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AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Croatia knocked Brazil out of the World Cup on Friday, beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals for the second straight time.
Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved a penalty attempt by Rodrygo and Marquinhos later hit the post.
The match had finished 1-1 after extra time, with both goals coming in the additional 30 minutes. Neymar scored late in the first half of extra time to give Brazil the lead, but Croatia equalized when Bruno Petkovic scored in the 117th.
Neymar’s goal moved him into a tie with Pelé as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals.
Croatia will next face either Argentina or the Netherlands to try to return to the World Cup final four years after losing the title to France.
Five of Croatia's last six matches at World Cups have gone to extra time, including in its penalty shootout win over Japan in the round of 16 in Qatar. The team has been successful in eight of its last 10 knockout matches at the tournament.
Brazil was trying to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2014. The team hadn’t made it to the last four since hosting the tournament eight years ago, when the Selecao was embarrassed by Germany 7-1.
Brazil was trying to defeat a European opponent in the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since the 2002 final against Germany, when the team won for the last time.
Neymar scored with a right-footed shot after getting through the defense and dribbling past the Croatia goalkeeper to match Pelé’s record. He entered the tournament two goals shy of the milestone, and scored his 76th in the round of 16 against South Korea after returning from an ankle injury.
Pelé remained in a hospital in Brazil treating a respiratory infection that was aggravated by COVID-19. The latest medical report said the 82-year-old Pelé, who last year had surgery to remove a colon tumor, was doing OK.
The 30-year-old Neymar scored his 77 goals in 124 matches for Brazil. Pelé’s goals came in 92 appearances with the national team between 1957 and 1971.
Ronaldo, a World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, is third on the list with 62 goals in 98 matches.
Neymar first played for Brazil as an 18-year-old in 2010. He is trying to win his first major title with the national team. Pelé won three World Cups, including as a 17-year-old in the 1958 tournament. He also helped Brazil win the World Cup in 1962 and 1970.
Neymar is playing in his third World Cup and is the only other Brazil player other than Pelé and Ronaldo to score in three different World Cups. He helped the Seleçao win the 2013 Confederations Cup and its first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Neymar damaged ligaments in his ankle in Brazil’s opening win against Serbia, and his participation in the rest of the tournament was in doubt because of the injury. He made it back to the starting lineup after missing two group games, and played about 80 minutes in Brazil’s 4-1 win over South Korea on Monday.
He was knocked out of the 2014 World Cup after hurting his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia. Brazil eventually lost to Germany 7-1 in the semifinals.
The right ankle had already caused Neymar problems in the past, being among a series of injuries since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Another right ankle sprain forced him to miss the 2019 Copa América, which Brazil won. | 2022-12-09T20:44:33+00:00 | newscentermaine.com | https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/nation-world/brazil-out-of-world-cup-croatia-wins-shooting-2022-quarterfinal/507-34d49355-2983-44e6-8dba-c28a4c343910 |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Dan McCaffery has won the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania for a vacant seat on the state Supreme Court, which is playing a prominent role in settling disputes over voting rights, abortion rights and gun rights in the presidential battleground.
McCaffery defeated Deborah Kunselman in the two-way race. Both currently sit on the state Superior Court, a statewide appellate body that handles appeals from county courts in criminal and civil cases.
McCaffery will face the winner of the Republican primary for the seat in the November general election.
Competing on the Republican ticket are Carolyn Carluccio, a Montgomery County judge, and Patricia McCullough, a judge on the Commonwealth Court, a statewide appellate court that handles cases involving government agencies or challenges to state laws.
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On the campaign trail, McCullough has repeatedly boasted of being the “only judge in 2020 in the presidential election in the entire country” to order a halt to her state’s election certification.
McCullough was ruling in a Republican-backed post-election legal challenge that sought to throw out 2.5 million mail-in ballots — most cast by Democrats — and tilt victory to Donald Trump in the presidential battleground state. The state’s high court quickly overturned McCullough’s order.
McCullough, of Allegheny County, also ran for state Supreme Court in 2021 and lost in the primary. The state party is endorsing Carluccio and party allies have reported spending nearly $1 million to help her beat McCullough.
Democrats currently hold a 4-2 majority on the court, which has an open seat following the death last fall of Chief Justice Max Baer, a Democrat.
The court has handled a number of hot-button issues over the past few years.
It is currently examining a challenge to a state law that restricts the use of public funds to help women get an abortion as well as Philadelphia’s challenge to a state law that bars it and other municipalities from restricting the sale and possession of guns.
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In recent years, the justices rejected a request to invalidate the state’s death penalty law and upheld the constitutionality of the state’s expansive mail-in voting law. The court also turned away challenges to the 2020 election result from Republicans who wanted to keep former President Donald Trump in power, and ruled on a variety of lawsuits over gray areas in the mail-in voting law.
In one 2020 election case, justices ordered counties to count mail-in ballots that arrived up to three days after polls closed, citing delays in mail service caused by disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ruling spurred an outcry among Republicans, who challenged the decision in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The nation’s highest court ultimately declined to take the case. The ballots — nearly 10,000 of them — were never counted in any federal race, including for president, because the election was certified while their fate remained in legal limbo. State elections officials said the votes weren’t enough to change the results of a federal election.
In lower court races, Republican Megan Martin won a two-way primary for an open seat on the Commonwealth Court while Democrat Jill Beck captured the nomination in a three-way race for two open seats on the Superior Court, which hears appeals of civil and criminal cases from county courts. | 2023-05-17T03:25:04+00:00 | bostonglobe.com | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/16/nation/dan-mccaffery-wins-democratic-primary-pennsylvania-supreme-court-seat/ |
President Joe Biden has signed the legislation that lifts the nation’s debt ceiling just two days before the deadline, thereby preventing a default on the federal government's debt.
H.R. 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which the president signed privately on Saturday, passed the House Wednesday with bipartisan support and a final vote tally of 314–117. It gained approval by the Senate one day later with a vote of 63-36, and it suspends the debt limit through January 1, 2025, and increases the limit on January 2, 2025.
“Passing this budget agreement was critical. The stakes could not have been higher," President Biden said of the deal Friday night in a televised address from the Oval Office. “Nothing would have been more catastrophic,” he said, than defaulting on the country's debt.
SEE MORE: How Biden and McCarthy struck a debt-limit deal
By raising the nation's debt limit, currently set at $31.4 trillion, the government secures the ability to borrow funds necessary for fulfilling its existing financial obligations.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed package is projected to reduce the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion over a ten-year period.
The passing of the bill was a challenging situation for both Democrats and Republicans, as they had to fight for support for the bill with multiple members of their parties. Conservative Republicans were disappointed the bill didn't make deeper spending cuts, while progressive Democrats took issue with work requirements for older Americans who are seeking food aid.
"No one got everything they wanted, but the American people got what they needed," President Biden said, highlighting the "compromise and consensus" in the deal. "We averted an economic crisis and an economic collapse."
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | 2023-06-03T19:45:47+00:00 | fox17online.com | https://www.fox17online.com/biden-signs-debt-ceiling-bill-to-avoid-government-default |
Which recessed lighting is best?
Recessed lighting is versatile and unobtrusive. Most recessed lighting fixtures are made to aim the light down, but some aim it up or to the side. When recessed lights are installed in the ceiling, nothing hangs down to intrude on the room and take up space, so rooms feel bigger.
If you are looking for recessed lighting to brighten up your home, take a look at the Lumary Smart 4-Inch LED Recessed Lights With Junction Box 4-Pack.
What to know before you buy recessed lighting
Unlike chandeliers and pendant lighting, recessed lighting draws little attention to itself.
Type of recessed lighting
- Ceilings: Fixtures for mounting in the ceiling are the most common type of recessed lighting.
- Walls: Fixtures mounted in the walls use flanges to direct light downward to bathe the room in reflected light and to illuminate stairs.
- In-ground: Outdoor light fixtures mounted below ground are used to throw light upward to illuminate landscaping.
Components
- The housing is the protective safety covering around the bulb and wiring. It’s the part that’s mounted in the ceiling (or wall or ground) and where the bulbs are inserted. Often called a can, the housing contains the wiring, socket, lamp and all the hardware required for mounting.
- The bulbs determine the brightness, color and mood of your lighting. They are sometimes covered by lenses made to diffuse the light.
- The controls are the switches that operate your recessed lighting and are mounted elsewhere.
Trim
The trim is the only part of a recessed lighting fixture that is seen from the room. It is decorative molding that adds a subtle touch of color, texture and style to your lighting fixture.
- Baffle trim reduces glare by absorbing light.
- Reflector trim has a smooth, highly polished interior to maximize the amount of light.
- Gimbal trim has a housing that swivels so you can control the direction of the light without the lamp extending below the ceiling.
- Eyeball trim directs the light, too, but the fixture protrudes from the ceiling.
What to look for in quality recessed lighting
What effect do you want to create?
- Room-wide ambience: Illuminating a kitchen calls for more and brighter lighting than you’d want in a den or a bedroom.
- Accent: When you have something you want to enhance, such as a fireplace, sculpture or painting, lighting it at an angle produces the most flattering results.
- Downwashing: Harsh spots directly beneath bright ceiling lights can be avoided by placing your recessed downlighting near a wall and directing the light onto it. The light that bounces off the wall is warmer and more soothing than direct light.
- Task: When you want a small area to be very bright so you can read or do detailed work, place your fixture directly above your desk or countertop.
Choose a lamp type
- Classic, or A, lamps are the most common. They are general-purpose, useful for many applications.
- Reflector, or R, lamps are best for flood, spot and display lighting, because they have reflectors and controlled beams.
- Parabolic aluminized reflector, or PAR, lamps are great for task lighting because they have long beams with a wide spread.
- Multifaceted reflector, or MR16, lamps are made for accent lighting because they concentrate the beam.
Lumens
Lumens are the way to measure how much brightness a bulb produces and watts are the way to measure how much energy a bulb uses. Because LEDs are so efficient, watts are no longer the best way to measure brightness. What was called 100 watts with incandescent lighting is equivalent to 1,600 lumens with LEDs. To get 60 watts of lighting, choose an LED with 820 lumens.
How much you can expect to spend on recessed lighting
What drives pricing for recessed lighting more than anything else is the number of fixtures that come with the package or the kit. You can expect to pay from $7-$12 per fixture.
Recessed lighting FAQ
What is an IC rating?
A. An IC rating means the recessed lighting housing is safe to come in contact with insulation in the ceiling.
What is the best way to aim light at my painting?
A. When spotlighting art, light angled 30 degrees downward does the best job of reducing glare.
What’s the best recessed lighting to buy?
Top recessed lighting
Lumary Smart 4-Inch LED Recessed Lights With Junction Box 4-Pack
What you need to know: These ultra-thin 810-lumen dimmable recessed LED lights with edge-lit technology work with your remote control, Alexis or Google Assistant.
What you’ll love: A single button turns the lights on and off, adjusts brightness and changes colors on all four of these lights. Safe to install in direct contact with insulation, the lights attach by spring clips. Set your own schedule to turn lights on and off.
What you should consider: You may need to reset the timer occasionally.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top recessed lighting for the money
Mounight 6-Pack LED Recessed Ceiling Light With Night Light
What you need to know: These ultra-thin can-killer downlights are dimmable.
What you’ll love: The night light mode reduces output for soft illumination at night without flickering, flashing or humming. The memory function returns your lights to the last mode you had set and you can choose between five color temperatures.
What you should consider: Some said the wire nuts were the wrong size.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Halo 6-Inch LED Recessed Can Light Downlight 6-Pack
What you need to know: The connectors that join the fixture to the junction box are waterproof, an excellent choice for the high humidity in bathrooms.
What you’ll love: These lights are listed for showers and protected ceilings and can be used for outdoor walkways, covered porches and gazebos. The LED module is fully interchangeable and upgradable.
What you should consider: Some buyers report having trouble getting the fixtures to fit flush against the ceiling.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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David Allan Van writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-15T16:23:58+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/home-br/lighting-br/best-recessed-lighting/ |
Texas suspends coach Chris Beard after arrest on assault charge
Posted/updated on: December 13, 2022 at 6:23 amByESPN.com n
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas men’s basketball coach Chris Beard, who led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA championship game and was hired away by the Longhorns with expectations he’d elevate his alma mater to the same elite level, was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.
The school suspended Beard without pay “until further notice.” Associate head coach Rodney Terry served as the acting head coach as the No. 7 Longhorns needed overtime to beat Rice on Monday night, 87-81.
Beard was arrested by Austin police and booked at the Travis County jail at 4:18 a.m. CT on Monday on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded. The charge is a third-degree felony in Texas, with a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison.
According to the arrest affidavit first reported by the Austin American-Statesman, the woman told police she is his fiancée and they have been in a relationship for six years. She said they had been in an argument during which she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.”
According to the affidavit, the woman told police, “He choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”
She told police Beard choked her from behind with his arm around her neck and she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds. Police say she had a bite mark on her right arm and an abrasion to her right temple among other visible injuries.
When questioned by police, Beard said he had audio recordings of the incident that would show he was not the primary aggressor. But he refused to share them with officers, police said.
Beard went before a magistrate judge for his bond hearing, wearing jailhouse black-and-gray stripes and his hands cuffed in front at his waist. Beard was told he could communicate with the woman but not in a threatening manner, was ordered to stay 200 yards away from the residence where police were called and was told he is barred from possessing a firearm.
Beard nodded his head and answered “yes, sir” several times when addressing the judge. Jail records show Beard posted $10,000 bond. He didn’t answer questions when he left the jail with his attorney Perry Minton.
Minton declined comment but earlier told the American-Statesman the coach is innocent.
“He should never have been arrested,” Minton told the newspaper. “The complainant wants him released immediately and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable.”
It wasn’t immediately known if the woman has an attorney. She was identified in the affidavit, but The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence without their consent.
“The university takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously,” the school said in announcing Beard’s suspension.
Terry was a head coach at UTEP (2018-21) and Fresno State (2011-18). He said after Monday night’s win against Rice that he has not talked to Texas officials about his future as acting head coach. He also commended the Longhorns for their play against Rice on what he called one of the most “difficult days” of his long coaching career.
“We have a very experienced staff that has done a great job to this point right now, preparing our guys for this game [Monday],” Terry said. “And our whole mission today was to control what we could control. I thought our guys did a great job of showing a lot of grit and a lot of perseverance through a lot of adversity.
“They’ve earned a day off to try to mentally and physically, try to regroup and recharge a little bit. We will let those guys get away a little bit [Tuesday].”
Terry said he had not talked with Beard after he was released from jail Monday. Terry also said he had not read the police affidavit that detailed the allegations against the now-suspended coach.
“I’ve really been focused on our guys today, really trying to rally them,” he said. “Knowing that we were going to have to come in tonight and play for 40 minutes. It wasn’t going to be an easy game for us.”
Beard, the AP coach of the year in 2019 while at Texas Tech, is in his second season of a seven-year guaranteed contract at Texas that pays him more than $5 million per year. His contract includes a provision under which he can be fired for cause for conduct the administration reasonably determines reflects poorly on the coach, program, school or university system. That includes being charged with a felony.
University of Texas System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife did not return a message seeking comment.
Texas freshman guard Arterio Morris faces a misdemeanor family violence charge stemming from a June arrest after an incident with a former girlfriend. He faces a Wednesday court hearing in Denton County near Dallas.
Morris, a top national recruit, has been allowed to play this season despite the charge, and averages 17 minutes and 6.5 points per game. Morris’ attorney, Justin Moore, has said Morris is innocent of the assault charge.
ESPN’s Myron Medcalf and The Associated Press contributed to this report. | 2022-12-13T14:24:54+00:00 | ktbb.com | https://ktbb.com/post/?p=1186404 |
A year like this one makes hand-wringing about the death of the album seem silly (if anything we should be concerned about the single). Musicians gave us experiences in 2022. Immersive, ambitious, focused, sprawling, explosive, swerving albums expressed their power in any number of ways: Vibes to make summer stretch on into the year's cold months. Bottomless layers of invention. History lessons that sparkled like the best party you could imagine. There were too many great albums to count, let alone narrow down to a round number. But here are 50 that made us feel awe, ache or adoration, selected and ranked by the contributors, public radio partners and staff of NPR Music.
Stream NPR Music's 50 Best Albums of 2022:
Spotify / Apple Music / Tidal / Amazon Music
50.
Ashley McBryde
Presents: Lindeville
Ashley McBryde is known for her singular ability to make it feel like she's lived what she sings about. On Lindeville, which sits at the intersection of storytelling country concept albums and musical theater, she puts other talents to use, gleefully getting into character and filling out the cast of salty, scrappy small-town neighbors with her singing peers and writing buddies. Over playful picking and loose-limbed, loping grooves, McBryde and her cast mates send up their protagonists' acting out, and it makes for the most vivid, rollicking and unexpected country song cycle of the year. —Jewly Hight, WNXP
49.
Soul Glo
Diaspora Problems
When Black folks say "diaspora," we're not just speaking about our shared origins in the past. For us, diaspora points to our shared experiences in the present and an interest in our collective future. Throughout its album, Diaspora Problems, Philly hardcore punks Soul Glo address the multitudinous nature of the diaspora and what we go through. The riffs are fast and furious while the lyrics are funny and incisive. Beautiful, Black punk rock for our folks. —John Morrison, WXPN
(This review also appears in NPR Music's Best Rock Albums of 2022. Read the entire list.)
48.
Sean Shibe
Lost & Found
The mild-mannered, conservatory-educated classical guitarist from Scotland possesses an untamed imagination, a sharp ear for curation and extraordinary technique on his Mexican Stratocaster. Repertoire-wise, strange bedfellows have rarely sounded this good together, as music by Moondog rubs against Bill Evans while Olivier Messiaen and Meredith Monk lie down with Julius Eastman and the medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen. Shibe can shred, but more often he makes the instrument sound as featherlight as an angel's wing. —Tom Huizenga
(A version of this review appears on NPR Music's Best Classical Albums of 2022. Read the entire list.)
47.
Huerco S.
Plonk
Blissed-out minimalism might be a balm for our busted biochemistries, but Huerco S. seems to want his work ingested less as a mood stabilizer than he does a mood consorter. Behold: 10 tracks, all titled Plonk, fissured together, gently jaggily so as to resist any threat of "easy listening." The penultimate piece uses D.C.'s greatest living rapper, Sir E.U, as a frontispiece — wayward and sprawling as a mind moving in the moments before fidgety sleep. —Mina Tavakoli
46.
JID
The Forever Story
The Forever Story opens with a reveal that JID's been grinding on his singing skills. He lulls earnestly over the airy piano "Forever can't be too far away from never...," an acknowledgement that, since 2017's The Never Story, he's put in the performance and prayer required to reconfigure his reality. That juxtaposition of gratitude and hunger is the driving tension behind the kaleidoscopic project that shows just how daring and vulnerable he can be. The fluidity of genre and nods to inspirational musicians all work together to negotiate his place in Black music history forever. —Gabby Bulgarelli
45.
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Ghost Song
The glorious, gothic peculiarities of this era's leading song exploder have rarely been on more vivid display. Ghost Song finds Cécile McLorin Salvant in a bardic mode, singing intently of lost minds, phantom lovers and budding resentments; it's an emotionally complicated canvas, one that she fills with shadow and color. —Nate Chinen, WRTI
(A version of this review appears on Nate Chinen's Favorite Music of 2022. Read the entire list.)
44.
Lucky Daye
Candydrip
Candydrip is the sugary sweet follow up to Lucky Daye's 2019 debut, as he continues to refine his signature feel-good R&B that smoothly serenades listeners about the twists and turns of romance. Once again, Daye teams up with D'Mile and Alex Isley, as her unmistakable background vocals peak throughout the album. Featuring a flavorful palette of grooves, focused storytelling and more soulful soundscapes, they turn up the heat with sleeker production, yet deliver a poetic project that feels timeless. Daye has proven himself to be consistent, continuously evolving and leaving his imprint within the realm of R&B and soul. —Ashley Pointer
43.
Robert Glasper
Black Radio III
"We were born of a people who were torn from their people," proclaims poet Amir Sulaiman on the powerful first track of Robert Glasper's Black Radio III. "Black Superhero" follows, both songs reminders of the seriousness that comes with today's Black experience. While the rest of the album centers on themes of love and positivity, what's consistent throughout is Glasper's musicianship and songwriting genius, the outstanding contributions of his all-star collaborators and an alluring assimilation of jazz, hip-hop and R&B grooves into Black music excellence. —Suraya Mohamed
42.
caroline
caroline
There's a seed inside every caroline song; sometimes it's a weighted-blanket chord progression, a mournful interval or a simple phrase repeated. And in that fragile inkling of an idea, something grows outward and seeks light. On its self-titled debut, the London-based octet pulls from minimalism, Midwestern emo, post-rock, free-jazz, folk and chamber music not as genetic genre splice, but as a way to build community sprouted from an unforgiving Earth. —Lars Gotrich
(This review appears on NPR Music's Best Rock Albums of 2022. Read the entire list.)
41.
Sam Prekop & John McEntire
Sons Of
Sam Prekop and John McEntire first collaborated in the Chicago band The Sea and Cake in the late '90s, but here they ditch guitars and drums for modular synthesizer experiments. The songs were largely improvised — on stage or through emailed snippets — and they sizzle and morph into strange shapes. The best improvisation transforms music into a living thing. With wires, knobs, patience and attention, this duo makes electricity itself sing. —Art Levy, KUTX
Next >
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-12-12T12:04:25+00:00 | nprillinois.org | https://www.nprillinois.org/classic-91-9-hd2/2022-12-12/the-50-best-albums-of-2022 |
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s top opposition party was barred Thursday from participating in elections set for July after the Constitutional Council refused to overturn a decision not to register the party over a paperwork issue.
The Candlelight Party, the sole credible challenger to the governing Cambodian People’s Party in the upcoming polls, lost its appeal because its complaint was deemed unlawful, the council said in a brief statement.
The decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Cambodian courts are widely considered to be under the influence of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government and his Cambodian People’s Party.
The National Election Committee on May 16 had refused to register the Candlelight Party, saying it failed to provide necessary documents. A few days later the party officially filed an appeal with the Constitutional Council asking it to overturn the election commission’s ruling.
Kimsour Phirith, a spokesperson for the Candlelight Party, said he “regretted” Thursday’s decision since it denies the party’s supporters nationwide from being able to vote for their preferred candidates.
“The absence of the (Candlelight Party) from the election means the voices of the people are dismissed. Such a move would never occur in a real democratic country,” Kimsour Phirith said.
The U.S. State Department said it would not send official observers to witness the elections and is “deeply troubled” by the decision barring the Candlelight Party from participating.
“Contrived legal actions, threats, harassment, and politically motivated criminal charges targeting opposition parties, independent media, and civil society undermine Cambodia’s international commitments to develop as a multiparty democracy” spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
It urged Cambodia authorities “to reverse course to ensure its citizens can participate in a fair, multiparty democracy.”
About 9.7 million Cambodians are registered to vote in the July 23 elections for the 125 members of the National Assembly. Eighteen political parties are registered and recognized by the election committee, but the absence of the Candlelight Party leaves only Hun Sen’s party, its allies and small parties that lack a national presence to contest the polls.
The Cambodian People’s Party has held an iron grip on power for decades and controls almost every level of government. Hun Sen, 70, an authoritarian ruler in a nominally democratic state, has held his position for 38 years.
He and his party hold all the advantages of incumbency ahead of the election, with dominance in political organizing, personnel, finances and media influence. Hun Sen’s eldest son, army chief Hun Manet, is widely expected to replace his father as prime minister after the polls.
The Candlelight Party is the unofficial successor to the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which had posed a serious challenge to Hun Sen’s party before the 2018 elections. It was dissolved just months ahead of the polls by a controversial court ruling that alleged it had plotted the illegal overthrow of the government.
The party’s disbanding enabled the governing party to win all the seats in the National Assembly. Western nations declared the election was neither free nor fair, and imposed mild economic sanctions in response.
Most prominent opposition members are now in self-imposed exile to avoid being jailed on various charges they say are trumped up and unfair. | 2023-05-26T07:38:32+00:00 | ktalnews.com | https://www.ktalnews.com/news/u-s-world/ap-cambodias-top-opposition-party-barred-from-july-elections-leaving-hun-sens-party-unchallenged/ |
PLEASANTON, Calif., Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Shaklee, a leading wellness company, announces today it has launched the Essential MultiV Drink, a convenient and naturally delicious Peach Mango vitamin powder. This supplement drink mix contains core nutrients to help you feel your best each day and fill any nutritional gaps in your diet.
"With more than 40% of the general population reporting having difficulties swallowing pills or tablets1 our new MultiV drink is an ideal format for this growing segment and those looking for convenient, on-the-go vitamin solutions," said Roger Barnett, Chairman and CEO, Shaklee Corporation. "At Shaklee, we have helped millions of people over the last 65 years get the foundational nutrition they need through our collection of multivitamins and this new format allows us to support a wider set of the population."
With essential vitamins and minerals foundational to overall health and well-being, the Essential MultiV drink is a great multivitamin solution for anyone. Specifically designed for people who struggle with swallowing tablets, it is also a solution for those who prefer alternative delivery forms, and ones looking for convenient, on-the-go vitamin solutions. It's also easy to take with a stomach-soothing effervescent fizz.
The new Essential MultiV Drink delivers:
- 17 essential vitamins and minerals
- 100% or more of the daily value of all essential vitamins (A, C & E)
- Vitamin D
- All 8 B vitamins
- 4 major and trace minerals
Shaklee has been on the forefront of innovation in the health & wellness industry since its inception when Dr. Shaklee invented "Shaklee's Vitalized Minerals" – the first multivitamin in the United States in 1915. The new MultiV Drink rounds out the brand's additional vitamin offerings in tablets, chews and gummies. To learn more about Shaklee and its MultiV Drink, visit: https://us.shaklee.com/.
Shaklee is a leading wellness company founded by Dr. Shaklee, who invented the first multivitamin in the U.S. more than 100 years ago. As a pioneer in sustainability, Shaklee was the first company in the world to fully offset its carbon emissions and have a net zero impact on our planet. Shaklee products are backed by over 110 published clinical studies proving safety and efficacy and are marketed through more than 2 million micro-influencers in North America and Asia. With a complete wellness portfolio, Shaklee is committed to providing consumers with the products and support they need to live their healthiest lives. For more information, visit us.shaklee.com, follow @shakleehq on Instagram, or like us on Facebook.
Roger Barnett is the Chairman and CEO of Shaklee Corporation, the first company in the world to become certified carbon neutral. A graduate of Yale College, Yale Law School, and Harvard Business School, Roger has spent the majority of his career as an impact investor. In 2004, he acquired control of Shaklee, the pioneer of nutritional supplements, and has since transformed this once analog business into a digital powerhouse with a network of 2 million ambassadors across the globe. He has been selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum and is a member of the Harvard and Yale Schools of Public Health Leadership Councils, the University Council of Yale University, and the Yale University President's Council on International Activities.
1DeRoche, C., Macclaren, G., & Sonies, B. (2000). Pill swallowing in America: A national survey of adults. In Poster, Dysphagia Research Society Annual Meeting, Savannah GA
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SOURCE Shaklee Corporation | 2022-08-24T14:29:04+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2022/08/24/shaklee-introduces-multivitamin-innovation-with-release-essential-multiv-drink-convenient-naturally-delicious-vitamin-powder/ |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti doesn't want to be at the track if he's not racing. He'll watch on television, though, and offer advice from 650 miles away.
Andretti was at home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, watching Andretti Autosport race the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week when he had an idea: Colton Herta could pit early and probably win the race.
So Andretti texted the idea — during the race — to Herta's father, Bryan. As strategist for his son, the elder Herta called Colton in two laps sooner than planned and ended the day in victory lane.
“I was really on the horn with Bryan. That’s fun to me," Andretti said.
It validated Andretti's skills as a strategist, but the third-generation racer doesn't envision himself sitting atop a pit box and calling another driver's race. Instead he's transitioning into semi-retirement and finding his way as something other than an IndyCar driver from one of motorsports' famed families.
Andretti walked away from his full-time ride after the 2020 season and only returned for last year's Indianapolis 500. He's back again this month for a 17th attempt at winning the race that has tormented his family; Mario Andretti, his grandfather, has the only victory among five different Andrettis there.
When Marco starts the May 29 race, he will pass his father in career starts. Dad Michael Andretti went 0 for 16, while Mario Andretti's 1969 victory was his only win in 29 starts.
“I think I’m more like my grandfather, I just enjoy driving,” Marco Andretti said. “This year I’m going to have more starts than Dad, which is crazy to me. When he tries to tell me something, I can say he doesn't know what he's talking about now.”
Michael Andretti is the Indy 500 strategist for his 35-year-old son, who came to his own decision to shift away from the family business.
Andretti Autosport struggled to find sponsorship for Marco ahead of 2021 and he'd had enough, anyway. Racing wasn't all that fun anymore, and nine straight seasons without a victory had taken its toll.
The Andretti's have invested so much into the Indy 500, and when Marco finally had his own moment in the spotlight, it only ended in another disappointment. Marco won the pole in 2020 — when the race was run in August without spectators because of the pandemic — but he didn't even lead the first lap and finished a crushing 13th.
His best finish over the remaining seven races of that 2020 season was 15th and he fell out of eligibility for the IndyCar prize fund that helps financially support full-time teams. It was then that Marco decided he'd had enough.
"What I put into it, I felt like I wasn’t getting that out for various reasons,” he said.
Still, the Andrettis can't stay away from the 500. Marco finished an unremarkable 19th last season, and this year's Indy 500 will be his first IndyCar event in a year.
“This is the one that I live my life around," he said. "I get jealous here and there. I’m like, 'Ah man, I wish I was there.’ But a lot of times I don’t. A lot of times when it’s 100 degrees out there, I’m good watching.”
He lives his life the way he chooses now. He'll return to Tony Stewart's six-race summer exhibition series for a second season when it resumes June 18. He'd like to run in IMSA sports cars, but only in the top class because he's only interested in running for wins.
Other than that, he has business interests outside of racing and doesn't envision a role for himself should his father eventually land the Formula One team he's pursuing.
Stepping away from racing has been liberating in all aspects of his life, he said, even fan interactions.
“You sign 100 autographs and the 101st person is going to hate you, but you try to spend more time, try to put more of a smile on your face, which I think is coming natural with my decision,” he said. “I’ve been able to mold my life the way I want to do it now, and even go have fun on SRX and do fun stuff. It still keeps me in the game. I’m not fully retired. It keeps me working, and I put all my energy into this race. I’m good without the grind of a full season.”
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More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Credit: Darron Cummings
Credit: Darron Cummings
Credit: Darron Cummings
Credit: Darron Cummings | 2022-05-19T22:00:08+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/a-happier-andretti-returns-to-indy-500-as-part-time-racer/O4AFTJTZQJAXJHKODRRPFWOYRA/ |
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Free-agent ace Jacob deGrom and the Texas Rangers agreed to a five-year contract Friday.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner leaves the New York Mets after nine seasons — the past two shortened by injuries.
After making his first start last season in early August, deGrom went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA. He helped the Mets reach the playoffs, then opted out of his contract to become a free agent.
Texas announced the signing Friday night after the 34-year-old deGrom passed his physical.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2022-12-03T06:13:30+00:00 | wtmj.com | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/12/02/texas-rangers-ink-free-agent-ace-jacob-degrom-to-5-year-deal/ |
His back had been lacerated by whips, forming an angry cacophony of twisted, swollen welts crisscrossing his shoulders, rising over his spine and stretching to his hip. He was famished and exhausted, having run for 10 days through bayous and swamps infested with poisonous snakes and alligators. As he raced toward freedom, White men chased him with bloodthirsty hounds.
This Black man, whose scarred back showed the brutal horrors of the cruel institution of slavery in America, had escaped enslavement on a Mississippi plantation and made his way to a Union camp in Baton Rouge in 1863 during the height of the Civil War.
“Who whipped you, Peter?” the Union officers asked.
The man who would come to be known as “Whipped Peter,” spoke little English and answered in French — the language spoken by thousands of enslaved Africans in Louisiana and Mississippi. He told them an overseer had whipped him with a leather strap just before Christmas in 1862. To deepen the pain, the White man had poured salt into Peter’s open wounds.
They were astonished. White photographers at the camp asked Peter to pose. The photos of Peter’s scarred back, which were later published as wood carvings in Harper’s Weekly, became known as “The Scourged Back.”
The black-and-white photo, cast in shadows, shows Peter, his back facing the camera. He looks over his left shoulder, showing a silhouette of his face. His hand rests on his left hip. The light captured in the photo falls on the raised scars stretching the width of his back. The truth of the inhumaneness of slavery revealed in the scars on this Black man’s back would become a rally cry for abolitionists and the anti-slavery movement in the North.
The story of “Whipped Peter” is captured in the new film “Emancipation,” starring Will Smith. The film was inspired by the 1863 photos of Peter, which were taken during that medical examination at the Union Army camp.
The drama, which debuted in theaters Dec. 2 and released internationally on Apple TV Dec. 9, follows Peter’s escape from slavery and his relentless quest for freedom.
“I’ve long wanted to tell a story about the inhumanity of slavery,” the film’s director, Antoine Fuqua, said in a statement.
Several critics on social media and even Will Smith’s daughter have questioned whether another Hollywood movie about the institution of enslavement in the United States is necessary. Even Smith has said he never wanted to make a period film about enslavement and avoided them his entire career. But this film is different, he said during an interview with FabTV. “This is not another slave movie. This is a freedom movie. ”
There can never be too many movies, documentaries or films showing the barbaric truth of slavery, a subject White-supremacists have tried to wash out of history.
Only now, are some people learning about the true horrors of what happened. So much was hidden in attics, buried in swamps and mass graves. White historians covered up and distorted the narrative while building monuments to Confederate soldiers.
“We’ve never really been told the whole story about slavery in this country,” said W. Marvin Dulaney, president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. “I can go through 12 years of education and not learn anything substantial about slavery. For the first 155 years in the history of this country, they mythologized slavery.”
Dulaney, who is also associate professor of history emeritus and former interim director of the Center for African American Studies, said historians portrayed enslaved Africans as inhuman. “They wrote that owners and masters had to train them to pick cotton,” Dulaney said. “They portrayed them as folks who came from Africa with no skills. What we’ve tried to do with the historiography of slavery is to tell the truth. Africans built this country. We need to tell that story constantly.”
Movies like “Emancipation” give audiences an opportunity to encounter astounding details of enslavement, raising the perpetual question: What kind of people would do this to other human beings?
These films help peel back the truth buried in history. They need to be seen by audiences far and wide.
So when I heard about this movie, I found a theater showing the film, hurried to buy my ticket and climbed the aisle in the theater. I pushed back my seat and traveled through time, taking notes on the nuances the filmmakers wove into the narrative.
For the next two hours and 12 minutes, I watched the terror of slavery, the cold separation of families, the backbreaking work of the enslaved in cotton fields and Confederate work camps where Black men were worked to death and pushed into mass graves. “Emancipation” captures the spirituality and ingenuity of the enslaved Africans in their quest for freedom. It also captures the sheer cruelness of the White men on horseback who hunted them.
In the darkness of the screening, I scribbled notes. I stilled myself knowing the scenes were hard to watch, but told myself, “The pain I feel watching the pain on the screen is nothing compared to the brutality my enslaved ancestors endured.”
I cheered when Will Smith’s character said: “I fight them. They beat me. They whip me. They break the bones in my bodies more times than I can count. But they never, never break me.”
When the film ended, I stood up and applauded the power of the performance. I clapped for the enslaved ancestors who survived too. I left the theater, bracing the cold wind as I walked across the empty parking lot, determined to know more about the story of Peter.
Almost immediately, I began researching. I found that the man whose name was listed in records only as Peter reached the Union Army Camp in Baton Rouge in April 1863. His feet were swollen and bleeding. He had arrived at the camp with a young man named Gordon, who also had escaped enslavement, according to a letter published in December 1863 in the American Citizen newspaper. The two men cried when they saw Black men, fighting to save the Union, in federal uniforms.
“They were ingenuous enough to wade and swim through every stream on the way, twice swimming the turbid waters of the Amite River,” according to the 1863 published letter. “They rubbed onions on every portion if their body and strong scented weeds to elude the trail of the blood hounds.”
Peter’s statement was taken on April 2, 1863, after he entered the marshal’s office. The dozens of scars on his back were noticed during a medical examination at the camp.
The whipping nearly killed him. “I was two months in bed sore from the whipping and salt brine, which overseer put on my back,” Peter said, according to an 1863 letter written by a Union officer, which was published in the American Citizen newspaper.
