebuilding of homes and villages, and will continue taking lives and limbs long after the fighting stops.
Often, blast victims are farmers and other rural workers with little choice but to use mined roads and plow mined fields, in a country relied on for grain and other crops that feed the world.
Schvydchenko said he’ll steer clear of dirt tracks for the foreseeable future, although they’re sometimes the only route to fields and rural settlements. Mushroom-picking in the woods has also lost its appeal to him.
“I’m afraid something like this can happen again,” he said.
Ukraine is now one of the most mined countries in Europe. The east of the country, fought over with Russia-backed separatists since 2014, was already contaminated by mines even before the Feb. 24 invasion multiplied the scale and complexity of the dangers both there and elsewhere.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said last week that 300,000 square kilometers (115,000 square miles) — the size of Arizona or Italy — need to be cleared. The ongoing fighting will only expand the area.
The war’s deadly remnants will “continue to be a hidden threat for many years to come,” said Mairi Cunningham, who leads clearance efforts in Ukraine for The Halo Trust, a demining NGO that got $4 million in U.S. government funding in May for its work in the country.
There’s no complete government count of mine deaths since the invasion, but every week authorities have reported cases of civilians killed and wounded. Cunningham said her group has counted 52 civilian deaths and 65 injuries since February and “that’s likely under-reported.” The majority were from anti-tank mines, in agricultural areas, she said.
On a mobile app called “Demining Ukraine” that officials launched last month, people can send photos, video and the geolocation of explosive objects they come across, for subsequent removal. The app got more than 2,000 tip-offs in its first week.
The track where Schvydchenko had his brush with death is still used, despite now being marked with bright red warning signs bearing a white skull and crossbones. It scythes through corn fields on the outskirts of Makariv — a once comely town west of Kyiv that bears the battle scars of Russia’s failed assault on the capital in the war’s early weeks.
Even with the Russian soldiers gone, danger lurks amid the surrounding poppy meadows, fields and woodlands. Deminers found another explosive charge — undetonated — just meters (feet) away from Schvydchenko’s blown-up truck. On another track outside the nearby village of Andriivka, three people were killed in March by a mine that ripped open their minivan, spewing its cargo of food jars and tin cans now rusting in the dirt.
In a field close by, a tractor driver was wounded in May by an anti-tank mine that hurled the wreckage onto another mine, which also detonated. Halo Trust workers are now methodically scouring that site — where Russian troops dug foxholes — for any other devices.
Cunningham said the chaotic way the battle for Kyiv unfolded complicates the task of finding mines. Russian forces thrust toward the capital but were repelled by Ukrainian defenders.
“Often it was Russians held an area, put some anti-vehicle mines nearby — a few in and around their position — and then left,” she said. “It’s scattered.”
Mines are still being laid on the battlefields, now concentrated to the east and south where Russia has focused its offensive since its soldiers withdrew from around Kyiv and the north, badly bloodied.
A Ukrainian unit that buried TM-62 mines on a forest track in the eastern Donbas region this week, in holes scooped out with spades, told The Associated Press that the aim was to prevent Russian troops from advancing toward their trenches.
Russian booby-trapping has sometimes had no clear military rhyme or reason, Ukrainian officials say. In towns around Kyiv, explosive experts found devices in unpredictable places.
When Tetiana Kutsenko, 71, got back her home near Makariv that Russian troops had occupied, she found bloodstains and an apparent bullet hole on the bathroom floor and tripwires in her back yard.
The thin strands of copper wire had been rigged to explosive detonators.
“I’m afraid to go to the woods now,” she said. “Now, I’m looking down every time I take a step.”
___
Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Srdjan Nedeljkovic in the Donetsk region of Ukraine and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine also contributed.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | 2022-06-15T18:53:02+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/news/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/in-ukraine-mines-take-lives-even-after-fighting-moves-on/ |
BERLIN (AP) — The German government announced draft plans Thursday to boost domestic research into development of nuclear fusion, a technology some hope will provide abundant clean energy in the future, but left open how those efforts will be funded.
Science Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger said that under the proposal, Germany will support all promising fusion technologies now being developed, including laser-based methods that achieved recent breakthroughs in the United States but aren’t widely researched in Europe.
Another method, using powerful magnets, has already received significant support from Germany at both its own Wendelstein 7-X research reactor in the northern town of Greifswald, and at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, in southern France.
“We want to address both magnet and laser fusion,” Stark-Watzinger told reporters in Berlin, adding that the plan is to “substantially” increase the 149 million euros ($163 million) that Germany currently provides annually for such research. She declined to be more specific.
“We don’t yet know today which power plant concept will succeed,” she said. “In the end it will be scientists and industry, which will build the fusion power plant, that decide.”
Stark-Watzinger declined to say whether it could result in funding cuts for ITER, which has been plagued by delays and cost overruns, but said Germany would stand by its contractual obligations. The project is also under pressure because of the involvement of Russia, one of the few places of continued cooperation between Moscow and the West since the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Sibylle Günter, scientific director of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, acknowledged that a commercial fusion reactor may not begin operation in Germany until the second half of the century, but insisted that the investment would be worthwhile for future generations.
Germany aims to phase out the use of fossil fuels by 2045 and switched off its last three nuclear power plants, which used conventional fission, in April after years of lobbying by environmentalists.
Stark-Watzinger made clear that she doesn’t want a return of the old-style nuclear reactors, despite calls for that from some within her libertarian Free Democratic Party.
“I wouldn’t advocate building any reactor that uses this technology again,” she said, adding that nuclear fusion — which works by merging atoms to release energy — wouldn’t pose the same risks of uncontrolled meltdowns and long-lived radioactive waste that come from splitting atoms.
“The advantages are clear and we have good conditions here,” she said. | 2023-06-23T02:29:09+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/science/ap-science/germany-sees-opportunity-in-nuclear-fusion-but-funding-for-research-remains-uncertain/ |
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A Senate committee on Monday morning will consider a new version of a House bill that would infuse school districts with billions of dollars, but also establish a voucher-like program in an effort to avoid a special session.
The Texas Tribune reviewed a summary of the new bill as the full proposal was not yet available.
The Senate Committee on Education chaired by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, will hear testimony for House Bill 100, authored by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, at 8 a.m. The bill originally intended to allocate $4.5 billion in new funding for schools to give teachers raises and balance school budgets as inflation diminished the value of the money they get from the state.
Now, the bill would also establish an education savings account program, which would give parents who opt out of the public school system up to $8,000 in taxpayer money per student each year. These funds could be used to pay for a child’s private schooling and other educational expenses, such as textbooks or tutoring.
The program would be open to most of Texas’ 5.5 million students — including those already in private schools — with a priority given to students that attended a school that received a C or lower in the state’s accountability program.
The new version of HB 100 is an effort from the Senate to pass a voucher-like program in the final days of the Legislative session, which ends on May 29th. Gov. Greg Abbott last week said he would call a special session if lawmakers didn’t pass a voucher program that was open to a large number of families.
Earlier this session, Senate lawmakers tried to pass a more universal voucher program through Senate Bill 8, authored by Creighton. It would’ve established a similar program as the one outlined in HB 100, but the House Committee on Public Education changed the scope of the program to be more limited.
It ended up dying in committee after Abbott said he’d veto the watered-down bill with Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, and chair of the House education committee, telling The Texas Tribune that he questioned whether it was worth bringing the bill up for a vote after Abbott’s threat.
Some Republicans for decades have tried to pass voucher-like programs with no success — historically hitting a wall: the Texas House. But the bill’s supporters felt different this time around as they thought the theme of parental rights — something Republicans have seized since the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns temporarily closed schools — would get them over the hump.
In the House, Democrats and rural Republicans have formed a coalition to defeat such programs, fearing that would siphon funds away from public schools as Texas gives schools money per student.
Other than the education savings account, the new version of HB 100 would increase the basic allotment by $50, which is the minimum money that schools get per student. That amount is currently $6,160. This is a smaller increase than the $90 that the House originally proposed.
The basic allotment has not changed since 2019, and raising it has been a priority for school officials after the COVID-19 pandemic rattled their finances and inflation diminished the value of the money they get from the state. At the beginning of the legislative session, school districts expressed hope that lawmakers would direct a portion of the state’s historic $32.7 billion surplus to help them.
The new bill would raise the portion of the state dollars that school districts are required to use to pay for teacher raises from 30% to 50%. The rest can be used for other school expenses, such as maintaining school buildings and buying necessary school supplies.
The latest version also updates the base amount of money that teachers should make depending on their experience. It also adds provisions from other bills to tackle the state’s teacher shortage such as allocating funds to help school districts pay for more teacher residencies, which are programs that place would-be teachers in classrooms with mentors for about a year, teaching them how to do the job before hiring as full-time educators the following year.
The bill would add funding for school districts to rehire retired teachers who, if they can be convinced to return to the profession, are seen as a promising way to help stem the teacher shortage. School officials have not hired retirees because it would mean either the district or the retiree must pay a larger contribution to the Teacher Retirement System.
Finally, the bill seeks to allocate $300 million in special education funding.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival, happening in downtown Austin on Sept. 21-23. Get your TribFest tickets by May 31 and save big! | 2023-05-22T05:41:50+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2023/05/22/texas-senate-committee-revamps-school-funding-bill-to-revive-voucher-like-program/ |
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is defending former President Trump for his actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, saying Trump had encouraged a peaceful protest that day — but did nothing to merit the criminal charges the Justice Department is said to be weighing.
“I don’t see how he could be found criminally responsible,” McCarthy told reporters Wednesday in the Capitol. “What criminal activity did he do? He told people to be peaceful.”
The Speaker’s comments came a day after Trump revealed he is a target of the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into the Capitol rampage, which was conducted by supporters of the former president who were attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The so-called target letter is typically an indication that a formal indictment is forthcoming.
McCarthy’s defense of Trump marks a contrast to remarks shortly after the Capitol attack, when he took to the House floor to declare that Trump “bears responsibility” for the actions of the “mob rioters.”
McCarthy said he spoke to Trump on Tuesday after the former president placed a call to him, and that the conversation “wasn’t anything different than the time before.” He noted that they “talk on a regular basis,” but also suggested Trump was frustrated with the arrival of the target letter.
“Wouldn’t you feel frustrated?” McCarthy said.
McCarthy disputed reports that the call was a “strategy session” designed to unite Republicans behind a response to potential indictments, instead accusing the Biden administration of conducting such sessions for the purpose of targeting the president’s political adversaries.
“I think the strategy sessions happen in the Democrats’ Department of Justice, where they go after anybody who’s running against the president,” McCarthy said. “It seems as though — and if you go up in the polls you’re more likely to get indicted.”
