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First-of-Its-Kind Solution Helps Ensure Medicines Prescribed to Patients are Safe, Effective, and Appropriate, Tackling Growing Public Health Challenge Posed by Suboptimal Medication Use
FeelBetter's Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence Aids in Proactively Identifying and Managing Polypharmacy-Related Risks, Reducing Preventable Deterioration and Hospitalizations
BOSTON and TEL AVIV, Israel , July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FeelBetter, the leading provider of medication management technology and pioneer of Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence, today announced that it has raised $5.9 million in funding. Firstime Ventures and Shoni Health Ventures led the funding round with participation from Random Forest VC, The Group Ventures, and existing FeelBetter investor Triventures, bringing the Company's total funding to $8 million.
A growing public health concern for senior patients, many of whom have multiple chronic conditions, the simultaneous use of multiple medications paves the way for poor health outcomes, increased use of health services, and rising care costs. In the US alone, every year, suboptimal medication management results in 275,000 deaths and more than $528B in avoidable costs.
Launched in 2018, FeelBetter is tackling the challenges associated with suboptimal medication management among polypharmacy patients. Led by an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, clinical pharmacists, and technologists, FeelBetter has pioneered a new category of technology called Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence. It combines novel pharmacology and clinical capabilities and is changing the polypharmacy paradigm on both an individual and population health level. A comprehensive solution powered by AI and machine learning capabilities, FeelBetter's Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence drives proactive, personalized medication management, helping healthcare professionals ensure that their patients' medication regimens are safe, effective, and appropriate.
"FeelBetter's purpose-built technology makes it possible to deliver a more personalized, whole-patient approach to medication management – one that goes beyond a single illness, diagnosis, or point in time, and comprehensively focuses on each individual's care journey," said Liat Primor, FeelBetter's CEO and Co-Founder. "At a time when investors are especially selective about the types of bets they are taking, this round and vote of confidence from the world-class teams at Fristime Ventures, Shoni Health Ventures, Random Forest VC, Triventures, and The Venture Group, as well as angel investors, validates the need for and potential of our Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence as a solution for the growing, global health challenge posed by suboptimal medication management."
Yoram Hordan, FeelBetter's CTO, COO, and Co-Founder, added: "The funding will enable us to expand our reach, further refine our solution, and empower more healthcare providers to deliver personalized, proactive care. Our Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence, developed collaboratively by clinical and pharmacology experts alongside technology and machine learning specialists, seamlessly matches a patient's specific clinical and pharmacology data with their sequence of health events. This unlocks unparalleled accuracy in detecting at-risk patients both individually and population wide and enables new levels of precision in disease management and prevention."
Recognizing that a range of diverse factors can influence a senior patient's health status, FeelBetter's Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence synthesizes and analyzes healthcare data from multiple sources to pinpoint patients at high risk of deterioration and preventable hospitalization due to suboptimal medication management. The SaaS solution also proactively suggests immediate and actionable interventions to reduce polypharmacy risks, and aids healthcare providers in monitoring patients' progress and measuring the impact of clinical interventions. Additionally, by using FeelBetter, provider organizations can more effectively and efficiently allocate resources to better serve patients, and minimize preventable, costly use of healthcare services.
"FeelBetter's algorithm has been trained on two decades of longitudinal clinical, pharmacy, claims, and lab data from hundreds of thousands of patients to find patterns in the complex connections and relationships between disparate data sources," said Michael Kerbis, Founding Partner, Random Forest VC. "When taken together, these patterns can capture the full picture of a patient's health journey, enabling FeelBetter to predict which individuals are at the greatest risk of adverse events related to suboptimal medication regimens and recommend timely clinical interventions to drive better health outcomes."
Eran Lerer, CEO and Managing Partner, Shoni Health Ventures, said: "From risk stratifying patients to preventing adverse events so patients can safely stay in their communities, FeelBetter offers a proven, end-to-end solution for the suboptimal medication management problem. It's a groundbreaking tool that is poised to change how the medical community approaches polypharmacy, and we're thrilled to take part in this important transformation."
Keren Kopilov, Partner, Firstime Ventures, added: "By incorporating the expertise of physicians and clinical pharmacists, as well as leveraging data from all relevant sources, FeelBetter provides a solution that is uniquely comprehensive. It intuitively fits into clinical workflows and enables optimized medication management at unparalleled speed and scale. We look forward to leveraging our expertise to support FeelBetter's mission and continued growth as it meets the tremendous opportunities ahead."
About FeelBetter
FeelBetter is the pioneer of Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence, changing the polypharmacy paradigm on both an individual and population health level with a comprehensive solution designed to tackle the challenges associated with suboptimal medication management. Powered by AI and machine learning capabilities, FeelBetter's Pharmaco-Clinical Intelligence drives personalized medication management, helping healthcare professionals ensure that their patients' medication regimens are safe, effective, and appropriate. The technology pinpoints patients at high risk of deterioration and preventable hospitalization due to suboptimal medication management, and proactively suggests immediate and actionable interventions to reduce these risks. Provider organizations use FeelBetter to monitor their patients' progress and more proactively deliver the right follow-up care, as well as to efficiently allocate resources and minimize preventable, costly use of healthcare services.
Led by an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, clinical pharmacists, and technologists, FeelBetter is headquartered in Boston and Tel Aviv, Israel. Investors include Firstime Ventures, Shoni Health Ventures, Triventures, Random Forest VC, The Group Ventures, and GoodCompany Ventures. To learn more, visit feelbetter.healthcare.
Media Contact
Nicole Pariser
nicole@i-feelbetter.com
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SOURCE FeelBetter | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/feelbetter-raises-59m-optimize-personalize-medication-management-polypharmacy-patients/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:17 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/feelbetter-raises-59m-optimize-personalize-medication-management-polypharmacy-patients/ |
MIAMI (AP) — An employee of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump’s hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago’s property manager, was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the former president’s valet, Walt Nauta, in the federal case alleging a plot to illegally keep top-secret records at Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, estate and thwart government efforts to retrieve them.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He’s scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump, the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of notional defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
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Richer reported from Boston. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:18 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/ |
DENVER (AP) — As Denver neared triple-digit temperatures, Ben Gallegos sat shirtless on his porch swatting flies off his legs and spritzing himself with a misting fan to try to get through the heat. Gallegos, like many in the nation’s poorest neighborhoods, doesn’t have air conditioning.
The 68-year-old covers his windows with mattress foam to insulate against the heat and sleeps in the concrete basement. He knows high temperatures can cause heat stroke and death, and his lung condition makes him more susceptible. But the retired brick layer, who survives on about $1,000 a month largely from Social Security, says air conditioning is out of reach.
“Take me about 12 years to save up for something like that,” he said. “If it’s hard to breathe, I’ll get down to emergency.”
As climate change fans hotter and longer heat waves, breaking record temperatures across the U.S. and leaving dozens dead, the poorest Americans suffer the hottest days with the fewest defenses. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
As Phoenix weathered its 27th consecutive day above 110 degrees (43 Celsius) Wednesday, the nine who died indoors didn’t have functioning air conditioning, or it was turned off. Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metros.
“The temperature differences … between lower-income neighborhoods, neighborhoods of color and their wealthier, whiter counterparts have pretty severe consequences,” said Cate Mingoya-LaFortune of Groundwork USA, an environmental justice organization. “There are these really big consequences like death. … But there’s also ambient misery.”
Some have window units that can offer respite, but “in the dead of heat, it don’t do nothing,” said Melody Clark, who stopped Friday to get food at a nonprofit in Kansas City, Kansas, as temperatures soared to 101, and high humidity made it feel like 109. When the central air conditioning at her rental house went on the fritz, her landlord installed a window unit. But it doesn’t do much during the day.
So the 45-year-old wets her hair, cooks outside on a propane grill and keeps the lights off indoors. She’s taken the bus to the library to cool off. At night she flips the box unit on, hauling her bed into the room where it’s located to sleep.
As far as her two teenagers, she said: “They aren’t little bitty. We aren’t dying in the heat. … They don’t complain.”
While billions in federal funding have been allocated to subsidize utility costs and the installation of cooling systems, experts say they often only support a fraction of the most vulnerable families and some still require prohibitive upfront costs. Installing a centralized heat pump system for heating and cooling can easily reach $25,000.
President Joe Biden announced steps on Thursday to defend against extreme heat, highlighting the expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which funnels money through states to help poorer households pay utility bills.
While the program is critical, said Michelle Graff, who studies the subsidy at Cleveland State University, only about 16% of the nation’s eligible population is actually reached. Nearly half of states don’t offer the federal dollars for summer cooling.
“So people are engaging in coping mechanisms, like they’re turning on their air conditioners later and leaving their homes hotter,” Graff said.
While frigid temperatures and high heating bills birthed the term “heat or eat,” she said, “we can now transition to AC or eat, where people are going to have to make difficult decisions.”
As temperatures rise, so does the cost of cooling. And temperatures are already hotter in America’s low-income neighborhoods like Gallegos’ Denver suburb of Globeville, where people live along stretches of asphalt and concrete that hold heat like a cast-iron skillet. Surface temperatures there can be roughly 8 degrees hotter than in Denver’s wealthier neighborhoods, where a sea of vegetation cools the area, according to the environmental advocacy group American Forests.
This disparity plays out nationwide. Researchers at the University of San Diego analyzed 1,056 counties and in over 70%, the poorest areas and those with higher Black, Hispanic and Asian populations were significantly hotter.
About one in 10 U.S. households have no air conditioning, a disparity compounded for marginalized groups, according to a study by the Brookings Institution. Less than 4% of Detroit’s white households don’t have air conditioning; it’s 15% for Black households.
At noon on Friday, Katrice Sullivan sat on the porch of her rented house on Detroit’s westside. It was hot and muggy, but even steamier inside the house. Even if she had air conditioning, Sullivan said she’d choose her moments to run it to keep her electricity bill down.
The 37-year-old factory worker pours water on her head, freezes towels to put around her neck, and sits in her car with the air conditioner on. “Some people here spend every dollar for food, so air conditioning is something they can’t afford,” she said.
Shannon Lewis, 38, lived in her Detroit home for nearly 20 years without air conditioning. Lewis’s bedroom was the only place with a window unit, so she’d squeeze her teenager, 8-year-old and 3-year-old-twins into her queen-size bed to sleep, eat meals and watch television.
“So it was like cool in one room and a heat stroke in another,” Lewis said. For the first time, Lewis now has air conditioning through a local non-profit, she said. “We don’t have to sleep or eat in the same room, we are able to come out, sit at the dining room table, eat like a family.”
After at least 54 died during a 2021 heat wave, mostly elderly people without air conditioning, in the Portland area, Oregon passed a law prohibiting landlords from placing blanket bans on air conditioning units. By and large, however, states don’t have laws requiring landlords to provide cooling.
In the federal Inflation Reduction Act, billions were set aside for tax credits and rebates to help families install energy-efficient cooling systems, but some of those are yet to be available. For people like Gallegos, who doesn’t pay taxes, the available credits are worthless.
The law also offers rebates, the kind of state and federal point-of-sale discounts that Amanda Morian has looked into for her 640-square-foot home.
Morian, who has a 13-week-old baby susceptible to hot weather, is desperate to keep her house in Denver’s Globeville suburb cool. She bought thermal curtains, ceiling fans and runs a window unit. At night she tries to do skin-to-skin touch to regulate the baby’s body temperature. When the back door opens in the afternoon, she said, the indoor temperature jumps a degree.
“All of those are just to take the edge off, it’s not enough to actually make it cool. It’s enough to keep us from dying,” she said.
She got estimates from four different companies for installing a cooling system, but every project was between $20,000 and $25,000, she said. Even with subsidies she can’t afford it.
“I’m finding that you have to afford the project in the first place and then it’s like having a bonus coupon to take $5,000 off of the sticker price,” she said.
Lucy Molina, a single mom in Commerce City, one of Denver’s poorest areas, said her home has reached 107 degrees without air conditioning. Nearby, Molina’s two teenage children slurped popsicles to cool off, lingering in front of the open freezer.
For Molina, who bustled around her kitchen on a recent day when temperatures reached 99 degrees outdoors, it’s hard to see any path to a cooling respite.
“We’re just too poor,” she said.
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Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Kansas, and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed to this report.
——
Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-record-heat-waves-illuminate-plight-of-poorest-americans-who-suffer-without-air-conditioning/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:21 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-record-heat-waves-illuminate-plight-of-poorest-americans-who-suffer-without-air-conditioning/ |
FREIT Board Committed to Protecting Value for All Stockholders
Highlights Kushner's Transaction Record with FREIT and Ongoing Litigation with Kushner
HACKENSACK, N.J., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. ("FREIT" or the "Company") (OTCM: FREVS) today announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously adopted a stockholder rights plan (the "Rights Plan") following evaluation and consultation with the Company's legal and financial advisors.
The Rights Plan is similar to plans adopted by other publicly traded companies incorporated in Maryland and is intended to protect the long-term interests of FREIT stockholders and to enable them to realize the full potential value of their investment. The Rights Plan has a three-year duration and the rights will be exercisable only if any person (or any persons acting as a group) acquires 10% or more of FREIT common stock. This ownership limitation better aligns FREIT with the ownership limitation of other REITs.
The Rights Plan does not preclude the Board from considering an offer that recognizes the full value of the Company. Rather, the Rights Plan will reduce the likelihood that any entity, person or group gains control of FREIT without paying an appropriate control premium. Importantly, the Rights Plan provides the Board with adequate time to fully assess its options following its receipt of an unsolicited, non-binding expression of interest from K Corp Acquisitions LLC, a Kushner company, to acquire FREIT.
While the Board will always evaluate credible proposals to maximize stockholder value, it is mindful that Charles Kushner has proven not to be a bona fide counterparty in a prior potential transaction with FREIT. As such, the Board believes any definitive agreement with Charles Kushner would carry significant, atypical closing and additional litigation risk.
The Rights Plan will benefit FREIT stockholders by providing the Company with enough time to pursue a final outcome in the previously announced ongoing litigation with Sinatra LLC, a Kushner company, related to Kushner's abandonment of a January 2020 definitive agreement to acquire certain of FREIT's assets. Following the outcome of the litigation, the Board will have greater flexibility to consider a value-maximizing transaction.
Additional Details of the Rights Plan
In connection with the adoption of the Rights Plan, the Board of Directors declared a dividend distribution of one preferred stock purchase right for each outstanding share of FREIT common stock to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 11, 2023. Initially, these rights will not be exercisable and will trade with the shares of FREIT common stock.
The Rights Plan provides several recognized stockholder protections, such as the following:
- Under the Rights Plan, the rights generally will become exercisable if a person or group becomes an "acquiring person" by acquiring 10% or more of the common stock of FREIT (which includes stock subject to a derivative transaction or an acquired derivative security) or if a person commences a tender offer that could result in that person becoming an "acquiring person".
- If a person becomes an "acquiring person," each holder of a right (other than the acquiring person) would be entitled to purchase, at the then-current exercise price, such number of shares of common stock (or, subject to the terms of the Rights Plan, shares of preferred stock that are equivalent to shares of FREIT common stock) at a 50% discount. If FREIT is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction after any such event, each holder of a right would then be entitled to purchase, at the then-current exercise price, shares of the acquiring company's common stock at a 50% discount. The Board, at its option, may exchange on a cashless basis, each right (other than rights owned by the acquiring person that have become null and void) in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of FREIT common stock per outstanding right, subject to adjustment.
- The Rights will expire in three years on July 31, 2026, unless the rights have been previously redeemed or exchanged by the Board of Directors in accordance with the terms of the Rights Plan.
Under the Rights Plan, any person, entity or group that currently owns more than the triggering percentage may continue to own its shares of FREIT common stock but may not acquire any additional shares of common stock, or form a group with another owner of FREIT common stock, without triggering the Rights Plan.
Additional details about the Rights Plan will be contained in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by FREIT with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Advisors
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as financial advisor to FREIT and Goodwin Procter LLP and Miles & Stockbridge P.C. are acting as legal counsel.
About FREIT
First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey, Inc. is a publicly traded (over-the-counter – symbol FREVS) REIT organized in 1961. Its portfolio of residential and commercial properties are located in New Jersey and New York, with the largest concentration in northern New Jersey. For more information, visit: www.freitnj.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Company release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expect," "plan," "will," "estimate," "project," "intend," "believe," "guidance," "approximately," "anticipate," "may," "should," "seek" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and that do not relate to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions of management. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that you should not rely on as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements depend on assumptions, data and/or methods which may be incorrect or imprecise and we may not be able to realize them. The following risks and uncertainties, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to: industry and economic conditions; the Company's ability to satisfy the conditions to closing and complete the proposed transaction; the Company's dependence upon its external manager to conduct its business and achieve its investment objectives; unknown liabilities acquired in connection with acquired properties or interests in real estate-related entities; general risks affecting the real estate industry and local real estate markets (including, without limitation, the market value of the Company's properties, potential illiquidity of the Company's remaining real estate investments, condemnations, and potential damage from natural disasters); the financial performance of the Company's tenants; the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues or litigation that may affect the Trust and its major tenants; volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets, including potential fluctuations in the consumer price index; risks associated with the Company's failure to maintain status as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; and other additional risks discussed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022. The Company expressly disclaims any responsibility to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Media & Investor Contact
Scott Bisang / Nick Lamplough / Jack Kelleher
Collected Strategies
FREIT-IR@collectedstrategies.com
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SOURCE First Real Estate Investment Trust of New Jersey | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/first-real-estate-investment-trust-new-jersey-inc-adopts-stockholder-rights-plan/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:23 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/first-real-estate-investment-trust-new-jersey-inc-adopts-stockholder-rights-plan/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor is expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Donald Trump and his Republican allies to overturn the then-president’s 2020 election loss.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis began investigating more than two years ago, shortly after a recording was released of a January 2021 phone call Trump made to Georgia’s secretary of state.
Willis has strongly hinted that any indictment would come between July 31 and Aug. 18. One of two grand juries seated July 11 is expected to hear the case.
If Trump is indicted by a Georgia grand jury, it would add to a growing list of legal troubles as he campaigns for president. Trump is set to go to trial in New York in March to face state charges related to hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign. And he has another trial scheduled for May on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The Justice Department is also investigating Trump’s role in trying to halt the certification of 2020 election results in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump said he’s been told he’s a target of that investigation, which likely has some overlap with the one in Georgia.
Details of the Georgia investigation that have become public have fed speculation that Willis, a Democrat, is building a case under the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which would allow her to charge numerous people in a potentially wide-ranging scheme.
Here are six investigative threads Willis and her team have explored:
The Georgia investigation was prompted by the Jan. 2, 2021, phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican. Trump suggested the state’s top elections official could help “find” the votes needed to put him ahead of Democrat Joe Biden in the state.
“All I want to do is this: I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump is heard saying on a recording of the call, which was leaked to news outlets. “Because we won the state.”
Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong and has repeatedly said the call was “perfect.”
Trump also called other top state officials in his quest to overturn his 2020 election loss, including Gov. Brian Kemp, then-House Speaker David Ralston, Attorney General Chris Carr and the top investigator in the secretary of state’s office.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also called Raffensperger shortly after the November election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked whether he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots, which Raffensperger has said he interpreted as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes.
Graham has denied wrongdoing, saying he just wanted to learn about the signature verification process.
Biden won Georgia by a margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. Just over a month after the election, on Dec. 14, 2020, a group 16 Georgia Democratic electors met in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol to cast the state’s Electoral College votes for him. They each marked paper ballots that were counted and confirmed by a voice roll call.
That day, in a committee meeting room at the Capitol, 16 prominent Georgia Republicans — a lawmaker, activists and party officials — met to sign a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. They sent that certificate to the National Archives and the U.S. Senate.
Georgia was one of seven battleground states that Trump lost where Republican fake electors signed and submitted similar certificates. Trump allies in the U.S. House and Senate used those certificates to argue for delaying or blocking the certification of the election during a joint session of Congress.
