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VIDEO: Man arrested after child escapes attempted kidnapping, police say
ORLANDO, Fla. (Gray News) – A man in Florida was arrested Tuesday after attempting to kidnap a child, police said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that 37-year-old Vinh Nguyen approached and grabbed a child Monday morning in the Azalea Park neighborhood in Orlando and tried to lure the child into his vehicle.
The sheriff’s office said the child was able to get away and Nguyen took off. Following a tip from the public, detectives arrested Nguyen on Tuesday morning.
Nguyen has been charged with false imprisonment, luring or enticing of a child, and battery.
Detectives are continuing to investigate and want to know if there may be other victims of Nguyen. If you have any information, please call the Central Florida Crime Line at 1-800-423-8477.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/video-man-arrested-after-child-escapes-attempted-kidnapping-police-say/ | 2022-04-12T18:22:51 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/12/video-man-arrested-after-child-escapes-attempted-kidnapping-police-say/ |
Northwest Louisiana students recognized for STEM accomplishments
BRF STEM education program participants recently received recognition for their achievements.
This year's Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) and Biotechnology Magnet Academy participants competed and placed in the Louisiana Region 1 Science and Engineering Fair.
Both programs are part of BRF’s EdVentures education initiative to build the region’s science and technology workforce.
The SMART program, launched in 1997, is a yearlong research experience for 12 academically advanced high school seniors from Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto parishes.
The students work alongside investigators at LSU Health Shreveport on research studies.
SMART students have a career interest in medicine, biomedical research or biomedical engineering. The program is a partnership among BRF; LSU Health Shreveport; and the Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto Parish School Boards.
More:BRF annual meeting celebrates regional economic growth.
SMART student winners
Division C High School Biomedical and Health Sciences Category
1st Place - Caroline Henry, Loyola College Prep
2nd Place - Milena Murov, Caddo Magnet High School
3rd Place - Sai Kanchan Javalkar
Caddo Magnet High School Division C High School Cellular and Molecular Biology Category
1st Place - Elijah Burks, Caddo Magnet High School
2nd Place - Karaline Simpson, Captain Shreve High School
Division C High School Physics and Astronomy Category
1st Place - Ashini Modi, Caddo Magnet High School
Modi is the Division C High School Overall Winner for her project completed outside of the SMART program, which is titled “Modeling the Atmospheric Evolution of Exoplanets in the Habitable Zone of M-dwarfs”.
Modi also won Division C Special Awards: American Materials Association; NASA; and Yale.
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/education/2022/04/12/northwest-louisiana-students-recognized-stem-accomplishments/7282261001/ | 2022-04-12T18:23:07 | 0 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/education/2022/04/12/northwest-louisiana-students-recognized-stem-accomplishments/7282261001/ |
Suspects in connection with Margaritaville parking lot robbery hospitalized after accident
An armed robbery at a Louisiana casino led to a car accident that left the suspects with life-threatening injuries.
On April 7, Bossier City Police Department received a call around 9:30 p.m. to the parking lot of Margaritaville Casino.
Upon arrival, officers located a victim that reportedhe was followed to his vehicle by two males and was robbed of $50 to $75 in cash. He claimed one of the men had a handgun.
The victim said a white Chevy Tahoe with two females pulled up and the males got in and fled the scene.
More:Cat stands guard at Shreveport crime scene
During the investigation, Bossier City Police’s Violent Crimes detectives learned that the suspected vehicle was involved in a major accident in Ruston, Louisiana.
The four occupants of the vehicle were transported to Ochsner LSU Health with life threatening injuries.
Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2022/04/12/suspects-arrested-connection-margaritaville-parking-lot-robbery/7288709001/ | 2022-04-12T18:23:13 | 0 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2022/04/12/suspects-arrested-connection-margaritaville-parking-lot-robbery/7288709001/ |
Alabama elementary school principal accused of ‘excessive paddling’ of student
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF/Gray News) - An Alabama elementary school principal is on leave for paddling a child too much according to authorities.
In a letter obtained by WAFF from the district’s attorney, the principal of Hazelwood Elementary in Lawrence County, Alabama, is accused of using a wooden paddle on a child ten times in a row.
Corporal punishment is legal in the state of Alabama, meaning using paddling as a form of punishment is allowed. But there is a line, which Lawrence County Schools Superintendent Jon Bret Smith says was crossed.
A letter sent to Hazelwood Principal Dr. Datie Priest accuses her of paddling a third-grade student ten times in a row one time and five times in a row during a separate incident.
According to WAFF’s news partners at the Decatur Daily, Smith has said no more than three licks at a time is allowed.
The letter goes on to say Priest told Lawrence County School board members about the paddling on March 11.
She was then placed on detached duty.
Smith says Priest later told him and another supervisor that the child was given a choice of “two licks by his teacher or ten by me and it’s my personal belief that he would not take a paddling from a white teacher.”
Vice president for the Alabama NAACP Bobby Diggs said the organization recommended Priest for the principal position and stands by her, despite the accusations.
“The NAACP remains perplexed that the accusations against Priest were in her personnel file but accusations against Ron Rikard (principal at East Lawrence High School) were not in his file at the central office,” said Diggs. “It is in our opinion that the superintendent is being bias{ed} and discriminatory in the treatment of the two principals.”
Smith said he cannot comment on personnel issues.
State law also requires a student receive a written slip after a paddling. Smith said the student was not given one. The letter includes a few other accusations including leaving work early and mismanaging funds.
Priest is currently on paid administrative leave. However, the school district may not renew her contract, according to the Decatur Daily.
Copyright 2022 WAFF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/alabama-elementary-school-principal-accused-excessive-paddling-student/ | 2022-04-12T18:24:40 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/alabama-elementary-school-principal-accused-excessive-paddling-student/ |
A 21-year-old man told police that he had drank alcohol and used marijuana and cocaine before crashing his Lexus in Burnsville Saturday morning, killing a 16-year-old girl and severely injuring a 15-year-old girl — both of whom were passengers, according to criminal charges filed Tuesday.
Alejandro Jesus Saavedra of Farmington has been charged in Dakota County District Court with felony criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm in connection with the crash that killed Sydney Nicole Kohner, of Rosemount, and injured Carmen Marie Braun, also of Rosemount.
Braun’s injuries include bleeding and swelling in her brain and a fractured vertebrae, femur, tibia and fibula, according to charges against Saavedra.
Saavedra appeared before a judge Tuesday and remained jailed in lieu of $250,000 bail.
According to the criminal complaint:
Police were called to a noise complaint at the Best Western Premier Nicollet Inn at 14201 Nicollet Ave. just after 6 a.m. While driving through the parking lot, an officer saw a male and two younger females running through the parking lot, but then lost sight of them.
An officer saw a parked white Lexus with headlights and taillights on and the driver leaned back in his seat appearing to attempt to avoid detection. When the officer parked his squad and turned off its headlights, the driver of the Lexus quickly backed out and accelerated at a high rate of speed out of the parking lot.
The driver headed west on Fairview Drive without slowing down for an intersection, then and ran red lights along Nicollet Avenue. It then took a sharp right turn off Nicollet Avenue onto Grand Avenue at a high rate of speed, striking at least one curb. An officer saw a tire dislodge from the car and roll onto the roadway. The officer attempted to catch up with the Lexus, but was not able to do so due to the increasing speed of the Lexus, according to charges.
The officer ultimately lost sight of the Lexus as it accelerated north on Grand Avenue. Dispatch alerted other officers in an attempt to locate the car — and they soon did off the roadway on the south side of a post office parking ramp. It appeared to have missed the turn, continuing straight off the roadway.
The engine compartment and engine block was split in half. Airbags in the front and rear passenger compartments had been deployed. “The destruction caused to the vehicle appeared consistent with a high speed impact into the concrete pillar of the parking ramp,” the complaint read.
Saavedra was pinned in the driver’s seat and injured, but conscious and alert. Kohner and Braun were lying in the backseat unconscious. Kohner died at the scene from her injuries. Braun was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center.
First responders had to extract Saavedra from his seat. Once in an ambulance, an officer smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from Saavedra, the complaint alleges, and he told paramedics he used alcohol and marijuana before driving.
A sample of Saavedra’s blood was taken and sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for further testing. After being released from the hospital, Saavedra was arrested and booked into the Dakota County Jail.
Investigators learned Saavedra had rented two hotel rooms where the noise disturbance originated. In the hotel rooms, investigators found alcohol, controlled substances and drug paraphernalia, according to the complaint.
The officer who saw three people running in the parking lot confirmed they were the same ones involved in the fatal crash.
A witness told investigators that he saw a white car driving erratically and at a high rate of speed northbound on Grand Avenue. It then hit something, which caused the wheel to come off.
In an interview with investigators, Saavedra said he purchased the alcohol for a party in the hotel room and that he used alcohol and cocaine at the hotel, according to the complaint. He said he saw police cars in the hotel parking lot and attempted to avoid officers by leaving the hotel.
Saavedra has a history of trouble while behind the wheel in Dakota County. He was convicted of drunken driving in April 2018, speeding in May 2018, auto theft in April 2019 and fleeing police in a motor vehicle in July 2019. For the latest offense, Saavedra was given a one-year stayed jail sentence and a year probation. | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/charges-driver-admitted-to-using-cocaine-pot-and-drinking-before-burnsville-crash-that-killed-teen-injured-another/ | 2022-04-12T18:24:44 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/charges-driver-admitted-to-using-cocaine-pot-and-drinking-before-burnsville-crash-that-killed-teen-injured-another/ |
Dairy Queen is getting ready for summer earlier than ever with a brand new drink made for sipping poolside on a hot day.
The new Poolside Punch Twisty Misty Slush features ice-cold layers of blue raspberry and pink punch flavors twisted together, which DQ says tastes like summer in a cup and can transport you to a tropical cabana or poolside resort regardless of where you’ll be spending your summer.
Dairy Queen doesn’t say how long the new drink will be on the menu, but it’s safe to say it will be sticking around at least into the summer.
The Poolside Punch Twisty Misty Slush looks like any other slushy, but is definitely the most colorful one we’ve ever seen!
TikTok account @dairy_queen_ma posted a video showing how this Misty is made, with a fruity punch flavor going in first, followed by misty slush, then blue raspberry flavor and even more slush. It is then mixed together, which creates a blend of red, blue and purple.
@dairy_queen_ma NEW Poolside Punch Twisty Misty #dairyqueen #dq #dqtreats #twistymisty #DeserveADrPepperDuet #OscarsAtHome #WomenOwnedBusiness #foodtok #fyp #SeeHerGreatness
While the Poolside Punch Twisty Misty Slush is clearly made for summer, it’s actually on Dairy Queen’s new spring menu, which also includes a S’mores Shake and new dipped cone flavor.
The S’mores Shake is made with marshmallow, graham and chocolatey shavings blended with DQ’s vanilla soft serve, while the new Fruity Blast Dipped Cone is a creamy vanilla soft-serve cone dipped in a light purple coating that’s flavored like fruity cereal.
While they’re obviously known for their desserts, DQ also has a pretty extensive food menu, including a new line of burgers to pair with your ice cream treats this summer.
The new Signature Stackburgers come in five flavor varieties as one-third pound doubles and one-half pound triples. Along with a cheeseburger, the Two Cheese Deluxe and Bacon Two Cheese Deluxe, the menu also includes a Loaded A.1. with A.1. steak sauce, creamy peppercorn sauce, thick-cut Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese and onion rings, and the FlameThrower, which has fiery FlameThrower sauce, pepper jack cheese, jalapeno bacon, tomato and lettuce.
Which new DQ treat are you most excited to try this spring and summer?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.wrtv.com/dairy-queens-new-poolside-punch-summery-treat | 2022-04-12T18:24:50 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/dairy-queens-new-poolside-punch-summery-treat |
The Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies went into Tuesday aware that they would know their opening-round postseason opponent by the end of the day.
Such is the life of an NBA No. 2 playoff seed.
For the Miami Heat, No. 1 in the Eastern Conference ahead of Boston, and the Phoenix Suns, No. 1 in the West ahead of Memphis, the wait will continue until Friday night.
Such is the case when the entire play-in round has to completed in order to produce the No. 8 seeds from the pool of four play-in teams in each conference.
To Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, it is part of the tradeoff for homecourt advantage throughout the conference playoffs.
“That’s the whole point of a regular season,” Spoelstra said, “you don’t need to live in fear or panic.”
With the Heat to open the best-of-seven first round on Sunday at FTX Arena, it means only Saturday’s practice will come with knowledge of their initial postseason opponent.
No matter, Spoelstra said,
“We’ll ramp it up middle of the week,” he said, “and we’ll just make sure we’re working on our habits, our rhythm.
“And then when we finally get the nod of who we’re playing, we’ll dial into the details of our specific opponent.”
Guard Duncan Robinson said there is plenty to be said about instead turning inward, including during Wednesday’s practice at FTX Arena.
“The emphasis will be on us, just getting better,” he said. “At the end of the day, on Sunday you just got to be ready to win one game, and we feel like with these five days we can find a way to do that.
“And from there, the adjustments will ensue, and we’ll figure out how to get game two from there.”
This is the first time the Heat have held homecourt advantage in any round since the 2016 first round that they took 4-3 from the Charlotte Hornets.
Among concerns for the Heat this week is the calf strain that had starting power forward P.J. Tucker out the final two games of the regular season, the ankle sprain that had backup center Dewayne Dedmon out for three of the season’s final four games, and the entrance Sunday by starting center Bam Adebayo into NBA health-and-safety protocols.
By rule, the Heat do not have to post an injury report until 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Trophy time
Although unaware at the time, the Heat won the Earl Lloyd Trophy for winning the Southeast Division.
While the NBA has devalued divisions to the degree that even winning one does not guarantee a playoff berth, the league announced this week that each division now will have its own trophy.
Each trophy honors an African-American pioneer, the NBA said to “celebrate the teams’ season success and honor the pioneers who helped pave the way for the NBA players that have followed.”
Lloyd was the first African-American to play a game in the NBA, a career that included nine seasons split between the Washington Capitols, Syracuse Nationals and Detroit Pistons, winning an NBA title in 1955.
Other divisional trophies honor Nat Clifton (Atlantic), Wayne Embry (Central), Willis Reed (Southwest), Sam Jones (Northwest) and Chuck Cooper (Pacific).
The Heat do not hang individual banner for division titles, with such finishes grouped together in a series of banners. The team hangs separate banners for conference and NBA championships.
The Heat have won 15 divisional titles in their 34 seasons.
Toeing the line
The Heat closed at .808 from the foul line, the highest single-season percentage in team history. That included Jimmy Butler shooting a team-best and career-high .870, the third-highest single-season percentage in franchise’s 34 seasons, behind only Ray Allen’s .886 in 2012-13 and Glen Rice’s .880 in 1993-94 . . .
The Heat not only took a league-high 111 charges this season, but blew away the 64 of the runner-up Houston Rockets. The previous high since the NBA began tracking charges in 2010-11 was the 107 of the Phoenix Suns in in 201-11 . . .
The Heat finished the regular season 29-2 when shooting at least 40 percent on 3-pointers and 22-1 when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/heat-playing-nba-playoff-waiting-game-without-fear-or-panic/ | 2022-04-12T18:24:50 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/heat-playing-nba-playoff-waiting-game-without-fear-or-panic/ |
FIRST ALERT FORECAST: One more windy day!
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Red Flag Warning is active through tonight as strong, gusty winds and low relative humidity bring a high fire danger rating. Today is First Alert Action Days given all of the advisories we have for wind, dust and fire concerns. Gusty west-southwest wind will become westerly Tuesday. The front will pass through Arizona bringing high temperatures down to nearly 10 degrees below average readings for this time year tomorrow and Wednesday. Highs in the low 70s. Late-season freeze is possible wednesday morning for valleys east of Tucson.
TUESDAY: Sunny with highs in the mid 70s. Windy.
TONIGHT: Clear skies with temps in the low 40s.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny with a highs in the low 70s.
THURSDAY: Partly sunny with highs in the low 80s.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 80s. Breezy.
SATURDAY: Partly sunny with highs in the low 90s. Breezy.
SUNDAY: Partly sunny with highs in the low 90s.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny with highs in the mid 90s.
Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/first-alert-forecast-one-more-windy-day/ | 2022-04-12T18:24:46 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/first-alert-forecast-one-more-windy-day/ |
HENDRICKS COUNTY — Terry Judy says he will remain a candidate for sheriff following his arrest over the weekend.
Danville Police arrested Judy on April 10 on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, Detective Nate Lien told WRTV.
In a new statement Tuesday, Judy said he made the decision after consulting with family and friends.
"While I make no excuses for what happened last weekend, I am heartened and humbled by the outpouring of kindness and support from the Hendricks County community," the statement said.
On Monday, Judy apologized "for using poor judgement" and said he made no excuses for his actions.
As of noon Tuesday, no formal charges had been filed, according to online court records.
According to the state, Judy is running against Dave Galloway and Jack Sadler for the office of sheriff. All three are Republicans. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/hendricks-county/terry-judy-says-hes-staying-a-candidate-for-hendricks-county-sheriff-after-arrest | 2022-04-12T18:24:56 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/hendricks-county/terry-judy-says-hes-staying-a-candidate-for-hendricks-county-sheriff-after-arrest |
It was a surreal scene outside of the Nets practice facility Tuesday morning, just a half-mile from where a gunman opened fire on a crowded N train in Brooklyn.
Helicopters buzzed around Sunset Park, searching for the runaway gunman who tossed smoke bombs, leaving behind several undetonated, and left at least 16 people injured.
An employee in the lobby of the HSS Training Center was quizzing the guard about the building’s security measures, asking why the front door wasn’t locked and saying she needs to relay information to anxious co-workers.
“Is this glass bullet-proof,” the woman asked.
The proximity wasn’t lost on the members of the Nets, who were preparing for Tuesday night’s play-in game against the Cavaliers. The train the attack occurred on stopped at the 36th Street station in Sunset Park, and when the doors opened, wounded passengers collapsed onto the platform, others ran from the train car. That subway station is the closest to the Nets’ training facility.
Most of the players heard about the attack while commuting to the morning shootaround or after arriving.
“It’s really close,” guard Goran Dragic said. “It’s kind of scary of how close. I’ve already been in the subway a couple times, but now I have my doubts.”
Coach Steve Nash said there was no consideration to cancel the shootaround because the team had already gathered.
“We didn’t know any details, really,” Nash said. “They were just like, ‘There’s something going on out there.’ That’s all we knew. I’m still not even sure exactly what’s happened. When we got some information, we were kind of already underway.”
The gunman, who was wearing a gas mask and construction vest, opened fire on unsuspecting N train straphangers just before 8:30 a.m., Daily News law enforcement sources said. He was still at large as the Nets held their shootaround, which started at 10 a.m.
Kevin Durant’s first clue of a commotion was a text alert that there was traffic.
“I just found out that there was gonna be some traffic,” the former MVP said. “But they always text us when there’s traffic and get there a little early. But I didn’t know the specific reason until I got into the building. You see the helicopters out front. You just want everything to work out and figure it out.”
“Just, it’s devastating to hear about,” Durant added. “I don’t know too many details, but to hear the sirens out front of the practice facility and see so much commotion going on outside, you hope and pray for the best for everybody involved.”
The Nets can clinch the seventh-seed and a playoff spot with a victory Tuesday night.
“It’s obviously a very tragic morning,” Nash said. “We’re devastated for the community and those directly involved. I don’t know all of the details so I don’t want to get too far into it. But we’re just all concerned for everyone involved try to prepare for the task at hand the best we can.”
() | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/kevin-durant-nets-devastated-for-the-community-after-learning-about-subway-shooting-near-teams-practice-facility/ | 2022-04-12T18:24:56 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/kevin-durant-nets-devastated-for-the-community-after-learning-about-subway-shooting-near-teams-practice-facility/ |
Appeals court: Johnson & Johnson must pay $302 million in pelvic mesh case
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A California appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling that Johnson & Johnson must pay penalties to the state for deceptively marketing pelvic mesh implants for women, but reduced the amount by $42 million to $302 million.
Johnson & Johnson had appealed in 2020 after Superior Court Judge Eddie Sturgeon assessed the $344 million in penalties against Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ethicon.
Sturgeon found after a non-jury trial that the company made misleading and potentially harmful statements in hundreds of thousands of advertisements and instructional brochures for nearly two decades.
California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal issued a ruling Monday that $42 million in penalties assessed for the company’s sales pitches to doctors were unjustified because there was no evidence of what the sales representatives actually said.
But the appeals court said Sturgeon received ample evidence that Ethicon knowingly deceived both physicians and patients about the risks posed by its products, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Ryan Carbain, a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson, told the Chronicle that the company would appeal the appeals court ruling to the state Supreme Court.
The instructions for use in all of the company’s pelvic mesh implant packages “falsified or omitted the full range, severity, duration, and cause of complications associated with Ethicon’s pelvic mesh products, as well as the potential irreversibility and catastrophic consequences,” Presiding Justice Judith McConnell of the appeals court said in a 3-0 ruling upholding the $302 million in penalties.
She rejected the company’s claim that the fine was excessive, saying it amounted to less than 1% of Johnson & Johnson’s net worth of $70.4 billion.
The products, also called transvaginal mesh, are synthetic and surgically implanted through the vagina of women whose pelvic organs have sagged or who suffered from stress urinary incontinence when they cough, sneeze or lift heavy objects.
Many women have sued the New Jersey-based company alleging that the mesh caused severe pain, bleeding, infections, discomfort during intercourse and the need for removal surgery.
The condition is estimated to affect 3% to 17% of women, and it sometimes becomes severe after age 70.
Johnson & Johnson, the world’s biggest maker of health care products, is contesting other lawsuits over drug side effects, its role in the U.S. opioid epidemic and allegations its baby powder caused cancer in some users.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/johnson-johnson-ordered-pay-302-million-pelvic-mesh-case/ | 2022-04-12T18:24:56 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/johnson-johnson-ordered-pay-302-million-pelvic-mesh-case/ |
Gov. Larry Hogan signed legislation Tuesday to invest substantial public dollars into professional sports facilities in Maryland, including allowing the Maryland Stadium Authority to borrow up to $1.2 billion for upgrades to the Baltimore stadiums of the Orioles and Ravens.
Officials sought the funding for as-yet-unspecified improvements to Camden Yards and neighboring M&T Bank Stadium as part of an effort to keep the teams in the facilities well into the future. The Orioles have two years remaining on their lease at Camden Yards, which opened to great fanfare in 1992, while the Ravens have five years remaining on their lease.
Another piece of legislation signed Tuesday by Hogan and top Democratic leaders of the General Assembly will create a $200 million fund to improve minor-league parks and other sports facilities around the state as well as invest $400 million in development around FedEx Field, the current Prince George’s County home of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, though none of that money will go toward improvements to the stadium itself.
The Commanders are contractually obligated to remain at FedEx Field in Landover through 2027 although the team’s owners have discussed possible moves to the District of Columbia or Northern Virginia.
John Angelos, chairman and CEO of the Orioles, hailed the public investment on Monday in a lengthy statement released by the team, calling the “second-largest public commitment of funding to a Major League Baseball public-private sports partnership, second only to the 2009 construction of the new Yankee Stadium.”
Another $10 million in public funding would be available to pursue large-scale sports or entertainment events such as Major League Baseball’s All-Star game or World Cup soccer games as well as fund studies on efforts to redevelop two horse-racing venues: Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course, which hosts the annual Preakness Stakes, and Laurel Park.
The bill signing ceremony on Tuesday at the State House in Annapolis came hours after the General Assembly wrapped up its 90-day legislative session at midnight Monday.
Other bills included in the stack Hogan signed are a measure to make Juneteenth a permanent state holiday in Maryland, obviating the need for the governor to declare it as such each year, and another marking the fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day in honor of the country’s first Black military aviators who fought with distinction in World War Two.
Hogan likewise signed a measure to create a public investment board aimed at attracting jobs to Western Maryland and bolstering the economy there and another to make Peace Corps volunteers eligible for in-state tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/maryland-gov-hogan-signs-dozens-of-just-passed-bills-including-1-2-billion-for-orioles-ravens-stadium-improvements-2/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:02 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/maryland-gov-hogan-signs-dozens-of-just-passed-bills-including-1-2-billion-for-orioles-ravens-stadium-improvements-2/ |
Families with transgender teens have sued the state of Alabama to overturn a law that makes it a crime for doctors to treat trans youth under 19 with puberty blockers or hormones.
The newly signed law also prohibits gender transition surgeries, although doctors told lawmakers those are not performed on minors in Alabama.
Two separate suits were filed Monday by the Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU of Alabama.
Both suits aim to block the law.
The lawsuits were filed three days after Republican Governor Kay Ivey signed the measure into law.
The law will go into effect on May 8 unless blocked by the court.
Violations will be punishable by up to 10 years in prison. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/civil-rights-groups-challenge-alabama-law-banning-transgender-treatment | 2022-04-12T18:25:02 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/civil-rights-groups-challenge-alabama-law-banning-transgender-treatment |
Krispy Kreme is matching its price of a dozen doughnuts to a gallon of gas
Published: Apr. 12, 2022 at 8:38 AM MST|Updated: 2 hours ago
(CNN) - The price of gas may be hitting you hard, but Krispy Kreme wants to sweeten things a little.
For the next four weeks, the restaurant chain will sell a dozen of its glazed doughnuts for the same price as a gallon of gas.
The promotion will only be available on Wednesdays, and Krispy Kreme will use the national average gas price on the previous Monday to determine the price.
That means this Wednesday, a dozen glazed doughnuts should cost $4.11. That’s a pretty good deal, considering they usually set you back at least $10.
The promotion ends May 4.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/krispy-kreme-is-matching-its-price-dozen-doughnuts-gallon-gas/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:02 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/krispy-kreme-is-matching-its-price-dozen-doughnuts-gallon-gas/ |
Gov. Larry Hogan signed legislation Tuesday to invest substantial public dollars into professional sports facilities in Maryland, including allowing the Maryland Stadium Authority to borrow up to $1.2 billion for upgrades to the Baltimore stadiums of the Orioles and Ravens.
Officials sought the funding for as-yet-unspecified improvements to Camden Yards and neighboring M&T Bank Stadium as part of an effort to keep the teams in the facilities well into the future. The Orioles have two years remaining on their lease at Camden Yards, which opened to great fanfare in 1992, while the Ravens have five years remaining on their lease.
Another piece of legislation signed Tuesday by Hogan and top Democratic leaders of the General Assembly will create a $200 million fund to improve minor-league parks and other sports facilities around the state as well as invest $400 million in development around FedEx Field, the current Prince George’s County home of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, though none of that money will go toward improvements to the stadium itself.
The Commanders are contractually obligated to remain at FedEx Field in Landover through 2027 although the team’s owners have discussed possible moves to the District of Columbia or Northern Virginia.
John Angelos, chairman and CEO of the Orioles, hailed the public investment on Monday in a lengthy statement released by the team, calling the “second-largest public commitment of funding to a Major League Baseball public-private sports partnership, second only to the 2009 construction of the new Yankee Stadium.”
Another $10 million in public funding would be available to pursue large-scale sports or entertainment events such as Major League Baseball’s All-Star game or World Cup soccer games as well as fund studies on efforts to redevelop two horse-racing venues: Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course, which hosts the annual Preakness Stakes, and Laurel Park.
The bill signing ceremony on Tuesday at the State House in Annapolis came hours after the General Assembly wrapped up its 90-day legislative session at midnight Monday.
Other bills included in the stack Hogan signed are a measure to make Juneteenth a permanent state holiday in Maryland, obviating the need for the governor to declare it as such each year, and another marking the fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day in honor of the country’s first Black military aviators who fought with distinction in World War Two.
Hogan likewise signed a measure to create a public investment board aimed at attracting jobs to Western Maryland and bolstering the economy there and another to make Peace Corps volunteers eligible for in-state tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/maryland-gov-hogan-signs-dozens-of-just-passed-bills-including-1-2-billion-for-orioles-ravens-stadium-improvements/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:08 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/maryland-gov-hogan-signs-dozens-of-just-passed-bills-including-1-2-billion-for-orioles-ravens-stadium-improvements/ |
HYATTSVILLE, Md. — To bring a song to life, a musician’s smooth sounds meet a sound engineer’s high tech.
From the inside, it may look like it’s happening in a typical recording studio – but from the outside, it’s far from it.
The song recordings are all taking place on four wheels.
“This is so cool, man,” said guitarist Quintin Knox. “I want one.”
Painted bright red on its exterior, American University’s Humanities Truck is a mobile recording studio that is helping to capture local music, which may otherwise not get recorded.
“Our engineer, Neil [Perry], worked at The Hit Factory in New York for over 20 years, where he recorded David Bowie and Mariah Carey and Prince,” said Aram Sinnreich, a professor at American University. “We're trying to take a sonic snapshot.”