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), one of Trump’s fiercest supporters on Capitol Hill, also said she spoke to the former president on Tuesday following news of the target letter, before tearing into the development as “yet another example of the illegal weaponization of the Department of Justice to go after Joe Biden’s top political opponent.”
The comments came on the same day that House Republicans staged a high-profile hearing with a pair of IRS whistleblowers who accused DOJ prosecutors of slow-walking an investigation into Hunter Biden. Both McCarthy and Stefanik said the real criminal conspiracy lies there, not with anything Trump did surrounding Jan. 6.
“I would move to an impeachment inquiry if I found that the attorney general has not only lied to the Congress and the Senate, but to America,” McCarthy said, referring to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
McCarthy’s full-throated defense sets up a stark split screen with his GOP counterpart in the Senate, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who declined to comment on the Trump news when asked about it at a press conference on Wednesday, citing the former president’s re-election campaign.
“I’ve said every week out here that I’m not going to comment on the various candidates for the presidency,” McConnell told reporters. “How I felt about that I expressed at the time, but I’m not going to start getting into sort of critiquing the various candidates for president.”
After the Senate concluded its impeachment trial into Trump following the Jan. 6 riot, McConnell tore into the former president in remarks on the floor, declaring “There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day.”
“The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president,” he added.
Since then, McConnell has remained relatively silent when it comes to matters involving Trump, picking and choosing when to weigh in on politically charged matters linked to the former president. | 2023-07-19T23:04:25+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/hill-politics/mccarthy-defends-trump-i-dont-see-how-he-could-be-found-criminally-responsible/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Ahead of Veteran’s Day November 11, local leaders gathered at Springfield City Hall to announce the city’s 2022 Veteran of the Year and Parade Marshal.
Mayor Domenic Sarno joined members of the city’s Department of Veterans’ Services Monday for the 36th annual Veteran of The Year Ceremony. This year the honor fell to Patrick Keough, a World War II veteran who left his local legacy at the Springfield Fire Department, serving as Deputy Chief from 1982 to 1991.
Serving as Parade Marshal will be Robert Shonak, who has received accolades for his service to the United States Navy.
“In terms of active duty men and women, guardsmen, reservists, and veterans, your sacrifice and what you did when you raised that hand and took that oath, you help keep this beautiful country free for all of us, and people to come. So we continue what Patrick Keough and his generation did. And we continue it as far as we can even today,” said Shonak.
Also during Monday’s announcements Health and Human Services Director Helen-Caulton Harris offered remarks honoring the passing of former Veteran’s Services director Dan Walsh. | 2022-11-07T21:54:43+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/springfield-veteran-of-the-year-and-parade-marshal-announced/ |
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian authorities have shut down one of the offices of the country’s biggest e-commerce company and launched judicial procedures after it published pictures online showing female employees not wearing the mandatory Islamic headscarf, semi-official media reported.
The move appears to be part of a new campaign launched last week to impose the Islamic dress code nearly a year after the morality police largely melted away in the face of widespread protests.
Digikala, informally known as “Iran’s Amazon,” appears to have run afoul of the rules by posting pictures of a corporate gathering in which several female employees were not wearing the hijab.
The company boasts more than 40 million active monthly users and hosts over 300,000 merchants. Iranians are largely cut off from international retailers like Amazon because of Western sanctions linked to the country’s disputed nuclear program.
The website of Iran’s Hamshahri daily, which is affiliated with the municipality of the capital, Tehran, reported late Sunday that one of Digikala’s offices had been sealed. It said the website was operating normally.
The website of Iran’s judiciary said court cases had been filed in connection with the photos, without elaborating.
Nationwide protests erupted last fall after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police. She appears to have been detained for violating the country’s dress code, which requires that both men and women dress conservatively and that women cover their hair in public.
The protests, in which women played a leading role, quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy, which took power after the 1979 revolution. Authorities responded with a heavy crackdown in which more than 500 protesters were killed and nearly 20,000 were detained. The protests largely faded at the start of this year but there are still widespread signs of discontent.
After the protests began, the morality police largely vanished from the streets and many women — particularly in Tehran and other cities — stopped wearing the hijab.
But officials insisted throughout the crisis that the rules had never changed. Iran’s ruling clerics view the hijab as a key pillar of the Islamic Republic and consider Western-style dress to be a sign of decadence.
Last week, the morality police returned to the streets as officials announced a new campaign to force women to wear the hijab. | 2023-07-24T23:50:08+00:00 | valleycentral.com | https://www.valleycentral.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-iran-targets-e-commerce-giant-over-photos-of-female-employees-without-headscarves-in-new-crackdown/ |
VIDEO: Colorful, stinging creatures wash up on South Carolina shore, prompting warning
A warning was issued Wednesday for anyone headed to a South Carolina beach for the holidays: watch where you step.
Shore Beach Service, a beach patrol and equipment rental service for Hilton Head Island, posted photos on Facebook of dozens of Portuguese man o’ wars washed up on the beach.
"They are very colorful creatures, but DO NOT TOUCH THEM," the post warned. "Their sting is extremely painful, and they will still sting (out of the water) on the beach."
See video of the creatures in the video player above.
Mike Wagner, with Shore Beach Service, said the organisms seem to wash ashore every few years.
"Sometimes there are a lot, and sometimes just a few, but this is a lot," he said.
One of the photos showed a bucket full of the sand-covered blobs.
Wagner said his employees gathered as many as they could and buried them to protect people walking on the beach.
"Advice on a remedy is varied, but most agreed to soak in hot water and seek further medical attention," the post said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, said on its website that the jellyfish-like creature is named for an 18th-century Portuguese warship under full sail, which it resembles because of its balloon-like float.
It's often called a jellyfish, but the Portuguese man o’ war, (Physalia physalis) is actually a species of siphonophore, a group of animals that are closely related to jellyfish, experts say.
NOAA describes it like this:
"A siphonophore is unusual in that it is comprised of a colony of specialized, genetically identical individuals called zooids — clones — with various forms and functions, all working together as one. Each of the four specialized parts of a man o’ war is responsible for a specific task, such as floating, capturing prey, feeding, and reproduction. Found mostly in tropical and subtropical seas, men o' war are propelled by winds and ocean currents alone, and sometimes float in legions of 1,000 or more."
The man o’ war may still sting even weeks after having washed ashore, the site said. | 2022-12-15T21:50:35+00:00 | wmur.com | https://www.wmur.com/article/portuguese-man-o-war-wash-south-carolina-beach/42257435 |
BERLIN (AP) — A huge horde of ancient gold coins dating back to around 100 B.C. has been stolen from a museum in southern Germany, police said Tuesday.
Bavarian state police said it was stolen early Tuesday from the Celtic and Roman Museum in Manching, 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Munich.
The 483 coins were discovered in 1999 during excavations of an ancient settlement in Manchning and are considered the biggest trove of Celtic gold found in the 20th century.
The German news agency dpa reported that authorities estimate the value of the coins, which together weighed about 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds), at several million euros (dollars).
“The loss of the Celtic treasure is a disaster,” it quoted Bavaria’s Minister of Science and Arts, Markus Blume, saying. “As a testament to our history, the gold coins are irreplaceable.”
He said the thieves had shown “incredible criminal energy.”
Police are appealing for witnesses who might have seen suspicious individuals near the museum or have other information that could lead to the recovery of the treasure. | 2022-11-23T18:16:39+00:00 | wcia.com | https://www.wcia.com/entertainment-news/ap-huge-horde-of-celtic-gold-coins-stolen-from-german-museum/ |
ST. PAUL, Minn., July 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M today announced the following investor event:
- Second-quarter 2023 earnings conference call on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 8 a.m. CDT. The earnings call can be accessed at (800) 762-2596 within the U.S. or +1 (212) 231-2916 outside the U.S.
This event will be webcast live and a replay will be available on 3M's Investor Relations website at http://investors.3M.com.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) believes science helps create a brighter world for everyone. By unlocking the power of people, ideas and science to reimagine what's possible, our global team uniquely addresses the opportunities and challenges of our customers, communities, and planet. Learn how we're working to improve lives and make what's next at 3M.com/news or on Twitter at @3M or @3MNews.
Investor Contact:
Bruce Jermeland
(651) 733-1807
Diane Farrow
(612) 202-2449
Media Contact:
Tim Post
tpost3@mmm.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE 3M | 2023-07-10T14:59:58+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/10/3m-announces-upcoming-investor-event/ |
The White House on Thursday pledged to increase federal efforts to combat rising antisemitism with new initiatives aimed at improving public awareness in places such as schools and college campuses and offering more community training to encourage the reporting of hate crimes.
The plan lays out dozens of commitments from the Biden administration to help protect Jewish communities, while calling on Congress and local governments to follow suit.
“Silence is complicity. All of us must stand united to affirm that an attack on any one group of us is an attack on all of us,” President Biden said in a video statement. The strategy “sends a clear and forceful message: In America, evil will not win, hate will not prevail, the venom and vile of antisemitism will not be the story of our time.”
The announcement came after months of discussions between the White House Domestic Policy Council, led by Director Susan Rice, and civil rights groups that have pressured the Biden administration to respond to record levels of reported anti-Jewish hate incidents in recent years.
The Anti-Defamation League reported 3,697 antisemitic incidents in the country in 2022, including assaults, vandalism and harassment. That represented a 36 percent increase from the year before and the most since that group began counting in 1979. Next week, the federal capital trial is set to begin for Robert D. Bowers, who is accused of fatally shooting 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in the nation’s history.
“I know the fear, I know the pain, I know the anger Jews are living with because of this epidemic of hate,” Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish and is married to Vice President Harris, said at the White House on Thursday.
Some leading Jewish advocacy groups said the White House strategy is welcomed, but they also cautioned that the federal government has limited influence and will need help from state and local organizations.
“Ultimately, the administration can only do so much,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, whose organization offered input as the White House developed the plan. “There are things we’re going to do to support this. We’re already doing a lot of work to educate people about antisemitism.”
White House officials touted the scheduled opening next year at the Holocaust Memorial Museum of the first U.S.-based Holocaust research center as part of a broader federal effort to increase education about the dangers of antisemitism. Federal agencies are committing to more training around diversity, equity and inclusion to root out workplace discrimination and violence.
The Homeland Security Department and Justice Department will conduct community workshops to counter hate-motivated violence, and the National Security Council will develop technical assistance for local jurisdictions to monitor and prevent attacks, officials said.