Prosecutors in Fulton County have said in court filings that they believe Trump associates worked with state Republicans to coordinate and execute the plan.
The multi-state effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite public pressure from Trump and his supporters, then-Vice President Mike Pence refused on Jan. 6, 2021, to introduce the unofficial pro-Trump electors. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol put a violent halt to the certification process, lawmakers certified Biden’s win in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021.
At least eight of the fake electors have since reached immunity deals with Willis’ team. And a judge last summer barred Willis from prosecuting another one, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, because of a conflict of interest.
Republican state lawmakers held several hearings at the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 to examine alleged problems with the November election. During those meetings, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies made unproven claims of widespread election fraud.
They alleged that election workers tallying absentee ballots at State Farm Arena in Atlanta had told outside observers to leave and then pulled out “suitcases” of unlawful ballots and began scanning them. The Trump allies played clips of surveillance video from the arena to support their allegations. State and federal officials investigated and said there was no evidence of election fraud at the site.
Some Trump allies also said thousands of people who were ineligible — including people convicted of felonies, people under the age of 18, people who had voted in another state — had cast votes in Georgia. The secretary of state’s office has debunked those claims.
Two of the election workers seen in the State Farm Arena surveillance video, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, said they faced relentless harassment online and in person as a result of the allegations made by Trump and his allies.
Giuliani last week conceded that statements he made about the two election workers were false.
In a bizarre episode detailed by prosecutors in court filings, a woman traveled from Chicago to Georgia and met with Freeman on Jan. 4, 2021. The woman initially said she wanted to help Freeman but then warned that Freeman could go to prison and tried to pressure her into falsely confessing to committing election fraud, prosecutors wrote in court filings last year.
Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell and others hired a computer forensics team to copy data and software on election equipment in Coffee County, some 200 miles (322 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta, according to invoices, emails, security video and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit.
The county Republican Party chair at the time — who also served as a fake elector — greeted them when they arrived at the local elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, and some county elections officials were also on hand during the daylong visit. The secretary of state’s office has said this amounted to “alleged unauthorized access” of election equipment and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into it at the secretary of state’s request.
Two other men who have been active in efforts to question the 2020 election results also visited Coffee County later that month and spent hours inside.
U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta, abruptly resigned two days after Trump called Raffensperger and a day after a recording of that call was made public. During that conversation, Trump called Pak a “never-Trumper,” implying that he didn’t support the president.
In December 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr asked Pak to investigate allegations by Giuliani and other Trump allies of widespread election fraud. Pak, who had been appointed by Trump in 2017, reported back that he had found no evidence of such fraud.
In August 2021, Pak told the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which was investigating Trump’s post-election actions, that he resigned on Jan. 4, 2021, after learning from Department of Justice officials that Trump did not believe enough was being done to investigate allegations of election fraud and wanted him gone as U.S. attorney. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-trump-could-be-indicted-soon-in-georgia-heres-a-look-at-that-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:25 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-trump-could-be-indicted-soon-in-georgia-heres-a-look-at-that-investigation/ |
New video spot, "Dear Kitten: Modern Technology" finds Grey Cat and Orange Kitten all grown up and dealing with the digital age.
ST. LOUIS, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dear reader, are you ready for adorable internet feline nostalgia? Friskies, the popular cat food and treat brand, has launched the revival of the playful 'Dear Kitten' series, which took the internet by storm when it was first released nearly 10 years ago. In partnership with BuzzFeed, the new installment, titled 'Dear Kitten: Modern Technology,' takes a humorous look at how technology has evolved over the years through the eyes of the original wise and experienced narrator, Grey Cat, while highlighting the special bond between humans and their feline companions.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9185151-purina-friskies-buzzfeed-dear-kitten-campaign-video/
In 'Modern Technology,' Grey Cat, voiced again by Ze Frank, shares valuable insights with Orange Kitten, now referred to as Orange Cat, as they navigate the rapidly changing landscape of modern devices. The video takes viewers on a comical journey, showcasing the entertaining and often perplexing situations cats experience when faced with today's advanced technology – including another daring encounter with Vacuum.
"It's been nearly a decade since you've heard from me, which I'm sure has been tough for you," said Grey Cat. "Although I am now older, I am also even wiser – like a furry sensei. I've witnessed advancements in technology that have both fascinated and bewildered me, so, it is once again my duty to get Orange Cat (and you, my feline friends) up to speed on the facts about this great big, weird world. Buckle up."
The original 'Dear Kitten' series, which captivated audiences with its witty storytelling, amassed hundreds of millions of views and resonated with pet lovers worldwide. The collaboration between Friskies and BuzzFeed provided an opportunity to once again create engaging and entertaining content that celebrates the unique bond between humans and their pets.
"Friskies is all about providing your cat with variety to feed their playfulness and curiosity, and with 'Dear Kitten', we brought that same playful spirit to life for cat lovers," said Kelly Roberts, Purina Brand Manager. "As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the original series, it felt like the perfect time to check-in to see what life is like today for our favorite feline duo and welcome a new generation of cat lovers into the 'Dear Kitten' family."
The 'Modern Technology' video was officially released on July 27, 2023, on BuzzFeed. The next video installment, titled 'Day in the Life of an Influencer' will be released later this Summer. To stay updated on the series visit BuzzFeed's official channels or follow Friskies on social media.
About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina manufactures some of the world's most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Friskies and Tidy Cats. Our more than 10,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.
Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive.
Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.
About BuzzFeed, Inc.
BuzzFeed, Inc. is home to the best of the internet. Across food, news, pop culture and commerce, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, buy, and obsess over next. Born on the internet in 2006, BuzzFeed, Inc. is committed to making it better: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives.
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SOURCE Friskies® | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/friskies-buzzfeed-reboot-dear-kitten-hit-video-series-after-nearly-decade/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:29 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/friskies-buzzfeed-reboot-dear-kitten-hit-video-series-after-nearly-decade/ |
A woman from New Hampshire who works for a nonprofit organization in Haiti and her young daughter have been reported as kidnapped as the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
Alix Dorsainvil, a nurse for El Roi Haiti, and her daughter were kidnapped on Thursday, the organization said in a statement Saturday. El Roi, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti,” adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.”
In its advisory Thursday, the department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
It said kidnappings often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed.
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti’s worsening situation.
WMUR-TV reported that Dorsainvil is from Middleton, New Hampshire, and went to Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Alex chose to get involved in this type of service work,” Regis College president Toni Hays told the station. “She was amazing. She was passionate, she was compassionate.” | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti-people-warned-not-to-travel-there/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:28 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti-people-warned-not-to-travel-there/ |
SYDNEY (AP) — The Women’s World Cup is taking shape with shocks and highlights as it nears the end of the group stage.
Some players have established themselves as ones to watch, like Colombia star Linda Caicedo, who has made her team one of the tournament surprises. Colombia picked up an upset win over Germany, and Nigeria upset co-host Australia — just two of the games that showed the gap has closed at top level women’s soccer.
But co-host New Zealand was eliminated, and other big teams are in danger of not advancing headed into the final few days of group play.
The Associated Press takes a look at some of the highlights and lowlights so far:
GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT
There have been a number of contenders and Bia Zaneratto’s strike against Panama after a sweeping move from Brazil stands out as the most complete goal so far.
Ireland’s Katie McCabe scored directly from a corner kick against Canada, and England’s Lauren James curled in a long range effort against Denmark.
Even so, Caicedo’s solo goal in Colombia’s dramatic 2-1 win against Germany is the pick of the bunch. With a flash of skill, she beat two German players in the box before lashing a shot into the top corner as the Sydney crowd dominated by Colombia fans went wild.
MOMENT OF THE TOURNAMENT
It has to be Manuela Vanegas’ late winner for Colombia against Germany. Alexandra Popp seemed to position two-time champion Germany for a draw with an 89th-minute penalty.
But Vanegas’ header in the 97th minute gave Colombia a World Cup upset.
COMEBACK
Norway looked down and out after an opening game loss to co-host New Zealand and a goalless draw against Switzerland. With star player Ada Hegerberg injured, the odds were beginning to stack up against the Norwegians going into their final Group A match against the Philippines.
But three goals within 31 minutes set up a 6-0 rout that saw Norway advance to the knockout rounds in second place. The Norway win knocked New Zealand out of the tournament, making the Football Ferns the first host to be eliminated in group play in tournament history.
EMERGING STARS
Caicedo’s standout performances aren’t a surprise to those who have followed her career. The Real Madrid forward has long-been tipped to be one of the biggest stars in women’s soccer.
She hasn’t disappointed in her first World Cup and has inspired Colombia to back-to-back wins with goals in each game.
England coach Sarina Wiegman unleashed Chelsea forward James from the start in the Lionesses’ second game against Denmark, and she made a quick impression. Collecting the ball outside the area after six minutes, she swept a curling effort past Lene Christensen.
Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay has shown flashes of the talent that earned her a move to French powerhouse Lyon, while 19-year-old Aoba Fujino has become the youngest player to score at a World Cup for Japan’s men’s or women’s teams.
Casey Phair, a 16 year old, became the youngest-ever player to appear in a senior soccer World Cup when she was a second-half substitute for South Korea against Colombia.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
While youngsters have capitalized on their chance to shine, some of the established names have yet to make their mark.
There have been differing reasons for that.
Sam Kerr’s calf injury robbed Australia of its star striker for its opening two games, while Hegerberg’s groin injury has cut her playing time for Norway.
Alex Morgan, who was the co-leading scorer at the last World Cup, is still finding her footing in the United States’ new look attack.
Record international scorer Christine Sinclair was benched for Canada’s second game and is still waiting for her first goal of the tournament, while Brazil great Marta has also been used sparingly.
SURPRISES
New Zealand kicked the tournament off with a 1-0 win against Norway, but couldn’t keep up its momentum and went on to lose by the same score to the Philippines to set up the co-host’s early exit.
Jamaica’s 0-0 draw with fifth-ranked France was described by its coach Lorne Donaldson as the country’s greatest soccer result, for men or women. But the biggest surprise could be yet to come if Jamaica can avoid defeat against Brazil to advance to the round of 16.
Colombia’s dramatic late winner against Germany, meanwhile, was one of the great upsets.
ENTERTAINERS
The goals have been flowing for Spain and Japan, teams that both advanced from the group stage with a game to spare. Both teams secured 5-0 wins against Zambia and both have produced technically excellent displays.
Germany was on a high after its 6-0 rout of Morocco, but was humbled by Colombia.
Sweden routed Italy 5-0, while Norway found its scoring touch just in time against the Philippines.
ONES TO WATCH
Some of the favorites have made underwhelming starts. The two-time defending champion United States, England, Germany and France have not been totally convincing in group play and the tournament still looks wide open.
Colombia looks legitimate, and with Kerr back in action, Australia could become a contender.
The Netherlands look like serious contenders, while Spain and Japan have impressed. Brazil has shown flashes, but faces a fight to advance from the group stage.
Nigeria has shown it is dangerous, and Sweden has picked up back-to-back wins.
___
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
___
More AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-the-womens-world-cup-has-produced-some-big-moments-these-are-some-of-the-highlights-lowlights/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:32 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-the-womens-world-cup-has-produced-some-big-moments-these-are-some-of-the-highlights-lowlights/ |
Success of the Global Premier Fertility Platform Leading to Additional Growth and Expansion
IRVINE, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Premier Fertility, a world-class fertility network that builds, leads, and manages fertility clinics and adjacent businesses announced the closing of a syndicated round of capital from existing investors and a new institutional funding partner, for an undisclosed amount.
The funding will provide Global Premier Fertility the ability to continue its key strategic initiatives for current platform growth and expansion, along with the recruitment of Reproductive Endocrinologists needed for immediate opportunities.
"We're very excited about the success of the platform and the opportunity for growth by expanding our core business through our partnerships with fertility centers and major health systems," said Kolin Ozonian, Founder and CEO of Global Premier Fertility. "As the need for high-quality fertility care continues to grow, we're positioned to address the fertility market demands by leveraging our unique partnership model with the best fertility specialists in the country to provide unrivaled, highly-personalized care."
Global Premier Fertility also recently held its first annual Science and Operations Summit in a private setting in Laguna Beach, CA. The scientific team covered the past, present and future of fertility and embryology science, highlighting the exciting advancements arriving to fertility laboratories in the near future. Ferring Pharmaceuticals also held an interactive session of their proprietary fertility patient experience map, providing keen insights to the challenges patients navigate through their fertility journey.
"Our first annual summit was a great success, notably was the robust discussion and collaboration of best practices regarding patient care and experience, not only from our Global Premier Fertility physicians and team members, but also with the physicians who attended from outside of the Global Premier Fertility network," said Rob Doll, President of Global Premier Fertility. "The summit further highlights the differentiating aspects of what separates Global Premier Fertility from other networks in the fertility industry."
For more information about Global Premier Fertility, please visit https://globalpremierfertility.com/.
About Global Premier Fertility:
Global Premier Fertility offers a unique partnership model through an innovative platform that builds, leads and manages fertility centers, providing physicians the resources needed to lead day-to-day operations while working alongside an experienced fertility leadership team to execute the vision of the practice. The Global Premier Fertility family of Partner Centers improves patient outcomes by providing a seamless patient experience through an innovative, comprehensive suite of services, delivering personalized fertility care from the nation's top specialists.
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SOURCE Albatross Capital Partners | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-premier-fertility-closes-syndicated-round-funding-holds-its-first-annual-science-operations-summit/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:35 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/global-premier-fertility-closes-syndicated-round-funding-holds-its-first-annual-science-operations-summit/ |
Bouldering equipment for beginners
Bouldering is gaining in popularity throughout the world. It’s an exciting and rewarding way to strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility and improve coordination. It lets you explore new locations and meet new people. Though it may seem intimidating when starting out, one of the best aspects of bouldering is the minimal equipment required. By investing in a few core pieces of climbing gear, you can tackle your next adventure and work your way up a challenging route.
Shop this article: La Sportiva Men’s TarantuLace Climbing Shoe, Black Diamond Circuit Crash Pad and Sukoa Chalk Bag
Bouldering vs. rope climbing: what’s the difference?
There are a few main differences between bouldering and traditional rock climbing. Most importantly, bouldering doesn’t require the use of any ropes since most routes are less than 15 feet in height. If you do happen to fall, you land on either a cushioned gym floor or a crash pad in outdoor situations. Traditional climbing requires the use of ropes, a harness, carabiners and often a partner to help belay while you make your ascent.
Bouldering also often uses different techniques and climbing moves compared to big wall climbs. It can be a great way for beginner climbers to build up their stamina and endurance before attempting longer routes or “boulder problems.”
Bouldering tips to get started
Here are five tips for bouldering.
- Know the scales: Most bouldering routes have a rating that corresponds to their difficulty. The two most common grading scales are V-scale and Font scale. V-scale is the system most commonly used in the United States and grades the difficulty on a scale of V0 to V16. While V0 is usually considered the easiest, you may sometimes encounter a route rated as VB, meaning it is for beginners.
- Start slow: As with most new sports or athletic activities, it’s always a good idea to start off slow and work your way up as you gain strength and experience. While it may seem tempting to tackle a hard boulder problem right out of the gate, overdoing it can lead to an increased risk of injury.
- It’s fine to fall: Always take all safety precautions seriously and always use proper safety gear, such as a crash pad when bouldering outdoors. However, the occasional fall while attempting a climb is only natural. As long as you have the proper safety equipment, each fall can be a learning experience, helping you improve your climbing abilities.
- Practice different moves: Don’t get stuck climbing in one style. Trying out different moves and varying your grip can help improve your skills. This is especially important for beginners starting out in a gym setting before transitioning to outdoor climbs.
- Legs are important: It may seem like bouldering is all about arm strength for beginners, but that isn’t the case. Your legs and core muscles are equally important. Your legs can help tightly grip footholds and push your body upwards without relying solely on arm strength.
Beginner bouldering gear
The three main pieces of gear you need to start bouldering are climbing shoes, a crash pad and a chalk bag to keep your hands dry. Besides the big three, there are several accessories that can improve your bouldering experience.
Best climbing shoes
La Sportiva Men’s TarantuLace Climbing Shoe
These bouldering shoes are perfect for both beginner and intermediate climbers. The high-traction Frixion sole means you can grip the rock face with confidence. The quick-lacing system provides a comfortable fit.
Sold by Amazon
Scarpa Origin Women’s Climbing Shoe
These women’s climbing shoes are a great beginner option. They use a flat last and heel system that reduces pressure and tension so they aren’t painful on your feet after a full day spent bouldering.
Sold by Backcountry
Best crash pads
Black Diamond Circuit Crash Pad
This crash pad is great for transporting to your favorite bouldering spot without being too heavy or bulky. The closed-cell PE foam is ideal for cushioning falls from various heights. It has backpack straps and easy-to-carry handles.
Sold by Amazon
This protective crash pad features 5 inches of padding and can even serve as a comfortable chair when not in use. You can choose between several fun colors.
Sold by Amazon
Best chalk bags and chalk
This budget-friendly chalk bag is great for beginners. It features two built-in pockets, letting you store important items while bouldering. The main compartment uses water-resistant materials. It’s spacious enough to accommodate larger hands.
Sold by Amazon
This simple chalk bag with a drawstring closure makes it easy to access your chalk with one hand. It is also available in several color options.
Sold by Amazon
This non-toxic chalk prevents any type of moisture from interfering with your climb, keeping your hands dry and your mind focused.
Sold by Amazon
Best climbing accessories
Using climbing tape can be helpful when getting your fingers and hands used to rough rock surfaces. This tape uses durable cotton and can prevent painful scrapes and scratches while building up callouses.
Sold by Amazon
Metolius Simulator 3D Training Board
An at-home training board can help you practice your grips on days when the weather isn’t cooperating, and you can’t make it to the gym. This Metolius model can be installed above your door frame and features a variety of holds in different sizes.
Sold by Amazon
PETZL Unisex Boreo Climbing Helmet
Not all people who boulder choose to wear a helmet, but they can help prevent a serious head injury in the event of an unexpected fall. This helmet has ventilation holes for breathability and sports a soft, comfortable headband.
Sold by Backcountry
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/gear-br/beginners-guide-to-bouldering-equipment-what-you-need-to-get-started/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:35 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/gear-br/beginners-guide-to-bouldering-equipment-what-you-need-to-get-started/ |
Global wellness company introduces revolutionary Derma Fusion Technology to target enhanced weight management
FRISCO, Texas, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With many revolutionary wearable nutrition formulas already part of the impressive Le-Vel Brands product lineup, DFT DUO ELITE is the latest addition designed to elevate weight management support.
"To say this is our strongest, most creative formula is an understatement. The intent behind this product is a left/right approach to help it circulate faster, in a more efficient manner and is engineered for healthy weight management." - Le-Vel CEO, Jason Camper
DFT DUO ELITE is the largest, most powerful Derma Fusion Technology (DFT) ever created, made to heighten weight management results. Using the original DFT DUO and ELITE DFT as inspiration, this is a strengthened version formulated with an expanded footprint & higher concentrations of ingredients that support fat burning while retaining lean muscle.
DUO ELITE is the final step of a simple, three-part morning routine. Begin the THRIVE ELITE Experience by taking two ELITE Lifestyle Capsules with water in the morning. 20-40 minutes later, drink the ELITE Lifestyle Mix. Lastly, apply your DFT DUO ELITE to both the right & left side of your body and leave on for 24 hours. Use daily for maximum benefits.
Reviews are flowing in from customers already:
"This thing packs a serious punch. I love that Le-Vel is always evolving with the customer's needs. We asked for more power and they delivered." - Mikey O.
"Wow, the appetite support and extra energy even on Day 2 is AMAZING!" - Tiffany V.
For more information about DFT DUO ELITE, go to: www.le-vel.com/Products/THRIVE/DuoEliteDFT
Meaningful weight loss requires healthy lifestyle choices, diet and exercise, and good nutritional intake.