He came up with the recording music program called “Out of Their Shells.” For several months now, the Humanities Truck – a converted food truck -- has been rolling into communities and musicians’ lives, allowing them to record their music for free.
“The idea is musicians - we've all been locked up in our homes for two years now, not playing shows, not going to recording studios, not being able to interact with our communities,” Simmreich said, “and this truck is kind of pulling people out of their shells.”
One of those coming out of their shell is Ronald Scott.
“It sounded really, really good,” he said.
Scott, along with the musicians, are part of the band called “Raw.” He wrote the song getting recorded, called “I like it Raw.”
“The fact that we've been shut down for so long, this is almost like sort of a busting out, if you will,” Scott said.
Inside the soundproof truck, saxophonist Sharon Thomas lays down her track for the song.
“This is the first time that I have recorded in a van,” she said. “It's pretty cool, though!”
Sinnreich says he would like to see the program expand to musicians in more states, with the idea of giving as many different musical styles as possible a chance to shine.
“We're also recording Ethiopian music. We're recording Muslim Women's music. We're recording jazz and hip hop and kids’ music,” he said.
And the sound quality?
“Awesome,” Scott said, after listening to the recordings through a set of headphones. “I was very pleased with it.”
It’s a reaction that is music to the ears of those making it happen.
“I want to give the musicians a sense of hope for the future, a sense that there's life after COVID and that they can jump start their musical lives again,” Sinnreich said.
As musicians reach for a new beginning, it gives them a chance to hit the right note once more. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/food-truck-turned-mobile-recording-studio-opens-doors-to-musicians | 2022-04-12T18:25:08 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/food-truck-turned-mobile-recording-studio-opens-doors-to-musicians |
Gunman opens fire on Brooklyn subway; at least 10 shot
NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman in a construction vest donned a gas mask, set off a smoke canister on a rush-hour subway train and shot at least 10 people Tuesday morning, authorities said. The shooter was at large after leaving wounded commuters bleeding on a Brooklyn platform while others ran screaming.
Five people were in critical condition but expected to survive. At least 16 in all were injured in some way in the attack that began on a subway train that pulled into the 36th Street station in the borough’s Sunset Park neighborhood.
Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said that the attack was not being investigated as terrorism, but that she was “not ruling out anything.” FBI agents and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force surveyed nearby businesses, interviewing witnesses and searching for surveillance footage.
Police helicopters hovered overhead for hours as authorities searched for the shooter, who has not been identified. The motive remains unknown. Investigators recovered a firearm at the scene, along with multiple smoke devices and other items they are analyzing, two law enforcement officials said.
“My subway door opened into calamity. It was smoke and blood and people screaming,” eyewitness Sam Carcamo told radio station 1010 WINS, saying he saw a gigantic billow of smoke pouring out of the N train once the door opened.
The attack unnerved a city on guard about a rise in gun violence and the ever-present threat of terrorism. It left some New Yorkers jittery about riding the nation’s busiest subway system and prompted officials to increase policing at transportation hubs from Philadelphia to Connecticut.
One rider’s video, shot through a closed door between subway cars, shows a person in a hooded sweatshirt raising an arm and pointing at something — possibly the door to a conductor’s booth — as five bangs sound. In another video, smoke and people pour out of a subway car and wails erupt as passengers run for an exit while a few others limp off the train. One falls to the platform.
“Someone call 911!” a person shouts.
Other video and photos from the scene show people tending to bloodied passengers lying on the platform, some amid what appear to be small puddles of blood, and another person on the floor of a subway car.
Juliana Fonda, a broadcast engineer at WNYC-FM, told its news site Gothamist she was riding the train when passengers from the car behind hers started banging on the door between them.
“There was a lot of loud pops, and there was smoke in the other car,” she said. “And people were trying to get in and they couldn’t, they were pounding on the door to get into our car.”
As police searched for the shooter, Gov. Kathy Hochul warned New Yorkers to be vigilant.
“This individual is still on the loose. This person is dangerous,” the Democrat said at news conference. “This is an active shooter situation right now in the city of New York.”
Fire and police officials were investigating reports that there had been an explosion, but Sewell said at a press conference just after noon that there were no known explosive devices. Multiple smoke devices were found on the scene, said mayoral spokesperson Fabien Levy.
After people streamed out of the train, quick-thinking transit workers ushered passengers to another train across the platform for safety, system chief Janno Lieber noted.
High school student John Butsikaris was riding the other train when he saw a conductor urging everyone to get in. He thought there might just have been a mundane problem until the next stop, when he heard screams for medical attention and his train was evacuated.
“I’m definitely shook,” the 15-year-old told The Associated Press. “Even though I didn’t see what happened, I’m still scared, because it was like a few feet away from me, what happened.”
No transit workers were physically hurt, according to their union. Besides gunshot wounds, the injured riders were treated for smoke inhalation, shrapnel and panic.
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland were briefed on the incident. New York Mayor Eric Adams, who is isolating following a positive COVID-19 test on Sunday, said in a video statement that the city “will not allow New Yorkers to be terrorized, even by a single individual.”
The incident happened on a subway line that runs through south Brooklyn in a neighborhood predominantly home to Hispanic and Asian communities and about a 15-minute train ride to Manhattan. Local schools, including Sunset Park High School across the street from the station, were locked down.
Danny Mastrogiorgio of Brooklyn had just dropped his son off at school when he saw a crush of passengers, some of them wounded, running up the subway stairway at the nearby 25th Street station in panic. At least two had visible leg injuries, he said.
“It was insane,” he told the AP. “No one knew exactly what was going on.”
Allan Lee was running his business, Cafe Nube, when a half-dozen police cars and fire vehicles suddenly converged on the block that contains the 36th Street station.
“Then they started ushering people that were on the block to the adjacent block and then closed off the subway entrance,” he told the AP. When he noticed bomb squad officers and dogs, he was certain it was no everyday subway problem.
New York City has faced a spate of shootings and high-profile incidents in recent months, including on the city’s subways. One of the most shocking was in January, when a woman was pushed to her death in front of a train by a stranger.
Adams, a Democrat a little over 100 days into his term, has made cracking down on crime — especially on the subways — a focus of his early administration, pledging to send more police officers into stations and platforms for regular patrols. It wasn’t immediately clear whether officers had already been inside the station when the shootings occurred.
“We say: No more. No more mass shootings. No more disrupting lives. No more creating heartbreak for people just trying to live their lives as normal New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “It has to end.”
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Associated Press reporters Michael Balsamo in Washington and Jennifer Peltz, Karen Matthews, Michelle L. Price and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/multiple-people-shot-new-york-city-subway-station/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:08 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/multiple-people-shot-new-york-city-subway-station/ |
Chris Grier and his staff deserve a round of applause for how they built the Miami Dolphins roster this offseason.
It’s been a while since the team’s depth chart hasn’t had multiple needs heading into the NFL draft.
But Grier, the Dolphins’ general manager and top football executive, seemingly assembled a versatile and deep roster courtesy of the offseason moves, which included trading for Pro Bowl players Tyreek Hill and Terron Armstead, and re-signing most of the key pieces from last year’s defense.
Here’s a look at the team’s top five positions of need heading into the draft on April 28-30:
Inside linebacker: Elandon Roberts’ career history hints he’s a two-down linebacker considering he’s struggled in pass coverage and that Jerome Baker thrived playing outside linebacker last season. If Baker remains in the same role he played the second half of last season, the Dolphins need to find an inside linebacker who has good run-game instincts and pass coverage skills.
Edge rusher: Emmanuel Ogbah is Miami’s second-best defender, but the Dolphins need to find someone reliable to put opposite him. Jaelan Phillips, Miami’s 2021 first-round pick, thrived when the Dolphins scrapped their plans to make him an outside linebacker and used the former Hurricanes standout strictly as a pass rusher. Behind those two there’s only linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and two developmental projects in Daeshon Hall and Darius Hodge as edge players.
Center: Michael Deiter started eight games at center last season, but hasn’t proven he’s an NFL starter in three seasons. While Grier seems committed to seeing this former third-round pick remain a starter, competition never hurt anyone. And seeing that Deiter, who missed half of the 2021 season with a foot injury, is entering the final season of his rookie deal it would benefit the Dolphins to be forward thinking by adding a young, developmental center.
Cornerback: Xavien Howard and Byron Jones are one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL and Nik Needham is a young, developing player. But Needham has struggled at times playing nickel cornerback, which relies heavily on quickness and physicality. It would benefit the Dolphins to find a true nickel back to develop, especially since Needham is playing on a one-year deal.
Nose tackle: The Dolphins struggled when Raekwon Davis missed four games last season due to a knee injury and during the handful of games he played while he was still recovering. It’s clear that Miami needs to add a better nose tackle than John Jenkins, someone who can be developed into a rotational player and potential starter since five defensive linemen have contracts that expire over the next two seasons.
() | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/miami-dolphins-top-five-position-needs-heading-into-nfl-draft/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:14 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/miami-dolphins-top-five-position-needs-heading-into-nfl-draft/ |
Authorities in Iowa said they have made an arrest in connection to a deadly shooting that occurred inside a crowded nightclub in Cedar Rapids that left two people dead and 10 others injured.
Police announced Monday that they arrested 32-year-old Timothy Ladell Rush Monday. He was charged with second-degree murder, willful injury, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, reckless use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm as a felon.
Police also released the names of the two people killed at the Taboo Nightclub as 25-year-old Michael Valentine and 35-year-old Nicole Owens.
The shooting happened just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police said.
According to the Associated Press, police believe one of the victims was the target of the shooting. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/iowa-police-make-arrest-in-deadly-nightclub-shooting | 2022-04-12T18:25:14 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/iowa-police-make-arrest-in-deadly-nightclub-shooting |
NFL’s Washington Commanders may have broken financial laws, House panel says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission saying it found evidence the NFL’s Washington Commanders engaged in potentially unlawful financial conduct for more than a decade by withholding ticket revenue from visiting teams and refundable deposits from fans.
In the letter obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, the committee outlined through the testimony of former employees and access to emails and documents a pattern of financial impropriety by owner Dan Snyder and team executives. At one point in 2016, the committee said the team retained up to $5 million from 2,000 season-ticket holders while also concealing sharable revenue from the league.
One former employee testified before Congress saying the team had two separate financial books — one with underreported ticket revenue that went to the NFL — and the full, complete picture. According to testimony, Snyder was aware of the numbers shared with the league while also being privy to the actual data.
The business practice was known as “juice” inside Washington’s front office. And, if correct, it could spell significant trouble for Snyder and the Commanders.
Ticket revenue is shared among all 32 NFL teams, with 40% of it deposited in a visiting team fund. Such money is among the pillars of the league’s revenue-sharing commitment.
A team spokeswoman said there was no new comment and referred to the statement from March 31: “The team categorically denies any suggestion of financial impropriety of any kind at any time.”
“We adhere to strict internal processes that are consistent with industry and accounting standards, are audited annually by a globally respected independent auditing firm, and are also subject to regular audits by the NFL. We continue to cooperate fully with the Committee’s work.”
The league did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The committee is sharing documents with the FTC while requesting the commission take any action necessary to make sure the money is returned to its rightful owners.
Congress launched an investigation into the team’s workplace misconduct after the league did not release a report detailing the findings of an independent probe into the matter. After testimony from former employees, that investigation expanded to the organization’s finances.
Lawyers Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represent more than 40 former employees, including some who testified, called the letter “damning.”
“It’s clear that the team’s misconduct goes well beyond the sexual harassment and abuse of employees already documented and has also impacted the bottom line of the NFL, other NFL owners, and the team’s fans,” they said in a statement. “We are proud of our many clients who have come forward at great personal risk to reveal the truth and bring us closer to total transparency about the full extent of the dysfunction at the Washington Commanders.”
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Associated Press reporter Farnoush Amiri contributed.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/nfls-washington-commanders-may-have-broken-financial-laws-house-panel-says/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:15 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/nfls-washington-commanders-may-have-broken-financial-laws-house-panel-says/ |
By YURAS KARMANAU and ADAM SCHRECK
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Vladimir Putin vowed Tuesday that Russia’s bloody offensive in Ukraine would continue until its goals are fulfilled and insisted the campaign was going as planned, despite a major withdrawal in the face of stiff Ukrainian opposition and significant losses.
Russian troops, thwarted in their push toward Ukraine’s capital, are now focusing on the eastern Donbas region, where Ukraine said Tuesday it was investigating a claim that a poisonous substance had been dropped on its troops. It was not clear what the substance might be, but Western officials warned that any use of chemical weapons by Russia would be a serious escalation of the already devastating war.
Russia invaded on Feb. 24, with the goal, according to Western officials, of taking Kyiv, toppling the government and installing a Moscow-friendly regime. In the six weeks since, Russia’s ground advance stalled, its forces lost potentially thousands of fighters and the military was accused of killing civilians and other atrocities.
Putin insisted Tuesday that his invasion aimed to protect people in parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed rebels and to “ensure Russia’s own security.”
He said Russia “had no other choice” but to launch what he calls a “special military operation,” and vowed it would “continue until its full completion and the fulfillment of the tasks that have been set.”
For now, Putin’s forces are gearing up for a major offensive in the Donbas, which has been torn by fighting between Russian-allied separatists and Ukrainian forces since 2014, and where Russia has recognized the separatists’ claims of independence. Military strategists say Russian leaders appear to hope local support, logistics and terrain in the region favor Russia’s larger and better-armed military, potentially allowing its troops to finally turn the tide in their favor.
In Mariupol, a strategic port city in the Donbas, a Ukrainian regiment defending a steel mill claimed a drone dropped a poisonous substance on the city. It indicated there were no serious injuries. The assertion by the Azov Regiment, a far-right group now part of the Ukrainian military, could not be independently verified.
It came after a Russia-allied separatist official appeared to urge the use of chemical weapons, telling Russian state TV on Monday that separatist forces should seize the plant by first blocking all the exits. “And then we’ll use chemical troops to smoke them out of there,” the official, Eduard Basurin, said. He denied Tuesday that separatist forces had used chemical weapons in Mariupol.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said officials were investigating, and it was possible phosphorus munitions — which cause horrendous burns but are not classed as chemical weapons — had been used in Mariupol.
Much of the city has been razed in weeks of pummeling by Russian troops. The mayor said Monday that the siege has left more than 10,000 civilians dead, their corpses “carpeted through the streets.” Mayor Vadym Boychenko said the death toll in Mariupol alone could surpass 20,000 and gave new details of allegations by Ukrainian officials that Russian forces have brought mobile cremation equipment to dispose of the corpses.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, acknowledged the challenges Ukrainian troops face in Mariupol. He said on Twitter that they remain blocked and are having issues with supplies, while Zelenskyy and Ukrainian generals “do everything possible (and impossible) to find a solution and help our guys.”
“For more than 1.5 months our defenders protect the city from (Russian) troops, which are 10+ times larger,” Podolyak said in a tweet. “They’re fighting under the bombs for each meter of the city. They make (Russia) pay an exorbitant price.”
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the use of chemical weapons “would be a callous escalation in this conflict,” while Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said it would be a “wholesale breach of international law.”
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the U.S. could not confirm the drone report. But he noted the administration’s persistent concerns “about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine.”
Britain, meanwhile, has warned that Russia may resort to phosphorus bombs, which are banned in civilian areas under international law, in Mariupol.
Most armies use phosphorus munitions to illuminate targets or to produce smoke screens. Deliberately firing them into an enclosed space to expose people to fumes could breach the Chemical Weapons Convention, said Marc-Michael Blum, a former laboratory head at the Netherlands-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
“Once you start using the properties of white phosphorus, toxic properties, specifically and deliberately, then it becomes banned,” he said.
In the face of stiff resistance by Ukrainian forces bolstered by Western weapons, Russian forces have increasingly relied on bombarding cities, flattening many urban areas and leaving thousands of people dead. The war has also driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes — including nearly two-thirds of all children.
Moscow’s retreat from cities and towns around the capital, Kyiv, led to the discovery of large numbers of apparently massacred civilians, prompting widespread condemnation and accusations that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Reports have primarily focused on the northwestern suburbs such as Bucha, where the mayor said 403 bodies have been found. Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk feared the toll would rise as minesweepers comb through the area.
Ukraine’s prosecutor-general’s office said Tuesday that it was also looking into events in the Brovary district, which lies to the northeast.
The prosecutor’s office said the bodies of six civilians had been found with gunshot wounds in a basement in the village of Shevchenkove and that Russian forces were believed to be responsible.
Prosecutors are also investigating allegations that Russian forces fired on a convoy of civilians trying to leave by car from the village of Peremoha in the Brovary district, killing four people, including a 13-year-old boy. In another attack near Bucha, five people were killed, including two children, when a car was fired upon, prosecutors said.
Putin falsely claimed Tuesday that Ukraine’s accusation that hundreds of civilians were killed by Russian troops in the town of Bucha were “fake.” Associated Press reporters saw dozens of bodies in and around the town, some with hands bound who appeared to have been shot at close range.
The Russian leader spoke at the Vostochny space launch facility in the country’s Far East, during his first known foray outside Moscow since the war began. He also said that foreign powers wouldn’t succeed in isolating Russia.
He said that Russia’s economy and financial system withstood the blow from what he called the Western sanctions “blitz” and claimed they would backfire by driving up prices for essentials such as fertilizer, leading to food shortages and increase migration flows to the West.
Addressing the pace of the campaign, Putin said Russia was proceeding “calmly and rhythmically” because it wanted to “achieve the planned goals while minimizing the losses.”
While building up forces in the east, Russia continued to strike targets across Ukraine in a bid to wear down the country’s defenses. Russia’s defense ministry said Tuesday that it used used air- and sea-launched missiles to destroy an ammunition depot and airplane hangar at Starokostiantyniv in the western Khmelnytskyi region and an ammunition depot near Kyiv.
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Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press writer Robert Burns in Washington, and AP journalists around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/putin-vows-to-press-invasion-until-russias-goals-are-met/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:20 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/putin-vows-to-press-invasion-until-russias-goals-are-met/ |
Krispy Kreme knows gas prices are soaring, so they are offering a way to sweeten your "pump day."
Over the next four weeks beginning April 13, Krispy Kreme will sell a dozen glazed doughnuts for the price as the national average cost of a gallon of gas.
This week's deal will cost customers $4.11.
"Prices will be updated weekly, so check back each Tuesday to know that week’s offer price," the company said.
The offer is redeemable in-store, the drive-thru, and online pickup.
The sweet deal will take place every Wednesday until May 4. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/krispy-kreme-sells-dozen-doughnuts-for-same-price-as-gallon-of-gas | 2022-04-12T18:25:20 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/krispy-kreme-sells-dozen-doughnuts-for-same-price-as-gallon-of-gas |
NY lieutenant governor arrested in federal corruption investigation
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin was arrested Tuesday in a federal corruption investigation, creating a political crisis for Gov. Kathy Hochul seven months after she selected Benjamin as a partner to make a fresh start in an office already rocked by scandal.
Benjamin, a Democrat, was accused in an indictment of participating in a scheme to obtain campaign contributions from a real estate developer in exchange for Benjamin’s agreement to use his influence as a state senator to get a $50,000 grant of state funds for a nonprofit organization the developer controlled.
Facing charges including bribery, fraud, conspiracy and falsification of records, Benjamin pleaded not guilty Tuesday at an initial appearance in Manhattan federal court. He was released and bail was set at $250,000.
Two lawyers representing Benjamin did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Hochul in September plucked Benjamin, then a state lawmaker, to serve as second-in-command when she became governor, taking over for Democrat Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo resigned amid allegations he sexually harassed 11 women, which he denied.
Hochul, also a Democrat, was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor. She is now running for governor in this year’s election, with Benjamin as a running mate.
Hochul, who appeared at a New York City news conference Tuesday regarding a shooting on the subway, said she would speak about Benjamin later in the day.
“We’ll have a statement out there. I have not had a chance to speak to him. I was doing media interviews this morning. But this is not the place but I will be addressing it very shortly,” Hochul said.
Two months after Benjamin became lieutenant governor, a real estate developer who steered campaign contributions toward Benjamin’s failed bid for New York City comptroller was indicted. Federal authorities accused Gerald Migdol of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in illegally giving donations to Benjamin’s campaign.
The indictment said Benjamin, formerly a state senator from Harlem, and others acting at his direction or on his behalf also engaged in a series of lies and deceptions to cover up the scheme that stretched from 2019 to 2021.
They falsified campaign donor forms, misled municipal regulators and provided false information in vetting forms Benjamin submitted while he was being considered to be appointed as lieutenant governor, the indictment said.
Prosecutors had previously not made any accusations against Benjamin, and his campaign said at the time of Migdol’s arrest that it had forfeited any improper donations as soon as they were discovered.
More recently, reports came out saying subpoenas had been issued to Benjamin regarding the financial issues even before Hochul picked him as lieutenant governor.
Republican chairman Nick Langworthy said in a prepared statement that “Hochul chose a dirty politician to serve as her partner in government and running mate.”
“Brian Benjamin’s shady dealings and corruption were well-documented, but Hochul turned a blind eye and put him a heartbeat away from the governorship,” Langworthy said.
Hochul said Monday at a press conference she didn’t know of the subpoenas when she tapped Benjamin to be her No. 2.
She said last week she had the “utmost confidence” in Benjamin.
“This is an independent investigation related to other people and he’s fully cooperating. He is my running mate,” Hocuhl said Thursday at a press conference.
Republican minority legislative leaders — Senate Leader Rob Ortt and Assembly Leader Will Barclay — called on Benjamin to resign.
“Kathy Hochul and Senate Democrats might tolerate this corruption, but New Yorkers don’t and neither do I,” Ortt said. “I’m calling on Gov. Hochul and Senate Democrats to stop hiding from the truth and join me in demanding Brian Benjamin’s resignation.”
Spokespeople for Hochul, Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie didn’t immediately provide comment Tuesday when asked if Benjamin should resign.
If Benjamin resigns, he would still likely appear on the ballot for the 2022 gubernatorial Democratic primary even if Hochul picks a new lieutenant governor, according to state elections law.
“There are only three ways to get off the ballot: death, declination or disqualification,” State board of elections spokesperson John Conklin said in an email.
Benjamin was the state’s second Black lieutenant governor. During his state Legislature career, he emphasized criminal justice reform and affordable housing. His district included most of central Harlem, where he was born and raised by Caribbean immigrant parents.
He has a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Brown University and a master’s of business administration from Harvard Business School, and worked as a developer of affordable housing.
The scandal is the latest in a long history of lawmakers and other Albany leaders who’ve been engulfed in allegations of wrongdoing.
Cuomo’s resignation as governor came not only amid allegations of sexual harassment but that his administration misrepresented the number of New Yorkers who died in nursing homes from COVID-19.
In 2008, then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution investigation.
Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, one of the most powerful figures in state government, resigned in 2015 after he was arrested on federal corruption charges. His conviction ended a four-decade career in the Assembly. After his first conviction was thrown out, he was convicted again in 2018. He died in federal custody in January.
Former Republican state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who for a time shared power with Silver, was convicted of extortion, wire fraud and bribery. Skelos’ case moved through the courts around the same time as Silver’s.
___
Hays reported from New York. Associated Press writers Deepti Hajela and Larry Neumeister contributed from New York and Michael Hill contributed from Albany.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/ny-lieutenant-governor-arrested-federal-corruption-investigation/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:21 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/ny-lieutenant-governor-arrested-federal-corruption-investigation/ |
By STEPHEN GROVES
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota House on Tuesday impeached state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg over a 2020 fatal crash in which he initially told authorities he thought he had struck a deer or another large animal.
Ravnsborg will at least temporarily be removed from office pending the historic Senate trial, where it takes a two-thirds majority to convict on impeachment charges.
Ravnsborg pleaded no contest last year to a pair of traffic misdemeanors in the crash, including making an illegal lane change. He has cast Joseph Boever’s death as a tragic accident.
On Monday night, he sent lawmakers a pair of defiant letters urging them to vote against impeachment.
“In a few hours, your vote will set a precedent for years to come,” Ravnsborg said in the first of two letters sent Monday night and obtained by the Argus Leader. “No state has ever impeached an elected official for a traffic accident.”
The South Dakota Legislature had never investigated impeachment for an elected official, and only once, in 1917, launched an impeachment inquiry into a circuit judge.
Ravnsborg’s letter also accused Republican Gov. Kristi Noem of interfering in the investigation and of supporting impeachment because of the attorney general’s investigations into her behavior. A second letter from Ravnsborg’s spokesman delved into “evidence, allegations and misconceptions,” about the case.
In its 36-31 vote, the House rejected the recommendation of a GOP-backed majority report from a special investigative committee and sided with Noem, who has argued that Ravnsborg lied to investigators. Democrats also had pushed for impeachment, arguing that he was not “forthcoming” to law enforcement officers and had abused the power of his office.
Ravnsborg, who took office in 2019, initially told aides and a 911 dispatcher he did not know what he hit on a rural highway as he was returning home from a Republican dinner in September 2020. He went back to the scene the next day and found the body of 55-year-old Boever, who had been walking on the highway’s shoulder.
The Highway Patrol concluded that Ravnsborg’s car crossed completely onto the highway shoulder before hitting Boever, and criminal investigators said later that they didn’t believe some of Ravnsborg’s statements.
The special investigative committee’s report argued Ravnsborg’s actions in the crash were unrelated to his official duties.
But some Republicans raised doubts about the crash reconstruction and where Boever was when he was hit. Ravnsborg, who has said little about the crash, denied being untruthful in a brief interview in February.
Ravnsborg is positioning for a reelection bid. He would face a Republican challenger, former attorney general Marty Jackley, at the June GOP convention that decides its next nominee. | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/south-dakota-attorney-general-impeached-over-fatal-crash/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:26 | 1 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/south-dakota-attorney-general-impeached-over-fatal-crash/ |
Joey and Katie Mims might be the middle-class model. They are raising a son and they found a home in the city they love: Lincoln, Nebraska.
Jobs and homes are two areas that recently have presented Lincoln and other cities with an unusual issue.
Lincoln ranks at the top of a list measuring labor market tightness. In cities like Provo, Utah, and Lexington, Kentucky, the number of job openings is more than double the number of unemployed individuals. In Lincoln, it’s nearly four-to-one.
“We’re a largely rural state, so as people go to college and move out of those communities, people aren’t coming back in. And so, we have a lot of people moving out of our state and they’re trying to figure out ways to bring people into our state,” Joey Mims said.
For the past year, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has tried to find ways to essentially force people to work.
Last fall, the state spent $10 million in federal CARES Act funds on a national ad campaign to convince folks to move there.
Wayne Mortensen runs NeighborWorks Lincoln, a nonprofit that aims to empower homeowners.
“You can’t fill jobs and bring people to Nebraska with housing you don’t have,” Mortenson said.
Lincoln, like many mid-sized cities, doesn’t have enough affordable housing to support the middle-class employees they’d like to lure.
“In our area, anything that goes up for sale is either purchased by an investment company and turned into a rental or is upgraded and flipped and sold for twice what a family just starting out can afford,” Katie said.
Dr. Roger Tutterow, an economics professor at Kennesaw State in Georgia, said times are tough for a lot of people right now.
“If you're in a tight labor market and a tight housing market, it's a tough combination because you may look at a city where there's a great employment opportunity, but if you can't find the housing that's appropriate in terms of affordability or location or suitability, then that may discourage you from migrating," he said.
Joey and Katie had jobs. But in the Lincoln market, they couldn’t find a home until receiving assistance from NeighborWorks.
“Our story isn’t unique, but it means so much to us that I want other people to have the same experience,” Joey said. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/middle-class-faces-lack-of-housing | 2022-04-12T18:25:26 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/middle-class-faces-lack-of-housing |
Oklahoma governor signs bill to make abortion illegal
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law on Tuesday that makes it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, as part of an aggressive push in Republican-led states across the country to scale back abortion rights.
The bill, which takes effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns next month, makes an exception only for an abortion performed to save the life of the mother. Abortion rights advocates say the bill signed by the GOP governor is certain to face a legal challenge.
Its passage comes as the conservative U.S. Supreme Court considers ratcheting back abortion rights that have been in place for nearly 50 years.
“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,” Stitt said during a signing ceremony for the bill, flanked by anti-abortion lawmakers, clergy and students. “I promised Oklahomans that I would sign every pro-life bill that hits my desk, and that’s what we’re doing here today.”
Under the bill, anyone convicted of performing an abortion would face up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. It does not authorize criminal charges against a woman for receiving an abortion.
Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Broken Arrow Republican now running for Congress who wrote the bill, called it the “strongest pro-life legislation in the country right now, which effectively eliminates abortion in Oklahoma.”
Abortion rights advocates say the bill is clearly unconstitutional, and similar laws approved recently in Arkansas and Alabama have been blocked by federal courts.
“Oklahoma legislators are trying to ban abortion from all sides and merely seeing which of these dangerous, shameful bills they can get their governor to sign,” Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Texas and Oklahoma and a board member at Physicians for Reproductive Health, said in a statement.