The Education Department on Thursday issued a “dear colleague” letter to remind educators of their civil rights obligations. Federal officials plan to visit schools and help amplify local efforts to prevent anti-Jewish hate. | 2023-05-25T20:01:08+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/25/white-house-biden-antisemitism/ |
Chicago Mt. Carmel derailed Chicago St. Ignatius' hopes after a 5-3 verdict in an Illinois high school baseball matchup.
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Don't have an account? Sign Up Today | 2023-03-31T04:22:25+00:00 | pantagraph.com | https://pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/baseball/boys/nerve-racking-affair-ends-with-chicago-mt-carmel-on-top-of-chicago-st-ignatius-5/article_0b502fca-32c1-5258-97a8-fa2a5d9ea09d.html |
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Welcome to the latest episode of “9 On The Positive Side.”
This weekly 30-minute show puts the positive news front and center. You can find the show each Saturday at 7:30 a.m. on WNCT and Sunday at noon on CW.
Click the above video to see the episode.
You can read more stories from our shows by clicking here. | 2022-05-30T03:37:36+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/on-your-side/9-on-the-positive-side/episode-32-9-on-the-positive-side/ |
Acquisition Expands Micross' High-Reliability Power Management Solution Capabilities
MELVILLE, N.Y., Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Micross Components, Inc. ("Micross" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high-reliability microelectronic product and service solutions for aerospace, defense, space, medical and industrial applications and a portfolio company of Behrman Capital, today announced signing a definitive agreement to purchase the High-Reliability DC-DC converter business (the "Business") of Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY), a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of calendar year 2023.
Headquartered in San Jose, California with a facility in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Business provides high-reliability DC-DC converters, including hybrid and custom board based power products for space, strategic defense, aerospace, and other high-reliability customers. The Business designs and manufactures proprietary power solutions which operate in the harshest environments.
Micross' acquisition – the eighth under Behrman Capital's ownership and fourth since consummating a continuation fund transaction in February of 2022 – continues to build on the strategic priorities for the Company. The addition of Infineon's High-Reliability DC-DC converter business expands Micross' power management solution offerings which are supported by a high degree of intellectual property. The acquisition also expands Micross' geographic footprint in the US and Europe and the Company's presence in the high-growth space end market, better positioning the Company for future growth opportunities.
Vince Buffa, Chairman and CEO of Micross, said, "We are delighted to partner with this experienced team which further expands the Micross team's design capabilities. The acquisition brings significant proprietary IP around power management, combined with state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and a product portfolio that is a market leader for the advancement of innovative solutions. We will be better positioned to produce an even wider range of high-quality products for our customers. Together, we plan to pursue a number of compelling opportunities to further realize our exciting growth prospects, all while upholding excellent quality and service to our customers."
Simon Lonergan, Managing Partner of Behrman Capital, said, "This acquisition represents an extremely strong strategic fit for Micross, as the Company continues to build out its high-reliability product portfolio to better serve its customer base. Adding Infineon's DC-DC converter Business to Micross' platform further differentiates and adds significant IP to the Company's leading position as a one-stop source of supply for high-reliability electronic products and services. We look forward to continuing to work with management to identify additional opportunities to drive growth at Micross."
Micross is a leading global provider of mission-critical microelectronic components and services for high-reliability markets. Micross provides a wide range of product and service solutions to customers, including Die & Wafer services, Advanced Interconnect Technology, Custom Packaging & Assembly, Component Modification Services, Electrical & Environmental Testing and other high-reliability products and services. In business for more than 40 years, Micross' extensive high-reliability capabilities serve the Aerospace & Defense, Space, Medical and Industrial markets, among others. Micross possesses the sourcing, packaging, assembly, engineering, test and logistics expertise needed to support applications throughout their entire program life cycles. For more information about Micross, please visit www.micross.com.
Based in New York City, Behrman Capital was founded in 1991 by Grant G. and Darryl G. Behrman. The firm invests in management buyouts, leveraged buildups and recapitalizations of established growth businesses. The company's investments are focused in three industries: defense and aerospace, healthcare services, and specialty manufacturing and distribution. Since its inception, the firm has raised $4.0 billion and is currently investing out of its sixth fund.
Infineon Technologies AG is a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. Infineon drives decarbonization and digitalization with its products and solutions. The company has around 56,200 employees worldwide and generated revenue of about €14.2 billion in the 2022 fiscal year (ending 30 September). Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the OTCQX International over-the-counter market (ticker symbol: IFNNY). Further information is available at www.infineon.com.
Media Contact:
Chris Stabile, Director of Corporate Marketing Communications
Micross Components
chris.stabile@micross.com
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SOURCE Micross Components | 2023-01-10T17:02:27+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/micross-acquires-high-reliability-dc-dc-converter-business-infineon-technologies-ag/ |
INDIANA — Looking for a way to cool off, but you're not located in Indianapolis?
We've compiled a list of splash pads around Indiana to help you and your family cool off.
Splash pads by county surrounding Marion County:
Boone County
- Main Street Park
- 4286 South Main Street Whitestown, IN 46075
- Mulberry Fields Park
- 9645 Whitestown Road Zionsville, IN 46077
Hamilton County
- Lawrence W. Inlow Park
- 6310 East Main Street Carmel, IN 46033
- Midtown Plaza Splash Pad
- 365 Monon Trail Carmel, IN 46032
- Westermeier Commons Splash Pad
- 920 Central Park Drive West Carmel, IN 46032
- Billericay Park
- 12690 Promise Road Fishers, IN 46038
- Nickel Plate District AMP Pavilion
- 10 Municipal Drive Fishers, IN 46038
- Roy G. Holland Park
- 1 Park Drive Fishers, IN 46038
- Dillon Park
- 6001 Edenshall Lane Noblesville, IN 46062
- Finch Creek Park
- 16233 Boden Road Noblesville, IN 46060
- Quaker Park
- 17501 Dartown Road Westfield, IN 46074
Hancock County
- Riley Park
- Apple Street & US 40 Greenfield, IN 46140
Hendricks County
- Washington Township Park
- 435 Whipple Lane Avon, IN 46123
- Williams Park
- 940 South Locust Lane Brownsburg, IN 46112
- Hummel Park
- 1500 South Center Street Plainfield, IN 46168
- The Shops at Perry Crossing Playground
- 2499 Perry Crossing Way Plainfield, IN 46168
Morgan County
- Jimmy Nash City Park
- 360 North Home Avenue Martinsville, IN 46151
Johnson County
- Splash Pad at City Center Park
- 415 Lincoln Street Greenwood, IN 46142
If you are looking for a splash pad in Indianapolis, click here.
TOP STORIES: Martinsville man found dead in upside-down car in pond, police say | Kountry Kitchen breaks ground on new location | Holcomb wants to give Hoosiers additional $225 tax refund | Zoopolis 500 features racing tortoises, IndyCar Driver Tony Kanaan | At least 7 shot in Indianapolis in 5-hour window | 2022-06-15T03:20:57+00:00 | wrtv.com | https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/cool-off-at-splash-pads-around-indiana |
WINDSOR, Conn., Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Global, one of the world's leading engineering services firms, today announced its partnership with TomTom, the geolocation technology specialist. Quest Global will be a key integration partner to deliver software and applications for TomTom's Digital Cockpit platform.
With the surge in the demand for software-defined vehicles, this strategic partnership will be a frontrunner for OEMs that are increasingly working towards offering safe, secure and immersive experiences for their consumers. The partnership will yield next-gen infotainment solutions with a variety of connectivity and advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) features, navigation systems, and entertainment apps.
Speaking on the association, Alfonso Martinez, Global Business Head - Transportation, Quest Global, said, "We are excited to partner with TomTom as a trusted integration partner for their advanced and scalable Digital Cockpit platform. As a leading engineering services company, we have the distinct advantage of meeting the technical needs of TomTom and its clients thanks to our global presence, our multi-decade automotive expertise, and our diverse and strong bench of talented engineers. The benefits of this partnership are clear: An enhanced driver and passenger experience for consumers, and reduced time to market for automakers."
The two companies will work with leading OEM's across USA, Europe, and APAC, as part of this agreement. The association will leverage Android Automotive's ecosystem and provide platform optimizations, to facilitate seamless integration of TomTom's Digital Cockpit platform.
Paul Hesen, Vice President Product Management, TomTom said, "TomTom is excited to partner with Quest Global, and cater to market demands with our innovative yet safe, secure, cost-effective and reliable Digital Cockpit platform. We are confident Quest Global will be our partner in the truest sense of the word, and will help us further enhance the immersive branded experiences we create."
Over the years, TomTom has brought innovation to the automotive industry through its diverse products, platforms and technologies. The innovative Digital Cockpit platform provides personalized, protected in-vehicle experiences across brands, car models and trim levels, and enables automakers to be in control of their brand and future revenue streams across a vehicle's lifecycle.
Quest Global is displaying a large suite of automotive offerings at CES 2023, in Las Vegas from January 5 – 8, 2023. Visit Booth #11015, North Hall, LVCC to see the demonstrations and learn more about the TomTom and Quest Global collaboration.
About TomTom
Billions of data points. Millions of sources. Hundreds of communities.
We are the mapmaker bringing it all together to build the world's smartest map. We provide location data and technology to drivers, carmakers, businesses and developers. Our application-ready maps, routing, real-time traffic, APIs and SDKs enable the dreamers and doers to shape the future of mobility.
Headquartered in Amsterdam with 4,000 employees around the globe, TomTom has been helping people find their way in the world for over 30 years.
About Quest Global
We are Quest Global. We're in the business of engineering, but what we're really building is a brighter future. It's not just what we do, but why we do it that makes us different. We believe engineering has the unique opportunity to solve the problems of today that stand in the way of tomorrow. For 25 years, we have strived to be the most trusted partner for the world's hardest engineering problems. As a global organization headquartered in Singapore, we live and work in 17 countries, with 56 global delivery centers & offices, driven by 17,000+ extraordinary employees who make the impossible possible every day.
Quest Global brings deep industry knowledge and digital expertise to deliver end-to-end global product engineering services. We bring together technologies and industries alongside the contributions of diverse individuals and their areas of expertise to solve problems better, and faster. This multi-dimensional approach enables us to solve the most important and large-scale challenges across the Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Energy, Hi-Tech, Healthcare, Medical Devices, Rail, and Semiconductor industries. Read more.
For More Information:
Anubhuti Agarwal
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1830310/Quest_Global_Logo.jpg
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1976162/TomTom_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE Quest Global | 2023-01-03T06:29:57+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/01/03/quest-global-announces-partnership-with-tomtom-deliver-next-gen-digital-cockpit-solutions/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Billionaire Elon Musk, who just took over as the chief executive at Twitter after buying the company, said he does not want to be the CEO of any company.