Founded in 2012 by Jason Camper and Paul Gravette, Le-Vel formulates and sells health and wellness products and skincare. Le-Vel's products include the THRIVE Experience and THRIVE ELITE Experience. Le-Vel has over 10 million Customer and Brand Promoter accounts and currently ships within North America, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
To learn more about Le-Vel, visit: www.le-vel.com
Le-Vel Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/le_velofficial/
Le-Vel Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LevelBrands
Media Contact: Liz Reuth liz.reuth@le-vel.com
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SOURCE Le-Vel Brands | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/go-bigger-le-vel-launches-largest-most-powerful-wearable-nutrition-ever-made/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:41 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/go-bigger-le-vel-launches-largest-most-powerful-wearable-nutrition-ever-made/ |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The United States arrived at the Women’s World Cup as the favorites to win an unprecedented third consecutive title. But after an underwhelming draw against the Netherlands, there’s a real chance the Americans can be eliminated in group play for the first time in tournament history.
The U.S. plays Portugal in the third and final match of Group E play, and if Portugal pulls off an upset Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland, the Americans could be in big trouble.
The United States needs to either win or draw against Portugal, one of eight teams playing in its first World Cup, to ensure the Americans continue to play in this tournament.
“I think we feel like we have to win everything all the time,” said American star Megan Rapinoe. “That’s the expectation for ourselves. That’s the expectation playing for U.S. national team. It’s just kind of like, ‘Why would you come into the World Cup if you don’t think that you should win it, and if you don’t think that you can win it?’”
The United States sits atop the group after a 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the tournament opener, and a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands last Thursday in Wellington. The Dutch are tied with the U.S. on points, but the Americans have the tie-breaker on goals scored.
Portugal lost to the Dutch in its opener but then beat Vietnam 2-0. So if the Portuguese beat the United States, they’ll move on, and the Americans would then need Vietnam to beat the Dutch in Dunedin — while keeping their advantage on goal differential — to advance.
“One thing is for sure, that we have a job to do and that’s first and foremost to take care of our game, so our main focus right now it our performance, our team, and Portugal,” said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski. “What happens on the other side is something we can’t control. We have to stay focused on the things we can control.”
Portugal could use a swarming defense to try to prevent the United States from scoring the way Vietnam — unsuccessfully — played the Americans in the opener.
Portugal defender Ana Borges said her team will be prepared.
“This is the stage where we want to be. It’s against these teams that we want to play because we’re going to learn and grow from them,” Borges said. “Not saying anything about the other team, but if we weren’t prepared for this challenge, we wouldn’t be playing football.”
CHINA-ENGLAND
England is in very good shape headed into its Group D finale against China, needing only a draw Tuesday night in Adelaide, Australia to win the group and advance to the round of 16.
Even a loss would be OK and push England through as group winners so long as Denmark doesn’t beat Haiti. If Denmark won and England lost, the group winner would be decided by FIFA tiebreakers.
England edged out a 1-0 victory over Haiti to open the tournament, then beat Denmark by the same score.
China lost 1-0 to Denmark in the opener but rebounded with a 1-0 win over Haiti and is now trying to keep its streak intact of advancing out of group play in all eight of its World Cup appearances.
It will be a tough task: China can advance to the round of 16 if the Chinese beat England. But if Denmark beats Haiti, coupled with a China win, then FIFA tiebreakers would come into a play. A loss would mean China’s only chance at advancing would be if Haiti beat Denmark.
England and China meet for just the fifth time, but first since a 2-1 China victory in 2015.
England has scored in each of its last 15 matches at the Women’s World Cup for a tally of 25 goals since 2015. A goal against China would make England the first team to score in 16 consecutive matches in the tournament.
China is looking to win consecutive World Cup games for the first time since 1999.
VIETNAM-NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands want to win every match in the Women’s World Cup but none more so than Tuesday’s game against Vietnam.
At stake: avoiding Sweden in the knockout round.
The Dutch, the tournament runner-up in 2019, need only a win or a draw in the Group E match played in Dunedin, New Zealand. And even a loss would be OK so long as the United States beats Portugal in a game being played simultaneously.
But the Netherlands has mapped out the tournament and wants no part of Sweden anytime soon.
“The first aim is always to win and get to the last 16 and then after that if we can score goals we will, of course,” said Dutch coach Andries Jonker. “But looking at our colleagues from the U.S. and Portugal, we’ve noticed it’s not all that easy. We’ve never shown any kind of arrogance, but if we get chances to score goals we will. We would prefer to play against the number two in this group and not Sweden.”
The Netherlands are tied with the United States for the top spot in the group after playing to a 1-1 draw against the Americans and a 1-0 win over Portugal.
Vietnam has already been eliminated from its first Women’s World Cup following losses to the United States and Portugal. Vietnam has lost its last five internationals by a combined score of 18-1.
“The Netherlands tries to have as many goals as possible, and I have to say we are at a low level,” said Vietnam coach Mai Duc Chung. “If we compare with Asia, we’re still at a low level. So if we compare with the world, we are still quite behind. It is a success for us already. In the past two matches we have tried our best. Great effort already.”
HAITI-DENMARK
First-time Women’s World Cup participant Haiti would like to stick around a bit longer but needs a miracle against in the Group D finale against Denmark to have any shot to advance.
Haiti needs to beat Denmark in the Tuesday match played in Perth, Australia, and hope England beats China. If both those things happen, Haiti’s only chance would still come down to FIFA’s tiebreaker system.
It’s very long odds for Haiti, which has played better in this tournament than its 0-2 record shows. Haiti held both England and China to one goal each in the first two matches.
Haiti is on a six-game losing streak headed into what is probably its final game of this tournament.
Denmark, meanwhile, is trying to advance to the group stage for the first time since 1995. Denmark was a 1-0 winner over China to start the tournament, then lost 1-0 to England and heads into the game tied for second in the group with China with three points each.
A win over Haiti pushes Denmark through to the next round so long as England doesn’t lose to China. That scenario would put tiebreakers into play.
The Danes, in the tournament for the first time since 2007, can also get through with a draw, but again, only if England beats China.
Denmark has won five of its last seven international matches.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-us-needs-win-to-ensure-americans-avoid-elimination-in-group-play-for-first-time-in-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:39 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-us-needs-win-to-ensure-americans-avoid-elimination-in-group-play-for-first-time-in-womens-world-cup/ |
Which product helps prevent thigh chafing best?
Do you find your sense of style forever or athletic endeavors in conflict with the possibility of uncomfortable thigh chafing? You’re not alone. Sometimes a great outfit can be rendered completely unusable because you know your thighs will be left feeling red and raw after a little while. The same goes for people who do a lot of running or swimming. Fortunately, you no longer have to choose between what you want to do or wear and the toll it will take on your skin. There are creams, clothes and even creative accessories designed to soothe skin and prevent thigh chafing so you can live your life comfortably.
Shop this article: Monistat Care Chafing Relief Powder Gel, Body Glide Skin Glide Anti-Friction Cream and Undersummers by CarrieRae Women’s Shortlette
What causes thigh chafing?
The friction produced between the thighs when they rub together causes thigh chafing. It can make the skin red and cause irritation or even pain. Chafing, in general, is often considered an athlete concern, but it can be especially problematic for anyone during seasons when skirts and dresses are popular. Long pants usually lessen friction by providing a barrier of fabric between your thighs, which is why it’s often less of a problem when temperatures drop. Though inconvenient and uncomfortable, you can address thigh chafing and lessen or prevent it in a variety of ways.
What solutions are available?
These days, there are a few preventative measures you can take to avoid thigh chafing. There are rub-in creams or roll-on palms designed to do the trick, but if you’d prefer something wearable, there are shorts and bands that serve the same purpose.
Best rub-in thigh chafing preventatives
Monistat Care Chafing Relief Powder Gel
This is a non-greasy, fragrance-free formula that’s gentle on sensitive skin and combines the best of lotion and powder care. It protects skin, relieves irritation and is reliable for everyday use. It can be used for thigh chafing as well as underarm or breast chafing.
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Body Glide Skin Glide Anti-Friction Cream
This hypoallergenic hydrating cream doesn’t leave a greasy residue and creates a smooth barrier that protects sensitive skin. It won’t clog pores and washes off easily in the bath or shower. The cream prevents thigh chafing in both humid and dry climates.
Sold by Amazon
Though Aquaphor is mostly used for cracked skin, chapped lips and even tattoo care, it also makes for an excellent thigh chafing preventative. It’s incredibly nourishing for sensitive skin and it’s fragrance-free. A little goes a long way, and so a large jar like this one will last a while.
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Chamois Butt’r Original Anti-Chafe Cream
This anti-chafe cream is great for athletes or anyone experiencing uncomfortable thigh chafing. It’s gluten-free, paraben-free and has no artificial fragrances or colors in it. It also rubs into the skin smoothly and evenly.
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Blue Steel Sports Anti-Chafe Cream
This anti-chafing cream is called a “sports” cream but is made for anyone and includes natural tea tree oil. It’s water/sweat resistant, making it great for those planning on swimming or even just walking around on a hot day. It’s not greasy and won’t stain your clothes either.
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Best stick/roll-on thigh chafing preventatives
Vaseline All Over Body Balm Jelly Stick
This anti-friction jelly stick really nourishes dry skin. It can prevent chafing before it happens or soothes skin already sore from it. You can even use it on chapped lips or dry, cracked hands.
KT Tape KT Performance+ Anti-Chafing Stick
Here is a gel stick that is sweat-resistant, water-resistant and made to last up to 24 hours. It’s not sticky and holds up in both humid and dry climates. There are no sulfates, parabens, petroleum or dyes included in this formula.
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Zone Naturals Chub Rub All Natural Anti-Chafing Stick
This anti-chafing stick is made with all-natural ingredients that include coconut oil, Shea butter and aloe. It helps to protect and hydrate skin with the bonus of being paraben-free and fragrance-free.
Sold by Amazon
Squirrel’s Nut Butter All Natural Anti Chafe Salve Stick Applicator
Here is a salve popular with men and women for dry/sensitive skin. It’s in stick applicator form and great at preventing thigh chafing but can also be used for eczema, dry skin, diaper rash, razor burn and tattoo recovery.
Sold by Amazon
This anti-friction stick is designed specifically for thighs but you can use it anywhere to prevent chafing. It is made with aloe, pomegranate seed extract, Vitamin E and other natural ingredients. It’s sulfate, aluminum, paraben and phthalates-free.
Sold by Ulta Beauty
Best wearable thigh chafing preventatives
Hanes Men’s Comfort Flex Fit Total Support Pouch 3-Pack
Available in long leg or regular leg sizes, this package comes with three comfortable and breathable boxer briefs in assorted colors. They are made from a polyester/spandex blend and won’t ride up the thigh even after going through the washing machine.
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Wirarpa Women’s Anti Chafing Cotton Underwear
This set of three comes available in several color combinations and provides a comfortable fit for chafe-free thighs. The underwear is made from a cotton/spandex blend and it’s machine washable (though you should hang dry).
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Bandelettes Patented Trademarked Original Elastic Anti-Chafing Thigh Bands
Available in several colors and styles, this set of nylon/spandex blend bands is perfect for those who want their thighs protected but don’t want to wear long underwear or shorts beneath their clothes. They look delicate and flirty but are hand-wash only and line dry.
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Undersummers by CarrieRae Women’s Shortlette
This stretchy polyester/spandex shortlette protects thighs without causing extra friction that can be painful to the skin. It doesn’t ride up and comes in three colors (ecru, beige and black).
Sold by Amazon
Chicky Chaps Stretch-Mesh Breathable Thigh Bands
These mesh and lace thigh bands clip onto underwear to not fall and come in seven colors and styles. They aren’t the most durable chafe preventative, but if you’re looking for something sexier that looks like lingerie, these bands fit the bill. They are hand-wash only and line dry.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/15-products-that-help-prevent-thigh-chafing/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:42 | 1 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/medical-supplies-equipment-br/15-products-that-help-prevent-thigh-chafing/ |
Good morning Tri-Cities! Here is a look at the weather for your Monday.
Today: Patchy fog this morning. Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 80s. Northwest winds 10 mph or less.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s. Northeast winds 10 mph or less.
Tuesday: Sunny. Highs in the lower to mid 80s. Light winds.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s. Light winds.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 80s. Southwest winds 10 mph or less. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Thursday: Showers likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid to upper 70s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy. Showers likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Friday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers in the morning, then partly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. A slight chance of showers in the morning, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 80s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. A chance of showers, mainly in the evening. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. A slight chance of showers in the morning, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid to upper 80s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Have a great rest of your Monday morning. | https://www.wjhl.com/wjhl-weather/forecast/patchy-dense-fog-across-the-region-cooler-and-less-humid-this-afternoon/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:47 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/wjhl-weather/forecast/patchy-dense-fog-across-the-region-cooler-and-less-humid-this-afternoon/ |
LA ROMANA, Dominican Republic, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The international known company Hilton Hotels & Resorts opens its doors to its Hilton Garden Inn La Romana hotel project in the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with a group of important investors under the company Riverhome Capital S.A.S., whose main shareholder is the prominent Dominican former major league player, Edwin Encarnación; together with the vision of the lawyer Guillermo Estrella Ramia and the Minister of Tourism, David Collado.
The inauguration was led by Luis Abinader Corona, president of the Dominican Republic and who expressed that "This hotel has something very special, opening up the beach and the sector of La Caleta of La Romana, which for a long time was closed to the province and its visitors. Since private investment must always be accompanied by public infrastructure, we are working on creating them, so we are all part of this development of La Romana."
With an investment of 25 million united states dollars and the creation of more than 300 direct jobs, it is considered as a hotel option for the growing flows of tourists that the area is currently receiving. Located a short distance from other points of relevance, such as La Romana Airport 18 minutes away, Casa de Campo 12 minutes away and Central Romana just a few blocks away.
The new hotel facility has a privileged location on a 5,000 square meters property, located on the coast of the municipal district of La Caleta, La Romana province. With a capacity of 130 rooms, distributed in five of the seven floors of the building, it also counts with swimming pools, two bars, a restaurant, gym, event, meeting and multipurpose rooms, and outdoor areas, ideal for social and corporate celebrations.
The hotel responds to the interest of Edwin Encarnación to invest in the development of his province of origin, who expressed that "from the moment this project was presented to me, I knew that I had to be part and be the one to assume this. I joined the development of this hotel, with the only requirement that most of the workers came from here, from my town La Romana, and we achieved this."
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SOURCE Grupo De Valle | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/hilton-garden-inn-la-romana-dominican-republic-celebrates-its-opening/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:47 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/hilton-garden-inn-la-romana-dominican-republic-celebrates-its-opening/ |
Smart thermostats
Smart thermostats save you time, money and energy by creating heating and cooling schedules and monitoring your usage. You can even make adjustments from your phone. But these aren’t the only features of smart thermostats.
Shop this article: Honeywell Home Wi-Fi Thermostat, Ecobee SmartSensor Two-Pack and Nest Thermostat Wall Plate
How does a smart thermostat work?
Smart thermostats use Wi-Fi connectivity to connect to your smart home network. They can also connect to your smartphone, laptop, tablet or smartwatch. This lets you use those devices to monitor, make adjustments to and set schedules for the temperature in your home. This is usually through a smart thermostat’s companion app. They can also adjust temperatures with algorithms that track your routines, lifestyle and the weather.
For example, a smart thermostat can learn that you come home at 5 p.m. every day. It can then adjust your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to ensure your home is at a comfortable temperature when you arrive. Some smart thermostats can also turn off your heat or AC when you depart each day.
How can a smart thermostat save me money?
Some manufacturers claim their smart thermostats can save you up to 25% on utility bills. This is partly accomplished by improving your heating, ventilation and AC system’s performance and reducing energy consumption. Another way is by letting you monitor and make adjustments to temperature settings remotely. If you forget to turn off your heat before leaving, for example, you could use your smart thermostat’s companion app to turn it off without returning. Being able to set schedules and take advantage of algorithmic learning also helps.
Many smart thermostats, such as the Nest Learning Thermostat or Honeywell Home Wi-Fi Thermostat, also generate reports on energy usage and heating and cooling patterns. By reviewing your usage data you can make informed decisions about how you consume energy.
What do I need to consider when choosing a smart thermostat?
Existing heating, ventilation and AC system
The smart thermostat you buy must be compatible with your home’s existing heating, ventilation and AC system. Many popular smart thermostat models include compatibility checkers on their websites. Smart thermostats also often require a C-wire, enabling the continuous flow of power to the thermostat. This is necessary for features like Wi-Fi connectivity and touch screens. Some thermostat ports aren’t equipped with C-wires because many older thermostats don’t need them.
If you don’t have a C-wire, you can hire an electrician to install one. You can also choose a smart thermostat designed to work without a C-wire, such as the Emerson Sensi. Alternatively, you can buy a C-wire adapter to install near your heating, ventilation and AC system’s control board.
Compatibility with your existing smart home system
If you already have smart home devices, select a smart thermostat that is compatible with your system. If you use Apple HomeKit, for example, select a model you can control from the platform such as the Carrier Cor or the Hive. For an IFTTT smart home system, consider the Google Nest Learning Thermostat.
What you need to buy to go with your smart thermostat
These sensors work with the Ecobee Smart Thermostat to detect motion to adjust the temperature in rooms that are in use.
Sold by Amazon
Match your Nest Thermostat to the other design elements of your living space. Wall plates come in a variety of colors including white, silver, black and bronze.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/home-br/heating-cooling-air-quality-br/how-do-smart-thermostats-work/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:49 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/home-br/heating-cooling-air-quality-br/how-do-smart-thermostats-work/ |
- CARDIO-TTRansform is the largest, most comprehensive ATTR-CM study with more than 1,400 patients enrolled
- Eplontersen is currently under U.S. FDA review for ATTRv-polyneuropathy, with ATTR-CM representing a second, larger potential patient population
CARLSBAD, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) today announced the completion of enrollment in the Phase 3 CARDIO-TTRansform cardiovascular outcomes study of eplontersen in patients with transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), a large and growing patient population at risk of life-threatening cardiovascular (CV) events. The study enrolled more than 1,400 patients.
Eplontersen is an investigational antisense medicine designed to inhibit the production of transthyretin and slow the progression of cardiomyopathy for people living with hereditary or wild-type ATTR-CM.
"CARDIO-TTRansform is the largest and most comprehensive ATTR-CM study ever conducted. The evaluation of eplontersen in this broad, diverse patient population will enable robust and clinically meaningful analysis of the composite endpoint of CV mortality and recurrent CV events," said Eugene Schneider, M.D., executive vice president and chief clinical development officer for Ionis. "It will also allow us to gather data from important patient subsets, including patients with or without stabilizer therapy and those with or without hereditary disease within the evolving ATTR-CM landscape. We look forward to reporting results as early as the first half of 2025."
As part of a global development and commercialization agreement, Ionis and AstraZeneca are seeking regulatory approval for eplontersen for the treatment of transthyretin-mediated amyloid polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) in the U.S. and plan to seek regulatory approval in Europe and other parts of the world. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted the New Drug Application for eplontersen for the treatment of ATTRv-PN with a PDUFA action date of Dec. 22, 2023. Eplontersen was granted Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S.
For more information on the CARDIO-TTRansform study, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04136171).
About the CARDIO-TTRansform Study
CARDIO-TTRansform is a global, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 cardiovascular outcome study in more than 1,400 patients with ATTR cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). It is designed to compare eplontersen to placebo in patients with both wild-type ATTRwt-CM and hereditary ATTRv-CM who are either naïve to treatment or on a currently available standard of care. The primary composite endpoint is cardiovascular (CV) mortality and recurrent CV clinical events comparing the two study arms up to week 140. Secondary endpoints include the change from baseline in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores at week 121, as well as the rates of CV mortality, CV clinical events and all-cause mortality at week 140.