“Look here,” Peter told them, then peeled off the pile of “dirty rags that half concealed his back, and exhibited his mutilated sable form to the crowd of officers and others present in the office.”
There, two photographers, captured a series of photos before he arrived at the camp and after, when he appeared in a Union Army uniform to fight with Colored Troops.
“One of these portraits represents the man as he entered our lines, with clothes torn and covered with mud and dirt from his long race through the swamps and bayous, chased as he had been for days and nights by his master with several neighbors and a pack of blood-hounds,” the Union officer explained.
“Another shows him as he underwent the surgical examination previous to being mustered into the service — his back furrowed and scarred with the traces of a whipping administered on Christmas-day last; and the third represents him in the United States uniform, bearing the musket and prepared for duty.”
These are the details they left out of our history books.
“Flogging with a leather strap on the naked body is common,” according to the 1863 letter to the editor. “Also paddling the body with a hand saw until the skin is a mass of blisters, and then breaking the blisters with teeth and saw.”
The torture included stretching enslaved Africans upon the ground with hands and feet held down by other enslaved men. Some had been “lashed to stakes driven into the ground for burning, while handfuls of dry corn-husks are then lighted, and the burning embers are whipped off with a stick so as to fall in showers of live sparks upon the naked back. This is continued until the victim is covered with blisters. If in this writhing of torture, the slave gets his hands free to brush off the fire, then burning brand is applied to them.”
After all the torture, Peter lived to serve in the Union Army, working as a guide. At one point, according to Harper’s, he was captured again by Confederate rebels, “who, infuriated beyond measure, tied him up and beat him, leaving him for dead.”
Miraculously, Peter came to life “and once more made his escape to our lines.”
The reaction in 1863 to the photos of “Whipped Peter” was visceral, Harper’s Weekly said, “capturing what the mind’s eye could not imagine. Letters to editors across the country came pouring in, raising a more fervent cry for freedom and abolition.”
Dulaney said the photographs had enormous impact on the course of history. “The first time I saw that image — that image is everywhere in terms of slavery — it made me cry to see someone beaten like that, to carry those welts on his back,” Dulaney said.
But Dulaney said that image also captured the true tale of the astounding resilience of Black people. “For all the stuff we’ve been through — oppression, slavery and segregation, and all the laws passed to keep us from doing what other human beings did,” Dulaney said, “And yet we came through it. We created institutions, raised families.”
Over the years, Dulaney said, historians have asked “Who freed the slaves? Did the ‘Great Emancipator’ Abraham Lincoln do it?”
The truth is enslaved Africans freed themselves and forced Lincoln to take a stand.
“During the course of the war, African Americans were running at the start — first by the tens, then the hundreds, then by the thousands,” Dulaney said, “freeing themselves and making slavery the key issue of the Civil War. This brother with welts on his back is a symbol of all of that.” | 2022-12-17T11:58:34+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/12/17/emancipation-whipped-peter-true-story/ |
Employee priorities are changing as the labor market and economy continue to shift, and the way organizations think about employee engagement must change alongside them.
TORONTO, April 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Like everything else in the world, employee engagement has gone through significant upheaval over the past several years. Employees' relationships with their organizations shifted with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote and virtual work, with employee priorities undergoing a considerable change in tandem with these necessary adjustments to the way we work. To assist HR leaders in understanding and evaluating the causes, significance, and impacts of these changes, leading HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company has released its annual Employee Engagement Trends Report 2023. The timely industry report combines insights, analysis, and benchmarking data obtained from 2021 to 2022.
In the report, the firm defines employee engagement as "an overall sense of being energized by and passionate about one's work and dedicated toward one's workplace" and notes it is important to differentiate this concept from employee satisfaction. Employee engagement is also a component of the overall employee experience (EX), with EX remaining a high priority for organizations because of its impact on outcomes such as productivity and retention.
"In a challenging labor market and economy, employee engagement plays an even more critical role in talent retention," says Amanda Chaitnarine, director of Advisory Services at McLean & Company. "Individual employee engagement is the outcome of a strong overall employee experience, which is measured simply by asking 'How likely would you be to recommend this organization to a friend or family member as a great place to work?' If the answer isn't 'yes,' it's a good indication that an organization's employee engagement and experience need evaluation and intentional effort to improve."
To inform organizations' efforts to improve engagement, the firm identified and measured three key driver categories for employee engagement via a survey distributed to over 157,000 employees in 179 organizations. Those three drivers are outlined below:
- Organizational – Organizational drivers impact an employee's satisfaction and commitment to their organization. They include department collaboration, executive and departmental leadership, company potential, culture, and inclusion.
Organizational drivers saw mixed results, with department collaboration and executive leadership ranking lowest, signalling a need for improved communication. Culture and inclusion were viewed most positively and should remain a high priority. - Job – Job drivers affect an employee's motivation for and commitment to their day-to-day role. They consist of career advancement and development, recognition, employee empowerment, manager relationships, and co-worker relationships.
Employees viewed job drivers most positively, with career advancement and development increasing from the previous year by an average of 3.3 percentage points from 54.4% to 57.7%, and co-worker relationship drivers increasing by an average of 2.9 percentage points from 78.9% to 81.8%. - Retention – Retention drivers influence an employee's desire and likelihood to stay at an organization. An organization cannot make progress on engagement without satisfying a minimum requirement in these drivers. They include total compensation, working environment, and work-life balance.
Retention drivers were the lowest scoring area, likely due in part to economic uncertainty and inflation throughout the year impacting total compensation drivers, which decreased by 2.5 percentage points. Work-life balance and workload continue to be areas of opportunity for improvement.
With the talent acquisition and retention challenges that organizations are facing in the current labor landscape, it is unsurprising that retention drivers were the lowest performing of the three categories in this year's report. While prioritizing job and organizational drivers remains important to overall engagement success, there is a clear and critical need to put intentional effort into improving retention driver scores. Developing the retention driver areas of total compensation, working environment, and work-life balance can ultimately lead to increased talent attraction and retention and should be a primary focus for organizations in 2023 and beyond.
The firm advises that some of the ways organizational and HR leaders can work to improve employee engagement within their organizations are:
- Focusing on providing career and skill development opportunities for all employees by developing a high-potential program and creating a learning and development strategy.
- Revisiting career pathing and succession plans to ensure they are inclusive and free from barriers for all employees.
- Creating or revamping employee recognition programs for a quick win that leverages manager and co-worker relationships and that can be built on to create a culture of recognition and appreciation in the future.
McLean & Company also reminds HR leaders that employing benchmark engagement data when evaluating their organization's employee engagement is a key component in the process to provide direction, but it is not a final solution. Employee engagement action planning should always be based on feedback from an organization's employees, not on how other organizations are performing.
HR leaders seeking to understand, assess, and improve their organization's employee engagement can download the full Employee Engagement Trends Report 2023.
Additional resources from McLean & Company to support improving retention drivers include:
- Build a Total Rewards Strategy
- Create a Talent Acquisition Strategy
- Redesign the Talent Acquisition Structure
- Design a High-Value Succession Planning Program
The firm also offers various levels of support and practical resources to best suit organizations' unique, individual needs, including DIY toolkits, guided implementations, workshops, and consulting. For additional support in determining where to start in resolving engagement and retention challenges, visit mcleanco.com/services or follow McLean & Company on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Through data-driven insights and proven best-practice methodologies, McLean & Company offers comprehensive resources and full-service assessments, action plans, and training to position organizations to meet today's needs and prepare for the future.
McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the Media Insiders program. To gain access contact pr@mcleanco.com.
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SOURCE McLean & Company | 2023-04-19T14:09:06+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2023/04/19/new-employee-engagement-trends-report-mclean-amp-company-highlights-critical-need-measure-act-with-purpose-improve-employee-engagement/ |
Elizabeth Holmes enters Texas prison to begin 11-year sentence for notorious blood-testing hoax
BRYAN, Texas (AP) — Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes entered Texas prison where she could spend the next 11 years for overseeing a blood-testing hoax that became a parable about greed and hubris in Silicon Valley.
Holmes, 39, on Tuesday entered a federal women’s prison camp located in Bryan, Texas — where the federal judge who sentenced Holmes in November recommended she be incarcerated. The minimum-security facility is about 95 miles northwest of Houston, where Holmes grew up aspiring to become a technology visionary along the lines of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
As she begins her sentence, Holmes is leaving behind two young children — a son born in July 2021 a few weeks before the start of her trial and a 3-month old daughter who was conceived after a jury convicted her on four felony counts of fraud and conspiracy in January 2022.
Holmes was free on bail up until Tuesday, most recently living in the San Diego area with the children’s father, William “Billy” Evans. The couple met in 2017 around the same time Holmes was under investigation for the collapse of Theranos, a startup she founded after dropping out of Stanford University when she was just 19.
While she was building up Theranos, Holmes grew closer to Ramesh, “Sunny” Balwani, who would become her romantic partner as well as an investor and fellow executive in the Palo Alto, California, company.
Together, Holmes and Balwani promised Theranos would revolutionize health care with a technology that could quickly scan for diseases and other problems with a few drops of blood taken with a finger prick.
The hype surrounding that purported breakthrough helped Theranos raise nearly $1 billion from enthralled investors, assemble an influential board of directors that include former Presidential cabinet members George Shultz, Henry Kissinger and James Mattis and turned Holmes into a Silicon Valley sensation with a fortune valued at $4.5 billion on paper in 2014.
But it all blew up after serious dangerous flaws in Theranos’ technology were exposed in a series of explosive articles in The Wall Street Journal that Holmes and Balwani tried to thwart. Holmes and Balwani, who had been secretly living together while running Theranos, broke up after the Journal’s revelations and the company collapsed. In 2018, the U.S. Justice Department charged both with a litany of white-collar crimes in a case aimed at putting a stop to the Silicon Valley practice of overselling the capabilities of a still-developing technology — a technique that became known as “fake it ’til you make it.”
Holmes admitted making mistakes at Theranos, but steadfastly denied committing crimes during seven often-fascinating days of testimony on the witness stand during her trial. At one point, she told the jury about being sexually and emotionally abused by Balwani while he controlled her in ways that she said clouded her thinking. Balwani’s attorney steadfastly denied Holmes allegations, which was one of the key reasons they were tried separately.
Balwani, 57, was convicted on 12 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy in a trial that began two months after Holmes’ ended. He is currently serving a nearly 13-year sentence in a Southern California prison.
Maintaining she was treated unfairly during the trial, Holmes sought to remain free while she appeals her conviction. But that bid was rejected by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, who presided over her trial, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, leaving her no other avenue left to follow but the one that will take her to prison nearly 20 years after she founded Theranos.
Attorneys representing Holmes did not immediately respond when contacted by The Associated Press for statement on Tuesday.
FPC Bryan, a minimum-security prison camp located about 95 miles northwest of Houston, encompasses about 37 acres of land and houses about 650 women — including “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jennifer Shah, who was sentenced earlier this year to 6 1/2 years in prison for defrauding thousands of people in a yearslong telemarketing scam.
Most federal prison camps don’t even have fences and house those the Bureau of Prisons considers to be the lowest security risk. The prison camps also often have minimal staffing and many of the people incarcerated there work at prison jobs.
According to a 2016 FPC Bryan inmate handbook, those in the Texas facility who are eligible to work can earn between 12 cents and $1.15 per hour in their job assignments, which include food service roles and factory employment operated by Federal Prison Industries.
Federal prison camps were originally designed with low security to make operations easier and to allow inmates tasked with performing work at the prison, like landscaping and maintenance, to avoid repeatedly checking in and out of a main prison facility. But the lax security opened a gateway for contraband, such as drugs, cellphones and weapons. The limited security has also led to a number of escapes from prison camps.
In November, a man incarcerated at another federal prison camp in Arizona pulled out a smuggled gun in a visitation area and tried to shoot his wife in the head. The gun jammed and no one was injured. But the incident exposed major security flaws at the facility and the agency’s director ordered a review of security at all federal prison camps around the U.S.
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AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke is in San Francisco. AP U.S. Law Enforcement News Editor Mike Balsamo and AP Business Writer Wyatte Grantham-Philips contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-05-30T18:22:28+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/elizabeth-holmes-enters-texas-prison-to-begin-11-year-sentence-for-notorious-blood-testing-hoax/ |
(NEXSTAR) — While the housing market continues to be hot in many parts of the country, it has certainly slowed since the pandemic peaks of recent years. Regardless, something as small as the colors you choose to paint your rooms could have a big impact on how much your home sells for, according to a new study.
After reviewing a series of studies of more than 4,700 recent and prospective home buyers nationwide, real estate website Zillow said it found paint color can bolster — or hinder — a home’s sale price by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
So what colors should you opt for? It’s all about the mood, according to Zillow’s analysis.
It’s no secret color can impact our mood. A bright color like yellow may make you cheery, a blue may calm you down. When it comes to current and possible homebuyers, one mood appears to be reigning supreme: charcoal gray.
“Gray is the color of retreat,” Mehnaz Khan, a color psychology specialist and interior designer in Albany, New York, told Zillow. That sense of retreat may be especially important now, as many return to hectic lifestyles they may not have had since before the COVID pandemic.
Don’t rush out and buy the first gray paint you see, though.
For example, Zillow found that those surveyed would offer roughly $3,365 less for a home with a cement gray front door. Instead, opt for a black or a “mid tone rosy brown” — recent and potential homebuyers were willing to offer $300 more for a home with the latter.
Inside, various shades of gray were found to improve potential offers. According to Zillow, participants would offer over $2,500 more for a home with a graphite gray or a mid tone pewter gray kitchen than similar homes with a different color in the kitchen. Living rooms and bedrooms painted dark gray brought in potential offers of at least $1,755 more than those in pale neutrals.
So what colors should you avoid?
Zillow’s survey found recent and potential home buyers largely disliked bright colors like daisy yellow and light blue the least across the house.
A bathroom painted light blue or daisy yellow cut potential offers by roughly $675 and $975, respectively. Recent and potential buyers offered $1,760 less for bathrooms painted a shamrock green.
Participants would also offer more than $2,100 less for a daisy-colored kitchen, Zillow found. And while gray shades could increase the offer by over $2,500, a dark red or green could cut the offer by over $1,000.
Daisy yellow was even less liked in the living room. Zillow’s study found such a color could bring down a potential offer by more than $3,000. No other color in any room in the study had such a large estimated impact. Light green, dark green, and dark red in the living room also had a negative impact on potential offers made by recent and potential home buyers.
Study participants viewed four homes and were shown four images of each home’s interior, one each of the living room, kitchen, primary bedroom, and primary bathroom, Zillow explains. Each room was randomly assigned one of 11 colors: dark and light gray, dark and bright red, high reflective white, mid-brown, light and medium blue, light and dark green, and bright yellow.
Researchers warned that other factors could impact an actual offer made on a home, and how the colors look in real life may create a different experience than viewing images. Instead, the different responses to the room colors better show how small improvements could prove beneficial.
It isn’t just repainting a room that could impact selling your home.
Analyses by Zillow and Realtor.com have found that the best time to list your home on the market is usually around mid to late April. Home buyers have been found to be willing to pay a higher price around this time.
Alternatively, Realtor.com determined early fall — last year, September 25 through October 1 — is “the very best time of the year” for homebuyers. They say there are usually fewer buyers and more homes on the market around this time. | 2023-06-25T14:44:41+00:00 | texomashomepage.com | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national-news/trying-to-sell-your-home-these-paint-colors-can-impact-offers-survey-suggests/ |
Gray Tarry, bottom left, an archeological field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, digs on an archeological excavation site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
An archeologist stands near a cylindrical discoloration in the soil, center, which indicates the prior existence of a prehistorical structure, at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Conan Mills, a field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, sifts for artifacts at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Jamie Butts, a high school student from Youth Conservation Corps, assist in sifting at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Josiah Hamilton, left, and Jamie Butts, high school students from Youth Conservation Corps, assist in sifting at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Conan Mills, a field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, shows a lithic flake, a piece of flint broken from a larger piece during the manufacture of tools, that he just found sifting at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
A worker digs in an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
A worker digs in an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Professor Mark Rees, of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and director of the Louisiana Public Archeology Lab, holds a side notched, archaic projectile point at an archeological dig site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gloria Church, an undergraduate student at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, studying anthropology and archeology, sifts for artifacts at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gray Tarry, bottom left, an archeological field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, digs, while Josiah Hamilton, left, and Jamie Butts, right, high school students from Youth Conservation Corps, watch at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Professor Mark Rees, of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and director of the Louisiana Public Archeology Lab, holds a San Patrice, variety Hope, that dates from around 12,000 to 11,500 years ago, in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
A worker digs in an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Archaeologists in Louisiana save artifacts dating back 12,000 years from natural disasters, looters
Archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at a site in central Louisiana this summer to unearth and preserve evidence of prehistoric occupation
By STEPHEN SMITH and KEVIN McGILL - Associated Press
Gray Tarry, bottom left, an archeological field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, digs on an archeological excavation site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
An archeologist stands near a cylindrical discoloration in the soil, center, which indicates the prior existence of a prehistorical structure, at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Conan Mills, a field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, sifts for artifacts at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Jamie Butts, a high school student from Youth Conservation Corps, assist in sifting at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Josiah Hamilton, left, and Jamie Butts, high school students from Youth Conservation Corps, assist in sifting at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Conan Mills, a field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, shows a lithic flake, a piece of flint broken from a larger piece during the manufacture of tools, that he just found sifting at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
A worker digs in an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
A worker digs in an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Professor Mark Rees, of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and director of the Louisiana Public Archeology Lab, holds a side notched, archaic projectile point at an archeological dig site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Gloria Church, an undergraduate student at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, studying anthropology and archeology, sifts for artifacts at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Gray Tarry, bottom left, an archeological field technician for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, digs, while Josiah Hamilton, left, and Jamie Butts, right, high school students from Youth Conservation Corps, watch at an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
Professor Mark Rees, of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and director of the Louisiana Public Archeology Lab, holds a San Patrice, variety Hope, that dates from around 12,000 to 11,500 years ago, in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
Gerald Herbert - staff, AP
A worker digs in an archeological site in Kisatchie National Forest, La., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. This summer, archaeologists have been gingerly digging up the ground at the site in Vernon Parish to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation. The site was found by surveyors in 2003, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hurricanes Laura and Delta uprooted trees and exposed some of the artifacts. Further damage has been done by looters making unauthorized digs. Forest officials say the site shows evidence of generations of people living in the area going back 12,000 years.
VERNON PARISH, La. (AP) — Long buried under the woods of west central Louisiana, stone tools, spearpoints and other evidence of people living in the area as long as 12,000 years ago have become more exposed and vulnerable, due to hurricanes, flooding and looters.
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HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Foreign Ministry condemned a resolution passed by the European Parliament concerning Hong Kong’s shrinking rights to free speech, even as Beijing seeks to restore economic links with the EU.
The EU body overwhelmingly adopted a resolution Thursday citing the deterioration of the city’s freedoms since the imposition by Beijing of a sweeping national security law in 2020. It urged the Hong Kong government to release and drop all charges against activist publisher Jimmy Lai, who was arrested under the security law, along with other pro-democracy activists. It also renewed its call on the EU to introduce targeted sanctions against officials responsible for "the ongoing human rights crackdown in the city,” including Hong Kong leader John Lee.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s office in Hong Kong issued a statement late Thursday alleging the parliament was trying to use Hong Kong to contain China’s growth, saying such a strategy was “doomed to failure.” The statement said the EU Parliament was interfering with China's internal affairs and trampling on the principles of international law.
“The political drama of a small number of foreign politicians cannot shake the (Hong Kong) Government’s firm determination to administer Hong Kong according to law and hold crimes accountable,” the statement read.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China’s rule in 1997, was promised the right to retain its Western-style freedoms for 50 years after the handover. But after the 2019 pro-democracy protests that spiraled into violence, Beijing has steadily tightened its grip on the semi-autonomous region.
Since then, large numbers of democracy supporters and a portion of the educated middle class have left the city, and the U.S. has imposed sanctions against past and present Hong Kong leaders over the harsh crackdown on rights in the international financial hub.
Beijing and its local allies, who now control local government entirely, see the movement as a Western plot to contain China and have ruthlessly prosecuted opponents.
Another major source of contention is China's alleged “secret overseas police stations,” which have been reported across North America, Europe and in other countries where Chinese communities include critics of the Communist Party who have family or business contacts in China. China denies that they are police stations, saying that they exist mainly to provide citizen services such as renewing driver’s licenses.
In its statement Thursday, the parliament said it "condemns the attempts made by Chinese authorities to target their diaspora communities in the EU."
“Finally, Parliament calls on the Chinese authorities to repeal the National Security Law and to stop impeding the work of journalists,” the statement said. The resolution was adopted by 483 votes in favor, nine against and 42 abstentions.
China's response dismissed the politicians' works as “nothing more than a botched political performance."
In separate statement Friday, the foreign affairs office also lashed out at a U.S. State Department report on human trafficking in Hong Kong, saying it was “full of political bias" and used human rights as a tool to stigmatize others.
The U.S. report said the Hong Kong government did not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, although it was making significant efforts to do so.
China has also been rankled by EU politicians making visits to Taiwan and hosting politicians from the self-governing island that Beijing considers its own territory and threatens to invade.
The escalation of the diplomatic row between China and the EU comes days before Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s planned visit to Germany and France next week, marking his debut on the international stage as China’s second-ranking leader. | 2023-06-16T12:35:34+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/world/article/china-condemns-eu-parliament-s-resolution-on-hong-18155744.php |
- Unveils updated Overture validated through wind tunnel tests
- Expands market opportunity with Northrop Grumman strategic collaboration to offer special mission Overture variant for US military and allies
- Signs agreements with Collins Aerospace, Safran, and Eaton
DENVER, July 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boom Supersonic, the company building the world's fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability, today presented the refined design of Overture and also announced a new partnering agreement with Northrop Grumman to develop special mission variants of the aircraft. Carrying 65–80 passengers at twice the speed of today's airliners and running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Overture will fly Mach 1.7 over water with a range of 4,250 nautical miles.
Today's Overture reveal at the Farnborough International Airshow is the culmination of 26 million core-hours of simulated software designs, five wind tunnel tests, and the careful evaluation of 51 full design iterations, resulting in an economically and environmentally sustainable supersonic airliner.
"Aviation has not seen a giant leap in decades. Overture is revolutionary in its design, and it will fundamentally change how we think about distance," said Boom Founder and CEO Blake Scholl. "With more than 600 routes across the globe, Overture will make the world dramatically more accessible for tens of millions of passengers."
With this updated configuration, Boom combines a number of engineering innovations in aerodynamics, noise reduction, and overall performance.
Four-engine design: Overture will be powered by four powerful, wing-mounted engines that enable the airliner to cruise at Mach 1.7 over water and just under Mach 1 over land. Additionally, the four-engine design reduces noise while also decreasing costs for airline operators. Engine placement was selected to conform to the strictest passenger safety requirements.
Quieter operation: On take-off, Overture will use the world's first automated noise reduction system. The airliner will fly without afterburners, meeting the same strict regulatory noise levels as the latest subsonic airplanes. These noise reduction efforts will deliver a quieter experience both for passengers and airport communities.
Contoured fuselage: According to the principle of area-ruling, Overture's fuselage has a larger diameter toward the front of the aircraft and a smaller diameter toward the rear. Boom has applied this design technique to minimize drag and maximize fuel efficiency at supersonic speeds.
Gull wings: The aircraft's wings are sculpted to enhance supersonic performance as well as improve subsonic and transonic handling. Importantly, the wing shaping also helps ensure safety and stability at any speed.
Carbon composite construction: Overture will incorporate carbon composite materials into the majority of the build that are lighter, stronger, and more thermally stable than traditional metal construction. Carbon composites can also be manufactured with highly complex curvature, contributing to the aircraft's aerodynamic efficiency.
Net zero carbon: Overture has been developed from the beginning to be net zero carbon, flying on 100% SAF. Sustainability is woven into all aspects of Overture, from design and production to flight and end-of-life recycling.
- Cruise speed: Mach 1.7 supersonic, Mach 0.94 subsonic
- Range: 4,250nm with full payload
- Passengers: 65–80
- Exterior Dimensions: Length: 201 feet, Wingspan: 106 feet, Height: 36 feet
- Interior Dimensions: 79 feet long, up to 6.5 feet height at aisle
- Airframe: composite fuselage, wing, vertical, and horizontal
- Wing: gull with digital leading and trailing edge flap control
- Flight controls: 4x redundant digital fly-by-wire on 2 LRUs
- Powerplant: 4x medium-bypass 100% SAF-compatible turbofan
- Airport Community noise: ICAO Chapter 14 / FAA Stage 5
Additionally, the company announced today that it will begin outfitting The Iron Bird, a new 70,000-square-foot hardware ground test facility in Centennial, Colorado to house its first full-scale Overture testing model and flight deck simulators. The test model, also called an iron bird, will be used for integrating Overture's flight hardware, software, and systems. Earlier this year, Boom announced its selection of the Piedmont Triad area for its first Overture Superfactory and remains on track to begin production in 2024.
Today at The Farnborough Airshow, Boom Supersonic also announced a landmark partnering agreement with Northrop Grumman to develop special mission variants for the U.S. Government and its allies.
"Time is a strategic advantage in high consequence scenarios, from emergency evacuations to disaster response," said Scholl. "This collaboration between Boom and Northrop Grumman unlocks the potential for Overture to provide the US and our allies with an unmatched high speed capability when and where it's most needed."
Together, the two companies will pursue new use cases for Overture to support government and military operations that require rapid response, including quick-reaction surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control, as well as mobility and logistics missions such as emergency medical and troop transport.
"Pairing Northrop Grumman's airborne defense systems integration expertise with Boom's state-of-the-art Overture supersonic aircraft makes perfect sense," said Tom Jones, president of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems. "Together we can ensure military variants of Overture are tailored for missions where advanced system capabilities and speed are critical."
As it continues to build the supply chain for Overture, Boom announced new and expanded relationships. Collins Aerospace, Eaton, and Safran Landing Systems are joining the Overture program, supplying key systems such as landing gear, fuel and inerting, avionics, and ice protection.
Boom Supersonic is transforming air travel with Overture, the fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. Carrying 65–80 passengers, Overture will fly at twice the speed of today's airliners and will run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Overture's commercial order book, including purchases and options from United Airlines and Japan Airlines, stands at 70 aircraft. Boom is also working with the U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman for military and defense applications of Overture. Suppliers collaborating with Boom on the Overture program include Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Safran Landing Systems, and Rolls-Royce. For more information, visit https://boomsupersonic.com
Updated photos and video available at https://boomsupersonic.com/press
Connect with Boom Supersonic on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Boom Supersonic | 2022-07-19T10:34:10+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/07/19/boom-supersonic-reveals-refined-overture-announces-landmark-market-expanding-alliance-with-northrop-grumman-new-tier-one-suppliers/ |
- First-Quarter 2022 Financial Results
- Bausch + Lomb Commenced Trading Under "BLCO" Ticker
- Reported Revenues Grew 1%, and Organic Revenues1,2 Grew 5%
VAUGHAN, ON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausch + Lomb Corporation, (NYSE/TSX: BLCO) ("Bausch + Lomb" or the "Company" or "we"), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today announced its first-quarter 2022 financial results.
"In the first quarter, Bausch + Lomb delivered organic revenue1,2 growth, driven by our two largest segments, Vision Care and Surgical," said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO, Bausch + Lomb. "Bausch + Lomb has always stood at the forefront of cutting-edge scientific and technological optical advancements, and today we are more focused than ever on developing and offering new treatments to meet unmet eye health needs."
"As we look to the future as a publicly traded company, we believe we are well positioned for growth in large, durable markets, driven by new products and megatrends, and we see many attractive opportunities for a pure-play eye health company," continued Mr. Papa.
Bausch + Lomb Is Now Trading Under the Ticker "BLCO"
Bausch + Lomb began trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker "BLCO" on May 6, 2022 and closed its initial public offering ("IPO") on May 10, 2022. Bausch Health Companies Inc. ("Bausch Health" or "BHC") expects to complete the spinoff of Bausch + Lomb following the expiry of customary lock-ups related to the IPO, achievement of target net leverage ratios and subject to market conditions and receipt of applicable shareholder and other necessary approvals.
Select Company and Pipeline Highlights
- Launched XIPERE®3 (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension), a therapy that uses the suprachoroidal space to treat patients suffering from macular edema associated with uveitis, in the United States
- Bausch + Lomb INFUSE®/ULTRA® ONE DAY daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses are now available in 24 countries, including recent launches in several European countries and in Malaysia
- VYZULTA® (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution), 0.024%, is now approved in 18 countries, including recent approvals in Bahrain and Lebanon
- LUMIFY® (brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.025%) is now approved in 6 countries, including recent approvals in Canada, Jordan and Lebanon
- Launched Biotrue® Hydration Plus Multi-Purpose Solution in the United States
First-Quarter 2022 Revenue Performance
Total reported revenues were $889 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $881 million in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of $8 million, or 1%. Foreign exchange had an unfavorable impact on revenues by $29 million in the first quarter of 2022. Revenue increased organically1,2 by approximately 5% compared to the first quarter of 2021.
Revenues by segment were as follows:
First-Quarter 2022
Vision Care Segment
Vision Care segment revenues were $560 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $556 million for the first quarter of 2021, an increase of $4 million, or 1%. Excluding the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange of $19 million, the segment increased organically1,2 by approximately 4% compared to the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to higher sales of LUMIFY® (brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.025%), Biotrue® solutions franchise and Ocuvite® + PreserVision®, partially offset by decreased sales in the Contact Lens business driven by COVID-19 lockdowns in China that began in the first quarter of 2022.
Surgical Segment
Surgical segment revenues were $174 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $162 million for the first quarter of 2021, an increase of $12 million, or 7%. Excluding the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange of $6 million and the impact of divestitures and discontinuations of $3 million, the segment increased organically1,2 by approximately 13% compared to the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to increased sales of implantables, consumables and intraocular lenses.
Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals Segment
Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals segment revenues were $155 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $163 million for the first quarter of 2021, a decrease of $8 million, or 5%. Excluding the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange of $4 million, the segment decreased organically1,2 by approximately 3% compared to the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to generic erosion and a decrease in net realized pricing in the United States, partially offset by higher sales of key promoted brands and an increase in international sales.
Operating Results
Operating income was $54 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $85 million for the first quarter of 2021, an unfavorable change of $31 million. The change was primarily driven by the Company's investment in Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and R&D spending, as well as an increase in Cost of goods sold, partially offset by a decrease in amortization of intangible assets and an increase in revenues.
Net Income
Net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $20 million, as compared to $27 million for the first quarter of 2021, an unfavorable change of $7 million. The change was primarily due to the decrease in operating results noted above, partially offset by a favorable change in the Provision for income taxes.
Adjusted net income (non-GAAP)1 for the first quarter of 2022 was $85 million, as compared to $93 million for the first quarter of 2021, a decrease of $8 million.
Cash Flow from Operations
Cash flow from operations for the first quarter of 2022 was $3 million, as compared to $188 million for the first quarter of 2021, a decrease of $185 million. Cash flow from operations was negatively impacted in the first quarter of 2022 primarily by the timing of the settlement of certain intercompany balances between Bausch + Lomb and BHC that were collected by BHC in the first quarter of 2022 on behalf of Bausch + Lomb. The Company does not anticipate that these factors will have such a significant impact on cash flow from operations in future quarters.
Earnings Per Share
GAAP Earnings Per Share ("EPS") and Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP)1 for the first quarter of both 2021 and 2022 have been calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the IPO.
GAAP EPS Basic and Diluted for the first quarter of 2022 was $0.06, as compared to $0.08 for the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP)1 for the first quarter of 2022 was $0.24, as compared to $0.27 for the first quarter of 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)1
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)1 was $170 million for the first quarter of 2022, as compared to $198 million for the first quarter of 2021, a decrease of $28 million, primarily due to foreign exchange headwinds and the impact from the COVID-19 lockdown in China, partially offset by strong organic2 revenue growth.
2022 Financial Outlook5
Bausch + Lomb provided guidance for the full year of 2022 as follows:
- Full-year revenue range of $3.75 – $3.80 billion, reflecting anticipated 4-5% organic1,2 growth
- Full-year Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)1 range of $740 – $780 million, reflecting approximately 5% base performance growth6
Other than with respect to GAAP Revenues, the Company only provides guidance on a non-GAAP basis. The Company does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)1 to GAAP net income (loss) or of forward-looking organic growth1,2 to reported revenue growth, due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliations. These amounts may be material and, therefore, could result in the projected GAAP measure or ratio being materially different or less than the projected non-GAAP measure or ratio. These statements represent forward-looking information and may not represent a financial outlook, and actual results may vary. Please see the risks and assumptions referred to in the Forward-looking Statements section of this news release.
Balance Sheet Highlights
- Bausch + Lomb's cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were $190 million at March 31, 2022
- Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the first quarter of 2022 were 350 million shares on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the IPO
Conference Call Details
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from the moment of birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of more than 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with more than 12,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Forward-looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should or will be achieved, received or taken, or will occur or result, and similar such expressions also identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Bausch + Lomb's future prospects and performance, including the Company's 2022 full-year guidance, the anticipated spin off of Bausch + Lomb from BHC and the timing thereof, details of the Company's product pipeline and expectations on factors which may or may not impact cash flow from operations in future quarters. These forward-looking statements, including the Company's full-year guidance, are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are provided for the purpose of providing additional information about such expectations and beliefs, and readers are cautioned that these statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in Bausch + Lomb's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the Canadian Securities Administrators (the "CSA") (including the Company's final prospectus as filed with the SEC on May 5, 2022 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 and the Company's supplemented PREP prospectus as filed with the CSA on May 5, 2022), which factors are incorporated herein by reference. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the proposed plan to separate Bausch + Lomb from BHC, including the expected benefits and costs of the separation transaction, the expected timing of completion of the separation transaction and its terms (including the expectation that the separation transaction will be completed following the expiry of customary lock-ups related to the Bausch + Lomb IPO and achievement of targeted net leverage ratios, subject to receipt of applicable shareholder and other necessary approvals), the ability to complete the separation transaction considering the various conditions to the completion of the separation transaction (some of which are outside the Company's and BHC's control, including conditions related to regulatory matters and applicable shareholder and other approvals), the impact of any potential sales of the Company's common shares by BHC subject to expiry of lock-ups, that market or other conditions are no longer favorable to completing the transaction, that applicable shareholder, stock exchange, regulatory or other approval is not obtained on the terms or timelines anticipated or at all, business disruption during the pendency of or following the separation transaction, diversion of management time on separation transaction-related issues, retention of existing management team members, the reaction of customers and other parties to the separation transaction, the qualification of the separation transaction as a tax-free transaction for Canadian and/or U.S. federal income tax purposes (including whether or not an advance ruling from the Canada Revenue Agency and/or the Internal Revenue Service will be sought or obtained), the ability of the Company and BHC to satisfy the conditions required to maintain the tax-free status of the separation transaction (some of which are beyond their control), other potential tax or other liabilities that may arise as a result of the separation transaction, the potential dis-synergy costs resulting from the separation transaction, the impact of the separation transaction on relationships with customers, suppliers, employees and other business counterparties, general economic conditions, conditions in the markets the Company is engaged in, behavior of customers, suppliers and competitors, technological developments and legal and regulatory rules affecting the Company's business. In particular, the Company can offer no assurance that any separation transaction will occur at all, or that any separation transaction will occur on the terms and timelines anticipated by the Company and BHC. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties caused by or relating to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the fear of that pandemic, the emergence of variant and subvariant strains of COVID-19 (including the Delta and Omicron variants), the availability and effectiveness of vaccines for COVID-19 (including current or future variants and subvariants), COVID-19 vaccine immunization rates and the potential effects of that pandemic, the severity, duration and future impact of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, and which may have a material adverse impact on the Company, including but not limited to its supply chain, third-party suppliers, project development timelines, employee base, liquidity, stock price, financial condition and costs (which may increase) and revenue and margins (both of which may decrease). In addition, certain material factors and assumptions have been applied in making these forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, assumptions regarding our 2022 full-year guidance with respect to expectations regarding base performance growth and organic growth, currency impact, run-rate dis-synergies and inflation, expectations regarding adjusted gross margin (non-GAAP), adjusted SG&A expense (non-GAAP) and the Company's ability to continue to manage such expense in the manner anticipated and the anticipated timing and extent of the Company's R&D expense; and the assumption that the risks and uncertainties outlined above will not cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. Management has also made certain assumptions in assessing the anticipated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company and its results of operations and financial conditions, including: that there will be no material restrictions on access to health care products and services resulting from a possible resurgence of the virus and variant and subvariant strains thereof on a global basis in 2022; there will be increased availability and use of effective vaccines; that the strict social restrictions in the first half of 2020 will not be materially re-enacted in the event of a material resurgence of the virus and variant and subvariant strains thereof; that there will be an ongoing, gradual global recovery as the macroeconomic and health care impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic diminish over time; that the largest impact to the Company's businesses were seen in the second quarter of 2020; that, to the extent not already achieved, our revenues will likely return to pre-pandemic levels during 2022, but that rates of recovery will vary by geography and business unit, with some regions and business units expected to lag in recovery possibly beyond 2022; and no major interruptions in the Company's supply chain and distribution channels. If any of these assumptions regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are incorrect, our actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Bausch + Lomb undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law.