Musk took the witness stand Wednesday in a Delaware court to defend himself in a shareholder lawsuit challenging a compensation package he was awarded by Tesla’s board of directors that is potentially worth more than $55 billion.
While testifying, Musk said “I expect to reduce my time at Twitter and find somebody else to run Twitter over time,” according to multiple media reports.
Overnight, Musk sent an email to the remaining staff at Twitter, saying that it is a software and servers company at its heart and he asked employees to decide by Thursday evening if they want to remain a part of the business.
Musk wrote that employees “will need to be extremely hardcore” to build “a breakthrough Twitter 2.0″ and that long hours at high intensity will be needed for success.
Musk, who also heads Tesla and SpaceX, said Twitter will be much more engineering-driven, with employees who write “great code” comprising the majority of the team.
The billionaire, who completed the $44 billion takeover of the San Francisco company in late October, fired much of its full-time workforce by email early this month and is expected to eliminate an untold number of contract jobs for those responsible for fighting misinformation and other harmful content. A number of engineers also said on Twitter they were fired this week after saying something critical of Musk, either publicly on Twitter or on an internal messaging board for Twitter employees.
Musk has vowed to ease restrictions on what users can say on the platform. While he has been criticized from almost all sides for potentially opening the gates at Twitter to hate and other harmful speech, he has tried to reassure advertisers, which drive most of the social platform’s revenue, that any rule changes will not damage their brands by associating them with harmful content.
Musk has also indicated that he plans to resume Twitter’s premium service — which grants blue-check “verification” labels to anyone willing to pay $8 a month – on November 29. The billionaire said in a tweet that the relaunch would take place later this month in an effort to make sure the service is “rock solid.”
Musk asked workers to click yes on a link provided in the email if they want to be part of the “new Twitter.” He said that employees had until 5 p.m. Eastern on Thursday to reply to the link. Employees who don’t reply by that time will receive three months of severance, according to the email.
“Whatever decision you make, thank you for your efforts to make Twitter successful,” Musk wrote.
____
AP Technology Reporter Matt O’Brien contributed to this report from Rhode Island. AP Writer Randall Chase contributed from Delaware. | 2022-11-17T01:44:41+00:00 | wboy.com | https://www.wboy.com/technology/ap-musk-gives-twitter-workers-deadline-to-decide-job-fate/ |
Warmer temperatures and a chance of rain this week
SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - This morning we are waking up to the low to mid 60s with mostly clear skies and our wind from the east at 5 to 10 miles per hour.
Headed into this afternoon, we are expected to see highs in the low to mid 90s with sunny conditions and wind from the southeast at 5 to 10 miles per hour. These clear and calm conditions will follow us into tonight as well, where we will see our overnight lows in the 60s and wind from the east southeast at 5 to 10 miles per hour.
Tomorrow is when we start to get a little warmer and hotter with temperatures in the upper 90s with clear skies, making it a sunny and hot day. Winds will be from the south at 5 to 10 miles per hour, with gusts up to 20 miles per hour.
Tomorrow night is when we have a chance to see some rain and storms moving through the region. Right now, all of Siouxland is at a marginal risk of seeing some severe weather. As of right now, the biggest threats are hail and wind, with a slight possibility of a tornado too.
For more details, be sure to watch News 4 Today for my full forecast!
Copyright 2022 KTIV. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-13T09:33:28+00:00 | ktiv.com | https://www.ktiv.com/2022/07/13/warmer-temperatures-chance-rain-this-week/ |
Deal Demonstrates Value of Unlocking Capital and Material Impact on Book Value
Market Conditions for Sale Leasebacks Favorable for Well-Capitalized Banks
NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SLB Capital Advisors ("SLB") successfully advised Ponce Financial Group (the "Company" or "Ponce Bank") on the sale of its corporate headquarters in the Bronx and certain bank branches in the New York metro area. Concurrent with the transactions, Ponce entered into long-term leases for the properties with the new owners.
"The sale leasebacks unlocked significant book value and provided capital for us to redeploy, which allowed us in turn to put funds to work and support our communities," said Ponce Bank CEO Carlos Naudon. "The sale leaseback contributed materially to the increase in book value in 2021, approximately $0.89 / share, and allowed us the ability to lend an additional $160 million."
Ponce Bank serves NYC metro communities by emphasizing the importance of personal banking and by promoting local economic development. "Our executives and staff mirror the diversity of the great local communities we serve," stated Ponce Bank CFO Frank Perez. "These strategic sale leasebacks enabled us to serve our communities better."
"Ponce is a top-tier Minority Depository Institution and Community Development Financial Institution," noted SLB Capital Advisors Principal, Stewart Riggs, "Those designations, combined with leading credit metrics, resonated with both public and private sale leaseback buyers."
Riggs continued, "Sale leasebacks of branches and other owned property enable corporations to re-allocate capital from real estate toward their core businesses."
Scott Merkle, Managing Partner of SLB, commented, "Now is an outstanding time for financial institutions, as well as any other corporate owners of real estate, to consider monetizing owned real estate." He noted that high corporate real estate demand and favorable pricing, combined with a long-term lease, drives value for sellers, and especially for well capitalized banks such as Ponce.
Merkle noted that sale leasebacks are increasingly viewed as a core financing strategic alternative. "The sale leaseback transaction sits at the intersection of corporate finance and real estate, and our team's expertise in both disciplines makes SLB Capital Advisors uniquely qualified to advise investors and corporate owners in this space."
About Ponce Bank:
Founded in 1960, Ponce Bank has earned a reputation for serving the needs of communities by emphasizing the importance of personal banking and by promoting local economic development. Ponce Bank is wholly-owned by Ponce Financial Group which is publicly traded on the NASDAQ and operates 13 branch locations and 5 mortgage loan offices throughout Metropolitan New York. The bank has the distinction of having been recognized as a Minority Depository Institution (MDI"), Community Development Financial Institution ("CDFI") and a certified Small Business Administration ("SBA") lender, allowing it to serve a broad spectrum of the diverse New York City metro population.
About
SLB Capital Advisors is a real estate advisory firm focused on sale leasebacks and M&A-related real estate transactions. SLB Capital Advisors leverages its expertise in sale leasebacks and corporate finance to help corporations and private equity groups recognize value arbitrage opportunities, enhance returns and strengthen balance sheets. SLB Capital Advisors is headquartered in New York City.
Learn more about SLB Capital Advisors by visiting www.slbcapitaladvisors.com or following us on LinkedIn.
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SOURCE SLB Capital Advisors | 2022-05-24T18:36:47+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/05/24/slb-capital-advisors-successfully-advises-publicly-traded-nyc-based-community-bank-ponce-bank-multi-asset-sale-leaseback/ |
Updated June 16, 2022 at 8:33 AM ET
KYIV, Ukraine — Four European leaders met Thursday with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in talks intended as a show of unity for a country struggling to hold back the Russian military.
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania arrived in the capital Kyiv by train because Ukraine's civilian airports have been shut down by the war. Air raid sirens went off shortly after they arrived.
The leaders held talks with Zelenskyy at his heavily fortified compound on a hilltop overlooking the city. The Europeans also visited Irpin, a suburb of the capital where Russian troops were accused of widespread abuses in the early days of the war.
French President Emmanuel Macron said there were signs the Russians had carried out "massacres."
Ukrainians have criticized Macron for being too accommodating toward Russia. He has said Ukraine should considering conceding territory so Russia is not "humiliated."
But the French leader said his current trip was intended as "a message of European unity for the Ukrainian people, support now and in the future, because the weeks to come will be very difficult."
Macron shared a train ride into Kyiv with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis arrived on a separate train.
Next week, European Union leaders are expected to make a decision on Ukraine's request to become a candidate for membership in the EU.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy welcomed the U.S. announcement Wednesday that it's sending an additional $1 billion in military aid that includes heavy weapons for the outgunned Ukrainian military.
"It's yet another sign that Western support for Ukraine is here for good," Zelenskyy said in his regular late-night address. "I'll keep asking for necessary weapons and equipment, but the bravery and skillfulness of our service members can't be imported."
Ukrainian leaders have criticized what they describe as lukewarm support from these key European countries, and Thursday's meeting is being closely watched to gauge the level of support for Ukraine's war with Russia.
Ukrainian leaders have also been upset with Scholz, the German leader, who has said Ukraine should not lose the war, but has not gone so far as to say it should win in its fight with Russia.
"How can the country that rapes our women be allowed save face?" Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelenskyy, told NPR in an interview this week. "What do we need to win this war, to have this war come to an end? We need weapons."
Podolyak is Ukraine's chief negotiator, and in the early weeks of the war he led a team that met several times with Russian representatives. But the talks made no progress. As evidence of Russian abuses mounted on the battlefield, the Ukrainian public turned against such talks.
In a poll last month, more than 80% of Ukrainians said they were unwilling to give up territory for peace, even if it means a prolonged conflict, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
Podolyak said if Ukrainians cede territory to Russia now, even if under a temporary ceasefire, there are no guarantees Russia would not invade again later.
"A cease-fire would be a de facto Russian victory," he said. But, he added, "We are ready to agree to something so long as this [Russian] threat does not persist."
For now, Podolyak and other Ukrainian leaders say Ukraine desperately needs more artillery to combat the Russian forces that are making grinding progress in the eastern part of the country. After weeks of heavy fighting, the Russians are on the verge of capturing the city of Sievierodonetsk in the Donbas region.
Podolyak posted a wish-list of weapons on Twitter, which included requests for 1,000 howitzers, 1,000 drones and 500 tanks. He said this would give Ukraine "parity" with Russian forces.
He stressed that Ukraine is increasing dependent on Western weapons because it is running out of ammunition for its aging Soviet-era arsenal. Additional ammunition for those weapons is not widely available outside of Russia.
Ukraine has been transitioning to NATO equipment in recent years, but Podolyak says it takes European buy-in for Ukraine to fully transition to more modern systems which are made and sold worldwide.
But as long as the Russians have an advantage in artillery by a ratio of 10-to-1 or more, Ukraine will continue to struggle on the battlefield, he said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-06-16T14:41:11+00:00 | mainepublic.org | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-06-16/ukraines-zelenskyy-hosts-european-leaders-welcomes-more-u-s-weapons |
SEATTLE – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is calling lawmakers back to work after they rejected a bill setting out a new statewide drug policy — a development that has put the state on the brink of decriminalizing possession of fentanyl and other drugs while also depriving it of much-needed investments in public health.