About Eplontersen
Eplontersen is an investigational LIgand-Conjugated Antisense (LICA) medicine designed to inhibit the production of TTR protein. Eplontersen is being developed as a monthly self-administered subcutaneous injection to treat all types of ATTR. ATTR amyloidosis is a systemic, progressive and fatal disease in which patients experience multiple overlapping clinical manifestations caused by the inappropriate formation and aggregation of TTR amyloid deposits in various tissues and organs, including peripheral nerves, heart, intestinal tract, eyes, kidneys, central nervous system, thyroid and bone marrow. The progressive accumulation of TTR amyloid deposits in these tissues and organs leads to organ failure and eventually death.
About Transthyretin-mediated Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM)
Transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an underdiagnosed and potentially fatal disease. It is caused by the accumulation of misfolded TTR protein in the cardiac muscle. Patients experience ongoing debilitating heart damage resulting in progressive heart failure, which results in death within three to five years from disease onset. ATTR-CM includes both the genetic and wild-type form of the disease. Worldwide, there are an estimated 300,000 – 500,0001,2 patients with ATTR-CM.
About Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
For more than 30 years, Ionis has been a leader in RNA-targeted therapy, pioneering new markets and changing standards of care. Ionis currently has four marketed medicines and a promising late-stage pipeline highlighted by cardiovascular and neurological franchises. Our scientific innovation began and continues with the knowledge that sick people depend on us, which fuels our vision to become the leader in genetic medicine, utilizing a multi-platform approach to discover, develop and deliver life-transforming therapies.
To learn more about Ionis visit www.ionispharma.com and follow us on Twitter @ionispharma.
Ionis' Forward-looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding Ionis' business and the therapeutic and commercial potential of eplontersen, Ionis' technologies and other products in development. Any statement describing Ionis' goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties including those related to our commercial products and the medicines in our pipeline, and particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing medicines that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such medicines. Ionis' forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Ionis' forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Ionis. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Ionis' programs are described in additional detail in Ionis' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, and the most recent Form 10-Q quarterly filing, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these and other documents are available from the Company.
In this press release, unless the context requires otherwise, "Ionis," "Company," "we," "our," and "us" all refer to Ionis Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiaries.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals® is a registered trademark of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
1 Mohamed-Salem L, et al. Prevalence of wild type ATTR assessed as myocardial uptake in bone scan in the elderly population. Int J Cardiol. 2018 Nov 1;270:192-196. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.06.006.
2 Cuscaden C, et al. Estimation of prevalence of transthyretin (ATTR) cardiac amyloidosis in an Australian subpopulation using bone scans with echocardiography and clinical correlation. J Nucl Cardiol. 2020 May 8. doi: 10.1007/s12350-020-02152-x.
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SOURCE Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/ionis-completes-enrollment-landmark-phase-3-cardio-ttransform-study-patients-with-ttr-mediated-amyloid-cardiomyopathy/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:53 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/ionis-completes-enrollment-landmark-phase-3-cardio-ttransform-study-patients-with-ttr-mediated-amyloid-cardiomyopathy/ |
Make your own pasta at home
Making pasta by hand looks impressive, but the truth is, homemade pasta is surprisingly simple to create. You can get started with just three ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Even if the only tools you have are a rolling pin and a chef’s knife, you can feed your family and friends a satisfying and delicious meal made entirely from scratch. All you’ll need is a recipe, a couple of hours, and just a little bit of practice.
Shop this article: Fox Run Polished Marble Rolling Pin with Wooden Cradle, Spring Chef Bench Scraper and OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Egg Separator
Is homemade pasta better?
You won’t just get a sense of accomplishment from making your own pasta — it tastes better, too. Fresh pasta has a more tender texture and a more pronounced eggy flavor than commercial-dried pasta. The pasta’s springiness holds up equally well, whether it goes into lasagna or straight onto the plate with some butter. You can even try making pasta dough with unusual ingredients like spinach or saffron for an extra-special meal.
How to get started making pasta
Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor
Making the pasta dough
There are as many fresh pasta recipes as there are people who make pasta, but to get started, it’s best to stick with a simple pasta dough that uses just a few ingredients: unbleached all-purpose flour, eggs, and a bit of salt.
If you want, you can use semolina durum flour, which is a more authentic pasta flour with a higher protein content and a coarser texture that helps sauces stick. However, if all-purpose flour is all you have in your pantry, it’ll turn into wonderful pasta.
Place 10 ounces of flour on a clean work surface and make a well. Add two eggs plus four egg yolks to the well and gently start incorporating the flour using a fork, gradually scraping in flour from the sides of the well. Switch to a bench scraper when it becomes too difficult to use a fork and mix until it’s fully combined by scraping and folding over the dough, turning it 45 degrees each time.
Kneading and rolling the pasta dough
You’ll know the dough is ready for kneading when it stops sticking to your hands and holds its shape when rolled into a ball. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and satiny, then shape it into a ball. Let it rest, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 30 to 60 minutes to let gluten develop.
Use the bench scraper to cut the ball into four equal portions and cover them with a towel to keep them from drying out. Working with one portion at a time, roll out the dough into an oblong shape between a quarter-inch and half-inch thick.
Making pasta by hand vs. using a stand mixer
If your arms aren’t up to the task of all that kneading, you can use a powerful food processor or a stand mixer. Simply place all the ingredients in the work bowl and run the machine (using a dough hook if you’re using a stand mixer) until a large, smooth ball forms.
How to shape homemade pasta
CucinaPro Pasta Maker Deluxe Set
Making pasta shapes with a pasta machine
Roll out your dough by hand or use a pasta maker. Some pasta machines can create extruded shapes like penne, while others deliver smooth sheets and strands of lasagna or fettuccine. Following the manufacturer’s instructions for the type of pasta you want to make, feed your rolled-out dough between the rollers until it reaches the right thickness.
At this point, you can trim it by hand to make filled pasta or lasagna or run it through the pasta machine to cut it into strands. As the cut pasta strands emerge from the machine, carefully catch them, dust them with flour, shape them into nests, and keep them covered until you’re ready to cook or dry them.
A stand mixer offers another advantage here: after you’ve whipped up a batch of pasta dough in the bowl, use the mixer’s pasta-making attachment to roll out, cut, or shape pasta.
How to make filled pasta
For filled pasta, make sure your filling is relatively dry so you can seal up your pasta and avoid leaking or soggy dough. Avoid the temptation to overload your pasta — follow your recipe’s guidance for the amount of filling to use in each pasta shape.
Depending on the type of stuffed pasta you’re making, you can use a pasta stamp, a pastry wheel, biscuit cutters, or even a chef’s knife to create rounds or squares. Seal the pasta by brushing the edges with a little water, then using gentle pressure to close the shapes. Make sure the filling is fully enclosed and that no air is trapped inside.
How to cook homemade pasta
Weston Bamboo Pasta Drying Rack
Cooking fresh pasta
Homemade pasta cooks very quickly — depending on the shape, it will need only two to four minutes in boiling water, and slightly longer for stuffed pasta. Salt your cooking water generously to amplify your pasta’s flavor, especially if your dough recipe doesn’t call for salt. Serve it immediately.
How to dry fresh pasta
Alternatively, you can dry your uncooked pasta to serve at a future date. Leaving egg-based food out in the open can feel counterintuitive, but when properly dried and stored, there should be no moisture remaining to encourage bacteria.
Toss the pasta shapes in flour, then lay the strands in a single layer on a drying rack or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the pasta dry uncovered and away from heat and sunlight, or use a food dehydrator for more consistency, especially if it’s a humid day. When the pasta snaps instead of bending, it’s ready for storage. Keep it in a dry, airtight container in your pantry or freezer.
FAQ
Q. How long does homemade pasta last?
A. Homemade pasta has a much shorter shelf life than commercially made pasta. Uncooked pasta can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for just one day. Properly dried homemade pasta can be stored in your pantry for up to six weeks. Alternatively, before you cut your pasta shapes, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to one month.
Q. What sauces go with homemade pasta?
A. How you serve your pasta may come down to personal preference, but the shape of the pasta is a contributing factor. Pair fettuccine or tagliatelle with a homemade alfredo sauce or pesto. Wider pasta like pappardelle is great with slow-simmered meat sauces. You can also highlight the flavor of your fresh pasta (especially ravioli) by simply tossing it in browned butter and high-quality Parmesan.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/utensils-gadgets-br/how-to-make-homemade-pasta/ | 2023-07-31T12:31:55 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/utensils-gadgets-br/how-to-make-homemade-pasta/ |
Leading Fertility Clinic Network Extends Offering of TMRW's Automated Platform for the Safe Management & Storage of Frozen Eggs & Embryos to More Clinics Across the United States
NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ivy Fertility, a globally-recognized innovator in advanced reproductive technology, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and third-party reproduction, announced today that it will expand its partnership with TMRW Life Sciences, a fertility technology company. TMRW is automating the IVF lab with the world's first and only automated platform for the safe management and storage of frozen eggs and embryos – a process that since the dawn of the industry has been run completely manually. TMRW's technology is currently available at two Ivy Network clinics. With this expanded partnership, TMRW's on-site and off-site specimen management platform will be available for full adoption at all of Ivy Fertility's 13 clinics across the United States.
Ivy Fertility's San Diego Fertility Center was one of the first clinics in the United States to adopt TMRW's platform and Utah Fertility Center went live this month. TMRW's platform reduces potential points of failure by 94% compared with manual systems, providing new levels of safety, efficiency and transparency for Ivy Fertility's clinics. The partnership demonstrates Ivy Fertility's continued commitment to delivering personalized fertility services using advanced technology by making state-of-the-art solutions available to all of their clinics.
"Providing enhanced security and peace of mind to our patients is one of our core values," said Lisa Van Dolah, Ivy Fertility's CEO. "With our TMRW partnership, we're able to offer patients and our practice even greater security and that is paramount as we continue to grow."
The network's clinicians will now have the opportunity to modernize their specimen management and storage practices with TMRW's digital tools onsite and, in addition, by transferring patient specimens offsite to and from TMRW Cryobanks. The technology upgrade provides clinics with new levels of safety, standardization and scalability, and it helps reduce the risk of specimen mix-up, error, and loss.
"After years of working together with San Diego Fertility Center, and more recently with Utah Fertility Center, we're thrilled to expand our partnership to support the potential for full adoption of both on-site and off-site specimen management across the Ivy Fertility network," said Louis Villalba, CEO of TMRW.
TMRW is now the storage platform used by clinics that see nearly 20% of all patients in the United States. The future of fertility is automated and, together with its clinic partners, TMRW is rapidly becoming the standard of care.
About Ivy Fertility
Ivy Fertility is globally recognized as pioneers and innovators in the field of advanced reproductive technologies, in vitro fertilization, third-party reproduction, andrology, and fertility research. The Ivy Fertility network includes Virginia Fertility & IVF, Fertility Associates of Memphis, Fertility Centers of Orange County, IVF Fertility Center, Los Angeles Reproductive Center, Nevada Center for Reproductive Medicine, Nevada Fertility Center, Pacific Northwest Fertility, Reproductive Partners Medical Group, San Diego Fertility Center, and Utah Fertility Center. By developing new procedures, achieving scientific breakthroughs, and teaching the latest techniques, Ivy Fertility upholds its commitment to successful outcomes. It continually contributes to the development of the entire fertility community. The Ivy team is passionate about its family-building mission and works tirelessly each day to help patients become parents.
For more information, visit ivyfertility.com.
TMRW Life Sciences
Founded in 2018, TMRW Life Sciences, Inc., is a fertility technology company that automates the management and storage of frozen eggs and embryos. For the first time, frozen specimens can be digitally identified and tracked, safely managed with automated robotics, and remotely monitored around the clock. TMRW's next-generation technology platforms set a new standard of care, reducing potential points of failure by 94% compared to manual systems. TMRW delivers peace of mind by helping reduce the risk of specimen mix-up, damage, or loss. Named Fast Company's #1 Most Innovative Biotech company in 2022, TMRW has been adopted by leading clinics across the United States and will soon be available in the UK and Europe.
For more information, visit tmrwlifesciences.com.
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SOURCE TMRW Life Sciences | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/ivy-fertility-network-expands-partnership-with-tmrw-life-sciences-demand-grows-fertility-clinic-lab-automation/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:00 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/ivy-fertility-network-expands-partnership-with-tmrw-life-sciences-demand-grows-fertility-clinic-lab-automation/ |
Can you fertilize a lawn in the summer?
Few things can add or detract as much from a home’s curb appeal as the landscaping, and your grass is a significant aspect of that. Healthy and well-manicured grass gives a home a welcoming feeling, while a dead or overgrown yard makes everything look unkempt.
Fertilizing is vital to keeping your lawn looking its best, but it must be done correctly and at the right time of the year. Many people often wonder if they can fertilize their yard in the summer. To clear up that confusion once and for all, we’ve put together this handy guide that covers everything you need to know.
Shop this article: Scott’s Natural Lawn Food, Scotts EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader and Flexzilla Garden Hose
What is the best time to fertilize your lawn?
You should be fertilizing your lawn at least twice a year. However, if you pick the wrong season or the wrong fertilizer, you can cause excessive weed growth or even burn the grass. Part of knowing when to fertilize your yard is about knowing what type of grass you have. You should fertilize your lawn when it is actively growing. If you have cool-season grass, early spring, when the temperatures are between 60-75 degrees is the optimal time for the first feeding.
Warm-season grasses tend to start sending up green shoots a bit later in the spring when the temperatures reach 80 degrees or higher. When you see this start happening, it’s time to sprinkle your fertilizer.
You should also fertilize both cool- and warm-season grasses in the fall. This helps ensure healthy roots during the winter months, which results in healthier, greener grass the following spring.
How often should you fertilize your lawn in the summer?
While the most important times to fertilize your lawn are the spring and fall, these shouldn’t necessarily be the only times. For both types of grasses, a second feeding should follow about six weeks after the first. Depending on the date of your first round of fertilizing, this might be very late spring or early summer. However, make sure to read the manufacturer’s guidelines on the fertilizer you use, as the recommended interval between feedings may be longer or shorter.
It is usually best to avoid fertilizing during the hottest months, but if you have to do it, make sure to use the correct fertilizer type.
Choosing the right fertilizer
Synthetic fertilizers come in slow- and fast-release formulas. In addition to the essential nutrients of nitrogen, potassium and phosphate, they may also contain calcium, magnesium, sulfur and other ingredients.
While synthetic fertilizers are a good choice for spring and fall use, you should avoid them during the summer. This is because they typically have a very high nutrient content and are likely to burn the grass.
Organic fertilizers are made from fish meal, compost, manure and other natural ingredients. It has a lower nutrient content, which makes it gentler and ideal for summer use. Organic fertilizer tends to break down slowly too, so it will continue feeding the grass for months after application.
Fertilizing your lawn in the summer heat
Prepare your yard in advance
To get the best results, mow your lawn a day or two before you plan on applying the fertilizer. This helps ensure the fertilizer spreads evenly and falls to the soil, rather than sitting atop the blades of grass where it can potentially burn them. After the mowing, heavily water your lawn to saturate the soil thoroughly.
Do it at the right time of day
Later afternoon or early evening is the best time to apply fertilizer. Never do it in the middle of the day under direct sun, or you may burn the grass.
Use the right equipment
It is essential to spread fertilizer evenly across the yard. Too little in one place, and it won’t grow as well as the rest of the lawn. Too much in one spot, and it can harm or even kill the grass. The best way to ensure an even spread is by using a broadcast spreader.
Water after fertilizing
After applying fertilizer, lightly water your lawn. This is to wash any fertilizer that may have landed on the blades of grass down to the soil. Make sure not to overly saturate the soil, though, as you want to give it some time to absorb the nutrients. If you water it too heavily, you run the risk of washing the fertilizer away.
What you need to buy for fertilizing
This all-natural fertilizer is safe to use around kids and pets and is suitable for all grass types and seasons. A single bag covers a 4000-square-foot lawn.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Scotts EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader
A reliable and reasonably-priced model, this broadcaster spreader is a good choice for many homeowners. It offers easy-to-use rate control and doesn’t require any assembly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Scotts Wizz Hand-held Spreader
If your yard is too small for a wheeled broadcast spreader, or you simply find a handheld model to be more convenient, the Wizz is a suitable option. It is lightweight and features 23 flow-rate settings.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
The Flexzilla garden hose comes in several lengths ranging from 10-100 feet, so there is certainly one that will perfectly fit your needs. It retains its flexibility in all weather conditions and has a rugged build that should last through many seasons.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Luster Leaf 1601 Rapitest Test Kit for Soil
Though unnecessary for fertilizing your lawn, having a soil test kit like this is a brilliant idea. It helps you identify what nutrients your soil is lacking, or has an excess of, so you can make sure to buy the right fertilizer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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IXL's teaching and learning platform will be used district wide to close knowledge gaps, improve academic achievement and provide equitable educational experiences
LEXINGTON, Ky., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- IXL, the personalized learning platform used by more than 14 million students, has announced a new partnership with Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) in Kentucky. As part of the collaboration, the state's second-largest K-12 school system will now use IXL's award-winning platform district-wide to boost academic achievement in math, English language arts, science, social studies and Spanish. IXL is used by nearly 40 percent of all K-12 students in Kentucky, accounting for more than 283,000 learners.
Fayette County Public Schools strives to provide a world-class education
and positive learning environment to more than 40,000 students from the Lexington area. FCPS began using IXL to support its special education and English language learner communities, and recently expanded its implementation district-wide after successfully piloting the platform.
The district highly values IXL Analytics because it provides educators with data that allows them to track student achievement across schools and identify any gaps in knowledge. This information can then be used to quickly intervene and provide students with the support they need to succeed.
FCPS also appreciates IXL's comprehensive curriculum and instructional resources because they give educators the flexibility to create personalized learning pathways for students. These pathways allow students to learn at their own pace and in their own way, which helps them grow independently. Additionally, IXL provides FCPS with custom math skill plans that are aligned to the district's scope and sequence, as well as test preparation for Kentucky's Summative Assessment. These plans reinforce standards-aligned instruction, which helps students master the concepts they need to know to succeed.
"IXL is an immersive learning tool that helps students master content at school, on-the-go and at home. Insights provided by IXL help teachers track growth and target recommendations for next steps, and research shows that students who use IXL perform better on state assessments," said Brooke Stinson, Director of Assessment, Fayette County Public Schools. "We are excited for this partnership and to provide this resource for all of our students."
"We are delighted to continue our partnership with Fayette County Public Schools. By using IXL's platform district-wide, educators will be able to more effectively track student progress, close achievement gaps and empower all students to reach their full potential," said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning. "We are proud to be an important resource to our partners, and we look forward to working with FCPS' team so that all of its learners have even more opportunities to succeed."
Recover learning and boost achievement with IXL's award-winning platform
IXL gives school districts everything that they need to make a bigger positive impact on learning. The all-inclusive platform provides thousands of curriculum and instructional resources, actionable analytics and a state-of-the-art assessment suite. In addition to helping schools and students succeed academically, IXL can even uncover hidden obstacles to learning, develop students' intrinsic motivation to learn and more.
IXL's state-of-the-art assessment suite
IXL's assessment suite works in concert with its curriculum to give educators and students real-time insight into performance, pinpoint gaps in knowledge and provide specific next steps that help recover learning. IXL's adaptive assessment, the Real-Time Diagnostic, accurately measures students' grade-level proficiency and growth in key math and ELA strands, helping educators understand exactly what learners know and what they can do to improve. Additionally, IXL's universal screener flags at-risk students in as little as 20 minutes to help educators plan district-wide math interventions.
Comprehensive curriculum for deeper learning
Teachers use IXL's comprehensive curriculum to provide students with tailored support and ensure that they master essential concepts. More than 10,000 rigorous, mastery-based skills deeply engage students, build a strong foundation of knowledge and prepare learners for higher-level thinking. Based on students' previous work in the curriculum, IXL generates personalized recommendations in real time that guide learners to the skills that will help them grow the fastest. Additionally, IXL's skill plans simplify lesson planning by providing teachers with skills that match their state standards and textbooks. IXL also provides test preparation skill plans and personalized study plans for the SAT and ACT.