Non-GAAP Information
To supplement the financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures and non-GAAP ratios, including: (i) EBITDA, (ii) Adjusted EBITDA, (iii) Adjusted Net Income, (iv) organic growth/change, (v) organic revenue, (vi) constant currency and (vii) Adjusted EPS. Management uses these non-GAAP measures and ratios as key metrics in the evaluation of the Company's performance and the consolidated financial results and, in part, in the determination of cash bonuses for its executive officers. The Company believes these non-GAAP measures and ratios are useful to investors in their assessment of our operating performance and the valuation of the Company. In addition, these non-GAAP measures and ratios address questions the Company routinely receives from analysts and investors, and in order to assure that all investors have access to similar data, the Company has determined that it is appropriate to make this data available to all investors.
However, these measures and ratios are not prepared in accordance with GAAP nor do they have any standardized meaning under GAAP. In addition, other companies may use similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures and ratios that are calculated differently from the way we calculate such measures and ratios. Accordingly, our non-GAAP financial measures and ratios may not be comparable to such similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures and ratios used by other companies. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on such non-GAAP measures and ratios, but instead to consider them with the most directly comparable GAAP measures and ratios. Non-GAAP financial measures and ratios have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation. They should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.
The reconciliations of these historic non-GAAP financial measures and ratios to the most directly comparable financial measures and ratios calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP are shown in the tables below.
Specific Non-GAAP Measures
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
EBITDA (non-GAAP) is Net income attributable to Bausch + Lomb Corporation (its most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure) adjusted for interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) is EBITDA (non-GAAP) further adjusted for the items described below. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP), along with the GAAP measures used by management, most appropriately reflect how the Company measures the business internally and sets operational goals and incentives. In particular, the Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) focuses management on the Company's underlying operational results and business performance. As a result, the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) both to assess the actual financial performance of the Company and to forecast future results as part of its guidance. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) is a useful measure to evaluate current performance. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) is intended to show our unleveraged, pre-tax operating results and therefore reflects our financial performance based on operational factors. In addition, cash bonuses for the Company's executive officers and other key employees are based, in part, on the achievement of certain Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) targets.
EBITDA (non-GAAP) is Net income attributable to Bausch + Lomb (its most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure) adjusted for interest income, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) is EBITDA (non-GAAP) further adjusted for the following items:
- Asset impairments: The Company has excluded the impact of impairments of finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets as such amounts are inconsistent in amount and frequency and are significantly impacted by the timing and/or size of acquisitions and divestitures. The Company believes that the adjustments of these items correlate with the sustainability of the Company's operating performance. Although the Company excludes impairments of intangible assets from measuring the performance of the Company and its business, the Company believes that it is important for investors to understand that intangible assets contribute to revenue generation.
- Restructuring and integration costs: The Company has incurred restructuring costs as it implemented certain strategies, which involved, among other things, improvements to its infrastructure and operations, internal reorganizations and impacts from the divestiture of assets and businesses. With regard to infrastructure and operational improvements which the Company has taken to improve efficiencies in the businesses and facilities, these tend to be costs intended to right size the business or organization that fluctuate significantly between periods in amount, size and timing, depending on the improvement project, reorganization or transaction. The Company believes that the adjustments of these items provide supplemental information with regard to the sustainability of the Company's operating performance, allow for a comparison of the financial results to historical operations and forward-looking guidance and, as a result, provide useful supplemental information to investors.
- Acquisition-related costs and adjustments excluding amortization of intangible assets: The Company has excluded the impact of acquisition-related contingent consideration non-cash adjustments due to the inherent uncertainty and volatility associated with such amounts based on changes in assumptions with respect to fair value estimates, and the amount and frequency of such adjustments are not consistent and are significantly impacted by the timing and size of the Company's acquisitions, as well as the nature of the agreed-upon consideration.
- Share-based compensation: The Company excludes the impact of acquisition-related contingent consideration non-cash adjustments due to the inherent uncertainty and volatility associated with such amounts based on changes in assumptions with respect to fair value estimates, and the amount and frequency of such adjustments are not consistent and are significantly impacted by the timing and size of the Company's acquisitions, as well as the nature of the agreed-upon consideration. There were no adjustments for Acquisition-related costs and adjustments excluding amortization of intangible assets for any of the periods presented.
- Separation costs and separation-related costs: The Company has excluded certain costs incurred in connection with activities taken to: (i) separate the Bausch + Lomb business from the remainder of BHC and (ii) register the Bausch + Lomb business as an independent publicly traded entity. Separation costs are incremental costs directly related to effectuating the separation of the Bausch + Lomb business from the remainder of BHC and include, but are not limited to, legal, audit and advisory fees, talent acquisition costs and costs associated with establishing a new board of directors and audit committee. Separation-related costs are incremental costs indirectly related to the separation of the Bausch + Lomb business from the remainder of BHC and include, but are not limited to, IT infrastructure and software licensing costs, rebranding costs and costs associated with facility relocation and/or modification. As these costs arise from events outside of the ordinary course of continuing operations, the Company believes that the adjustments of these items provide supplemental information with regard to the sustainability of the Company's operating performance, allow for a comparison of the financial results to historical operations and forward-looking guidance and, as a result, provide useful supplemental information to investors.
- Other Non-GAAP adjustments: The Company also excludes certain other amounts, including IT infrastructure investment, litigation and other matters, gain/(loss) on sales of assets and certain other amounts that are the result of other, non-comparable events to measure operating performance if and when present in the periods presented. These events arise outside of the ordinary course of continuing operations. Given the unique nature of the matters relating to these costs, the Company believes these items are not routine operating expenses. For example, legal settlements and judgments vary significantly, in their nature, size and frequency, and, due to this volatility, the Company believes the costs associated with legal settlements and judgments are not routine operating expenses. The Company has also excluded certain other costs, including settlement costs associated with the conversion of a portion of the Company's defined benefit plan in Ireland to a defined contribution plan. The Company excluded these costs as this event is outside of the ordinary course of continuing operations and is infrequent in nature. The Company believes that the exclusion of such out-of-the-ordinary-course amounts provides supplemental information to assist in the comparison of the financial results of the Company from period to period and, therefore, provides useful supplemental information to investors. However, investors should understand that many of these costs could recur and that companies in our industry often face litigation.
Adjusted Net Income (non-GAAP)
Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) is net income (loss) attributable to Bausch + Lomb Corporation (its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure) adjusted for asset impairments, restructuring and integration costs, acquisition-related contingent consideration, acquired in-process research and development costs, separation costs and separation-related costs and other non-GAAP adjustments, as these adjustments are described above and further adjusted for amortization of intangible assets, as described below:
- Amortization of intangible assets: The Company has excluded the impact of amortization of intangible assets, as such amounts are inconsistent in amount and frequency and are significantly impacted by the timing and/or size of acquisitions. The Company believes that the adjustments of these items correlate with the sustainability of the Company's operating performance. Although the Company excludes the amortization of intangible assets from its non-GAAP expenses, the Company believes that it is important for investors to understand that such intangible assets contribute to revenue generation. Amortization of intangible assets that relate to past acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. Any future acquisitions may result in the amortization of additional intangible assets.
Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) excludes the impact of these certain items that may obscure trends in the Company's underlying performance. Management uses Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) for strategic decision making, forecasting future results and evaluating current performance. By disclosing this non-GAAP measure, it is management's intention to provide investors with a meaningful, supplemental comparison of the Company's operating results and trends for the periods presented. Management believes that this measure is also useful to investors as such measure allows investors to evaluate the Company's performance using the same tools that management uses to evaluate past performance and prospects for future performance. Accordingly, the Company believes that Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) is useful to investors in their assessment of the Company's operating performance and the valuation of the Company. It is also noted that, in recent periods, our GAAP net income (loss) was significantly lower than our Adjusted net income (non-GAAP).
Organic Growth/Change and Organic Revenue
Organic growth/change, a non-GAAP ratio, is defined as a change on a period-over-period basis in revenues on a constant currency basis (if applicable) excluding the impact of recent acquisitions, divestitures and discontinuations (if applicable). Organic growth/change is a change in GAAP Revenue (its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure) adjusted for certain items, as further described below, of businesses that have been owned for one or more years. Similarly, organic revenue, a non-GAAP measure, is GAAP revenue (its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure) adjusted for these same items. Organic revenue growth/change is impacted by changes in product volumes and price. The price component is made up of two key drivers: (i) changes in product gross selling price and (ii) changes in sales deductions. The Company uses organic growth/change and organic revenue to assess the performance of its reportable segments, and the Company in total, without the impact of foreign currency exchange fluctuations and recent acquisitions, divestitures and product discontinuations. The Company believes that such measures are useful to investors as they provide a supplemental period-to-period comparison.
Organic growth/change and organic revenue reflect adjustments for: (i) the impact of period-over-period changes in foreign currency exchange rates on revenues and (ii) the revenues associated with acquisitions, divestitures and discontinuations of businesses divested and/or discontinued. These adjustments are determined as follows:
- Foreign currency exchange rates: Although changes in foreign currency exchange rates are part of our business, they are not within management's control. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates, however, can mask positive or negative trends in the business. The impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates is determined as the difference in the current period reported revenues at their current period currency exchange rates and the current period reported revenues revalued using the monthly average currency exchange rates during the comparable prior period.
- Acquisitions, divestitures and discontinuations: In order to present period-over-period organic revenue (non-GAAP) growth/change on a comparable basis, revenues associated with acquisitions, divestitures and discontinuations are adjusted to include only revenues from those businesses and assets owned during both periods. Accordingly, organic revenue and organic growth/change exclude from the current period, revenues attributable to each acquisition for twelve months subsequent to the day of acquisition, as there are no revenues from those businesses and assets included in the comparable prior period. Organic revenue and organic growth/change exclude from the prior period, all revenues attributable to each divestiture and discontinuance during the twelve months prior to the day of divestiture or discontinuance, as there are no revenues from those businesses and assets included in the comparable current period.
Constant Currency
Changes in the relative values of non-U.S. currencies to the U.S. dollar may affect the Company's financial results and financial position. To assist investors in evaluating the Company's performance, we have adjusted for foreign currency effects. Constant currency impact is determined by comparing 2022 reported amounts adjusted to exclude currency impact, calculated using 2021 monthly average exchange rates, to the actual 2021 reported amounts.
Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP)
Adjusted earnings per share or Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) is calculated as Diluted income per share attributable to Bausch + Lomb Corporation ("GAAP EPS") (its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure), adjusted for the per diluted share impact of each adjustment made to reconcile Net income to Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) as discussed above. Like Adjusted net income (non-GAAP), Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) excludes the impact of certain items that may obscure trends in the Company's underlying performance on a per share basis. By disclosing this non-GAAP measure, it is management's intention to provide investors with a meaningful, supplemental comparison of the Company's results and trends for the periods presented on a diluted share basis. Accordingly, the Company believes that Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) is useful to investors in their assessment of the Company's operating performance, the valuation of the Company and an investor's return on investment. It is also noted that, for the periods presented, our GAAP EPS was significantly lower than our Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP).
© 2022 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates.
FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW
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SOURCE Bausch + Lomb Corporation | 2022-06-08T11:47:26+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/06/08/bausch-lomb-announces-first-quarter-2022-results-provides-2022-guidance/ |
MALE, Maldives — Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won a party primary and will run for a second term in September elections.
Since being elected, Solih has largely stabilized the nation despite political upheaval.
Nasheed was elected president in the country’s first multiparty election in 2008 but resigned in 2012 amid public protests. He contested for presidency again in 2013 and lost, and became disqualified for the race five years later.
Nasheed is known for liberal, pro-Western views in the largely Sunni Muslim nation, famous for its high-end island resorts. He escaped an assassination attempt allegedly by a local group sympathetic to the Islamic State in 2021.
Solih is the only one running for president so far. His main rival, former President Abdulla Yameen, is serving a prison term on charges of corruption and money laundering. | 2023-01-29T13:57:18+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maldives-president-to-run-again-after-winning-primary/2023/01/29/e2de4f40-9fcf-11ed-8b47-9863fda8e494_story.html |
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NEWS
Missed cut helps vintage Rickie Fowler return at ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP
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October 14, 2022
By Ben Everill , PGATOUR.COM
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Interviews
Rickie Fowler interview after Round 2 of ZOZO
Missing the cut immediately after your first top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR in 11 months is not usually a recipe for success, but for Rickie Fowler a weekend off in Las Vegas was a blessing in disguise.
Fowler was unable to continue his momentum at the Shriners Children’s Open from his season-opening T6 at the Fortinet Championship last week but missing out on weekend play at TPC Summerlin allowed the 33-year-old to spend more time with coach Butch Harmon as they rekindle their relationship.
The results were on show in Japan as Fowler backed up his opening-round 67 with a bogey free 7-under 63 in the second round to join a share of the lead at 10-under with Andrew Putnam. It’s the 11th 36-hole lead of his career and first since The American Express in January of 2020.
Fowler recently returned to Harmon, the man who helped him from an early age with his swing, after a three-year run with John Tillery. While he was unable to contend for the Shriners title last week, the 2015 PLAYERS champion was able to get some much-needed personal time with the veteran coach in Las Vegas as a result of his free weekend.
The two have been working on a steeper left arm plane to get Fowler’s hands higher at the top and the club in a better position which gives him more room and space and makes his swing more efficient.
Rolling it 🔄@RickieFowler gets to -10 and a tie for the lead @ZOZOCHAMP. pic.twitter.com/IDbPXNKtgn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 14, 2022“The last two days I wouldn’t say I had my best swing wise. I kind of did a good job of managing my way around,” Fowler said. “But I'll get some work in tomorrow before the round and try and exaggerate a few things where I'm a little bit tighter in lines and flights that I want. But I can’t complain about a 63.
“I’m very happy with where we’re at. Obviously didn’t have the week we wanted last week, drove it poorly, but with some of the changes we’ve made and to have the finish that we did at Napa and kind of seeing a lot of good things, I'm definitely happy about it and excited to be here and off to a good start.”
In Japan on a sponsor invite after missing the FedExCup Playoffs in 2021 and barely scraping in in 2022, Fowler has eaten Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club’s five par 3’s alive, playing them 6-under par through two rounds with seven birdies and one bogey.
While Fowler is popular everywhere around the globe, his Japanese heritage via his grandfather certainly helped elevate his support.
“I definitely enjoy myself over here and the people are awesome. It is really cool to play in front of the Japanese fans,” he said. “Hoping we can give them more good golf over the weekend.”
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Please enter a valid email address. | 2022-10-15T02:06:09+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/news/2022/10/14/missed-cut-helps-vintage-rickie-fowler-return-at-zozo-championship.html |
Pelosi: China cannot stop US officials from visiting Taiwan
TOKYO (AP) — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that China will not isolate Taiwan by preventing U.S. officials from traveling there.
She made the remarks in Tokyo on the final leg of an Asia tour highlighted by a visit to Taiwan that infuriated China.
The Chinese have tried to isolate Taiwan, Pelosi said, including most recently by preventing the self-governing island from joining the World Health Organization.
“They may try to keep Taiwan from visiting or participating in other places, but they will not isolate Taiwan by preventing us to travel there,” she said.
Pelosi said her trip to Taiwan was not intended to change the status quo for the island but to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait. She also praised Taiwan’s hard-fought democracy, including its progress in diversity and success in technology and business, and criticized China’s violations of trade agreements, proliferation of weapons and human rights problems.
Pelosi, the first House speaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years, said Wednesday in Taipei that the U.S. commitment to democracy on the island and elsewhere “remains ironclad.”
Pelosi and five other members of Congress arrived in Tokyo late Thursday after visiting Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea.
In Taipei on Wednesday, Pelosi said the American commitment to democracy in Taiwan and elsewhere “remains ironclad.” She became the first House speaker to visit the island in 25 years.
China, which claims Taiwan and has threatened to annex it by force if necessary, called her visit to the island a provocation and on Thursday began military drills, including missile strike training, in six zones surrounding Taiwan, in what could be its biggest since the mid-1990s.
Pelosi said that China had launched the “strikes probably using our visit as an excuse.”
Earlier Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that China’s military exercises aimed at Taiwan represent a “grave problem” that threatens regional peace and security after five ballistic missiles launched as part of the drills landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Kishida, speaking after breakfast with Pelosi and her congressional delegation, said the missile launches need to be “stopped immediately.”
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said five missiles landed on Thursday in Japan’s exclusive economic zone off Hateruma, an island far south of Japan’s main islands. He said Japan protested to China, saying the missiles “threatened Japan’s national security and the lives of the Japanese people, which we strongly condemn.”
The Defense Ministry later said it believed the other four missiles, fired from China’s southeastern coast of Fujian, flew over Taiwan.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, attending a regional meeting in Cambodia, said China’s actions are “severely impacting peace and stability in the region and the international community, and we demand the immediate suspension of the military exercises.”
Japan has in recent years bolstered its defense capability and troop presence in southwestern Japan and remote islands, including Okinawa, which is about 700 kilometers (420 miles) northeast of Taiwan. Many residents say they worry their island will be quickly embroiled in any Taiwan conflict. Okinawa is home to the majority of about 50,000 American troops based in Japan under a bilateral security pact.
At the breakfast earlier Friday, Pelosi and her congressional delegation also discussed their shared security concern over China, North Korea and Russia, and pledged their commitment to working toward peace and stability in Taiwan, Kishida said. Pelosi was also to hold talks with her Japanese counterpart, lower house Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda.
Japan and its key ally, the U.S., have been pushing for new security and economic frameworks with other democracies in the Indo-Pacific region and Europe as a counter to China’s growing influence amid rising tensions between Beijing and Taipei.
Days before Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, a group of senior Japanese lawmakers, including former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, visited the island and discussed regional security with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. Ishiba said Japan, while working with the United States to prevent conflict in the Indo-Pacific, wants a defense agreement with Taiwan.
On Thursday, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations issued a statement saying “there is no justification to use a visit as pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait.” It said China’s “escalatory response risks increasing tensions and destabilizing the region.”
China cited its displeasure over the statement for the last-minute cancellation of talks between the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Cambodia on Thursday.
Pelosi held talks on Thursday in South Korea, also a key U.S. ally, which stayed away from the Taiwan issue, apparently to avoid upsetting China, focusing instead on North Korea’s increasing nuclear threat.
In recent years, South Korea has been struggling to strike a balance between the United States and China as their rivalry has deepened.
The Chinese military exercises launched Thursday involve its navy, air force and other departments and are to last until Sunday. They include missile strikes on targets in the seas north and south of the island in an echo of the last major Chinese military drills in 1995 and 1996 aimed at intimidating Taiwan’s leaders and voters.
Taiwan has put its military on alert and staged civil defense drills, while the U.S. has numerous naval assets in the area.
China also flew war planes toward Taiwan and blocked imports of its citrus and fish.
China sees the island as a breakaway province and considers visits to Taiwan by foreign officials as recognizing its sovereignty.
The Biden administration and Pelosi have said the United States remains committed to the so-called one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations and defense ties with Taipei. The administration discouraged but did not prevent Pelosi from visiting.
Pelosi has been a long-time advocate of human rights in China. She, along with other lawmakers, visited Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1991 to support democracy two years after a bloody military crackdown on protesters at the square.
As leader of the House of Representatives, Pelosi’s trip has heightened U.S.-China tensions more than visits by other members of Congress. The last House speaker to visit Taiwan was Newt Gingrich in 1997.
China and Taiwan, which split in 1949 after a civil war, have no official relations but multibillion-dollar business ties.
___
Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Huizhong Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-05T07:08:31+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/2022/08/05/pelosi-china-cannot-stop-us-officials-visiting-taiwan-2/ |
With a score of 100, the annual rating assesses disability workplace equality
WASHINGTON, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amtrak received the highest score possible on the 2022 Disability Equality Index (DEI®), which measures tangible actions companies take to achieve disability inclusion and equality in the workplace. Scored out of 100, the DEI represents the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool with 415 corporations utilizing DEI to benchmark their disability inclusion efforts.
The DEI is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation's largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the global business disability inclusion network that collectively advances the inclusion of people with disabilities. Launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and AAPD, the assessment measures corporate policies and practices that help companies build a roadmap for disability inclusion within the workplace.
"We are thrilled to receive a score of 100 and we'll challenge ourselves to find ways to take our efforts for disability inclusion even further," said Stephen Gardner, CEO at Amtrak. "At Amtrak, doing the right thing is a core value and we remain dedicated to maintaining our Best Places to Work status."
The 2022 DEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under five central pillars:
- Culture & Leadership
- Enterprise-Wide Access
- Employment Practices (Benefits, recruitment, employment, education, retention, advancement, and accommodations)
- Community Engagement
- Supplier Diversity
"At Amtrak, we feel proud to provide a workplace where employees are respected, have a voice and belong," said Qiana Spain, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer at Amtrak."We look forward to continually improving workplace equity as we focus on welcoming and celebrating all employees at Amtrak."
At Amtrak, employees, programs, and suppliers represent a diverse work environment. With a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy for recruiting, welcoming and onboarding, engaging, developing, and promoting, Amtrak recognizes the importance of diverse and inclusive behavior that empowers employees to reach their full potential. Amtrak currently has eight employee resource groups, including one for members of the disability community and allies.
Amtrak serves as an important mode of travel for passengers with disabilities. Since 2011, Amtrak has made significant progress in bringing numerous facilities into higher levels of accessibility. With a focus on universal design, Amtrak is committed to providing free and unencumbered access to and from trains and throughout stations.
The full report is available online at www.DisabilityEqualityIndex.org.
View original content:
SOURCE Amtrak | 2022-07-22T15:55:10+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/amtrak-named-best-place-work-disability-inclusion-by-disability-equality-index/ |
The federal government says it will begin a targeted crackdown on nursing homes’ abuse of antipsychotic drugs and misdiagnoses of schizophrenia in patients.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is launching investigations this month into select nursing homes, aimed at verifying whether patients have been properly diagnosed with the psychiatric disorder.
Evidence has mounted over decades that some facilities wrongly diagnose residents with schizophrenia or administer antipsychotic drugs to sedate them, despite dangerous side effects that could include death, according to the agency.
“No nursing home resident should be improperly diagnosed with schizophrenia or given an inappropriate antipsychotic,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “The steps we are taking today will help prevent these errors and give families peace of mind.”
Some facilities may be dodging increased scrutiny around gratuitous use of antipsychotic medications by coding residents as having schizophrenia, even when they do not show signs of the extremely rare disorder, a government report last year found. Less than 1% of the population is believed to have schizophrenia, which is marked by delusions, hallucinations and disordered thinking.
In 2012, the federal government began tracking when nursing homes use antipsychotics on residents – doing so can impact the facility’s quality rating in a public database – but only for those who have not been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Antipsychotics for those nursing home residents has dropped to under 20% in recent years, according to federal data.
A November report from the HHS Office of the Inspector General, however, revealed that the number of residents reported as having schizophrenia without a corresponding diagnosis skyrocketed between 2015 and 2019, with 99 nursing homes in the country reporting that 20% or more of their residents have the disorder.
“The number of unsupported schizophrenia diagnoses increased and in 2019 was concentrated in relatively few nursing homes,” the report concluded.
Nursing homes have worked on other ways to treat residents, especially those with dementia, and trained staff to use alternative methods, said Katie Smith Sloan, the CEO of LeadingAge, an association of nonprofit aging service providers.
“Much has been achieved since the program’s start in 2012, and nursing homes deserve a lot of the credit for the progress,” she said in a statement.
CMS will start targeted audits to ask nursing homes for documentation of the diagnoses in the coming days, focusing on nursing homes with existing residents who have been recorded as having schizophrenia.
The rating scores for nursing homes that have a pattern of inaccurately coding residents as having schizophrenia will be negatively impacted, CMS said in a statement released Wednesday, stopping short of threatening to levy fines against facilities.
Dinging nursing homes’ public ratings will be effective in some cases, said Dr. Shekinah Fashaw-Walters, a researcher at the University of Minnesota who has found that schizophrenia diagnoses have risen in Black nursing home patients compared with their white counterparts in recent years.
She is hopeful that the CMS audits will help to narrow that racial disparity and said that it’s “about time” for CMS’ plan.
“It’s time to do this and really hold nursing homes accountable for providing high quality care,” she said. “I’m thrilled to see that they are taking these steps, and I think they’re very warranted.”
The agency does not have plans to immediately intervene in the patients’ care directly or notify relatives of residents who have been wrongly coded or given antipsychotics, according to senior HHS officials who insisted on anonymity to brief The Associated Press on the matter on Tuesday.
CMS will monitor the facilities to make sure the issues are corrected, officials said. | 2023-01-25T03:33:40+00:00 | miamitimesonline.com | https://www.miamitimesonline.com/lifestyles/health_wellness/feds-to-investigate-nursing-home-abuse-of-antipsychotics/article_c5a9ebee-9c3e-11ed-824f-4b180b57bf05.html |
With a record-setting heat wave scorching much of the U.S. and expected to stretch into next week, electrical utilities are maneuvering to keep up with demand.
The warnings of possible rolling blackouts for this summer haven't come to pass. But tens of millions of people in numerous states across the country are under heat warnings or advisories, and the task of powering air conditioners on overdrive hasn't been easy.
Temperatures have reached 115 degrees Fahrenheit
Temperatures have been well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in many places, such as Wichita Falls, Texas, which reached a sweltering 115 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday. In February 2021, Texas experienced a dangerous outage during a winter storm, and the record heat is fueling fears of a possible repeat.
"The electric load is high," acknowledges Thomas Overbye, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Texas A&M University.
He says Texas set a record for the highest-ever electric usage on Wednesday, but that the state is "cautiously optimistic that everything will be fine with the grid."
In a statement on Wednesday, the North American Electric Reliability Corp., or NERC, said the U.S. power grid was taking corrective measures to avoid the kind of outages that plagued Texas last year.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which manages the state's electrical grid, says it "expects sufficient generation to meet forecasted demand" during the current heat wave. But last week, it issued requests for customers to conserve power during peak demand times.
"When ERCOT asks for conservation, we hope all businesses will heed our request, including miners, however, there are no requirements for them to conserve," the council says.
Last week, ERCOT issued just such a "conservation appeal," asking customers to scale back usage during peak hours. Overbye says on that day the state "just didn't have enough wind generation."
In neighboring Arkansas, the weather story is much the same, with the main electrical provider, Entergy, saying it has seen no need so far to ask its customers to cut back. "We actually maintain and upgrade our grid throughout the year to prepare for times like this," says Brandi Hinkle, a spokesperson for the utility.
But Entergy relies heavily on "clean and reliable" nuclear power to supply its customers, she adds.
In Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a heat emergency that will remain in effect until Monday.
New York City's electrical utility, Con Edison, also says it can meet demand, but it is still urging customers to conserve power.
During a similar heat wave that battered Oregon and other states last year, utilities were largely able to keep up.
Supply, demand and infrastructure are key
To stay ahead of demand, they must look at supply, demand and infrastructure, says Le Xie, also a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Texas A&M University.
The utilities, he says, "have to just make sure there is enough of operating reserves, meaning there will be enough generators ready and enough of a fuel supply to kick in."
On the demand side, "I think there's a big potential out there to engage the consumers, especially in those peak hours," Xie says. "Maybe you can wait until later in the evening to do your laundry, for example. Or you could consider setting your thermostat a couple of degrees higher."
Finally, when it comes to infrastructure, "you need to make sure the delivery systems, the transmission substations, distribution substations and transformers are well maintained and performing well during this heat wave," he says.
Climate change makes it harder to predict demand
While climate change means more extreme weather, such as the current heat wave that is also affecting parts of Europe, it also makes it harder for utilities to predict future energy demand and prepare for it, Xie says. Those forecasts are typically made years in advance of actual need.
Studies conducted five to 10 years ago were based on weather patterns that may have shifted, he says.
Renewables, too, present a challenge. ERCOT says Texas now gets more than a third of its electricity from wind and solar, outpacing the state's combined-cycle gas turbines. But new storage technologies are needed to get the power from those renewables into the grid at peak usage times, NERC said.
But the gap may be closing as more storage capacity, in the form of huge batteries, comes online, says Overbye.
That's important for Texas, he says, which has "by far the largest amount of wind plus solar" feeding the grid than any other state.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-22T10:21:36+00:00 | iowapublicradio.org | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/news-from-npr/2022-07-22/as-a-heat-wave-blankets-much-of-the-u-s-utilities-are-managing-to-keep-up-for-now |
Aaron Lowman makes items with fire and iron at his blacksmith station while people visit the LaGrange College Historical site for Recall LaGrange. Pope's Tavern Museum in Florence will host a blacksmithing demonstration on April 30. [FILE/TIMESDAILY]
FLORENCE — Ever wondered what a blacksmith actually does?
The Pope’s Tavern Archaeology Club will try to help answer that question with a live demonstration from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. April 30 at Pope’s Tavern Museum.
The Pope’s Tavern Archaeology Club is dedicated to advancing archaeological education through community-based projects and public history.
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accounts, the history behind an article. | 2023-04-23T19:42:22+00:00 | timesdaily.com | https://www.timesdaily.com/news/local/popes-tavern-museum-hosting-a-blacksmithing-demonstration/article_2f10a28d-6e4e-51d5-8d5e-26ab11a42889.html |
Martin County fellowship hall destroyed in early morning fire
MARTIN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) -An early morning fire in Martin County destroyed one church’s fellowship hall and damaged their sanctuary.
Jamesville Fire Chief, Michael Pierce said firefighters went out to a structure fire at Siloam Methodist Church off of US Highway 64 around 1:01 a.m. Thursday morning.
According to Pierce, when they got there about 50% of the structure was on fire. Crews put out the fire from the inside and kept it from spreading into the sanctuary.
Pierce said the fellowship hall is a total loss and the sanctuary has smoke and water damage.
At this time, officials don’t know what caused the fire.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, Martin County Sheriff’s Office and the NC Office of State Fire Marshal are helping with the investigation.
Copyright 2022 WITN. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-23T12:23:27+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/2022/06/23/martin-county-fellowship-hall-destroyed-early-morning-fire/ |
NEW YORK — Tina Turner, the unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ‘70s and survived her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with the chart-topping “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” has died at 83.
Turner died Tuesday, after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, according to her manager. She became a Swiss citizen a decade ago.
Few stars traveled so far — she was born Anna Mae Bullock in a segregated Tennessee hospital and spent her latter years on a 260,000 square foot estate on Lake Zurich — and overcame so much. Physically battered, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by her 20-year relationship with Ike Turner, she became a superstar on her own in her 40s, at a time when most of her peers were on their way down, and remained a top concert draw for years after.
With admirers ranging from Beyoncé to Mick Jagger, Turner was one of the world’s most successful entertainers, known for a core of pop, rock and rhythm and blues favorites: “Proud Mary,” “Nutbush City Limits,” “River Deep, Mountain High,” and the hits she had in the ‘80s, among them “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero” and a cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”
Her trademarks were her growling contralto, her bold smile and strong cheekbones, her palette of wigs and the muscular, quick-stepping legs she did not shy from showing off. She sold more than 150 million records worldwide, won 12 Grammys, was voted along with Ike into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 (and on her own in 2021) and was honored at the Kennedy Center in 2005, with Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey among those praising her. Her life became the basis for a film, a Broadway musical and an HBO documentary in 2021 that she called her public farewell.
Until she left her husband and revealed their back story, she was known as the voracious on-stage foil of the steady-going Ike, the leading lady of the “Ike and Tina Turner Revue.” Ike was billed first and ran the show, choosing the material, the arrangements, the backing singers. They toured constantly for years, in part because Ike was often short on money and unwilling to miss a concert. Tina Turner was forced to go on with bronchitis, with pneumonia, with a collapsed right lung.
Other times, the cause of her misfortunes was Ike himself.
As she recounted in her memoir, “I, Tina,” Ike began hitting her not long after they met, in the mid-1950s, and only grew more vicious. Provoked by anything and anyone, he would throw hot coffee in her face, choke her, or beat her until her eyes were swollen shut, then rape her. Before one show, he broke her jaw and she went on stage with her mouth full of blood.
Terrified both of being with Ike and of being without him, she credited her emerging Buddhist faith in the mid-1970s with giving her a sense of strength and self-worth and she finally left in early July, 1976. The Ike and Tina Turner Revue was scheduled to open a tour marking the country’s bicentennial when Tina snuck out of their Dallas hotel room, with just a Mobil credit card and 36 cents, while Ike slept. She hurried across a nearby highway, narrowly avoiding a speeding truck, and found another hotel to stay.
“I looked at him (Ike) and thought, ‘You just beat me for the last time, you sucker,’” she recalled in her memoir.
Turner was among the first celebrities to speak candidly about domestic abuse, becoming a heroine to battered women and a symbol of resilience to all. Ike Turner did not deny mistreating her, although he tried to blame Tina for their troubles. When he died, in 2007, a representative for his ex-wife said simply: “Tina is aware that Ike passed away.”
Little of this was apparent to the many Ike and Tina fans. The Turners were a hot act for much of the 1960s and into the ’70s, evolving from bluesy ballads such as “A Fool in Love” and “It’s Going to Work Out Fine” to flashy covers of “Proud Mary” and “Come Together” and other rock songs that brought them crossover success.
They opened for the Rolling Stones in 1966 and 1969, and were seen performing a lustful version of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” in the 1970 Stones documentary “Gimme Shelter.” Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett gave Oscar-nominated performances as Ike and Tina in the 1993 movie “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” based on “I, Tina,” but she would say that reliving her years with Ike was so painful she couldn’t bring herself to watch the movie).
Ike and Tina’s reworking of “Proud Mary,” originally a tight, mid-tempo hit for Creedence Clearwater Revival, helped define their assertive, sexual image. Against a background of funky guitar and Ike’s crooning baritone, Tina began with a few spoken words about how some people wanted to hear songs that were “nice and easy.”
“But there’s this one thing,” she warned, “you see, we never ever do nothing nice and easy.
“We always do it nice — and rough.”
But by the end of the 1970s, Turner’s career seemed finished. She was 40 years old, her first solo album had flopped and her live shows were mostly confined to the cabaret circuit. Desperate for work, and money, she even agreed to tour in South Africa when the country was widely boycotted because of its racist apartheid regime.
Rock stars helped bring her back. Rod Stewart convinced her to sing “Hot Legs” with him on “Saturday Night Live” and Jagger, who had openly borrowed some of Turner’s on-stage moves, sang “Honky Tonk Women” with her during the Stones’ 1981-82 tour. At a listening party for his 1983 album “Let’s Dance,” David Bowie told guests that Turner was his favorite female singer.
More popular in England at the time than in the U.S., she recorded a raspy version of “Let’s Stay Together” at EMI’s Abbey Road studios in London. By the end of 1983, “Let’s Stay Together” was a hit throughout Europe and on the verge of breaking in the states. An A&R man at Capitol Records, John Carter, urged the label to sign her up and make an album. Among the material presented to her was a reflective pop-reggae ballad co-written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle and initially dismissed by Tina as “wimpy.”
“I just thought it was some old pop song, and I didn’t like it,” she later said of “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”
Turner’s “Private Dancer” album came out in May 1984, sold more than eight million copies and featured several hit singles, including the title song and “Better Be Good To Me.” It won four Grammys, among them record of the year for “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” the song that came to define the clear-eyed image of her post-Ike years.
“People look at me now and think what a hot life I must have lived — ha!” she wrote in her memoir.
Even with Ike, it was hard to mistake her for a romantic. Her voice was never “pretty,” and love songs were never her specialty, in part because she had little experience to draw from. She was born in Nutbush, Tennessee in 1939 and would say she received “no love” from either her mother or father. After her parents separated, she moved often around Tennessee and Missouri, living with various relatives. She was outgoing, loved to sing and as a teenager would check out the blues clubs in St. Louis, where one of the top draws was Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. Tina didn’t care much for his looks the first time she saw him, at the Club Manhattan.