Lawmakers adjourned their regular session late last month after voting down a bill that would keep drug possession illegal and boost services for people struggling with addiction. Many liberal Democrats objected to criminalizing drugs, while conservative Democrats and Republicans insisted they must be to provide incentive for people to enter treatment.
Inslee has called that unacceptable, and on Tuesday he set a special legislative session beginning May 16 to give them another chance.
“Cities and counties are eager to see a statewide policy that balances accountability and treatment, and I believe we can produce a bipartisan bill that does just that," Inslee said.
A temporary law that makes possession of small amounts of drugs a misdemeanor expires on July 1, so if lawmakers fail to pass a bill, Washington would become the second state — after neighboring Oregon — to decriminalize drug possession. Cities and counties would be free to adopt their own approaches to drug possession and paraphernalia, creating a patchwork of laws that could undermine efforts to treat addiction as a public health issue.
Lawmakers said Tuesday they were increasingly optimistic they can reach a compromise to avoid those consequences.
“I've cleared my schedule,” said state Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland. “I'm working day and night on this.”
Like other states, Washington has wrestled with what to do with an overdose crisis worsened by the widespread availability of cheap, deadly fentanyl. Public drug use is rampant in cities around the state, and deaths have soared.
Several Washington cities have already contemplated or passed new drug laws in the absence of legislative action. Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and two City Council members, Sara Nelson and Alex Pedersen, have proposed a ban on public use.
“Our hands-off approach to people using illegal drugs in public has resulted in rampant street crime and a death toll rivaling that of COVID-19 in Seattle,” Nelson said in a statement. “Complacency is no longer an option.”
The Washington Supreme Court in 2021 struck down the state law making drug possession a felony. The court said it was unconstitutional because it did not require prosecutors to prove that someone knowingly had the drugs. Washington was the only state in the country without that requirement.
In response, lawmakers that year made intentional drug possession a misdemeanor and required police to refer offenders to evaluation or treatment for their first two offenses — but there was no obvious way for officers to track how many times someone had been referred, and availability of treatment remained inadequate.
Lawmakers made the measure temporary — having it expire July 1, 2023 — to give themselves two years to come up with a long-term policy.
But as this year’s session ended late last month, a measure billed as a compromise was voted down in the Democratic-controlled House 55-43. It would have increased potential penalties for drug possession, making it a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, rather than a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days.
It also would have eliminated the requirement that police refer a person’s first two offenses for treatment rather than prosecution, enabling officers to arrest someone for a first offense if they thought it appropriate, while also encouraging police and prosecutors to divert cases. Judges could impose jail time for people who refuse treatment or repeatedly fail to comply.
It would have made clear that public health workers could not be prosecuted for giving out drug paraphernalia, such as clean glass tubes for smoking fentanyl.
And it would have included funding for drug crisis centers; a pilot program for health engagement hubs where users could access clean drug paraphernalia and connect with other services; and expanded access to withdrawal medication in jails and prisons.
Without those provisions of the bill being passed, the state's approach to drugs amounts to “an entire diversion system with nothing to divert people to,” said Caleb Banta-Green, a research professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
“We need $50 million to $100 million statewide and a health engagement hub in each county, and we could cut deaths in half in a year,” he said. “We know what to do.”
Democratic and Republican lawmakers agree on the need to increase services, with many saying they have no intention of returning to the punitive approach of the war on drugs.
But Republicans objected that the bill did not do enough to ensure accountability for offenders; would preempt local bans on drug paraphernalia; and would create recovery residences where those trying to maintain sobriety might stay with those who continue to use drugs.
“I want these people to get better,” said Rep. Greg Cheney, R-Battle Ground, a lawyer with experience in drug courts, said during a floor debate last month. “But not requiring them to acknowledge they have a problem is not the right path to go.”
Many liberal Democrats, meanwhile, said they were opposed to making drug possession a crime at all. Rep. Tarra Simmons, of Bremerton, who spent time in prison on drug charges before becoming a lawyer and a lawmaker, said she was willing to vote to make it a misdemeanor as part of a compromise that would increase services.
But a gross misdemeanor is actually worse than its old status as a felony, she suggested, because the felony came with a sentencing recommendation of zero to six months for the first three offenses; the gross misdemeanor is up to a year in jail. Judges in municipal courts around the state could keep punishing those struggling with addiction, she said.
“It was really hard for me not to vote for all the good things in that bill,” Simmons said. “But we don't need to cause people more pain in order to help them.” | 2023-05-03T06:19:14+00:00 | ksat.com | https://www.ksat.com/news/politics/2023/05/03/washington-state-to-decriminalize-drugs-unless-lawmakers-act/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Five high school students have received a prize that will enable them to share their passion for poetry in their communities and beyond, while receiving a $5,000 cash award.
Students from New York City to Sante Fe, New Mexico have been named National Student Poets, an honor presented by the National Student Poets Program. They will serve 1-year terms as “poetry ambassadors,” giving talks and presiding over workshops and other programs.
The poets are 10th and 11th graders chosen from five regions out of a pool of some 22,000 applicants around the U.S. They are Vidhatrie Keetha (Northeast) from the Horace Mann School in New York City, Emily Igwike (Midwest) from the University School of Milwaukee, Winslow Hastie, Jr. (Southeast) from the Charleston County School of the Arts in North Charleston, South Carolina; Jessie Begay (Southwest) from the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe, and Diane Sun (West) from Interlake High School in Bellevue, Washington.
The director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Crosby Kemper, will formally appoint the student poets during a Sept. 27 ceremony at the Planet Word Museum in Washington, D.C. Poet Naomi Shihab Nye will be the keynote speaker.
“Poetry is for the soul. Our five young National Student Poets display plenty of that in their passionate work,” Kemper said in a statement Wednesday. “As they help lead us out of our long bout with the pandemic they will provide balm for our distresses and delight for our hearts.”
The decade-old National Student Poets Program is a partnership including the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, which manages the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Awards jurors this year included former U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and poet Edward Hirsch. | 2022-08-03T16:41:00+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/entertainment/ap-entertainment/5-high-school-students-to-serve-as-national-student-poets/ |
CLEVELAND (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Ohio Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
3-7-9
(three, seven, nine)
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NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gross Law Firm issues the following notice to shareholders of U.S. Bancorp.
Shareholders who purchased shares of USB during the class period listed are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible lead plaintiff appointment. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery.
CONTACT US HERE:
CLASS PERIOD: August 1, 2019 to July 28, 2022
ALLEGATIONS: The complaint alleges that during the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (a) U.S. Bank created sales pressure on its employees that led them to open credit cards, lines of credit, and deposit accounts without consumers' knowledge and consent; (b) since at least 2015, U.S. Bank and by extension, U.S. Bancorp, was aware of such unauthorized conduct and that it was violating relevant regulations and laws aimed at protecting its consumers; (c) U.S. Bancorp failed to properly monitor its employees from engaging in such unlawful conduct, detect and stop the misconduct, and identify and remediate harmed consumers; (d) all the foregoing subjected the Company to a foreseeable risk of heightened regulatory scrutiny or investigation; (e) U.S. Bancorp's revenues were in part the product of unlawful conduct and thus unsustainable; and (f) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
DEADLINE: December 27, 2022 Shareholders should not delay in registering for this class action. Register your information here: https://securitiesclasslaw.com/securities/u-s-bancorp-loss-submission-form/?id=33240&from=4
NEXT STEPS FOR SHAREHOLDERS: Once you register as a shareholder who purchased shares of USB during the timeframe listed above, you will be enrolled in a portfolio monitoring software to provide you with status updates throughout the lifecycle of the case. The deadline to seek to be a lead plaintiff is December 27, 2022. There is no cost or obligation to you to participate in this case.
WHY GROSS LAW FIRM? The Gross Law Firm is nationally recognized class action law firm, and our mission is to protect the rights of all investors who have suffered as a result of deceit, fraud, and illegal business practices. The Gross Law Firm is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a company lead to artificial inflation of the company's stock. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
The Gross Law Firm
15 West 38th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY, 10018
Email: dg@securitiesclasslaw.com
Phone: (646) 453-8903
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SOURCE The Gross Law Firm | 2022-11-02T11:03:33+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/shareholder-alert-gross-law-firm-notifies-shareholders-us-bancorp-class-action-lawsuit-lead-plaintiff-deadline-december-27-2022-nyse-usb/ |
On the eve of their deployment to Vietnam, Chief Albert Wanatah and five of his fellow Indian friends from Oklahoma and the south suburbs gathered at Assumption Catholic Cemetery in Glenwood to drink beer and plan their future graves.
They were preparing for what might come of their sprint as code talkers, but staying strong as they considered it their duty to serve their country. They also wanted to remain united, even in death.
“We said, ‘We want to be together, this is where I want to be buried, I want to be buried next to you,’” Wanatah recalled.
When the Cook County sheriff’s police arrived to break up their party, one older officer was so moved by their words and the letter they carried of President Johnson’s greetings to them that he teared up and could barely talk.
It was that sense of patriotism and duty, that brought Wanatah, a member of the Comanche Nation, to prepare his words at the Wall that Heals, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall during Saturday’s candlelight vigil at Marian Catholic High School.
He was one of the few code talkers from his group to return from Vietnam alive, serving from late 1966 through 1968.
Code talkers were on a secret mission to call in the positions of the Viet Cong to the Navy or Air Force in their own language, which he pointed out was thousands of years old.
He said his ancestors were massacred by Col. George Armstrong Custer’s army in Oklahoma in 1876.
“We’re part of this country because it’s our country, nobody else was here, only Native Americans,” said Wanatah.
He grew up an orphan alone in a mud house, though visited by adults periodically, on a reservation in south central Oklahoma. There was no running water, toilet or street address.
In the 1950s and early 1960s he traveled to Illinois to work for Ford Motor Company, during the summers and later full-time. There he met friends and relatives.
Wanatah wanted to attend the United States Military Academy West Point or at least a major university, but said he was rejected because he was Indian. He had his paperwork from the National Board of Examiners, too.
“We didn’t become citizens until 1924 and we were here for thousands of thousands of years. We could not even vote until the mid ‘60s, yet we were subjected to military service,” said Wanatah.
He was drafted but went willingly, he said, because he had been taught that the first chapter of Numbers in the Bible said God told Moses to take a census for the purpose of going to war. Wanatah also thought he was saving people from communism.
“God is the one who invented the draft,” said Wanatah. “What is military service? It is to go out and kill other human beings.”
Yet after the war, Wanatah felt defeated by the government’s treatment of veterans.
“The government didn’t want to take care of us after the war because we lost the war,” said Wanatah. “It was a very unpopular war and it was the government that sent us there.