Although similar anti-abortion bills approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years have been stopped as unconstitutional, anti-abortion lawmakers have been buoyed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow new Texas abortion restrictions to remain in place.
The new Texas law, the most restrictive anti-abortion law to take effect in the U.S. in decades, leaves enforcement up to private citizens, who are entitled to collect what critics call a “bounty” of $10,000 if they bring a successful lawsuit against a provider or anyone who helps a patient obtain an abortion.
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s failure to stop Texas from nullifying the constitutional right to abortion has emboldened other states to do the same,” Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. “We’ve sued the state of Oklahoma ten times in the last decade to protect abortion access and we will challenge this law as well to stop this travesty from ever taking effect.”
Several states, including Oklahoma, are pursuing legislation similar to the Texas law this year.
The Texas law bans abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Abortions in Texas have plummeted by about 50% since the law took effect, while the number of Texans going to clinics out of state and requesting abortion pills online has gone up.
One of the Texas-style Oklahoma bills that is one vote away from the governor’s desk would ban abortions from the moment of conception and would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/oklahoma-governor-signs-bill-make-abortion-illegal/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:30 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/oklahoma-governor-signs-bill-make-abortion-illegal/ |
By TODD RICHMOND
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin regulators lack the inherent authority to require businesses to clean up contamination from PFAS chemicals and other toxic contaminants because legislators haven’t established any restrictions on the substances, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren’s sweeping decision marks a major defeat for the state Department of Natural Resources and environmentalists struggling to deal with PFAS pollution across the state. The ruling means the DNR can’t require businesses to remediate contamination unless the agency includes PFAS chemicals in a list of hazardous substances developed through administrative rules, a process that often takes years.
Bohren said he understands that the DNR is responsible for protecting the state from pollution but “there’s a way to do it.” He added later that the DNR now seems to be operating “on a whim and fancy.”
Assistant Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Karp, who represented the DNR in the case, asked Bohren to stay the ruling given that it creates “significant concern about regulatory uncertainty.” Bohren agreed to a stay until a June 6 hearing on whether to continue it. Johnson-Karp told the judge he plans to appeal.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit that Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state’s largest business group, and Leather Rich, Inc., an Oconomowoc dry cleaning business, filed in 2021.
According to the lawsuit, Leather Rich entered a DNR program designed to help businesses who voluntarily report pollution clean up their sites in 2019. The following year DNR officials declared that all business in the program needed to test for “emerging contaminants,” including PFAS, without explaining which of the more than 4,000 PFAS compounds to look for or what levels would be considered too high.
The agency lacked any basis in statute or rules to mandate such testing, the lawsuit maintained. What’s more, the DNR compiled a list of emerging contaminants without any notice, legislative oversight or opportunity for public comment, the lawsuit argued. The plaintiffs sought a declaration that the DNR can’t legally regulate emerging contaminants and that the agency define hazardous substances through a rule.
Drafting rules typically takes state agencies years. When the language is settled the regulations still must win legislative approval, a tall task right now given that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers controls the executive branch and Republicans run both the Senate and Assembly.
Environmentalists countered that the DNR must move quickly when the agency learns of contamination and shouldn’t be bogged down in a rule-making process that can take years.
A coalition of conservation groups, including the Clean Water Action Council, the River Alliance of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Environmental Health Network, argued in court filings that the DNR derives its authority from state laws that govern pollution. Those laws include only a vague definition of hazardous substances, allowing the DNR broad authority to regulate them, they argued. PFAS chemicals are clearly hazardous and the DNR shouldn’t have to go through the rule-making process to establish that, they added.
If WMC and Leather Rich prevail, all efforts to remediate PFAS pollution across the state, including well testing and clean-up orders, would cease, the coalition’s law firm, Midwest Environmental Advocates, warned in a blurb on its website.
“WMC’s lawsuit could remove the only meaningful public health protection we have to address PFAS contamination in Wisconsin,” the firm said.
The state Department of Justice is defending the DNR against the lawsuit. Its attorneys have argued that there’s no real dispute that PFAS are toxic and state pollution laws give the DNR broad discretion over how to handle contaminants. What’s more, a judge lacks the authority to order the DNR to promulgate rules because rules are subject to legislative approval, they insisted.
PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, man-made chemicals used widely in non-stick cookware and firefighting foam since the 1940s. Research suggests they can cause health problems in humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, increased risk of some cancers and a weakened immune system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The DNR currently lists nearly 90 sites across Wisconsin with PFAS contamination. A number of municipalities are dealing with PFAS-contaminated groundwater, including Madison, Marinette, the town of Campbell just outside La Crosse and Peshtigo.
The DNR’s policy board adopted limits on PFAS in drinking water and surface waters that can support fish in February. The Legislature has yet to sign off on them, however. The board refused to impose standards for groundwater, however, citing the cost of replacing wells and installing treatment equipment at water utilities.
Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit last month against Johnson Controls and Tyco Fire Products alleging they released fire-fighting foam into the environment that has contaminated the Marinette area’s soil, groundwater, surface water and air.
It’s unclear what impact Bohren’s ruling could have on that lawsuit. Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Bruce Lee said the decision could negate the state’s authority to file such actions. Department of Justice spokeswoman Gillian Drummond didn’t immediately return a message. | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/wisconsin-judge-dnr-lacks-authority-to-regulate-pfas/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:32 | 0 | https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/wisconsin-judge-dnr-lacks-authority-to-regulate-pfas/ |
As the war in Ukraine continues, the World Health Organization said Tuesday it has verified 108 attacks on health care since the war started. The WHO said that those incidents include attacks on health facilities, personnel, transport, supplies, and warehouses.
The WHO said the attacks have resulted in 73 deaths and 51 injuries.
“We are outraged that attacks on health care are continuing. Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, at a press conference last week. “Peace is the only way forward. I again call on the Russian Federation to stop the war.”
The WHO said it delivered 238 tons of emergency and medical supplies and equipment to Ukraine. Of those, 134 tons – just over half – have reached their intended destinations.
The WHO plans on distributing 15 generators in the coming days to hospitals that have limited or no power. The WHO also hopes to deliver two generators to hard-hit Mariupol.
The WHO is in the process of delivering 20 ambulances to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/more-than-100-attacks-on-health-care-reported-in-ukraine | 2022-04-12T18:25:33 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/more-than-100-attacks-on-health-care-reported-in-ukraine |
School resource officer saves choking student
IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) - A school resource officer jumped into action last week when a student began choking on a piece of candy, WBTV reports.
A video obtained by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office shows Deputy Alan Josey attending to a student at North Iredell Middle School after she showed signs of respiratory distress.
“Deputy Josey acted quickly, determined the student was choking, and performed the lifesaving Heimlich maneuver, thus dislodging a piece of candy,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
Another student also attempted to help the girl before Josey arrived on the scene.
Before becoming a police officer, Josey spent eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve as a combat medic.
“Deputy Josey’s quick actions certainly abated a tragedy and allowed a young girl the opportunity to return home to her family,” the sheriff’s office said.
Copyright 2022 WBTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/school-resource-officer-saves-choking-student/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:37 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/school-resource-officer-saves-choking-student/ |
A California woman who wrongly accused a Black teen of taking her phone at a New York City hotel has reached a plea deal that spares her from prison if she avoids trouble.
23-year-old Miya Ponsetto pleaded guilty Monday to unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, a felony, but will have a chance to replead to a misdemeanor aggravated harassment charge if she follows the terms of the agreement.
She must abide by the terms of her probation for a separate drunk driving and resisting arrest case in her home state for two years, continue to receive counseling and have no further arrests.
Video from 2020 shows Ponsetto grabbing 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr, while accusing him of stealing her phone.
A hotel manager is seeing trying to intervene and the teen’s father can be heard telling the woman to leave the teen alone.
The phone was later found in an Uber.
Harrold’s family filed a lawsuit against Ponsetto, alleging racial profiling.
The case is still pending. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/no-prison-for-woman-accused-of-hate-crime-at-nyc-hotel | 2022-04-12T18:25:39 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/no-prison-for-woman-accused-of-hate-crime-at-nyc-hotel |
Cellphone provider Nokia said it is no longer conducting new business in Russia as it joins a growing list of Western companies to stop doing business in the country.
Nokia said continuing its presence in Russia would “not be possible” as Russia continues its war against Ukraine.
“For humanitarian reasons, Western governments have expressed concerns about the risk of critical telecommunication network infrastructure in Russia failing,” Nokia said. “They have also emphasized the importance of ensuring the continued flow of information and access to the internet which provides outside perspectives to the Russian people. Therefore, as we exit we will aim to provide the necessary support to maintain the networks and are applying for the relevant licenses to enable this support in compliance with current sanctions.”
Nokia said it has stopped deliveries to Russia and is moving out its research and development.
The company said the Russian market accounts for less than 2% of its net sales. Nokia said with strong demand in other regions, it is not expecting the decision to impact its financial outlook for the year. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/nokia-halts-new-business-in-russia | 2022-04-12T18:25:45 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/nokia-halts-new-business-in-russia |
Police: Student stabbed at Kansas City school by another student
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - Police said one student has been injured after he was stabbed by another at Northeast Middle School.
The Kansas City Police Department said the two students were boys in either seventh or eighth grade, KCTV reported.
The stabbing resulted from some confrontation and occurred in a bathroom, department spokesperson Donna Drake said.
The victim received life-threatening injuries, and the student of interest in the stabbing has been detained.
There is no ongoing threat, police said.
Kansas City Public Schools said the injured student was taken by ambulance to Children’s Mercy Hospital and is in critical condition.
“At this time, our students are safe, and we are working directly with Northeast Middle School families on reunification plans and an early dismissal. We are in the process of dismissing students now,” the school district said.
Kansas City Public Schools said it’s working with law enforcement to investigate what happened, and it’s offering counseling support for students and staff.
Copyright 2022 KCTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/stabbing-kansas-city-middle-school-leaves-1-with-life-threatening-injuries/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:44 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/stabbing-kansas-city-middle-school-leaves-1-with-life-threatening-injuries/ |
ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands — Holland America is volunteering one of its ships to temporarily house Ukrainian refugees.
The Volendam will dock in the Dutch city of Rotterdam for three months to provide shelter for about 1,500 Ukrainians.
Holland America will provide three hot meals a day to refugees, as well as internet access and other necessities.
To accommodate refugees, the cruise line will cancel three voyages that were scheduled for the Volendam.
Guests will be accommodated on other itineraries.
Service will resume on July 3.
“We are in a unique position to accommodate the immediate need for food and housing, so we felt it was very important to work with the City of Rotterdam and charter this ship,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line in a statement.
The Dutch government has pledged to house 50,000 refugees from Ukraine.
The government reached out to the cruise line in March to ask if a ship could be used to house Ukrainians.
So far, 100 Ukrainians have boarded the ship.
More are expected in the coming days. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/cruise-ship-in-the-netherlands-will-house-1-500-ukrainian-refugees | 2022-04-12T18:25:51 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/cruise-ship-in-the-netherlands-will-house-1-500-ukrainian-refugees |
US inflation jumped 8.5% in past year, highest since 1981
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation soared over the past year at its fastest pace in more than 40 years, with costs for food, gasoline, housing and other necessities squeezing American consumers and wiping out the pay raises that many people have received.
The Labor Department said Tuesday that its consumer price index jumped 8.5% in March from 12 months earlier, the sharpest year-over-year increase since 1981. Prices have been driven up by bottlenecked supply chains, robust consumer demand and disruptions to global food and energy markets worsened by Russia’s war against Ukraine. From February to March, inflation rose 1.2%, the biggest month-to-month jump since 2005. Gasoline prices drove more than half that increase.
Across the economy, the year-over-year price spikes were widespread. Gasoline prices rocketed 48% in the past 12 months. Used car prices have soared 35%, though they actually fell in February and March. Bedroom furniture is up 14.7%, men’s suits and coats 14.5%. Grocery prices have jumped 10%, including 18% increases for both bacon and oranges.
Investors focused on a bright spot in the report and sent stock prices up: So-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose just 0.3% from February to March, the smallest monthly rise since September. Over the past year, though, core prices are up 6.5%, the most since 1982.
“The inflation fire is still out of control,’’ said Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at the research firm FWDBONDS LLC.
The March inflation numbers were the first to fully capture the surge in gasoline prices that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Moscow’s attacks have triggered far-reaching Western sanctions against the Russian economy and disrupted food and energy markets. According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of gasoline — $4.10 — is up 43% from a year ago, though it’s dipped in the past couple of weeks.
The acceleration of inflation has occurred against the backdrop of a booming job market and a solid overall economy. In March, employers adding a robust 431,000 jobs — the 11th straight month in which they’ve added at least 400,000. For 2021, they added 6.7 million jobs, the most in any year on record. In addition, job openings are near record highs, layoffs are at their lowest point since 1968 and the unemployment rate is just above a half-century low.
The escalation of energy prices, a potential threat to the economy’s long-term durability, has led to higher transportation costs for the shipment of goods across the economy, which, in turn, has contributed to higher prices for consumers. The squeeze is being felt particularly hard at the gas pump.
“That’s an extra dollar per gallon that I’m paying to get into the city to work,” Jason Emerson of Oakland, California, said as he loaded groceries into his car. “And then, you know, we have the tolls that just went up this past year a dollar. My eggs are a dollar more as well. So everything’s going up at least a dollar, which, you know, adds up.’’
The latest inflation numbers solidify expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates aggressively in the coming months to try to slow borrowing and spending and tame inflation.
Kathy Bostjancic, an economist at Oxford Economics, said she expects year-over-year inflation to hit 9% in May and then begin “a slow descent.” Some other economists, too, suggest that inflation is at or near its peak. With federal stimulus aid having expired, consumer demand could flag as wages fall behind inflation, households drain more of their savings and the Fed sharply raises rates, all of which could combine to slow inflation.
But that could take time. Robust spending, steady pay raises and chronic supply shortages are still fueling inflation. In addition, housing costs, which make up about a third of the consumer price index, have escalated, a trend that seems unlikely to reverse anytime soon.
Economists note that as the economy has emerged from the depths of the pandemic, consumers have been gradually broadening their spending beyond goods to include more services. A result is that high inflation, which at first had reflected mainly a shortage of goods — from cars and furniture to electronics and sports equipment — has been emerging in services, too, like travel, health care and entertainment. Airline fares, for instance, have soared an average of nearly 24% in the past 12 months. The average cost of a hotel room is up 29%
The expected fast pace of the Fed’s rate increases will make loans sharply more expensive for consumers and businesses. Mortgage rates, in particular, though not directly influenced by the Fed, have rocketed higher in recent weeks, making home buying costlier. Many economists say they worry that the Fed has waited too long to begin raising rates and might end up acting so aggressively as to trigger a recession.
The American public’s expectation for inflation over the next 12 months has reached its highest point — 6.6% — in a survey the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has conducted since 2013. Once public expectations for inflation rise, they can be self-fulfilling: Workers typically demand higher pay to offset their expectations for price increases. Businesses, in turn, raise prices to cover their higher labor costs. This can set off a wage-price spiral, something the nation last endured in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Inflation, which had been largely under control for four decades, began to accelerate last spring as the U.S. and global economies rebounded with unexpected speed and strength from the brief but devastating coronavirus recession that began in the spring of 2020.
Many Americans have been receiving pay increases, but inflation has more than wiped out those gains for most people. In February, after accounting for inflation, average hourly wages fell 2.7% from a year earlier. It was the 12th straight monthly drop in inflation-adjusted wages.
Still, for now, with the job market healthy, inflation has yet to dampen overall consumer spending. Levi Strauss & Co., for example, says its price increases don’t seem to have fazed its customers.
That said, Adrian Mitchell, chief financial officer at Macy’s, cautions that chronically high inflation will likely lead consumers to be choosier: They may spend less on department store goods and more on services like travel and dinners out.
“We do believe that the consumer is going to be spending,’’ Mitchell said. “But are they going to be spending on discretionary items that we sell, or are they going to be spending on an airline ticket to Florida or air travel or going out to restaurants more?”
In Atlanta, Shirley Hughes has had to raise prices at her bakery, Sweet Cheats, because of soaring costs for items like eggs and milk. Two years ago, a 36-pound container of butter cost $75. Now, it’s $145. Thirty dozen eggs were $50. Now, they’re $75 — and even that price is possible only if Hughes picks them up herself, instead of having them delivered. She’s raised the price of her six-inch cake by $5 to $50.
So far, she said, people have generally accepted her higher prices. But there are limits. One customer wanted a six-inch cake delivered to her boyfriend — an hour’s drive away. Hughes told her the price of making the cake and delivering it would come to nearly $200.
The customer canceled.
___
D’Innocenzio and Anderson reported from New York. AP video journalist Terence Chea in Oakland, California, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/sticker-shock-march-inflation-likely-set-new-40-year-high/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:52 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/sticker-shock-march-inflation-likely-set-new-40-year-high/ |
BRNO, Czech Republic (AP) — Since Russia launched its brutal attack against Ukraine, Ukrainians living across the Czech Republic have been arriving in the second largest Czech city of Brno.
They have come for courses designed to teach them skills to safely handle lethal rifles while being able to inflict damage on their enemy.
At least 130 men and women have so far undergone free-of-charge training on how to fight the aggressor.
The Associated Press reported that the training is being provided by security company CS Solutions.
The owner of CS Solutions, Michal Ratajsky, told the news outlet that he's doing this as “our contribution to the help for Ukrainians."
Besides money being raised through a crowdfunding campaign to help them buy ammunition, the company provides everything else, including experienced instructors, weapons, and the shooting range, the AP reported.
Other than shooting, the courses give them the basics about guns, movement around the battlefield, and a lesson in providing first aid.
Soon, they may put those skills to the test in the war zone that their country has become. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/czechs-provide-free-shooting-training-for-local-ukrainians | 2022-04-12T18:25:57 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/czechs-provide-free-shooting-training-for-local-ukrainians |
Use Venmo? Tax changes are coming
Tennessee senator aims to reverse filing requirement
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Filing taxes can be confusing. If you use apps like Venmo, Cash App or PayPal, it could soon get even more complicated.
Until now, Venmo users didn’t have to report income they received through the app, if it was under $20,000.
As a part of the American Rescue Plan, Congress lowered that requirement to just $600.
“I feel like that’s really the thing that’s burdensome. For many, they don’t declare their income, and now, they have to [declare],” said Michael Harlen, a touring musician, who is primarily paid through Venmo.
The new requirement didn’t add up for Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) either.
“Think about all the small businesses, even individuals that, you know, basically have transactions back and forth. They’re now going to have to file new IRS forms,” said Hagerty.
Hagerty is now introducing the ‘SNOOP’ Act, short for Stop Nosy Obsessions with Online Payments. It would re-establish $20,000 as the minimum reporting requirement for those paid through apps.
“This is the process of trying to fix what should have never happened,” said Hagerty.
Hagerty faces an uphill battle. Right now, his bill only has support from Republicans.
The $600 threshold will go into effect for the 2023 tax season. According to Venmo’s tax experts, it only applies to earned taxable income, not reimbursements.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/use-venmo-tax-changes-coming/ | 2022-04-12T18:25:59 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/use-venmo-tax-changes-coming/ |
The New Car Assessment Program, or NCAP, lets you compare the safety of new cars.
The star ratings show everything from how well a car protects you in a crash to rollover resistance.
There’s a proposal to update the rating program, but some advocates are concerned the proposal doesn't address the existing gender gap in car safety testing.
“Most of us think when we go buy a car and it says it has a 5 NCAP star rating, there's a presumption that that's for women also. And to me, there's no excuse for treating men and women differently,” said Susan Molinari at Verity now.
The proposal calls for updating male crash test dummies, but it doesn't include a dummy representative for all women.
Currently, tests are done on a smaller version of a male dummy or with a computer simulation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledges that women face a 17% higher risk on average of dying in a crash.
Research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds newer cars are doing a better job of protecting both men and women, but disparities still exist.
“Women are getting injured more with their arms and their legs. While these injuries may not be life-threatening, they most certainly are life altering, both in terms of capabilities of one of one's body, as well as potential mental health implications that could result from these types of injuries,” said Cathy Chase at Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
More than 60 members of Congress recently sent a letter to the Transportation Secretary asking him to require up-to-date female crash test dummies to be used in the new car assessment program.
The NCAP ratings also show the recommended safety technology that's in the car.
NHTSA is proposing to add blind spot detection, blind spot intervention, lane-keeping support and pedestrian automatic emergency braking.
“The Advanced Driver Assistance technologies are going to work, irrespective of who is in the vehicle so that is going to help either to avoid or to mitigate the collisions. The drawback, however, is that the improvement that's being proposed for NCAP will not actually incorporate those at this point in time into the rating, it will only be a checkbox,” said Shaun Kildare at Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
NHTSA says the new car assessment program has improved safety for both men and women.
The new infrastructure law requires a study of how crash-test dummies are used in car safety tests.
A report on that is required within a year.
You can comment on the proposed safety rating update until May 9th on the Federal Register website. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/safety-advocates-want-gender-gap-addressed-in-car-safety-testing | 2022-04-12T18:26:03 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/safety-advocates-want-gender-gap-addressed-in-car-safety-testing |
VIDEO: Man arrested after child escapes attempted kidnapping, police say
ORLANDO, Fla. (Gray News) – A man in Florida was arrested Tuesday after attempting to kidnap a child, police said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that 37-year-old Vinh Nguyen approached and grabbed a child Monday morning in the Azalea Park neighborhood in Orlando and tried to lure the child into his vehicle.
The sheriff’s office said the child was able to get away and Nguyen took off. Following a tip from the public, detectives arrested Nguyen on Tuesday morning.
Nguyen has been charged with false imprisonment, luring or enticing of a child, and battery.
Detectives are continuing to investigate and want to know if there may be other victims of Nguyen. If you have any information, please call the Central Florida Crime Line at 1-800-423-8477.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/video-man-arrested-after-child-escapes-attempted-kidnapping-police-say/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:05 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/12/video-man-arrested-after-child-escapes-attempted-kidnapping-police-say/ |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Meijer has announced the opening date for its fourth Fort Wayne store. The Dupont Road supercenter is scheduled to welcome customers on May 12. The store is located just east of I-69 and south of the Parkview Regional Medical Center campus.
The Grand Rapids, Michigan based retailer opened its first store in Indiana back in 1994.
In addition to weekly sales, Meijer says the new location will also feature special promotions and events following opening day.
There are still full-time and part-time employee openings Interested candidates can begin the hiring process by applying online at https://jobs.meijer.com/stores. Enter “Dupont” in the location search field and click search. Details for hourly and full-time positions are outlined within the job postings. | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/meijer-announces-opening-date-for-dupont-road-store/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:08 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/meijer-announces-opening-date-for-dupont-road-store/ |
BEIJING (AP) — Some residents of Shanghai have been allowed out of their homes as the city of 25 million eases a two-week-old shutdown.
That came after a video posted online showed what was said to be people who ran out of food breaking into a supermarket.
The online news outlet The Paper said about 6.6 million people will be allowed to go outdoors.
The government said some markets and pharmacies would reopen.
A health official warned Shanghai doesn't have the virus under control despite easing restrictions. China has a strict zero-COVID policy, which aims to eliminate the virus rather than adapt and live with it.
Washington announced all “non-emergency U.S. government employees” would be withdrawn from its Shanghai Consulate. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/shanghai-eases-2-week-shutdown-letting-some-residents-out | 2022-04-12T18:26:09 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/shanghai-eases-2-week-shutdown-letting-some-residents-out |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) The tiny victim was repeatedly hit on the head, her arms and legs taped together. Someone stood on her neck and kicked her.
Then her head was held under water in a bathtub at the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel until she drowned.
The man charged with her murder was in court Tuesday under the assumption he would be taking a plea deal since that was what was indicated in court documents.
Instead, Terry Smith, Jr., 35, formerly of Bluffton, told Magistrate Sam Keirns he wanted a speedy trial.
It took about 10 minutes to consult Allen Superior Court Judge David Zent’s court calendar where they found the speediest available starts on July 5. In front of his attorney, Gregory Fumarolo, Smith said he didn’t need a pre-trial conference.
Destiny Erhardt, sister-in-law to the victim, Tiffany Ferris, 35, sat in the courtroom, trying not to sob as she wiped her eyes several times. She said she was trying to get Smith to look at her, but his eyes never made their way to that section of the public seating area. Smith seemed defiant as he dismissed the idea of a plea agreement and demanded a trial, now scheduled for three days.
Erhardt was in favor of the plea deal which would have most likely given Smith 50 years in prison because her family didn’t want to be dragged through a trial. Ferris leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son who now live with their grandparents.
“Her daughter is never going to know her,” Erhardt said. “She always, always wanted children. She wanted to be a mom.”
Yes, she went down the wrong path, said Erhardt, the only family member to attend the court procedure, “but she didn’t deserve this.
“I know she was into drugs,” said Erhardt who didn’t have a reason for why she was because she didn’t have a bad life. “She had so many people who loved her. She had a good support system. I’ll never understand,” adding that she wanted Smith “put away for life.”
During the early morning hours of May 10, 2021 when Ferris was killed, sometime before 8:48 a.m. when a 911 call was placed by someone who discovered her body, there were two other people in the bathroom located in a hotel room used for storage, according to a desk clerk. The room was at the back of the inn and only accessed by a back window.
Tiffany was from Decatur, but, apparently, at that time, lived at the Suburban Extended Stay, Erhardt said.
A young woman who witnessed Tiffany’s death and said she was forced to participate in taping her arms and holding her under water, is now dead. A third, a man, been charged with armed robbery the three allegedly perpetrated the same day and will be sentenced Thursday, court documents indicate.
Erhardt said just after Ferris’ death that Tiffany was about 4 feet 10 inches tall and “90 pounds soaking wet.”
According to the witness, Smith was the mastermind of the killing, angry with Tiffany for “stealing and using his narcotics,” the probable cause affidavit filed a few days after Ferris’ death indicated.
After Ferris had died, the witness said Smith wanted to stage the scene to make it look like Ferris had overdosed. Smith allegedly placed drug paraphernalia in the bathroom and burned some of the tape used to tie her up. He also removed her clothing and some of the bloodstained portions of the carpet using scissors, court documents said.
The witness said the three of them left the room with the blood soaked carpet and discarded it out of the Smith’s black Ford F150, court documents said.
Smith was picked up three days later in his Ford pick-up in Muncie, Indiana. During his interview with detectives, he denied any involvement in Ferris’ death.
A forensic pathologist told detectives he would rule Ferris’ death a homicide by drowning and that her injuries were “consistent” with what the female witness told them. Now she’s dead as well as her friend, Tiffany Ferris. | https://www.wane.com/news/man-charged-in-drowning-homicide-rejects-plea-deal-wants-speedy-trial/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:13 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/man-charged-in-drowning-homicide-rejects-plea-deal-wants-speedy-trial/ |
Acquisition integrates two nationally recognized, Michigan-based specialty insurance carriers
LANSING, Mich., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AF Group, a nationally recognized holding company whose affiliated brands provide specialty and workers' compensation insurance solutions across the United States, has entered into a definitive agreement through its subsidiary Accident Fund Insurance Company of America to purchase AmeriTrust Group from Fosun. Headquartered in Southfield, Mich., AmeriTrust offers specialty insurance programs and products including workers' compensation, commercial package and automotive business coverages, and comprehensive product offerings in various industry segments. AmeriTrust is a financially strong company rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best. The acquisition is expected to be completed after obtaining regulatory approvals.
"This exciting acquisition aligns two world-class organizations toward a common goal of providing exceptional, customer-focused insurance products and services through our valued agents," said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. "The reputation and performance of AmeriTrust is proven in the marketplace, and we're excited to welcome their exceptional team to our award-winning organization as we work together toward even greater success."
With this acquisition, AF Group welcomes AmeriTrust's expertise in the property and casualty space to its enterprise and further enhances its successful specialty and workers' compensation products and its capabilities in other lines of insurance. The investment also reinforces AF Group's increasingly prominent position and reputation in the property and casualty insurance market, which has grown significantly over the last decade. AF Group is recognized for its financial strength as a Ward's 50 company and has earned an "A" (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best.
Stonybrook Capital acted as advisors to AF Group and Deutsche Bank were advisors to Fosun.
About AF Group
AF Group is a nationally recognized holding company whose affiliated insurance brands are premier providers of innovative, specialty insurance solutions offered through independent agents nationwide. All policies are underwritten by a licensed insurer subsidiary. Accident Fund Insurance Company of America. For more information, visit afgroup.com. © AF Group.