Instructional resources and classroom engagement tools
IXL's built-in instructional resources include nearly 2,400 math and English language arts video tutorials, corrective feedback, educational games for young learners and step-by-step lessons that support students when they're working independently. Classroom engagement tools, like Group Jams and Leaderboards, make classroom learning engaging and create collaborative learning opportunities.
Actionable analytics for districts, schools, classrooms and individual learners
IXL Analytics is an essential daily tool that allows teachers to easily identify trouble spots, monitor performance on skills, deliver data-driven instruction and use limited class time more effectively. Administrators can use IXL District Analytics and IXL School Analytics to track student progress and teacher engagement, enabling them to improve IXL's impact on their school or district.
About Fayette County Public Schools
Fayette County Public Schools serves over 40,000 students from the Lexington metro area, with the goal of providing a world-class education for every child. The mission of Fayette County Public Schools is to create a collaborative community that ensures all students achieve at high levels and graduate prepared to excel in a global society.
About IXL Learning
Currently used by 14 million students and in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts, IXL is an all-inclusive educational platform that provides a comprehensive PK-12 curriculum and instructional resources, actionable analytics and a state-of-the-art assessment suite. IXL's end-to-end teaching and learning solution supports personalized instruction in math, English language arts, science, social studies and Spanish. With more than 130 billion questions asked and answered around the world, IXL is helping schools and parents successfully boost student achievement. The IXL Learning family of products also includes Rosetta Stone, TPT, SpanishDictionary.com, inglés.com, Wyzant, Vocabulary.com, ABCya, Education.com and Emmersion. To learn more about IXL, visit www.ixl.com, facebook.com/IXL and twitter.com/IXLLearning.
Press Contact
Eric Bates
IXL Learning
press@ixl.com
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1st US nuclear reactor built from scratch in decades enters commercial operation in Georgia
ATLANTA (AP) — A new reactor at a nuclear power plant in Georgia has entered commercial operation, becoming the first new American reactor built from scratch in decades.
Georgia Power Co. announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has completed testing and is now sending power to the grid reliably.
At its full output of 1,100 megawatts of electricity, Unit 3 can power 500,000 homes and businesses. Utilities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are receiving the electricity.
Nuclear power now makes up about 25% of the generation of Georgia Power, the largest unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co.
A fourth reactor is also nearing completion at the site, where two earlier reactors have been generating electricity for decades. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday said radioactive fuel could be loaded into Unit 4, a step expected to take place before the end of September. Unit 4 is scheduled to enter commercial operation by March.
The third and fourth reactors were originally supposed to cost $14 billion, but are now on track to cost their owners $31 billion. That doesn’t include $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid to the owners to walk away from the project. That brings total spending to almost $35 billion.
The third reactor was supposed to start generating power in 2016 when construction began in 2009.
Vogtle is important because government officials and some utilities are again looking to nuclear power to alleviate climate change by generating electricity without burning natural gas, coal and oil.
“This project shows just how new nuclear can and will play a critical role in achieving a clean energy future for the United States,” Southern Co. CEO Chris Womack said in a statement. “Bringing this unit safely into service is a credit to the hard work and dedication of our teams at Southern Company and the thousands of additional workers who have helped build that future at this site.”
In Georgia, almost every electric customer will pay for Vogtle. Georgia Power currently owns 45.7% of the reactors. Smaller shares are owned by Oglethorpe Power Corp., which provides electricity to member-owned cooperatives, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the city of Dalton. Oglethorpe and MEAG plan to sell power to cooperatives and municipal utilities across Georgia, as well in Jacksonville, Florida, and parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Georgia Power’s 2.7 million customers are already paying part of the financing cost and elected public service commissioners have approved a monthly rate increase of $3.78 a month for residential customers as soon as the third unit begins generating power. That could hit bills in August, two months after residential customers saw a $16-a-month increase to pay for higher fuel costs.
Commissioners will decide later who pays for the remainder of the costs of Vogtle, including the fourth reactor.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/1st-us-nuclear-reactor-built-from-scratch-in-decades-enters-commercial-operation-in-georgia/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:06 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/1st-us-nuclear-reactor-built-from-scratch-in-decades-enters-commercial-operation-in-georgia/ |
MIAMI -- An employee of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump's hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago's property manager, was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the former president's valet, Walt Nauta, in the federal case alleging a plot to illegally keep top-secret records at Trump's Palm Beach, Florida, estate and thwart government efforts to retrieve them.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He's scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump, the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump's lawyers met with Smith's team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not "deleted in any way, shape or form."
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it's unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case's timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts - including willful retention of notional defense information - stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel's case and deepen the former president's legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government's case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room - an act alleged to have been done at Trump's direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump's own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee "the boss" wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn't believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the "boss" wanted it done, asking, "What are we going to do?"
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump's office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, "someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good." The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn't do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn't even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
____ | https://abc11.com/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-carlos-de-oliveira-federal-court-appearance/13576971/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:06 | 0 | https://abc11.com/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-carlos-de-oliveira-federal-court-appearance/13576971/ |
Become a lawn master
Knowing how to plant a new lawn is a useful skill to have, no matter if you’re moving into a new house, sprucing up your current one, or you just want to develop your green thumb. A lush green lawn is often the first thing people notice about your home, and well-manicured grass can greatly increase the value of your property. With a few personal touches, you can make it your own.
While it may seem like a daunting task at first, planting or renovating your lawn is relatively simple when broken down into a few easy-to-follow steps.
Shop this article: Tillers, Fertilizers and Lawn Rollers
Sod vs. seed
First, you must decide whether you want to use grass seed or sod on your lawn.
Let’s start with sod, as grass seed is relatively self-explanatory. Sod, also known as instant lawn or turf grass, is rolled grass that offers several benefits over grass seed. The most obvious is that it’s much faster to establish and gives the look of a finished lawn instantly. In addition, quality sod has few or no weed seeds present, which can save major headaches (and backaches) down the road. Also, because it’s heartier than young grass, sod can be installed nearly any time of year, so long as the ground isn’t frozen or exposed to extreme heat. However, it’s not without disadvantages.
Due to its convenience, sod is initially more expensive than grass seed and requires labor to install. Your grass choices are restricted as well, because most sod farmers grow their products in full sun. That means if your lawn is shaded by houses or large trees, sod may not thrive as well as seed designed for those environments. Shade blend sod is available in some areas, but it’s not always easy to find.
By contrast, grass seed is simpler, cheaper, less labor-intensive at the onset, and offers more choice when it comes to grass variety. It requires more consistent maintenance, though, and the chance for weed contamination is higher. Perhaps the most notable drawback is this method has a defined window for success, as extreme temperatures can lead to patchy results or complete seed failure.
How to prepare lawn for new grass
No matter which method you choose to grow your new lawn, the initial preparation is relatively consistent. Follow these steps:
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First, remove debris and any existing vegetation, i.e. weeds and grass. You can do this physically, with a flame torch, using a home remedy, or with a non-selective herbicide. If you use chemicals, remember to wait for the compounds to become inert before planting (check product labels for this info).
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Repeat the first step, till the soil, and check it again to make sure all remaining seeds are gone. Doing this will ensure a weed-free lawn in the long term.
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Once the area is free of vegetation, you are ready to plant.
How to plant a lawn with sod
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Till the first two inches of soil with a tiller or rake. If needed, add seeding soil to the top of your existing soil.
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Level soil. Any dips or bumps could stay there for years and can look unsightly.
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If you do not use seeding soil (these generally have starter fertilizer mixed in), apply a starter fertilizer, water, and till in.
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Roll out sod. Keep edges snug against each other but don’t overlap them.
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Use a lawn roller to smooth out and firm the sod, connecting it with the ground below and facilitating root contact. Keep sod moist for the first two weeks after application to further assist root growth.
How to plant a lawn with seed
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Till the first two inches of soil with a tiller or rake. If needed, add seeding soil to the top of your existing soil.
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Level soil. Any dips or bumps could stay there for years and can look unsightly.
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If you do not use seeding soil (these generally have starter fertilizer mixed in), apply a starter fertilizer, water, and till in.
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Divide your seed into two equal portions. Spread one half going one direction, with the other half going at a right angle in the other direction. This crisscross pattern guarantees even coverage across your lawn. For higher accuracy, use a drop spreader.
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Tamp seed down with a lawn roller. For added protection, cover the seeds with 1/4 inch of peat moss or compost. This prevents the seeds from washing away, stops birds from eating them, and also holds in moisture.
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Gently soak the soil about six inches deep after seeding, and keep the seeds moist until grass has germinated. This should take approximately two weeks. Continue to lightly water three to four times a day until the grass is about a half-inch high, then maintain as normal.
How to take care of new grass
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A watering rule of thumb: Once the grass is high enough to mow, water at approximately one inch per week.
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Water your lawn early in the morning. Doing it at night keeps the water stagnant, which raises the risk for mold and fungus, and watering midday increases evaporation risk. In addition, water deeply and infrequently as opposed to lightly and more often, as this improves root health.
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Keep your mower blades sharp, and don’t cut more than a third of the grass blade at a time to prevent shocking the grass.
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Fertilize every four to six weeks with lawn fertilizer.
Lawn care shopping list
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Planting a new lawn is incredibly rewarding, but it takes a toll on your hands. Invest in some high-quality gardening gloves to stay safe from thorns, sharp sticks, sunlight, and abrasions.
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A sturdy rake or cultivator will help you till your lawn before planting. This is a necessary step to remove unwanted vegetation, loosen up dirt, and aerate the soil.
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A lawn roller is the most efficient way to both tamp down new grass seeds and secure sod to the soil below. Fill your lawn roller with water if more weight is needed to finish the job. Choose between tow models that hook up to powered equipment or simple push/pull versions.
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Drop spreaders are extremely helpful in evenly distributing grass seed over an area. Available in rolling and handheld versions, these spreaders are adjustable for different drop rates. Great for grass seed or fertilizer!
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Fertilizer is necessary to keep a lawn healthy and full. Lawn fertilizers are typically rich in nitrogen, which is very water-soluble and promotes green, leafy growth.
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Your lawn won’t survive without water, and an adjustable rotating sprinkler helps it stay irrigated at the seedling stage as well as when it’s fully developed. Interested in even more control? Consider a multi-zone irrigation controller.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/lawn-care-br/how-to-plant-a-new-lawn/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:07 | 1 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/lawn-care-br/how-to-plant-a-new-lawn/ |
Initial agreement to include 10 battery-electric and three hydrogen fuel cell electric Class 8 trucks
PHOENIX and LOWELL, Ark., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikola Corporation (Nasdaq: NKLA), a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, via the HYLA brand, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (Nasdaq: JBHT), one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, today announced an agreement in which subsidiary J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. will purchase 13 Nikola zero-emission Class 8 trucks as the transportation company focuses on its sustainability efforts and reducing the intensity of its carbon emissions.
"It's important for us to be at the forefront of new technologies and innovative solutions that have the potential to change the way we move freight," said Nick Hobbs, chief operating officer and president of contract services at J.B. Hunt. "These zero-emission trucks from Nikola advance our progress towards achieving our ambitious goal to reduce carbon emission intensity through viable solutions."
The initial truck order will include 10 battery-electric and three hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, with delivery of the first vehicles expected in August 2023. These trucks will be strategically located at facilities servicing J.B. Hunt's key routes, including in the greater Los Angeles and Phoenix areas. Nikola's hydrogen arm, HYLA, will supply the hydrogen and fueling infrastructure.
"We are thrilled that the industry leader for supply-chain solutions has chosen our Nikola Class 8 battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks to use for their operations," said Nikola CEO Michael Lohscheller. "Their purchase and use of these zero-emissions trucks are a testament to the hard work of our engineering, development and manufacturing teams, who created a robust, highly advanced truck lineup, as well as our HYLA hydrogen infrastructure solutions, which are designed to benefit companies such as J.B. Hunt."
J.B. Hunt is committed to helping drive the industry toward a low-carbon future and reducing its environmental impact. In November 2022, the company set an ambitious goal to reduce carbon emission intensity 32% by 2034 (with a 2019 baseline). Incorporating alternative powered equipment into its fleet is one of three key focus areas in reaching the goal.
J.B. Hunt continually evaluates opportunities to utilize emerging technologies in exhaust-free vehicles. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the company took delivery of its first company-owned Class 8 electric vehicle. In 2017, J.B. Hunt was one of the first companies to place an order for an all-electric heavy-duty Class 8 truck and began incorporating electric vehicles into operations in 2023. In addition to electric vehicles, J.B. Hunt is helping reduce carbon emissions through intermodal conversion. Over the past decade, J.B. Hunt's intermodal service has helped avoid an estimated 30 million metric tons of CO2e emissions from over-the-road truck transportation.
ABOUT NIKOLA CORPORATION
Nikola Corporation is globally transforming the transportation industry. As a designer and manufacturer of zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and hydrogen station infrastructure, via the HYLA brand, Nikola is driven to revolutionize the economic and environmental impact of commerce as we know it today. Founded in 2015, Nikola Corporation is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.nikolamotor.com , Facebook @nikolamotorcompany, Instagram @nikolamotorcompany, YouTube @nikolamotorcompany, LinkedIn @nikolamotorcompany or Twitter @nikolamotor.
ABOUT J.B. HUNT
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. is on a mission to create the most efficient transportation network in North America. The company's industry-leading solutions and mode-neutral approach generate value for customers by eliminating waste, reducing costs and enhancing supply chain visibility. Powered by one of the largest company-owned fleets in the country with more than 162,000 pieces of trailing equipment and nearly one million accessible trucks through its J.B. Hunt 360°® digital freight marketplace, J.B. Hunt can meet the unique shipping needs of any business, from first mile to final delivery, and every shipment in-between. Through disciplined investments in its people, technology and capacity, J.B. Hunt is delivering exceptional value and service that enable long-term growth for the company and its stakeholders.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. is a Fortune 500 company, an S&P 500 company and a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average. Its stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBHT. J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of JBHT. The company's services include intermodal, dedicated, refrigerated, truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, single source, last mile, transload and more. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws with respect to Nikola Corporation (Nikola"), including statements relating to the truck order, expected delivery timing and expected benefits of Nikola's zero-emissions trucks; Nikola's expectations regarding the production of hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks; and Nikola's ability to provide sufficient volumes of hydrogen to support hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle demand. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: design and manufacturing changes and delays, including global shortages in parts and materials; general economic, financial, legal, regulatory, political and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; demand for and customer acceptance of Nikola's trucks; the terms of the agreement; the risk of cancellation of orders; risks associated with development and testing of fuel-cell power modules and hydrogen storage systems; risks related to the rollout of Nikola's business and milestones and the timing of expected business milestones; Nikola's availability of and need for capital; and the factors, risks and uncertainties regarding Nikola's business described in the "Risk Factors" section of Nikola's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 filed with the SEC, in addition to Nikola's subsequent filings with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, Nikola assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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SOURCE Nikola Corporation | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/jb-hunt-purchase-13-zero-emission-nikola-trucks/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:12 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/jb-hunt-purchase-13-zero-emission-nikola-trucks/ |
China imposes curbs on drone exports, citing Ukraine and concern about military use
BEIJING (AP) — China imposed restrictions Monday on exports of long-range civilian drones, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine and concern that drones might be converted to military use.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow but says it is neutral in the 18-month-old war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.
Export controls will take effect Tuesday to prevent use of drones for “non-peaceful purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. It said exports still will be allowed but didn’t say what restrictions would apply.
China is a leading developer and exporter of drones. DJI Technology Co., one of the global industry’s top competitors, announced in April 2022 it was pulling out of Russia and Ukraine to prevent its drones from being used in combat.
“The risk of some high specification and high-performance civilian unmanned aerial vehicles being converted to military use is constantly increasing,” the Ministry of Commerce said.
Restrictions will apply to drones that can fly beyond the natural sight distance of operators or stay aloft more than 30 minutes, have attachments that can throw objects and weigh more than seven kilograms (15½ pounds), according to the ministry.
“Since the crisis in Ukraine, some Chinese civilian drone companies have voluntarily suspended their operations in conflict areas,” the Ministry of Commerce said. It accused the United States and Western media of spreading “false information” about Chinese drone exports.
The government on Friday defended its dealings with Russia as “normal economic and trade cooperation” after a U.S. intelligence report said Beijing possibly provided equipment used in Ukraine that might have military applications.
The report cited Russian customs data that showed Chinese state-owned military contractors supplied drones, navigation equipment, fighter jet parts and other goods.
The Biden administration has warned Beijing of unspecified consequences if it supports the Kremlin’s war effort. Last week’s report didn’t say whether any of the trade cited might trigger U.S. retaliation.
Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared before the February 2022 invasion that their governments had a “no-limits” friendship. Beijing has blocked efforts to censure Moscow in the United Nations and has repeated Russian justifications for the attack.
China has “always opposed the use of civilian drones for military purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said. “The moderate expansion of drone control by China this time is an important measure to demonstrate the responsibility of a responsible major country.”
The Ukrainian government appealed to DJI in March 2022 to stop selling drones it said the Russian ministry was using to target missile attacks. DJI rejected claims it leaked data on Ukraine’s military positions to Russia.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/china-imposes-curbs-on-drone-exports-citing-ukraine-and-concern-about-military-use/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:12 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/china-imposes-curbs-on-drone-exports-citing-ukraine-and-concern-about-military-use/ |
Tips and tricks for protecting your home from the elements
If you like learning new skills and having a to-do list that never ends, there’s no better investment than purchasing a home. But becoming a homeowner isn’t just the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make, it’s also a pledge to take care of something, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live. Or at least until you decide it’s time to move.
Along with the bills, repairs, and perpetual upkeep, one of the biggest tasks you face as a homeowner is your never-ending battle with Mother Nature. Just when you think you’ve reshingled your last roof and can rest easy when it comes to leaks, you find a small pond in the basement after the latest storm. This list will walk you through everything you need to know in order to best protect your home from the elements.
But first, it’s important to review your insurance policy so you are aware of what is and isn’t covered. Your homeowner’s insurance policy might not cover floods and damage caused by the elements. Take a few minutes, read over your policy, call your agent and make the needed changes to get the peace of mind you deserve.
Shop this article: Tempera 9′ Outdoor Market Patio Table Umbrella, Deconovo Blackout Curtains and Jegs 3-Drawer Toolbox
What are the elements?
It’s not just water — which causes mold and rot — that you have to worry about. Wind, snow, hail, cold and heat can also do substantial damage to your home. Here are just a few examples of the havoc the elements can wreak on your home.
Wind
A gentle breeze is refreshing, but a gale-force wind? Anything over 50 or 60 mph can be devastating. From hurling projectiles and prying loose shingles to stripping away siding and shearing off the entire roof, strong winds can dismantle a house in a matter of minutes.
Snow
It’s pristine, and it twinkles as if infused by magic. Snow is beautiful. But it’s also heavy. On average, a square foot of snow weighs a little over 12 pounds. If you have a house that’s 2,000 square feet and it snows 12 inches, that’s roughly an extra 24,000 pounds — 12 tons — on your roof. See how this could cause a little trouble? Especially if the snow is resting on large tree branches or that evergreen that’s already leaning toward your house.
Hail
Hail is Mother Nature’s mischievous child. They enjoy causing trouble. Got cracked shingles? Divots in the lawn? Broken windows? Dents in your car? Damaged outdoor furniture? You’ve got hail!
Cold
Cold is the silent destroyer of homes. If you’ve ever had a pipe burst, you already know this. But beyond that, cold can create ice dams in your gutters that force water beneath your shingles, thereby ruining the items under your roof. And if water gets into any tiny crack, be it in your driveway or your foundation, it will expand when it freezes, turning that tiny crack into a crevasse.
Heat
Excessive moist heat can warp hardwood floors and accelerate deterioration in other areas, such as your attic and roof. Excessive dry heat can suck the moisture out of the ground, making it shrink and taking away some much-needed support from your home’s foundation.