Daily Southtown
He also said the government doesn’t want to care for people who were exposed to Agent Orange, which causes diabetes, which he has.
The Rev. David Simonetti, pastor of Christ Our Light Catholic Church in Hegewisch, who met Wanatah at Assumption Cemetery during a Memorial Day event to honor some of his relatives killed in the Vietnam War, was impressed.
“What struck me most about Chief Wanatah is how his life has come full circle,” said Simonetti. “As a teen he stood in this very cemetery with his friends the night before they left for Vietnam picking out their graves.
“He had faced such discrimination in his life ... Now our country has corrected such an indignity,” said Simonetti.
Speaking at the traveling wall was a way to let the younger generation know the history of the war and how many dedicated soldiers were lost, Wanatah said. But the wall should also remind the government that they owe these veterans some help and gratitude, he said.
“Not to embarrass them, but to do something about it,” said Wanatah.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. | 2022-07-11T13:35:40+00:00 | chicagotribune.com | https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-glenwood-code-talkers-st-0712-20220711-73dqlom6b5g47imle6taqrtmlq-story.html |
The Rapid City Christian volleyball team rolled to a straight-sets win over Spearfish in Black Hills Conference action Tuesday in Spearfish.
The No. 4 Lady Comets defeated the Spartans 25-20, 25-12, 25-9.
Olivia Kieffer tallied 12 kills and 13 digs for Christian (10-3), while Ana Egge added 10 kills and 15 digs. Kylie Kallio collected 24 assists and 10 digs.
The Lady Comets travel to Hill City on Thursday, while Spearfish (1-7) hosts Aberdeen Central on Friday.
Belle Fourche 3, St. Thomas More 0: The Broncs earned a straight-sets win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night in Belle Fourche.
Belle Fourche swept STM 25-18, 25-17, 25-21.
No other information was made available.
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Belle Fourche (3-1) travels to Winner on Thursday, while STM (8-6) hosts Custer next Tuesday.
Pine Ridge 3, St. Francis Indian 0: The Lady Thorpes earned a shutout win over the Lady Warriors on Tuesday, 25-13, 25-8, 25-12.
Avianna Garcia tallied 15 kills for Pine Ridge (2-3), while Tristiana Brewer added six. Molique Brown tossed in three service aces.
Pine Ridge is at Todd County on Thursday, while St. Francis Indian hosts Red Cloud next Tuesday.
Sturgis 3, Custer 0: The Scoopers earned a straight-sets victory over the Wildcats on Tuesday in Sturgis.
Sturgis beat Custer 25-12, 25-21, 25-0.
The Scoopers (2-8) host Pierre T.F. Riggs on Friday, while the Wildcats (2-7) travel to Hot Springs on Thursday.
Hot Springs 3, Red Cloud 0: The Lady Bison cruised past the Lady Crusaders for a straight-sets win, 25-16, 25-11, 25-13.
No other information was made available.
Hot Springs (6-2) hosts Custer on Thursday, while Red Cloud (1-6) hosts Todd County on Saturday.
Edgemont 3, Lead-Deadwood 0: The Moguls moved back to .500 with a 25-20, 25-23, 25-17 win over the Golddiggers on Tuesday in Edgemont.
No other information was made available.
Edgemont (4-4) travels to Guernsey-Sunrise, Wyoming on Thursday, while Lead-Deadwood (2-6) travels to Spearfish next Tuesday.
Jones County 3, Philip 1: The Lady Scotties overcame a one-set deficit to remain unbeaten and defeat the Coyotes 20-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-21 Tuesday in Murdo.
No other information was made available.
Jones County (4-0) faces Harding County on Saturday, while Philip (2-1) hosts Stanley County on Thursday.
Lyman 3, Colome 2: The Raiders overcame a two-sets-to-one deficit to beat Cowgirls 19-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-19, 15-6 on Tuesday in Colome.
No other information was made available.
Lyman (1-2) hosts New Underwood on Thursday, while Colome (3-5) hosts Marty on Monday.
Bowman County (N.D.) 3, Harding County 0: The team out of North Dakota defeated the Ranchers 25-19, 25-17, 25-14.
No other information was made available.
Harding County (0-5) faces Jones County on Saturday.
Lemmon 3, McIntosh 1: The Cowgirls overcame a one-set deficit to beat the Tigers 23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-10.
No other information was made available.
Lemmon (2-2) travels to Mott-Regent, North Dakota next Tuesday, while McIntosh (2-4) heads to Mott-Regent, North Dakota on Thursday.
Girls Tennis
Rapid City Stevens 8, St. Thomas More 1: The Raiders moved to 9-0 on the season with a win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday at Sioux Park.
In singles, Peyton Ogle beat Shriya Gangineni 10-0 in Flight 1, Anna Mueller topped Katelyn Denholm 10-1 in Flight 2, Kaiya Parkin bested Sophia Meyer 10-3 in Flight 4, Bella Scott defeated Amity Strand 10-1 in Flight 5 and Evelyn Haar beat Madison Schmahl 10-2 in Flight 6.
Athena Franciliso earned STM's lone victory, topping Sophie Schmid 10-0 in Flight 1.
In doubles, Ogle and Madison Marsh bested Denholm and Meyer 10-7, Parkin and Scott defeated Franciliso and Gangineni 10-5 and Mueller and Lindsey Pfingston beat Schmahl and Strand 10-4.
Stevens travels to Brookings on Thursday, while St. Thomas More faces Rapid City Christian at Parkview Tennis Courts.
Aberdeen Roncalli 7, Rapid City Central 2: Senior Macie Moser accounted for both of the Cobblers individual wins in their dual loss to the Lady Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Moser beat Josie Mitzel 10-2 at Flight 6 singles, then teamed up with fellow senior Ella Miller to defeat Mitzel and Keira Rivett 10-5 at Flight 3 doubles.
Central plays Brookings and Watertown in a triangular Friday in Brookings.
Pierre T.F. Riggs 9, Rapid City Central 0: The Cobblers were blanked in their second team match of the day Tuesday in Pierre.
Central combined to win just four games, suffering six 10-0 individual losses.
Cross Country
All top five runners hailed from Lakota Tech on Tuesday as the Tatanka boys ran away with the Jim Thorpe Invitational in Pine Ridge.
Kaden Steele won the individual title with a time of 22:07, followed by Marvin Richard (22:11), Kolt Fox (22:24), Zaniyan Iron Eyes (23:04) and Jamiah Bianas (23:39).
Wakan Two Strike led St. Francis Indian with a sixth-place time of 23:48, Jace Allen powered Todd County with a seventh-place time of 23:56, Joseph Bear guided Little Wound with an eighth-place time of 24:11 and Zander Big Crow led Pine Ridge with a 15th-place time of 27:29.
Only four runners competed in the girls varsity event, won by Lakota Tech's Taylor Byerly in a time of 24:13. Cadence Amiotte of Todd County was runner-up at 29:07, followed by Pine Ridge's Sierra Black Bull (29:23) and Little Wound's Avaline Little Elk (30:29).
Boys Soccer
Spearfish 9, Belle Fourche 0: The Spartans rolled to a shutout win over the Broncs on Tuesday.
No other information was made available.
Spearfish (3-3-1) hosts Sturgis next Tuesday, while Belle Fourche (2-4-0) hosts St. Thomas More on Saturday.
St. Thomas More 6, Sturgis 0: The Cavaliers earned a shutout win over the Scoopers on Tuesday at Woodle Field.
Tom Solano scored four goals for STM, while Jason Albertson and Will Snyder added two assists apiece. Will Green and Trevor Erlandson also tallied goals.
St. Thomas More (5-1) travels to Belle Fourche on Saturday, while Sturgis (3-4-1) hosts Douglas/Rapid City Christian/New Underwood on Thursday.
Girls Soccer
Spearfish 4, Belle Fourche 0: The Spartans blanked the Broncs Tuesday night.
No other information was made available.
Spearfish (4-3-0) hosts Sturgis next Tuesday, while Belle Fourche (0-7-1) hosts St. Thomas More on Saturday. | 2022-09-07T06:45:47+00:00 | rapidcityjournal.com | https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/prep-roundup-rc-christian-volleyball-routs-spearfish/article_0167a1b3-816a-5011-935f-44b7b775838f.html |
Gov. Gordon Urges Spending Caution After July Revenue Report
The latest revenue update for Wyoming indicates falling prices and values in natural gas prices from a year ago, and that has prompted Gov. Mark Gordon to urge vigilance in state spending, according to a press release from the Governor's Office on Friday.
"The Governor said he will continue to apply conservative principles to budgeting as he prepares his next two-year budget proposal," Gordon said in the press release.
The July pacing report from the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group shows revenue collections for the General Fund and the Budget Reserve Account surpassed its January forecast by $176.1 million.
High natural gas prices from 2022 produced strong revenues, but the prices and volumes have been falling steadily since in 2022.
"This change could reverse the strong revenues from a year ago," the Gordon said. "In addition, Wyoming continues to face an ongoing threat to its legacy mineral industries through the Biden Administration’s anti-fossil fuel policies that harm economic growth and impact revenues in Wyoming and across the country."
Gordon also cited the state's ability to recover $584 million of COVID-19-related expenditures from 2020 with the American Rescue Plan Revenue replacement funds as a key factor for the revenue and budget.
"In the next budget, we must first restore $330 million in state general fund dollars to maintain existing government services that are currently funded with ARPA Revenue Replacement funds," Gordon said.
The July CREG report looks good, but it is a backward-looking document, he said. “This examination of recent revenues also shows gathering storm clouds on the horizon that could signal a change in Wyoming’s future revenues.”
Wyoming has taken a conservative approach in dealing with past windfalls in recent years, and needs to maintain that, Gordon said.
The Governor will release his next two-year budget proposal in November. | 2023-07-28T21:49:18+00:00 | k2radio.com | https://k2radio.com/gov-gordon-urges-spending-caution-after-july-revenue-report/ |
Children's Sports Franchise Adds 60 New Locations and 44 New Owners with its Nationwide Expansion
NEW YORK, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Youth Athletes United, the premier youth sports program with a multi-sport brand portfolio that empowers kids and communities with their sports franchises, continues its groundbreaking growth and remarkable success within the children's sports industry for the first half of 2023. The franchise has experienced a substantial nationwide expansion, welcoming 60 new units and 44 new owners to its ever-growing network of brands of Soccer Stars, Amazing Athletes and TGA Sports. Additionally, Youth Athletes United has achieved an impressive 24.7% growth rate since the beginning of this year, solidifying its position as a market leader. Youth Athletes United looks to continue positively impacting the lives of one million youth athletes and envisions becoming the nation's largest youth sports platform.