About Fosun
Founded in 1992, Fosun is a global innovation-driven consumer group dedicated to providing high-quality products and services for families around the world in health, happiness, wealth and intelligent manufacturing segments. In 2007, Fosun International Limited was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 00656.HK). In 2021, Fosun International's total revenue was RMB161.29 billion and total assets amounted to RMB806.4 billion. Fosun International ranks No.459 on the 2021 Forbes Global 2000 List, with a MSCI ESG rating of AA, and it is the only comprehensive enterprise in Greater China with a MSCI ESG rating of AA.
About AmeriTrust Group, Inc.
Founded in 1955, AmeriTrust Group, Inc. is a nationally recognized commercial insurance underwriter and insurance administration services provider in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry. AmeriTrust is comprised of four distribution segments of the insurance marketplace: admitted carrier operations, excess & surplus lines carrier operations, wholesale MGU/MGA and third-party administration operations, and retail insurance agency operations. AmeriTrust offers a broad range of insurance solutions, including specialty products to independent agencies, governmental entities, select industry, trade and professional associations, and affinity partners. Carrier operations include five insurance companies which are licensed on both an admitted and non-admitted basis. For more detail, visit ameritrustgroup.com.
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SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/af-group-announces-acquisition-ameritrust-group/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:12 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/af-group-announces-acquisition-ameritrust-group/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Monday, two bills expanding Tennessee's existing laws on transgender female athletes in girls' sports passed through the state Senate.
The first bill, which would penalize school districts for not adhering to the state's ban by withholding funding, had already passed through the state House. It will soon head to Gov. Bill Lee.
The sponsor of both bills, Republican Senator Joey Hensley, said he is trying to create a fair playing field for girl athletes and women in college. He said the bill was inspired by transgender athletes who had beaten women in national competitions.
The second bill adds to an existing law to keep transgender female athletes out of girls' middle and high school sports. The bill adds higher education and intramural sports to the list.
Opponents of these bills said they're creating a problem out of an issue that doesn't exist.
"In the process of trying to raise concern that there is something there, we create this really discriminatory environment that really scares people from being who they are," said Dahron Johnson, a transgender athlete. "That's a trauma that has an impact on their entire lives."
Johnson has been cycling since she was 12 or 13 years old. She said it was always about the camaraderie and not the experience Republican lawmakers fear.
"There's some folks and leaders in sports who have children who want to come forward, who want to come out and play but are scared to because of the environment that bills like this and the associated ones help create," said Johnson.
The ACLU and Tennessee Equality Project both released statements shortly after the passage of the bills. They condemned the legislature for creating a discriminatory atmosphere in the state and asked Gov. Lee to veto the bills.
The state's transgender law currently faces legal challenges. So, each law couldn't take effect until those suits were resolved. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/transgender-athlete-penalty-bill-heads-to-tennessee-governors-desk | 2022-04-12T18:26:15 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/national/transgender-athlete-penalty-bill-heads-to-tennessee-governors-desk |
SAS and Attentis help improve flood and fire response as the climate changes
CARY, N.C., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Earth Day approaches, we continue to see the impact of climate change everywhere. In eastern Australia, this impact can feel biblical.
Severe rain in February and March of this year has caused some of the worst flooding in history. At least 20 people have died, and tens of thousands of homes and businesses have been inundated.
And the 2019-2020 bushfire season scorched millions of acres, killing 33 people and destroying thousands of homes. The fires also decimated wildlife, with an estimated 3 billion animals in the path of the flames.
Australia's iconic koala has seen a steep population drop and is now endangered. Among the causes? Climate-related weather events like fires and floods, as well as habitat destruction from development.
Attentis, an Australian technology firm, has designed and manufactured a range of intelligent sensors that provide local officials and emergency response teams with real-time information and monitoring. These sensors are powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning from SAS, the leader in analytics.
"Our sensor networks help monitor, measure and mitigate many of the effects of climate change, from fire ignition to flooding to air quality, soil and environmental health, and much more," said Attentis Managing Director and founder Cameron McKenna. "Attentis' multi-sensors are now equipped with AI-embedded SAS® IoT analytics so that local officials, for the first time, can identify conditions and environmental factors – such as fire ignitions and rapid water-level rise – and respond immediately, while continuing to measure and monitor live environmental conditions to aid situational awareness."
Attentis has created the world's first integrated, high-speed sensor network throughout Australia's Latrobe Valley. Today, this network is the world's largest real-time environmental-monitoring network.
Covering 913 square miles, the Latrobe Valley Information Network and its array of AI-powered sensors collects and delivers vital data that has improved local agriculture, utilities and forest industries, as well as emergency services.
Thousands of local and neighboring residents now access this data on a regular basis to monitor rainfall, air quality, fire starts, weather and more.
Collecting more real-time situational data via Attentis sensor networks and quickly uncovering key insights from that data using SAS Analytics for IoT means that local officials can make better, faster and more informed decisions that protect citizens, property and natural resources.
"SAS and Attentis boost the resiliency of the people of Latrobe Valley in the face of fires, floods and other challenges brought about by climate change," said McKenna.
Historical data can also be used by government and academic researchers looking to protect endangered species like the koala. Understanding and monitoring threats to koalas – such as bushfires and floods – can help scientists assess the health of the population and develop strategies to sustain koala numbers.
SAS AI technologies are already used to protect other endangered species. See how WildTrack uses SAS Analytics to protect cheetahs, rhinos and more.
Advanced analytics like AI help harness value from the Internet of Things (IoT). Data management, cloud and high-performance computing techniques help manage and analyze the influx of IoT data from sensors like those built by Attentis. Insights from streaming analytics and AI underpin digital transformation efforts in a host of industries – retail, manufacturing, energy, transportation, government and more – that improve efficiency, convenience and security.
"With fires and floods, every second matters. By combining Attentis' intelligent sensors with our cloud-native SAS Analytics for IoT solution, we're accelerating the speed and accuracy at which officials can respond to these environmental threats," said Jason Mann, Vice President of IoT at SAS. "For example, with intelligent sensor networks and predictive analytics, emergency responders can now continuously and accurately assess river heights, rainfall and soil moisture in real-time. By closely monitoring and analyzing this data, these officials can quickly act on new insights and issue early flood warnings to people in high-risk areas who may be affected – or inundated – by severe weather."
Attentis is an Australian company creating and manufacturing cutting-edge environmental-monitoring technology through a range of robust, multi-sensory devices. Attentis has been recognized as having the most technological advanced data transmission network in Australia.
SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.
SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2022 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.
Editorial Contact:
Mike Nemecek
Mike.Nemecek@sas.com
919-531-5140
sas.com/news
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SOURCE SAS | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ai-iot-analytics-protect-people-koalas/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:21 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ai-iot-analytics-protect-people-koalas/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — After 15 years, Tanya Mckinzie is stepping down as the president of the Indiana Black Expo.
During her time at IBE, Mckinzie created the Education Conference, launched the Black Business Training Institute for 120 business owners in Central Indiana and more.
She says the IBE is planning on Summer Celebration at the Indiana Convention Center and American Legion Mall this year.
"We will be full fledged this year with a complete calendar," Mckinzie said. "We are very excited to be able to have our events physical and be able to celebrate with the community in person this year."
Circle City Classic is also on the calendar.
Alice Watson has been named the next CEO of IBE. Watson currently serves as IBE’s Sr. Vice President where she has led the day-to-day operations of the organization for the past 10 years.
Watson will begin her new role in January 2023.
WRTV's Rafael Sanchez spoke with Mckinzie Tuesday. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/state-news/alice-watson-named-new-ceo-of-indiana-black-expo | 2022-04-12T18:26:21 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/news/state-news/alice-watson-named-new-ceo-of-indiana-black-expo |
AUSTIN, Texas, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Angela Hood, CEO and Founder of ThisWay Global, announced they are leveraging IBM technology intending to expand the reach and function of its AI-backed and Google-accelerated HR recruitment technology. IBM's AI-powered automation software is expected to help provide ThisWay Global with the ability to easily integrate into businesses' existing environments and quickly match employers to candidates from diverse communities of qualified job applicants.
According to a recent industry survey, mid-market and enterprise companies have a problem finding and hiring quality candidates. IBM App Connect Enterprise empowers ThisWay Global to provide its customers with scalable integrations into HRIS (human resources information systems) and CRM (candidate resource management) platforms, opening doors for HR leaders and recruiters to millions of candidates.
"We're thrilled," said Hood "to make hiring a diverse and inclusive workforce more accessible for our clients with the support of IBM App Connect Enterprise."
How it Works
ThisWay Global's recruitment process automation (RPA) platform – Ai4JOBS – is a powerful diversity sourcing and matching platform (SaaS) that enables organizations to connect with diverse applicants and candidates from 8,500+ online diversity communities. Every applicant is matched against every open position, based only on their skills and experience, enabling employers to quickly find the best applicant instantly and without bias. ThisWay Global's unbiased candidate matching engine identifies top qualified candidates for every job from the entire candidate database. It combines specific machine learning and data security with the powerful ability to match applicants to opportunities based on more than 1000 data points. This solution increases customer compliance, efficiency, and the accurate matching of qualified talent, while simultaneously increasing diversity and inclusion.
ThisWay Global's architecture was uniquely developed to be natively embedded into enterprise technology platforms, providing companies with seamless, secure, compliant recruiting automation that expands to match a customers' current needs and to facilitate their growth within their current workflow.
ThisWay Global is using IBM App Connect Enterprise to support a breadth of integration needs across a modern enterprise. With IBM App Connect Enterprise, businesses can integrate ThisWay Global's Ai4JOBS platform into their existing environments. IBM App Connect Enterprise delivers an automated approach to integration designed to reduce development complexity and speed time to value, empowering businesses to connect applications and data no matter where they reside, be it on-cloud or on-premises with security.
IBM App Connect Enterprise enables ThisWay Global to easily integrate with and provide technology to customers that previously did not have access to ThisWay Global's technology, diverse talent pool, and reach of their entire integration partner network.
"As businesses bounce back and doors reopen for customers globally, companies are navigating a complex labor market and may struggle to find the talent they need quickly enough, especially skilled knowledge workers," said Dinesh Nirmal, General Manager, IBM Automation. "ThisWay Global is leveraging IBM's AI-powered automation technology to help organizations accelerate how they find and hire diverse talent and help address the shortage of skills across industries."
Part of the IBM Ecosystem, ThisWay Global's strengths combined with IBM technology can help address the most complex challenges in business and society for clients with hybrid cloud and AI.
In September of 2021, ThisWay Global was one of 12 North American startups along with their founders selected for the Google Startup Accelerator Program. This group was chosen for their use of AI/ML to address business challenges and a specific technical challenge that Google mentorship could help solve. This acceleration by Google helped ThisWay Global to finalize their embedded approach for their IBM relationship.
About ThisWay Global:
Founded by Angela Hood in University of Cambridge's ideaSpace, ThisWay Global is a WBENC certified, VC-backed, Google accelerated HR tech industry leader that matches all people to all jobs instantly and without bias. Using proprietary artificial intelligence, TWG's network has performed over 15.5 trillion matching events, providing companies and governments with technology to reduce bias and increase diversity across all industries. ThisWay Global is headquartered in the booming tech hub of Austin, Texas, with offices in Silicon Valley and Boston. To learn more or to schedule a demo, visit thiswayglobal.com.
Media contacts:
Michael Coats (707) 235-6203; michael@coatspr.com
Bill Fanning (ThisWay Global's CRO) (512) 649-8288; bill.fanning@thiswayglobal.com
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SOURCE ThisWay Global | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ai-recruitment-specialist-thisway-global-leverages-ibms-ai-powered-automation-software-deliver-powerful-diversity-hiring-technology/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:27 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ai-recruitment-specialist-thisway-global-leverages-ibms-ai-powered-automation-software-deliver-powerful-diversity-hiring-technology/ |
A Ukrainian soldier posted pics of a lost dog to Facebook last week, trying to reunite the pup with his people. And it looks like it worked!
Newsweek reports that Andriy Smirnov posted the photos while in Bucha, a suburb of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. The town has sustained major damage from Russian attacks, and Smirnov shared that he found the dog — a small tan-and-white husky — roaming the desolate streets.
“Bucha, such a little one running around the house,” he wrote. “There are no owners, we will look for them.”
The post was shared more than 7,000 times. Not long after, a woman named Marina commented on it, saying that this was her dog and that her children had been crying for him.
“When the shelling began, our beloved pet dog Yukki got spooked and ran away,” Marina told Newsweek. “We looked for him, but to no avail.”
Then Marina and her three children made the tough decision to leave Bucha without Yukki. She said the dog eventually returned home, but the family’s house was hit by a rocket. A neighbor who stayed in town eventually found Yukki and cared for him, but the dog bolted again in another round of shelling.
Bucha lost running water, electricity, gas and internet in early March. It’s also a site of alleged war crimes against civilians.
“Then a miracle happened,” Marina said. “He was found by a soldier named Andriy Smirnov. He is with him now and is taken care of. We are waiting for a call from Andriy who will let us know when it is safe to come back and return Yukki to our family.”
A post on a personal page notes that, as of two days ago, a member of the family was expecting to make an appointment with the soldier so they could prove ownership and pick up the pup.
In the meantime, Yukki seems pretty comfortable with Smirnov — the soldier posted some additional pics of the pup snuggling up with him. He noted in the post that the saga isn’t quite finished, as he wants to make sure the dog goes to the right owners.
This is just a little bit of good news in a sad time — and not the only feel-good story involving a dog in Ukraine. Nessie, another husky from Bucha, was also separated from her owner, found by military volunteers from Belarus, and posted about on social media. The two were eventually reunited.
We love to see it!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.wrtv.com/soldier-reunite-lost-husky-ukrainian-owners | 2022-04-12T18:26:27 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/soldier-reunite-lost-husky-ukrainian-owners |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission saying it found evidence the NFL's Washington Commanders engaged in unlawful financial conduct.
The committee says the team withheld ticket revenue from visiting teams and refundable ticket deposits from season-ticket holders.
In the letter, which was obtained by the Associated Press, the committee said up to $5 million was retained by the team in 2016 from 2,000 season-ticket holders and they also concealed from the league sharable revenue.
During their testimony before Congress, a former employee said two separate financial books were kept by the team, with the league receiving one with underreported ticket revenue and the other containing everything, the AP reported.
According to the news outlet, the former employee added that owner Dan Snyder knew what was being shared with the league's office and what the actual data was, too.
The committee said emails, documents, and statements made by former employees indicate team executives and Snyder engaged in "a troubling, long-running, and potentially unlawful pattern of financial conduct."
The committee is sharing documents with the FTC while requesting the commission take any action necessary to make sure the money is returned to its rightful owners. | https://www.wrtv.com/sports/congress-tells-ftc-commanders-may-have-broken-financial-laws | 2022-04-12T18:26:34 | 0 | https://www.wrtv.com/sports/congress-tells-ftc-commanders-may-have-broken-financial-laws |
- Acquisition of Air Liquide Emirates for Industrial Gases LLC (ALEMIR) and Orca Industrial Gases LLC, which includes liquid bulk, packaged gases and specialty gases of Air Liquide in the UAE
- Acquisition of Air Liquide's majority share in Middle East Carbon Dioxide W.L.L (MECD), a joint venture with ALMO Holdings CO W.L.L, for a liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) production facility in Bahrain
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE:APD) announced that it has acquired Air Liquide's industrial gases business in the UAE, including liquid bulk, packaged gases and specialty gases; and Air Liquide's majority share in MECD, which owns and operates a liquid CO2 production facility in Bahrain. Financial terms are not being disclosed for the agreement.
"The acquisition builds on many years of good experience working in and serving customers in the Middle East and supports our growth strategy for the region," commented Hamid Sabzikari, vice president and general manager, Air Products Industrial Gases Middle East, Egypt and Turkey.
"It is yet another example of how Air Products is building and strengthening its industrial gas business in the Middle East. In acquiring these businesses, we have further expanded our footprint and regional presence in the UAE and Bahrain, strengthened our product sourcing and reliability, and welcomed talented and dedicated people into our Middle East organization who are passionate about serving local customers."
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years. Focused on serving energy, environment and emerging markets, the Company provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the global leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The Company develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world's largest industrial gas projects, including: gasification projects that sustainably convert abundant natural resources into syngas for the production of high-value power, fuels and chemicals; carbon capture projects; and world-scale low and zero carbon hydrogen projects supporting global transportation and the energy transition.
The Company had fiscal 2021 sales of $10.3 billion from operations in 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of over $55 billion. More than 20,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. While forward-looking statements are made in good faith and based on assumptions, expectations and projections that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors, including risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. Except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the assumptions, beliefs or expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any such forward-looking statements are based.
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SOURCE Air Products | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/air-products-acquires-air-liquides-industrial-gases-business-united-arab-emirates-bahrain/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:34 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/air-products-acquires-air-liquides-industrial-gases-business-united-arab-emirates-bahrain/ |
Customers Cite Akamai's "Outstanding Job of Identifying New and Emerging Threats and Adapting Their Response."
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the cloud company that powers and protects life online, today announced it was named a Leader in the 2022 Forrester Bot Management Wave report. In its examination, Forrester evaluated 15 total vendors in the bot management space based on 25 criteria grouped by current offering, strategy and market presence.
Bot management is an increasingly vital tool that enables organizations to confront bad bots. According to Forrester, "Bad bots continue to consume resources and overwhelm organizations, accounting for at least a quarter of all internet traffic. Bot management has evolved from an emerging market to a rapidly maturing offering expected to meet the needs of small organizations with a single application as well as large enterprises with hundreds of them."
The 2022 Forrester Bot Management Wave report states that, "Akamai's vision is a standout, recognizing the evolution of bot operations, addressing the growing collaboration between security and the lines of business, and protecting the end-customer journey; recent launches of adjacent offerings like Account Protector and Audience Hijacking Protection support the vision."
The report specifically notes that, "Akamai shows strength in bot detection, with 16 layers ordered to minimize performance impacts and anti tampering features like Javascript obfuscation. A wide range of attack response options are available, including tarpits, cryptographic challenges, and deception. Akamai provides a list of more than 1,500 good bots across 17 categories — customers can easily add other known good bots to the list."
Akamai's bot management solutions offer behavioral-based detections with advanced machine learning algorithms powered by unmatched volumes of data on the intelligent edge platform. Interacting with 1.3 billion unique devices on a typical day, Akamai can identify anomalies in hundreds of signals to detect the most sophisticated bots. On average, Akamai detects more than 11.5 billion bot requests per day, taking action at the edge to protect digital businesses from a continuously evolving bot landscape.
"We are constantly evolving our solutions to stay ahead of evolving threats," said Eric Graham, Akamai's Vice President, Product Management. "We are pleased to be named a Leader in this report and are particularly proud that customers tell Forrester that Akamai has been outstanding at staying effective over time against shifting attacks."
A complimentary copy of the 2022 Forrester Bot Management Wave report is available for download here: For additional information regarding Akamai's approach to bot management, visit https://www.akamai.com/products/bot-manager
About Akamai
Akamai powers and protects life online. Leading companies worldwide choose Akamai to build, deliver, and secure their digital experiences — helping billions of people live, work, and play every day. With the world's most distributed compute platform — from cloud to edge — we make it easy for customers to develop and run applications, while we keep experiences closer to users and threats farther away. Learn more about Akamai's security, compute, and delivery solutions at akamai.com and akamai.com/blog, or follow Akamai Technologies on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Contact: Jim Lubinskas, 703-907-9103, jlubinsk@akamai.com
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SOURCE Akamai Technologies | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/akamai-named-bot-management-leader-by-independent-research-firm/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:40 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/akamai-named-bot-management-leader-by-independent-research-firm/ |
CENTENNIAL, Colo., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AlloSource®, one of the largest allograft providers in the U.S., creating innovative cellular and tissue products to help surgeons heal their patients, has been recognized as 2022 Bioscience Manufacturer of the Year by CompanyWeek's Colorado Manufacturing Awards (CMA) program. Since 2016, the CMA program has been recognizing industry leaders for their critical roles in shaping American manufacturing across an array of sectors.
"Each year, selecting the CMA Bioscience Manufacturer of the Year is a difficult task, given the quality of companies and finalists. This year was no different, but recognizing the work and contributions of AlloSource has never seemed so important. Congratulations to the men and women of this incredible company," stated Bart Taylor, CompanyWeek founder and co-presenter of the CMAs.
Taylor featured AlloSource CEO Tom Cycyota in a session with the group of finalists and alumni at the March 10 luncheon about steering a mission-driven organization through the turbulence of the pandemic.
"As the largest homegrown biotech company in Colorado, it's an honor to win this prestigious award and to be ranked among these top organizations in our great state," stated Cycyota. "Though the nature of processing donor tissue into transplantable allografts involves unique manufacturing methods, our mission remains at the forefront, keeping us constantly striving for more effective ways to maximize the gift of donation while improving patient outcomes."
This is the first time AlloSource has won this prestigious award. The only program of its kind in the United States, the CMA program brings together business leaders in a celebration of the modern manufacturing economy, focusing on highlighting the importance of manufacturing for Colorado.
About AlloSource
Founded in 1994, AlloSource is a nonprofit leader in providing allografts that maximize tissue donation to help surgeons heal their patients. The company has grown into one of the largest tissue networks in the country creating more than 200 types of precise bone, skin and soft-tissue allografts for use in an array of life-saving and life-enhancing medical procedures. As a leading manufacturer of cartilage tissue for joint repair and skin allografts to help heal severe burns, AlloSource's products bridge the proven science of allografts with the advanced technology of cells. The company is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks and is headquartered in Centennial, CO. For more information, please visit allosource.org.
Media Contact
Colton Ostrander
AlloSource
720. 317. 2936
costrander@allosource.org
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SOURCE AlloSource | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/allosource-recognized-top-colorado-bioscience-manufacturer/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:46 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/allosource-recognized-top-colorado-bioscience-manufacturer/ |
WESTON, Fla., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Apotex Corp. announced today its release of Paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injection (albumin-bound), a generic version of Abraxane® in the United States.
Paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
"We are proud to provide Americans with a generic option of this important medication," said Peter Hardwick, President, Apotex Corp. "This launch provides patients with a high-quality medication at an affordable price."
About Apotex Corp.
Apotex Corp. is a US based company, headquartered in Weston, Florida. It and its global affiliates are leaders in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars and are committed to supplying patients with a broad portfolio of high-quality, affordable medicines covering all major therapeutic areas.
ABRAXANE® is a registered trademark of Abraxis BioScience, LLC. Abraxis BioScience, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
All media inquiries:
Jordan Berman
Vice-President, Global Corporate Affairs
PH: 416-401-7487
Mobile: 647-272-2287
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SOURCE Apotex Corp. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/apotex-corp-launches-generic-abraxane-united-states/ | 2022-04-12T18:26:53 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/apotex-corp-launches-generic-abraxane-united-states/ |
Leading national builder services provider for new home construction expands capabilities to service the existing homes market.
HOUSTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ARCXIS, announced that it has acquired iPermit. Headquartered in Westlake Village, California, iPermit is the largest permit and HERS rating company serving existing homes in California, offering an end-to-end solution that includes permit expediting, Title 24 HERS verification, and California energy upgrade rebate processing. The acquisition introduces ARCXIS into the existing homes market and further solidifies the company's standing as the largest company of its kind in California, and across the United States.
"California is leading the nation in sustainability and building performance efforts. Bringing together ARCXIS, the largest HERS testing company for new homes in California, and the United States, with the largest permitting and HERS testing company for existing homes in the state, was a logical fit with our strategic objectives and further solidifies our position in California. Acquiring iPermit also positions us for growth in new services and new markets as we look to layer its experience and capabilities on our national platform," said Jonathan Risch, CEO of ARCXIS.
Ian Jacoby, former owner of iPermit says, "Joining the ARCXIS family of businesses is an exciting development for our customers who will benefit from expanded capacity, geographic coverage, and services. Our combination more than doubles the number of HERS inspectors we have available in California and allows us to accelerate our expansion into other markets across the U.S., now being a part of the largest HERS rating provider in the nation." Says Ian, "I am also pleased that our full staff is continuing the journey with ARCXIS. Our team is excited about the many benefits and opportunities available to them being a part of ARCXIS and is looking forward to continuing to grow our business and relationships."
iPermit will continue to operate under the iPermit brand as an ARCXIS company and will be managed by the existing team to ensure continued consistency and uninterrupted business. Visit iPermit online at www.iPermitCA.com.
About ARCXIS
ARCXIS (Houston, Texas), is the largest provider of inspection, design, engineering, and quality assurance services for the U.S. residential construction industry. Formerly known as DPIS Builder Services, Ei Companies, Post-Tension Solutions, Ensign Building Solutions Home Energy Division, and Building Energy, ARCXIS brings together hundreds of years of expertise and experience under a single brand serving builders in over half of the states spanning the continental United States.
ARCXIS operates several regional offices with teams of local area operations managers, sales staff, and a network of inspectors and engineers working in dozens of markets from coast to coast. Over the past 35 years of partnering with Builders, we have certified more Energy Star homes than anyone on the globe, consistently responsible for certifying a quarter of all Energy Star homes annually. We are the largest HERS rater in the United States, touching over 150,000 homes annually and were the first company to be recognized by RESNET for performing 250,000 HERS ratings. We are the largest energy rater in California, certifying more Title 24 homes than any company in the state.
The ARCXIS group of companies also includes ABCO Construction Services, LLC (Centennial, Colorado) and structural engineering firm United Structural Consultants (Houston, Texas). Both ABCO and USC service the multi-family, multi-use, and commercial sectors of the construction industry. The addition of iPermit (Westlake Village, California) expands the ARCXIS suite of services to include HERS testing and permitting for existing homes.
ARCXIS is majority owned by Saw Mill Capital, LLC (Briarcliff Manor, New York). Visit us online at www.arcxis.com.
Contact:
Carole Firth, Marketing Manager
Cell: (725) 502-4004
Email: cfirth@eicompanies.com
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SOURCE ARCXIS | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/arcxis-acquires-california-based-ipermit/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:01 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/arcxis-acquires-california-based-ipermit/ |
WASHINGTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning journalist Ashleigh Banfield, host of "Banfield" on NewsNation, will reunite with her former MSNBC co-anchor, Lester Holt, the NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor. Holt will join her "Rising Tide: The Value in Mentoring Others" series during the NAB Show Opening Main Stage session on Sunday, April 24 at 1:15 p.m. in Las Vegas, NV.
The interview will precede Holt's previously announced induction into the National Association of Broadcasting (NAB) Hall of Fame, also on the Main Stage at NAB Show.
Banfield recently founded "Rising Tide" a monthly live Zoom event for people looking to succeed in TV journalism and receive guidance from leading figures in the field.
Each month, she features guest VIP mentors in the industry who have agreed to take questions and share tips, secrets and career advice. The mentors include Bob Costas, Gayle King, Harvey Levin, Jake Tapper, Sanja Gupta, Dan Abrams, Lisa Ling, Meghan McCain, Mika Brzezinski, Savannah Guthrie, Wolf Blitzer, Deborah Norville, Donny Deutsch, Dana Bash, Shepard Smith, Elizabeth Vargas, Jesse Palmer, S.E. Cupp, Sam Champion, Thomas Roberts and Steve Wilkos.
"Banfield" airs weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, featuring in-depth coverage of the day's top news stories and newsmakers.
Before joining NewsNation, Banfield, an Emmy, Telly, Iris, Gracie and National Headliner Award winner, served as a legal analyst and host for Court TV, and was a regular contributor to Investigation Discovery's ID "Murder Mystery" series.
During her 34-year career, Banfield has served as host of the A+E prime-time series, "Live Rescue," host of "Primetime Justice with Ashleigh Banfield" on HLN, anchored "Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield" on CNN, and co-anchored the CNN morning news program, "Early Start."
She has also served as a correspondent and anchor for ABC News, reporting for "Good Morning America," "20/20," "ABC World News Tonight," and "Nightline." Prior to ABC, Banfield anchored, hosted, and created three programs on TruTV. On MSNBC, she anchored "Ashleigh Banfield: On Location," as well as "Newsfront: with Ashleigh Banfield and Lester Holt," and "Homepage" with Mika Brzezinski and Gina Gaston. She also anchored and reported for The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and Dateline.
The NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, into which Holt will be inducted, recognizes radio and television personalities or programs that have earned a place in broadcasting history. Explore the complete list of past inductees here.
Register as press for the 2022 NAB Show.
About NAB Show
NAB Show, held April 23 – 27, 2022, in Las Vegas, is the premier event for content professionals in the media, entertainment and technology ecosystem. It's the ultimate marketplace for those seeking to create superior audio and video experiences. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms, NAB Show is where global visionaries convene to bring content to life in new and exciting ways. For complete details, visit www.nabshow.com.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.