“Then he got up onstage and picked up his guitar,” she wrote in her memoir. “He hit one note, and I thought, ‘Jesus, listen to this guy play.’”
Tina soon made her move. During intermission at an Ike Turner show at the nearby Club D’Lisa, Ike was alone on stage, playing a blues melody on the keyboards. Tina recognized the song, B.B. King’s “You Know I Love You,” grabbed a microphone and sang along. As Tina remembered, a stunned Ike called out “Giirrlll!!” and demanded to know what else she could perform. Over her mother’s objections, she agreed to join his group. He changed her first name to Tina, inspired by the comic book heroine Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, and changed her last name by marrying her, in 1962.
In rare moments of leniency from Ike, Tina did enjoy success on her own. She added an explosive lead vocal to Phil Spector’s titanic production of “River Deep, Mountain High,” a flop in the U.S. when released in 1966, but a hit overseas and eventually a standard. She was also featured as the Acid Queen in the 1975 film version of the Who’s rock opera “Tommy.” More recent film work included “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” and a cameo in “What’s Love Got to Do with It.”
Turner had two sons: Craig, with saxophonist Raymond Hill; and Ronald, with Ike Turner. (Craig Turner was found dead in 2018 of an apparent suicide). In a memoir published later in 2018, “Tina Turner: My Love Story,” she revealed that she had received a kidney transplant from her second husband, former EMI record executive Erwin Bach.
Turner’s life seemed an argument against marriage, but her life with Bach was a love story the younger Tina would not have believed possible. They met in the mid-1980s, when she flew to Germany for record promotion and he picked her up at the airport. He was more than a decade younger than her — “the prettiest face,” she said of him in the HBO documentary — and the attraction was mutual. She wed Bach in 2013, exchanging vows at a civil ceremony in Switzerland.
“It’s that happiness that people talk about,” Turner told the press at the time, “when you wish for nothing, when you can finally take a deep breath and say, ‘Everything is good.’”
___
Associated Press Writer Hilary Fox contributed to this report. | 2023-05-24T19:36:07+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/2023/05/24/tina-turner-dead/490adf88-fa64-11ed-bafc-bf50205661da_story.html |
Supreme Court won't hear arguments in Title 42 case as planned
The Supreme Court says it will not hear arguments as planned March 1 in a case involving a Trump-era immigration policy used several millions of times over the past three years to quickly turn away migrants at the border.
The justices on Thursday removed from their calendar the case involving Title 42, which justified the quick expulsion of migrants on public health grounds. A court spokeswoman provided no explanation and the case has not been dismissed. The court's action follows a legal filing from the Biden administration saying the case soon will be moot.
Government lawyers pointed to President Joe Biden's recent announcement that the emergency declarations tied to the COVID-19 pandemic will end May 11. The administration said the end of the public health emergency will also mean the end of Title 42.
Republicans and even some Democrats in border states have opposed Biden's efforts to end the Title 42 policy. They say the United States is not prepared for the expected influx of people who will come to the border with Mexico once the policy ends.
In December, the justices were deeply divided when they agreed to prevent the policy from ending pursuant to a judge's order and they set the case for argument. Five justices agreed to do so while four justices — the court's three liberals and conservative Neil Gorsuch — disagreed. The case itself involved the ability of states to intervene in a lawsuit over the policy.
The policy dates to March 2020 when — under pressure from the White House — the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order limiting migration at the nation's borders with Mexico and Canada, saying it was necessary to reduce the virus' spread. The order said the facilities where migrants are held were not designed to quarantine people or allow for social distancing.
The authority for that order came from Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act, which gives federal health officials extraordinary powers during a pandemic to limit the transmission of an infectious disease.
Officials have expelled asylum-seekers inside the United States 2.5 million times under Title 42. | 2023-02-16T22:21:25+00:00 | kcci.com | https://www.kcci.com/article/supreme-court-title-42-case/42942252 |
The economy still takes the top spot as the most pressing concern, but preserving democracy continues to rank high in NPR's polling, an aberration in American history.
Domenico Montanaro is NPR's senior political editor/correspondent. Based in Washington, D.C., his work appears on air and online delivering analysis of the political climate in Washington and campaigns. He also helps edit political coverage. | 2023-03-29T22:34:39+00:00 | kanw.com | https://www.kanw.com/2023-03-29/new-npr-poll-examines-top-issues-for-americans |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — In director Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up,” a 2021 satire about two scientists who try in vain to warn the world about a planet-destroying comet, the scientists’ desperate plea for action ultimately doesn’t work.
But don’t take that as McKay’s view on the power of activism to change the course of the climate crisis, the existential threat his movie was really about.
McKay on Tuesday plans to announce a $4 million donation to the Climate Emergency Fund, an organization dedicated to getting money into the hands of activists engaged in disruptive demonstrations urging swifter, more aggressive climate action. It’s the largest donation the fund has received since it started in 2019, and McKay’s biggest personal gift. He joined the organization’s board in August.
Climate change is “extremely alarming, extremely frightening, and quickly becoming the only thing I’m thinking about on a daily basis, even as I’m writing scripts and directing or producing,” McKay said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
From the overthrowing of monarchies to labor movements and the Civil Rights Era, activism is an “incredibly kinetic, powerful, transformative” force that’s created change throughout history, he said.
The Climate Emergency Fund has awarded $7 million to organizations supporting mostly volunteer climate activists around the globe. Those activists have done everything from marching in the streets of France to urge people to “look up” — a reference to McKay’s film — to demonstrating on the water near West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin’s boat about the need for federal climate legislation.
The fund’s goal is to provide a bridge for more traditional wealthy donors with activists looking to make a statement — two groups that don’t always see eye to eye, said Margaret Klein Salamon, the fund’s executive director and a clinical psychologist.
As for the ending of “ Don’t Look Up,” Salamon said it was an “important psychological, cultural intervention” that put the stakes of the climate fight on stark display.
McKay, for his part, said he’s hesitant to attribute any direct action to his movie. But he sees both film and disruptive protest as actions that change culture, which can be a major step toward influencing policy. The film, he said, sparked an incredible reaction around the globe from ordinary viewers and scientists who have been fighting for climate action for decades.
“It was really beautiful to see people who have been fighting this fight for much longer than me really feel seen,” he said.
McKay, 54, started his career in comedy writing and became known for movies like “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers.” In recent years, his work has taken on a more political tone, though it’s still in the realm of comedy — if dark. He wrote and directed “The Big Short,” about the 2008 financial collapse, and “Vice,” about former Vice President Dick Cheney’s influence, and he’s the executive producer for “Succession,” the television show about a media mogul and his children who want to take over the company.
He says his own climate awakening came several years ago when he read a report by the International Panel on Climate Change that highlighted the vast differences that would occur if the planet warmed by 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) instead of 1.5 degrees (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-Industrial levels. It was the moment, he said, that he went from someone who was concerned about climate change to someone who saw it as a hair-on-fire situation.
In the years since, the situation has only grown more dire, he said, pointing to the drying of the Colorado River, flooding in Pakistan and Europe’s summer heatwave as evidence that action is urgent.
“I really do believe, without any hyperbole, scientifically speaking, this is the greatest challenge, story, threat, in human history,” he said.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | 2022-09-21T06:25:24+00:00 | localsyr.com | https://www.localsyr.com/science/ap-science/ap-dont-look-up-director-mckay-gives-to-climate-activists/ |
Those hoping to preserve a livable world for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren can find much to celebrate in the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act recently passed in the U.S. Senate. The bill, now awaiting passage in the House, contains a huge investment — $369 billion — in low-carbon technologies and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030.
The significance of this legislative victory cannot be overstated. For decades, scientists warned of the dire consequences we face for failing to bring down the heat-trapping emissions that are warming our world. For far too long those warnings were ignored, and hopes that our nation would take action were raised again and again only to be dashed for lack of political will.
Now, at last, the political will is there. Our lawmakers have finally listened and delivered. With these policies in place, the United States will embark on a transformational journey to wean ourselves off the fossil fuels driving climate change, and in the process remove air pollution that sickens millions of Americans and inflicts billions of dollars in damage to our economy.
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The Inflation Reduction Act will speed this transition by providing tax credits over the next 10 years to develop and deploy clean energy like wind and solar. Money will also be used to help households become more energy efficient and to replace gas appliances with ones powered by electricity, like heat pumps and induction stoves. Middle- and low-income Americans will also be eligible for tax credits to help them buy electric vehicles, thereby reducing the carbon emissions and unhealthy air pollution from gasoline-powered cars and trucks.
The incentives in this legislation will provide economic opportunity here in Montana by increasing the demand for products and services from companies that produce low- and zero-carbon energy, energy systems, and battery storage technologies. Funding for forestry, including wildfire prevention and conservation and climate-smart agriculture and conservation, also benefits Montana.
Another important provision in the Inflation Reduction Act addresses the leakage of methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide. It’s a big contributor to global warming, and to reduce those emissions, this legislation imposes a fee that rises over time. The principle is simple: Discourage bad behavior by making it more expensive. It worked really well to reduce the number of people who smoke cigarettes.
Disadvantaged communities that typically bear the greatest burden from climate change and pollution will also get help. Some $60 billion will be used on environmental justice programs in those communities.
This long-sought breakthrough on climate legislation was made possible by grassroots support that was lacking in previous “inside the Beltway” efforts. Over the past year, for example, Citizens’ Climate Lobby generated more than 200,000 letters and phone calls to members of Congress urging passage of a reconciliation bill that contains strong climate provisions. Members of other advocacy groups also urged Congress to tackle climate. This victory was won by concerned citizens who made their voices heard by decision-makers in Washington.
Meaningful steps to fight climate change come not a moment too soon. Extreme weather-related disasters made worse by rising temperatures, like the flooding this summer that killed dozens in Missouri and Kentucky, are becoming more frequent and could soon outpace our ability to adapt and recover. In Montana, the impact of an altered climate is also being felt with the recent floods and the persistent drought, heat waves, wildfires and smoke. Ranching, farming and hydroelectric energy production also suffer due to the drought.
Throughout the global community, the U.S. has been viewed as a laggard on climate change. This legislation will help restore U.S. climate leadership. Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced in every country around the world, and our example will inspire and motivate other nations to increase their climate ambition.
We’re grateful that Sen. Tester responded to the call for climate action by voting in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act.
More will be needed to meet the U.S. pledge to cut emissions in half by 2030, but for now let’s celebrate the passage of this historic legislation, which brings hope that we and future generations can live in a hospitable climate. The best time to do something about climate change was 20 years ago. The next best time is now, and that’s finally happening. | 2022-08-09T17:24:45+00:00 | helenair.com | https://helenair.com/opinion/columnists/madeleine-para-and-sandra-welgreen-passage-of-major-climate-legislation-is-victory-for-future-generations/article_85c15549-47e3-51bf-820b-f8bb33696bed.html |
NEW YORK (AP) — This Buddy Holly no longer has to sigh, “That’ll be the day.”
A petit basset griffon Vendéen named for the late rock 'n' roll legend won won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night, a first for the rabbit-hunting breed. Buddy Holly bested six other finalists to garner the most prestigious dog show award in the United States.
“I never thought a PBGV would do this,” handler and co-owner Janice Hayes said. “Buddy Holly is the epitome of a show dog. Nothing bothers him.”
Indeed, his white-tipped tail didn't stop wagging while he competed in the stadium where the U.S. Open tennis tournament's top matches are played. Not even while he posed for countless pictures after a win that Hayes called “so surreal.”
“We're so proud of him,” she said.
His competitors included Rummie, a Pekingese that came in second after aiming to bring home the third trophy in 11 years for his small-but-regal breed — and for handler, owner and breeder David Fitzpatrick. He guided Pekes Malachy and Wasabi to Westminster wins in 2012 and 2021, respectively.
Rummie is “true to Pekingese type, lots of carriage, presence — everything in one, here,” he said Monday.
Winston the French bulldog was gunning for the title after coming oh-so-close last year. An Australian shepherd named Ribbon, an English setter called Cider, a giant schnauzer named Monty and an American Staffordshire terrier called Trouble also were in the pack of contenders.
If Buddy Holly was feeling the pressure, he wasn't letting it show ahead of the finals. Instead, he seemed more concerned late Tuesday afternoon with playing with his people and rejecting the notion of a nap in his crate.
“He just screams PBGV,” Hayes said. “They're just very independent but very charming and just silly. Their goal is to make you laugh every day.”
Originally from France, the small hounds are the 154th most prevalent purebreds in the country, according to recent American Kennel Club rankings. (Their name means “low-lying, wire-haired dog from the Vendée region” and is pronounced peh-TEE’ bah-SAY’ grihf-FAHN’ vahn-DAY’-ahn.)
Buddy Holly — so named because “he's a buddy," breeder Gavin Robertson explained — has also lived and competed in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.
About 2,500 dogs of 210 breeds and varieties vied for the trophy. Among them: the newly eligible bracco Italiano breed, won by a dog co-owned by country music star Tim McGraw.
Besides the chosen finalists, there were other fan favorites, too.
There was the bloodhound that bowed deeply before a judge, the golden retriever cheered by the breed's many fans, and the spunky German shorthaired pointer that did a few leaps before its lap around the ring. Spectators applauded 10-year-old handler Audra Maes and her shiba inu, and breeder/owner/handler Alexandria Mitchell and her Ibizan hound. They made the judge’s first cut, an accomplishment at a show where many exhibitors handle other people’s dogs as a career.
The Westminster show, held this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, also includes obedience and agility competitions that are open to mixed-breed dogs.
And what was next for Buddy Holly? A good night's sleep, “upside down, rolling in pillows,” Hayes said.
“He just gets to go back to being a dog.”
___
Associated Press writer Anna Furman contributed. New York-based AP journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.
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Credit: AP | 2023-05-10T05:12:30+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/a-pbgv-wins-westminster-dog-show-a-first-for-the-breed/ZVY4I3CXZFCCRE6ZSLKBPZEG3U/ |
KFC employee announces retirement after 47 years on the job
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – A longtime KFC employee in Memphis, Tennessee, is being honored for her decades of work with the company before she retires.
Loretta Neely has been on the job for nearly 47 years, working in all types of positions.
Whether she’s taking orders, cooking in the kitchen, or guiding new employees, Neely says it’s all about taking pride in your work.
When her managers learned of Neely’s plans for retirement, they wasted no time honoring her. Corporate leaders said Neely is passionate, with a strong work ethic, and someone who never complains.
KFC created the Loretta Neely Drive and Passion Award in Nelly’s honor. The company is calling it a Living Legend Award.
While Neely said she’s seen a lot of change over the years, her passion for serving others is what’s kept her on the job for so long.
“My people coming in,” she said. “I like working with people ... I like developing people, making sure that they be successful, along with me being successful.”
Neely says she’s in no rush to leave her work family, but she is eager for what’s to come in retirement. She’s looking forward to spending time with her grandchildren, her church family and her husband.
Copyright 2023 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-08T21:19:36+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2023/05/08/kfc-employee-announces-retirement-after-47-years-job/ |
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a device that would make lifting and lowering the toilet seat a more sanitary process," said an inventor, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., "so I invented the LID-RAIZ. My design enables the user to easily raise or lower the toilet seat without touching it."
The invention provides a hands-free way to lift and lower a toilet seat. In doing so, it eliminates the need to directly touch the germy surface. As a result, it enhances sanitation and convenience and it provides added peace of mind. The invention features a practical design that is easy to install and use so it is ideal for households and public restrooms. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.
The original design was submitted to the Fort Lauderdale sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-HAD-180, 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 | 2022-08-09T17:55:45+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/inventhelp-inventor-develops-hands-free-way-liftlower-toilet-seat-had-180/ |
TO THE EDITOR:
Annette Glenn is well into her State Senate campaign and I will be supporting her. I’d encourage readers to do the same. She has worked long and hard for many of us in her political career, and I am sure she will continue to be invested in her constituents and our community.
So do some research on what Annette has accomplished, and consider casting your vote for her in the upcoming election.
JOY BUCHANAN
Freeland | 2022-07-25T00:21:04+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/opinion/letters/article/Glenn-the-most-accomplished-State-Senate-17325947.php |
Six teams have qualified for the championship to be held at Livingstonia Beach in Salima on June 3-4 2023. The six comprises of the five winners of …
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- October 2014 | 2023-05-24T09:39:47+00:00 | mw | https://www.mw/htd-beach-soccer-national-finals-draw-tomorrow-football-association-of-malawi/ |
SEATTLE, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) announced today that Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer, and Anne Bramman, chief financial officer, will participate in a fireside chat hosted by Telsey Advisory Group on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
The session will be webcast live through the Events & Presentations section at investor.nordstrom.com. The archived webcast will be available for one year at the same location within an hour after the conclusion of the live event.
ABOUT NORDSTROM
At Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN), we exist to help our customers feel good and look their best. Since starting as a shoe store in 1901, how to best serve customers has been at the center of every decision we make. This heritage of service is the foundation we're building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. Our digital-first platform enables us to serve customers when, where and how they want to shop – whether that's in-store at more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations or digitally through our Nordstrom and Rack apps and websites. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it.
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SOURCE Nordstrom, Inc. | 2022-06-14T21:06:59+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/nordstrom-participate-fireside-chat-hosted-by-telsey-advisory-group/ |
(NEXSTAR) – If you want seafood, just head to the ship’s buffet, all right?
At least two passengers on a recent Carnival cruise have been banned for life from sailing with the company after footage appeared to show one of them fishing from the balcony of their room, Carnival confirmed.
“Fishing from our ships is prohibited,” a representative for the company wrote in an emailed statement shared with Nexstar on Wednesday. “We have identified the guests and they will not be cruising on Carnival again.”
The incident first came to light after a TikTok user posted footage of the couple’s behavior, according to Cruise Hive, a cruise news and resource site. It was unclear whether that now-deleted TikTok video, which reportedly amassed millions of views, was originally shared by one of the offending guests themselves.
Copies of the video, which remain on TikTok, appear to show one passenger reeling in what appears to be a greenish-yellow fish, about a foot in length. After pulling it up several stories to the balcony of a cabin, the passenger lifts the fish — now tangled in the fishing line — while the voice of another passenger remarks on the catch.
Cruise Hive reported that the incident took place near the port in Nassau, Bahamas.
A representative for Carnival did not immediately disclose where, when, or on what ship the incident took place, nor which specific policy prohibits fishing from the side of the ship. The company’s own terms and conditions for ticketholders, however, indicate the offending passengers potentially violated multiple rules.
For starters, guests on Carnival vessels are not permitted to bring any live animals onto the ships other than approved service dogs. Guests are also prohibited from throwing anything off the ship or “discharging or releasing any unauthorized item overboard.”
Another section specifically states that guests may be subject to fines or penalties for failing to comply with local requirements regarding “health, environment or any other government regulation whatsoever.” (Non-residents of the Bahamas are currently required to obtain fishing permits, which can be applied for upon entry at Customs and Immigration points. Carnival passengers can also sign up for inclusive fishing excursions approved by Carnival and local officials).
Carnival, too, reserves the right to boot a guest for pretty much any reason if the staff believes the passenger to be a nuisance.
“Carnival and the Master reserve the right to disembark any unfit Guest or any Guest whose behavior affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety or wellbeing of other Guests or crew members,” the company writes. | 2023-04-19T22:09:25+00:00 | valleycentral.com | https://www.valleycentral.com/news/national-news/carnival-bans-cruise-passengers-over-video-of-fishy-behavior-they-will-not-be-cruising-on-carnival-again/ |
WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, April 17, 2023
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
507 PM PDT Mon Apr 17 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of north central
Klickitat County through 530 PM PDT...
At 435 PM PDT, trained weather spotters reported pea size hail
within a strong thunderstorm 14 miles northeast of Goldendale,
moving northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Trained weather spotters.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of north central
Klickitat County.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
LAT...LON 4595 12072 4610 12053 4610 12051 4611 12051
4612 12050 4593 12028 4583 12059
TIME...MOT...LOC 0005Z 235DEG 20KT 4594 12059
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-04-18T01:05:46+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/wa-wfo-pendleton-warnings-watches-and-advisories-17902825.php |
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Terran Williams had 20 points in Louisiana Tech's 80-75 victory over Alabama A&M on Wednesday night.
Williams shot 6 for 8 (6 for 7 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Bulldogs (3-2). Cobe Williams scored 16 points and added six assists and four steals. Keaston Willis shot 3 for 11, including 3 for 9 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points.
Garrett Hicks led the way for the Bulldogs (0-5) with 22 points and four assists. Dailin Smith added 18 points for Alabama A&M. Olisa Akonobi also had 12 points and two blocks.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | 2022-11-24T05:19:43+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Williams-scores-20-Louisiana-Tech-defeats-17608148.php |
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will announce Wednesday afternoon whether interest rates in the United States will go up for the 10th time in the last year.
The Fed will make the decision following the announced bank failure of First Republic Bank. The bank became the third in the U.S. to crumble after the March collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.
Another interest rate hike is considered likely as Powell has stated that the board’s goal is to get the annual rate of inflation down to 2%.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of inflation was at 5% as of March, which is down from a peak of 9.1% last summer.
Since last year, the Fed has increased the Federal Funds rate from 0.75%–1% to 1.5%–1.75%. After a series of interest rate increases, the rate now stands at 4.75%–5%, its highest mark in 15 years.
SEE MORE: Fed economists project 'mild' recession later this year
Dave Weisberger, former vice president of program trading at Morgan Stanley, told Scripps News that when interest rates go up, the price of bonds drops. When the value of these bonds drops, banks are less secure against bank runs.
“Now, ordinarily, that's not that big of a deal, but the fact is confidence in the banking system outside of the large money center banks, so-called too big to fail banks, is really dropping,” he said. “So now when you have the second largest bank failure happening, being bought back by JP Morgan and the regional bank indices getting hurt, that's a real problem. So as rates go up, banks are definitely much more vulnerable.”
It’s why Weisberger is among economists who believe the Federal Reserve should not be increasing interest rates even more, even if the Fed hasn’t hit its 2% inflation goal yet.
“I and many others believe that they should have paused after the last increase and before the banking system has continued to unravel,” he said. “Leading indicators are indicating that both inflation will decrease and the economy is tipping towards recession.”
Although depositors with less than $250,000 are insured by the government, those with larger accounts don’t have the same assurances.
“The problem that we have today relates to confidence and confidence is a tricky thing,” Weisberger said. “The last thing you ever want to do is cause panic, and when you see banking failures like this, that's it.”
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | 2023-05-03T13:40:29+00:00 | kivitv.com | https://www.kivitv.com/fed-to-consider-interest-rate-hike-after-another-bank-failure |
What is that? Woman thinks she rescues injured lemur; it turns out to be something else
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Gray News) – A woman stopped her car last week when she spotted an injured animal on the side of the road.
According to the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, the woman thought the small, strange creature must have been a lemur.
She used a towel to pick it up and put it in her vehicle.
While her intentions were pure, authorities said the animal quickly became agitated, forcing the woman to get out of her car and call for help.
An animal care officer arrived and identified the animal she had rescued as a ringtail – not a lemur.
“Though they look like a cross between a cat, fox, and lemur, they are in the same family as raccoons and coatimundis,” animal care services said in a post on Facebook. “Their elusive nature makes seeing them in the wild a rare treat!”
Authorities said the woman was able to get away from the wild animal safely while the officer carefully removed it from her car.
The ringtail was taken to an animal emergency room to be treated for injuries before it was taken to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. the next day.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-13T16:27:05+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/06/13/what-is-that-woman-thinks-she-rescues-injured-lemur-it-turns-out-be-something-else/ |
NURDAGI, Turkey (AP) — Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkey and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug — sometimes with their bare hands — through the remains of buildings flattened by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. The death toll soared above 5,000 and was still expected to rise.
But with the damage spread over a wide area, the massive relief operation often struggled to reach devastated towns, and voices that had been crying out from the rubble fell silent.
“We could hear their voices, they were calling for help,” said Ali Silo, whose two relatives could not be saved in the Turkish town of Nurdagi.
In the end, it was left to Silo, a Syrian who arrived from Hama a decade ago, and other residents to recover the bodies and those of two other victims.
Monday’s quake cut a swath of destruction that stretched hundreds of kilometers (miles) across southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria, toppling thousands of buildings and heaping more misery on a region shaped by Syria’s 12-year civil war and refugee crisis.
Aftershocks then rattled tangled piles of metal and concrete, making the search efforts perilous, while freezing temperatures made them ever more urgent.
The scale of the suffering — and the accompanying rescue effort — were staggering.
More than 8,000 people have been pulled from the debris in Turkey alone, and some 380,000 have taken refuge in government shelters or hotels, said Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay. They huddled in shopping malls, stadiums, mosques and community centers, while others spent the night outside in blankets gathering around fires.
Many took to social media to plead for assistance for loved ones believed to be trapped under the rubble — and Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Interior Ministry officials as saying all calls were being “collected meticulously” and the information relayed to search teams.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 13 million of the country’s 85 million were affected in some way — and declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces in order to manage the response.
For the entire quake-hit area, that number could be as high as 23 million people, according to Adelheid Marschang, a senior emergencies officer with the World Health Organization.
“This is a crisis on top of multiple crises in the affected region,” Marschang said in Geneva.
Teams from nearly 30 countries around the world headed for Turkey or Syria.
As promises of help flooded in, Turkey said it would only allow vehicles carrying aid to enter the worst-hit provinces of Kahramanmaras, Adiyaman and Hatay in order to speed the effort.
The United Nations said it was “exploring all avenues” to get supplies to rebel-held northwestern Syria, where millions live in extreme poverty and rely on humanitarian aid to survive.
Nurgul Atay told The Associated Press she could hear her mother’s voice beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in the Turkish city of Antakya, the capital of Hatay province, but that her and others’ efforts to get into the ruins had been futile without any heavy equipment to help.
“If only we could lift the concrete slab we’d be able to reach her,” she said. “My mother is 70 years old, she won’t be able to withstand this for long.”
But in the northwestern Syrian town of Jinderis, a young girl called Nour was pulled alive from the wreckage of a collapsed building Monday.
A rescuer cradled her head in his hands and tenderly wiped dust from around her eyes as she lay amid crushed concrete and twisted metal before being pulled out and passed to another man.
Turkey has large numbers of troops in the border region with Syria and has tasked the military to aid in the rescue efforts, including setting up tents for the homeless and a field hospital in Hatay province. Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said a humanitarian aid brigade based in Ankara and eight military search and rescue teams had also been deployed.
A navy ship docked on Tuesday at the province’s port of Iskenderun, where a hospital collapsed, to transport survivors in need of medical care to a nearby city. Thick, black smoke rose from another area of the port, where firefighters have not yet been able to douse a fire that broke out among shipping containers toppled by the earthquake.
In northern Syria, meanwhile, Sebastien Gay, the head of mission in the country for Doctors Without Borders, said health facilities were overwhelmed with medical personnel working around “around the clock to respond to the huge numbers of wounded.”
The affected area in Syria is divided between government-controlled territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, which is surrounded by Russian-backed government forces. Turkey is home to millions of refugees from the Syrian civil war.
The rebel-held enclave is packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of the country by the war. Many live in buildings that were already damaged by military bombardments.
Erdogan said the total number of deaths in Turkey had passed 3,500, with some 22,000 people injured.
The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed over 800, with some 1,400 injured, according to the Health Ministry. The country’s rebel-held northwest also saw at least 800 die, according to the White Helmets, the emergency organization leading rescue operations, with more than 2,200 injured.
The region sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes. Some 18,000 were killed in similarly powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured Monday’s quake at 7.8, with a depth of 18 kilometers (11 miles). Hours later, another quake, likely triggered by the first, struck more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away with 7.5 magnitude.
___
This story has been updated to correct that the Turkish town is Nurdagi, not Nurdag.
___
Alsayed reported from Azmarin, Syria, while Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers David Rising in Bangkok, Zeynep Bilginsoy and Robert Badendieck in Istanbul, Bassem Mroue and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut, Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Riazat Butt in Islamabad, contributed to this report. | 2023-02-07T14:29:23+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/news/ap-general/ap-frantic-searching-in-turkey-syria-after-quake-kills-4000/ |
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Westfield Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying several people allegedly involved in a theft of a card reader at Taco Bell.
According to Westfield Police, the individuals allegedly stole a card reader from an ordering kiosk at the Westfield Taco Bell on Monday, May 15. Surveillance photos show several suspects interacting with the kiosk.
If you have any information the suspects, you are asked to contact Detective Rick Mazza at r.mazza@cityofwestfield.org or you can call 413-642-9950. | 2023-05-30T22:28:46+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/crime/card-reader-stolen-from-taco-bell-in-westfield/ |
Shareholder Approval Marks Important Milestone Toward Completing IAA Transaction and Accelerating Ritchie Bros.' Strategy to Create Premier Global Marketplace with Long Runway for Outstanding Growth and Value Creation
VANCOUVER, BC, March 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE: RBA) (TSX: RBA) ("Ritchie Bros.") announced that, based on the preliminary vote count provided by its proxy solicitors following the Company's Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") held earlier today, Ritchie Bros. shareholders voted to approve the proposed acquisition of IAA, Inc. (NYSE: IAA) ("IAA"). Ritchie Bros. will file final, certified voting results on a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as soon as practicable.
Ann Fandozzi, CEO of Ritchie Bros., said, "We thank our shareholders for their confidence in the Ritchie Bros. team, our strategy and the significant value creation potential we can unlock through the Ritchie Bros. + IAA combination. We have a proven record of delivering on our stakeholder commitments and look forward to continuing this record with IAA – providing outstanding returns for our investors, exciting opportunities for our employees and enabling our customers to be even more successful by tapping into Ritchie Bros.' marketplace of value-added insights, services and transaction solutions."
"We greatly value the varied perspectives that have been shared and the engagement we have had with our shareholders since announcing the IAA transaction," continued Ms. Fandozzi.
About Ritchie Bros.
Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offering live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with weekly featured auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance(R) equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Ritchie List, a self-serve listing service for North America; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales; and sector-specific solutions GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Ritchie Bros. Energy. The company's suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and Rouse Services LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking system; SmartEquip, an innovative technology platform that supports customers' management of the equipment lifecycle and integrates parts procurement with both OEMs and dealers; plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com.
Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at rbauction.com/media.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains information relating to a proposed business combination transaction between Ritchie Bros. ("RBA") and IAA, Inc. ("IAA"). This communication includes forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements may include statements relating to future events and anticipated results of operations, business strategies, the anticipated benefits of the proposed Merger, the anticipated impact of the proposed Merger on the combined company's business and future financial and operating results, the expected or estimated amount, achievability, sources, impact and timing of cost synergies and revenue, EBITDA, growth, operational enhancement, expansion and other value creation opportunities from the proposed Merger, the expected debt, de-leveraging, cash flow generation and capital allocation of the combined company, the anticipated closing date for the proposed Merger, other aspects of RBA's or IAA's respective businesses, operations, financial condition or operating results and other statements that are not historical facts. There can be no assurance that the proposed Merger will in fact be consummated. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "can," "intends," "target," "goal," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates," "opportunity" or other words or phrases of similar import.
It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on the results of operations and financial condition of the combined companies or the price of RBA's common shares or IAA's common stock. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements and caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. While RBA's and IAA's management believe the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the parties' control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed Merger may not be satisfied (or waived), that either party may terminate the merger agreement or that the closing of the proposed Merger might be delayed or not occur at all; the anticipated tax treatment of the proposed Merger; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed Merger; the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; the response of competitors to the proposed Merger; the ultimate difficulty, timing, cost and results of integrating the operations of RBA and IAA; the effects of the business combination of RBA and IAA, including the combined company's future financial condition, results of operations, strategy and plans; the failure (or delay) to receive the required regulatory approval of the transaction; the fact that operating costs and business disruption may be greater than expected following the public announcement or consummation of the proposed Merger; the effect of the announcement, pendency or consummation of the proposed Merger on the trading price of RBA's common shares or IAA's common stock; the ability of RBA and/or IAA to retain and hire key personnel and employees; the significant costs associated with the proposed Merger; the outcome of any legal proceedings that could be instituted against RBA, IAA and/or others relating to the proposed Merger; restrictions during the pendency of the proposed Merger that may impact the ability of RBA and/or IAA to pursue non-ordinary course transactions, including certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; the ability of the combined company to realize anticipated synergies in the amount, manner or timeframe expected or at all; the failure of the combined company to realize potential revenue, EBITDA, growth, operational enhancement, expansion or other value creation opportunities from the sources or in the amount, manner or timeframe expected or at all; the failure of the trading multiple of the combined company to normalize or re-rate and other fluctuations in such trading multiple; changes in capital markets and the ability of the combined company to generate cash flow and/or finance operations in the manner expected or to de-lever in the timeframe expected; the failure of RBA or the combined company to meet financial forecasts and/or KPI targets; any legal impediment to the payment of the special dividend by RBA; legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the business of RBA and IAA; general economic and market developments and conditions; the evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes under which RBA and IAA operates; unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, pandemics, acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as RBA's or IAA's response to any of the aforementioned factors. These risks, as well as other risks related to the proposed Merger, are included in the Registration Statement (as defined below) and joint proxy statement/prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities in connection with the proposed Merger. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors presented in the Registration Statement are, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties.
For additional information about other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, please refer to RBA's and IAA's respective periodic reports and other filings with the SEC and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including the risk factors identified in RBA's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K and IAA's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date hereof. Neither RBA nor IAA undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made, except as required by law.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed Merger, RBA filed with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities a registration statement on Form S-4 to register the common shares of RBA to be issued in connection with the proposed Merger on December 14, 2022 (the "Initial Registration Statement"), as amended by Amendment No. 1 and Amendment No. 2 to the Initial Registration Statement filed with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on February 1, 2023 and February 9, 2023, respectively (together with the Initial Registration Statement, the "Registration Statement"). The Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on February 10, 2023. The Registration Statement includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus which will be sent to the shareholders of RBA and stockholders of IAA seeking their approval of their respective transaction-related proposals. Each of RBA and IAA may also file other relevant documents with the SEC and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities regarding the proposed Merger. This document is not a substitute for the proxy statement/prospectus or Registration Statement or any other document that RBA or IAA may file with the SEC and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND THE RELATED JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities IN CONNECTION WITH THE MERGER OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT RBA, IAA AND THE MERGER.
Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents (when they are available) free of charge through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, SEDAR at www.sedar.com or from RBA at its website, investor.ritchiebros.com, or from IAA at its website, investors.iaai.com. Documents filed with the SEC and applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities by RBA (when they are available) will be available free of charge by accessing RBA's website at investor.ritchiebros.com under the heading Financials/SEC Filings, or, alternatively, by directing a request by telephone or mail to RBA at 9500 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, BC, V5J 0C6, Canada, and documents filed with the SEC by IAA (when they are available) will be available free of charge by accessing IAA's website at investors.iaai.com or by contacting IAA's Investor Relations at investors@iaai.com.
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SOURCE Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers | 2023-03-14T16:11:21+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/03/14/ritchie-bros-shareholders-vote-approve-iaa-acquisition-special-meeting/ |
Novel L2 protocol, Milkomeda, receives a grant to develop the Milkomeda A1 Rollup, bringing EVM capabilities to Algorand and enhancing blockchain interoperability.
GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Milkomeda receives SupaGrant from the Algorand Foundation to develop its A1 Rollup for the Algorand ecosystem. This novel protocol introduces a user-friendly, EVM compatibility solution to the Algorand ecosystem and opens it up to the hundreds of thousands of developers writing in Solidity—the world's most popular smart contracting language.
"Through the SupaGrant the Algorand Foundation has provided key support for enabling Milkomeda A1 to get off the ground and become a reality," says Rob Kornacki, Milkomeda Foundation Director. "We are excited to be the first project bringing rollups and the EVM to the Algorand ecosystem, and look forward to sharing many of the engineering insights we've acquired with the developer community to help spur further growth. We are looking forward to being a key part of the ecosystem as a whole with a core focus on bringing new capabilities and experiences to all Algorand users."
The Milkomeda A1 Rollup is an EVM-based, layer 2 technology that functions through a novel data availability protocol and was developed specifically to bring EVM capabilities to the Algorand blockchain. The A1 Rollup is live on the Algorand public testnet and the mainnet launch is expected in October. Bringing EVM capabilities and the developers writing in Solidity to Algorand improves blockchain interoperability and increases the quantity and variety of dApps available to the users of Algorand. It also boosts the adoption of Algorand, by both users and developers, by increasing the overall versatility and accessibility of the Algorand blockchain.
This allows developers to use their existing skill set to immediately begin writing smart contracts and dApps for the Algorand ecosystem, enabling them to leverage the high throughput, instant finality, and low-cost benefits of the carbon-neutral Algorand blockchain.