The company is comprised of three brands - Amazing Athletes, Soccer Stars and TGA (Tennis, Golf & Athletics) - which have experienced immense growth as parents continue to invest in their children's futures and abilities. Soccer Stars, the nation's leading educational soccer program teaches kids about the fun and basics of soccer to increase their success and love for the game in the future. So far this year, Soccer Stars has expanded with 37 new locations and a total of 23 new franchise owners. Amazing Athletes, the premier year-round developmental sports and physical fitness program designed to empower children ages 1-7 years old, has 21 new locations, including its recent merger with JumpBunch, with 19 new franchisees joining the team, including its additional programs of Karate Zoo and Little Rookies. TGA Sports, the number one youth sports provider for tennis, golf, and athletics, has added two new locations along with two new franchisees this year.
"With our monumental growth and our goal to further expand this year, we have been changing the industry and exceeding what is truly possible," said Co-Founder and CEO of Youth Athletes United, Adam Geisler. "Our success ultimately is a testament to the dedication and passion of our team, franchisee owners and coaches whose purpose is to positively impact children's lives. With our nationwide expansion, we hope to enrich our communities by providing children an outlet to learn, be active, socialize and have fun."
By joining the Youth Athletes United family, franchise owners gain access to a proven business model that has consistently delivered impressive results. The franchise's dedication to delivering top-notch sports programs has earned it a loyal customer base and established it as a trusted brand within the industry. With its strong momentum and continued expansion, Youth Athletes United is poised for even greater success in the coming months and years, and remains committed to maintaining its high standards of quality providing transformative first-sport experiences for kids.
Youth Athletes United looks forward to continuing its impressive growth in the coming quarter by adding additional franchisees across its youth sports platform. For more information regarding the Youth Athletes United brands and franchising opportunities, visit https://www.youthathletesunited.com/franchising-opportunities/.
About Youth Athletes United
Established youth educational sports brands Amazing Athletes, Soccer Stars, and TGA (Tennis, Golf & Athletics) come together under parent company, Youth Athletes United. With 20+ years of success for each individual brand, a total 270+ units, and 250,000+ children instructed nationwide each year, Youth Athletes United is helping to shape the next generation of champions both on and off the field. Focused on promoting physical literacy, mental toughness, and character development, Youth Athletes United is dedicated to supporting the growth and success of young players from all backgrounds and skill levels with an innovative and dynamic player pathway for children ages 1-14+. To learn more about the leading mobile youth sports franchise platform, Youth Athletes United, and their territory opportunities, visit https://www.youthathletesunited.com/franchising-opportunities/.
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SOURCE Youth Athletes United | 2023-06-22T19:52:47+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/06/22/youth-athletes-united-achieves-unprecedented-growth-throughout-first-half-2023/ |
- Bowman will lead state and local regulatory and government relations, and community affairs
- De May to retire after 33 years of service
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy today announced that Kendal Bowman will become North Carolina state president, effective Jan. 1. She will succeed Stephen De May, who is retiring after 33 years with the company.
As president of Duke Energy's utility operations in North Carolina, where the company has approximately 3.7 million electric retail customers and 786,000 natural gas customers, Bowman will be responsible for the performance of Duke Energy's regulated utilities in North Carolina, along with leading state and local regulatory and government relations, and community affairs. She will also manage continued efforts to engage and work with customers and stakeholders across many topics, including North Carolina's clean energy transition.
De May has been with Duke Energy since 1990 and has served as its North Carolina president since November 2018. Previously he was treasurer and senior vice president of tax for Duke Energy; during his 11 years as treasurer, he also led the corporate risk management and investor relations functions at various times. Earlier he served as vice president of energy and environmental policy, led the company's business unit finance and corporate finance groups, and was a director of the company's former real estate development business, Crescent Resources.
"Throughout his career, Stephen has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to our company, our customers and our employees," said Lynn Good, Duke Energy chair, president and CEO. "Through his work, he consistently positioned Duke Energy for success, whether through financing the company's growth cost-effectively, advocating for our customers' interests during federal tax reform, or advancing our clean energy transition in North Carolina together with our many stakeholders. I want to thank Stephen for his many contributions and I wish him the very best in his retirement."
In her current role as vice president of regulatory affairs and policy for North Carolina, Bowman manages the company's presence in all regulatory matters before the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC), including the Carolinas Carbon Plan. She works closely with policymakers and other stakeholders to find working, sustainable solutions to energy policy needs, providing leadership in the development and implementation of public policy in the best interest of the customers and communities served by Duke Energy.
"Kendal's solutions-oriented approach brings together diverse interests to achieve productive outcomes for our state," said Julie Janson, executive vice president and chief executive officer for Duke Energy Carolinas. "Advancing the clean energy transition will require steadfast collaboration and addressing challenges in new ways, and I'm thrilled Kendal will be at the helm for Duke Energy in North Carolina."
Earlier, Bowman served as deputy general counsel for Duke Energy, managing all legal state regulatory functions for North Carolina. Prior to that, she was associate general counsel for Progress Energy in North Carolina and South Carolina. She previously led the federal legal regulatory affairs group and was responsible for all Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) matters for Progress Energy Carolinas and Progress Energy Florida. She has been with the company since 1999.
Bowman, 50, currently serves on the North Carolina Energy Policy Council and serves on the board of directors for Advanced Energy Corp. A native of Clarksville, Va., she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Virginia and a law degree from Stetson University.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.
Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "World's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
24-hour media line: 800.559.3853
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SOURCE Duke Energy | 2022-11-07T19:05:10+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/07/duke-energy-names-kendal-bowman-new-north-carolina-state-president-succeeding-stephen-de-may/ |
OKOTOKS, AB, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: MTL) The Board of Directors of Mullen Group Ltd. ("Mullen Group", "We", "Our" and/or the "Corporation") announced today that it has declared a monthly dividend of $0.06 per Common Share payable to the holders of record of Common Shares at the close of business on August 31, 2022. The dividend will be paid on September 15, 2022.
For Canadian resident shareholders, this dividend is designated as an "eligible dividend" for purposes of the enhanced dividend tax credit rules contained in the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any corresponding provincial and territorial tax legislation.
Mullen Group is one of North America's largest logistics providers. Our network of independently operated businesses provide a wide range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized, third-party logistics and specialized hauling transportation. In addition, we provide a diverse set of specialized services related to the energy, mining, forestry and construction industries in western Canada, including water management, fluid hauling and environmental reclamation. The corporate office provides the capital and financial expertise, legal support, technology and systems support, shared services and strategic planning to its independent businesses.
Mullen Group is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MTL". Additional information is available on our website at www.mullen-group.com or on the Corporation's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Mr. Murray K. Mullen - Chair, Senior Executive Officer and President
Mr. Richard J. Maloney - Senior Operating Officer
Mr. Carson P. Urlacher - Senior Accounting Officer
Ms. Joanna K. Scott - Senior Corporate Officer
121A - 31 Southridge Drive
Okotoks, Alberta, Canada T1S 2N3
Telephone: 403-995-5200
Fax: 403-995-5296
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SOURCE Mullen Group Ltd. | 2022-08-22T17:38:39+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/22/mullen-group-ltd-announces-declaration-monthly-dividend/ |
CHICAGO (AP) — Hundreds of people packed a church Wednesday for the funeral of a Chicago police officer who was off duty when she was fatally shot during an armed robbery spree by four teenagers charged in her death.
Officer Aréanah Preston’s mother, Dionne Mhoon, told police officers, relatives and other mourners at Trinity United Church of Christ that her daughter was a “kid full of life, dreams, big goals and wanted to make major changes.”
“Death is only a tragic thing if you have not lived. My baby lived,” she said to applause. “I am because of her. I pray for peace in homes. I pray for peace in our communities, and I pray for peace in my heart. Rest peacefully, my sweet baby. Momma has it from here.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and interim Police Superintendent Fred Waller joined mourners outside the church as Preston’s white casket arrived in a hearse, draped in the city’s flag, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
After Wednesday’s service, the hearse carried Preston’s casket from the church in a lengthy funeral procession bound for Lincoln Cemetery, where a private service was planned.
Preston was fatally wounded early May 6 when she exchanged gunfire with a group of youths who approached her on the city’s South Side as she returned home from work, still wearing her police uniform, police said.
Four teenagers were charged last week in her killing and denied bail. Nineteen-year-olds Joseph Brooks and Trevell Breeland, Jakwon Buchanan, 18, and a 16-year-old boy face first-degree murder, armed robbery and other charges.
Though Preston was off-duty at the time she was shot, her slaying is being considered a line-of-duty death, which entitles her family to financial assistance from the state. | 2023-05-18T11:12:00+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/news/national/ap-hundreds-attend-funeral-of-chicago-cop-fatally-shot-during-exchange-of-gunfire-with-youths/ |
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia attacked power stations and other infrastructure Sunday, causing widespread outages across Ukraine as Kyiv's forces pressed a swift counteroffensive that has driven Moscow's troops from swaths of territory it had occupied in the northeast.
The bombardment ignited a massive fire at a power station on Kharkiv's western outskirts and killed at least one person. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the "deliberate and cynical missile strikes" against civilian targets as acts of terrorism.
Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv appeared to be without power Sunday night. Cars drove through darkened streets, and the few pedestrians used flashlights or mobile phones to light their way.
Separately, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the Russia-occupied south completely shut down in a bid to prevent a radiation disaster as fighting raged nearby.
Kyiv's action in recent days to reclaim Russia-occupied areas in the Kharkiv region forced Moscow to withdraw its troops to prevent them from being surrounded, leaving behind significant numbers of weapons and munitions in a hasty flight as the war marked its 200th day on Sunday.
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Ukraine's military chief, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyy, said its forces had recaptured about 3,000 square kilometers (1,160 square miles) since the counteroffensive began in early September. He said Ukrainian troops are only 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) from the Russian border.
One battalion shared a video of Ukrainian forces in front of a municipal building in Hoptivka, a village just over a mile from the border and about 19 kilometers (12 miles) north of Kharkiv.
Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Ukrainian troops have reclaimed control of more than 40 settlements in the region.
In Sunday night's missile attacks by Russia, the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions seemed to bear the brunt. Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy had only partially lost power, Zelenskyy said.
Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov called the power outage "revenge by the Russian aggressor for the successes of our army at the front, in particular, in the Kharkiv region."
Ukrainian officials said Russia hit Kharkiv TEC-5, the country's second-biggest heat and power plant, and Zelenskyy posted video of the Kharkiv power plant on fire.