Best strategies for keeping your home safe
Indeed, the elements can be devastating to your home. Thankfully, there are a number of quick and easy things you can do to protect it from the elements. Following is a list of the best (and most effortless) strategies.
Strategy 1: Bring items inside
Tempera 9′ Outdoor Market Patio Table Umbrella
Lawn chairs, watering cans, bicycles, scooters, patio umbrellas, and other loose items that you keep outside need to be brought inside before a storm. After all, the wind can turn anything that’s not fastened down into a destructive projectile.
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Strategy 2: Close the curtains
If anything flies into your window during a storm, having your blinds drawn and your drapes closed can help block some of the broken glass and other debris from entering your home.
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Strategy 3: Use your garage
If you don’t want dings in your car, put your vehicle in the garage before all hail breaks loose — along with anything else that could be damaged should the sky begin to pelt ice at your property. If your garage is full of clutter, however, this might not be as simple as it is supposed to be. Take time to organize and store your tools before the storm, and you could be thanking yourself later.
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Strategy 4: Rake the roof
When snow piles up on your house, it can get beneath your shingles as it melts, damaging your roof. When it’s safe to do so, grab a roof rake and clear your roof so melting snow can flow away without much damage. Note: always leave a thin layer of snow on your roof, because too much scraping could damage your shingles.
Strategy 5: Seal your driveway
Those tiny cracks in your driveway become bigger cracks when they fill with water which then freezes. Be proactive and seal your driveway — or at the very least, fill those cracks in with gravel — before winter arrives.
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Strategy 6: Run a dehumidifier
All that humidity in the summer can really mess with the wood in your house. It can also make everything feel quite sticky. To remedy the situation (and save your hardwood floors), turn on a dehumidifier and let it work its magic.
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Strategy 7: Use a sprinkler
During those hot, rainless periods of summer when the ground dries up and pulls away from your house, weakening its foundation, don’t fret. Instead, turn on your sprinkler and put some moisture back into the soil. Don’t add too much, though, because excess water near your home’s foundation has a way of seeping into your basement or crawlspace.
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Extra tips for protecting your home from weather damage
The following tips involve a little more than a quick fix, but they are much cheaper than full-blown repairs.
Anchor down your large items
If you have a storage shed, a grill, trash cans, or any large item that doesn’t have a permanent foundation or isn’t securely fastened, anchor it down. You can use straps, anchors, or bolts. In strong winds, this will help minimize dangerous projectiles. In a flood, it will help keep your valuables from drifting away.
Remove trees that pose a threat
Rain can make the ground soggy, allowing trees to lean. Once tilted, wet snow or strong winds can be all it takes to topple even the mightiest oak. Consider having any trees within striking distance of your home taken down before the next storm.
Bring in the reinforcements
A home is only as safe as its weakest spots. If you live in an area prone to severe weather, you need to do something about those spots. Get a professional out to reinforce your garage door, and consider installing storm shutters over your windows and glass doors.
The elements can be brutal on your home. From minor inconveniences to major repairs, Mother Nature really knows how to dish out the damage. But you aren’t helpless. Your best defense is a strong offense. Stay vigilant, smart, and proactive, and your home will be able to weather any storm.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/safety-equipment-br/how-to-protect-your-home-from-harsh-weather/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:14 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/safety-equipment-br/how-to-protect-your-home-from-harsh-weather/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Fire Department firefighters and Citizens Energy Group teamed up Sunday morning to paint the town teal to raise money for a good cause.
The event “Badges for Burn Camp” is part of an initiative for IFD Recruit Firefighters to engage in a community service project beyond their commitment to serve.
The painting started at the staging area at IFD Headquarters, with citizens providing all of the paint, brushes, and supplies. Citizens identified 300 hydrants for the event. Event. The 55-member class was divided into 26 teams and assigned pre-selected hydrants to complete.
“Taking an oath to serve – not only includes firefighting and EMS duties but also giving back to the citizens we serve with time and talent,” IFD Chief Ernest Malone said. “We strive to reinforce this culture of service early in a firefighters career and encourage all of our members to continue this outreach during their time on the job.”
“Badges for Burn Camp” raises money to send burn survivors to Hoosier Burn Camp. This is the 7th hydrant painting event since 2015.
Citizens maintain over 38,000 hydrants in and around Marion County, and while the hydrants are tested annually, the hydrants’ painting occurs on a 7-year rotation, according to IFD.
While Citizens is responsible for hydrant painting as part of that maintenance service, they often outsource some of the painting duty for about 4,000 hydrants to a local company. The money raised comes from the money already allocated to the outsourced hydrants and is donated to “Hoosier Burn Camp.”
The first six efforts have raised $50,000, which has since been donated to Hoosier Burn Camp. It is unclear how much this year’s donation will be for the IFD recruits’ efforts. | https://fox59.com/community/ifd-citizens-energy-group-team-up-for-badges-for-burn-camp-hydrant-project/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:17 | 1 | https://fox59.com/community/ifd-citizens-energy-group-team-up-for-badges-for-burn-camp-hydrant-project/ |
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One of this year's Women's World Cup co-hosts is moving on to the Round of 16.
Australia placed first in the Group B standings and advanced to the knockout stage by defeating Canada 4-0 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Monday.
Hayley Raso was the star for the Matildas. The Real Madrid winger put her team on the board in the ninth minute with a far-side goal from just inside the box. She then secured a first-half brace when she tapped the ball in from the goal line off a corner kick in the 39th minute.
Mary Fowler added to Australia's lead in the 58th minute off an assist from Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley put the cherry on top of the victory by scoring a penalty kick in stoppage time.
Over in Brisbane, Australia, Nigeria earned a spot in the Round of 16 for the second straight Women's World Cup.
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The Super Falcons only needed a draw on Monday to advance, and they got just that with a 0-0 result against the Republic of Ireland. The team could have won the group if it picked up three points in the match.
Australia and Nigeria will find out their Round of 16 opponents following the final Group D matches, which will both kick off at 7 a.m. ET on Tuesday. England currently sits atop the group with six points, Denmark and China have three points apiece and Haiti has zero points.
Nigeria will face the Group D winner at 3:30 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 7. Australia will take on the Group D runner-up later that day at 6:30 a.m. ET. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/womens-world-cup/australia-and-nigeria-punch-tickets-to-womens-world-cup-knockout-stage/3306451/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:17 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/womens-world-cup/australia-and-nigeria-punch-tickets-to-womens-world-cup-knockout-stage/3306451/ |
Dispute over Persian Gulf gas field poses early challenge to Saudi-Iranian rapprochement
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An escalating dispute over a gas field in the Persian Gulf poses an early challenge to a Chinese-brokered agreement to reconcile regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Saudi Arabia and neighboring Kuwait jointly claim the offshore Al-Durra gas field. Iran says it has rights to the field, which it refers to as Arash. The two sides held talks in Iran in March but were unable to agree on a border demarcation.
A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, said the country would not tolerate any infringement on its rights, echoing remarks by the country’s oil minister the previous day.
“We have expressed our readiness to engage in dialogue with the Kuwaiti side,” Kanaani told reporters Monday. “But if there is no interest in mutual utilization of this joint field, the Islamic Republic of Iran has naturally put the exploration and utilization of the resources on its agenda.”
Kuwait’s oil minister told Sky News Arabia last week that his country would commence drilling and production without waiting for a deal.
Saudi Arabia has sided with Kuwait, saying the two countries have exclusive ownership of the field, and has called on Iran to return to negotiations.
Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have backed opposite sides in conflicts across the Middle East and accused each other of destabilizing the region, formally restored diplomatic relations in April following a seven-year freeze. They have since reopened embassies and welcomed senior officials on visits.
But they continue to back opposite sides in Yemen’s civil war, which is ongoing despite a 15-month cease-fire. Saudi Arabia is also in negotiations with the United States over potentially normalizing relations with Israel, which Iran’s leaders have said should be wiped off the map.
“Any step in the direction toward normalization of ties with this aggressive regime will only serve to give it more leeway to commit more atrocities against the Palestinian nation,” Kanaani, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, said.
It’s unclear whether the dispute over the gas field, which goes back to the 1960s, will escalate beyond rhetoric. But tensions are already high in the Persian Gulf, where the U.S. is building up military forces in response to what it says is Iran’s unlawful seizure of oil tankers and harassment of commercial vessels.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait agreed last year to jointly develop the gas field. Kuwait said at the time that they aimed to produce 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 84,000 barrels of liquefied gas per day. Iran denounced the agreement as illegal and said it should be included in any such plans.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/dispute-over-persian-gulf-gas-field-poses-early-challenge-to-saudi-iranian-rapprochement/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:18 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/dispute-over-persian-gulf-gas-field-poses-early-challenge-to-saudi-iranian-rapprochement/ |
Juggernaut and Mr. Highman will continue as substantial shareholders of Bobbie. The acquisition positions the combined company as the third largest fully integrated infant and toddler brand in the U.S., creating a more resilient industry for American families
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Juggernaut Capital Partners, a leading middle market private equity investor primarily in the consumer and healthcare sectors, is pleased to announce the sale of Nature's One, the pediatric nutrition company founded by Jay Highman which set the bar for quality and innovation in formula over decades. Joining forces with Bobbie Baby, Inc., the nation's fastest growing infant formula company, the combined business will be the first of its kind in pediatric nutrition.
"Nature's One is a true pioneer in the pediatric nutrition space. Juggernaut partnered with founder, Jay Highman, to accelerate product development and vertical integration initiatives. Over the past five years, the company completed the first FDA-approved clinical feeding study of an organic infant formula and designed and constructed the first newly built infant formula facility in the U.S. in 35 years," said John Shulman, Founder and Managing Partner at Juggernaut. "It has been a pleasure to partner with Jay and his team. We believe the combination with Bobbie cements the organization as a continued disruptor and a next-generation industry leader. We are proud to continue as a meaningful shareholder in the go-forward company."
Founded in 1997, Nature's One introduced the first organic baby formula to the U.S. market. Recognized for its dedication to purity and quality, all of the company's formulas have received the Clean Label Project's Purity Award and have tested best in class for purity and nutrition when compared to popular baby formulas sold in the U.S. Nature's One operates the only independent, FDA audited organic infant nutrition facility in the U.S.
Nature's One was advised by CG / Sawaya Partners (operating under Canaccord Genuity) and Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP. Bobbie was advised by Perella Weinberg Partners LP and Goodwin Procter LLP.
About Juggernaut Capital Partners:
Juggernaut Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm focusing on lower middle market companies, primarily in the consumer and healthcare sectors. Juggernaut is currently investing out of Juggernaut Capital Partners V, L.P. For more information on Juggernaut Capital Partners, please visit www.juggernautcap.com.
About Nature's One:
Founded in 1997, Nature's One introduced the first organic formula, Baby's Only® Organic in the United States. Nature's One has dedicated 25 years to the research, development, and sourcing of pure ingredients. Recognized as the first and highest-ranked formulas for purity and nutritional superiority by the Clean Label Project, Baby's Only Formulas are preferred by parents who want to offer their child a "Better Start…for Life™." Baby's Only Formulas are sold nationally at Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, and many fine natural food retailers, as well online at www.naturesone.com.
About Bobbie:
Bobbie is the mission-driven organic pediatric nutrition company that exists to build a parenting culture of confidence, not comparison. Founded in 2018, Bobbie hit the market with its flagship European-inspired formula in 2021 as the first direct-to-consumer, subscription-based infant formula in the U.S. Today, it's proud to be the only mom-founded and led infant formula brand in the world, and the fastest-growing in the U.S. since the 1980's. Bobbie is focused on providing purposefully sourced, USDA Organic products made with simple ingredients – crafted right here in America, for American families. For more information, visit www.hibobbie.com.
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SOURCE Juggernaut Capital Partners | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/juggernaut-capital-partners-natures-one-founder-jay-highman-have-sold-natures-one-bobbie-baby-inc/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:18 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/juggernaut-capital-partners-natures-one-founder-jay-highman-have-sold-natures-one-bobbie-baby-inc/ |
The pads haven’t even come on yet.
So everything you’re about to read deserves this caveat: It’s early. Very early.
But we’ve now seen three Eagles training camp practices this summer. They kicked things off last Wednesday, and then practiced again on Friday and Sunday.
There’s still a long way to go this summer, but since Monday is a walkthrough day, it’s a good opportunity to take a step back and reflect a bit. Here are some “stock up” and “stock down” players through the first three days of camp:
Stock up
RB D’Andre Swift
One of the biggest storylines so far in training camp is the amount of passes Swift has caught out of the backfield. One reason for that is because Swift has 156 receptions in the first three seasons of his NFL career. The other is that the Eagles haven’t thrown to their running backs a ton under Nick Sirianni. The thought here is that Swift’s ability could change that. Sure, there aren’t pads yet, but Swift has made some impressive catches already. There was one he soared to catch on Day 2 and on Day 3, he caught a deep pass off a wheel route 30 yards downfield.
NFL
CB James Bradberry
Even before Bradberry’s interception off Marcus Mariota on Day 3, he was already off to an excellent start. Bradberry is just so steady and has had several pass breakups throughout the first week. Bradberry turns 30 in a few days but he doesn’t look like an aging player.
DT Jordan Davis
The second-year nose tackle revealed that he still weighs around 340-345 pounds but he is clearly in much better shape this summer. The entire team seems impressed with his conditioning level and there’s no question that he’s a starter in Year 2. Not only is Davis playing the nose tackle role in the five-man front but he’s also staying on the field in the four-man front. That’s a welcome development. He's already made some splash plays.
OLB Nolan Smith
Sure, it’s fair to say that this is the time of year a 240-pound edge rusher should look impressive. But there’s no denying that Smith has look quick off the ball on the edge. He's already disruptive. And because Haason Reddick missed a couple days of practice, Smith has gotten an opportunity to work in with the first team. No, he’s not beating Lane Johnson yet but those will be valuable reps and learning experiences for the young first-round pick. We also could have included Jalen Carter in the “stock up” category but we gave the early edge to Smith.
S Reed Blankenship
While the other safety spot has seen a rotation between Terrell Edmunds and K’Von Wallace, Blankenship has seen every first-team rep through three practices and looks extremely comfortable. It was during training camp last summer when the then-UDFA began to turn some heads and Blankenship picked up with that this summer. He’s just always in the right spot.
The offensive stars
Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are the key components to the Eagles’ passing offense and all four of them have looked good early. Sometimes star players will get overlooked during training camp because we already know they’re good. “DeVonta made another crazy sideline catch? Of course he did.” But these four are going to be incredibly important for the Eagles again in 2023 and it’s worth noting that all four of them are off to hot starts.
Stock down
QB Marcus Mariota
If we really want to oversimplify things, over the last week Mariota has participated in three practices: two of those days were not very good and one was. Mariota struggled on Days 1 and 3 but was pretty good on Day 2. He finished off Sunday’s practice with an interception to Bradberry on a weird play that might have just been a miscommunication. Of course, Mariota is in his ninth NFL season and he’s played a lot in his career, so we won’t get too worried about a couple shaky practices … and there have been some good moments as well. But we’ll continue to keep an eye on him throughout the summer.
LB Nicholas Morrow
While Nakobe Dean has taken every first-team rep with the Eagles’ defense, we’ve seen that other linebacker spot with a bit of rotation. While Morrow has started all three days with the first-team, we’ve seen Christian Elliss rotate in and it looks like there’s a competition brewing for this spot. Morrow hasn’t been too bad early on but he has given up a few passes. Meanwhile, Elliss picked off a pass on Day 1 in team drills.
WR Devon Allen
This is a great time for receivers to stand out. We’ve seen good things from Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus, Joseph Ngata and Deon Cain and all Allen can do is watch. He’s on the Active/NFI list with a calf injury and has missed three practices now. Allen was already a long shot but he really can’t afford to miss much more time.
CB Josiah Scott
Since Avonte Maddox (toe) missed a lot of team reps over the course of the first few days, it was extremely notable that Zech McPhearson was taking the bulk of the work as the first-team nickel as he cross-trains at the new position. Scott actually played the position for the Eagles last year and he has gotten some first-team reps this spring, but he’s clearly behind McPhearson. And he's been in coverage for a lot of receptions already. It’s a crowded cornerback room and Scott is probably on the outside looking in.
OL Tyler Steen
Sirianni is still calling it a competition for the right guard spot but through three days, it’s been all Cam Jurgens with the first team and Steen with the twos. A couple years ago when there was a left tackle competition, it was Jordan Mailata one day, Andre Dillard the next. This hasn’t been like that at all. On top of it all, Steen has been guilty of a couple pre-snap penalties already.
OL Brett Toth
With Jurgens taking all the reps at right guard, Toth has taken over as the second-team center. He’s had several bad snaps — into the ground and high ones — to Mariota, which hans’t helped the veteran QB. But it’s also worth wondering about Toth’s spot on the roster if he only gets to play one position this summer … a position that might not be his strongest.
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The House and Senate left Washington for the month of August with a lengthy, time-sensitive to-do list waiting when they return, including multiple key health care priorities.
There will only be three weeks before the end of the fiscal year to get everything done, and just 11 legislative days when both chambers will be in session at the same time.
Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize a sweeping pandemic preparedness bill, fund community health centers and renew opioid addiction services.
But the largest looming deadline is the appropriations bills to fund the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which are tied up in the House amid disagreements over abortion and spending levels.
GOP leaders scuttled a vote planned for Friday on legislation funding the FDA and the Department of Agriculture after moderate Republicans objected to a provision that would reverse the FDA’s decision to allow the abortion pill mifepristone drug to be dispensed through the mail and in retail pharmacies.
House Freedom Caucus members have also been demanding even deeper spending cuts than agreed to in the bipartistan debt ceiling deal.
The Labor-HHS bill advanced through a House Appropriations subcommittee earlier this month, but hadn’t even made it to the full committee before recess. The Republican-led House bill would slash or eliminate funding from a range of programs that deal with everything from family planning to teen pregnancy and even HIV.
Both FDA and HHS funding bills face a major fight in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where the Appropriations Committee has already passed its own version by near unanimous margins, owing to an agreement by Democratic and Republican leaders not to insert “poison pill” amendments.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.) argued in a floor speech that lawmakers should stay in Washington to strip out the “toxic, divisive, bigoted riders” in the bills, and ripped Republicans for delaying votes until September.
Pandemic preparedness
The House and Senate are taking different tracks in the reauthorization of the pandemic preparedness bill, complicating its path forward.
The Senate advanced a bipartisan version of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act out of committee, but the House is divided. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans advanced a bill on party lines after Democrats introduced their own version.
The primary disagreement is over drug shortages. Democrats are clamoring to give FDA more oversight authority to address the shortages, but Republicans are insisting on keeping the issues separate.
The Senate version contains some provisions addressing drug shortages, but only one involves beefing up FDA authority.
Congress is under pressure to stem drug shortages amid reports of doctors rationing cancer drugs and other medicine. Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have said they are committed to dealing with the problems, but that it shouldn’t be part of the preparedness bill.
Energy and Commerce Committee GOP leaders released a discussion draft on Friday of drug shortage legislation focusing on the economic reasons for shortages, including giving some generic drug manufacturers the ability to raise the cost of their drugs if hospitals keep prices “artificially low” to the point where there’s no economic incentive.
Health centers
Legislation to reauthorize funding for community health centers also faces partisan challenges. But in this case, the House cleared its bill on a bipartisan basis, while the Senate is still working through disagreements, highlighting the work to be done.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, originally wanted tens of billions of dollars more for the centers. He was asking for $130 billion to fund the centers over the next five years as well as $60 billion to help grow the health care workforce.
But Sanders ended up canceling a planned markup during the last week of July. Raising some eyebrows, Sanders said he is working with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) to craft a bipartisan bill that will be “ready by the first week of September.”
Separately, Sanders and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued a joint statement pledging to partner and work towards legislation in the fall aimed at addressing primary care and other health care workforce shortages.