The SupaGrant program has been implemented by the Algorand Foundation to award grants to experienced R&D teams for the building of secure and high-quality solutions for the Algorand ecosystem. The grant awarded to Milkomeda was designated for teams who "will explore and accelerate the technical work needed to deliver EVM compatibility on Algorand", and represents a joint effort by the Algorand Foundation and Milkomeda to increase the interoperability of the Algorand blockchain and the number of dApps and developers working on it.
"I'm thrilled to see the launch of Milkomeda on Algorand," says John Woods, Algorand Foundation CTO. "Now every single project that's running on Ethereum can come and deploy on Algorand with zero friction. When projects realize how great the UX is on Algorand (fast, cheap and robust!) they'll see it provides a best-in-class experience for their users!"
Milkomeda is backed by investors such as Archetype, Arrington Capital, SOSV, Circle Ventures, Borderless Capital and Coinbase Ventures. To learn more, visit milkomeda.com.
Milkomeda is a blockchain interoperability protocol, delivering EVM capabilities to non-EVM blockchains using novel layer 2 solutions. Currently, Milkomeda has deployed EVM-solutions to both the Cardano and Algorand blockchains, enhancing blockchain interoperability and increasing developer availability in the blockchain space.
Algorand is a secure, scalable, and decentralized blockchain designed to solve the problems of the blockchain trilemma and to allow global and financial institutions to take advantage of blockchain technology. Operating using a Pure-Proof-of-Stake (PPoS) consensus mechanism, which all users of the network have the ability to participate in, Algorand finalizes transactions in under 4 seconds and has a transaction throughput of up to 6000 TPS. Algorand is a carbon-negative network that has experienced zero down-time since its launch and is designed to scale to accommodate applications that have billions of users, all while offering a secure and stable network.
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SOURCE Milkomeda Foundation | 2022-10-11T21:23:41+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/11/milkomeda-receives-supagrant-algorand-foundation-bring-evm-capabilities-algorand-blockchain/ |
Melissa Joan Hart says she helped kids get to safety after Nashville school shooting
Published: Mar. 29, 2023 at 7:02 AM CDT|Updated: 33 minutes ago
(CNN) - Melissa Joan Hart is sharing how she helped some children following the school shooting in Nashville.
The actress posted on Instagram saying she was near The Covenant School shortly after Monday’s deadly shooting.
She said she helped a class of kindergartners across a busy highway. They were coming out of the woods to escape the situation.
Hart, whose children go to a school near The Covenant School, said she waited to release the video because it was “too raw to post” on the day of the shooting.
Hart is best known for her work as a teen actor starring in sitcoms including “Clarissa Explains It All” and “Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.”
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-29T12:36:49+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/2023/03/29/melissa-joan-hart-says-she-helped-kids-get-safety-after-nashville-school-shooting/ |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Monday, December 12, 2022
_____
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service New York NY
331 AM EST Mon Dec 12 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...
While there could be a few patches of light snow across interior
southeast Connecticut, any additional accumulation will be minor.
However, with temperatures below freezing, any untreated wet
roadways could experience some icing. There may also be some snow
covered secondary roads. Motorists need to plan for the potential
of slippery travel. Be alert and exercise extra caution this
morning.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-12-12T08:49:00+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17647537.php |
Annual Lubbock art sale and auction to fight against sex trafficking
LUBBOCK, Texas (PRESS RELEASE) - OneVoiceHome is proud to present The Art of Freedom 2022 – Annual Art Sale & Auction.
When Garland Spore, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Scott Spore in Lubbock, learned of the reality of sex trafficking of young girls her own age in our area, she became determined to help make a difference.
Her vision of an art show to raise funds for this cause has grown into The Art of Freedom.
The Art of Freedom is a vital cause that is the signature fundraising event for OneVoiceHome. OneVoiceHome is a Faith Based, State Licensed, Trauma Informed Residential Treatment Center for Minor and young adult survivors of Sex Trafficking.
OneVoiceHome will serve young girls ages 12 to 18 and young women ages 18 to 23. They will experience individualized and holistic care. Their healing journey will include emotional, mental, spiritual, educational, and physical tools for them to find individual success!
100% of The Art of Freedom Event proceeds will benefit OneVoiceHome.
Hundreds from the community will come together at Texas Tech University McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center to fight against sex trafficking and in support of the cause to uphold the integrity of human life and freedom.
- Art of Freedom: Free Admission
- Location: Texas Tech McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center
- Event Date: November 10, 2022
- Doors Open: 6:00-8:00PM
For additional event information, please call Tracee Spore: 806-535-1960, email: artoffreedom@OneVoiceHome.org
Sponsored By:
- Mighty Wash
- Hill & Ioppolo Oral Surgery
- Theora
- Livingston Hearing Aid Center
- Bazar Solutions
- Lubbock Urology
- First United Bank
- Lubbock Heart & Surgical Hospital
- 7B Construction
- Peoples Bank
- Slims/Graco
- Leonard & Associates
- Parkview Pediatric Dentistry
- Paramount Medical Consulting
- Progressive Properties
- South Plains Electric Cooperative
- Ear, Nose, & Throat Association of lubbock
- City Bank
- Community National Bank
- United Supermarkets
- Andrus Brothers Roofing
- Old Republic
- ABC Bank
- Dunagan White & Associates
- Stan Potocki, MD
- Hub City Title
- Gary & Trudi Owens
- Faith Church
In Kind Sponsors:
- Laughing Goat Designs
- Adventure Park
- Gold Stripe Coffee
- Piper Boutique
- Blue Sky
- F45
- Paint Nail Bar
- Orlando’s
- Darby Walker Fitness
- Kailey Lindsey Creative
- F45
- Flying Cow Tallow
- Bahama Bucks
- 4ORE
- Science Spectrum Museum
- Main Event
- Tiff’s Treats
- Monomyth Coffee
- Holly Hop Ice Cream
- Ballet Lubbock
- The Cotton Court
- The Jackalope Creative
Copyright 2022 KCBD. All rights reserved. The above information was provided by OneVoiceHome. | 2022-10-17T16:27:26+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2022/10/17/annual-lubbock-art-sale-auction-fight-against-sex-trafficking/ |
The U.S. Army will begin installing whole-home water filtration systems in East Selah households with contaminated groundwater this fall, officials said.
Over the past week, Army officials and contractors visited households in this Yakima County unincorporated community to discuss the installation of point-of-entry-treatment system filters. These systems will be installed outside, where they can filter all water coming from a contaminated well before it enters a home. They will replace the bottled water the Army has been providing to affected residents for almost two years.
The filters will reduce the concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, to levels that meet federal standards. PFAS refers to a large family of chemicals, some of which are toxic to humans in minute quantities and can remain in the body for years.
For decades, the Army used a fire-suppressant foam laden with PFAS in firefighting exercises at the Yakima Training Center. Over time, the chemicals in the foam seeped into the earth, slowly moving down and out toward East Selah.
The Army began testing private water wells for PFAS in late 2021. By September 2022, the Army had tested 300 wells in East Selah, 62 of which exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant levels for PFAS.
Incoming solutions
In a public meeting last fall, the Army offered possible solutions that would allow residents to use their well water safely. The water filter systems were on the list.
In February, the Army began doing in-home assessments to gauge the viability of the filtration systems. Now, the next step of the process has begun as contractors including plumbers, electricians and water experts have started visiting homes. Some residents said the Army may have to build a small shed to house the system.
While residents expressed relief in interviews with the Yakima Herald-Republic, some are still hesitant about the idea of drinking from their contaminated wells.
Nicole Acosta, an East Selah resident whose well tested at over 800 parts per trillion for PFAS, 200 times the amount considered dangerous to consume by the EPA, said she’s worried about being among the first residents to use the filters.
“I’m afraid we’re going to be the guinea pigs for this,” Acosta said. “I don’t know that I ever want to drink that water again.”
Acosta’s well feeds water to two households and 10 people in total. She said she cooks often and isn’t comfortable with the idea of using the water in her home to cook.
Jeff Davis said he is pleased there’s a possible solution. He said the Army offered to pay for any installations or modifications to his house related to the filters.
“I’m just glad they’re (Army) doing something about this,” he said. “It’s a relief.”
Like Acosta, Davis will be among the first to have a filtration system installed because of his well’s PFAS concentration of 640 parts per trillion.
An Army spokesperson said a combination of criteria including PFAS concentration levels, well geography and water consumption rates was used to determine the order in which filtration systems will be installed.
To get the systems, residents are asked to sign a five-year contract with the Army for continued maintenance and testing of the filtration system, all of which the Army would pay for.
Acosta, Davis and other residents like Terry Archer said the Army would provide eight weeks’ worth of bottled water while the filtration systems were tested to ensure they were working properly and meeting the 70 ppt standard.
After that, systems would be checked every two to four months for new filters, maintenance needs and water testing. The three homeowners said they’d have to look over their contracts closely but that they are inclined to accept the Army’s offer.
The Army spokesperson said all eligible homes will get a system.
“Currently there are 61 wells serving 79 households receiving bottled water provided by the Army,” the spokesperson said. “Any residence whose drinking water sampled above 70 parts per trillion for PFAS receives bottled water from the Army and will have a Point Of Entry Treatment (POET) system installed to filter water going into the home.”
The spokesperson said installation will start in the fall and will continue until all eligible homes have had their system installed.
The Army has contracted with the Environmental Chemical Corporation, a California-based company that has worked in everything from nuclear decontamination to cleanup efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The ECC has subcontracted with local businesses like Shepherd Plumbing and Wild West Electric.
Changes to regulation
In March, the EPA proposed a new federal limit of 4 parts per trillion for PFAS chemicals, the lowest level that tests can detect. The new regulation would be a mandatory limit on water providers, different from the earlier advisories.
The EPA expects the regulation to be implemented by the end of this year. If approved, thousands of public water systems would be required to start testing and treating their water for PFAS.
An Army spokesperson said the Department of Defense, which oversees Army operations, is prepared to revisit its existing data and conduct additional testing in the area once the EPA’s regulations are in place. The Army will abide by PFAS cleanup guidance, along with the new drinking water regulations.
Under the new standard, dozens of additional households in East Selah could be eligible to receive help from the Army.
Santiago Ochoa’s reporting for the Yakima Herald-Republic is possible with support from Report for America and community members through the Yakima Valley Community Fund. For information on republishing, email news@yakimaherald.com. | 2023-07-25T18:30:34+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/army-to-install-water-filters-to-keep-pfas-out-of-east-selah-homes/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
24 people ‘closely affiliated’ with gang indicted for CARES Act fraud, prosecutor says
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA/Gray News) - U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the unsealing of an indictment related to Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act fraud involving a Shreveport gang on Tuesday
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was created to help business owners suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Brown said individuals and groups reportedly collaborated and used false information to complete paperwork to get the funds and purchase firearms.
He said they were able to receive anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000.
“There’s no secret that the Shreveport community is suffering from a violent crime epidemic,” said Brown.
He said 23 of 24 people who are part of or closely affiliated with the gang SOD were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The prosecution is under way for those individuals.
The 24th person, Rodriguez Henry, is currently considered a fugitive.
They could face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and up to a fine of $25,000.
“We will use all of the tools on our tool belt to help make our community safer,” said Brown.
Copyright 2023 KSLA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-18T17:26:28+00:00 | witn.com | https://www.witn.com/2023/07/18/24-people-closely-affiliated-with-gang-indicted-cares-act-fraud-prosecutor-says/ |
Bonterra's 2022 data shared to increase fundraising success and community impact
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bonterra™ today announced key data insights and takeaways from GivingTuesday to inform continued future fundraising success. GivingTuesday, an internationally recognized day of generosity in over 85 countries, was held November 29, 2022.
The support generated around this movement continues to resonate with those looking to make a difference during the holiday season as GivingTuesday Data Commons estimates that over $3.1 billion was raised on the 10th anniversary. This is the second year in a row where an increase has been seen in total dollars given to support community causes.
Despite the current economic challenges and volatility, there was a strong response from donors, volunteers, participating organizations, and corporations as over $70.8 million was raised online through Bonterra's solutions. During the week of November 26 through December 2, over 625,000 donors raised 132.2 million in total. In addition, over 60,000 organizations and nearly 200 corporations participated in GivingTuesday week through Bonterra solutions and the average gift size being $187. While there are many factors as to why donors may have given outside of November 29, these findings indicate that the GivingTuesday movement expands beyond a singular date.
"At Bonterra, we are honored to support our customers' efforts as they put $132.3 million directly back into their communities to drive impact in 2023," said Ben Miller, Senior Vice President of Data Science and Analytics. "In addition, we see opportunity for our customers to evolve the way they execute giving events based on recent trends. Instead of a single day of giving, we can keep the momentum going as GivingTuesday transforms into a week of generosity," added Miller.
With a purpose to power those who power social impact, drawing insights from Bonterra-wide results help the entire social good sector to expand its impact.
Some additional key findings from Bonterra's GivingTuesday results from 2022 include:
- Philanthropy remains strong throughout GivingTuesday week
- Nonprofit communications continue to power donations
- Corporate matches and incentives empower employee giving
- Volunteerism remains a significant driver of social good on GivingTuesday
"Giving day events enable our customers to make an impact in their local communities on a large scale and by providing insight into the fundraising trends we are seeing across Bonterra this year, they can use that data to inform future decisions and achieve even more success," said Kimberly O'Donnell, Chief Fundraising Officer.
"At Bonterra, we believe that technology and data can allow nonprofits and public-sector organizations to scale quickly and can help drive more social impact every day, not just on GivingTuesday," added Mark Layden, Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited to be able to offer takeaways rooted in Bonterra-wide data to our customers so they can continue evolving the ways they make community impacts from fundraising to corporate giving and even volunteering," said Layden.
For more ways to take specific actions based on Bonterra's 2022 GivingTuesday data and to increase fundraising success and community impact, click HERE.
Bonterra is the second-largest and fastest-growing social good software company in the world with solutions from CyberGrants, EveryAction, Network for Good, Social Solutions, and their respective entities making up its product family. Bonterra, which stems from the French word for "good" (bon) and the Latin word for "land" (terra) represents the exponential good that can be accomplished with the right foundation and supports the company's purpose to power those who power social impact. Bonterra's differentiated, end-to-end solutions collectively support a unique network of over 19,000 customers, including over 15,000 nonprofit organizations and over 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies. Learn more at bonterratech.com.
Media Contact:
Amber Conger
406-298-3074
press@bonterratech.com
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SOURCE Bonterra | 2022-12-19T19:32:10+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/12/19/bonterra-announces-key-data-insights-takeaways-givingtuesday/ |
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Some of Pennsylvania's largest counties were among those working Monday to help voters fix mail-in ballots that have fatal flaws such as incorrect dates or missing signatures on the envelopes used to send them in.
Elections officials in Philadelphia and Allegheny, which includes Pittsburgh, announced measures they were taking in response to state Supreme Court orders in recent days that said mail-in ballots may not be counted if they lack accurate handwritten dates on the exterior envelopes.
The Department of State said it was unclear just how many ballots are at issue across the state. The agency on Sunday asked counties to provide the numbers, broken down by political party. Officials said some counties were not letting voters fix their mistakes.
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Ahead of Tuesday's midterms, more than a million mail-in and absentee ballots have already been returned in Pennsylvania, with Democrats far more likely than Republicans to vote by mail. The numbers are large enough that they might matter in a close race, such as the contest between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz that could determine majority control of the U.S. Senate.
The Pennsylvania litigation was filed by Republican groups and is among legal efforts by both parties in multiple states to have courts sort out disputes over voting rules and procedures ahead of the midterm election.
In Wisconsin, the Republican chair of the state Assembly’s elections committee, along with a veterans group and other voters, filed a lawsuit Friday seeking a court order requiring the sequestering of military absentee ballots in the battleground state. The lawsuit seeks a temporary injunction requiring elections officials in Wisconsin to set aside military ballots so their authenticity can be verified. The court had taken no action by Monday morning.
Litigation is pending in Cochise County, Arizona, challenging a Republican effort to count all ballots by hand.
Pennsylvania's acting secretary of state, Leigh Chapman, on Monday urged mail-in voters who think they may have made technical errors to contact their county elections offices. If the county won't let them fix the problem, they should go to their local polling place on Tuesday and request a provisional ballot, she said.
In Allentown, Lehigh County officials reached out to all the voters they could locate whose ballots have problems, election director Tim Benyo said Monday. He said there are a few hundred ballots at issue.
“People have been very interested in curing their ballots,” Benyo said. “We’ve been busy.”
Allegheny County elections officials posted online the names and birth years of voters who have sent in ballots in envelopes that either lack any date or are dated outside the permissible range of Sept. 19-Nov. 8 for mail-in ballots and Aug. 30-Nov. 8 for absentee ballots. Those voters can fix their ballots in person at the elections office Monday or Tuesday or vote provisionally at their regular polling places.
Allegheny reported that, as of Sunday, more than 600 incorrectly and nearly 400 undated ballots had arrived to be counted. Philadelphia said it has received about 2,000 undated ballots and several hundred more that appear to have been incorrectly dated.
Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner Nick Custodio said the court decision last week and the tide of ballots rolling in ahead of Election Day has made it difficult to issue direct notifications.
“So far we have only been able to put out a list on our website, but we are exploring whatever other options are available given the short time-period,” Custodio said.
Dozens of voters seeking to fix their ballots showed up at City Hall over the weekend, and Custodio said more visited city offices Monday. Volunteers from several groups are contacting those voters to see if they need help getting to the elections office.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that mail-in votes do not count if they are “contained in undated or incorrectly dated outer envelopes,” then supplemented that with a follow-up order on Saturday that specified the allowable date range for mail-in and absentee ballots.
Ballots without properly dated envelopes have been the topic of litigation since mail-in voting was greatly expanded in Pennsylvania under a state law passed in 2019.
Mail-in ballots must be received by 8 a.m. Tuesday, so at this point officials are urging people who have not done so to deliver them to elections offices or drop boxes by hand.
___ AP reporters Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed.
Learn more about the issues and factors at play in the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections. And follow the AP’s election coverage of the 2022 elections at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections. | 2022-11-07T20:23:11+00:00 | wcfcourier.com | https://wcfcourier.com/news/national/pennsylvanians-scurry-to-fix-mail-in-ballots-after-ruling/article_3bf7612e-a00d-5c2d-858c-30c36b9f8bb7.html |
ISLAMABAD (AP) — An earthquake has shaken a remote area of eastern Afghanistan, injuring at least 31 people, a Taliban official said Tuesday.
The quake struck in the same region where an earthquake last month killed hundreds of people and caused widespread devastation. Earlier reports said 10 people were injured.
The U.S. Geological Survey said Monday’s earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1.
Abdul Wahid Rayan, director of the Taliban news agency Bakhtar, said the quake struck two districts of the eastern Paktika province.
He said that 18 people were injured in Gayan and 13 others injured in Ziruk district, “There are women and children among those injured in the quake,” added Rayan.
Dozens of residential houses were destroyed and there have been several aftershocks since Monday evening, he added.
Last month’s more powerful earthquake ignited yet another crisis in the struggling country, further underscoring the Taliban’s limited capabilities and isolation. U.N. officials said at the time that 770 people were killed, while the Taliban put the death toll at 1,150.
Overstretched aid groups already keeping millions of Afghans alive had rushed supplies to victims of the June quake, but most countries responded tepidly to Taliban calls for international help.
The international cut-off of Afghanistan’s financing has deepened the country’s economic collapse and fueled its humanitarian crises. | 2022-07-19T17:47:42+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/news/world/taliban-says-quake-shakes-afghanistan-injures-31-people/ |
Exclusive offers start on Friday, November 11
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global fashion, beauty and lifestyle e-retailer SHEIN will be offering its best deals of the year. The brand will be hosting their annual Singles Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales with new and exciting promotions. The sales will include this year's hottest styles and trends, with unique opportunities to win even more savings. SHEIN has something for everyone on your list, and it is the perfect time to do all of your holiday shopping.
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SOURCE SHEIN | 2022-11-11T23:27:06+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/11/11/shein-offer-phenomenal-deals-singles-day-black-friday-cyber-monday-part-sheingoodfinds-campaign/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Montana's first-of-its kind law that makes it illegal for residents to use TikTok in the state is already facing its first legal challenge with a lawsuit filed by five people who use the app and argue the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.
Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed it into law Wednesday expecting a legal fight would follow. The law, which isn't scheduled to take effect until Jan. 1, 2024, also faces a litany of questions over whether the state can even enforce the law.
The new rules in Montana will have more far-reaching effects than TikTok bans already in place on government-issued devices in nearly half the states and the U.S. federal government. There are 200,000 TikTok users in Montana as well as 6,000 businesses that use the video-sharing platform, according to company spokesperson Jamal Brown.
Here’s what you need to know:
WHY IS MONTANA BANNING TIKTOK?
Proponents of the law in Montana claim the Chinese government could harvest U.S. user data from TikTok and use the platform to push pro-Beijing misinformation or messages to the public.
That mirrors arguments made by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. Senate, as well as the heads of the FBI and the CIA, all of whom have said TikTok could pose a national security threat because its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance operates under Chinese law.
Critics have pointed to China’s 2017 national intelligence law that compels companies to cooperate with the country’s governments for state intelligence work. Another Chinese law, implemented in 2014, has similar mandates.
TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data, and it wouldn’t do so if asked.
WHAT DO THEY ARGUE IN THE LEGAL CHALLENGE?
Five plaintiffs who are all TikTok creators from Montana argue the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights. They also contend the state doesn’t have authority over matters of national security.
“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the complaint said.
The people suing include one with a swimwear business, one who connects with military veterans, one who shares videos about ranch life, another who shares her outdoor adventures and one who shares humorous videos.
Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice, said the state expected a legal challenge and it is “fully prepared to defend the law.”
TikTok has argued that the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights. But spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit and also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint filed by the TikTok content creators.
The case could serve as a testing ground for the TikTok free America many national lawmakers have envisioned.
HOW DOES MONTANA PLAN TO BAN TIKTOK?
The law will prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone accesses TikTok, “is offered the ability” to access it, or downloads it.
That means Apple and Google, which operate app stores on Apple and Android devices, would be liable for any violations. Penalties would not apply to users.
The statewide ban won't take effect until January 2024. It would be void if the social media platform is sold to a company that is not based in "any country designated as a foreign adversary” by the federal government.
The governor indicated he wants to expand the bill to other social media apps in order to address some of the bill's "technical and legal concerns." But the legislature adjourned before sending him the bill, which meant he couldn't offer his amendments.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has pointed to technology used to restrict online sports gambling apps as a way to curtail TikTok from operating in the state. Those violations can be reported by anyone. And once the state verifies a breach has taken place, it sends a cease-and-desist letter to the company involved, said Kyler Nerison, a spokesperson for Knudsen's office. He said different companies use different methods for compliance and it's up to them “to not allow their apps to work in Montana and other states where they are not legal.”
SO, COULD THE TIKTOK BAN WORK?
Cybersecurity experts say that, other than avoiding the fine, there's nothing incentivizing the companies involved to comply and it will be extremely difficult — if not impossible — to adequately enforce the law.
For one, the U.S. doesn't have anything equivalent to the type of control countries like China have on what their citizens access on the web. Compounding that, internet service providers are out of the picture.
Before the Montana law passed, lawmakers rewrote portions of the bill to let them off the hook after a lobbyist for AT&T said during a February hearing the legislation was “not workable” to put into effect.
COULD TECH COMPANIES BLOCK IT?
Apple and Google have not spoken out against the law. But a representative for TechNet, the trade group that counts the two tech giants as its members, has said app stores don’t have the ability to “geofence” apps in different states and it would be impossible to prevent TikTok from being downloaded in Montana. The group has also said the responsibility should be on an app to determine where it can operate, not an app store.
Telecoms analyst Roger Entner, of Recon Analytics, says he believes the app stores could have the capability to enforce the law, but it would be cumbersome to implement and full of loopholes. Apple and Google’s address-linked billing could be bypassed with prepaid cards and IP geolocation easily masked by using a VPN service, which can alter IP addresses and allows users to evade content restrictions, said mobile security expert Will Strafach, the founder of Guardian, which makes a privacy protection app for Apple devices.
Oded Vanunu, head of products vulnerability research at the cybersecurity firm Check Point, agreed it would be difficult for app stores to isolate a single state from downloading an app. He suggested it would be more feasible for TikTok to comply since it controls the software and can “adjust the settings based on the geographical location or IP addresses" of users.
COULD TIKTOK BLOCK ITSELF?
When users allow TikTok to collect their location information, it can track a person to at least 3 square kilometers (1.16 square miles) from their actual location. If that feature is disabled, TikTok can still collect approximate location information - such as the region, city or zip code in which a user may be located - based on device or network information, like an IP address.
But similar to the app stores, cybersecurity experts note that any enforcement measures the company implements could be easily bypassed with a VPN and efforts to use IP geolocating might lead to other issues.
David Choffnes, the executive director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University, said cell providers may use the same types of IP addresses for multiple states, which could mean someone who is not in Montana could incorrectly be blocked from using TikTok.
___
AP Technology Writer Frank Bajak contributed to this report from Boston. | 2023-05-19T00:39:06+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/montana-is-banning-tiktok-but-can-the-state-enforce-the-law-and-fend-off-a-lawsuit/OL4U27ZNSVG4REQDBSL4B2G5VE/ |
Missouri bride desperate to get stolen wedding photos returned
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - A bride in Missouri is heartsick after someone stole her wedding photographer’s laptop with nearly all photos of the special day on it.
Now, she’s hoping someone either spots, or has the gear and calls the police to get the images back to her.
It was May 15 when Blakley Swanson Clement got married at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. A professional photographer caught so many precious moments, including when her father first saw her in the wedding dress.
“It was wonderful. It was everything we were hoping for and dreamed for,” Clement described.
The day flew by, but she knew she’d have photos to relive those fleeting moments and to pass down to future generations.
“Thinking about starting a family, that we can show our kids our wedding photos one day,” Clement reflected.
Now, all she has is a few snapshots taken by family and friends of the bride and groom.
Her photographer told her some of the professional shots were saved to the cloud, but nothing with the entire family at the church or on the Nelson lawn where they gathered after ceremony for portraits.
“To know that they’re gone is just really heartbreaking,” she said. “It’s just hard to process that I don’t have photos of me and Devin, and my parents or his parents, my siblings, his siblings and things like that.”
That’s because her hired photographer stopped at Loose Park in Kansas City the day after her wedding to get some photos of her own. She kept her MacBook in her car while shooting. When she returned to the car, it was broken into. The laptop and four cameras were gone.
The photographer gave Clement the devastating news this week and filed a police report.
Clement is hoping it’s not too late to track down the images.
“Whoever has these items in their possession, you know, find it in your heart to just anonymously come forward and return them if at all possible. Just because it would mean the world to us,” she pleaded.
If you have information to help Swanson Clement and her husband, call the KCPD’s Metro Division Property Crimes Division at 816-581-0679.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-11T07:24:58+00:00 | foxcarolina.com | https://www.foxcarolina.com/2022/06/11/missouri-bride-desperate-get-stolen-wedding-photos-returned/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, the first public visit to Ukraine’s capital by a senior Israeli official since Russia’s invasion last year.
Eli Cohen’s visit came just before the first anniversary of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine, and as western nations seek to increase aid to the country.
Since the outbreak of the war, Israel has walked a tightrope between assisting Ukraine and avoiding friction with Russia, with which it has strategic regional interests. Unlike other western countries, Israel has not imposed sanctions on Russia or Russian officials, shared intelligence or provided Ukraine with weapons. It has provided humanitarian support to Ukraine, including a field hospital.
Cohen was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as senior Ukrainian officials and leaders of the country’s Jewish community as part of the brief trip.
It was unclear whether Cohen would announce greater assistance to Ukraine during his lightning visit or whether the visit signifies greater Israeli engagement going forward.
“We’re here on an important visit of solidarity with the Ukrainian nation, which has certainly endured a very hard time in the past year,” Cohen said during a visit to a mass grave memorial in Bucha, outside Kyiv. He said Israel has supported Ukraine and provided humanitarian aid, and would continue to do so.
Cohen said earlier this year that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “will definitely do one thing: publicly, we will talk less” about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but would keep providing Ukraine with humanitarian aid. Shortly after taking office, he spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Israel maintains good working relations with both warring countries, and has large populations of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. Israel also relies on security coordination with Russia over neighboring Syria, where Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian military positions in the past decade.
As other Western nations step up assistance to Ukraine, pressure has built on Israel to share some of its sophisticated military means with Ukraine, including from the U.S.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said following a meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem last month that he had emphasized “the importance of providing support for all of Ukraine’s needs – humanitarian, economic, and security.”
Yossi Shain, a former member of the Knesset’s foreign affairs and defense committee, said Israel’s ultranationalist government — which has butted heads with the Biden administration on the issue of West Bank settlements — may try to gain Washington’s favor by providing defensive capabilities to Ukraine, while “not crossing certain lines that will endanger its lesser involvement because of the threats of Russia” in neighboring Syria.
Last year, Israel’s former prime minister, Naftali Bennett, attempted briefly to mediate between the sides, flying to Moscow shortly after Russia’s invasion and meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Bennett said an interview earlier this month that Putin assured him at the time that Russia would not kill Zelenskyy. | 2023-02-17T00:13:25+00:00 | cenlanow.com | https://www.cenlanow.com/international/ap-international/ap-israeli-fm-visits-kyiv-as-pressure-mounts-over-military-aid/ |
A woman was arraigned in Grand Traverse County Thursday on several charges, including assaulting a prison employee.
Kourtney Norris, 35, from Antrim County is facing two counts of assault of a prison employee. She’s also charged with three counts of police obstruction and driving while impaired.
“I would simply point out that this is obviously we have five felony charges and one impaired charge. I would simply ask the court to set bond in amount sufficient because there is a charge of driving while impaired here. I would ask for EBTs and drug screening,” Stacey Truesdell, the Chief Assistant Prosecutor, said.
Norris was given a $25,000 bond.
Her probable cause hearing is scheduled for April 12 and her preliminary exam is April 18. | 2023-03-31T13:48:08+00:00 | 9and10news.com | https://www.9and10news.com/2023/03/30/antrim-county-woman-charged-with-assault-of-a-prison-employee/ |
HAVANA (AP) — Every recess, Gabriela Alfonso Cabrera would watch the boys play soccer out of the corner of her eye.
She was so enthralled by the game that she finally approached her fifth-grade teacher, who frowned and reminded Gabriela she was a girl.
“I wanted to play, but they wouldn’t let me play at school because what if I got hurt and started to cry,” she recalled adults telling her.
Now 14, Gabriela sometimes is still the only girl playing alongside boys who are bigger and stronger than her, but she is not quitting after waiting four years to share a field with them.
She is one of hundreds of players that coaches across Cuba are training as part of a newly launched program to elevate the soccer’s profile and status in a country that last qualified for the men’s World Cup in 1938, losing to Sweden 8-0 in the quarterfinals.
An initial group of 16 coaches were recently trained by international officials from FIFA, the Switzerland-based governing body of the sport, with the aim of building Cuba’s next generation of soccer players on an island long known for its baseball and boxing superstars.
Those coaches also will be responsible for training more than 1,500 other coaches across the island in the upcoming months. The aim is for Cuba to qualify for the World Cup in the next decade, something it hasn’t achieved in nearly a century.
“We hope to make it,” said soccer coach Héctor Noa Cuadro, who began playing at the age of 13 in the province of Guantánamo after seeing Argentina win the World Cup in 1978.
He said young Cuban soccer players have good physical strength but need to improve their technical abilities, including how to dribble the ball, use passing combinations between two or more players and sharpen their shooting techniques.
On a recent morning, Cuadro stood on the sidelines at the Pedro Marrero National Soccer Stadium in Havana and scrutinized the moves of more than a dozen young players, nearly all boys except for Alfonso, the eighth grade girl, and her twin sister.
“That’s it! Let’s move! Look alive!!” various coaches yelled as the players scrimmaged in green and bright orange vests.
The objective that day was for players to develop their offensive game by organizing attacks and penetrating through defenses.
Reniel Bonora, who has coached the under-20 men’s team, looked on with approval as he spoke about the challenges of transforming soccer into a popular sport in Cuba despite the U.S. embargo, a lack of resources and an economic crisis that has led to food shortages.
A couple years ago, Bonora said he opened two factories to produce cleats and balls for the local women’s team he coached because he didn’t want to lose talented players due to a lack of equipment.
Bonora, who chose a career in soccer over being a professional chess player, also noted that there’s no money for Cuban club teams to fly elsewhere to play opponents in games that would help improve their skills.
“These are the things that are limiting us,” said Bonora, adding that Cubans have been forced to become incredibly resourceful to create things similar to plastic cones and other equipment used in practice.
The situation has prompted well-known Cuban soccer players to defect during regional tournaments, which has made it even harder to build a national team as talent drains from an island that FIFA currently ranks 167th out of 211 countries. Many have joined teams in the United States in the past two decades, including midfielders Osvaldo Alonso with Atlanta United FC and Maikel Chang with Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.
At one point, Cuba’s entire national team left the island to play in Germany after signing a six-month contract with Bonner SC, a fourth-division club, in January 1999. The group included 15 players, two coaches, an interpreter, a physiotherapist and a cook.
Cuba’s men’s team best ranking was No. 46 in 2006, only to drop to its worst ranking of No. 182 in 2018. Meanwhile, the women’s team is ranked 97th out of 185 countries. The recently trained coaches would like to see Cuba once again in double-digits, although such goals were not important to those playing soccer in a rundown public park several blocks away.
“For me, playing is more important than winning,” 9-year-old Cristian Montes de Oca Peña said.
More than a dozen young boys surrounding him agreed before they rushed off to continue their game.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-10-18T21:28:19+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/ap-cuba-seeks-world-cup-qualification-after-nearly-a-century/ |
Gators softball eliminated from WCWS by UCLA in run-rule loss
Florida suffered back-to-back losses to get bounced from Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. (WCJB) - Florida softball’s postseason run for the spring of 2022 has come to an end.
The Gators (48-18) faced 13-time National Champion UCLA (50-9) in the Women’s College World Series elimination game and suffered an 8-0 run-rule loss to end their time in Oklahoma City.
Elizabeth Hightower (17-9) started in the circle for the orange and blue, but only made it through the first inning before she surrendered the game’s first run. With two outs, Hightower relinquished back-to-back singles to the Bruins to bring in the game’s first run.
At the plate, Florida was sat down in order in the 3rd and 4th innings by Bruins star pitcher Holly Azevedo. The Gators only managed to register a pair of hits in the game - it was the second straight world series contest they were held to three or less hits by opposing pitching.
In the bottom of the 4th, a pair of Gators errors led to the Bruins widening their lead. With two outs and two runners on base, shortstop Skylar Wallace booted a ground ball that allowed UCLA’s second run to come in. Then, on a hard it ball back up the middle, Wallace tried to get her glove on it, but it caromed off and dribbled into shallow left center, which plated two more Bruins to balloon their lead to 4-0.
By the 6th inning, the daylight was getting dim for Florida’s hopes of coming back, and in the hom-half of the frame, the Bruins officially cut off the lights.
With the bases loaded and only one out, Maya Brady singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Briana Perez and Kelli Godin boosting the lead to 6-0. The final straw in the contest came a couple batters later, when Natalie Lugo gave up a two-run single to Savannah Pola, which ended the game on account of the eight-run mercy rule.
Florida ended their season one game away from reaching the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series.
Copyright 2022 WCJB. All rights reserved. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. | 2022-06-05T23:55:52+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/2022/06/05/gators-softball-eliminated-wcws-by-ucla-run-rule-loss/ |
MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — Fire crews in Tennessee came to the rescue of a kitten after a Walmart employee heard a kitten meowing from inside a vending machine.
According to the City of Morristown Facebook page, Lindsey contacted the city's fire department on June 29 about the kitten.
When firefighters arrived, they also heard the kitten crying.
Crews unplugged the Pepsi machine, removed its cover, but still couldn't find the animal.
They eventually found it through another opening, and coaxed it out.
According to the Facebook page, Lindsey took the kitten home with her. | 2022-07-05T17:03:23+00:00 | kgun9.com | https://www.kgun9.com/news/national/kitten-saved-from-vending-machine-outside-tennessee-walmart |
Best in KLAS cloud-based platforms unite to simplify healthcare payments for senior care providers
LOUISVILLE, Ky. and ATLANTA and SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Waystar, a leading provider of healthcare payments software, today announces integration with PointClickCare, a leading healthcare technology platform enabling meaningful collaboration and access to real‐time insights. The integration allows providers to manage all commercial and government payments on a single platform to increase payment accuracy, heighten staff productivity and empower providers to capture revenue faster.