"Russian terrorists remain terrorists and attack critical infrastructure. No military facilities, only the goal of leaving people without light and heat," he tweeted,
But Zelenskyy remained defiant despite the attacks. Addressing Russia, he added: "Do you still think you can intimidate, break us, force us to make concessions? ... Cold, hunger, darkness and thirst for us are not as scary and deadly as your `friendship and brotherhood.' But history will put everything in place. And we will be with gas, lights, water and food ... and WITHOUT you!"
Later in the evening some power had been restored in some regions. None of the outages were believed to be related to the shutdown of the reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant.
While most attention focused on the counteroffensive, Ukraine's nuclear energy operator said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, was reconnected to Ukraine's electricity grid, allowing engineers to shut down its last operational reactor to safeguard it amid the fighting.
The plant, one of the 10 biggest atomic power stations in the world, has been occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war. Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for shelling around it.
Since a Sept. 5 fire caused by shelling knocked the plant off transmission lines, the reactor was powering crucial safety equipment in so-called "island mode" — an unreliable regime that left the plant increasingly vulnerable to a potential nuclear accident.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog that has two experts at the site, welcomed the restoration of external power. But IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said he is "gravely concerned about the situation at the plant, which remains in danger as long as any shelling continues."
He said talks have begun on establishing a safety and security zone around it.
In a call Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the withdrawal of Russian troops and weaponry from the plant in line with IAEA recommendations.
The pullback of Moscow's forces in recent days marked the biggest battlefield success for Ukrainian forces since they thwarted a Russian attempt to seize Kyiv near the start of the war. The Kharkiv campaign seemed to take Moscow by surprise; it had relocated many of its troops from the region to the south in expectation of a counteroffensive there.
Yuriy Kochevenko, of the 95th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, tweeted a video from what appeared to be central Izyum. The city was considered an important command and supply hub for Russia's northern front.
"Everything around is destroyed, but we will restore everything. Izyum was, is, and will be Ukraine," Kochevenko said in his video, showing the empty central square and destroyed buildings.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff said Russian troops also had left several settlements in the Kherson region, in the southern part of the country, as Kyiv's forces pressed the counteroffensive. It did not identify the areas.
But an official with the Russian-backed administration in the city of Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, said on social media that the city north of the Crimean Peninsula was safe and asked everyone to stay calm.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday the withdrawal from Izyum and other areas was intended to strengthen Moscow's forces in the neighboring Donetsk region to the south. The explanation was similar to how Russia justified pulling back from Kyiv earlier this year.
But Igor Strelkov, who led Russia-backed forces when the separatist conflict in the Donbas erupted in 2014, mocked the Russian Defense Ministry's explanation of the retreat, suggesting that handing over Russia's own territory near the border was a "contribution to a Ukrainian settlement."
The retreat angered Russian military bloggers and nationalist commentators, who bemoaned it as a major defeat and urged the Kremlin to step up its war efforts. Many criticized Russian authorities for continuing with fireworks and other lavish festivities in Moscow that marked a city holiday on Saturday despite the debacle in Ukraine.
In Moscow, Putin attended the opening of a huge Ferris wheel in a park on Saturday, and inaugurated a new transport link and a sports arena. The action underscored the Kremlin's narrative that the war it calls a "special military operation" was going according to plan without affecting Russians' everyday lives.
Pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Markov criticized the Moscow festivities as a grave mistake.
"The fireworks in Moscow on a tragic day of Russia's military defeat will have extremely serious political consequences," Markov wrote on his messaging app channel. "Authorities mustn't celebrate when people are mourning."
In a sign of a potential rift in the Russian leadership, Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed head of Chechnya, said the retreat resulted from blunders by the Russian brass.
"They have made mistakes and I think they will draw the necessary conclusions," Kadyrov said. "If they don't make changes in the strategy of conducting the special military operation in the next day or two, I will be forced to contact the leadership of the Defense Ministry and the leadership of the country to explain the real situation on the ground."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the head of NATO cautioned Friday the war would likely go on for months, urging the West to keep supporting Ukraine through what could be a difficult winter.
Ukraine's battlefield gains would help as the Biden administration seeks continued financial support of the war effort from Congress and Western allies, said Daniel Fried, a former U.S. ambassador to Poland and now a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington.
"The Biden administration policy is evolving in a direction that is more and more justified," Fried said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-09-12T05:43:37+00:00 | kcbx.org | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2022-09-11/russian-troops-leaving-behind-weapons-and-munitions-in-ukraine-counteroffensive |
MONTREAL (AP) — The hazardous haze from wildfires in Canada’s northeast eased there and throughout much of northeastern United States on Friday, but Canadian officials warned it could be a marathon fire season and welcomed the help of firefighters arriving from other countries.
A contingent of 100 French firefighters landed in Canada and was en route to the fire region Friday. Hundreds more are expected to arrive from the U.S., Portugal and Spain in the coming days, and there should be about 1,200 people fighting fires in the province of Quebec by Monday, said Public Security Minister François Bonnardel.
The thick wildfire smoke that loomed over daily life this week for millions of people in Canada and parts of the U.S. East Coast has mostly dissipated, U.S. and Canadian officials said.
“We’re doing a lot better,” U.S. National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Putnam said. “It looks like there is less smoke being produced in in Canada.”
He said the weather pattern seems to be the same, but there is less smoke.
Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Quebec’s minister of forests and natural resources, said the situation in the province remains critical but is improving.
The province’s forest fire prevention agency said the additional firefighters is a sign “the sprint phase has ended and we’re now in the marathon phase,” she told a Quebec City briefing.
Blanchette Vézina said efforts in the coming days will permit firefighters to contain and begin extinguishing some of the roughly 140 fires that remained active across Quebec on Friday, including some that have been allowed to burn freely due to a lack of personnel.
She said the improved situation is also allowing the province to lift the ban on activities in the woods in most of the Côte-Nord and parts of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean regions, although forestry work and all forms of fires are still prohibited.
As of Friday, the fires had forced more than 13,500 Canadians from their homes, many of them in the northern municipalities of Chibougamau and Lebel-sur-Quévillon. About 50 people were also evacuated from a detention center in Amos, Quebec, as a preventive measure, Bonnardel said.
Despite the stabilizing situation, Bonnardel said it was likely many of the evacuees wouldn’t be able to return home before next week.
He announced the province would offer $1,500 Canadian (US$1,224) to each household that was evacuated and would fully reimburse affected municipalities for the costs they incurred to run shelters, manage evacuations and fight fires.
Quebec's forest fire prevention agency has described the current wildfire season as the worst on record. The province has reported a total of 444 wildfires so far this year, compared to an average of 207 at the same date during prior years.
Experts says the wildfires have been fueled by an unusually dry and warm period in spring, and no rains are expected until next week.
Canadian officials say there have been no reports of injuries and deaths so far from the fires.
In Nova Scotia, meanwhile, most evacuation orders were lifted Friday, almost two weeks after a series of unprecedented wildfires broke out in the southwestern corner of the province and in suburban Halifax.
Officials in Shelburne County, where the largest wildfire in the province’s history continued to burn out of control, lifted all evacuation orders at noon. The wildfire there, which started May 27 near Barrington Lake, hasn’t grown since the weekend thanks to the work of firefighters and the wet, cool weather.
The Barrington Lake fire forced more than 6,000 people from their homes and destroyed 60 homes and cottages, as well as 150 other structures.
Wildfire smoke that hung over Toronto for several days has now cleared, resulting in a notable improvement in air quality for Canada’s most populous city, but the haze is persisting in western Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta and parts of British Columbia. | 2023-06-09T20:31:27+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/world/article/haze-from-canadian-wildfires-eases-as-18144830.php |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company completed its largest acquisition in years Wednesday with its $11.6 billion purchase of the Alleghany insurance conglomerate.
The purchase announced in March will further expand Berkshire’s sizeable insurance operations and add a few more companies to its stable, including a steel fabricator and toy company owned by Alleghany.
In many ways, Alleghany is similar to Berkshire. Buffett’s Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate owns Geico, General Re and a number of other insurance companies, but it also owns BNSF railroad, several major utilities and an eclectic assortment of dozens of manufacturing and retail companies, including Precision Castparts, Dairy Queen, See’s Candy and NetJets.
Alleghany shareholders received $848.02 cash per share as part of the deal.
Much like it has done with other acquisitions, Berkshire will allow New York-based Alleghany to largely continue to run itself.
Edward Jones analyst Jim Shanahan said Alleghany’s CEO Joe Brandon, who previously ran a different Berkshire insurance company, could one day be a candidate to replace Vice Chairman Ajit Jain and oversee all of Berkshire’s insurance companies.
Berkshire’s last major acquisition came in 2016 when it paid $32.36 billion to buy aviation parts maker Precision Castparts. Buffett has always been reluctant to overpay for acquisitions, and he has said Berkshire faces more competition for deals these days from private-equity firms.
But Buffett has put more than $51 billion to work in the stock market this year, including buying up roughly $12 billion worth of Occidental Petroleum stock and another $20 billion worth of Chevron shares to bet big on oil production.
Still, Berkshire was sitting on $105.4 billion cash at the end of the second quarter.
It will use some of that at the start of next year to more than double its stake in the Pilot chain of more than 800 truck stops across 44 states and six Canadian provinces. The terms of Buffett’s 2017 agreement call for it to boost its stake from its current 38.6% ownership to 80% in 2023. That will leave the Haslam family that runs the business based in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a 20% stake.
Shanahan estimated that the Pilot deal will use at least $3.5 billion, but Berkshire has never disclosed the terms of that deal.
In addition to owning more than 90 operating companies, Berkshire holds a sizeable investment portfolio with major stakes in Apple, Bank of America, American Express and Coca-Cola among other companies. | 2022-10-19T21:43:10+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/business-news/ap-buffetts-conglomerate-closes-11-6b-alleghany-insurance-buy/ |
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ..."I wanted to create a fun and light-hearted way to encourage children and others to properly wear a protective face mask," said an inventor, from Knoxville, Tenn., "so I invented the MASKEEZ. My design also prevents the mask loops from directly contacting the wearer's ears."
The patent-pending invention provides accessories for the ears to make face masks more comfortable and fun to wear. In doing so, it prevents mask ear loops or strings from rubbing or irritating the ears. It also could make wearing a mask more fun and engaging for young children and it could help to alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with wearing a mask. The invention features a unique and flexible tunnel design that is easy to wear and use so it is ideal for adults and children. Additionally, it is producible in design variations and a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the Knoxville sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 21-KXX-350, 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.
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SOURCE InventHelp | 2022-10-18T18:15:50+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/10/18/inventhelp-inventor-develops-protective-fun-face-mask-accessory-kxx-350/ |
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