Opioids
At issue are several provisions of sweeping legislation signed into law in 2018 called the Support Act, which aimed to tackle the country’s drug overdose epidemic.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced a bipartisan reauthorization and expansion bill, but advocates are concerned the Senate is behind.
HELP Committee ranking member Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced his own version of the bill on July 20, but hearings won’t be scheduled until September. Cassidy has warned that the committee is wasting time on partisan bills instead of easy bipartisan wins, such as the Support Act.
Insulin/PBM reform
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said for months that he wants to move legislation that would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for people with private insurance.
There’s hope to combine it with legislation reforming the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry into a package that could get bipartisan support.
But there’s no looming deadline and no guarantee it will get taken up in September.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who is a co-sponsor of one of the insulin bills with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), said she still has Schumer’s support heading into the fall, but has not heard anything about timing.
Multiple committees have advanced PBM reform bills in both the House and Senate, so they will all need to be combined into one floor-friendly package. | https://fox59.com/hill-politics/lawmakers-set-to-face-ticking-clock-on-health-care-priorities/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:19 | 0 | https://fox59.com/hill-politics/lawmakers-set-to-face-ticking-clock-on-health-care-priorities/ |
A new dimension to the Eagles’ offense, a surprising safety with the first defense, Derek Barnett’s future and tons more in our first Eagles Training Camp 10 Observations of the summer.
I still miss Lehigh. I still don’t care about the Kelly Green jerseys. And I still don’t like music playing during practice. But training camp is a blast. I just wish 12,000 fans a day could watch.
1. The biggest thing that’s jumped out the first three days of training camp is how much the Eagles are emphasizing throwing to the backs, mostly D’Andre Swift. This has been a dimension of the Eagles’ offense that’s been missing for a while now. Miles Sanders had a flukey 50-catch season as a rookie but became less and less of a factor in the receiving game the next few years. You have to go back to Darren Sproles in 2016 and really Shady from 2010 through 2014 to find a true two-way threat. But through three practices Swift has shown himself to be a very natural receiver. He leaped Friday to catch an off-target pass from Jalen Hurts, came down and showed great burst racing down the left sideline for big yards, and on Sunday he made a circus one-handed catch in traffic for a 25-yard gain on a wheel route from Hurts. He doesn’t fight the ball. He’s got soft hands and catches the ball smoothly. Imagine an offense with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert adding a 50-catch running back? Swift is a capable runner – he’s got a 4.6 career average – but his big contribution here is going to be providing Hurts a safe underneath option on 3rd-and-5 or when the pocket breaks down or when teams blitz. Kenny Gainwell has looked very good catching the ball as well – he caught 23 of 29 targets last year – and we know Boston Scott can catch. The Eagles are even throwing to Rashaad Penny, who has 27 career receptions in five years. But so far the emphasis has been on Swift, and I know there’s only one ball to go around but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in the 50-to-60 catch range by the time all is said and done. With this o-line, the Eagles should be able to do damage in the screen game as well, something that’s been missing from this offense for a long time.
2. I wouldn’t be discouraged that Kelee Ringo and Sydney Brown are practicing with the 3’s and Jalen Carter with the 2’s. This was the plan all along. Doesn’t mean they’re behind. Just means this is a starting point that allows them to play loose and free and easy and build up their confidence against other young guys as they learn the defense. If they’re not getting reps with the 1’s or 2’s in three weeks, there’ll be reason for concern. Right now, it’s not a big deal.
3. Was interesting and surprising to see safety K’Von Wallace start out practice Friday with the first defense alongside Reed Blankenship. Veteran newcomer Terrell Edmunds worked with the 1’s on Wednesday, and we kind of expected him to stay there. But any notion that the starting job definitely belongs to Edmunds went by the wayside when we saw Wallace getting starter reps, with Edmunds working with Justin Evans and the second group. On Sunday, Edmunds got the bulk of the reps with the 1’s but Wallace again worked in. Doesn’t mean Edmunds won’t be a starter, it just means that spot remains up for grabs. Wallace, a 4th-round pick in 2020, played well in limited snaps last year. He’s started seven games over the years but showed significant growth last fall when he got his opportunities. He's athletic and physical and has boundless confidence. Blankenship is off to a strong start to camp and is a lock to start. The only lock beyond that is that Brown will make the final roster.
4. It was 25 years ago today that Ray Rhodes and Wade Phillips held a joint press conference in an upstairs meeting room at Lehigh’s University Center prior to Eagles-Bills joint practices at Lehigh. The joint practices were sponsored by cell phone company Metrophone, whose jovial mascot – Flippy, “an anthropomorphic cell phone,” as the Inquirer’s Phil Sheridan described it – kept trying to engage a completely disinterested and miserable Phillips in all sorts of wacky hijinks while Rhodes stood there next to him. It was one of the most awkward, ridiculous and hilarious things I’ve ever seen. Finally, Flippy handed Phillips a bag of Philadelphia-oriented gifts. That's when Rhodes – standing next to Phillips - peeked into the bag and said: “You got everything but a phone.”
5. Here’s a list of players with 250 catches and a 16.5 average in their first four seasons: Torry Holt, Randy Moss, Jerry Rice and A.J. Brown.
Philadelphia Eagles
6. Derek Barnett’s restructured contract is a pretty strong indication that the Eagles intend to keep the one-time 1st-round pick on the roster this year. With the restructure, Barnett’s salary went down, but his guaranteed money went up. Why rework his contract like that if they weren’t going to keep him? Barnett has been a huge disappointment as a 1st-round pick, but he’s now seven years into his career, he’s got a modest contract, expectations are tempered, and if you just look at him as a low-paid fourth or fifth pass rusher instead of a 1st-round pick, it makes sense to keep him around. Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham are going to be the Eagles’ primary edge rushers, but if someone gets hurt or is struggling, where are you going to find a better fifth edge than Barnett, who had 6 ½ sacks in 2019 and 5 ½ in 2020 before suffering through a down year in 2021 and missing last year with an ACL. Barnett just turned 27, so he should be in his prime. If anybody can be an inspiration for Barnett it’s Graham, who had even fewer sacks than Barnett in his first five years (21 ½ to 17) but blossomed in his 30s into a top edge rusher. Keeping Barnett around is a shrewd low-risk move by Howie Roseman.
7. There probably isn’t a roster spot for him, but QB-turned-TE Tyree Jackson continues to impress in limited opportunities. Jackson hasn’t been able to stay healthy his first two NFL seasons but for a guy who’s still relatively new to the tight end position, Jackson has shown a real knack for catching the football securely and has demonstrated great body control and an instinctive ability to use his 6-7, 250-pound frame to block out defensive backs. Jackson broke his back in camp in 2021 and missed camp last year with a torn ACL, but he’s healthy now and he’s fun to watch. Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra seem to have the backup TE spots locked up, but Jackson is impressive.
8. Was very encouraging to see Eagles legends Al Wistert and Maxie Baughan both make the cut to 12 Senior Committee Hall of Fame semifinalists on Thursday. Both are clearly deserving of football’s highest honor. Baughan only spent six of his 12 seasons with the Eagles, but Wistert played his entire career here, and if he makes it into the Hall Wistert would become only the fourth Hall of Famer who spent his entire career with the Eagles. The others were his teammates, Chuck Bednarik, Steve Van Buren and Pete Pihos. Those four all played together for one year – on the 1949 NFL Championship team. Interestingly, only five other Hall of Famers spent more than half their career with the Eagles: Harold Carmichael (13 of 14 seasons), Brian Dawkins (13 of 16), Tommy McDonald (7 of 12) and Reggie White (8 of 15).
9. It hasn’t been a good start for Marcus Mariota, who's made a few nice throws but overall has been surprisingly inconsistent in his first few Eagles practices. Mariota has a funky release, and when he misses he misses badly. He threw one interception Sunday right to a wide-open James Bradberry without a receiver in the area, and those are the kinds of throws that are concerning. Now, maybe someone ran the wrong route, but it was a quick throw, there wasn't a receiver anywhere near Bradberry, and Mariota never should have thrown the ball. New team, new offense, new coaches, new teammates, so you definitely give him some time. But through three practices, he hasn’t been good.
10. Jalen Hurts Aphorism of the Day: “The goals change, but the standards don’t.” | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/in-roobs-observations-a-new-offensive-twist-coming-to-life-at-eagles-camp/530424/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:20 | 1 | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/in-roobs-observations-a-new-offensive-twist-coming-to-life-at-eagles-camp/530424/ |
CASS COUNTY, Ind. – Severe weather spawned at least one tornado as it swept across Indiana early Saturday morning.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF0 tornado hit Walton in Cass County at 2:19 a.m. on Saturday, July 29. It stayed on the ground for about two minutes.
The tornado packed maximum winds of 75 mph hour, NWS officials said. It was on the ground near Walton and the Cass-Miami county line.
The majority of damage involved beans and corn extending from west of S CR 900 E and north of SR 218 to near the intersection of E CR 700 S and S CR 500 W. There was also a small area of tree damage at a property on S CR 900 E. Grissom Air Reserve Base recorded a wind gust of 74 mph.
The National Weather Service said the tornado’s path was about 2.1 miles in length. Its maximum width was about 50 yards.
NWS crews also assessed storm damage in Jay County over the weekend, after receiving reports of downed trees and damaged structures. That damage appeared to be consistent with straight-line winds, but investigators were reviewing drone footage to see if a tornado could’ve been responsible.
The same storm system spawned an EF1 tornado in Defiance, Ohio, according to NWS.
It was on the ground for less than a mile and packed peak winds of 90 mph. Although it was on the ground for about a minute, NWS officials said it damaged three barns and a home. It also snapped branches and uprooted trees before dissipating. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/weekend-storm-spawned-tornado-in-cass-county-nws-says/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:21 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/weekend-storm-spawned-tornado-in-cass-county-nws-says/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was placed on the 10-day injured list with facial fractures on Sunday, a day after he was hit by a 91 mph pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah.
Ward was taken to a Toronto hospital after being struck in the fifth inning of Saturday’s 6-1 loss. He was released from hospital Saturday evening.
Before Sunday’s game, Angels manager Phil Nevin said Ward did not have vision damage. Surgery is an option for Ward, but no decision has been made. It was not clear when Ward would be able to return to California. The Angels play a three-game series at Atlanta this week before returning home Thursday to host Seattle.
To replace Ward, the Angels selected the contract of infielder Kevin Padlo from Triple-A Salt Lake.
Batting with the bases loaded, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch from Manoah. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.
Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels’ dugout for the trainer as Ward went down, blood running down his face. Angels staff rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.
A six-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the Angels, Ward is batting .253 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI in 97 games.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-placed-on-il-with-facial-fractures-after-being-hit-in-head/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:20 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-placed-on-il-with-facial-fractures-after-being-hit-in-head/ |
Jordan Davis looks lighter this summer but he’s not.
The Eagles’ second-year nose tackle says he still weighs around 340-345 pounds.
“I didn’t drop much weight,” Davis said after Sunday’s training camp practice. “I just made sure I focused on conditioning.”
Whatever he did this offseason, it’s working.
Davis said he knew entering Year 2 that his role would be increased and he wanted to be ready for whatever the Eagles asked of him. So he really focused on conditioning this offseason. And so far in camp, that’s really paying off.
“It’s all about conditioning,” Davis said. “I have a good shape. That’s all I worry about, is how I look in the mirror everyday. My face slims up. I look a little bit more handsome. That’s a little motivating too. You want to look good, feel good, play good. And just be healthy for life.”
Look good, feel good, play good.
NFL
Not a bad mantra.
The Eagles traded up last spring to draft Davis with the No. 13 overall pick out of Georgia and while he did some nice things during his rookie season, he had plenty of room for growth. Davis was starting to pick it up last year before he suffered a high ankle sprain agains the Steelers. He landed on IR and by the time he returned, veteran Linval Joseph had been signed to replace him. And even after his return, it took many more weeks for Davis to look healthy again.
Davis said he sees his injury last year as a lesson about taking care of his body even more.
“Because, shoot, everything runs through our ankles,” Davis said. “I don’t care if you’re playing D-line, QB, wide receiver, it doesn’t matter. Just taking care of those, making sure that you’re healthy and strong and just getting back to it. That’s just the mindset I have.”
It’s probably a pretty good sign that Davis looks slimmer this offseason but hasn’t lost much actual weight. That probably just means he’s in better shape.
What was his key to getting in that shape?
“Just moving,” Davis said.
And it was mostly simple things. When he wasn’t lifting this summer, he was on a bike, going for a walk. “Nothing crazy,” Davis admitted, “but always want to keep the blood, keep the heart pumping.”
His new defensive coordinator Sean Desai has taken notice.
“I love the shape that he's come in in,” Desai said. “I love the mentality that he's been playing with. I love what (Defensive Line) Coach (Tracy) Rocker has done with him to keep him motivated and keep him going. It's early. We want to see that day in and day out.”
Through three practices this summer, Davis has been lining up as a starter in the middle of the Eagles’ defense. What is most notable is not that he’s been on the field as the nose tackle in the Eagles’ bear front but that he’s also been staying on the field in the four-man front next to Fletcher Cox.
Eventually, it seems likely Davis will lose plenty of third-down, pass-rushing snaps to Jalen Carter or Milton Williams. But the Eagles still hope he’s able to show off his pass-rushing ability in Year 2. Many expect Davis to be an elite run defender in the NFL but his untapped potential as a pass-rusher is a big part of his ceiling.
Why do the Eagles think he can rush the passer?
“You see him,” Desai said. “Go find another human being that looks like him, so I think that part of it. There are not many people built like that. He's strong. He's fast. He's quick. He's powerful. It's about putting it all together and then us helping him put it all together and getting the right combination of guys in there and being impactful. But we just need guys to be really great right now with the techniques that they're learning and the fundamentals. That's really the primary focus of this.”
Davis, 23, played in 13 games with 5 starts last season in the regular season but is looking forward to having a bigger role this season. In fact, he expects it.
And he knows that he can’t rest this early into training camp. The pads haven’t even come on yet.
“You can get conditioned all you want in the offseason but when there’s like 600 pounds pushing on you, that’s real football shape,” Davis said. “Just stacking these days, getting into football shape. It feels great to be out there with the guys, to see everybody developing. Just keep stacking those days.”
The good news for Davis is that as he enters his second season in the NFL, he is feeling comfortable at the NovaCare Complex and sees that as a distinct advantage. Even though the Eagles have a new DC and a slightly different scheme, he knows what life in the NFL is like and having one season under his belt matters.
He also knows his new home a little better. When asked about the best foods he has eaten in Philly, Davis was quick to point out Angelo’s on 9th Street and a hibachi food truck on Spruce. In fact, Davis said he took someone to Angelo’s the day before practice on Sunday.
Davis is still a big dude who loves food … even if he doesn’t look like it as much this summer.
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Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | RSS | Watch on YouTube | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/slimmer-jordan-davis-wants-to-look-good-feel-good-play-good-in-year-2/530426/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:21 | 1 | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/slimmer-jordan-davis-wants-to-look-good-feel-good-play-good-in-year-2/530426/ |
One of this year's Women's World Cup co-hosts is moving on to the Round of 16.
Australia placed first in the Group B standings and advanced to the knockout stage by defeating Canada 4-0 at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Monday.
Hayley Raso was the star for the Matildas. The Real Madrid winger put her team on the board in the ninth minute with a far-side goal from just inside the box. She then secured a first-half brace when she tapped the ball in from the goal line off a corner kick in the 39th minute.
Mary Fowler added to Australia's lead in the 58th minute off an assist from Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley put the cherry on top of the victory by scoring a penalty kick in stoppage time.
Over in Brisbane, Australia, Nigeria earned a spot in the Round of 16 for the second straight Women's World Cup.
Women's World Cup 2023
Complete coverage of the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
The Super Falcons only needed a draw on Monday to advance, and they got just that with a 0-0 result against the Republic of Ireland. The team could have won the group if it picked up three points in the match.
Australia and Nigeria will find out their Round of 16 opponents following the final Group D matches, which will both kick off at 7 a.m. ET on Tuesday. England currently sits atop the group with six points, Denmark and China have three points apiece and Haiti has zero points.
Nigeria will face the Group D winner at 3:30 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 7. Australia will take on the Group D runner-up later that day at 6:30 a.m. ET. | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/soccer/womens-world-cup/australia-and-nigeria-punch-tickets-to-womens-world-cup-knockout-stage/530463/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:22 | 1 | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/soccer/womens-world-cup/australia-and-nigeria-punch-tickets-to-womens-world-cup-knockout-stage/530463/ |
INDIANAPOLIS – A rash of car thefts prompted a crime alert from IUPUI.
The Indiana University Police Department received multiple reports of vehicle thefts or attempted thefts during the month of July. The thieves mostly targeted Hyundai and Kia models, although a Chevrolet was involved in one of the incidents.
Here’s a look at the dates and locations:
- July 7, Lot 92 – Motor vehicle theft
- July 8, Campus Housing Garage – Motor vehicle theft
- July 24, Lot 83 – Motor vehicle theft
- July 28, Lot 80 – Two motor vehicle thefts, one attempted theft
According to IUPD, there are potentially four suspects related to the thefts. They arrived in a black Kia during the July 28 incidents; police reviewed surveillance footage but couldn’t glean much identifying information about the thieves.
Anyone with information should call the IU Police Department-Indianapolis at 317-274-2058 or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477).
Certain Hyundai and Kia models are susceptible to thefts because of deficiencies in anti-theft measures. Indianapolis and other cities joined a national lawsuit seeking reimbursement for public safety costs associated with the rise in thefts. The city recently started giving out steering wheel locking devices to Indianapolis Kia and Hyundai owners.
The security flaw gained national attention as part of a TikTok challenge that showed how easily someone could steal one of the vehicles.
Affected Hyundai models
- 2018–2022 Accent
- 2011–2022 Elantra
- 2013–2020 Elantra GT
- 2013–2014 Genesis Coupe
- 2018–2022 Kona
- 2020–2021 Palisade
- 2013–2022 Santa Fe
- 2013–2018 Santa Fe Sport
- 2019 Santa Fe XL
- 2011–2019 Sonata
- 2011–2022 Tucson
- 2012–2017 & 2019–2021 Veloster
- 2020–2021 Venue
Affected Kia models
- 2011–2021 Forte
- 2021–2022 K5
- 2011–2020 Optima
- 2012–2021 Rio
- 2011–2021 Sedona
- 2021–2022 Seltos
- 2020–2022 Soul
- 2011–2022 Sorento
- 2011–2022 Sportage | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/iupui-sends-crime-alert-after-rash-of-car-thefts-involving-hyundai-kia-models/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:23 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/iupui-sends-crime-alert-after-rash-of-car-thefts-involving-hyundai-kia-models/ |
Kimberly Palmer: How to stay safe from financial scams
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to protecting yourself from financial scams is thinking you’re too smart to be duped by one.
“We’re all vulnerable — we can all fall for a scam given the right set of circumstances,” says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that provides advice and assistance related to identity theft. Keeping yourself safe starts with accepting that fact, she adds.
“You look at the profiles of victims who filed complaints and it runs the gamut from highly educated, high-income people all the way down to the most vulnerable people in our population,” says John Breyault, vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud at the National Consumers League, a nonprofit advocacy group that speaks out about consumer concerns.
While there isn’t a “foolproof solution to stay safe from all scams,” as Breyault puts it, there are strategies you can employ to reduce your risk. Here are four of the most important ones:
HANG UP AND ‘GO TO THE SOURCE’
If you’re contacted by anyone claiming to be your bank or other familiar company, end the conversation and call the institution’s verified number yourself, Velasquez says. “We always say, ‘If you did not initiate the interaction, then you need to go to the source,’” she adds.
Otherwise, you don’t actually know who’s on the other end of the line, she says, especially because scammers can spoof the number that shows up on your caller ID so it might look legitimate.
In some cases, you might want to pay your bank a visit in person to get clarification. When Thorn Roberts, owner of a small business in Elizabeth, West Virginia, received a payment request he didn’t recognize, he went to his bank to ask about it.