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SOURCE National Association of Broadcasters | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ashleigh-banfield-interview-lester-holt-nab-show-main-stage-session/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:10 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ashleigh-banfield-interview-lester-holt-nab-show-main-stage-session/ |
Acquisition integrates two nationally recognized, Michigan-based specialty insurance carriers
DETROIT, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AF Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and a nationally-recognized holding company whose affiliated brands provide specialty and workers' compensation insurance solutions across the United States, has entered into a definitive agreement through its subsidiary Accident Fund Insurance Company of America to purchase AmeriTrust Group from Fosun. Headquartered in Southfield, Mich., AmeriTrust offers specialty insurance programs and products including workers' compensation, commercial package and automotive business coverages, and comprehensive product offerings in various industry segments. AmeriTrust is a financially strong company rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best. The acquisition is expected to be completed after obtaining regulatory approvals.
"With the acquisition of AmeriTrust, AF Group and its subsidiary brands continue to elevate their growth trajectory in the specialty insurance and workers' compensation market, while Blue Cross accelerates our efforts toward greater diversification beyond our traditional core health insurance offerings," said Daniel J. Loepp, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan president and CEO. "Our evolution into a multi-business enterprise with national scale supports our efforts to provide affordable health insurance to our customers and members, by making Blue Cross less reliant on their premiums and administrative fees for our revenue."
BCBSM's diversification efforts are benefiting health insurance members substantially – most recently in the company's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of more than $900 million generated from BCBSM's investment portfolio and non-health lines of business in 2021, Blue Cross was able to absorb $860 million in COVID-19 costs for treatment, testing and vaccine administration without passing those costs through to fully-insured members' and customers' premiums in either 2021 or 2022.
With this acquisition, AF Group welcomes AmeriTrust's proven expertise in the property and casualty space to the Blue Cross enterprise and further enhances its successful specialty and workers' compensation products and its capabilities in other lines of insurance. The investment also reinforces AF Group's increasingly prominent position and reputation in the property and casualty insurance market, which has grown significantly over the last decade. AF Group is recognized for its financial strength as a Ward's 50 company and has earned an "A" (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best.
"This exciting acquisition aligns two world-class organizations toward a common goal of providing exceptional, customer-focused insurance products and services through our valued agents," said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. "The reputation and performance of AmeriTrust is proven in the marketplace, and we're excited to welcome their exceptional team to our award-winning organization as we work together toward even greater success."
As private companies, BCBSM and AF Group do not disclose price associated with transactions of this nature. AF Group is using the strong balance sheet of Accident Fund Insurance Company of America to finance this transaction without other financial support provided by BCBSM.
About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides health benefits to more than 4.6 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies residing outside the state. The company has been committed to delivering affordable health care products through a broad variety of plans for businesses, individuals and seniors for more than 80 years. Beyond health care coverage, BCBSM supports impactful community initiatives and provides leadership in improving health care. For more information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.
About AF Group
AF Group is a nationally recognized holding company whose affiliated insurance brands are premier providers of innovative, specialty insurance solutions offered through independent agents nationwide. All policies are underwritten by a licensed insurer subsidiary. Accident Fund Insurance Company of America is a division of AF Group. For more information, visit afgroup.com. © AF Group.
About Fosun
Founded in 1992, Fosun is a global innovation-driven consumer group dedicated to providing high-quality products and services for families around the world in Health, Happiness, Wealth and Intelligent Manufacturing segments. In 2007, Fosun International Limited was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 00656.HK). In 2021, Fosun International's total revenue was RMB161.3 billion and total assets amounted to RMB806.4 billion. Fosun International ranks No.459 on the 2021 Forbes Global 2000 List, with a MSCI ESG rating of AA.
About AmeriTrust Group, Inc.
Founded in 1955, AmeriTrust Group, Inc. is a nationally recognized commercial insurance underwriter and insurance administration services provider in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry. AmeriTrust is comprised of four distribution segments of the insurance marketplace: admitted carrier operations, excess & surplus lines carrier operations, wholesale MGU/MGA and third-party administration operations, and retail insurance agency operations. AmeriTrust offers a broad range of insurance solutions, including specialty products to independent agencies, governmental entities, select industry, trade and professional associations, and affinity partners. Carrier operations include five insurance companies which are licensed on both an admitted and non-admitted basis. For more detail, visit www.ameritrustgroup.com.
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SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/blue-cross-blue-shield-michigan-subsidiary-af-group-announces-acquisition-ameritrust-group/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:19 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/blue-cross-blue-shield-michigan-subsidiary-af-group-announces-acquisition-ameritrust-group/ |
Outdoor hospitality leader takes on operations of River's Rest Marina and Resort in partnership with National Land Lease Capital
OCEAN CITY, Md., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Water, a Maryland-based outdoor hospitality specialist, continues its rapid expansion with the recent appointment of operational lead at River's Rest Marina and Resort in Charles City, Virginia in partnership with National Land Lease Capital. Blue Water, in partnership with NLLC, took control of the property on April 1st upon substantial completion of the newly renovated resort. NLLC acquired the property in 2019 via a foreclosure auction and quickly undertook a complete renovation, expansion, and rezoning of the property, which entailed expanding and improving its amenities by adding new RV sites, Inn renovations, a dog park, renovation of the marina, and expanding the playground.
As a premier picturesque waterfront destination for travelers in the Williamsburg area, River's Rest was a natural addition to the Blue Water portfolio in partnership with NLLC. The resort contains a 16.5-acre family-friendly environment connected to a 68-boat slip marina on the Chickahominy River. Guests can enjoy water sports and fishing on the river or spend time relaxing in the pool that is near the marina and resort's on-site restaurant, The Blue Heron. The resort is also near many attractions, including Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, and the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg.
River's Rest offers guests 126 seasonal RV sites and three tiny homes to stay in, for a total of 129 sites. Visitors can also stay at The Inn at River's Rest, with 21 rooms to choose from including waterfront views and some pet-friendly and handicap-accessible accommodations. The resort will continue to host the Carefree Boat Club, which will have four slips and boats on site. While the club is a membership-only platform, two of their boats will be available for rent to River's Rest guests based on availability, including their popular sunset cruise boat. The boat will continue to be captained by Carefree Boat Club and includes a bar available for guests.
"This new addition fits right in with Blue Water's rapidly growing portfolio and our passion for waterfront recreation," said Todd Burbage, Blue Water's CEO. "Centrally located to popular destinations and steeped in history, this resort is one that families will want to return to year after year. River's Rest is a perfect addition to our unique brand of exceptional guest experiences as we continue to position Blue Water at the forefront of the outdoor hospitality industry."
There will be a grand opening event at the resort on Thursday, April 14th, which will include a ribbon-cutting, community open house, music, balloons, hors d'oeuvres, a raffle/giveaway for a weekend stay and dinner gift card, and stations with staff for the press and community to ask questions.
"River's Rest was built in true partnership with Charles City County," said Yogi Singh, Partner NLLC. We were thrilled with the community's response and commend the County's residents and officials for recognizing that the outdoor hospitality industry is rapidly expanding and provides jobs, revenue, opportunities for outdoor access and brings tourism to their doorstep. We are proud of what we have built and know it will be an asset to the community now and in the future."
To learn more and to book a stay, visit https://www.riversrestresort.com/.
About Blue Water:
Founded in 2002, Blue Water specializes in investing, developing, and managing RV resorts, campgrounds, hotels, and attractions. Blue Water's integrated approach to marketing, revenue management, and operations has quickly established itself as a hospitality industry leader. With dozens of resort-area properties in East Coast states from Maine to Florida, and new additions out west in Texas, Montana, and Oregon, the Blue Water family is committed to creating elite assets, delivering exceptional guest experiences, and enhancing the communities we serve. To learn more, visit BWDC.com.
About National Land Lease Capital:
NLLC is a real estate development company specializing in the acquisition, development, management, and repositioning of real estate assets in the outdoor hospitality sector. The firm utilizes a broad base of capital partnerships and prides itself on creating value and direct access to the sector in fund management, strategic joint ventures, and other unique platforms for institutions, investment managers, family offices, and ultra-high net worth individuals and organizations. To learn more, visit nl-lc.com.
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SOURCE Blue Water Development | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/blue-water-amp-national-land-lease-capital-announce-acquisition-new-property-virginias-historic-triangle/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:27 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/blue-water-amp-national-land-lease-capital-announce-acquisition-new-property-virginias-historic-triangle/ |
HOUSTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Wolf Performance Solutions ("Blue Wolf"), a national industrial cleaning and maintenance services provider, announced that it has acquired Reliable Industrial Group ("RIG"), a company that specializes in plant maintenance and pre-commissioning services based in Houston, TX.
The acquisition announcement was made by Tim Hennigan, CEO of Blue Wolf: "We are very excited to welcome RIG to the Blue Wolf platform. RIG's capabilities will support our efforts in expanding our service offerings into lube oil flushing and other related service lines as well as establishing a turnkey pre-commissioning offering."
Blue Wolf now represents the combination of four industry leading companies serving the industrial cleaning and maintenance space – Reliable Industrial Group, Aqua Drill International, NHE Services and Hennigan Energy Services Group.
"We are thrilled to partner with Blue Wolf and bolster their suite of services with our expertise in lube oil flushing, chemical cleaning and air and steam blow, as well as with our engineering capabilities. As one team, we see a clear path to continued growth by leveraging our combined strengths in the space," said Jason Bandy, President of RIG.
Lazard and Navesink served as financial advisors and Winstead PC served as legal advisor to RIG.
About Blue Wolf Performance Solutions
Blue Wolf provides industrial cleaning and maintenance services nationally to several end markets including power generation, petrochemical, food & beverage, public facility, and data centers. Blue Wolf serves its clients' most complex cleaning and maintenance projects to ensure optimal performance of critical assets and equipment through its best-in-class proprietary technologies and custom design capabilities. Blue Wolf is a portfolio company of Dorilton. For more information, visit our website at www.gobluewolf.com.
About Reliable Industrial Group
Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Houston, TX, RIG performs technically advanced, highly specialized industrial pre-commission engineering, cleaning, lube oil flushing, chemical cleaning, varnish mitigation, steam and air blowing, hydro testing, line drying, and other emergency decontamination services to guarantee system cleanliness on critical turbine, compressor and hydraulic systems in North America. RIG serves customers across the power, petrochemical, refining, infrastructure and industrial manufacturing end-markets. Learn more at www.therigteam.com.
About Dorilton
Dorilton is a private investment firm that invests in businesses across a range of industry sectors, working in partnership with management to grow value over the long-term. By providing funding and expertise to drive growth, Dorilton helps its companies and its people achieve their full potential. Learn more at www.doriltongroup.com.
For inquiries or relevant opportunities, please contact brian.talbott@doriltoncapital.com
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SOURCE Blue Wolf Performance Solutions | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/blue-wolf-performance-solutions-acquires-reliable-industrial-group/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:36 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/blue-wolf-performance-solutions-acquires-reliable-industrial-group/ |
BICKNELL, Ind. — A southern Indiana contractor has been arrested and charged with theft after being paid nearly $20,000 by a Vincennes homeowner and failing to make the agreed-upon repairs.
Jesse Pace, 48, of Bicknell is charged with Level 6 felony theft and was arrested on Tuesday by Indian State Police and Knox County Sheriff’s deputies. Police said Pace posted bond and was released from jail the same day.
According to state police, Pace is the owner and operator of Superior Home Improvement and entered into an agreement with the Vincennes homeowner in December of 2021. Pace reportedly was paid $10,000 to start the home improvement project and initially began the work before vanishing not long after and failing to return to the worksite.
In January, Pace told the homeowner he needed more than $9,000 for additional material. After the homeowner paid Pace, the contractor still failed to return and make the agreed-upon repairs. The victim then contacted state police and a warrant ended up being issued for Pace’s arrest. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-contractor-arrested-paid-19k-and-failed-to-do-work/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:43 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-contractor-arrested-paid-19k-and-failed-to-do-work/ |
Bluescape's visual collaboration tool provides the magic for latest innovative storytelling experience
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bureau of Magic Studios (BoM), the owners and creative producers behind the animated Emmy Award-winning "Lost in Oz" series, today announced they are set to launch Passport to Oz, a membership-based, community-powered experience built on the blockchain, that invites fans to be a part of the continuing Oz story. Bluescape, a visual collaboration and online whiteboard platform, will be a key technology partner in the launch, driving collaboration among a distributed team of creatives and partners.
"Projects like 'Lost in Oz' and Passport to Oz are exactly why we created Bluescape," says Peter Jackson, CEO of Bluescape. "We've always been committed to enhancing the way teams work on creative and productive experiences, which is why we are thrilled to partner with BoM. Together, BoM and Bluescape are bringing back the magic of innovative storytelling experiences."
Bluescape, which is built for the unique needs of its creative customers, allows teams to collaborate in real-time and streamline review processes for faster results. Bluescape will play an essential role in the production of Passport to Oz uniting a global team to support creative meetings including brainstorms, presentations, and reviews.
"This is not your typical Hollywood partnership," says Mark Warshaw, Executive Producer. "We are bringing together a group of technology visionaries to launch Oz into this emerging landscape. Bluescape's innovative collaboration platform allows us to share and develop creative ideas and content across a global team."
Passport to Oz will be available at www.PassportToOz.com and SIMBA Chain's NFT Marketplace. Anticipated launch: June 2022.
To register interest for Passport to Oz now and reserve your waitlist space in the queue, go to www.PassportToOz.com.
About Bluescape
Bluescape is the visual platform for high-value collaboration. We bring teams and their work together in one place to overcome information silos and communication barriers, propelling productivity and breakthrough innovation. Customers include Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, higher education, and media and entertainment. A Silicon Valley-based company, Bluescape was named one of the most innovative companies of 2021 by Fast Company. Visit Bluescape and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About "Lost in Oz"
"Lost in Oz" streams on Amazon Prime globally and has also been licensed to broadcast networks in every major market in the world including Disney, Nickelodeon, MBC, ABC, and RAI in second window deals brokered by international distributor Zodiak Kids.
"Lost in Oz" is a seven-time Emmy-Award Nominee and three-time winner, including Outstanding Animated Children's Program. It is also the recipient of an Annie Nomination: Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Children.
About The Bureau of Magic
The Bureau of Magic (BoM) creates and produces signature animated and live action entertainment for the whole family. The Bureau of Magic storytelling team has been trusted to tell stories for and about the Wizard of Oz, the NFL, Coca-Cola, Nike, and Superman. Their projects have been nominated for 15 Emmy® Awards, winning four, including Outstanding Children's Animated Program and a nomination for Outstanding New Approaches to Drama Series.
BoM is currently developing series with Paramount TV Studios, Universal Television Alternative Studios, Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way, Jimmy Fallon's Electric Hot Dog and Patrick Somerville's Tractor Beam. Mark Warshaw, Darin Mark, Abram Makowka, and Jared Mark are the co-creators, executive producers and writers of "Lost in Oz" and the co-founders of The Bureau of Magic. The Bureau of Magic is represented by CAA and Mark Muir at Greenberg Glusker.
Media Contact: Peyton Francum
757-636-5449
peyton.francum@ruderfinn.com
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SOURCE Bluescape Software | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/bluescape-partners-with-bureau-magic-studios-create-passport-oz/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:43 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/bluescape-partners-with-bureau-magic-studios-create-passport-oz/ |
Make parties pop with Balloon Social, a Westfield company that specializes in all things balloon!
Watch as Balloon Social stops by the Indy Now studio and talks about their love of party planning and how the duo came together during the pandemic with one big idea in mind: balloons.
Connect with Balloon Social on Facebook and mention Indy Now for 15 percent off any bookings! | https://fox59.com/indy-now/balloon-social-offers-discount-to-indy-now-viewers/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:49 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/balloon-social-offers-discount-to-indy-now-viewers/ |
Partnership will enhance job readiness and career exploration for young people, demystifying financial service career opportunities supporting diversity, equity and inclusion.
ATLANTA, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America today announced the official launch of its collaboration with The Equity Collective, a group of 27 asset management firms spearheaded by Morgan Stanley who are committed to reaching motivated youth where they are, demystifying diversity-related barriers in the financial service industry.
Together, the youth non-profit will work with The Equity Collective to increase career exploration and job readiness skills in Club youth, with a special focus on introducing diverse students to careers in finance.
In addition to their support of CareerLaunch, a job-readiness program within Boys & Girls Clubs, The Equity Collective employees will meet, mentor and work with youth in local Clubs, helping them to prepare for a successful career.
"We are thrilled to work with The Equity Collective to empower teens to consider a future in financial services and to break down any diversity-related barriers that may come with that," says H Walker, DEI & Leadership Development Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Collaborations like this are vital to strengthening our organization's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as an integral part of helping young people to achieve great futures."
A Mercer study shows that Black and Latino students develop an interest in working in finance during high school while Caucasian students often decide on career paths in college. For that reason, The Equity Collective was established to generate awareness and interest in the industry sooner in these young people. Additionally, according to surveys administered to more than 1,800 Club youth, the number one thing our teens say they need — that will keep them coming back to their Club everyday — is for their local Club to prepare them for a career and provide the skills and resources, as well as a plan, needed to secure a first job.
"We are focused on impacting the future of our industry in a meaningful way," says Andy Saperstein, Co-President of Morgan Stanley and Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. "The Equity Collective is committed to investing early in American youth communities, focusing our efforts on increasing the pool of interested youth who want to consider a financial career."
To learn more about the impact of this work, visit http://www.bgca.org/about-us/our-partners/the-equity-collective.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. More than 4,700 Clubs serve over 4.3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.
About The Equity Collective
The Equity Collective is an industry-leading group of wealth and asset management businesses that have come together to empower and provide educational resources focused on the finance industry for the next generation. It is composed of 27 members, and senior leaders from each organization are participating in education and awareness initiatives over a multi-year commitment that will support Club kids across the nation.
Members include:
- American Century Investments
- BlackRock
- BNY Mellon Investment Management
- Capital Group/American Funds
- Columbia Threadneedle Investments
- Diffractive Managers Group
- DWS
- First Eagle Investment Management
- Franklin Templeton
- FS Investments
- Goldman Sachs Asset Management
- Hartford Funds
- Invesco
- Janus Henderson Investors
- John Hancock Investment Management
- Lazard Asset Management
- Macquarie Asset Management
- Morgan Stanley (spearheading member)
- Natixis Investment Managers
- New York Life Investments
- Nuveen
- PGIM Investments
- PIMCO
- Putnam Investments
- Touchstone Investments/Fort Washington
- T. Rowe Price
- Virtus Investment Partners
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SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/boys-amp-girls-clubs-america-teams-up-with-equity-collective-empower-next-generation-diverse-financial-leaders/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:50 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/boys-amp-girls-clubs-america-teams-up-with-equity-collective-empower-next-generation-diverse-financial-leaders/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Chef Tanorria Askew dropped by Tuesday in honor of National Grilled Cheese Day to show us how to take this classic sandwich to the next level.
The Indy-based personal chef and author of “Staples +5: 100 Simple Recipes to Make the Most of Your Pantry,” said it’s crucial to use high-quality butter and bread, plus a mix of several cheeses.
For this particular grilled cheese, she used a combination of Havarti, white cheddar and colby jack cheeses, plus an ingredient that never does us wrong: bacon jam.
“I know a quick and easy lunch is American cheese and some white bread, and that is totally OK,” she said. “But if you can amp things up … we’ve got a little sweet, a little umami, the salty from the cheese, the tangy from the cheese.
Visit the Tanorria’s Table website for recipes and information about her book. | https://fox59.com/indy-now/chef-tanorria-askew-grilled-cheese/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:55 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/chef-tanorria-askew-grilled-cheese/ |
Join CGCC in telling the stories of Chinese investments and companies in the United States
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China General Chamber of Commerce - USA ("CGCC") and CGCC Foundation cordially invite Chinese enterprises across the U.S. to fill out their 2022 Annual Business Survey on Chinese Enterprises in the U.S. This year the survey will be focusing on two major topics: legal & compliance, and brand & trust.
Since 2014, CGCC's annual survey has been engaging hundreds of Chinese companies in the U.S. to reflect on changes to their business operations and the various challenges and experiences faced while conducting business in the U.S.
Each year the survey's responses directly culminate into the CGCC Annual Business Survey Report on Chinese Enterprises in the U.S., a valuable resource providing important data and insights to help relevant stakeholders better understand the position of Chinese investments in the U.S. and support more fully informed and data-driven decision-making.
Now until late April, CGCC and CGCC Foundation strongly encourage all Chinese enterprises in the U.S. to participate and share their valuable stories and experiences.
CLICK HERE to fill out the survey in English. It will only take about 20-30 mins to finish.
Please click HERE to download and fill out the survey in Chinese, and email it back to us at survey@cgccusa.org once completed.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, kindly contact Abby Li at 646-928-5125.
CGCC and CGCC Foundation thank you in advance for your support and look forward to receiving your responses.
About CGCC:
Founded in 2005, China General Chamber of Commerce - USA ("CGCC") has been recognized as the largest and most impactful non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in the U.S. As an independent, non-partisan, non-governmental chamber of commerce, CGCC provides a broad range of programs, services, and resources to over a thousand multinational members across the U.S., with a mission to create value, generate economic growth, and enhance cooperation between the U.S. and Chinese business communities.
About CGCC Foundation:
Established in 2014, CGCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The mission of CGCC Foundation is to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between the United States and China through research, public charity and engagement in economic, cultural and social exchanges.
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SOURCE China General Chamber of Commerce - USA | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/call-responses-2022-annual-business-survey-chinese-enterprises-us/ | 2022-04-12T18:27:57 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/call-responses-2022-annual-business-survey-chinese-enterprises-us/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — The owners of Little By Little Farm in Zionsville stopped by Indy Now on Tuesday, and they brought the cutest baby goats with them!
The family-owned farm not only offers the community local, fresh, organic products, but also fun events such as goat yoga.
Click here for more. | https://fox59.com/indy-now/goat-yoga-with-little-by-little-farm-in-zionsville/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:01 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/goat-yoga-with-little-by-little-farm-in-zionsville/ |
Tasveer seeks films for the 17th Tasveer Annual South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF)
SEATTLE, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tasveer is now accepting entries for the 17th South Asian Film Festival (November 4-13, 2022). Tasveer celebrated 20 years in 2022 at its 5th Annual Gala with Kal Penn and Mira Nair. The theme for this 20th year of Tasveer is 'Art to Empowerment.' Early Deadline to submit films is June 1st.
TSAFF is programmed via a competitive selection process, and Tasveer awards an Emerald Award (Recognition for Contributing to South Asian Cinema), 3 Audience Choice Awards and a Jury Award. Tasveer Film Fund (supported by Netflix in 2021) winners will be announced on the Closing Day of the Festival. Festival film submission forms must be completed online; submission fees range from $20 to $75 and film submissions are due by June 1st. Waivers are available.
Tasveer's South Asian Film Festival is the largest South Asian film festival in the United States. Seeking to provide a counterpoint to the images and stories prevalent in Bollywood, the festival encourages an atmosphere of thoughtful dialogue and creative inquiry, where filmmakers and audiences engage in lively discussions, forums, and other collaborative interactive formats. In 2021, the festival screened 88 films from 11 countries and welcomed 7,500 attendees over 10 days.
Tasveer invites submission of films on themes related to South Asia and its diaspora in its entirety: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the various diasporas across the world. Shorts, experimental films, documentaries, and narratives of any length will be accepted in any digital format. Films with a focus on issues of human rights and social justice are particularly sought.
Further questions about the festival and submissions can be directed to info@tasveer.org. Filmmakers can submit films here: https://filmfreeway.com/TSAFF
Founded in 2002, Tasveer is a Seattle-based non-profit whose mission is to inspire social change through thought-provoking South Asian films, art and stories.
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SOURCE Tasveer | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/call-south-asian-film-submissions-awards-worth-8000/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:04 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/call-south-asian-film-submissions-awards-worth-8000/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Marian University’s new school of engineering opens this fall, and a summer camp is planned for high school students who want to learn more about a career in engineering.
Indy Now Host Jillian Deam sat down with Dr. Binh Tran, founding dean of the E.S. Witchger School of Engineering, who said it looks like enrollment numbers will exceed their target.
The residential summer camp, which takes place June 19-24 at the university, offers a real-life look at what engineers do from day to day, Tran said. Students will hear from local engineers, do design work in the classroom, and go to factories for site visits. The week wraps up with entertainment so the students can enjoy the experience of staying on a college campus.
“There’s a perception that engineers are a bunch of geeks sitting in a cubicle somewhere running a bunch of calculations, so we’re going to try and dispel that myth,” Tran said.
For more information about the engineering program or the summer camp, visit marian.edu/engineering. | https://fox59.com/indy-now/marian-university-engineering-school-update/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:07 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/marian-university-engineering-school-update/ |
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear aligner innovator, Candid, has partnered with Altius Healthcare Management to bring their fusion of in-person and remote orthodontic technology to practices throughout the Lone Star State. This key partnership will provide high-demand clear aligner treatment to Altius' patients and prove Candid's unique value to rural populations.
Founded in 2016, Altius has long been committed to bringing excellent oral healthcare to rural Texans.
"Our founders noticed that providers in rural areas were retiring and younger dentists were not taking their places," says Altius CEO, Darren Boggs. "We increase access to dental services in these smaller markets while providing stable career opportunities in the communities we serve."
Candid is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of Altius' patients by minimizing in-person appointments. Its remote monitoring platform, CandidMonitoring™, lets patients share photos of their teeth with their dentist every 14 days to ensure treatment is tracking according to plan. While the treating clinician may recommend as many in-person appointments as they would like, only two are required—one for pre-treatment records and one for post-treatment records.
"In rural areas, access to care is limited—especially for orthodontics," says Boggs. "In many cases, our patients must drive over 30 minutes to find an orthodontist. Our goal is to provide a strong alternative to traditional braces that is affordable and convenient for our patients. We think Candid aligns perfectly with our mission of expanding access to care in rural communities."
"Partnering with Altius is particularly exciting because it shows how Candid can empower practices in rural communities with a convenient way to generate revenue while meeting patient demand," says Candid's CEO, Nick Greenfield. "Our clear aligner system is designed to meet the needs of any dental practice and their patients—no matter where they're located."
As Altius begins rolling out Candid at their locations, the excitement among practice staff is building.
"Our doctors and staff are excited to offer Candid clear aligners in their offices," says Boggs. "We anticipate that Candid will bring new patients interested in clear aligners into their practices, which they can convert into loyal customers. With the right incentives, training, and support, we believe that Candid will become a meaningful part of our revenue streams."
About Candid
Candid is a clear aligner orthodontic system that makes treatment accessible and affordable for doctors and patients. Since 2020, Candid has brought high-quality clear aligners and patient support to dental practices and dental service organizations across the United States via CandidPro. Learn more at candidco.com.
About Altius
Altius is the largest DSO focused on serving rural populations in the State of Texas. Founded in 2016, Altius strives to bring quality, compassionate, and accessible oral healthcare to their patients while creating economic opportunities in the communities they serve. Learn more at altiusdental.com.
Related Links
https://www.candidco.com
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SOURCE Candid | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/candid-altius-partner-bring-clear-aligner-convenience-texas/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:10 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/candid-altius-partner-bring-clear-aligner-convenience-texas/ |
(NewsNation) — The vast majority of Americans blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for skyrocketing gas prices, a new ABC poll found this week, but nearly as many also blame oil companies.
Despite the overwhelming majority of respondents pointing the finger at Putin and Big Oil, there was plenty of blame to go around, with a slim majority saying Democratic policies and President Joe Biden were also causing factors in pain at the pump. Similarly split views were seen in a recent NewsNation poll.
Gas prices have become a hotly debated partisan issue in Washington, D.C.:
- Biden and his party blame the ongoing war in Eastern Europe and a resulting ban on Russian oil imports. The Democrats also blame oil companies who they accuse of prioritizing profits over the well-being of the American people.
- Republicans point out that oil prices were on the rise even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and instead blame the president’s energy policies, arguing they have hindered the oil companies from being able to ramp up production and drive down prices.
“I think both sides are vastly overstating their positions,” said Patrick De Haan, lead petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.
So who, or what, is really responsible for the increase in gas prices?
The war?
Last month, Biden accused Putin of “hitting Americans at the pump” and warned that gas prices could continue to rise as the war in Ukraine continues. In part, that’s because the U.S. has banned oil imports from Russia in an attempt to hit Putin’s most lucrative industry.
Prior to the ban, only about 8% of U.S. petroleum products came from Russia; the biggest importer of such products is Canada.
Although gas prices had been rising before the war, De Haan says it has contributed to rising prices but it’s hard to know exactly how much when compared to other factors including COVID-related labor and supply chain issues.
“Part of the reason we went so high is because of the unpredictable war on Ukraine and any further escalation that’s unexpected could cause oil prices to flare back up,” De Haan said.
Last month, Biden ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve. It’s a move De Haan says will have a positive impact on prices, though not as significantly as factors that are pushing oil prices up like surging consumer demand.
As of Monday, the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $4.11, down from $4.33 a month ago, according to auto club AAA.
Oil companies?