Waystar's healthcare payments platform delivers powerful results for PointClickCare clients and their patients with:
- Reliable, secure connection to Medicare: CMS-approved network service vendor, Waystar delivers a dependable, high-speed connection to the Medicare fiscal intermediary.
- Fast, transparent claims management: Waystar's paperless, automated process improves efficiency and visibility into claim status and payment.
- Advanced, insightful analytics: Waystar's reporting and analytics help identify trends and impactful actions to improve and report on performance.
"As providers face workforce shortages, compressed margins and inflationary impact, leveraging proven technology is essential to succeeding" said Matt Hawkins, CEO of Waystar. "We are proud to bring advanced integration to PointClickCare clients, eliminating manual, labor-intensive tasks and giving more time to focus on what matters most, their patients and communities."
"We are excited about Waystar joining the PointClickCare Marketplace," says Chris Beekman, Director of Marketplace, PointClickCare. "It is a testament to our joint commitment to grow our ecosystem and improve the value and wealth of possibilities it provides our customers to solve their most pressing challenges."
To learn more about the new integration, visit Waystar.com or Waystar at the PointClickCare SUMMIT 2022 Booth #311.
About Waystar
Waystar delivers innovative technology that simplifies and unifies healthcare payments. The company's cloud-based platform helps healthcare providers across all care settings streamline workflows, improve financial performance and bring more transparency to the patient financial experience. Waystar solutions have been named Best in KLAS or Category Leader by KLAS Research 16 times (across multiple product categories) and earned multiple #1 rankings from Black Book. The Waystar platform is used by more than half a million providers, 1,000 health systems and hospitals, and 5,000 payers and health plans—and integrates with all major hospital information and practice management systems. On an annual basis, Waystar's AI-powered solutions process $5B in patient payments, generate $4B in out-of-pocket estimates and process claims representing approximately 40% of the U.S. patient population. For more information, visit www.waystar.com.
Contact:
Waystar@waystar.com
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SOURCE Waystar | 2022-11-01T13:34:12+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/01/waystar-announces-integration-with-pointclickcares-ehr-platform/ |
Rookie quarterbacks will get much of the attention this week when most NFL teams hit the field for non-contact practices.
Twenty teams kicked off their voluntary organized team activities on Monday and 10 more will do so on Tuesday. Only the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles and the AFC runner-up Cincinnati Bengals aren’t holding workouts this week.
Teams are allowed, per the collective bargaining agreement, to hold 10 days of practices without pads and no live contact over a four-week span. They can run 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
Aaron Rodgers, who didn’t participate in some of these offseason workouts the past few seasons with the Green Bay Packers, was on the field with his new team. Wearing a green New York Jets helmet, black shorts and a red, No. 8 practice jersey, Rodgers pump-faked on one play and scrambled for a TD, holding both his hands in the air to signal a score.
Lamar Jackson, who signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension earlier this month, was absent from Baltimore’s session on Monday.
Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick, impressed coach Frank Reich at Carolina’s first practice.
“Just complete command, control, poise,” Reich said after the Panthers held Monday’s workout. “You could tell the way he was seeing it, the way he was working through progressions, accuracy in the throw, ball placement of the throw, it was all very good.”
Though it’s early and there’s a long way to go before training camp, all eyes will be on Young, Houston’s C.J. Stroud and Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson this week.
Here are some of the top story lines to follow:
ROOKIE QBS: Young, Stroud and Richardson, who were among the top picks in the draft, are getting acclimated to life in the NFL while also learning new offenses and shouldering the burden of high expectations.
AARON RODGERS: Rodgers flashed a big smile as he ran into the end zone on his TD scramble in a video that had Jets fans buzzing on Monday. His attendance is a big deal for a franchise desperate for a turnaround. Rodgers is already familiar with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s system from their time together in Green Bay. But the four-time NFL MVP has been spending time at the Jets’ facility since his arrival and it should help him build chemistry with his new teammates.
LAMAR JACKSON: Todd Monken is Baltimore’s new offensive coordinator, so the Ravens would prefer the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback shows up to learn the nuances and work with his teammates. However, new Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., fellow wideout Rashod Bateman, tight end Mark Andrews and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards weren’t in attendance on the first day, either. Plenty of starting players across the league prefer to work out on their own instead of attending voluntary practices and many often skip a few days until mandatory minicamp.
SEAN PAYTON: The former Super Bowl-winning head coach with New Orleans returned to the NFL after a one-year absence and is trying to turn the Denver Broncos into a winner again. It starts with getting Russell Wilson to play more like the potential Hall of Famer he was in his first 10 seasons in Seattle.
PACKERS NEW ERA: The Green Bay Packers will start a season without Rodgers or Brett Favre for the first time since 1991. Jordan Love will be under scrutiny as the team transitions to the fourth-year QB. He has the youngest group of wide receivers and tight ends in the NFL.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-05-22T22:58:59+00:00 | clickorlando.com | https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2023/05/22/all-eyes-on-rookie-qbs-and-aaron-rodgers-as-nfl-teams-kick-off-practices/ |
GENEVA, March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2008, COMPRESSPORT® has constantly improved its compression sleeves with new technologies to make them even more supportive, lighter and more comfortable.
This season, COMPRESSPORT® is introducing 3 new models to continue to support and optimise each athlete's performance.
R2 3.0
Increase stability and reduce shocks
Exclusive seamless, multi-gradual compression, quick-drying fabric and specially designed K-Protect band to reduce impact.
Even more revolutionary new technologies.
The new 3D weave activates the proprioceptors: improved balance and stability, especially downhill
Targeted areas to stimulate microcirculation and reduce inflammation: limited risk of tendonitis and periostitis and improved lymphatic circulation.
The targeted compression on the calves helps to absorb shock and reduce vibration for less muscle fatigue, tiredness and cramping.
8 colours, 4 sizes – RRP: €40
R2 AERO
Developed and tested in a wind tunnel, this aerodynamic sleeve is designed for triathletes
The innovative structured weave at the front of the sleeve artificially creates micro-turbulence at the front of the leg: aerodynamic drag is improved and the athlete moves through the air better.
A test comparing the R2 AERO sleeve with no sleeve revealed a saving of 9 to 10 watts, or +/- 1 second per kilometre run.
The ventilation strips at the back keep the calf cool, even in hot weather.
The lightweight weave offers enhanced comfort and support.
2 colours, 4 sizes – RRP: €65
R2 OXYGEN
Designed for fast pace and extreme heat, this sleeve is the lightest on the market at only 15 g
This new R2 Oxygen is still ultra-light, super-ventilated and incredibly silky smooth, hugging and holding the calf like a second skin.
The breathable mesh panels dry quickly to provide 360° ventilation.
The ultra-fine fibres retain all the compression properties and provide seamless support and protection to the strategic calf muscles while limiting muscle oscillations and strain injuries.
The 2023 model features progressively spaced ventilation bands to follow the muscles as they swell during exercise. This makes them easy to put on and allows for optimal stride and comfort.
2 colours, 4 sizes – RRP: €50
Available online at www.compressport.com and in store from March 2023
ABOUT COMPRESSPORT®
COMPRESSPORT® was born in Switzerland from a desire to offer a range of high-performance compression garments to all sportsmen and women.
COMPRESSPORT®, the market leader, supports your muscles, providing protection, thermoregulation and advanced technology.
Unique know-how and expertise thanks to a Body Science team for Swiss precision compression.
COMPRESSION 2023:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_3wHSTP9nUmU2PoZa73YpQ9Y53cs96H9?usp=sharing
HD photo links:
PICTURES - Google Drive
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SOURCE COMPRESSPORT | 2023-03-07T15:22:48+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/03/07/compressport-presents-three-new-compression-sleeves/ |
BEIJING, Jan. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MicroCloud Hologram Inc. (NASDAQ: HOLO) ("HOLO" or the "Company"), a Hologram Digital Twins Technology provider, today announced that it developed a point cloud denoising algorithm for the real-time 3D holographic reconstruction of single-photon LiDAR data. The algorithm is the result of the Company's independent research and development, which is conducive to further improving the Company's intellectual property protection system, maintaining its technological leadership, and enhancing its core competitiveness.
Although 3D holographic LiDAR point cloud imaging continues to evolve rapidly, currently available computational imaging algorithms are often too slow, insufficiently detailed, or require extremely high arithmetic power, and even CNN-based (convolutional neural network) algorithms for estimating scene depth struggle to meet real-time requirements after training. HOLO proposes a new algorithm structure that meets the requirements of speed, robustness, and scalability. The algorithm applies a point cloud denoising tool for computer graphics and can efficiently model the target surface as a 2D manifold embedded in 3D space. This algorithm can merge information about the observed model, such as Poisson noise, the presence of bad pixels, compressed sensing, etc. This algorithm also uses stream modeling tools for computer graphics and can process tens of frames per second by selecting massively parallel noise reducers. HOLO's algorithm consists of three main steps: depth update, intensity update, and background update.
Depth update: Gradient steps are taken for depth variables with point clouds denoised using the point set surface algorithm. The update is operated in a coordinate system in 3D holographic space. Adaptation is performed on smooth continuous surfaces under the control of the kernel. In contrast to conventional depth image denoising, HOLO's point cloud denoising can handle an arbitrary number of surfaces per pixel, regardless of the format. In addition, all 3D points are processed in parallel, resulting in short computing times. In addition, all 3D points are processed in parallel, significantly reducing computing time.
Intensity update: Gradient steps are taken by targeting the coordinates of individual pixels in 3D holographic space to reduce noise. In this way, only the correlation between points within the same surface needs to be considered. The nearest low-pass filter is used for each point. This step considers only local correlations and processes all points in parallel. After the denoising step, points below a given intensity threshold, i.e., the minimum permissible reflectance, are removed.
Background update: This depends on the characteristics of the LiDAR system and is similar to intensity and depth updates. In a double-Bragg-grating scanning system, the laser source and the single photon detector are not coaxial, and the background counts are not necessarily spatially correlated. Therefore, no spatial regularization is applied to the background, in which case the noise reduction operation is simplified to a constant equation. Background detection is similar to passive images in single-Bragg-grating scanning systems and LiDAR arrays. In this case, spatial regularization helps to improve the estimated value. Therefore, an off-the-shelf image-denoising algorithm with low computational complexity can be used.
HOLO's real-time 3D holographic reconstruction based on single photon data adopts a new computational framework. This framework allows the 3D reconstruction of complex outdoor scenes with a processing time of about 10-20 milliseconds by combining statistical models with highly expandable computational tools of computer imaging technology. The algorithm developed by HOLO can handle every pixel surface, allowing target detection and imaging in complex scenes. It also enables stable real-time target reconstruction of complex moving scenes, paving the way for implementing video-rate single photon LiDAR technology for 3D holographic imaging applications.
3D holographic scene reconstruction has many applications, such as autonomous navigation and environmental detection. It has several subdivision fields, such as RGB-D sensors for emissivity imaging, stereo imaging, or full waveform LiDAR 3D holographic imaging. HOLO's single photon LiDAR technology solution has several outstanding advantages over traditional solutions. It is a safe laser light source with low power consumption and high sensitivity and enables the reconstruction of high fractional 3D holographic images in high scattering underwater environments or extremely foggy environments.
HOLO has been an industry leader in point cloud algorithms for holographic LiDAR and a service provider for many well-known new energy vehicle companies, as well as ADAS vehicle control system integrators and device developers. HOLO cooperates with automotive manufacturers in exploring advanced technologies and is seeking comprehensive digital sensing solutions to accelerate and scale the adoption of its autonomous driving technologies. HOLO's holographic LiDAR leverages this market trend to provide an excellent solution for large-scale autonomous driving mass production.
About MicroCloud Hologram Inc.
MicroCloud Hologram Inc. (NASDAQ:HOLO) engages in the research and development, and application of holographic technology. MicroCloud Hologram technology services include holographic light detection and ranging (LiDAR) solutions based on holographic technology, holographic LiDAR point cloud algorithms architecture design, technical holographic imaging solutions, holographic LiDAR sensor chip design, and holographic vehicle intelligent vision technology to service customers that provide holographic advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). MicroCloud Hologram provides its holographic technology services to its customers worldwide. MicroCloud Hologram also provides holographic digital twin technology services and has a proprietary holographic digital twin technology resource library. MicroCloud holographic digital twin technology resource library captures shapes and objects in 3D holographic form by utilizing a combination of holographic digital twin software, digital content, spatial data-driven data science, holographic digital cloud algorithm, and holographic 3D capture technology.
Safe Harbor Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this press release, as well as the Company's strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the AR holographic industry; and the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and current report on Form 6-K and other documents filed with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable laws.
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SOURCE MicroCloud Hologram Inc. | 2023-01-20T14:36:15+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/01/20/microcloud-hologram-nasdaqholo-realizes-3d-holographic-reconstruction-single-photon-lidar-data/ |
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Legendary rock band Eagles are headed to Knoxville this spring as the latest high-profile act to visit the city.
The newest dates for their Hotel California Tour were released Thursday with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame group to perform at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday, April 1.
Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit, with Vince Gill accompanied by an orchestra and choir, will perform their iconic album ‘Hotel California‘ in its entirety and a full set of the band’s greatest hits.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, January 13 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster. Presales are available starting Thursday, January 12, starting at 10:00 AM local time.
Hotel California is the third best-selling U.S. album in history, certified 26-times Platinum by the RIAA. According to a LiveNation release, several songs from the album have not been performed live since the original Hotel California Tour in 1976.
Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits 1971-1977 is the best-selling U.S. album in history, with the RIAA certifying the collection at 38 times Platinum.
Thompson-Boling Arena has been able to attract larger acts more frequently since the University of Tennessee began alcohol sales at campus venues in 2019. The arena has since hosted major events and musical acts like Paul McCartney, Alan Jackson, Kevin Hart and many others. | 2023-01-05T19:05:21+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/local-news/eagles-coming-to-knoxville-on-hotel-california-tour/ |
Two legal industry leaders announce a strategic marketing agreement and launch ABA Journal Audience First which targets messaging to legal professionals based on law firm size, topic interest and intent to buy products and services.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ALM's Law.com and the ABA Journal announced an agreement where Law.com will sell targeted messaging solutions that engage the ABA Journal's online audience using Law.com's advanced advertising technology.
The agreement is a unique collaboration between ALM's Law.com, the leading legal industry media platform with 20 leading national and regional media brands, and the ABA Journal which is the flagship magazine of the American Bar Association, the largest voluntary association of lawyers and legal professionals in the world.
Law.com will create and sell ABA Journal Audience First, a new audience extension product that allows marketers to target the ABA Journal's online audience of 500,000 monthly unique visitors by law firm/company size and by topical interest (such as practice management and litigation) as well as buying intent.
For example, a legal marketer looking to sell an eDiscovery solution to small to mid-size law firms can find out which ones are demonstrating top, mid or late sales funnel interest in this topic, and then advertise to legal professionals at these firms as they access brand-safe websites during their day.
The ABA Journal has a broad legal industry audience but especially includes small to mid-sized law firms. For example, 73 percent of the ABA Journal's readership are firms of 50 lawyers or less. Combined with Law.com's own small law reach, marketers now have a one-stop solution to reach this critical audience.
"ALM and the ABA are two of the biggest names in the legal industry and we're proud we can now include the ABA Journal's audience as part of our Audience First solution that allows legal marketers to target messaging to our industry leading audience of legal professionals," said Matt Weiner, President of ALM's Marketing Services Division.
"We're very excited at the potential of being able to access Law.com's advanced digital ad technology" said John O'Brien, publisher of the ABA Journal.
Law.com is the legal industry's most reputable and trusted legal media brand. It is by far the leading media platform in the US reaching 100% of the Am Law 100 and one out of every two lawyers in the US is a digital member or full subscriber. It has an average of 1.6 million unique visitors and 7,200 new subscribers a month. It consists of 20 leading national and regional brands including The American Lawyer and National Law Journal and regional titles such as Texas Lawyer and the New York Law Journal. Visit www.law.com
About ALM
ALM, an information and intelligence media company, provides customers with critical news, data, analysis, marketing solutions and events to successfully manage the business of business. ALM serves a community of more than 7 million business professionals in the legal, finance, insurance and commercial real estate industries. Please visit www.alm.com for more information.
About the ABA Journal
The ABA Journal is the flagship media brand of the ABA, the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. Aside from its online audience, the ABA Journal has more than 200,000 print readers and an audience of nearly 500,000 newsletter subscribers. Visit www.abajournal.com
Contact Information:
Joe Braue
VP, Marketing & Custom Solutions
ALM
212.457.7705
jbraue@alm.com
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SOURCE ALM | 2022-11-02T16:52:17+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/alms-lawcom-aba-journal-announce-audience-targeting-solution-focused-small-mid-size-law-firms/ |
BRUSSELS (AP) — The guardians of Champagne will let no one take the name of the bubbly beverage in vain, not even a U.S. beer behemoth.
For years, Miller High Life has used the “Champagne of Beers” slogan. This week, that appropriation became impossible to swallow.
At the request of the trade body defending the interests of houses and growers of the northeastern French sparkling wine, Belgian customs crushed more than 2,000 cans of Miller High Life advertised as such.
The Comité Champagne asked for the destruction of a shipment of 2,352 cans on the grounds that the century-old motto used by the American brewery infringes the protected designation of origin “Champagne.”
The consignment was intercepted in the Belgian port of Antwerp in early February, a spokesperson at the Belgian Customs Administration said on Friday, and was destined for Germany.
Molson Coors Beverage Co., which owns the Miller High Life brand, does not currently export it to the EU, and Belgian customs declined to say who had ordered the beers.
The buyer in Germany “was informed and did not contest the decision,” the trade organization said in a statement.
Frederick Miller, a German immigrant to the US, founded the Miller Brewing Company in the 1850s. Miller High Life, its oldest brand, was launched as its flagship in 1903.
According to the Milwaukee-based brand’s website, the company started to use the “Champagne of Bottle Beers” nickname three years later. It was shortened to “The Champagne of Beers” in 1969. The beer has also been available in champagne-style 750-milliliter bottles during festive seasons.
“With its elegant, clear-glass bottle and crisp taste, Miller High Life has proudly worn the nickname ‘The Champagne of Beers’ for almost 120 years,” Molson Coors Beverage Co. said in a statement to The Associated Press.
No matter how popular the slogan is in the United States, it is incompatible with European Union rules which make clear that goods infringing a protected designation of origin can be treated as counterfeit.
The 27-nation bloc has a system of protected geographical designations created to guarantee the true origin and quality of artisanal food, wine and spirits, and protect them from imitation. That market is worth nearly 75 billion euros ($87 billion) annually — half of it in wines, according to a 2020 study by the EU’s executive arm.
Charles Goemaere, the managing director of the Comité Champagne, said the destruction of the beers “confirms the importance that the European Union attaches to designations of origin and rewards the determination of the Champagne producers to protect their designation.”
Molson Coors Beverage Co. said it “respects local restrictions” around the word Champagne.
“But we remain proud of Miller High Life, its nickname and its Milwaukee, Wisconsin provenance,” the company said. “We invite our friends in Europe to the U.S. any time to toast the High Life together.”
Belgian customs said the destruction of the cans was paid for by the Comité Champagne. According to their joint statement, it was carried out “with the utmost respect for environmental concerns by ensuring that the entire batch, both contents and container, was recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.” | 2023-04-21T23:14:30+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/over-2000-miller-high-life-cans-destroyed-in-europe-over-champagne-of-beers-slogan/ |
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — More than 50,000 students in Ohio are homeschooled, according to the Ohio Department of Education.
Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) introduced House Bill 127 — legislation that would make home schooling approval easier to obtain — in the Ohio House in March.
Under HB 127, the superintendent of a school would only be required to acknowledge a parent or caretaker’s intent to home school.
“The notice shall provide the parent’s name and address, the child’s name, and an assurance that the child will receive education in the subject areas required under this section. The child’s exemption under this section is effective immediately upon receipt of notice,” the legislative text reads.
This removes the requirement that parents must submit textbooks and subject curricula they plan to use for approval. Amy Buchmeyer, a staff attorney for the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, said she believes that becomes “extra paperwork” on the superintendents’ desk.
“It doesn’t do the superintendent a lot of good to get that information when they’re not the ones doing the teaching and they’re not the ones to actually know the child, mold the education to the child,” Buchmeyer said.
But Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro called the bill a “misguided effort.”
“(It) really gets us away from the need to ensure every single student, regardless of where they live, has access to a high-quality education,” DiMauro said.
The bill would still require parents to provide their children with a core education — including in English, math, science and history.
“What this does is it says the burden to educate is on the parent,” Buchmeyer said. “And if they’re doing it in compliance with the law, that’s going to be the education they’re providing for their child.”
But DiMauro said this bill takes the idea of flexibility in education too far. He worries about instances like earlier this year, where neo-Nazi curriculum was being used to home-school in northern Ohio.
“Those kinds of things, I think are problematic,” DiMauro said. “That doesn’t reflect the vast majority of people who choose to homeschool their kids, but taking away the little bit of accountability and oversight that exists is a mistake.”
Buchmeyer argued that under the current system, that problem could occur in public schools and private schools, too.
“It’s not a unique to homeschool problem and I would also say there’s no accurate way to monitor what children are being taught in homes, regardless of where you’re sending your child school,” she said.
The bill would also allow a child to be enrolled in a public school following any period of home education and says they “shall be placed in the appropriate grade level, without discrimination or prejudice, based on the policies of the child’s district of residence.” | 2023-04-08T02:57:06+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/ohio/ohio-bill-loosens-home-schooling-requirements/ |
The National Hurricane Center says a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa now has a 60% chance of development through the next seven days.
According to NHC: “Environmental conditions appear to be conducive for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form during the early to middle portions of next week while the system moves westward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic.”
The tropical wave is currently producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. | 2023-06-16T20:54:08+00:00 | winknews.com | https://winknews.com/2023/06/16/topical-wave-30-potential-system-development-atlantic/ |
When Shelbourne FC team captain Pearl Slattery picked up her two teammates, Shauna Fox and Izzy Glennon, for the drive to training in North Dublin, she was downright giggly. "I have the craziest news," she said as she drove. "But I can't tell you, I swore I wouldn't tell." A second later: "We have a new player."
Fox and Glennon started guessing Irish names. Slattery said no -- try American. So they rattled off U.S. college players, and Slattery said no, think bigger. "So we start saying the most outrageous names we can think of," Glennon says. "And Heather was one of those outrageous names."
She was talking about Heather O'Reilly, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion and scorer of 47 goals for the U.S. national team. When they finally guessed correctly, Slattery giggled and confirmed -- "Isn't that mad? It's absolutely mad. " Once the whole car knew that O'Reilly was coming to play with Ireland's Shelbourne FC, they were all giggly together. "We didn't believe it at first," says Glennon. "We told Pearl she must've misheard." They were shocked, excited -- and, well, confused. Why was Heather O'Reilly coming to play with them?
O'Reilly is 37 years old. She is happily married and the mom of two small boys. She's an assistant coach at her alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a perennial powerhouse, and she's a pundit on various soccer broadcasts. She ran the Boston Marathon in March. She even had a stint on "American Ninja Warrior", which is pretty emblematic of O'Reilly in general: She's the kind of person who tends to say yes. (On the "American Ninja Warrior" broadcast, they patched in fellow U.S. legends Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach to cheer for her during her run. Afterward, when they asked Wambach if maybe she'd also come on the show, Wambach scoffed -- like, only Heather is game enough for that.)
It has been a lively, varied post-playing life. "I have a great existence," O'Reilly says. But she'll also tell you directly how much she misses playing.
"Even though it's my best friends playing in the NWSL, and on the national team, it's challenging for me to watch," she reflects. "I don't know, maybe I'm still grieving this former life and former identity. I'm envious of those who retire and don't crave it -- I do and I think a lot of other people do as well."
"Besides my husband and my children," she says, "soccer is the love of my life."
O'Reilly retired from the U.S. national team in 2016 and club soccer three years later, but you don't just forget about the love of your life. O'Reilly plays every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at lunch with the UNC men's coaches, five-on-five, trash-can goals.
"I get my fill playing small-sided," she says. "The workout is there, the goals are there, the high-fives are there -- it's almost enough. It's never quite the real thing. But it's better than nothing."
Then, in June, O'Reilly played in a charity match for Soccer Aid with the likes of Usain Bolt, Andriy Shevchenko, Carli Lloyd and Patrice Evra. She was coached by the legendary Arsene Wenger, former Arsenal manager. After a training session, he said to her -- his French accent making each word sound all the more profound -- "Heather you are good. You should still play."
Wenger's praise sent O'Reilly down a tunnel of reflection: Well, it was true that she's never played in the Champions League, and it was true that has always bothered her -- it was the one dream that got away.
Soon this idea of playing again took hold. O'Reilly was in decent shape -- she regularly jumped into fitness sessions with her UNC team. (There's a story about a practice in the summer heat of Chapel Hill, when the team peeled off their T-shirts for the final few sprints. O'Reilly, six months pregnant, also whipped off her shirt, big belly exposed to the world, and kept on sprinting. "It was quite a sight," says O'Reilly.) Post babies, O'Reilly often threw on her boots and went out to the field for "old-school soccer fitness," even though she had nothing to train for.
"It's just what I know," O'Reilly says. She then clarifies: "I'm not like a crazy maniac or anything." But yes, sometimes, she does still like to get on the line.
She did the math in her head: she had three weeks until the Champions League began.
Then she started presenting the idea to Dave, her husband: She would find a team that will allow her to play in the Champions League -- she would once again have a dream to chase. His reaction? "I think it was a little bit of an eye roll," O'Reilly says. "Any spouse of an elite athlete knows what comes with the territory -- we are extremists. You have some obsessions and that's part of what makes you great."
At first, the plan was to play for FC Zurich and intern for Wenger, who is now FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, but that proved impossible: she wouldn't have been able to get a Swiss visa in time. O'Reilly was disappointed -- "Dave could see how bummed I was," O'Reilly says. "I'd really gotten my hopes up." Then she found Shelbourne FC -- having won the Irish league, they'd qualified for the Champions League. And, well, she's an O'Reilly.
Her agent reached out to Shelbourne. They responded immediately: YES.
At first, the thinking was that she'd go pursue this on her own, to be fully focused -- she's got 20 or so built-in babysitters on the UNC team. But, she realized, she didn't actually want to leave her family behind. So Dave, husband to elite athlete, took a big inhale and said, "Alright, let's go live on the shores of North Dublin."
It's important to note that the entire Irish league is amateur. No one gets paid. O'Reilly didn't care. She wasn't going there for the paycheck. She was going for the dream, for the adventure, to live a bit of her old life and to experience a new one.
Women's football is spreading like wildfire around the world: At the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a continent record-setting 50,000 filled the stadium for the semifinal. In England, Euro 2022 in England saw record-breaking crowds: 87,192 spectators witnessed the final in Wembley. By going to Ireland, O'Reilly could take part in this global rise, bringing momentum to the women's game in a part of the world where it still remains in the shadows.
The day O'Reilly and her family arrived in Ireland, they headed straight to Shelbourne's Tolka Park, the storied football grounds dating back to 1924. O'Reilly would do a photo shoot and talk to the local news. The Shelbourne manager sent out a group text: "Just picked up Heather at the airport -- any chance someone coming can bring her a hair dryer?" Alex Kavanagh, a midfielder on the team, texted back -- she had one. The others were eager to know: Can we come too?! Can we all personally deliver this hair dryer?
Glennon, a 22-year-old who just graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in neuroscience, is one of two Americans on the team. She was 10 or 11 -- peak fangirl age -- during the height of O'Reilly's success.
"We see Heather walk into the dressing room -- we're shaking -- and we're practicing how to say hello, literally practicing our hellos the entire walk up the stairs," she recalls. "Telling ourselves, Be cool, be cool, be cool. Thinking, This can't be real."
O'Reilly smiled and introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Heather."
"It took everything in me not to be like, I know," says Glennon. "A little later, Heather says, 'I went to UNC,' and again, I'm thinking, I know."
They all milled about the field, O'Reilly smiling for the cameras. O'Reilly's 2-year-old son, Will, toddled over to find her. As the reporter asked her questions, he stood beside his mom, his small hand on her leg. She wrote on Twitter: "Thankful for this opportunity to show my boys what happens when you are brave."
In the mornings, while Dave took the kids in the double-stroller to get coffee and groceries in the beach town of Portmarnock, Heather O'Reilly met the strength and conditioning coach at the field. "It would not be a good look to be the 37-year-old who comes into Champions League with a bum hamstring," O'Reilly says.
With the help of the trainer, and a couple of phone calls to Dawn Scott, the former U.S. women's national team strength and conditioning coach, they worked on getting O'Reilly ready for their first match against the Slovenian side Pomurje on Aug. 18. On Instagram, O'Reilly shared a couple reels, set to Irish flute music and Dropkick Murphys, of sprints around cones, with the hashtag #stillchasingdreams.
The actual team practices were at night, because the women work day jobs: at a school nursery, a gym, a bank. A few are in their 30s and deep into non-football careers. The others are young, in their late teens and early 20s, working side-hustle jobs as they attempt to keep the game alive.
These stories are everywhere in women's football: Elite athletes figure out how to make enough to live while continuing to play. In the final episode of "Hustle Rule," a dozen players across generations shared similar stories: from Betina Soriana, an Argentine who works an eight-hour shift as a police officer and then heads to the field, to Izler Browne, who spent years playing on the Trinidadian national team while working in an oil refinery.
Shelbourne's Kate Dowd, 18 years old, makes sandwiches at a corner shop that supplies sandwiches to other corner shops: They make 600 sandwiches and fruit salads a day. "I get up at 5 each morning, travel half an hour into Dublin, start at 6 a.m., stop at 5 p.m., 11 hours, making sandwiches," Dowd, a midfielder, says. "It's not bad -- you go in, you get your work done -- I come home, sometimes can catch a quick nap, and then I head to the field."
Dowd, one of four siblings, has played since she could walk. "As a kid, you couldn't get me out of my soccer jersey -- I had Messi on my back 24/7," she says. "You grow up watching your Ronaldos, your Messis in Champions League -- you dream of it as a kid, being a part of something like that, but you never think it's something that can actually happen to you."
Over the next two weeks, Shelbourne played in two league games and a cup game -- O'Reilly got an assist in the cup semifinal -- and then they took off to Slovenia to play in the fabled European competition.
On Aug. 16, the team was on a three-hour bus ride from Austria. Like Dowd, O'Reilly was feeling pretty dang excited -- she was sitting there in the bus with her teammates, ruminating on all the clutch-your-heart games and spectacular performances of the Champions League greats, like Lionel Messi, like Cristiano Ronaldo.
As she stared out the window, she took note of some amusing similarities: She's 37; Ronaldo's 37. His jersey number is 7; her jersey number is 7. He played right winger for years; she played right winger for years. And then she came upon a kind of preposterous fact: This year Ronaldo isn't going to the Champions League while, she, Heather O'Reilly, is. Grinning to herself, she threw out a tongue-and-cheek joke on Twitter.
Heading to go play Champions League at age 37 and Ronaldo isn't 🤣 HAO-7 pic.twitter.com/t7a8ph9or4
— Heather O'Reilly (@HeatherOReilly) August 16, 2022
In no way was she trying to say she is as good as he is. She considers him one of the top three players of all time. It was just a neener-neener-style joke. On her phone, she saw it start to pick up steam. Then the comments took a turn: The Cristiano fanboys arrived on her Twitter and Instagram en masse to defend their god by putting her down: Ronaldo's gardener makes more than you, Ronaldo's maid makes more than you. Your entire life < Ronaldo's toenail.
OK, she thought, let's maybe put away the electronics. As they drove through the Slovenian forest, she and her teammates bonded, trading stories -- what's the craic, as they say in Ireland, meaning: "How are you?" or "What's happening?"
Shelbourne's Emma Stone has played in Ireland, Denmark, Czechia and Austria. If a team will give her a place to stay and enough to eat, she's down to go. She's in it for the adventure -- football is a way to live in far-flung places and experience cultures and peoples she wouldn't otherwise have had the chance to know. Born with a condition called congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, where her brain doesn't tell her body to breathe when she's sleeping, she's always had to reserve backpack space for a BiPAP machine, a ventilator for when she sleeps. That hasn't stopped her; she's backpacked through 38 countries and does freelance writing to support herself on the side during the offseason. This summer she went to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, off-grid, for five weeks. "It would be cool to inspire more young women and footballers to just make a living being independent and following their dreams," Stone says.
It's not just O'Reilly. They are all in it for the thrill of the experience alone.
Their first night in the town of Murska Sobota, Slovenia, O'Reilly and a couple of teammates decided to leave their hotel to go out for ice cream. The person behind the shop counter spoke no English and they walked out with different flavors than what they tried to order. Next door, they popped their heads into a rinky-dink casino bar, just to see what it was like, taking in the two old men at the bar and the 100-year-old-looking slot machine before ambling onward.
As they walked through the night, O'Reilly kind of looked around and said, "This is pretty random. Definitely not the most random thing I've done, but still pretty random."
Glennon, beside her, stopped her short: "Heather, are you kidding me? Not the most random thing? I'm literally walking down a dark Slovenian street eating ice cream with Heather O'Reilly, about to play in the Champions League -- this is definitely the most random thing I've ever done -- I have to be honest with you." They laughed -- really laughed -- licking ice cream and walking back to the hotel in the dark.
Then, game day. Wenger sent O'Reilly a good luck video: "Hi!" he said. "We will think of you. I'm sure you will have a great game. We are behind you -- we know you will be absolutely fantastic."
As she warmed up, those first few minutes she was stiff -- "I was thinking every pass, I was very conscious of my body and the way I was moving," says O'Reilly, who had last played professionally for the North Carolina Courage in 2019. Here, her voice sounds both shy and elated: "And then I got back into my flow, like I'd never stopped."
A bus of Shelbourne fans travelled with the team -- family, plus a dozen other dedicated Shelbourne supporters. One supporter, John Langan tweeted: "I was to go to Portugal on a golf holiday but I asked Rob if we might go to Slovenia to watch @shelsfc instead. Best decision ever." Kev Doyle, another, and his mate taught the families the chants and offered tips -- drink lemon and honey so your throat can hang on. In the stands, they had as many fans as the Slovenian team, and the Shelbourne Reds supporters were loud -- they always sing-shout "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley; "The Reds Go Marching On" and "My Girl" by The Temptations, swapping out "Girl" with "Pearl," in honor of Slattery, team captain.
The game began and by the second minute, Shelbourne was awarded a penalty kick -- and they missed. In minute four, a chance: Normally O'Reilly is the crosser of balls, not the receiver, but there was the ball, hanging in the air before her. She headed it up and over, and watched it sail into goal. She had scored a goal in the Champions League. Oh my gosh, she thought. I just did that.
The chills kicked in. Her teammates rushed her and there was all that momentum -- but there were still 86 minutes to go. They eventually hung on -- "Our goalkeeper played lights out," O'Reilly says -- and Shelbourne FC won their first Champions League match. In the stands the Reds supporters went wild: "We love Shelbourne, we do, we love you Shelbourne, we do ..."
O'Reilly was greeted by a sea of text messages from her friends: "Boss Ass Bitch," "Irish-American legend" and Wambach's: "Yo, a goal for the win, you're really f---ing cool and unstoppable. Happy you knew your dream and are going for it. It's rad, you're rad."
Then there were those other messages -- the hate mail from misogynists. They hadn't died down. The trolls were all over her posts now, whether or not they had anything to do with Ronaldo. Her picture of a winding Irish road with the caption, "something deep about an open road" has 952 comments, most of them hateful, like they're playing a game back and forth to see who can say the meanest thing. And then there are the DMs: Hang yourself. Kill your family.
"It's a lot to unpack," O'Reilly says. "I've never been cyber-bullied before. It gives me more empathy and insight into what people go through."
When you travel around the world, playing the game you love, meeting people from all walks of life who share your passion, it makes you feel good about humanity. The internet world has the opposite effect. And maybe in the army of keyboard warriors who follow every mention of Ronaldo, there's another takeaway: How lucky it is to not have the world looking at you all the time -- to be able to play only for yourself and your club.
Shelbourne's next opponent, the Icelandic team Valur, is professional and you could tell: They are bigger, faster, stronger, fitter. Just three days after O'Reilly's epic game-winner, Shelbourne lose 3-nil to Valur, bringing their Champions League run to an end. "It was short but glorious," O'Reilly says.