Congressional Democrats have been quick to point the finger at large oil companies, accusing them of “ripping off the American people” and intentionally keeping oil production low in order to maximize profits.
“At a time of record profits, Big Oil is refusing to increase production to provide the American people some much-needed relief at the gas pump,” Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said at a congressional hearing with oil executives last week.
Despite House Democrats’ claims, industry experts point out that domestic oil production has ramped up in recent months. In September 2021, the U.S. produced about 10.4 million barrels of oil a day, far below the 11.8 million barrels that have been produced each day this month.
De Haan expects the uptick in oil production to continue as long as companies can overcome pandemic-related setbacks that have also affected other industries.
“The headwinds are very similar across the economy that are affecting the oil and gas sector, as well — things like labor, steel, drilling rigs, all of this is in very short supply,” De Haan said. “As some of these kinks get smoothed out, I do expect U.S. oil production to continue going up.”
De Haan also pointed out the boom-bust nature of the oil industry and said current criticism does not take into account the recent, extremely volatile, history.
“This oil sector was also the sector that was losing tens of billions of dollars early on in the pandemic and nobody was complaining about that then. So it’s not really fair to blame oil companies for selling at the market price today when we didn’t complain about oil companies selling at the market price in 2020 and 2021,” he said.
Biden?
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are citing the cancellation of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and a moratorium on new drilling leases on federal lands as the cause of the problem. They argue that Biden’s energy policies have led to lower oil production, which has reduced the overall supply and caused higher prices.
But while it’s true domestic oil production is lower today than it was right before the pandemic, it’s unclear how much can be attributed to Biden’s policies. The president’s drilling moratorium was struck down by a federal judge last June.
So then, what’s the cause?
Instead, De Haan says long-tail effects from the COVID pandemic are more likely to blame.
“President Trump is not responsible for COVID and President Biden is not responsible for the continued imbalances that are persistent from COVID,” he said.
In February 2020, U.S. oil production hit a record-high 13 million barrels a day before plummeting to 10.5 million barrels a day in August 2020 — a direct response to the pandemic.
Americans stopped driving, airlines stopped flying and the demand for oil all but disappeared. At one point in April 2020, oil became effectively worthless as the price for a barrel of West Texas crude dropped below $0.
Oil companies responded by producing less.
Now, demand has returned but production has not been able to keep pace, yet.
In recent months, domestic oil production has ramped up to 11.7 million barrels a day but for the same reasons many industries have been slow to bounce back, overall production remains off record highs.
“This won’t be permanent. I think as things continue to normalize, as supply chains reopen, we will see an increase in U.S. oil production. For that I have no doubt,” De Haan said. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/biden-putin-or-big-oil-who-is-to-blame-for-high-gas-prices/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:13 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/biden-putin-or-big-oil-who-is-to-blame-for-high-gas-prices/ |
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) — Krispy Kreme announced Monday that it will deflate the price of an Original Glazed dozen donuts to the average price of a gallon of regular gas.
“We know everyone could use a little doughnut deflation to sweeten the recent pain at the pump,” the company said on its website. “So for the next four Wednesdays, we are helping you fill your tank with Original Glazed Dozens by pricing them at the cost of the national average of 1 gallon of regular gas.”
Krispy Kreme is running the promotion every Wednesday from April 13 through May 5.
The price for April 13 is $4.11, but that will change week to week based on the national average price of a gallon of regular gas in the U.S.
Krispy Kreme will announce the new price for the dozen donuts every Monday on its Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as on its website.
The company said guests are limited to two Original Glazed dozens at participating shops. Purchases can be made in-store, via drive-thru or online. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/krispy-kreme-matches-cost-of-dozen-doughnuts-to-us-average-gas-price/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:19 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/krispy-kreme-matches-cost-of-dozen-doughnuts-to-us-average-gas-price/ |
Upgrade Helps Enable Efficient 4K/HDR Video Checking at Broadcast Stations, Video Production Sites and Other On-Location Workplaces
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced a free firmware update and a paid upgrade for its DP-V1830 professional 4K/HDR reference display. These upgrades provide additional and expanded functions that may help realize improved workflow efficiency for 4K/HDR (high dynamic range) video checking.
Canon's DP-V1830 18-inch 4K/HDR professional reference display realizes improved expression of blacks when compared to previous versions, as well as a wider color gamut and angle of view. The new firmware update (free) and upgrade (paid) will expand the capabilities of such functions as waveform monitoring for visual signal confirmation and chromaticity diagram, while also adding new functions including multi-screen-display functions and input/output signal switch-out. By adding functions that enable easier checking of video to the high-image-quality 4K video provided by the DP-V1830, this upgrade may help improve production quality and workflow efficiency in a wide range of work settings such as broadcast vans, sub-control rooms at broadcast stations and even on-location sets for film and television recording.
Thanks to newly added functions including a waveform monitor parade mode for checking YRGB signal levels simultaneously and a chromaticity diagram that displays color information for each pixel, users can visually confirm such information as signal level color balance and whether overall video is within the estimated color gamut, all at a glance. In addition, the firmware update adds new display functions including Mixed Display of SDI/HDMI that allows viewing of video from SDI and HDMI input terminals at the same time, Individual Image Quality Setting for two or four split-screen viewing and Multi Information View that enables viewing of waveform monitor, chromaticity diagram and other information on-screen without overlapping. With this additional functionality, users can do away with dedicated equipment like signal transformers or separate displays, thus contributing to more compact setups and more efficient production workflows.
Canon can also provide an additional switch-out function (paid upgrade) that activates the MULTIFUNC.SDI OUT terminal located on the rear of the reference display. This makes possible the selection of the desired 4K/60P video input (for up to four total) connected to the display's SDI input terminal for output from the MULTIFUNC.SDI OUT terminal. With this capability, users in such narrow environments such as sub-control rooms or broadcast vans can output from the DP-V1830 to measuring instruments or other displays without the need for a dedicated switching device.
Canon will showcase its latest digital imaging solutions and products, including the free firmware update and a paid upgrade for its DP-V1830, at the NAB Show 2022 (Booth #C4432) in Las Vegas, April 24th-27th. For more information about Canon's presence at the show, please visit usa.canon.com.
The free firmware update and paid upgrade will be available in early July 2022.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), as of 2021 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 36 consecutive years† and was one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2022. Canon U.S.A. was featured in Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking among the top 100 companies for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.
† Number of patents for 2021 are based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2020 are based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-firmware-upgrade-dp-v1830-professional-4khdr-reference-display/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:19 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-firmware-upgrade-dp-v1830-professional-4khdr-reference-display/ |
INDIANAPOLIS – Westfield senior Braden Smith was named 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball.
Smith averaged over 18 points per game this season leading the Shamrocks to their first sectional championship in school history.
Alexa Ross sat down with the future Boilermaker on the FOX59 red couch to talk about the highest honor in Indiana boys’ basketball, including how he found out on spring break in Florida. | https://fox59.com/sports/high-school-basketball/one-on-one-with-mr-basketball/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:25 | 1 | https://fox59.com/sports/high-school-basketball/one-on-one-with-mr-basketball/ |
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today the launch of the UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF, a new field zoom lens with autofocus for 2/3-inch sensor 4K broadcast cameras, featuring the world's widest angle*, longest focal length* and largest zoom*. Along with the new lens, Canon will also release two new focus demand accessories – The Canon FDJ-S31 and FDJ-S41.
The UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF is Canon's new flagship field zoom lens for 4K broadcast cameras, and the company's first 4K broadcast lens to include built-in AF. With the addition of AF with superb high-speed and high-accuracy subject tracking, this new lens enables the capture of immersive, high-resolution video, thus meeting a wide range of needs at on-location 4K workspaces that demand extremely precise AF, such as sporting events, concerts and other indoor and outdoor events.
The DIGISUPER 100 AF (released in June 2006), Canon's AF-enabled lens for HD broadcast cameras, garnered high praise from the broadcast market thanks to its high-performance phase-detect AF. The new UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF carries this legacy into the next generation with support for 4K video. The lens produces natural and smooth AF that can rapidly focus on subjects — even when initially far out of focus — as well as track fast-moving subjects while maintaining focus with high precision.
Canon's new UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF features a zoom range of 8.2 mm at the wide end and 1,000 mm at the telephoto end — a 122x zoom ratio, the world's most powerful zoom range for AF-equipped field zoom lenses for 2/3-inch sensor 4K broadcast cameras. In addition, the lens employs a built-in 2x extender that allows users to increase the zoom range two-fold, featuring a 16.4 mm focal length at the wide-angle end and a 2,000 mm focal length at the telephoto end.
Alongside the new lens, Canon will also release two new focus demand models for AF-equipped lenses used with HD or 4K broadcast cameras. The Canon FDJ-S31 and FDJ-S41 focus demand accessories enable focus control and provide a variety of powerful support capabilities, including the ability to switch between three sizes of AF frames, move the AF frame within the screen, AF mode switching, and three different focus curve modes.
The Canon UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF lens and Canon FDJ-S31 and FDJ-S41 focus demand accessories are all scheduled to be available in early July 2022.**
Canon will showcase its latest digital imaging solutions and products, including the new field zoom lens and focus demand accessories, at the NAB Show 2022 (Booth #C4432) in Las Vegas, April 24th-27th. For more information about the new lens, focus demand accessories, and Canon's presence at the show, please visit usa.canon.com.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), as of 2021 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 36 consecutive years† and was one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2022. Canon U.S.A. was featured in Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking among the top 100 companies for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.
† Number of patents for 2021 are based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2020 are based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
*Among field zoom lenses for 2/3-inch sensor 4K broadcast cameras. As of April 12, 2022. Based on Canon research.
** Specifications, availability and prices are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.
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SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-new-flagship-field-zoom-lens-4k-broadcast-cameras-with-world-leading-122x-zoom-now-featuring-autofocus/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:26 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-new-flagship-field-zoom-lens-4k-broadcast-cameras-with-world-leading-122x-zoom-now-featuring-autofocus/ |
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today the launch of a new series of lenses for the company's EF Cinema Lens lineup — the Flex Zoom Lens series of lenses, which were developed to create cinema-style productions with greater workflow efficiency. The first lenses in the series are the CN-E20-50mm T2.4 L F/FP wide-angle zoom lens and the CN-E45-135mm T2.4 L F/FP telephoto zoom lens.
Designed in the pursuit of cinematic beauty, the new large-aperture lenses feature both high-level optical design and performance while maintaining the style and ease-of-use of Canon's EF Cinema lens series. With the introduction of the zoom lenses featuring focal length ranges of 20-50mm for wide-angle and 45-135mm for telephoto, Canon now offers zoom lenses that cover the same range as its six existing prime (single focal length) lenses. The versatility of these new lenses supports efficient production workflows for a wide range of scenarios, including film, TV programs, commercials, and much more.
When paired with full-frame or large-format cameras, these lenses fully leverage the cameras' signature shallow depth-of-field look and provide smooth and natural background blur, helping to produce powerful storytelling imagery. The lenses also maintain a bright T2.4 aperture1 across their entire zoom ranges allowing for image capture in both natural light and darker environments. This feature helps to reduce the need for intricate lighting setups, enabling more efficient and cost-effective video production workflows.
Engineered with an optical configuration that creates the optimal placement of lens elements, including a large-aperture aspherical lens and an anomalous dispersion glass lens, the CN-E20-50mm T2.4 L F/FP and the CN-E45-135mm T2.4 L F/FP lenses help reduce the potential for color smudging and chromatic aberrations. This enables them to maintain high optical performance from the center of the image to the periphery when paired with 8K cameras.
In addition to supporting EF-mount data transmission2, the new lenses are also compatible with /i Technology3 from Cooke Optics. With this capability, recording metadata such as focus, zoom, aperture, and lens model can be transmitted via the lens mount for visualization on the camera itself. This additional information helps to contribute to more efficient workflows not only during on-location recording, but also during post-production and editing.
The Canon CN-E20-50mm T2.4 L F/FP wide-angle zoom lens and Canon CN-E45-135mm T2.4 L F/FP telephoto zoom lens are scheduled to be available in early June 2022 and early September 2022 for an estimated retail price of $21,999.00.*
Canon will showcase its latest digital imaging solutions and products, including the new Flex Zoom Lens series of lenses, at the NAB Show 2022 (Booth #C4432) in Las Vegas, April 24th-27th. For more information about the new lenses and Canon's presence at the show, please visit usa.canon.com.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), as of 2021 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 36 consecutive years† and was one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2022. Canon U.S.A. was featured in Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking among the top 100 companies for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.
† Number of patents for 2021 are based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2020 are based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
1 The f-number of a lens refers to the level of brightness calculated based on focal length and lens aperture. The t-number, more commonly used to describe the brightness of cinema lenses, incorporates a lens' f-number along with the measure of light transmission.
2 Only compatible with EF mount cameras
3 Only compatible with PL mount cameras
* Specifications, availability and prices are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.
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SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-new-flex-zoom-lens-series-ef-cinema-lenses-with-wide-t24-aperture-designed-full-frame-cameras/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:33 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-new-flex-zoom-lens-series-ef-cinema-lenses-with-wide-t24-aperture-designed-full-frame-cameras/ |
Webcam Driver delivers benefits for online meetings and classes
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today the launch of Webcam Driver, a new free-of-charge software for Windows™ that allows three models of Canon 4K PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras to be used as webcams.
Canon's new Webcam Driver software is compatible with the CR-N500, CR-N300, and CR-X300 4K PTZ cameras, and allows them to be used as webcams. By simply connecting the cameras via IP to a Windows PC with the Webcam Driver installed, the cameras can be operated as webcams.
There has been a rapid increase in demand for video content with the widespread adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices and, as a result, a significant amount of live and pre-recorded video content is being created and distributed to meet this demand. In addition, remote alternatives to in-person events have increased, leading to widespread adoption of online content distribution.
With the wide variety of uses made possible by this software, users of the CR-N500, CR-N300, and CR-X300 4K PTZ cameras can adapt to new communication styles in the "new normal" and beyond by utilizing video streaming for such events as online meetings, classes and worship services.
Additionally, Canon is announcing the Mac OS supported Search Tool software. This software was previously only available for Windows systems. The Search Tool software is used during PTZ setup and configuration. When the software is utilized it will search the network for existing Canon IP supported PTZ cameras and quickly provide information about the camera such as IP address, model name and serial number – making it easy for the installer to set up.
Canon will showcase its latest digital imaging solutions and products at the NAB Show 2022 (Booth #C4432) in Las Vegas, April 24th-27th. For more information about Canon's presence at the show and the Webcam Driver, please visit usa.canon.com.
Canon's Webcam Driver will be provided free-of-charge starting in early June 2022.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), as of 2021 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 36 consecutive years† and was one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2022. Canon U.S.A. was featured in Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking among the top 100 companies for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.
† Number of patents for 2021 are based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2020 are based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-new-software-that-expands-functionality-4k-ptz-cameras/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:40 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-announces-new-software-that-expands-functionality-4k-ptz-cameras/ |
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce a new executive appointment and promotion that took effect April 1, 2022. Isao "Sammy" Kobayashi has been promoted to senior vice president and general manager, Hybrid-workplace Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc., and appointed as an executive officer of Canon Inc. Mr. Kobayashi demonstrates excellent leadership skills, bringing value to the company and helping Canon maintain its position as a leader in digital imaging solutions.
Mr. Kobayashi has been with Canon U.S.A., Inc. for 17 years. Prior to his promotion he was the vice president and general manager of the Hybrid-workplace Solutions Group and vice president and general manager of the Imaging Technologies & Communications Group.
For more information about Canon U.S.A., visit www.usa.canon.com.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), as of 2021 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 36 consecutive years† and was one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2022. Canon U.S.A. was featured in Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking among the top 100 companies for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.
†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-usa-inc-announces-new-executive-appointment/ | 2022-04-12T18:28:47 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/canon-usa-inc-announces-new-executive-appointment/ |
IRVINE, Calif. , April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest International, a global technical service support provider to OEMs, and CathWorks, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the Healthcare space, announced a strategic partnership. Quest has been selected to support post-sale technical services for CathWorks' fast-growing FFRangio™ install base. Thanks to Quest's diverse, world-class technical service infrastructure and stringent quality standards, CathWorks selected Quest International as their preferred technical service delivery partner. CathWorks plans to leverage Quest's capabilities to accelerate its commercial efforts and technical service capabilities while expanding its geographic footprint. In this partnership, CathWorks will be utilizing Quest's turn-key field services, as well as depot and logistical services, allowing CathWorks' to focus on rapidly expanding adoption of its innovative Wire-free and drug-free 3D FFR guidance.
"Scaling Quest's depot, field, and supply chain logistics services for companies of all sizes and types has always been one of our key differentiators. Quest is an ideal partner for innovative companies like CathWorks as our comprehensive technical service offerings will allow them to focus on innovation and commercializing the next generation of segment-defining products," said Shawn Arshadi, President & CEO of Quest International.
"Selecting the right service partner for our FFRangioTM System was critical to our business plan for 2022 and beyond. Ultimately, Quest was selected because of their existing ISO quality guidelines that allowed CathWorks to have the assurance of a mature Quality Management System to govern its operation. In addition, the ability to easily scale up and meet our customer support needs was the most critical aspect for us," said Ramin Mousavi, President & CEO of CathWorks.
Orange County, California has long been a hotbed of innovative companies, especially in Medical Technology and life sciences. Both Quest and CathWorks were connected through OCTANE OC, a convening organization of the Southern California technology and medical technology business ecosystem by connecting people, resources, and capital. Having been headquartered in Irvine for over 40 years, Quest International has embraced this proximity to other local companies like CathWorks, to foster further development and innovation from the ground up.
About Quest International
Quest International is a leading global post-sales service support partner for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across multiple industries, including healthcare, industrial, aviation, and government, as well as an IT managed services provider for businesses both large and small. Having served Fortune 500 companies since 1982, Quest dedicatedly meets the needs of their customers with a comprehensive suite of services and solutions. Follow our LinkedIn (Quest International) for weekly updates on our business, and go to our website www.questinc.com for more information about what we could do for your company.
About CathWorks
CathWorks is the leader in digital health innovations that can improve patients' lives globally. The CathWorks FFRangio™ System combines advanced computational science and artificial intelligence, transforming how cardiovascular disease is diagnosed and treated by providing physicians access to objective intraprocedural non-invasive and drug-free FFR and physiology guidance that is practical for every case. For more information, visit www.cath.works and follow on Twitter @CathWorks.
Media Contact: communications@questinc.com
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The Enclave: Now Selling from the $500s
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS), a top 10 national homebuilder offering homes for purchase online, celebrated the grand opening of The Enclave this past weekend, a gated community of 96 new single-family homes in San Bernardino. Starting from the $500s, The Enclave offers an inspired lineup of three two-story floor plans, boasting beautiful open-concept layouts with 3 to 4 bedrooms and up to approximately 1,955 square feet. Each home also includes convenient and on-trend features, such as the company's Century Home Connect® smart home package.
A prime location with close proximity to I-10 offers quick access to shopping at prominent stores like Costco and Best Buy; dining at popular eateries like BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse; outdoor recreation at nearby destinations like San Bernardino National Forest, Big Bear Lake, and Joshua Tree National Park; and notable schools within Redlands USD.
Learn more about The Enclave and see available homes: www.CenturyCommunities.com/TheEnclaveCA
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS:
- 96 homesites
- Versatile two-story floor plans
- 1,796 to 1,955 sq. ft.
- 3 to 4 bedrooms
- 2.5 to 3 bathrooms
LOCATION:
1414 Laurelwood Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
909.667.7664
DISCOVER THE FREEDOM OF ONLINE HOMEBUYING:
Century Communities is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in California.
How it works:
- Shop homes at CenturyCommunities.com
- Click "Buy Now" on any available home
- Fill out a quick Buy Online form
- Electronically submit an initial earnest money deposit
- Electronically sign a purchase contract via DocuSign®
Learn more about the Buy Online experience at www.CenturyCommunities.com/online-homebuying.
About Century Communities
Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is a top 10 national homebuilder, offering new homes under the Century Communities and Century Complete brands. Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding — including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Colorado-based company operates in 17 states and over 40 markets across the U.S., and also offers title, insurance and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Home Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loans subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com.
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BEIJING, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China has entered a stage of high-quality development, and the southern province of Hainan is spearheading the country's efforts to balance environmental protection and development.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has been in Hainan since Sunday, placing ecological conservation, rural revitalization and food security high on the agenda during his inspection.
National park system
When inspecting a section of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park on Monday in the city of Wuzhishan, President Xi stressed the importance of boosting national park development in Hainan.
He also highlighted the need to fully understand the strategic significance of Hainan's national park development to the country, and urged continuous and solid efforts in this regard.
Following the principle of "ecological protection first," China in 2017 unveiled the overall plan for establishing its new national park system in an effort to promote human-nature harmony, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Last year, the Chinese leader announced the official designation of the country's first group of national parks when delivering a keynote speech via video link at the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15). The Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park is one of them.
The national park spans nine cities and counties, covering a total area of over 4,000 square km. It is home to the most concentrated and well-preserved tropical rainforests in China and the only habitat for Hainan gibbons, the world's rarest primates.
Unlike ordinary national parks, the designated national parks are part of the country's "red line" strategy for ecological conservation and subject to the strictest possible protection measures.
With the national park system taking shape in the world's most populous country, China has taken a solid step toward a future where all beings can live in harmony and flourish through a system of protected areas with national parks as the mainstay.
Rural revitalization in full swing
During his inspection tours across the country, the Chinese president always stopped to chat with rural families. On Monday, he walked into the homes of local ethnic Li people in Maona, a village in the city of Wuzhishan, and had cordial exchanges with local officials and villagers.
In Maona's public square, the locals extended a warm welcome to Xi.
"We have attained a moderately prosperous society in all respects and are marching toward modernization and promoting common prosperity," Xi said, urging solid efforts to consolidate poverty alleviation achievements and align them with the full advancement of rural revitalization.
China is continuing efforts for rural development, with the Report on the Work of the Government released in March emphasizing boosting agricultural production and promoting all-around rural revitalization in 2022.
Xi also called on Party officials to make "every possible effort" to ensure that people can live happy lives, saying Party officials should not harbor any selfish interests, and they should devote themselves to the improvement of people's lives.
"What the Communist Party of China cares about is how to make sure the lives of Chinese people of all ethnic groups are getting better every day."
'Chinese seeds'
China's food security can only be safeguarded when seed resources are firmly held in our own hands, President Xi said while inspecting the city of Sanya on Sunday, calling for working toward food self-sufficiency and advancing the country's seed sector.
"To ensure that China's seed resources are self-supporting and under better control, self-reliance must be achieved in seed technology," he said.
However, Xi acknowledged that the process would take time. "It takes 10 years to sharpen a sword," said Xi, quoting a Chinese saying.
Highlighting the strategic significance of the related work, he called for carrying forward the spirit of scientists and researchers of the older generations, including Yuan Longping (1930-2021), who was known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s and staving off hunger for millions.
In the newly-unveiled "No. 1 Central Document," the first policy statement released by China's central authorities this year, the country has outlined seed industry development as one of its policy priorities, with specific moves such as implementing an action plan on the seed industry, promoting germplasm collection and enhancing intellectual property protection in the sector.
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WARRENVILLE, Ill., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It's easy to tell people they should exercise regularly and eat right—it's an entirely different thing to make it your personal lifestyle.
Doug Tran, M.D., an internal medicine physician with Edward Medical Group in Naperville, IL, part of the NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health system in suburban Chicago, has credibility and empathy to spare. He spends his workdays treating patients and advising them on health and wellness. In his off hours, he follows a strict regimen of nutrition and physical training.
About five years before the coronavirus pandemic started in 2020, Dr. Tran participated in daily group exercise at a local CrossFit gym, which improved his physical health and provided a mental health boost. Then, the gym stopped group exercise because of COVID-19.
Dr. Tran had a good relationship with the gym owner, who let him come in after hours to train and relieve stress. A coach at the gym who had competed in weightlifting told Dr. Tran he should consider it. Intrigued, he gave it a shot.
"I would train on my own. I'd videorecord lifts and he would critique me," Dr. Tran says. "Technically, I got better, I got stronger. And as the pandemic improved, he encouraged me to try out for a competition to see how I compared to others."
In February 2022, Dr. Tran took part in a local competition, keeping his expectations low.
"I placed gold and qualified for the 2022 National Masters Weightlifting Championships, age 50 to 55," he says.
Dr. Tran will compete at the event on April 22 in Salt Lake City.
The workout, nutrition and sleep regimen necessary for success in weightlifting has been helpful in his relationships with his patients.
"It definitely gives me a talking point, because I'm living it as well—the struggles pretty much everyone would face, we all have goals," Dr. Tran says. "I can relate and have empathy for them."
Regardless of the outcome of the weightlifting competition, Dr. Tran plans to continue his regimen.
"It's been a great example for my kids," Dr. Tran says. "With childhood obesity on the rise, they see their parents staying active and eating healthy, and it motivates them to do the same."
Learn more at EEHealth.org.
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Chicory Releases Findings From its 'Omnichannel Grocery Shopper in 2022' Survey
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicory, the leading contextual commerce platform, today released findings from its Omnichannel Grocery Shopper survey of over 1,000 U.S. consumers. The results of the survey provide insight into how today's consumers are meal planning and grocery shopping. Data points include the most popular online and in-store grocery retailers, the top sources of online meal inspiration and consumer likelihood to purchase groceries directly from online food content.
"For the second year in a row, respondents identified food blogs and recipe sites as their go-to sources for meal inspiration online," says Chicory CEO and Co-Founder Yuni Sameshima. "If brands and retailers aren't yet leveraging off-site content to acquire new customers, they need to start. Today, winning at the shelf requires meeting consumers in moments of inspiration, well before they hit the retailer's store or site."
Key findings outlined in the official survey report include:
Multi-Channel and Online Shopping is the New Normal
66% of consumers have purchased groceries online in the last 60 days. While shopping behaviors are similar across gender and age groups, women and consumers 30 to 40 years old express the highest overall preference for online shopping. 44% of those who prefer to shop in-store still order groceries online.
Off-Site Channels are Key to the Path to Purchase
Food blogs and recipes publishers are the most popular sources of online meal inspiration according to 64% of survey respondents. This is consistent across all age groups. In fact, food blogs and recipe publishers even outperform TikTok among the youngest generation of grocery shoppers, those 18 to 29 years old.
Almost 50% of shoppers are likely (31%) or very likely to (18%) purchase groceries directly from online food content (e.g. digital recipes, social media posts), signaling that off-site grocery commerce is becoming increasingly common.
Shoppers Prioritize Price and Convenience
Price is the top consideration for purchasing a product again (71%). It's also the factor most likely to drive someone to change preferred retailers (65%). However, location/convenience is an important factor too according to 48% of survey respondents. This likely explains why grocery and food delivery apps, which deliver groceries right to shoppers' doors, are nearly tied with Target as the third-most popular online grocery retailer.
To read the entire report, please download The Omnichannel Grocery Shopper in 2022.
Survey Methodology
Chicory surveyed 1,076 American consumers, ages 18 to 85, on March 9, 2022. The margin of error is +/- 3.049%.
About Chicory
Chicory transforms recipe content into commerce media for CPG brands. Its platform powers a network of recipe publishers and retailers that reaches 100 million high-intent grocery shoppers each month with hyper-contextual ads and in-recipe commerce solutions. Chicory's signature "Get Ingredients" button can be found on over 1,500 recipe websites, including Taste of Home, Martha.com, LandOLakes.com and thousands of influencer food blogs. The advertising technology takes grocery shoppers from inspiration to checkout in just a few clicks, driving items to cart for the nation's leading retailers. Learn more at www.chicory.co.
Contact:
Madeline Lenahan
PR Manager
pr@chicory.co
(917) 463-3434
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SOURCE Chicory | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/chicory-survey-50-consumers-are-likely-purchase-groceries-directly-online-food-content/ | 2022-04-12T18:29:20 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/chicory-survey-50-consumers-are-likely-purchase-groceries-directly-online-food-content/ |
Critical Safety Advice from NYC's Premiere House-Call Vet Service
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The beautiful white lily that adorns many an Easter table has come to symbolize purity and spring rebirth for people, but for cats the flower represents danger and possibly death. City Pet's Amy Attas, New York's premiere house-call veterinarian, warns that lilies are lethal for felines. The petals, the pollen, even the water in the vase can trigger kidney failure in a cat.
"They're beautiful and innocuous looking, and they're also incredibly inviting to cats," says Attas, who runs a uniquely personal veterinary practice. "This is one of those rare instances in which the entire plant--the stamen, the stem, the root, all parts of it-- are toxic to cats to the point where most of the time it's deadly. If we catch it early enough, we can treat it. But it requires intensive treatment for the kidneys, often involving dialysis just as we would use in a human who had had kidney failure."