O'Reilly is grateful to Shelbourne for the chance. "I might have brought a lot to them, but they brought just as much to me." She was struck by "how much care is put in, how much time and energy goes into it -- from Liam [Kelly], who picked me up every day, to Gordon [Ewing], the club secretary. They're all volunteers, people doing this for free, just out of love for the game."
She has returned to Chapel Hill to continue coaching at UNC, but she has her eye on returning to Shelbourne at the end of September, perhaps in the role of player-coach. The team is still midseason and there's a title at stake. She wants to help them win.
Meanwhile, her husband, who detests social media, had hoped the Ronaldo incident would be enough to convince O'Reilly to back off social media. And maybe it will. But for now, she just posts a video of Betty White dancing, as if to say, I'm a happy old lady and there's nothing you can do to bring me down.
There's a story that many soccer dreamers grew up hearing: 1992, Mia Hamm's senior year at UNC, in Chapel Hill. She was out on the fields, running sprints by herself and head coach Anson Dorrance happened to drive by and see her. He wrote her a note she would one day include in the opening of her autobiography: "The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when nobody else is watching."
For the past few years, a different brunette has been running solo sprints on that same field -- Heather O'Reilly has been the one who is bent over, drenched in sweat, with no one watching. The day Dorrance glimpsed Hamm running, she was 22, all her dreams still ahead of her. O'Reilly, 37, has already made her dreams come true, but she is always out there, anyway. And even after her run with Shelbourne ends and her career is once again over, you can bet she'll still be on the field, running sprints on her own and playing in her lunchtime game with trash cans for goals.
Now that the women's game is evolving and there is more investment, Eniola Aluko -- former English national team player, current director of recruitment for the NWSL's Angel City FC -- has talked about how important it is to make sure "we don't lose that really pure element of women's sport." In spite of having a law degree, Aluko opted to play football for years instead, even though she would have earned more working as a lawyer. That's the thing about women's sports: It's always very clearly about love.
Izzy Glennon, the 22-year-old Dartmouth kid who couldn't believe her luck when O'Reilly showed up, said her whole mindset changed thanks to O'Reilly. "It allowed me to see this [Shelbourne] experience as a bigger experience and not just a soccer endeavor," she says. She'd been unsure of who to be now that her college career was over, figuring this Irish stint was probably the end for her.
But now O'Reilly's gone and inspired her. "I realized that I don't have to be done with soccer at 22," Glennon says. "When I play, I enter a new world, which I kind of forgot about when I was in college. I love it and I want to keep playing at a highly competitive level -- which I didn't realize until she came here. And, after that, beer league. I probably will play forever." | 2022-08-30T17:55:55+00:00 | espn.com | https://www.espn.com/soccer/uefa-womens-champions-league/story/4732992/why-uswnt-legend-heather-oreilly-came-out-of-retirement-for-an-amateur-irish-team-champions-league-and-slovenian-ice-cream |
NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MonitorEDU, a leading provider of high-stakes remote proctoring using live proctors based in North America, has partnered with Paradigm Testing, a testing company that provides solutions tailored to its clients' unique needs, to offer a new modality for remote testing - which the companies call "blended event testing".
The new service was rolled out at the American Academy of Impact Dentistry (AAID) earlier this year with excellent results.
When asked about his experience with MonitorEDU, Jon Sprague, Director of Education and Credentialing at AAID, commented "When the AAID began its search for an oral examination platform, we knew there were certain requirements that were essential for success. We needed a platform that would allow us to: have multiple proctors, provide interpreters for candidates, rank candidates, build candidate self-defense cases, build standardized cases, and follow exam security protocols that meet standard exam requirements. MonitorEDU went above and beyond our expectations and with each exam year, the platform has added even more features. The staff and proctors at MonitorEDU have been incredible and helped us transition from face-to-face oral exams to virtual administration during the pandemic. In fact, the virtual exam has been so popular with candidates and examiners that it is unlikely we will return to face-to-face oral exams."
MonitorEDU and Paradigm provided AAID with a virtual process to conduct oral exams and began to offer written exams in a blended model that allowed candidates to choose between a remote or traditional testing environment…with a twist. To maintain a consistent testing experience, both the remote and test center candidate were proctored by MonitorEDU staff using Paradigm's testing platform. To see more about how this works, https://youtu.be/ISGXgiWM3YE
About MonitorEDU - Founded in 2018 by the "Godfathers of Remote Proctoring", Don Kassner and Patrick Ochoa, the company specializes in providing professionally trained proctors who proctor remote exams globally. The company provides its own technology and also offers its proctors to perform their duties on any platform. The company is based in Tennessee.
Media Contact: Don Kassner don@monitoredu.com
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SOURCE MonitorEDU | 2022-07-26T14:57:19+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/monitoredu-announces-new-blended-event-remote-testing-model/ |
Jeep plans to launch an electric Wagoneer in 2024 and previewed the vehicle last week with the near-production Wagoneer S concept.
However, fans of the original SJ Grand Wagoneer can also jump on the EV bandwagon thanks to Michigan startup company The Ghost Garage, which is working on an electric conversion for the SUV icon.
Full details are still forthcoming as the conversion won’t be available until next year, but The Ghost Garage has already confirmed a range of more than 250 miles and peak output of 500 hp. The company will use Grand Wagoneers from model years 1989-1991, the last for the SJ generation.
Order books are now open and the price for a turnkey vehicle starts from $290,000. While that’s certainly steep, The Ghost Garage will perform a full restoration of the vehicle in addition to swapping in the electric powertrain. The restoration will extend to the interior of the vehicle and include safety upgrades, the company said. It will also come with a warranty.
The Ghost Garage was co-founded by Tim Smith, who is CEO of Osirius, a Detroit-based engineering company specializing in vehicle development, process integration, and tooling integration, and whose team of specialists will work on the Grand Wagoneer and future conversions for The Ghost Garage.
“A new generation of buyers are entering the classic vehicle market and looking for a blend of tradition and technology,” Smith said in a statement. “The Ghost Garage was conceived to break through the hobby-shop approach to restomods by offering the levels of quality and efficiency associated with luxury automotive brands.”
A number of electric conversion companies have sprung up in recent years as the popularity of EVs continues to grow, with names such as Everrati and Lunaz making headlines of late. Even the major automakers are getting in on the act, with the likes of Ford, Jaguar, Mini, and Volkswagen all offering options for some of their classics.
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- Hennessey Velociraptor 6×6 pickup returns with 558 hp | 2022-09-16T21:02:03+00:00 | valleycentral.com | https://www.valleycentral.com/automotive/internet-brands/michigan-company-offers-ev-conversion-for-original-jeep-grand-wagoneer/ |
NEW YORK, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Golub Capital BDC, Inc. ("GBDC") (Nasdaq: GBDC, www.golubcapitalbdc.com), a business development company, today announced that it originated $176.7 million in new middle-market investment commitments during the three months ended September 30, 2022. Approximately 91% of the new middle-market investment commitments were one stop loans, 7% were senior secured loans and 2% were equity and other securities. Of the new middle-market investment commitments, $139.4 million funded at close.
Total investments at fair value are estimated to have decreased by approximately 3.0%, or $167.2 million, during the three months ended September 30, 2022 after factoring in debt repayments, sales of securities, net fundings on revolvers and net change in unrealized gains (losses).
ABOUT GOLUB CAPITAL BDC, INC.
Golub Capital BDC, Inc. ("GBDC") is an externally-managed, non-diversified closed-end management investment company that has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. GBDC invests primarily in one stop and other senior secured loans to middle market companies that are often sponsored by private equity investors. GBDC's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, GC Advisors LLC, an affiliate of the Golub Capital LLC group of companies ("Golub Capital").
ABOUT GOLUB CAPITAL
Golub Capital is a market-leading, award-winning direct lender and experienced credit asset manager. The firm specializes in delivering reliable, creative and compelling financing solutions to companies backed by private equity sponsors. Golub Capital's sponsor finance expertise also forms the foundation of its Late Stage Lending, Broadly Syndicated Loan and Credit Opportunities investment programs. Golub Capital nurtures long-term, win-win partnerships that inspire repeat business from private equity sponsors and investors.
As of July 1, 2022, Golub Capital had over 675 employees and over $55 billion of capital under management, a gross measure of invested capital including leverage. The firm has lending offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and London. For more information, please visit golubcapital.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Golub Capital BDC, Inc. undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
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SOURCE Golub Capital BDC, Inc. | 2022-10-11T21:49:50+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/11/golub-capital-bdc-inc-announces-1767-million-new-middle-market-originations-its-fiscal-year-2022-fourth-quarter/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Your mother brought you into this world, raised you, and worked tirelessly to support your dreams and passions throughout your entire life.
The least you can do is buy her some eggs.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, the analysts at Yelp have scoured their national databases in an attempt to determine the 100 best-reviewed brunch restaurants on the platform. This year, restaurants in 34 different states made the list, meaning that (hopefully), you won’t have to drag mom too far for eggs benny or mimosas.
Coming in at No. 1 — with a 4.5-star rating out of over 1,600 reviews — is Café Kacao in Oklahoma City, which specializes in Latin American cuisine alongside classic brunch staples and coffee drinks. The Comfort Café in San Antonio nabbed the No. 2 spot, thanks in part to its homestyle brunch dishes offered on a pay-what-you-can basis in support of the addiction recovery program operated by its parent organization. And at No. 3 is The Wild Chive in Long Beach, California, where the vegan fare garners rave reviews from locals.
Certain states also had especially good showings, specifically California and Florida, which each boasted 10 entries on this year’s ranking — the maximum allowable number of restaurants for any given state. (Yelp instituted a maximum number of businesses from any single state for purposes of “geographic diversity,” according to a Yelp blog post.)
Yelp’s complete ranking of the country’s 100 best brunch spots is listed below.
- Cafe Kacao – Oklahoma City, OK
- Comfort Cafe – San Antonio – San Antonio, TX
- The Wild Chive – Long Beach, CA
- Crackings – Destin – Destin, FL
- Immigrant Son Caffe – Ventura, CA
- The Blue Door Cafe & Bakery – Cuyahoga Falls, OH
- Creamy Spoon French Bistro – Glendale, CA
- Flavor Rich Restaurant – Suwanee, GA
- Savorez – Wilmington, NC
- The Getaway Cafe – Meyers, CA
- Cafe La Maude – Philadelphia, PA
- Don’s Country Kitchen – Oceanside, CA
- Sunny Point Café – Asheville, NC
- Over Easy – Medford, OR
- The Lemon Tree – Bend, OR
- The Aussie Grind – Frisco, TX
- Over Easy – Kailua, HI
- George Bistro + Bar – Pensacola, FL
- McKay Cottage Restaurant – Bend, OR
- Bulegreen Cafe Yard – Oakland Park, FL
- Willow & Whisk – Wyckoff, NJ
- Toasted Gastrobrunch – Las Vegas, NV
- Toast Murrieta – Murrieta, CA
- Jam! – Bozeman, MT
- Cafe Bonjour – Boston, MA
- Missy’s Main Street Cafe – Rockaway, NJ
- Baja Cafe – Tucson, AZ
- Perly’s – Richmond, VA
- Le Petit Paris – Jacksonville, FL
- The Corner – Montclair, NJ
- SAP – Appleton, WI
- Psomi – Tampa, FL
- Little Griddle – Portland, OR
- Lapisara Eatery – San Francisco, CA
- Phoebe’s Diner – Austin, TX
- Maison Cafe & Market – Dana Point, CA
- Bearcat Cafe – New Orleans, LA
- Tibbitts @ Fern Hill – Tacoma, WA
- Blueberry’s Grill – North Myrtle Beach, SC
- Noble Crust – St. Petersburg, FL
- PK’s Roosevelt Room – St. Augustine, FL
- Ovo Frito Cafe – Evanston, IL
- Drift – Myrtle Beach, SC
- Another Broken Egg Cafe – Clearwater Beach, FL
- Urban Egg Denver Tech Center – Denver, CO
- Paperboy – Austin, TX
- Brownstones Coffee – Amityville – Amityville, NY
- Mama Clemenza’s – Miramar Beach, FL
- Buttermilk – Geneva, IL
- French Toast – New Orleans, LA
- Hen Mother Cookhouse – Johns Creek, GA
- Havana – Walnut Creek, CA
- Cups Cafe – Palm Desert, CA
- Junk Ditch Brewing Company – Fort Wayne, IN
- Mad Rooster Cafe – Milwaukee – West Milwaukee, WI
- Scrambled – Henderson, NV
- The Flipside Cafe – Fort Mill, SC
- Polite Society – Saint Louis, MO
- Neighborhood Jam Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
- Sweet E’s Cafe – Honolulu, HI
- Zenaida’s Cafe – Las Vegas, NV
- Page’s Okra Grill – Mount Pleasant, SC
- Maple Leaf Diner – Dallas, TX
- Voo La Voo Cafe – Wilton Manors, FL
- Creekside Cafe & Grill – Steamboat Springs, CO
- Carson’s Food And Drink – Lexington, KY
- Butters Pancakes & Café – Hayden Rd – Scottsdale, AZ
- Prep and Pastry – Tucson, AZ
- Doo-Dah Diner – Wichita, KS
- Geppetto Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA
- Bay Local Eatery – Virginia Beach, VA
- The Alcove – Sunnyside, NY
- Down the Hatch Maui – Lahaina, HI
- Dime Store – Detroit, MI
- Blue’s Egg – Milwaukee, WI
- The Mason Jar Cafe – Benton Harbor, MI
- Monell’s Dining & Catering – Nashville, TN
- Bay 34th Street Diner – Arlington, TX
- Yummies Bistro – South Padre Island, TX
- Brunch 101 of Hoquiam – Hoquiam, WA
- Egg – Saint Louis, MO
- Lacroix Restaurant at The Rittenhouse – Philadelphia, PA
- El Huevo Mexi-Diner – Norman, OK
- Screen Door Pearl District – Portland, OR
- The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, CO
- Proud Mary Coffee – Portland, OR
- Vintage – Vail, CO
- Honey Butter Cafe – Franklin, WI
- The Shanty – Warwick, RI
- Yaz’s Table – Abington, MA
- Nina’s Brunch – Forney, TX
- Barney’s Brunch House – Frisco, TX
- Silver Queen Cafe – Baltimore, MD
- Bistro 76 Cafe & Catering – Edmonds, WA
- Swan Street Diner – Buffalo, NY
- Hot Suppa – Portland, ME
- The Secret Garden Cafe – Occoquan, VA
- Pullman Bar & Diner – Iowa City, IA
- The Corner – Milford, CT
- The Jones Assembly – Oklahoma City, OK
In compiling this year’s list, Yelp’s team limited its rankings to businesses in its Breakfast & Brunch category, concentrating on restaurants with reviews that frequently mentioned “brunch,” specifically. These eateries were then ranked according to a number of factors, including the volume of their reviews and their Yelp ratings as of April 6, 2023.
“Whether she loves classic eggs benedict at a cozy cafe or buttery pancakes at a white tablecloth restaurant, you’re sure to find the perfect place to take the mom in your life with some help from Yelp,” the company wrote in a blog post.
More information on Yelp’s rankings, including links to each restaurant’s Yelp page, can be found at the platform’s official site. | 2023-05-04T13:04:27+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/national-news/the-100-best-brunch-restaurants-in-the-us-according-to-yelp/ |
A former school on Milwaukee's north side would be converted into 48 apartments under a plan that's received an initial city approval.
A former school on Milwaukee's north side would be converted into 48 apartments under a revised proposal that's received an initial approval from city officials.
Also, 18 new townhouses would be built just north of the school building.
The $18 million development, known as Historic Patterson Place, would be partly financed with federal affordable housing tax credits as well as historic preservation credits.
Developers that obtain the affordable housing tax credits, which are provided through an annual competition, must generally rent 85% of their units at below-market rents to people earning no more than 60% of the area median income.
The Plan Commission on Monday recommended a zoning change for the development. That zoning change needs Common Council approval.
The commission took its 5-0 vote after hearing opposition from some nearby residents, who said the development would be too dense for the site.
The development firms, AndersonWebb LLC and Wisconsin Redevelopment LLC, reduced the number of units and made other changes in response to concerns from neighbors first raised at a 2019 Plan Commission hearing.
Their plans initially called for 60 units, including 30 townhomes, said Sherry Terrell-Webb, of AndersonWebb.
Other changes include eliminating several curb cuts for driveways for the townhouses; adding more green space, and providing exterior security cameras, said Tina Anderson, of AndersonWebb.
The townhouses would be available under a rent-to-own program that allows tenants to eventually buy the units. Each townhouse would have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached garage.
Prospective tenants at Historic Patterson Place would likely include municipal employees, retail workers and construction workers, Terrell-Webb said.
The developers' other projects include Mitchell Street Lofts, an affordable apartment building at 1948 W. Mitchell St.
Carleton School was built in 1917, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. It has been vacant since 2005.
Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. | 2022-10-17T22:55:41+00:00 | jsonline.com | https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/10/17/former-north-side-school-converted-48-apartments/10527127002/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday afternoon's drawing of the "Pick Four-Midday" game were:
0-2-7-7, Fireball: 6
(zero, two, seven, seven; Fireball: six)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Sunday afternoon's drawing of the "Pick Four-Midday" game were:
0-2-7-7, Fireball: 6
(zero, two, seven, seven; Fireball: six) | 2023-01-15T20:22:26+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Four-Midday-game-17719669.php |
Which gift for Curious George lovers is best?
It’s no wonder kids love Curious George. He’s cute, cuddly and, of course, curious, which sparks youngsters’ natural urge to explore and discover. The adorable monkey has been the subject of popular children’s books since his debut in 1939, and more recently has been the star of an animated movie and popular PBS TV series. As a result, plush animals, toys and books featuring this lovable character are popular with young fans.
Curious George items aren’t as readily available as some featuring other beloved characters, but there are options on the market that are sure to delight young children. Take a little time to explore our list of favorites, and learn more about this sweet character as you shop.
Who created Curious George?
Curious George is the creation of husband-and-wife authors H.A. and Margret Rey. He first appeared in their 1939 book “Raffy and the Nine Monkeys,” and later became the star of a series of books that feature the adorable monkey’s sense of curiosity, trouble it leads to and adventures with his friend The Man with the Yellow Hat. In addition to entertaining children, Curious George books also inspire kids to explore, learn, forgive and be kind.
The beloved children’s stories inspired a 2006 movie and a TV series that has run for 13 seasons on PBS. The mischievous little monkey has a fanbase of millions of youngsters, which is why Curious George toys and other items are popular gifts.
Best Curious George gifts
Kids who love Curious George are thrilled to open gifts such as stuffed animals and various toys depicting the beloved character.
Curious George got his start on the pages of children’s books, and there are still numerous must-reads available today. As you shop, you’ll find that many Curious George gifts are appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers, but there are options available that are perfect for babies too.
Top Curious George stuffed animals
Kids Preferred Curious George Learn to Dress Plush Toy
What you need to know: A soft and educational Curious George stuffed animal in his signature coat that’s perfect for young kids who are learning how to dress.
What you’ll love: Not only is this adorable toy cuddly, but it also teaches young kids how to use clothing fasteners. It’s suitable for kids ages 2 and older thanks to a kid-friendly snap, tie, button and zipper that are easy for little hands to manipulate.
What you should consider: Frequently checking the button is important, as it has been reported to fall off during play.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby and Overstock
Gund Curious George Doctor Stuffed Monkey
What you need to know: Any young Curious George fan would be happy to own the sweet monkey dressed in doctor gear.
What you’ll love: Curious George is dressed up as a doctor, making this stuffed toy both fun and educational. It’s manufactured by Gund — a company that’s known for making quality stuffed animals with attention to details.
What you should consider: A pricey toy that’s cute, but smaller in person than anticipated.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Animal Adventure Curious George Cuddle Bundle
What you need to know: A plush Curious George plus a super-soft blanket make this pick an affordable option that’s like two gifts in one.
What you’ll love: This gift combo includes a cuddly Curious George plush toy and blanket, each made of soft, plushy material. The pair is available at a reasonable price.
What you should consider: A few stuffed animals developed holes along the seams. The blanket is fairly small, but most kids love it anyway.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
Top Curious George toys
Schylling Curious George Pinball Toy
What you need to know: A small but enticing Curious George game that’s best suited for children over age 4.
What you’ll love: This pinball machine will appeal to kids who like a challenging game that will test their hand-eye coordination. We like the cool vintage design that’s reminiscent of toys from the past.
What you should consider: This toy is fairly small and not intended for kids under 4 years of age. The packaging isn’t great either, so you may need to place it in a nice box or bag for gifting.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Curious George Jack-in-the-Box
What you need to know: Parents and grandparents will recognize the classic jack-in-the-box design of this toy, while kids will love the anticipation of George emerging with a few turns of the handle.
What you’ll love: Reminiscent of jack-in-the-box toys from yesteryear, this colorful toy plays “Pop Goes the Weasel” before Curious George pops out. The company recommends it for ages 18 months to 3 years.
What you should consider: Trying to put the monkey back in the box can be frustrating for little ones. Durability may be an issue, as some parents report the toy breaking with typical use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Kids Preferred Curious George Ice Cream Truck Playset
What you need to know: Soft, easy-to-grasp components and appealing music make this playset perfect for the youngest lovers of the curious character.
What you’ll love: Adorable and colorful, this playset boasts an ice cream truck theme with plush pieces that are easy for little hands to hold. Suitable for babies. We like that the handle plays music when gently squeezed.
What you should consider: Older children aren’t likely to find this toy very entertaining.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Curious George books
Curious George Pat-a-Cake Board Book
What you need to know: With colorful illustrations and a George puppet, this book is sure to capture the attention of young children.
What you’ll love: A book that combines entertaining rhymes and a plush Curious George puppet for playing pat-a-cake with a youngster while you read. Colorful illustrations appeal to babies and toddlers.
What you should consider: A few customers reported that in the copies they received, several pages were printed upside down.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond and Buy Buy Baby
Curious George Hardcover Classic Collection
What you need to know: A set of seven Curious George classics that have been enjoyed by children for generations.
What you’ll love: This collection includes the seven original stories that have been in publication for more than 74 years. The hardcover books will last through frequent childhood storytimes.
What you should consider: Some parents were concerned about depictions of the main character doing activities like smoking.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Merry Christmas, Curious George
What you need to know: We like this Curious George book as a stocking stuffer thanks to the delightful holiday story it tells.
What you’ll love: Features the main character at Christmastime, making this tale ideal for the holiday season.
What you should consider: Story is more funny than educational, but most little ones find it amusing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Kohl’s
Curious George My First Words at the Farm
What you need to know: This sweet Curious George book and baby hat set is a nice gift for babies or baby showers.
What you’ll love: Amusing illustrations with a farm theme focused on first words help young Curious George lovers discover reading. A soft monkey-ear hat is included in the set, which comes nicely boxed for gifting.
What you should consider: Story is geared toward babies and young children, and is not very entertaining for kids over 3 years of age.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-24T10:53:22+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/theme-toys-br/10-gifts-for-curious-george-lovers/ |
Former Fox News guest charged with exploiting her mom
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A former regular guest on Fox News stole at least $224,000 from her 88-year-old mother and unnecessarily put her in a nursing home twice against her will, including by once dragging her mom from her home, Florida authorities said Friday.
Cathy Areu, who provided a liberal perspective on several shows, faces numerous felony charges including kidnapping, exploitation of the elderly and organized scheme to defraud. Miami-Dade County prosecutors say she falsified documents to take control of her mother’s home, took money from her mother’s reverse mortgage and savings account, and took out credit cards in her mother’s name and then used them for her own benefit.
“Every incident of alleged elder exploitation or abuse touches our heart and never fails to shock us. It seems particularly harder to understand when the alleged perpetrator of the exploitation is a daughter, or a son or another blood relative,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement.
According to Areu’s Fox News profile, she is a former contributing editor for the Washington Post Magazine, where she conducted political interviews from 2001 to 2012, and in 2001 founded the magazine Catalina. It sought to “break stereotypes and show a positive side of the U.S. Hispanic community.” She also hosted the “Liberal Sherpa” podcast. Fox took down Areu’s profile after her arrest became widely known.
In 2018, Areu, 51, was a regular unpaid guest on conservative commentator Tucker Carlson’s show and appeared on other Fox News shows. In 2020, she sued the network, Carlson, Sean Hannity and others, claiming sexual harassment, but a judge dismissed the suit the following year.
Details of Areu’s arrest were not released, but prosecutors said she had been evading authorities since June, including spending time in Mexico. She was being held without bond Friday at the county jail. Court and jail records do not show if she has an attorney.
According to prosecutors, the investigation began in 2019 when state officials received reports that Areu was exploiting her mother. Paperwork had been filed turning over the mother’s house to Areu, but the mother denied the signature was hers.
They say Areu also used a revoked power of attorney to twice place her mother in a nursing home against her will. In the first case, they say Areu tricked her mother into believing she was being taken to have ice cream with her granddaughters, but was instead taken to a home. When the mother tried to call a friend for help, Area allegedly told the staff not to let her use the phone or see visitors.
After doctors and officials found the woman competent to make her own decisions and released her to go home, prosecutors say Areu and another person dragged her from the house and took her to another facility. Again, the woman was released after she was found competent and asked to go home.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2022-12-09T22:16:57+00:00 | kob.com | https://www.kob.com/news/us-and-world-news/former-fox-news-guest-charged-with-exploiting-her-mom/ |
CEO Focuses on Maximizing Lending Capacity to Help Members Achieve American Dream
Chairman Awards Employee, Team, and Volunteer of the Year
TYSONS, Va., May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PenFed Credit Union, the nation's second largest federal credit union, highlighted its continued success with record results for 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 at its 2022 annual meeting. The meeting was held via audio conference on the evening of May 16 with members, employees, and the board of directors.
"PenFed is dedicated to its mission of empowering members of our community to achieve their financial well-being," said PenFed Credit Union President/CEO and PenFed Foundation CEO James Schenck. "PenFed exists to loan to our members and provide a safe place for savings and thrift. We consistently deliver highly competitive dividends for our members to maintain a stable base of core deposits. PenFed ended 2021 with $862 million of excess capital to ensure PenFed would be here to take perfect care of our members in any economic environment."
During his remarks, Schenck underscored PenFed's business model of lending out all of members' shares plus a good portion of long-term capital to maximize lending capacity to members. PenFed ended 2021 with a 103% loan-to-share ratio.
"PenFed lends out some of our long-term capital to help more of our members achieve their financial goals," said Schenck. "Even through recessions and inflation, it's important to keep the credit union's loan engine running because members need to finance homes, cars, and college tuition in all rate cycles. PenFed has prioritized serving our members and operating in a safe and sound environment for 87 years. We plan to sustain this model to help more members take care of their families, get to work, and live the American dream."
For example, by sustaining its current loan-to-share ratio for the rest of this year, PenFed would be able to deploy capital to approve 125,000 more members for auto loans or 10,000 more members for mortgages.
Schenck spotlighted PenFed's strategic partnership with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta to provide the credit union with tools to make more mortgages and practice sound liquidity and risk management to best serve members.
His remarks also emphasized PenFed's selling of loans to other credit unions. PenFed's loan sales help strengthen the entire credit union system by delivering more loans and income for other credit unions' balance sheets. The extra earnings from PenFed's loan volumes and loan sales allow PenFed to reinvest in technology to deliver convenience to members and cyber security to protect members' assets. PenFed's infrastructure handles 80% of members' transactions through the PenFed.org website and the PenFed mobile app.
Schenck announced that PenFed's top business priorities for the remainder of 2022 include building capital and liquidity, maintaining credit quality, and delivering world-class service securely to members.
Chairman Ed Cody announced awards for PenFed's employee, team, and volunteer of the year for outstanding service and contributions to the credit union. This year's award recipients are:
- Employee of the Year: Andrea McCarren, VP and chief content officer, recognized for her leadership and creation of the PenFed Digital team. The team produces daily stories of inspiration, resilience, and service for PenFed's social media channels. Over 200 million people have seen the results.
- Team of the Year: Joe Thomas, executive vice president and chief information officer, and Tony LaManna, chief information security officer, recognized for leading PenFed's cyber defenses and protecting PenFed's critical systems and members' accounts.
- Volunteer of the Year: Jim Quinn, vice chairman, recognized for his outstanding service and bringing his experience, dedication, and love of people to PenFed.
"As Chairman, every year on behalf of our board, I have the privilege and fun of recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the success of PenFed," said Cody. "We could not succeed without great teams – and PenFed is blessed with some of the best teams of employees and volunteers in the financial industry."
About PenFed
Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving 2.8 million members worldwide with $35 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services with members' interests always in mind. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org, like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter. Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
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SOURCE PenFed Credit Union | 2022-05-18T14:22:08+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/18/penfed-credit-union-highlights-continued-success-business-model-2022-annual-meeting/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Like many Americans, Karla Maldonado has been cutting back her spending to spare her wallet from rising costs: She is eating out less and attending fewer social events to curb the impact of high gas prices.
But the 26-year-old social worker of Portland, Oregon, hasn’t skimped on her eye makeup — the mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow she typically wears to work just above her face mask.
“That’s something I can’t go without,” Maldonado said. And she doesn’t seem to be alone.
Many major retailers slashed their financial outlooks for the year after seeing shoppers pull back on many discretionary items in the latest quarter. But among the notable exceptions: beauty.
Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom all highlighted strong sales of beauty items in their fiscal second-quarter earnings reports issued over the past few weeks. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, said that it’s seeing increased momentum in its beauty business, citing strong sales in cosmetics as well as skin and hair businesses. Meanwhile, Ulta Beauty, the largest beauty retailer in the country, said overall sales spiked nearly 17% in its most recent quarter, compared to the same period last year.
Americans, once stuck behind Zoom screens in the thick of the pandemic, are out and about and wanting to look their best. Co-workers — some of whom are meeting each other for the first time — are trying to make an impression. Meanwhile, people are going out on dates and getting together for summer parties and barbeques after months of pandemic-induced leisurewear and Netflix binges at home.
But another possible explanation for why beauty is thriving when consumers are more apprehensive about their spending is a long-held theory known as the “lipstick index,” which posits that lipstick sales rise during times of economic downturn.
The reasoning goes: When consumer sentiment declines, Americans seek escapism by looking for small ways to indulge themselves, such as by purchasing a new lipstick instead of pricier alternatives they can no longer afford. For others, their version of lipstick might be cheap beer or a $5 Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks, which reported record revenue in August for its fiscal third quarter.
The lipstick theory has held, though not always. Makeup sales spiked during the Great Depression and the recession in the early 2000s. But sales declined during the 2008 economic collapse, according to market research firm NPD Group. The same happened during the early days of the pandemic as Americans stayed home — or behind masks — and shifted their interests towards wellness and skincare as stimulus payments flooded bank accounts, helping balloon the savings of consumers who were already spending less on traveling or eating out due to pandemic lockdowns.
Now, makeup is roaring back. Americans have bought more eye, face and lip makeup — roughly 2%, 5% and 12% respectively — in a year-over-year analysis of sales across stores, according to the market research firm IRI.
At Macy’s, CEO Jeff Gennette noted in an earnings call late last month that consumers have focused on deals and cut back on purchases amid high inflation. Still, they managed to buy beauty products as well as travel-related items like luggage, shoes and clothes to wear to the office, Gennette said.
Meanwhile, Kohl’s reported that shoppers were making fewer trips, spending less per transaction and shifting toward value-oriented store brands. But at its Sephora beauty shops, launched last year as part of a partnership with the beauty chain, shoppers are spending freely on skincare, makeup and fragrance.
“Customers are not willing to give up their beauty purchases,” Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass recently told The Associated Press. “People need to feel good at this time with so much pressure on them.”
The Sephora sales reflect broader findings released in July by NPD Group, which showed among 14 discretionary industries tracked by the group this year, beauty was the only category that saw a rise in sales. However, the persistence of beauty at more prestige markets — such as Macy’s, Sephora and Nordstrom — is primarily being driven by high-income earners, or those with an annual salary of $100,000 or more, according to Larissa Jensen, NPD’s beauty industry adviser.
“While we’re all feeling these inflationary pressures, it has less of an impact on a consumer earning six figures than it does on a lower income consumer,” Jensen said.
Elsewhere, however, strong sales show Americans of all income levels participating in the uptick. At Target, beauty enjoyed sales increases in the low single digits while home goods, clothing and electronics all suffered declines. As a result, for the winter holidays, Target said it will be more cautious with its orders for discretionary merchandise but will lean on beauty as well as necessities like groceries.
Its competitor Walmart launched higher-end beauty areas in March in collaboration with British retailer SpaceNK, and it says those sections have performed well. The retailer, which has been offering consumers select discounts, will hold a beauty event in September where customers can find deals at the store and online.
These wins, combined with low levels of price increases and supply chain issues, has made the beauty industry feel insulated from challenges in the wider economy, Jensen said.
“But there’s still so many things swirling around,” she warned. “And we need to be cognizant that things could change at any minute.” | 2022-09-04T15:18:25+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/americans-splurge-on-beauty-despite-pullbacks-elsewhere/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Voters headed to polls as a major winter storm pounded California on Election Day, bringing rain and snow to the drought-stricken state along with possible flash flooding in areas recently scarred by wildfires, and fears that the downpours could lead to a low turnout.
Some of the heaviest rain is expected later Tuesday in Orange County, which is holding several very close U.S. House races that could determine which party controls Congress.
The Republican Party of Orange County urged members to vote early and avoid getting stuck in the rain on Election Day.
“Election day lines are long and typically one to two hours long. Don’t risk getting caught waiting in the rain to cast your ballot,” an email sent by the party Monday said.
The storm arrived Monday and is forecast to last into midweek, bringing hopes that the precipitation could blunt an already moderate wildfire season in California.
But in some areas, the rain posed its own problems Tuesday.
A homeless man was found dead Tuesday in a concrete channel in the city of Ontario in San Bernadino County. Officials said he and five others were swept away by rainwater that flooded the channel. Firefighters were able to pull some out of the wash as a downpour swelled the concrete drainage but two remain missing, the San Bernardino Sun reported.
The city of Duarte, in the Southern California foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, issued mandatory evacuation orders late Monday night for about 25 homes in the Fish Fire burn scar area. Other evacuation orders are in place through Wednesday morning for canyon areas in the Santa Ana Mountains’ Bond Fire burn scar.
In Northern California, meteorologists issued a flash flood watch through 5 p.m. Tuesday, warning that heavy rainfall could lead to debris flows and flash flooding in the burn scars of the Colorado and River wildfires.
Between 1 and 3 inches (2.54 and 7.62 centimeters) of rainfall are expected through Wednesday in the Los Angeles area’s coast and valleys. The foothills and mountains could see up to 5 inches (12.70 centimeters). Thunderstorms are expected to last Tuesday afternoon into the evening, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
Meteorologists say mountain peaks above 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) elevation could get 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of snowfall, with 20 inches (50 centimeters) possible locally.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the greater Lake Tahoe area on Tuesday as heavy snow fell in the region, causing backups in major highways in the area. The agency warned driving in the region would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
“Be prepared for whiteout conditions and sub-zero wind chills along ridgelines and near the mountain passes,” the agency said in its alert, adding that the hazardous conditions will affect motorists during peak commute times. | 2022-11-09T14:13:06+00:00 | wate.com | https://www.wate.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-winter-storm-brings-rain-snow-and-flood-fears-to-california/ |
NEW YORK — While the Nets were one of the preseason favorites as title contenders, a pandemic-affected, twisting season finally came to an end Monday. The Celtics swept the Nets, beating them on their home court 116-112 in Game 4 to clinch the first-round series.
That means an offseason of question marks for Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and the rest of the squad. The Nets were expected to be a super-team at the beginning of the season alongside James Harden. But there were plenty of outside distractions during the season. Brooklyn was a first-place team in the East early on, but it fell apart amid injury and availability concerns.
Of course, one of the headliners was Irving’s inability to play in home games. Local mandates meant unvaccinated players such as Irving weren’t allowed to play at Barclays Center. That took a toll on the Nets as they kept sliding down the standings
“I felt like I was letting the team down at a point where I wasn’t able to play,” Irving said postgame Monday. “We were trying to exercise every option for me to play, but I never wanted to just be about me. It became a distraction at times.”
The Nets’ initial plan was to have Irving sit out every game, both home and away. They didn’t want a part-time player, and while they still paid Irving half his salary for road games, he didn’t play or practice with the Nets.
Brooklyn changed course when COVID-19 health and safety protocol numbers spiked around the league last December. Teams were desperate as they signed 10-day contract players and the Nets needed a body. That’s when the Nets agreed to bring on Irving as a part-time player who could only suit up in road games.
That was the case for most of the season as Irving and the Nets never got any flow to their team. Local mandates were tweaked at the end of the season so Irving could play in Brooklyn. But it was too late and the Nets had to earn their way into the playoffs through the play-in tournament.
Irving said after Game 3 that the team didn’t gel much, and a big reason for that was because of the guard’s part-time status. There were other huge factors, such as Durant’s MCL injury and the Ben Simmons-Harden deal at the trade deadline.
That’s all in the past now, though, as the Nets enter an intriguing offseason. Brooklyn at full strength — with guys like Joe Harris and Ben Simmons in the lineup — are plenty dangerous once paired with Durant and Irving. But after another early postseason exit, there’ll be some loud questions.
“We just turn the page and look forward to what we’re building as a franchise and really get tougher,” Irving said. “This is a league that’s getting younger, that’s getting more athletic, that’s getting taller. It’s getting more competitive, and these young guys are hungry at each other.”
Story by Souichi Terada, MassLive.com. | 2022-04-26T17:54:03+00:00 | bangordailynews.com | https://bangordailynews.com/2022/04/26/sports/professional-sports/nets-kyrie-irving-says-he-was-letting-the-team-down-when-he-couldnt-play-during-season/ |
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its benchmark interest rate by a hefty three-quarters of a point for a second straight time in its most aggressive drive in three decades to tame high inflation.
The Fed’s move will raise its key rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 2.25% to 2.5%, its highest level since 2018.
The central bank’s decision follows a jump in inflation to 9.1%, the fastest annual rate in 41 years, and reflects its strenuous efforts to slow price gains across the economy. By raising borrowing rates, the Fed makes it costlier to take out a mortgage or an auto or business loan. Consumers and businesses then presumably borrow and spend less, cooling the economy and slowing inflation.
The Fed is tightening credit even while the economy has begun to slow, thereby heightening the risk that its rate hikes will cause a recession later this year or next. The surge in inflation and fear of a recession have eroded consumer confidence and stirred public anxiety about the economy, which is sending frustratingly mixed signals.
With the November midterm elections nearing, Americans’ discontent has diminished President Joe Biden’s public approval ratings and increased the likelihood that the Democrats will lose control of the House and Senate.
The Fed’s moves to sharply tighten credit have torpedoed the housing market, which is especially sensitive to interest rate changes. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has roughly doubled in the past year, to 5.5%, and home sales have tumbled.
At the same time, consumers are showing signs of cutting spending in the face of high prices. And business surveys suggest that sales are slowing.
The central bank is betting that it can slow growth just enough to tame inflation yet not so much as to trigger a recession — a risk that many analysts fear may end badly.
On Thursday, when the government estimates the gross domestic product for the April-June period, some economists think it may show that the economy shrank for a second straight quarter. That would meet one longstanding assumption for when a recession has begun.
But economists say that wouldn’t necessarily mean a recession had started. During those same six months when the overall economy might have contracted, employers added 2.7 million jobs — more than in most entire years before the pandemic. Wages are also rising at a healthy pace, with many employers still struggling to attract and retain enough workers.
Still, slowing growth puts the Fed’s policymakers in a high-risk quandary: How high should they raise borrowing rates if the economy is decelerating? Weaker growth, if it causes layoffs and raises unemployment, often reduces inflation on its own.
That dilemma could become an even more consequential one for the Fed next year, when the economy may be in worse shape and inflation will likely still exceed the central bank’s 2% target.
“How much recession risk are you willing to bear to get (inflation) back to 2%, quickly, versus over the course of several years?” asked Nathan Sheets, a former Fed economist who is global chief economist at Citi. “Those are the kinds of issues they’re going to have to wrestle with.”
Economists at Bank of America foresee a “mild” recession later this year. Goldman Sachs analysts estimate a 50-50 likelihood of a recession within two years.
Among analysts who foresee a recession, most predict that it will prove relatively mild. The unemployment rate, they note, is near a 50-year low, and households are overall in solid financial shape, with more cash and smaller debts than after the housing bubble burst in 2008.
Fed officials have suggested that at its new level, their key short-term rate will neither stimulate growth nor restrict it – what they call a “neutral” level. Chair Jerome Powell has said the Fed wants its key rate to reach neutral relatively quickly.
Should the economy continue to show signs of slowing, the Fed may moderate the size of its rate hikes as soon as its next meeting in September, perhaps to a half-point. Such an increase, followed by possibly quarter-point hikes in November and December, would still raise the Fed’s short-term rate to 3.25% to 3.5% by year’s end — the highest point since 2008. | 2022-07-27T20:23:12+00:00 | fox44news.com | https://www.fox44news.com/news/national-world-news/federal-reserve-raises-benchmark-interest-rate/ |
Man accused of climbing atop crowd of Jan. 6 rioters and assaulting police
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut man is accused of climbing atop a crowd of rioters during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and striking police officers in the head and face with a baton, his fists and a wooden pole.
Richard Markey, 38, of Wolcott, faces charges of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, obstructing law enforcement during civil disorder, and disorderly or disruptive conduct, as well as other federal crimes. He appeared Monday in U.S. District Court in New Haven.
A voice message and a text were left seeking comment with his attorney, Robert M. Frost Jr.
Federal prosecutors say Markey was among a crowd of rioters that attempted to breach a line of police in an exterior archway, or tunnel, leading to an exterior door of the Capitol. Surveillance footage from the scene shows a man later identified as Markey “abruptly emerging from the riotous mob near the south side of the tunnel, climbing on top of other rioters, and holding what appears to be a police baton,” according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Video footage then shows Markey “pushing himself toward the police line, raising the baton, and striking at law enforcement,” federal prosecutors said. After losing the baton during the melee, Markey continued to strike at police with his fists, according to court documents.
Markey is also accused of later pulling a wooden pole away from a police officer and using it to strike at police with such force that it snapped. He is also accused of pulling, pushing and kicking at police officers’ protective shields while shouting “oath breaker.”
Court documents indicate Markey was initially identified by an anonymous tip sent to the FBI. His identity was later confirmed by his employer.
More than 1,000 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for alleged crimes related to the Capitol breach, according to officials. The mob was trying to stop Congress from certifying the presidential election results for Democrat Joe Biden over incumbent Republican Donald Trump, authorities have said.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-07-18T04:18:31+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/2023/07/18/man-accused-climbing-atop-crowd-jan-6-rioters-assaulting-police/ |
PHILADELPHIA — A judge on Thursday sentenced a white Philadelphia police officer to 11½ to 23 months in prison in the 2017 fatal shooting of an unarmed Black motorist, far less than the decades behind bars he potentially faced.
Officer Eric Ruch Jr. shot and killed 25-year-old Dennis Plowden Jr. six seconds after arriving on the scene as Plowden sat on a sidewalk upon crashing a car during a high-speed chase. He was fired from the department months later.
Ruch, 34, was charged in 2020 and convicted in September of voluntary manslaughter and a weapons charge. The voluntary manslaughter charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
But during the sentencing, Common Pleas Court Judge Barbara McDermott said Ruch had demonstrated good behavior since he was charged and a longer sentence would not offer him any rehabilitation. The sentence also includes parole eligibility and carries no financial penalties.
“Nothing he is going to do in prison is going to make him a better person,” McDermott said.
The judge’s decision outraged Ruch’s family.
“I wasn’t surprised, but I was disappointed,” Plowden’s widow, Tania Bond, said outside the courthouse, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Who wastes five years to come to court and hear 11 to 23 months? Did we value Dennis’ life or did we just throw something out there to feel like we shut the family up and feel like we satisfied?”
During the trial, Ruch told jurors he feared for his life when he fired at Plowden. He said Plowden had his left hand raised, but kept his right hand hidden despite police orders.
Prosecutors said there was no justification to shoot Plowden, noting that several other officers took cover and held their fire.
The bullet from Ruch’s gun went through Plowden’s raised left hand before striking him in the head. He died the next day.
During the trial, the defense attorney asked jurors to consider the two-minute chase through a city neighborhood that preceded the shooting. Plowden was driving a car initially thought to be linked to a recent homicide. But authorities said that he was not involved in that case.
The jury rejected a more serious third-degree murder charge, but also convicted Ruch of possessing an instrument of crime.
Ruch is one of three city police officers who had been charged with murder for their on-duty actions by District Attorney Larry Krasner, a longtime civil rights lawyer who frequently sued police earlier in his career. A first-degree murder charge filed against Ruch was dropped before trial.
Krasner’s office has 10 days to appeal the sentence, though prosecutors declined to immediately comment, according to the Inquirer.
Plowden’s widow won a $1.2 million wrongful death settlement from the city.
More:
Man fatally shot by neighbor after feud over dog, NJ cops say
Skeletal remains found in Pa. identified as those of missing murderer | 2022-11-17T21:19:59+00:00 | pennlive.com | https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/11/philly-officer-gets-less-than-2-years-for-killing-unarmed-black-man.html |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said a proposal from Indiana Republicans to ban nearly all abortions in the state reflects a health care crisis in the country and she met Monday with Democratic state legislators on the first day of a contentious special legislative session on the issue.
Harris traveled to Indianapolis as several thousand people on both sides of the issue filled Statehouse corridors and lined sidewalks surrounding the building as a state Senate committee was set to begin hearing testimony on the Republican-sponsored proposal.
Indiana is one of the first Republican-run state legislatures to debate tighter abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court decision last month overturning Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
“Maybe some people need to actually learn how a woman’s body works,” Harris said Monday, eliciting murmurs and laughs from the Democratic legislators. “The parameters that are being proposed mean that for the vast majority of women, by the time she realizes she is pregnant, she will be prohibited from having access to reproductive health care that will allow her to choose what will happen to her life.”
Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta said the proposed ban would have “drastic consequences for women, especially for women of color and low-income women, who are already disproportionately impacted by getting adequate health care access.”
Indiana’s Republican Senate leaders proposed a bill last week that would prohibit abortions from the time an egg is implanted in a woman’s uterus with limited exceptions — in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. The proposal followed the political firestorm over a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled to the state from neighboring Ohio to end her pregnancy.
“She is a baby,” Democratic Rep. Cherrish Pryor of Indianapolis, one of the lawmakers at the meeting with Harris, said of the child. “Why should we force babies to have babies?”
The case of the Ohio girl gained wide attention when an Indianapolis doctor said the child had to go to Indiana because Ohio banned abortions at the first detectable “fetal heartbeat” after the Supreme Court’s abortion decision.
The ultimate fate of the Indiana abortion bill in the Republican-dominated Legislature is uncertain, as leaders of Indiana Right to Life, the state’s most prominent anti-abortion group, are decrying the Senate proposal as weak and lacking enforcement provisions.
Republican Senate leaders said the bill would not add new criminal penalties against doctors involved with abortions, but they would face possibly having their medical licenses revoked for breaking the law.
___
Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Arleigh Rodgers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers | 2022-07-25T18:03:20+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/politics/ap-politics/indiana-abortion-debate-draws-protest-crowds-vice-president/ |
BANGKOK (AP) — The United States and four other nations that walked out of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group meeting in Bangkok on the weekend underlined their support Monday for host nation Thailand, saying their protest was aimed solely at Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, as well as delegates from Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada walked out of Saturday's session of the APEC meeting just as Maxim Reshetnikov, Russia’s minister for economic development, was set to deliver his opening remarks.
A statement on Monday from the five nations, joined also by South Korea and Chile, said they had “unwavering support for APEC” and were “fully committed” to supporting Thailand as this year's chair. But, they said, they condemned “in the strongest term the unprovoked war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine."
The 21-member APEC forum is meant to promote economic integration and trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. In their statement, the seven countries noted that not only was the humanitarian situation in Ukraine deteriorating, its effects were also beginning to be felt in global energy and food prices.
“A rise in food insecurity, due to Russia’s invasion, is being felt around the world, and disproportionately by the most vulnerable,” they said in the statement, provided by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.
“Reaffirming the importance of the rules-based international order that underpins an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific region, we strongly urge Russia to immediately cease its use of force and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine.”
Reshetnikov, meantime, said other APEC nations should look at the broad sanctions imposed upon Russia as opportunities for themselves to expand energy, food and other sectors.
“It offers opportunities … including for the economy of Thailand, opportunities for coming to the Russian market and filling in the niches that had been vacated,” he said, Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency reported. “Besides, it is also an opportunity for Russian companies, who are in active search for new markets for their products.”
The two-day meeting closed Sunday without a joint statement due to differences over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Japan's trade minister Koichi Hagiuda.
“There were big differences when coordinating the wording over Russia among the member economies," Japan's Kyodo news agency reported Hagiuda said at a press conference.
In addition to Russia itself being part of APEC, members China and Vietnam both abstained from the United Nations General Assembly vote in March to condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Reshetnikov told reporters after the meetings that 23 of 24 points were agreed upon, which “means APEC is still able to advance the economic agenda” of the group, and blamed those who walked out for the fact that there was no concluding joint statement.
“The only reason we haven’t reached a consensus is an attempt by some economies to politicize the forum,” he said, Russia's TASS news agency reported. “Going forward, we should focus on finding common ground, not on provoking disagreements.”
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Grant Peck contributed to this story. | 2022-05-23T10:25:05+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/US-others-say-APEC-walkout-aimed-at-Russia-over-17191644.php |
Officials in Madagascar have recovered 34 bodies from the Indian Ocean after the sinking of a boat that was carrying migrants hoping to get to Mayotte.
The boat carrying 58 passengers sailed clandestinely without going through official immigration or customs controls and sank late Saturday night off the northwest coast of Madagascar, according to Malagasy maritime authorities. Customs and Navy patrol boats recovered the bodies near the island of Nosy Faly, Director General of the Port, Maritime and Fluvial Agency Jean Edmond Randrianantenaina said. The victims mainly come from Ambilobe and also Tamatave, Majunga and Nosy Be, according to preliminary investigations, he said. "The entire state apparatus is angry at this tragedy. Also, we are implementing all possible means to speed up the investigations," Randrianantenaina said. On the night of the sinking local fishermen in canoes rescued 24 survivors, he said. All but one of the survivors "fled as soon as they arrived on the bank, before the arrival of the authorities, no doubt for fear of being arrested," said Lt. Col. Jules Tovoson Andriatsiriniaina, commander of the Diana region gendarmerie group. "Only a young woman, pregnant, was found," he said. She was treated at Ambilobe hospital and is being interviewed as a key witness, he said.
Officials are looking for two people, a man and a woman, suspected of being the smugglers or accomplices in illegally transporting migrants. They are wanted for "illegal boarding and clandestine transport, involuntary homicide of passengers to Mayotte," he said.
STORM CHENESO PICKS UP IN MADAGASCAR, MORE FLOODING TO COME
"It’s yet another shipwreck," said Roger Charles Evina, representative of the International Organization for Migration for Madagascar and the Comoros.
"Unfortunately, there are no official national statistics on these tragedies at sea. But we see that these are really recurring departures, carried out clandestinely and the final destination is very often Mayotte," he said.
Although Mayotte is a poor archipelago of small islands, it is a French territory which may make it an attractive destination for migrants from Madagascar. The IOM has been developing a program for several months to fight against this illegal immigration from Madagascar, he said.
"One of the actions of our project is to offer income-generating activities to potential migrants, in order to stabilize them in the communities of origin," said Evina. "Because we know, for the most part, that people migrate for economic reasons." | 2023-03-15T20:19:47+00:00 | foxbangor.com | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/boat-carrying-migrants-from-madagascar-sinks-34-drown/article_04c268cf-e57f-522d-9ccb-29a5ef12ce5a.html |
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Kohl's Corporation (NYSE: KSS).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/kohls-corporation-loss-submission-form/?id=32070&from=4
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for shareholders who purchased Kohl's between October 20, 2020 and May 19, 2022.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until November 1, 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, Kohl's Corporation issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Kohl's new strategic framework to "drive top-line growth," "expand operating margin," and become "the most trusted retailer of choice for the active and casual lifestyle" (the "Strategic Plan") was not well tailored to achieving the Company's stated goals; (ii) the defendants had likewise overstated the Company's success in executing its Strategic Plan; (iii) Kohl's had deficient disclosure controls and procedures, internal control over financial reporting, and corporate governance mechanisms; (iv) as a result, the Company's board of directors was able to and did withhold material information from shareholders about the state of Kohl's in the lead-up to the Company's annual meeting; (v) all the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to have a material negative impact on Kohl's financial condition and reputation; and (vi) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
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
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | 2022-09-23T10:42:40+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/23/kss-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-kohls-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-1-2022/ |
WFO SACRAMENTO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, December 29, 2022
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WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
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302 PM PST Wed Dec 28 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS
EVENING TO 10 PM PST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 13 inches
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above 3000 feet.
* WHERE...Northern Shasta County Mountains to Northwestern Glenn
County Mountains.
* WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Thursday.
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* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult with delays.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can
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...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM THURSDAY
TO 4 AM PST FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches
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above 4500 feet with 8 to 12 inches above 6500 feet. Winds
gusting as high as 40 mph.
* WHERE...Western Plumas County/Lassen Park and West Slope
Northern Sierra Nevada Counties, including Interstate 80 over
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Donner Pass, Highway 50 over Echo Summit and Highway 88 over
Carson Pass.
* WHEN...From 4 AM Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow levels will be rising above the higher
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pass levels early Friday, but travel conditions will likely
remain difficult through the passes.
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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-12-29T00:01:10+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SACRAMENTO-Warnings-Watches-and-17682095.php |
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – The Zuckerberg General Hospital held a monkeypox vaccine clinic on Tuesday, the San Francisco Department of Public Health announced in a tweet. The hospital administered 478 vaccines.
The Department of Public Health announced on Monday that the clinic will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday. The clinic is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On Tuesday, they were able to administer all appointments and walk-ins.
KRON On is streaming news live now
According to the tweet from the Department of Public Health, the city is expecting more vaccine doses. They stated that they will continue to keep the public updated with more information on clinic dates and additional doses. | 2022-08-17T04:04:25+00:00 | kron4.com | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/monkeypox-vaccine-clinic-in-san-francisco-general-hospital/ |
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian court on Thursday sentenced four journalists at country’s largest independent news agency to lengthy prison terms on charges widely seen as politically motivated.
Four reporters of the BelaPAN news agency were handed prison terms ranging from four to 14 years in prison, and the charges against them included treason and forming an extremist group, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
Belarusian authorities outlawed BelaPAN as extremist in August 2021. The news agency, founded in 1991, extensively covered the months-long protests that erupted in Belarus after election officials handed President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term after the 2020 presidential election that the West denounced as rigged.
The four journalists stood trial behind closed doors in the Minsk regional court. They have been in custody for over a year.
Andrei Aliaksandrau was sentenced to 14 years, while his wife Iryna Zlobina was handed nine years for collecting donations to help arrested fellow journalists pay their fines. The two were convicted of multiple charges, including violating public order and treason.
Dzmitry Navazhylau was sentenced to six years, and BelaPAN’s editor in chief Iryna Leushyna was handed four years on the charge of forming and running an extremist group.
“Huge prison terms in the BelaPAN case were nothing less than revenge to the outlet’s staff for their honest work and position,” the Belarusian Association of Journalists said Thursday.
Belaruss authorities cracked down hard on the demonstrations, the largest of which drew up to 200,000 people, arresting and beating thousands of people. More than 35,000 people were detained.
“For the first time, journalists had to work in body armor, because rubber bullets were fired at them and stun grenades were thrown at them,” Leushyna said in her closing statement, released by defense lawyers. “I consider myself innocent and am proud of the fact that for so many years I worked in a such a great team of journalists and was their editor in chief.”
Independent journalists were the first to face the government’s crackdown. Many were either arrested by the security service or fled the country. More than 30 reporters are currently behind bars, either awaiting trial or serving their sentences.
“The BelaPAN case is politically motivated, journalists of the outlet absolutely lawfully fulfilled their duties and up until the very moment of their arrest remained an example of the high standard of Belarusian journalism,” the Belarusian Association of Journalists said.
Lukashenko has managed to hold on to power despite Western sanctions, relying on the support of Moscow, Belarus’ main ally and sponsor. The Kremlin used Belarusian territory to launch its invasion in February into Ukraine.
However, the sanctions delivered a crippling blow to the Belarusian economy, and inflation rates in the country have spiked.
Lukashenko on Thursday told a government meeting that during the first eight months of this year, inflation rate in Belarus has exceeded 13% and will reach 19% by the end of the year. That is twice as high as last year’s inflation rate of 9.97%.
The president scolded the government for the spike in prices and banned raising them effective immediately.
“Forbidden! From today! Not from tomorrow, but from today. So that prices don’t go up overnight,” Lukashenko said. “Prices have hit the ceiling! You can’t raise prices any further.”
The Russian government on Thursday reported allocating a $1.5 billion loan for Belarus. The country will receive another $1.5 billion from the Russian-controlled Eurasian Development Bank. | 2022-10-06T21:05:47+00:00 | mytwintiers.com | https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/world-news/ap-international/ap-belarus-hands-4-independent-journalists-lengthy-prison-terms/ |
SAN DIEGO, Calif., June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Greenbutts, LLC (the "Company" or "Greenbutts") is pleased to announce the appointment of Luis Sanches as the Company's Chief Strategy Officer effective immediately.
Luis is a Senior Corporate Executive with more than 30 years of international, cross functional and cross-cultural experience responsible for managing business teams, supporting growth, and leading transformations across multiple geographies such as Australasia, North and South America, and Europe.
He was previously the Senior Vice President of R&D for Reynolds American Inc., an American tobacco company and subsidiary of British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI); the second-largest tobacco company in the United States that generated north of $35 billion revenue for 2021. His corporate tenure under British American Tobacco spanned 31 years in total, including the position of Group Head of Product Development in the United Kingdom and Vice President of Kentucky BioProcessing KBP - a world leader in developing and employing cGMP processes to manufacture recombinant proteins using novel plant-based technology. He successfully led the development of novelty scientific knowledge and multi-category consumer lead product innovations.
"Never before in history have industry and humanity at large shared such a commitment to understand and urgently address matters that negatively impact the sustainability of our planet and, ultimately, our lives. Greenbutts is pioneering solutions that will allow business partners to focus on their growth strategy and deliver their product innovation pipeline while materially advancing their ESG agendas," said Mr. Sanches. "I am proud to join the Greenbutts team and am committed with them "to give every fiber of our being" to offering meaningful sustainable solutions to our partners." Sanches continued.
"We are delighted to have an executive of Mr. Sanches' calibre and industry presence, knowledge, and experience join our already accomplished team," said Tadas Lisauskas, Founder and CEO of Greenbutts.
"For the past 11 years, Greenbutts™️ has been focused on developing a viable alternative to cellulose acetate filters for the global cigarette industry, through extensive R&D and cross-continental partners. While we have had much success in achieving this goal; patenting our technology, continuously adding intellectual property to our portfolio, and validating business cases on a global stage, the addition of Luis Sanches to the team is an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the global cigarette industry and assist in their efforts to make the inevitable transition to a zero-plastic alternative as seamless as possible," added Tadas.
Luis will oversee the company's global expansion strategy regarding material and filter production in every region which Greenbutts serves customers. In addition, Mr. Sanches will work on optimizing our filter manufacturing process to meet the regulatory needs and specifications of each of our customers.
Mr. Sanches' expertise of the industry along with his long-standing relationships he has built during his three decades in big tobacco will assist Greenbutts in developing these markets and supporting ESG commitments of global tobacco partners.
About Greenbutts™️
Since 2010, Greenbutts has worked with R&D institutions, international tobacco companies, and industry experts to develop biodegradable filter technology – trademarked as a "Greenbutt". The Company has developed and patented a "zero-plastic" filter, made without any synthetic materials or plasticizers, 100% biodegradable and water dispersing which meets certain industry criteria. The proprietary Greenbutts filter is designed to reduce the significant environmental impact caused by plastic cigarette filter pollution. Over 6 trillion are discarded every year making single-use filters the most littered plastic item in the world. With over a decade of R&D and strong intellectual property, Greenbutts offers the $1 Trillion global tobacco industry a seamless transition to zero-plastic filters while meeting the new global single-use plastic (SUP) legislation initiatives.
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Statements containing the words "believe", "expect", "intend", "should", "seek", "anticipate", "will", "positioned", "project", "risk", "plan", "may", "could", "estimate", or, in each case, their negative and words of similar meaning, are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this release, which includes but is not limited to, trends in the disposable cigarette butts industry and market, including any potential future growth thereof, Greenbutts' plans for research and development and any potential commercialization of products, any potential results from clinical studies that may be undertaken by Greenbutts, any statements as to the efficacy of products that Greenbutts may develop, any future submission by Greenbutts of regulatory approval applications, any future receipt by Greenbutts of regulatory approval for any products that it may develop, any future receipt by Greenbutts of patents that have been applied for or may be applied for in respect of its technologies, the success of Greenbutts' existing and future business strategies and objectives and implementation, including any resulting benefits to Greenbutts' operations or financial and non-financial performance as a result of such strategies and objectives and implementation, completion of financing, and the use of proceeds of a financing, is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties included but are not limited to, risks related to completion of a financing; dilutive effect of an offering and future offerings; competition from other competitor companies; violations of laws and regulations could result in repercussions; regulatory or political change; requirement of commercial scale and quality manufactured product supply; negative operating cash flow and going concern; limited operating history; requirement for additional capital to continue to develop business and realize on objectives; lack of product revenue; unfavourable publicity or consumer perception; reliance on the capabilities and experience of key executives and management; risk of product liability claims; COVID-19; litigation; conflicts of interest; ability to protect intellectual property; changes in patent law; requirement to share intellectual property to service providers; general economic, market and business conditions; and other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome of the plans and events described herein. In addition, even if the outcome of the plans and events described herein are consistent with the forward-looking information contained in this release, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods. Forward-looking information contained in this release is based on the beliefs and expectations of Greenbutts' management, which Greenbutts believes are reasonable as of the current date, and are subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Greenbutts and actual future results may differ materially from current expectations. Except as required by applicable law, Greenbutts assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this release to reflect new events or circumstances.
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SOURCE GreenButts | 2022-06-22T20:10:15+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/greenbutts-apppoints-former-big-tobacco-executive-chief-strategy-officer/ |
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The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. | 2023-06-01T16:41:48+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/player/11026/chris-hunsucker |
In this December 10, 1947, file photo, Notre Dame quarterback Johnny Lujack, left, receives the Heisman Memorial Trophy from Wilbur Jurden, president of the Downtown Athletic Club in New York.
Johnny Lujack was one of the faces of Notre Dame's golden age, the second of three Irish players to win the Heisman Trophy in the 1940s and the quarterback of three national championship teams.
"Even by Notre Dame standards, you always felt he was larger than life," said John Heisler, who has written a dozen books on the history of the storied program where he was once was an associate athletic director. "Part of that comes with winning the Heisman Trophy, part comes from being a quarterback at Notre Dame and part comes from the sheer force of his personality."
Lujack died at age 98 in Naples, Florida, on Tuesday following a brief illness. His granddaughter, Amy Schiller, said he had recently entered hospice care after having been in good health until a couple of weeks ago.
"He was not only a legend in Notre Dame football and the sports world," Schiller said, "he was a legend as a father and grandfather and great grandfather."
Lujack is considered one of the greatest Notre Dame players of all time. He was a two-time unanimous All-American who won the Heisman in 1947 and led the Irish to national titles in 1943, 1946 and 1947. He also lettered in baseball, basketball and track.
Lujack was ahead of his time as a passer and posted a 20-1-1 record as starting quarterback for coach Frank Leahy. The native of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, played for the Irish in 1942 and '43, served two years in the Navy during World War II, and returned to Notre Dame for the 1946 and '47 seasons.
He was The Associated Press athlete of the year in 1947, when he was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears. He played four seasons for the Bears, leading the team in scoring each year before retiring at age 26.
While Lujack had plenty of offensive highlights at Notre Dame, he is best remembered for a play he made as a defensive back in an era when players stayed on the field for nearly every play.
A standing-room-only crowd of about 75,000 packed Yankee Stadium in 1946 to see No. 1 Army — the two-time defending national champions — face then-rival Notre Dame, which was ranked No. 2. Lujack made the game-saving tackle against Doc Blanchard in a 0-0 tie in what is frequently referred to as the game of the century.
With the ball at the Army 44, Blanchard broke through the line and had open field down the left sideline before Lujack came from the other side to make a diving, shoestring tackle at the Irish 36.
"Understanding that people were playing both ways in that period, in some ways it's ironic a guy who was a quarterback, and a great one, is remembered for that one play," Heisler said.
Lujack downplayed the tackle of Blanchard, who won the Heisman in 1945.
"You were back there," Lujack said. "You were supposed to make the tackle."
Lujack finished third in Heisman voting in 1946 before he won the award as the college game's outstanding player the next year, when he led the Irish to a 9-0 record and their second straight title.
Lujack intercepted eight passes as a rookie with the Bears and in 1949 he threw for 468 yards and six touchdowns in a 52-21 win over the Chicago Cardinals. He played in the Pro Bowl his final two seasons before retiring. He later owned a car dealership in Davenport, Iowa.
Lujack maintained strong ties to his alma mater. Though he spent much of his post-football life in Iowa, California and Florida, it was not uncommon for him to show up in South Bend for games and other functions. He still held eight season tickets as of last season.
When he lived in Indian Wells, California, Notre Dame's glee club flew out to sing for him on his 90th birthday, a moment that moved his late wife, Pat, to tears.
"He epitomizes what it means to be a Notre Dame man — family man, generous, kind," said Beth Hunter, a senior associate athletic director who came to know Lujack during her time as executive director of the school's Monogram Club.
Lujack was an avid golfer who recorded eight holes-in-one and continued to ride around courses on his cart long after he quit playing. He liked to tell people about the time he spilled a milkshake on his most famous golf partner — former President Gerald Ford.
"He was a celebrity and enjoyed it, very comfortable in his own skin," Heisler said.
Heisler said it would be difficult to rank Lujack among greatest Notre Dame quarterbacks, let alone college quarterbacks.
"Those post-war years, and not just at Notre Dame but particularly at Notre Dame, there were unbelievably talented teams," Heisler said. "If you were successful during the 1940s, you had to be pretty darned good because there were so many other great players you were rubbing elbows with. He was one of them."
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Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more. | 2023-07-26T00:02:44+00:00 | wyomingnews.com | https://www.wyomingnews.com/johnny-lujack-1947-heisman-winner-dies-at-the-age-of-98/article_a1bdcafe-2b34-11ee-8e1c-6b9dacefd83d.html |
Top Player Prop Bets for Heat vs. Celtics Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 on May 23, 2023
Published: May. 23, 2023 at 9:20 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
Player prop bet options for Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum and others are available when the Miami Heat host the Boston Celtics at FTX Arena on Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET.
Bet on this matchup or its props with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Heat vs. Celtics Game Info
- Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
- Time: 8:30 PM ET
- How to Watch on TV: TNT
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Venue: FTX Arena
NBA Props Today: Miami Heat
Bam Adebayo Props
- The 17.5 points prop total set for Adebayo on Tuesday is 2.9 fewer points than his season scoring average (20.4).
- Adebayo's per-game rebound average -- 9.2 -- is 0.3 less than his prop bet over/under in Tuesday's game (9.5).
- Adebayo has averaged 3.2 assists per game this year, 0.3 less than his prop bet on Tuesday (3.5).
Check out the latest odds and place your bets on player props with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Jimmy Butler Props
- The 27.5-point prop bet set for Jimmy Butler on Tuesday is 4.6 higher than his scoring average on the season.
- He averages 1.6 less rebounds than his prop bet Tuesday of 7.5.
- Butler's assists average -- 5.3 -- is 0.2 lower than Tuesday's prop bet.
- His 0.6 made three-pointers average is 0.1 higher than his prop bet on Tuesday.
Max Strus Props
- The 11.5 points Max Strus scores per game match his over/under on Tuesday.
- Strus' rebounding average -- 3.2 -- is 0.3 lower than his over/under on Tuesday.
- Strus averages 2.1 assists, 1.6 more than his over/under for Tuesday.
- Strus averages the same number of three-pointers as his over/under on Tuesday (2.5).
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NBA Props Today: Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum Props
- Tatum is averaging 30.1 points during the 2022-23 season, 0.6 higher than Tuesday's prop total.
- Tatum's rebounding average -- 8.8 -- is 1.7 lower than his over/under on Tuesday.
- Tatum averages 4.6 assists, 0.1 more than Tuesday's over/under.
- Tatum's 3.2 three-pointers made per game is 0.7 more than his over/under on Tuesday.
Put your picks to the test and bet on Heat vs. Celtics player props with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Jaylen Brown Props
- Jaylen Brown's 26.6 points per game average is 3.1 points higher than Tuesday's over/under.
- Brown has averaged 0.4 more rebounds per game (6.9) than his prop bet total in Tuesday's game (6.5).
- Brown's season-long assist average -- 3.5 per game -- is the exact same as Tuesday's assist over/under.
- Brown's 2.4 made three-pointers per game is 0.1 less than his over/under in Tuesday's game (2.5).
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-23T14:43:21+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/sports/betting/2023/05/23/heat-vs-celtics-eastern-conference-finals-game-4-player-prop-bets/ |
WASHINGTON — During the funeral services for Queen Elizabeth II Monday, several members of the royal family will don formal military uniforms to pay their respects.
Members of the royal family who are granted titles and duties on behalf of the crown are permitted to wear their military uniforms during ceremonial events, such as state funerals.
For some who served in the military, such as newly coronated King Charles III, the uniform is a traditional choice.
But other family members will still wear military uniforms and medals despite never having served, or despite having been stripped of military titles. Here's why.
King Charles III
The king has worn his formal military garb to many of the events remembering his mother, and will wear the full regalia to her wake and funeral.
Charles served in the Royal Air Force and, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and two great-grandfathers, in the Royal Navy.
In the Air Force, Charles was trained as a jet pilot. He gave up flying after a crash landing in 1994, for which the crew of the aircraft was found to be negligent by an internal review.
In the Navy, Charles served on a missile destroyer and several frigates before taking command of a coastal minehunter in 1976, less than a year before leaving the military.
As king, Charles is able to bestow and remove privileges to other royals, including the right to wear military uniforms.
Princess Anne
Princess Anne was seen at events throughout the week leading up to the funeral in a Royal Navy ceremonial uniform.
She has never served in the Royal Navy, nor any other branch of the British armed forces. But like many royals, she holds a number of honorary military titles.
Anne was made a Rear Admiral in 1993 and was promoted to Vice Admiral in 2009 before becoming an Admiral in 2012. So, although symbolic, she does hold a rank in the UK's Navy.
She is also a General in the British Army and an Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force, and has a number of other titles across the British Commonwealth.
Prince Andrew
The Duke of York is perhaps the most controversial member of the Royal Family to put on a uniform for his mother's services.
Earlier this year, he was stripped of his military patronages and titles by the queen after being accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuggre, who also accused Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew's association with Epstein, a sex trafficker reportedly providing services to the wealthy and powerful, caused an outrage when it came to light.
He denied Giuffre's sexual assault claim in the U.S., but settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot and instructor and as the captain of a warship.
Despite having his military titles revoked and no longer being a "working royal," his brother, King Charles, has given him permission to wear the uniform during the queen's vigil, although he will wear civilian clothes to the funeral itself.
Prince Edward
Similar to Anne, Edward has also been spotted in a military uniform to several of the events honoring his mother in the week leading up to her funeral despite never having served.
In 1986, Edward joined the Royal Marines after leaving university, but dropped out of the program four months later. Despite this, he still holds a number of military honors, including the title of Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
He is also a Royal Honorary Colonel of the London Regiment, Royal Colonel of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, and an Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Waddington.
Many in the UK criticized his numerous medals on display because he dropped out of the 12-month basic training program.
Prince Harry
Harry and his wife, Megan Markle, stepped down as senior members of the royal family in 2020 and moved to Southern California. Because he renounced his role as a working royal under the crown, Harry subsequently lost all of his military titles and the right to wear a military uniform to any services honoring the queen.
Quickly after news of the queen's death, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duke of Sussex would not be allowed to wear a military uniform, despite being one of the only living members of the royal family to have seen active duty.
At the time, it was also announced that Prince Andrew would be allowed, even though he too had no royal military titles.
But by Thursday before the funeral, palace officials appeared to have changed their minds.
According to reports from British media outlets, Harry will be allowed to wear his military uniform to at a final vigil. On Saturday evening, Harry will reportedly join seven other grandchildren, including his brother Prince Williams, to stand in silence for 15 minutes by the queen's coffin.
However, similarly to Andrew, he will not be allowed to wear one to the funeral itself, because military attire then is reserved for working members of the royal family. | 2022-09-19T10:53:39+00:00 | wgrz.com | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/nation-world/royal-military-uniforms/507-66368c2c-a917-49ba-bbbd-0ffae31f7a98 |
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