Dr. Amy, as her doting NYC clients know her, notes that though signs of distress may take a day or two to show, "even if there are no symptoms, if there's evidence that the plant's been nibbled, it's an emergency. Go straight to the veterinarian's office. Typically, you'll see a decrease in appetite, greater thirst, lethargy, and then increased urination as the cat's kidneys go into failure. By that point, it's probably too late."
Her main advice: "If you have a cat simply don't buy lilies; choose another flower for your Easter arrangement."
Press Contact
Diane Blackman / BRPR
212.249.5125
dblackman@brpublicrelations.com
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SOURCE City Pets Vets | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/city-pets-veterinarian-amy-attas-warns-easter-lilies-lethal-cats/ | 2022-04-12T18:29:27 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/city-pets-veterinarian-amy-attas-warns-easter-lilies-lethal-cats/ |
Free Hotline Connects Minnesota's Deaf Community with Agents Who Are Fluent in American Sign Language for COVID-19 Information Such As Face Mask Requirements and Vaccine Locations
MINNEAPOLIS, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) has launched an American Sign Language-based COVID-19 information hotline in the State of Minnesota. This free service gives the 20% of Minnesotans who are Deaf or hard of hearing access to the latest coronavirus health information and guidelines in their native language, American Sign Language (ASL). The hotline is available online at CSD's Minnesota COVID Information website or through videophone.
The Minnesota ASL Now Hotline, powered by CSD's Connect Direct division, is staffed by a team of Deaf agents who are fluent in ASL and trained to provide Minnesotans with the most up-to-date health information and guidelines in their geographic area, such as face mask requirements and vaccine locations near them. By directly connecting Deaf callers with trained Deaf agents instead of randomized, untrained Video Relay interpreters, the hotline helps curb confusion and misinformation.
"I often get calls from people who are very concerned about not understanding what is happening because statistics and data are so overwhelming," said one COVID-19 Hotline representative. "After providing support in ASL, I can see that people are feeling relieved and safe because they have access to accurate information and can protect themselves."
Connect Direct launched a similar ASL-based hotline in the State of Virginia in April 2021. Over a four-month period, hotline agents handled more than 500 calls from Deaf Virginians seeking accessible coronavirus information.
"Equal access to critical information for our community is vital during this continuing global pandemic," said Craig J. Radford, CSD's Vice President of Emerging Markets. "Our free hotline gives Deaf Minnesotans a place where they can comfortably ask questions about any issues or concerns related to COVID-19. Callers get to communicate one-on-one and in their native language which, for ASL users especially, can feel like a big relief."
Anyone may contact the Minnesota ASL Now hotline in one of two ways:
- Visit CSD's Minnesota COVID-19 Information website and click "ASL Now."
- Dial 651-504-2088 on any videophone.
Hotline agents are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST.
CSD and the Connect Direct Minnesota ASL Now hotline are not medical organizations.
Hotline agents are not medical professionals, nor do they provide medical advice.
About Communication Service for the Deaf
Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is the largest Deaf-led social impact organization in the world. For more than four decades, CSD has been a leader in creating and providing accessible and innovative solutions for the Deaf community. Today, CSD continues its work to create opportunities for personal and economic growth within the Deaf community, specifically addressing leadership and employment. For more information, please visit CSD and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Connect Direct
Since 2017, Connect Direct has been the leading provider of innovative call center solutions for communicating directly with Deaf customers in American Sign Language. Offering cutting-edge customer service through Connect Direct decreases customer frustration and opens the door to a new market of loyal clients. This expertise provides an invaluable, time-saving solution for businesses, customers, and representatives alike. To learn more, visit Connect Direct, explore our media kit, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Leila Eltouny
leltouny@csd.org
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SOURCE Communication Service For The Deaf, Inc | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/communication-service-deaf-launches-new-asl-accessible-covid-19-hotline-minnesota/ | 2022-04-12T18:29:34 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/communication-service-deaf-launches-new-asl-accessible-covid-19-hotline-minnesota/ |
ATLANTA, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Confess Project and Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust have partnered to battle mental health disparities in California's communities of color. The Confess Project of Atlanta, Georgia is widely known as "America's First Mental Health Barbershop Movement". Its mission is to build a culture of mental health for Black boys, men, and their families by training barbers to be mental health advocates; thereby decreasing the stigma associated with mental health in Black communities. This mission will now be supported and amplified thanks to the generosity of the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust whose mission is to address systemic injustice and the root causes behind racial gaps in health and well-being.
The timing of this partnership couldn't be better for communities of color in California. Over seven percent (7.2%) of Black Californians are diagnosed with a serious mental illness, while the average is 4.2% for White Californians. The Confess Project and the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust will combat this disparity by training five hundred (500) new barbers to become mental health advocates.
"You didn't have to be clairvoyant to see this crisis coming because all the indicators that behavioral health experts rely on pointed to the coming deluge of mental health issues in the black community", said Lorenzo Lewis, Confess Project Founder. "Those of us who have dedicated our lives to the calling of improving access to mental health predicted this crisis; but I am glad that Confess Project now has a new partner to help improve access to mental health for Black boys, men, and their families in California," Lewis continued.
The Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust's investment of $100,000.00 will have an immediate effect of decreasing the stigma associated with mental health issues in Black communities because the mental health advocacy training occurs in the very community where health disparities exist.
"We are thrilled to partner with The Confess Project," said Beth Ganz, executive director of Katz Amsterdam. "We strive to support such innovative solutions to address mental health challenges. The Confess Project has had great impact within communities and we are honored to help expand their reach."
"We are grateful to Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust, and we look forward to battling mental health disparities in black community together with our new strategic partner", said Lorenzo Lewis, The Confess Project Founder.
For more information about the Confess Project click here https://www.theconfessproject.com/
CONTACT: info@theconfessproject.com
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SOURCE The Confess Project | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/confess-project-partners-with-katz-amsterdam-charitable-trust-battle-mental-health-issues-californias-black-communities/ | 2022-04-12T18:29:40 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/confess-project-partners-with-katz-amsterdam-charitable-trust-battle-mental-health-issues-californias-black-communities/ |
CorpAxe leverages successful SOC 2 audit to advance its commitment to customer data security.
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CorpAxe is proud to announce that it has received a SOC 2 Type 2 attestation report with no exceptions. This rigorous, independent assessment of internal security controls serves as evidence of the company's dedication and adherence to the highest standards for security.
This is an important milestone that confirms the company's ongoing commitment to its customers and the security of their data. CorpAxe views security as the foundation upon which its products are built and upon which trust with its customers is earned and maintained.
"Our clients operate in a highly regulated industry and include many of the world's largest asset managers, hedge funds, and financial institutions," said Mark Pellegrino, CEO of CorpAxe. "We recognize the need to be at the forefront of data security and to operate according to the highest of industry standards. This certification is a welcome validation of the controls we have put in place at CorpAxe."
CorpAxe uses Drata's automated platform to continuously monitor its internal security controls against the highest possible standards. With Drata, CorpAxe has real-time visibility across the organization to ensure the end-to-end security and compliance posture of its systems.
"Achieving SOC 2 compliance provides CorpAxe tangible proof of its data protection practices, and through Drata's automation-led approach, the company is empowered to continuously uphold its security posture," said Adam Markowitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Drata.
The SOC 2 audit was conducted by leading compliance assessor A-LIGN, a technology-enabled security and compliance partner trusted by more than 2,500 global organizations to help mitigate cybersecurity risks.
"A SOC 2 audit is a statement about an organization's commitment to protecting its information," said Stephanie Oyler-Rankin, SOC Practice Lead at A-LIGN. "As a trusted third-party assessment firm, A-LIGN independently evaluates client data processes and procedures, governance on internal controls, and security posture. CorpAxe's SOC 2 report validates its commitment to data security and protection."
Established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the SOC 2 examination is designed for organizations of any size, regardless of industry and scope, to ensure that the personal assets of their potential and existing customers are protected. SOC 2 reports are recognized globally and affirm that a company's infrastructure, software, people, data, policies, procedures, and operations have been formally reviewed.
CorpAxe encourages all customers and prospects interested in finding out more about the company and its products to visit https://corpaxe.com/.
About CorpAxe
CorpAxe is the world leader in corporate access and resource management solutions for the investment community. The CorpAxe suite of products allows investors to discover, originate, manage, and value resources critical to the investment process while meeting the demands of a rapidly changing regulatory environment. For more information, visit https://corpaxe.com/.
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SOURCE CorpAxe | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/corpaxe-achieves-soc-2-type-2-compliance/ | 2022-04-12T18:29:48 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/corpaxe-achieves-soc-2-type-2-compliance/ |
Company commits to accelerated development of industry leading software platform to support the next generation of sustainable, smart building real estate solutions.
BOSTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CREF is pleased to announce that Ryan Hayden has joined the company as the new Chief Digital and Strategy Officer.
In this new role, Ryan will help scale CREF's SaaS platform iCREF, and lead a Partner Ecosystem intent on tackling complex challenges. The real estate market craves better solutions to the problems associated with antiquated infrastructure, evolving technology, disparate data, and myopic, transaction-oriented thinking. With the advances in smart building technology, heightened expectations for enhanced consumer experiences, and urgent demand for sustainable and equitable real estate solutions, there is a rare opportunity to reimagine the way physical space is developed. Ryan will be essential in continuing to bring these solutions to life.
Ryan routinely partners with the nation's leading health systems to help address their most urgent problems. His role in monetizing data platforms at the intersection of business, experience, and technology, is important as CREF enables the development of smart sustainable, [and eventually self-aware and self-healing] buildings. Ryan's ability to build trusted relationships will be critical as CREF expands its' Partner Ecosystem, inclusive of many Fortune 200 companies, to cultivate and build healthy communities. With active projects in North and South America, the Middle East, and Europe, there is an immediate opportunity to make a significant impact in communities around the world.
"I am excited to be joining CREF at this pivotal juncture for the real estate industry which is facing unprecedented challenges meeting the demand for sustainable, efficient, ESG-compliant facilities. CREF is already a leader in providing these solutions to healthcare owners and operators around the world; I look forward to cementing our position as the undisputed global leader in reimagining real estate solutions for all sectors of our economy. Our brand and our capabilities align directly with where our clients are most concerned – what sustainable technology to invest in, how to create a seamless experience for those people who navigate their physical environments, and how to exceed expectations for environmentally and socially just practices. We have a lot of work to do!"
Bob Gendron, CEO of CREF, says "Our strategic focus at CREF is our continued ability to scale our iCREF platform and integrate with our Partners, and bring a seamless experience for managing real estate. We have been overwhelmed with the positive feedback iCREF has received by our clients and investors. With Ryan's 20 years of providing data solutions in healthcare, we are well positioned to capitalize on the opportunity to change the way buildings operate. This positive impact will have an astounding effect on our clients, their assets, and the surrounding communities."
A former Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, MA, Ryan was a member of the Healthcare Analytics, Automation and AI team, and spent his career helping healthcare executives navigate the data revolution.
Ryan graduated from Bentley University with a Master's in both Business (MBA) and Computer Information Systems (MSIT), and Northeastern University with a Master's in Clinical Informatics. He also holds a dual undergrad in Pre-med and Business Administration from SUNY Environmental Science & Forestry (ESF) and Syracuse University.
He is a proud husband to Rekha, and father to Taj and Niam. He is an ally and advocate for the less fortunate; and a mentor to many. CREF is "excited to have them all join our expanded CREF family".
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SOURCE CREF Global Corporate Real Estate & Facilities | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/cref-appoints-former-pwc-health-care-leader-ryan-hayden-chief-digital-amp-strategy-officer/ | 2022-04-12T18:29:54 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/cref-appoints-former-pwc-health-care-leader-ryan-hayden-chief-digital-amp-strategy-officer/ |
ScannX will distribute CZUR ET18 Pro scanner integrated with ScannX software to make overhead book scanning easy and affordable
BEIJING, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CZUR Tech Co., Ltd and ScannX®, Inc., today announced an exclusive U.S. sales agreement for ScannX to develop and distribute the ScannX Overhead Book Scanner, comprised of the CZUR ET18 Pro scanner and ScannX Book ScanCenter® software. The new product will be available in two models: one for the professional library market and one for discerning home office users. The partnership will enable ScannX to distribute enhanced CZUR solutions bundled with the award-winning ScannX software and cloud services, as well as other CZUR scanner products.
"CZUR welcomes this opportunity to broaden our reach into the US market by partnering with ScannX, the industry leader in easy-to-use book and document scanning software with special expertise in professional markets such as libraries," said Kang Zhou, CEO of CZUR. "We are also excited to collaborate on future products to expand the potential audience for our industry-leading line of overhead scanners."
"ScannX couldn't be more delighted to partner with CZUR," said Murray L. Dennis, CEO of ScannX. "Overhead scanners are deservedly getting most of the attention and demand lately. CZUR has really innovated in that space with patent pending page flattening technology, exceptional design, outstanding performance, and surprisingly low prices. Our customers are going to love these scanners."
The sales agreement also enables ScannX to sell selected CZUR scanners across the US market to both professional and consumer-level customers. CZUR will continue to sell its own products directly on Amazon.com, while versions bundled with the ScannX software will also be sold by ScannX on Amazon as well as other online channels through its distribution partnerships.
About the ScannX Overhead Book Scanner
The Scannx Overhead Book Scanner combines the inspired, innovative CZUR scanning technology custom-integrated with the award-winning ScannX Book ScanCenter software to streamline book scanning to page turning. The solution automatically creates flat scans from curved books, enables glossy prints to be scanned without glare or reflection, scans to email, USB, print, and cloud. The software also provides tools for the visually impaired, and offers options to fax, translate and print from a mobile device. Flexible in design from the ground up, it enables users to control the scanner using a touch screen, a hand button, or a foot pedal, while scanning entire pages at the ultra-fast rate of 1.5 seconds – including dual-facing pages of a book or A3-size documents. ScannX also developed a custom Security Stand that protects the CZUR scanner when it's used in public settings, and an optional SmartCradle to handle thicker books.
About CZUR
Founded in 2013, CZUR is a global technology company that develops smart hardware solutions for enterprises and individuals. Its smart office appliances include the latest technologies and human touch to improve work efficiency in work environments fundamentally. Its product lines cover hardware, PC services, cloud services, web services, app development, and algorithms. For more information, visit czur.com.
About ScannX
ScannX®is the leading developer of cloud-based book and document scanning and delivery solutions for libraries. The company's systems provide powerful, yet extremely easy-to-use, copier-replacement solutions for scanning books, documents, and photos.
CZUR and ScannX Partner to Deliver USA Distribution of Leading Overhead Scanners printed information instantly accessible, enables libraries to meet their sustainability goals, and expands the range of services libraries can offer their patrons. For more information, visit scannx.com
Follow CZUR
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/CZURTechnology
Groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/czurtech
About CZUR: https://www.czur.com/
Media contract:
Emma
+86-755-23974826,
marketing@czur.com
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SOURCE CZUR TECH CO., LTD | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/czur-scannx-announce-exclusive-agreement-expand-overhead-book-scanner-market/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:04 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/czur-scannx-announce-exclusive-agreement-expand-overhead-book-scanner-market/ |
SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DevonWay, a leading provider of Environmental Health & Safety, Asset Management, Quality Management, and Workforce Management solutions to regulated industries, today announced the availability of its new ESG & Sustainability Solution, which enables companies to go beyond ESG reporting and implement effective performance initiatives to achieve their ESG goals.
"Building sustainability into business models is one of the great challenges of our time," said Chris Moustakas, DevonWay's CEO. "Our approach, centered around continuous improvement best practices, is designed to let customers quickly and proactively address immediate gaps in their programs and expand as needed."
With DevonWay ESG & Sustainability, companies can report on and improve any ESG metric on a unified software platform that can also run all or any subset of their safety, quality, asset, and work management functions, so it doubles as a system of record for data that directly feeds ESG metrics and ratings. In addition, it securely integrates with other sources of ESG and sustainability data.
Specifically for regulated industries, DevonWay ESG & Sustainability combines DevonWay's enterprise-class Compliance Management, Metrics & KPIs, Improvement Initiatives, Enterprise Risk Management, and self-service reporting and business intelligence – all on a secure, no-code platform. It offers:
- Best-of-breed continuous improvement practices that provide visibility and accountability toward meeting goals
- Usage-based pricing that includes unlimited users, so everyone can participate, even contractors
- US, EU, and Canadian SOC 2 certified SaaS datacenters for companies operating globally
- Compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 standards, with FedRAMP expected in CY 2022
- US-support-only option for customers under export control rules
- A REST API that securely and easily connects other systems with DevonWay software
In addition, DevonWay has developed partnerships with leading ESG consulting practices for customers who need third-party expertise in performing sustainability assessments, refining their existing program, or building one from scratch.
To learn more about DevonWay ESG & Sustainability software and request a demo, visit https://www.devonway.com/products/ESG.
About DevonWay
DevonWay software for Asset, Work, Quality, and Safety Management enables regulated, high-risk, and complex organizations to operate more efficiently and safely. Available in the cloud or on premise, DevonWay products collect, manage workflows for, analyze, and report on operational data while ensuring compliance to regulations and standards. Combining out-of-the-box production readiness with no-code configurability, DevonWay products meet customers' unique requirements with enterprise-grade security and scalability. For more information, please visit www.devonway.com.
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SOURCE DevonWay | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/devonway-launches-esg-amp-sustainability-solution-regulated-industries/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:11 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/devonway-launches-esg-amp-sustainability-solution-regulated-industries/ |
SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of San Francisco (USF) has announced that accomplished scholar, teacher, and leader Dr. Otgontsetseg "Otgo" Erhemjamts has been appointed to the role of dean of the School of Management (SOM). Dr. Erhemjamts will begin her time at USF on July 1, 2022 following the departure of current Dean Charles T. Moses.
Incoming Dean Erhemjamts joins USF from Bentley University, a business-focused private university in Massachusetts, where she has served as associate dean of business, associate vice president and associate provost for strategic initiatives, and a professor of finance. With more than two decades in higher education, Dr. Erhemjamts has amassed extensive knowledge of the higher education landscape, and management education in particular, and has demonstrated a commitment to key values USF has outlined in its own strategic plan: innovation, diversity, environmental sustainability, experiential learning, student-centered outcomes, and interdisciplinary approaches.
"For all of her accomplishments, the qualities that stand out the most about Otgo are her collaborative leadership, her compassionate candor, commitment to positive social impact, her ability to empower those around her to generate innovative solutions, and her desire to advance equity and justice," said Dr. Chinyere Oparah, USF provost and vice president of academic affairs. "I am delighted that Otgo will be joining our community at such an important time, and I look forward to partnering with her to advance an exciting era of new developments for the school."
During Dr. Erhemjamts's time at Bentley, her major accomplishments include: launching 10 graduate certificate programs that grew enrollment by more than 500 percent; addressing gender inequities in tenure and promotion policies; serving as co-lead of the Racial Justice Task Force Assessment Committee to launch the institution's first Inclusive Excellence Dashboard; creating hands-on, immersive courses on sustainable investing; creating a minor and a finance concentration in sustainable investing; working both inside and outside of academe to recruit and retain women in STEM and finance; mentoring students who launched the first student-led sustainable investment fund at Bentley that currently manages $660,000 of the institution's endowment funds; and collaborating with an extensive array of internal and external partners to contribute to the university's strategic plan. These experiences have prepared her for the many leadership opportunities at the USF School of Management – from new partnerships and academic program redesign to growing international and domestic enrollments.
"I am thrilled and honored to be joining the University of San Francisco, and I am impressed with its explicit commitment to social justice, betterment of the community, and to educating students to be socially and morally responsible," stated Dr. Erhemjamts. "I very much look forward to collaborating with faculty, students, librarians, staff, administrators, alumni, and community partners within the School of Management and across the university."
Passionate about educational access and equity, Dr. Erhemjamts has a deep understanding of the obstacles and opportunities faced by many USF students. A first-generation immigrant and an international student, she was the first Mongolian to earn a doctorate in finance in the U.S. She holds a doctorate in finance from Georgia State University, an MS in economics from the University of Idaho, and an MS in information technology from the Mongolian University of Science and Technology.
As a widely published scholar with an active research agenda and research interests in banking, corporate finance, risk management and insurance, sustainable investing, and corporate social responsibility, Dr. Erhemjamts is listed in the top 10 percent of authors on SSRN with respect to downloads of her scholarly works, is a co-author on two leading finance textbooks, and is a co-principal investigator on a $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation that supports the development of transdisciplinary teaching modules in sustainability.
About the USF School of Management
Founded in 1925, University of San Francisco's School of Management is on the forefront of educating the next generation of conscious, mindful business leaders. Each year those students join the over 40,000 School of Management alumni around the world to create ethical and innovative change in the private, public, and non-profit management sectors. The School of Management is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
About the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is a private, Jesuit Catholic university that reflects the diversity, optimism, and opportunities of the city that surrounds it. USF offers more than 230 undergraduate, graduate, professional, and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, law, education, and nursing and health professions. At USF, each course is an intimate learning community in which top professors encourage students to turn learning into positive action, so the students graduate equipped to do well in the world — and inspired to change it for the better. For more information, visit usfca.edu.
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SOURCE University of San Francisco | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/dr-otgontsetseg-erhemjamts-appointed-dean-university-san-francisco-school-management-effective-july-1-2022/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:18 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/dr-otgontsetseg-erhemjamts-appointed-dean-university-san-francisco-school-management-effective-july-1-2022/ |
The digital health company plans to hire aggressively and leverage technology and partnerships to create a future where Americans thrive longer
NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DUOS, a digital health company on a mission to increase the longevity and independence of older adults, announced today a $15 million Series A funding led by Imaginary Ventures, along with participation from existing investors Forerunner Ventures, Declaration Partners, and new investor Optum Ventures.
Older adults are facing a two-pronged crisis. First, approximately 10,000 American adults are turning 65+ each day. The entire Baby Boomer generation will be over age 65 by 2030, meaning 1 in 5 Americans will be of retirement age. Also, fifty-one percent of older adults have at least one unmet fundamental social need around areas such as transportation, food, or housing. These problems will only continue to accelerate as the older adult demographic grows.
Second, the number of unpaid family caregivers in the United States increased by nearly 10 million people between 2015 and 2020 to 54 million. DUOS is a solution for lifting a significant portion of the burden of these caregivers, who are often part of the "Sandwich Generation," taking care of both young children and aging parents.
DUOS addresses these problems with its unique "System of Aging." The System of Aging uses a mix of technology and the human touch to connect older adults and their caretakers to a network of service providers to help members with their social needs, care navigation needs, and physical aging needs - enabling older adults to receive transportation, food delivery, healthcare appointments and a multitude of additional services. Through interpersonal communication and technology, DUOS identifies and addresses the individual needs of older adults by leveraging Medicare benefits, trusted partners, and local service providers. Each member is also assigned a "Duo," a dedicated person responsible for facilitating the System, providing companionship, and making sure tasks are complete.
The company's Series A funding will drive technology advancements and hiring to support the company's aggressive growth plans. "This investment milestone is significant for DUOS as it allows us to power new technology that will enhance everyday experiences for older adults and their caregivers," said Karl Ulfers, CEO and Co-Founder of DUOS. "The world is short on people, and this technology will help scale our services to millions of individuals across the country."
"Imaginary is incredibly excited to partner with the DUOS team to empower aging adults," said Kelly Dill, Partner, Imaginary Ventures. "We have always been hyper-focused on solving consumer problems, and DUOS is working to solve one of the biggest of our generation. The DUOS team brings deep healthcare expertise with a hyper focus on the end consumer they are serving. We think this consumer-fueled approach creates an exceptional experience tailored to the needs of aging adults."
To make DUOS accessible to as many people as possible, it has already partnered with health insurance plans including Magellan Healthcare, Geisinger Health Plan, and other national and regional payors and providers in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and Georgia. The company plans to announce additional partnerships in 2022. For its partners, DUOS is closing gaps in care, improving targeted HEDIS measures, and driving member satisfaction, which is timely since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently doubled the impact of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey results from 2x to 4x within a health plan's overall Star Rating, making member experience one of the most significant contributors to a health plan's overall Star Rating.
"Magellan Healthcare is committed to transforming the healthcare experience through high-tech and high-touch solutions that complement the human touch brought by Magellan to address whole-person healthcare--life, mind and body," said Caroline Carney, M.D., Magellan Healthcare's President of Behavioral Health and Chief Medical Officer of Magellan Health. "Our early work with DUOS shows successful identification of and interventions for needs expressed by older adults, and very high levels of satisfaction. This is a very promising tool supporting our work in providing holistic care for those suffering from social isolation." (More information on how DUOS works with partners is here.)
With older adults using technology more than ever, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, DUOS is in the process of building an easy-to-use app that can anticipate member needs and connect the members' caregiving circle. The app will streamline communication and task management and tap into a curated marketplace of partners for everyday needs. Members will have the option of communicating with their Duo in person, over the phone, or through the app.
To meet the growing demand for DUOS, which is available in all 50 states via its direct-to-consumer offering, part of the Series A funding will be dedicated to hiring engineers, product managers, operations experts, and marketers who are passionate about helping older adults and caregivers. In addition, DUOS plans to hire and train over 100 Duos to serve individual members as more partnerships roll out across the U.S. in 2022.
About DUOS
Founded in 2020, DUOS is a digital health company that pairs older adults with personal assistants, or "Duos," who help with the little things that make a big difference. DUOS focuses on members' social needs and maximizes their independence by building long-term, high trust 1:1 relationships, coordinating community resources, and working with families, health plans and providers to ensure holistic, personalized support. Listen to our soundtrack on Spotify, and follow us at @getduos on Facebook and @duos on Instagram and LinkedIn. Visit us at www.getduos.com.
About Imaginary Ventures
Imaginary Ventures is a venture capital firm focusing on innovations at the intersection of consumer and technology. Natalie Massenet and Nick Brown launched Imaginary Ventures in 2018 to invest in the tech-enabled platforms that are changing the way we live by providing best-in-class products and experiences. In December 2020, Imaginary Ventures announced their second fund of $160 million to expand their dynamic ecosystem of investments, with a continued focus in new and untapped markets primed for accelerated growth, diverse founders, and technology platforms. For more information about Imaginary Ventures, please visit imaginary.co.
About Forerunner Ventures
Forerunner Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to investing in ambitious entrepreneurs to define and dominate a new generation of business. Forerunner has investments in leading companies including Chime, Faire, Glossier, Hims & Hers, Oura, The Farmer's Dog, Warby Parker, and more. For more information please visit www.forerunnerventures.com.
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SOURCE Duos Living, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/duos-secures-15-million-series-double-down-its-system-aging/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:25 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/duos-secures-15-million-series-double-down-its-system-aging/ |
Jeffrey Earnhardt to Pilot the No. 3 Chevrolet for the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway
LOUISVILLE, Ohio, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ForeverLawn, Inc. has announced their partnership with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and Jeffrey Earnhardt for the NASCAR Xfinity Series' Ag-Pro 300, once again placing an Earnhardt in the legendary No. 3 car. The race will take place on Saturday, April 23, at 4:00 p.m. at Talladega Superspeedway.
"What a dream come true. The chance to be behind the wheel of the No. 3 car for RCR has long been a dream of mine and now it's finally happening," says Earnhardt. "I can't thank ForeverLawn enough for making my dreams come to reality and for being such a big part of my career. I also want to thank Mr. Childress for making this possible. The No. 3 car is cherished by a lot of people, and I know how much it means to him. To give me this opportunity is something I'll never forget."
Earnhardt will pilot the No. 3 Chevrolet wrapped in a vintage-style paint scheme which incorporates the familiar ForeverLawn black and green color palette. Sponsors featured on the throwback car include SuperPufft, Dalstrong, The Accredited Petroleum Association, STR, and Precision Products.
"We're thrilled to partner with Jeffrey Earnhardt and Richard Childress Racing for this momentous race," says Dale Karmie, co-founder of ForeverLawn. "Jeffrey is a great young man and to see him fulfill his dream of driving the No. 3 for RCR is incredible. He has worked so hard to carve his own way while honoring the Earnhardt legacy. Can't wait to see the #blackandgreengrassmachine donning the No. 3 at the legendary Talladega Superspeedway."
"It's great to have an Earnhardt back in one of our cars," says Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. "We think Jeffrey is a talented young driver and I'm confident he will run well at Talladega."
The race will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 23 on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Viewers can also follow Earnhardt in the No. 3 car on the ForeverLawn Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook channels using #blackandgreengrassmachine.
About ForeverLawn ForeverLawn® improves spaces and communities through innovative synthetic grass solutions. Beginning in 2004 as the daring entrepreneurial venture of two brothers, ForeverLawn has consistently led the synthetic turf industry through groundbreaking approaches to products and practice. As the premium choice for synthetic surfacing, each product is engineered to solve unique consumer needs and desires while maintaining superior standards and natural aesthetics. Today the company services over eighty localized markets through their dealer network, with an impressive regional, national, and international project portfolio.
Want to be a part of something bigger? Learn how you can be a person of impact through business ownership opportunities with ForeverLawn. For more information, contact opportunities@foreverlawn.com.
About Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing (rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2022 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion, 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet), along with two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick (No. 8 Chevrolet). RCR fields a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program with Sheldon Creed (No. 2 Chevrolet) and Austin Hill (No. 21 Chevrolet).
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SOURCE ForeverLawn | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/earnhardt-legacy-lives-foreverlawn-partners-with-richard-childress-racing-legendary-no-3-chevrolet-nascar-xfinity-series/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:33 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/earnhardt-legacy-lives-foreverlawn-partners-with-richard-childress-racing-legendary-no-3-chevrolet-nascar-xfinity-series/ |
MINNEAPOLIS and SAINT PAUL, Minn., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo will tour the University of Minnesota and conduct a roundtable discussion about the Greater MSP region's efforts to promote inclusive economic growth.
This morning, Assistant Secretary Castillo will conduct a tour of the University of Minnesota, led by University President Joan Gabel. The tour will include visits to labs that are central to the region's growing bio-innovation cluster.
Assistant Secretary Castillo will then moderate a 'Coalition Conversation' with elected officials and leaders of public, nonprofit and civic organizations, including:
- Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan
- Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter
- Christophe Beck, CEO of Ecolab
- Tawanna Black, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Economic Inclusion
- Dr. Paul Campbell, Managing Partner of Brown Venture Group
- Roberta Antoine Dressen, President & CEO of Medical Alley Association
- Peter Frosch, President and CEO of GREATER MSP
- Alfredo Martel, President, CEO of Meda
- Adair Mosley, President & CEO of Pillsbury United Communities
- Laysha Ward, Executive Vice President and Chief External Engagement Officer at Target
- Miriam Williams, Chief Administrative Officer of Summit Academy OIC
The conversation is a learning opportunity for EDA to understand how the finalists built their coalition and created a collective vision for their region.
"We are delighted to host Assistant Secretary Castillo for a conversation with leaders who are working to transform our region with a new model of inclusive economic growth," said GREATER MSP President and CEO Peter Frosch. "The Assistant Secretary is interested to learn about the bold actions we are taking in the Greater MSP region to accelerate our economy through innovation and inclusion."
The Greater MSP region was selected for the Assistant Secretary's visit because it is one of the 60 finalist regions in the EDA's $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge, an American Rescue Plan program that invests in projects to catalyze a region's high-growth economic sectors.
The Greater MSP region submitted its application to the EDA competition on March 15, 2022. The application describes plans for the "Bold North BioInnovation Cluster," a detailed plan for investing in Minnesota's next globally leading economic sector. Bio-innovation builds on two existing sectors of strength in human health and food and agriculture. New opportunities for growth exist in adjacent domains, including sustainability, data and computing, and advanced manufacturing.
The application submitted by the GREATER MSP Partnership is focused on creating a vibrant economic sector that addresses historic inequities and racial disparities, with a stated vision to build America's most inclusive bio-innovation cluster. The project has the potential to accelerate growth of the state's bio-innovation sector generating up to 27,000 additional jobs and $30 billion in new economic output over ten years.
About GREATER MSP
GREATER MSP is the economic development partnership for the 15-county Minneapolis Saint Paul region. Over 300 leading businesses, universities, cities, counties, philanthropies, and others are working together to accelerate the competitiveness of the regional economy and drive inclusive economic growth through job creation, capital investment and the execution of strategic initiatives. For more information go to greatermsp.org.
About the American Rescue Plan Programs
The Build Back Better Regional Challenge is one of many EDA programs aimed at building strong regional economies and supporting community-led economic development. Under the American Rescue Plan, EDA was allocated $3 billion in supplemental funding to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks.
American Rescue Plan funding enables EDA to provide larger, more transformational investments across the nation while utilizing its greatest strengths, including flexible funding to support community-led economic development. With an emphasis on equity, EDA investments made under the American Rescue Plan will directly benefit previously underserved communities impacted by COVID-19. For more information about EDA's American Rescue Plan programs, visit eda.gov/ARPA.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. For more information about EDA, visit eda.gov.
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SOURCE GREATER MSP | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/eda-head-visits-greater-msp-region-first-hand-look-bio-innovation-inclusive-economic-growth-initiatives/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:43 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/eda-head-visits-greater-msp-region-first-hand-look-bio-innovation-inclusive-economic-growth-initiatives/ |
PARIS, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ekinops (Euronext Paris - FR0011466069 – EKI), a leading supplier of telecommunications solutions for telecom operators and businesses, has published its consolidated revenue for the first quarter of FY 2022 (January 1 - March 31, 2022).
SixSq has been consolidated since November 1, 2021.
Robust growth of almost +20% in Q1 2022
Ekinops reported Q1 2022 consolidated revenue of €27.8m, up by a very substantial +20% vs. Q1 2021 (+19% at constant scope).
At constant scope and exchange rates, revenue is up +16%, in line with the 2022 annual target for organic growth at least equal to that of 2021 (+12%).
All business lines show growth, with software and services up +64%
All the Group's businesses contributed to this solid quarterly performance. To be noted in particular the buoyancy of the Optical Transport activity which, in line with 2021, shows a strong increase over Q1 2022, thanks to the success of the 200 Gb/s and 400 Gb/s WDM systems.
Profiting from the strength of its Services activity, its SDN (Software Defined Networks) solutions, the network function virtualization solutions, and the contribution of SixSq's activities, revenue generated by software and services rose by +64% over the quarter.
The share of software and services continued to increase, and now accounts for 17% of the Group's quarterly revenue, versus 12% one year prior, and 14% for full year 2021.
Solid momentum of international sales: growth of +54% in North America
The quarter was marked by dynamic international growth of +34%. The share of international activity accounted for 67% of revenue in Q1 2022, an increase over Q1 2021 (60%) and stable vs. FY 2021.
In North America, which totals 18% of Group's sales, Ekinops achieved vigorous quarterly growth of +54% in Q1 2022 (+42% in US dollars). This performance is the result of an extremely solid increase in the activity of both Optical Transport and Access solutions.
EMEA (Europe - excl. France - Middle East & Africa) region, which represents 42% of the Group's activity, achieved growth of +21% for the quarter, underpinned largely by Optical Transport solutions, particularly in Germany.
After two years of severely impacted business environment by the pandemic, Asia-Pacific got back to a more sustained level of activity in H2 2021. Q1 2022 demonstrates the continuation of this trajectory with a substantial increase of +113% in quarterly sales. This rebound comes as a result of upbeat sales of Access products in the region. The arrival of an Australian operator, who chose Ekinops' Access solutions, into the Group's top 10 clients list illustrates the renewed vitality of this region.
Lastly, on its domestic market, the Group's activity remained virtually stable (-2%) in Q1 2022. It should be noted that Q1 2021 was marked by very sustained growth of +31% in France (activity stable over FY 2021).
2022 financial objectives confirmed
After an upbeat 2021, Ekinops has made an excellent start to 2022 with very robust demand. Nevertheless, the Group remains vigilant regarding the component crisis which should remain to the fore in the coming quarters.
The Group confirms its 2022 annual financial objectives:
- robust organic growth, at least equal to 2021 growth (+12%) and pushing towards +15%;
- gross margin of between 52% and 56%, in line with its long-term ambitions and factoring in the potential impact of the supply chain crisis on electronic components, which is still very much ongoing;
- EBITDA margin between 14% and 18%, integrating human and technological investments to execute the new growth plan.
Meanwhile, the Group is continuing to explore all acquisition opportunities that could create value for the company.
All press releases are published after Euronext Paris market close.
All press releases are published after the close of trading on Euronext Paris.
EKINOPS Contact
Didier Brédy
Chairman and CEO
contact@ekinops.com
Investors
Mathieu Omnes
Investor relation
Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 92
momnes@actus.fr
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SOURCE Ekinops | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ekinops-q1-2022-strong-demand-20-revenue-growth/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:49 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ekinops-q1-2022-strong-demand-20-revenue-growth/ |
Former Equifax SVP Corporate Strategy Leverages Extensive Experience to Drive to Scale Automated Access to Employee Data and Speed Employment and Income Verifications Across Multiple Industries
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EmpInfo, the industry leader in providing automated employment and income verifications, today announced that Anir Pradhan has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer, to help advance EmpInfo's leadership in providing the most accurate, responsive and automated verification services for any employee in the US. Pradhan has extensive experience in employment data and fintech and payroll industries, including serving as Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Marketing at Equifax and Vice President of Business Development at ADP. Most recently, Pradhan held the role of Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer at Oversight.
"We are thrilled to have Anir Pradhan join our executive leadership to supercharge our growth momentum that we have been able to successfully achieve so far with high capital efficiency," said Jag Puttanna, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, EmpInfo. "Anir has a proven track record in driving growth and attaining corporate vision as well as extensive experience in our industry that will be extremely valuable in rocketing us forward".
EmpInfo provides a service to companies, employees and financial institutions by quickly, easily and accurately providing employment and income verification required for purchasing homes, attaining loans and other financial matters. Although service providers today claim to offer automation, most require substantial manual intervention to provide timely, accurate information. EmpInfo streamlines the end-to-end service to make it fully hands-off automated. In addition, compliance and security challenges require industry-leading technology and practices to protect companies and individual employees. EmpInfo combines data, infrastructure and application security with third-party audits and rigorous authentication of verifiers with rule, policy and employee consent access controls.
EmpInfo's approach to accessing employment and income data is built on a fully digital, automated and transparent consumer experience to help employers partner with their employees during major life events, such as when purchasing home, a car, obtaining other financial products or even when changing jobs. EmpInfo leverages a growing ecosystem of clients and partners, including large and SMB employers, payroll firms and other data aggregators. Utilizing a modern API-based network, EmpInfo is in the driver's seat for having the broadest data coverage in the industry and enables the company to be the one-stop-shop for all employment and income verifications to credentialed verifiers.
"So much of employment and income verification today is based on legacy systems and practices," said Pradhan. "I am excited to join EmpInfo and help re-write the book on verification."
At EmpInfo, Pradhan is responsible for all operational areas of the company, from sales and marketing to finance and development. He reports directly to the CEO.
For more information about EmpInfo, visit www.empinfo.com.
About EmpInfo
EmpInfo provides solutions to modernize and fully automate the process of responding to employment and income verification requests. The service alleviates the ongoing administrative burden for employers and safeguards their employees' sensitive information. It ensures compliance, standardizes the verification process across the entire organization, eliminates backlog and eases the pressure for HR/People operations personnel to focus on core business tasks that affect the bottom line. EmpInfo helps employers to provide a better service to their employees during pivotal life events. EmpInfo was founded in 2011 and has its headquarters in San Jose, California.
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SOURCE EmpInfo, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/empinfo-names-verification-industry-veteran-anir-pradhan-chief-operating-officer-accelerate-growth-automated-employment-income-verifications/ | 2022-04-12T18:30:56 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/empinfo-names-verification-industry-veteran-anir-pradhan-chief-operating-officer-accelerate-growth-automated-employment-income-verifications/ |
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Agency Committed to Using All Available Tools to Stop Online Businesses Illegally Selling Potentially Harmful Drug Products to Consumers
SILVER SPRING, Md., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recently issued joint warning letters to operators of two websites illegally selling Schedule II stimulants, including amphetamine drug products marketed as Adderall. These websites sell Adderall online without a prescription, which places consumers at risk.
Adderall is an FDA-approved prescription drug that has a high potential for abuse and addiction and should only be used under the supervision of a licensed health care professional. This joint action demonstrates the federal government's ongoing commitment to reduce the public health danger posed by drugs illegally sold online.
"This action underscores the FDA's commitment to use all available regulatory and compliance tools to stop online businesses illegally selling potentially harmful drug products to consumers," said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. "The illegal sale of prescription drug stimulants online puts Americans at risk and contributes to potential abuse, misuse and overdose. These particular types of online pharmacies also undermine our efforts to help consumers safely purchase legitimate prescription medicines over the internet. FDA will continue partnering with DEA in an effort to safeguard public health and protect consumers who need access to these important medicines."
Illegally marketed prescription drugs pose significant risks to consumers who purchase those products. Consumers who buy prescription drugs from unsafe online pharmacies may put their health at risk because the products, while being marketed as authentic, may be counterfeit, contaminated, expired or otherwise harmful.
The warning letters were issued to:
Consumers should dispose of unused medicine from these websites and not purchase or use prescription drugs sold from these websites without a prescription. The FDA urges consumers to obtain prescription drugs from state-licensed U.S. pharmacies or physicians located in the United States, where the FDA and state authorities can assure the quality of drug manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and labeling.
"These letters are not only a warning to the companies that illegally sell prescription medications, but they also serve as a warning to consumers who have bought or have considered buying medications online without a legitimate prescription," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. "Consumers cannot trust the safety or legitimacy of pills sold on unaccredited sites. DEA strongly urges anyone seeking controlled medications to obtain a prescription from a trusted medical professional and have it dispensed by a licensed pharmacy. We will continue working closely with our FDA partners to protect the integrity of the prescription drug supply chain and ensure the safety and health of our communities."
As noted in the warning letters, these websites sell amphetamine drug products, including Adderall, that are misbranded in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The website operators also violate the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Act (RHA) by failing to register their online pharmacies with the DEA despite knowingly or intentionally advertising the sale of controlled substances. The RHA has, among other provisions, requirements that must be met for controlled substances to be legally distributed and dispensed via the internet. For example, an entity must be registered with the DEA to specifically dispense controlled substances; none of these are currently registered with the DEA to dispense or distribute controlled substances online.
The online operators will have 15 business days to respond to the agencies with specific steps taken or steps they will take to address any violations and to prevent their recurrence.
Additional Resources:
- Warning Letters
- FDA: How to Buy Medicines Safely from an Online Pharmacy
- BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy
Media Contact: Lauren-Jei McCarthy, (240) 702-3940
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
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SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/fda-dea-warn-online-pharmacies-illegally-selling-adderall-consumers/ | 2022-04-12T18:31:05 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/fda-dea-warn-online-pharmacies-illegally-selling-adderall-consumers/ |
PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. of Parsippany, New Jersey is voluntarily recalling its Kinder® Happy Moments Chocolate Assortment and Kinder® Mix Chocolate Treats basket, because the product may be contaminated with Salmonella Typhimurium. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
The voluntary recall is for two products in the U.S.
The products are being recalled because they were manufactured in a facility where Salmonella Typhimurium was detected. While there are no reports of illness in the United States to date, Ferrero is voluntarily recalling the products out of an abundance of caution due to reported cases of Salmonella in consumers that consumed products in Europe that were manufactured at the same facility.
No other Kinder products distributed or sold by Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. are included in this recall.
Ferrero U.S.A. takes this opportunity to alert consumers that there may be Kinder branded products currently for sale in the U.S. that are intended for foreign markets and unauthorized for sale in the U.S. Kinder branded products authorized for distribution in the U.S. include the following description printed directly on the back of the product packaging:
EXCL. DIST. FERRERO U.S.A., INC.
PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054
If you have any other Kinder products that do not include this information, the product is not distributed by Ferrero U.S.A. and is not authorized for distribution or sale in the U.S. market. Please dispose of it immediately, because the product could be included as part of a recall of certain Kinder products in Europe.
Consumers who have purchased the products mentioned above should not eat the product and may contact the Ferrero customer service line Monday - Friday 9am-6pm EST at 1-800-688-3552 or via https://www.ferreronorthamerica.com/contact-US-residents for product replacement.
Ferrero deeply regrets this situation. We take food safety extremely seriously and every step we have taken has been guided by our commitment to consumer care. We will continue to work cooperatively with the Food and Drug Administration to address this matter.
Consumer Inquiries: 1-800-688-3552
Media and Other Inquiries: Cheryll Forsatz, (732) 584-4146
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SOURCE Ferrero North America | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ferrero-voluntarily-recalls-kinder-happy-moments-chocolate-assortment-kinder-mix-chocolate-treats-basket-because-possible-health-risk-advises-consumers-dispose-certain-kinder-products-not-intended-us-distribution-due-recall-products-made-belgium/ | 2022-04-12T18:31:12 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/ferrero-voluntarily-recalls-kinder-happy-moments-chocolate-assortment-kinder-mix-chocolate-treats-basket-because-possible-health-risk-advises-consumers-dispose-certain-kinder-products-not-intended-us-distribution-due-recall-products-made-belgium/ |
After Creating a Medical Patch to Conquer Her Daughter's Blindness, Founder Paige Brattin Repurposes the Product to Help Her Father's Fight with Cancer
KAMUELA, Hawaii, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Worthy Brands, purveyor of medical patches for people of all ages, introduces their latest product innovation, Port Worthy Patches. Before and after chemotherapy treatments, these sterile, FDA and CE certified patches alleviate the pain-points chemotherapy recipients face surrounding the sensitive port area on a cancer patient's chest.
For chemotherapy patients, port therapy involves a port, which is a plastic disc (roughly the size of a U.S. quarter) that is placed underneath the patient's skin, usually above the breast or below the collarbone. The port is then used to intravenously feed chemotherapy medication directly into a large vein and into the heart.
For Worthy Brands' Founder & CEO, Paige Brattin, creating Port Worthy Patches occurred rather serendipitously. At five-years-old, Brattin's daughter, Eddy had been diagnosed with amblyopia, reduced vision in one eye caused by abnormal visual development early in life. To help her daughter in the fight against this leading cause of childhood blindness, Brattin developed Worthy Brands' flagship product, See Worthy Patches. Deviating from antiquated drug store eye patches, See Worthy Patches differed with breathable material, optimized adhesives, a versatile shape fitting all faces from infants to adults, and gender-neutral, "cool" designs.
Nurses of cancer patients administering chemotherapy treatments had contacted Brattin regarding using the See Worthy eye patches as chest port covers for their patients. They mentioned that the See Worthy Patches had offered more comfort and sterility than other common options. It was also around this time that Brattin's father was undergoing chemotherapy during his battle with lymphoma. Knowing the opportunity See Worthy Patches were providing for other chemotherapy patients, Brattin discovered that her father was also dealing with the same pain-points standard drug store products provided. He tried one of Brattin's patches, and was astonished that it was gentle and the perfect size to cover his port.
"The opportunity to create Port Worthy was shining right in front of us. We discovered that there hadn't been a product on the market to cover a medical port. With many cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, we knew we had a product on our hands that could make a difference for so many," says Brattin. "Dealing with medical battles like blindness and cancer are already challenging enough. Our mission has always been to make difficult times for others easier. Worthy Brands has the technology to do so. First, we were inspired by my daughter and her fight for vision, and now we are inspired by my Dad and his quest to beat lymphoma."
Worthy Brands utilizes a portion of their proceeds to give back to causes ameliorating the adversity that their consumers face. Sales from Port Worthy Patches benefit Swim Across America, a non-profit organization that hosts charity swims to fund cancer research and patient programs.
More versatile and providing increased breathability than gauze or medical tape, Port Worthy Patches help reduce skin irritation from bra straps, their ultra-sensitive adhesives help protect chest hair when removing, and they keep the port, often covered with ointments and creams, protected from clothing.
Port Worthy Patches retail for $28.50 per box and include a one month's supply of 48 patches. Designs include standard white patches; "Flower Power" with gray, black, white and red floral motifs; "Hope Patch Box" with a red tattoo-styled heart saying "hope" across an anchor as well as a campy electrical outlet "port" patch; and a "Tropical Patch Box" consisting of patches inspired by the company's birthplace of Hawaii with seashells and hibiscus flowers.
For more information and to purchase patches, please visit https://worthybrands.com/collections/port-worthy or their Instagram profile at @port_worthy.
ABOUT PORT WORTHY:
Port Worthy was founded in 2021 with a mission to inspire and impact the world with purpose and style through making the lives of chemotherapy patients and caregivers easier. Port Worthy's chemotherapy port covers are innovative with an optimized ergonomic shape, breathable material, and fun-to-wear designs. Ultimately, the brand understands that a cancer diagnosis is a stressful time for many, and wants to reduce this stress while also giving back to organizations that seek to eradicate cancer and help patients. For every box of port patches sold, Port Worthy donates a portion of sales to "Swim Across America", a non-profit organization that hosts charity swims to fund cancer research and patient programs.
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SOURCE Worthy Brands | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/following-success-see-worthy-patches-worthy-brands-debuts-port-worthy-patches/ | 2022-04-12T18:31:19 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/following-success-see-worthy-patches-worthy-brands-debuts-port-worthy-patches/ |
Rable brings innovative thought leadership to AI-powered bank behavior data company
OXFORD, Ohio, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, RIBBIT Inc. announced the appointment of Greg Rable to the RIBBIT Board of Directors. As the former Founder/CEO of FactorTrust, since acquired by TransUnion in 2017, Greg brings over 25 years of management and strategy experience, combined with a history of building successful fintech and alternative data businesses for the consumer finance space. In his role, Mr. Rable is helping guide the RIBBIT leadership team and promote the growth of bank behavior data as a powerful and necessary predictive data solution.
"The pandemic exposed a need for smarter, more comprehensive insights into the financial health of a consumer," said Rable. "As a result, lenders, banks, and financial service providers are looking for alternative data sources to better assess their digital applicants in real-time. I joined RIBBIT because I view bank behavior data as the next generation of financial decisioning and a win-win for both the lender and the applicant."
Evaluating a consumer's bank behavior data has been found to be very predictive of how the consumer will perform in a financial relationship. For example, RIBBIT's bank behavior insights reveal that 47% of consumer finance applicants have unstable income, spending, and identity associations. Reports of fraudulent savings and checking accounts have also increased by 64% since 2020. RIBBIT's AI-network is tracking 500K bank accounts that are actively transacting with 2.5M stolen identities across various financial service providers. These behaviors are used by lenders and fintechs to better evaluate their customers.
"Greg has joined our team during an inflection point in credit and predictive decisioning," says CEO at RIBBIT, Shawn Princell. "The industry's demand to build a seamless application flow and drive financial inclusion resides with bank behavior data, especially since 96% of US households have a bank or prepaid account. Greg's mentorship will strengthen the experience within our leadership team and help us become a world-class alternative data provider."
RIBBIT's newest innovation returns bank stability analytics from a simple API request using basic app information. Financial service providers can now instantly identify account ownership, affordability, risk, and recent fraud behaviors. Combining these capabilities with patent-ending credentialed banking analytics, RIBBIT meets consumers however they want to provide their banking data to empower better financial outcomes.
RIBBIT Inc. | The Bank Behavior Experts
RIBBIT leverages the recency and accuracy of bank behavior to empower financial service providers to make smarter decisions, promote financial inclusion, and reduce fraud. Consumers and small businesses can now use their own bank and payment data to improve access to quality financial services. With AI-powered bank insights, RIBBIT delivers instant actionable intelligence that drives customer acquisition with less friction and more accuracy than traditional tools. Learn more about the Bank Behavior Experts at www.RIBBIT.ai.
Media Contact: Amber Copeland, Sr. Dir. Marketing, PR@RIBBIT.ai
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SOURCE RIBBIT | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/former-factortrust-founderceo-greg-rable-joins-ribbit-board-directors/ | 2022-04-12T18:31:26 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/former-factortrust-founderceo-greg-rable-joins-ribbit-board-directors/ |
- Funding will be used to launch The Glimmering— the first 5E tabletop roleplaying game for the blockchain—and its initial NFT collection.
NEW ORLEANS, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gripnr, a Web3 technology company bringing tabletop games to the blockchain, today announced its initial $2.5M investment round alongside its first 5E game and genesis NFT collection, The Glimmering.
The oversubscribed investment round closed in 60 days and is coming from XBTO Humla Ventures, Sopris Capital, Voodoo Ventures, Better Angels, Abstraction Ventures, and Carl Sparks (Managing Partner of Interlock), as well a series of New Orleans based investors.
With The Glimmering's launch, Gripnr is leading the charge on establishing an industry-standard protocol for all tabletop RPG games looking to build on the blockchain. With their initial funding, Gripnr will design the gameplay, build the on-chain gaming platform, and launch the genesis NFT collection. In addition, they will use their treasury to finance and support the release of more tabletop games and other game designers and artists who want to utilize the company's new protocol.
The Glimmering's genesis NFTs of 10,000 individual characters include hand-drawn attributes designed specifically for gameplay. Each character will have unique rarities which include classes, ancestry, skills, and background, and ongoing character data will be kept on the blockchain. Members of the Gripnr community who mint the genesis collection will receive benefits right away while waiting for the on-chain play to begin.
"We are focused on building an active, respectful, and super awesome community of tabletop gaming fans and NFT collectors who want to join our vision of bringing 5E gameplay to the blockchain," said Brent McCrossen, CEO of Gripnr. "Gripnr was created to support the players, game masters, artists, and game designers that have made TTRPGs for the last 50 years."
To gain access to the pre-sale mint list, fans must participate in Gripnr's #roll2mint activities to validate interest in the game. Activities included in #roll2mint are:
- Join and interact with Gripnr's community on Discord, Twitter, and Instagram
- Join Twitter Spaces or Clubhouse hours
- Play quick, one-shot adventures presented within the channels that introduce the world of The Glimmering
"After the acquisition of Lucid, I was looking for my next frontier," said Creator and President, Patrick Comer. "As a lifelong Dungeons & Dragons player, it was clear to me that tabletop roleplaying games is the perfect use case for the blockchain, so I decided to jump in and bring other gamers along for the ride."
Gripnr's team of large venture-backed tech founders includes entrepreneur, Patrick Comer, whose research technology platform Lucid was acquired last year for over $1 billion; CEO and music industry veteran, Brent McCrossen; Creative Director and agency veteran Kyle Mortensen; Lead artist and rock poster designer, Justin Kamerer; and experienced Dungeons & Dragons game creator and former Wizards of the Coast game developer, Stephen Radney-MacFarland and CTO Luke Ledet
The Glimmering's genesis mint is expected to be released in the coming weeks. Follow https://twitter.com/Gripnr or visit https://theglimmering.com to get involved.
About Gripnr
Gripnr is a Web3 technology company bringing tabletop games to the blockchain. Founded by successful innovators, artists, designers, and tabletop roleplaying game fanatics, Gripnr's mission is to preserve the magic of classic TTRPGs while expanding player capabilities beyond the traditional gaming world and onto the blockchain. The Glimmering, Gripnr's first game release, is set to launch its genesis NFT collection in May 2022.
Find out more at https://gripnr.com.
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SOURCE Gripnr | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/gripnr-secures-25m-bring-tabletop-roleplaying-games-blockchain/ | 2022-04-12T18:31:34 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/gripnr-secures-25m-bring-tabletop-roleplaying-games-blockchain/ |
Silver State Homeowners Gain Access to Debt-Free Alternative for Tapping Growing Home Equity
BOSTON, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hometap, which provides a smart, new loan alternative for tapping into home equity without taking on debt, announced today that it is now available to homeowners across the state of Nevada.
Unlike home equity lenders, Hometap makes investments in homes in exchange for a percentage of the future value of the property, providing homeowners near immediate access to debt-free cash without interest or monthly payments. Homeowners can use the cash to accomplish their financial goals or fund significant expenses – from paying off credit card debt or building a dream kitchen to funding their small business or using the money towards a down payment on an investment property.
The typical home value in Nevada currently stands at approximately $434,698 and has been growing rapidly, at a rate of 29.4% in 2021, according to data from Zillow. Average home equity gained in the state last year was $80,000, based on information from real estate data firm CoreLogic.
"Home equity has been rising rapidly across Nevada, but until now, homeowners haven't been able to tap into that value without taking on additional debt in a rising interest rate environment," said Jeffrey Glass, CEO of Hometap. "With residential real estate values seeing record growth across the country, home equity investments give homeowners the option of meeting their immediate financial needs and addressing long-term financial goals they may have had to put on hold during the pandemic, without the burden of a loan. We're very excited about expanding our geographic footprint into a booming real estate market like Nevada and being able to help even more homeowners."
The launch of operations in Nevada brings Hometap's state count to 18; the company also invests in homes in Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
About Hometap:
Hometap is on a mission to make homeownership less stressful and more accessible. Our home equity investment product provides homeowners with a fast, simple, and straightforward way to access the equity in their home without taking out a loan or having to sell. By investing alongside homeowners, Hometap offers debt-free cash in exchange for a share of their home's future value — all without any monthly payments or interest over the life of the investment. Through a combination of financial innovation and best-in-class customer service, Hometap enables people to get more from homeownership so they can get more from life. Learn more at hometap.com.
Press Contact:
Matthew Conroy
Stanton
(203) 610-1421
mconroy@stantonprm.com
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SOURCE Hometap | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/hometap-expands-home-equity-investment-option-homeowners-nevada/ | 2022-04-12T18:31:41 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/12/hometap-expands-home-equity-investment-option-homeowners-nevada/ |