“They knew it was a scam,” he says. As a result, he immediately canceled his accounts and created new ones. Thanks to his quick action and the bank’s help, his money was safe.
SECURE AND MONITOR YOUR ACCOUNTS
Basic online security practices can also help protect you, Velasquez says. She recommends enabling multifactor authentication on your financial accounts, creating unique passwords and not sharing personal details such as your birthdate online.
Jason Zirkle, training director at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and former fraud analyst with law enforcement, suggests checking your financial accounts at least once a week and investigating any unidentified charges immediately. Even one small erroneous charge could suggest someone has access to your account, signaling the beginning of a larger problem.
GET FAMILIAR WITH COMMON SCAMS
The Federal Trade Commission reports that the top scams of 2022 include people impersonating institutions like banks, phony sweepstakes and fake job postings. “You don’t have to become an expert in each one, but you need to understand the hallmarks of most scams: They contact you first, dangle some sort of bait in front of you and create a sense of urgency,” Zirkle says. Then, they ask for either money or personal information, which they use to access your money.
That’s what happened to former government executive and security expert Ken Westbrook’s mother earlier this year. A fake tech support window popped up on her computer, which likely came from a malicious ad. It connected her to criminals who persuaded her to call them and send gift cards and cashier’s checks under the guise of protecting her bank accounts from being hacked.
“My mom knew gift cards were a red flag, but she did it anyway because they scared her,” says Westbrook, who lives in the Washington, D.C., area. Eventually, Westbrook discovered what was happening and put a stop to it, but only after his mom lost thousands of dollars.
These scammers “sound like the nicest tech support people that you’ve ever dealt with,” says Chris Pierson, founder and CEO of BlackCloak, a cybersecurity firm. “They install remote management tools to see what’s on your screen and then can suck out your files and extort you.”
REPORT SCAMS AND BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Reporting fraud to government agencies and private organizations allows for better fraud tracking. While there’s no centralized source for fraud tracking, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission, your state’s attorney general’s office, the FBI, your local police station, your bank’s fraud department, the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker and the Identity Theft Resource Center, among others.
Most people who lose money to scams never see it again. “The first thing you need to do is accept your money is probably gone and you won’t get it back,” Zirkle says. He suggests “being your own advocate” with your bank and police. In some cases, your financial institution or law enforcement might be able to help you recover some or all of it.
Still, some losses are harder to quantify. “In addition to a financial crime, it’s an emotional crime,” Westbrook says. “People are affected by this for the rest of their lives. What I tell everyone, and tell my mom, is, ‘It’s not your fault. The thieves work for organized crime gangs who are very good at what they do.’”
________________________________
This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Kimberly Palmer is a personal finance expert at NerdWallet and the author of “Smart Mom, Rich Mom.” Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @KimberlyPalmer.
RELATED LINK:
NerdWallet: How to prevent identity theft https://bit.ly/nerdwallet-how-to-prevent-identity-theft
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/kimberly-palmer-how-to-stay-safe-from-financial-scams/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:24 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/kimberly-palmer-how-to-stay-safe-from-financial-scams/ |
BURLINGTON, N.C., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Labcorp (NYSE: LH), a global leader of innovative and comprehensive laboratory services, today announced it will host an Investor Day on Thursday, September 14, 2023, in New York City, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET and is expected to conclude by approximately 4:00 p.m. ET.
This event will highlight Labcorp's go-forward strategy from Labcorp Chairman & CEO Adam Schechter, followed by business overviews and a longer-term financial outlook. Presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.
A live webcast of the event will be available through the Labcorp Investor Relations website beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET. A replay of the webcast and supporting materials will be available after the conclusion of the event.
About Labcorp
Labcorp (NYSE: LH) is a global leader of innovative and comprehensive laboratory services that helps doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers and patients make clear and confident decisions. We provide insights and advance science to improve health and improve lives through our unparalleled diagnostics and drug development laboratory capabilities. The company's more than 60,000 employees serve clients in over 100 countries, worked on over 80% of the new drugs approved by the FDA in 2022 and performed more than 600 million tests for patients around the world. Learn more about us at www.Labcorp.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @Labcorp.
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FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh should be a star at next year’s Paris Olympics, and she showed why Sunday on the closing day of the swimming world championships in Japan.
The 16-year-old McIntosh won her second gold of the event, taking the 400-meter individual medley after winning the 200 butterfly gold on Friday.
That made up for a slow start for the young Canadian, who finished fourth in the 400 free, where she held the world record until Australia’s Ariarne Titmus took it back. She also took bronze in the 200 free, at least getting a medal.
“Going into tonight I just wanted to see how hard I could push myself,” McIntosh said.
She did just that. Her time of 4 minutes, 27.11 seconds was the third fastest ever, not far off her world record of 4:25.87. She was also the defending world champion. American Katie Grimes took the silver in 4:31.41, with Jenna Forrester of Australia picking up the bronze in 4:32.30.
“It was definitely motivating,” McIntosh said of her first few days. “I try to turn everything that goes wrong into motivation somehow.”
Asked about Paris, she replied: “Right now I’m just thinking about a little break.”
McIntosh should be joined by other young stars in Paris like 21-year-old Frenchman Leon Marchand and Australia’s 22-year-old Kaylee McKeown. Marchand and McKeown each won three individual golds.
The Americans also closed fast.
After winning only four gold medals during the first seven days, they picked up three on the eighth and final day for a total of seven golds and 38 overall. The gold total is still their lowest in a worlds going back for around 20 years. They won only eight in the 2015 worlds.
Australia finished with 13 gold and 20 overall, and China had five gold and 16 overall.
“This is the cherry on top,” said American Regan Smith, part of the winning 4×100 women’s medley relay. “I love racing with these girls and I love relays so much and brining home a gold in the last event for Team USA means so much to me and all of us.”
The Americans finished in 3:52.08, followed by Australia (3:53.37) and Canada (3:54.12).
The United States also won the men’s 4×100 medley in 3:27.20, ahead of China (3:29.00) and Australia (3:29.62), and added another gold with Hunter Armstrong in the 50-meter backstroke (24.05).
Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden made history with her victory in the women’s 50-meter freestyle. The gold gave Sjostrom 21 medals in individual races in the world championships, surpassing Michael Phelps who had 20.
Sjostrom, who set the world record in the semifinals on Saturday, powered home in the final 25 meters for the win, clocking 23.62. Shayna Jack of Australia picked up the silver in 24.10, while Zhang Yufei of China earned the bronze in 24.15.
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania set a world record on the way to winning gold in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke in 29.16. She equaled the old world mark of 29.30 the night before in the semifinals.
Meilutyte grabbed the early lead and was never challenged. American Lilly King claimed the silver in 29.94, while Benedetta Pilato of Italy picked up the bronze in 30.04. She shared the old record of 29.30 with Meilutyte.
Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia added the men’s 1,500-meter free gold to the 800 free he won earlier in the worlds, prevailing in an epic battle with American Bobby Finke that went down to the wire.
The 20-year-old Hafnaoui, the defending 400 free Olympic champion, captured the gold in 14:31.54, with Finke clocking 14:31.59 for silver. Sam Short of Australia rounded out the podium with the bronze in 14:37.28.
The mark was just off the world record by Sun Yang of China, 14:31.02, set in 2012. Sun has been suspended for a doping violation.
“Bobby (Finke) is so fast at the end of the race. he pushed us to do the 14.31,” Hafnaoui said. “It was so close to the world record. I mean I enjoyed the race and thanks Bobby for pushing me.”
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-canadian-summer-mcintosh-16-gets-second-gold-medal-at-swimming-worlds-in-japan/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:27 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-canadian-summer-mcintosh-16-gets-second-gold-medal-at-swimming-worlds-in-japan/ |
Kosovo journalists protest government’s suspension of private television station
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s journalists on Monday protested against the government’s decision to suspend a private television station’s operations.
Authorities made the move last week because they said there were irregularities concerning the registration of Klan Kosova’s business license that violated the country’s constitution.
Scores of journalists and members of civil society organizations gathered in downtown Pristina in front of the main government building to protest the suspension of the broadcaster’s operations.
The demonstrators said it was a “politically motivated” action taken by the government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti. It was the first closure of a media outlet since the end of Kosovo’s 1998-1999 war, they said, holding a banner that read “Democracy dies in darkness.”
Last week, Kosovo’s Ministry of Industry and Trade suspended Klan Kosova’s license, after the documentation of its business registration in neighboring North Macedonia showed that its owners had named Kosovo’s municipalities as if belonging to Serbia, “which is a violation of our constitution,” according to a statement released Monday.
The journalist accused the government’s decision as “an open and unprecedented war … against the media,” urging owners of Klan Kosova to continue its legal fight at the court.
Klan Kosova’s editor-in-chief, Gazmend, Syla called the suspension “unfair.”
“We consider this a kind of pressure to stop us doing of what we are doing,” he told The Associated Press, adding they would challenge the government’s decision in court.
Last month, Kosovo’s Agency of Business Registration found the alleged fault and decided to suspend the operations of the television station, a move supported last week by the ministry.
The station has said it had already fixed the problems as requested.
Klan Kosova was launched in 2009 to become the country’s biggest private television station.
The embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, and the European Union in Kosovo, expressed “their deep concern” about the suspension of Klan Kosova’s business license considering it “a disproportionate decision that will have repercussions on media plurality in Kosovo.”
Kosovo is a former province in Serbia, which doesn’t recognize Pristina’s 2008 declaration of independence. Kosovo’s sovereignty is backed by the U.S. and most EU nations, but not by Russia and China.
Serbia pulled out of Kosovo in 1999 after NATO bombed the country to stop the onslaught against ethnic Albanian separatists. At least 10,000 civilians, most of them ethnic Albanians, were killed in the conflict.
——-
Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/kosovo-journalists-protest-governments-suspension-of-private-television-station/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:30 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/kosovo-journalists-protest-governments-suspension-of-private-television-station/ |
Adult Males are Slightly More Likely to Live with Parents Than Their Female Counterparts
58% of Gen Z Consumers Live with Family Members
SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC), the parent company of LendingClub Bank, America's leading digital marketplace bank, today released findings from the 24th edition of the Reality Check: Paycheck-To-Paycheck research series, conducted in partnership with PYMNTS. The Household Finances Deep Dive Edition examines the impact of household composition on consumers' ability to manage expenses and put aside savings. The series draws on insights from a survey of 4,602 U.S. consumers conducted from June 5 to June 16, as well as analysis of other economic data.
The Paycheck-to-Paycheck Landscape
In June 2023, 61% of U.S. consumers lived paycheck to paycheck, unchanged from June 2022 — as is the share of those struggling to pay bills (at 21%) — even though more middle-income consumers cited living paycheck to paycheck in June 2023 than last year. Among consumers earning $50,000 to $100,000, 65% lived paycheck to paycheck as of June 2023, compared to 60% in June 2022. Meanwhile, the shares of high-income consumers — those earning more than $100,000 annually — and low-income consumers — those earning less than $50,000 annually — living paycheck to paycheck in June 2023 sit at 45% and 77%, respectively, relatively unchanged from June 2022.
This stability in the financial situation of U.S. households indicates that consumers continue to adapt to inflationary pressures, finding ways to manage their spending and live within their means.
Household Composition Determines Financial Lifestyle
Consumers living with only a partner or spouse are likely to face less financial hardship, while those with dependents and those living with friends or housemates are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck.
The research finds that 86% of consumers live with one or more people, and one-third of paycheck-to-paycheck consumers live in households of four or more people. Consumers not living paycheck to paycheck are most likely to reside in two-person households, at 41%. Meanwhile, 49% of millennials and 55% of bridge millennials live in households of four or more people, making them the age groups most likely to reside in the largest households.
There is also a direct correlation among household size, stage of life and financial lifestyle. As household size increases, the ratio of income earners to non-earners typically falls, attributable to households with dependent children. When looking at the share of paycheck-to-paycheck consumers who live in a two-member household, the data finds that 54% do so — 7 percentage points below the sample average. Meanwhile, at 66%, consumers with children under the age of 18 are 12% more likely to live paycheck to paycheck than those without children, at 59%. Among consumers living with friends or housemates, 77% live paycheck to paycheck — the most likely to do so. This suggests that those sharing expenses with a partner or spouse fare better, that is until they have children or even parents to support.
"As household size increases, the ratio of income earners to household members typically falls, creating a higher likelihood of financial distress," said Alia Dudum, LendingClub's Money Expert. "The relationship between household income and household composition explains why many families tend to struggle financially and why millennials and bridge millennials, many of whom are in their peak child-rearing years, tend to remain financially vulnerable."
Economic Considerations Top Reason to Stay in the Family Household
Economics are the main driver for consumers to live with family longer, with 43% wanting to save money and 30% unable to afford housing independently. Besides economic reasons, consumers remain at home to maintain family ties (24%), for transitional reasons (23%), and to provide care (22%).
At one-fifth (20%), adult males are slightly more likely to live with parents than their female counterparts (18%), a phenomenon that grows significantly among those financially struggling (26% of males compared to 18% of females). At 58%, Gen Z is the generation most likely to stay with family members, with 50% citing economic reasons. Members of Gen Z living with three or more people — often familial settings — spent 22% of their income on housing, compared to 30% of those living alone or with a partner.
That said, consumers living with family members to offset expenses are not planning extended stays. For example, one-third of those consumers expect to move out in the coming year, particularly millennials and bridge millennials.
Financial Transparency Determined by Relationship Status
Financial transparency within shared households is paramount to ensure bills are paid and expenses are covered, but the transparency level depends on who consumers live with. Couples living together share financial information 87% of the time and have a joint bank account 76% of the time. Parents are also likely to discuss finances with the children residing in their household, with 45% of parents sharing financial information with their children and 34% granting them access to a shared account. Bill splitting is the most common financial interaction for consumers living with friends or housemates, at 74%. Additionally, borrowing money from other household members is a financial option many use to make ends meet, with consumers mostly engaging in this practice with parents or siblings, at 47%, and friends and housemates, at 44%.
Families and couples maintain outstanding credit card balances that are significantly higher, on average, than those of consumers who live alone. Consumers with children under the age of 18 average 50% more credit card debt than those who live alone. Families represent the lion's share of credit card spending, holding average balances of $6,300 for consumers living with a partner and $7,200 for those living with children under 18. Living with a partner or children also significantly increases a consumer's likelihood of having an auto loan or mortgage.
"With today's inflationary pressures, sharing household finances has become not only common but crucial," continued Dudum. "The increasing complexity of modern lifestyles and the rising cost of living have necessitated a shift in the way consumers approach household finances. One person solely bearing the burden of managing all financial matters has become a minority practice. Instead, couples, families, and even roommates increasingly jointly navigate their economic realities, and it's a trend that is here to stay."
To view the full report, visit: https://www.pymnts.com/study/reality-check-paycheck-to-paycheck-inflation-household-spending-shared-expenses/
Methodology
New Reality Check: The Paycheck-to-Paycheck Report — The Household Finances Deep Dive Edition is based on a census-balanced survey of 4,602 U.S. consumers conducted from June 5 to June 16, as well as analysis of other economic data. The data in this report is not intended to be a representation of LendingClub's core member base. The Paycheck-to-Paycheck series expands on existing data published by government agencies, such as the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to provide a deep look into the core elements of American consumers' financial wellness: income, savings, debt and spending choices. Our sample was balanced to match the U.S. adult population in a set of key demographic variables: 51% of respondents identified as female, 33% were college-educated and 38% declared incomes of more than $100,000 per year.
About LendingClub
LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC) is the parent company of LendingClub Bank, National Association, Member FDIC. LendingClub Bank is the leading digital marketplace bank in the U.S., where members can access a broad range of financial products and services designed to help them pay less when borrowing and earn more when saving. Based on more than 150 billion cells of data and over $85 billion in loans, our advanced credit decisioning and machine-learning models are used across the customer lifecycle to expand seamless access to credit for our members while generating compelling risk-adjusted returns for our loan investors. Since 2007, more than 4.7 million members have joined the Club to help reach their financial goals. For more information about LendingClub, visit https://www.lendingclub.com.
Contact:
For Investors: IR@lendingclub.com
Media Contact: Press@lendingclub.com
PYMNTS Contact: information@PYMNTS.com
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Chris Buescher was already in good position to qualify for NASCAR’s playoffs.
Now, even something remarkable over the last four races of the regular season won’t keep him out.
Buescher pulled away on a restart with three laps to go to win at Richmond Raceway on Sunday and snag one of the final spots in NASCAR’s playoff field.
Buescher led 88 laps and was ahead by nearly 6 seconds when a caution came out with under 10 laps to go. That erased his lead over Virginia native Denny Hamlin, who was booed by his hometown crowd before the race.
But Hamlin got a poor final restart and Buescher easily pulled away for his first Cup Series win of the season, third of his career.
“I knew that last restart was going to be tough, but I knew we had the speed in this thing,” Buescher said.
He and RFK Racing teammate Brad Keselowski led a combined 190 of the 400 laps in their Fords. Keselowski, now a part owner of the team, led 102 laps on the 0.75-mile oval.
Buescher started 26th and had to drive through the field for the win that locked him into the 16-driver playoff field. Buescher became the 13th race winner this year and there are three playoff spots up for grabs over the next month.
It was the 139th Cup win for primary team owner Jack Roush, second since Keselowski joined the ownership group.
Ford now has 723 wins in NASCAR’s top Cup Series.
“Everybody at RFK Racing who has worked so hard to get us to this point,” said Buescher.
Hamlin, winner last week at Pocono, finished second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch was third in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, followed by the Fords of Joey Logano from Team Penske and Ryan Preece of Stewart-Haas Racing.
“One win is good, but you get three or four or five and then you feel a lot better,” Keselowski said. “It sure beats not having any at all, but we want to keep going. It’s nice to have one car locked in the playoffs. We need to get both cars locked in the playoffs. We have a good points gap, but we want wins and this is where we need to be.”
Keselowski, despite being winless this season, is still mathematically in contention for the playoffs.
The race was slowed just three times by caution flags, with the final yellow sending the leaders to pit road for four tires with eight laps to go. When the green flag was shown again, Buescher used the inside line to pull away for his third career victory.
Hamlin’s bid for the victory ended on the second lap of the final sprint when he drove in too deep in the first turn and slid up the track. He finished 0.549-seconds behind Buescher.
“I got a bad restart,” Hamlin said. “I had to recover too much ground from what I lost on the front stretch. Almost got to the outside, and then in turn four, almost got to the outside again, and then in turn one, I was like ‘I’m just going to ship it in there and try to get to the outside one more time’ and I just carried way too much speed and locked up the left front tires.”
LARSON-HAMLIN
Kyle Larson, angered last week when Hamlin caused him to hit the wall while leading while Hamlin went on to win, was running a few laps down when he nudged Hamlin out of the way with 70 laps to go during Sunday’s race.
Larson, who won at Richmond in April, finished 19th.
“I think he was having a frustrating day,” Hamlin said. “It’s all good.”
SCORCHER
With temperatures in the mid-80s, it was about 15 degrees cooler than Saturday, when the temperature approached 100 and the heat index was at least 105.
Nevertheless, points leader Martin Truex Jr. still struggled.
“It was definitely really, really hot,” he said. “It felt longer than 400 laps. I’ll be honest, when we got to the end of stage two —– I thought there was no way. I thought that was the checkered flag. It just felt really, really long.”
Truex finished seventh.
CLEAN RACE
All 36 cars that started the race were still running at the end.
UP NEXT
The series moves to Michigan where Kevin Harvick, winless so far in this his final season, is the defending champion.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-chris-buescher-wins-at-richmond-and-secures-spot-in-nascar-playoffs/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:34 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-chris-buescher-wins-at-richmond-and-secures-spot-in-nascar-playoffs/ |
Lebanon’s central bank governor ends 30-year tenure under investigation during dire economic crisis
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s embattled central bank governor stepped down Monday under a cloud of investigation and blame for his country’s economic crisis as several European countries probe him for alleged financial crimes.
Riad Salameh, 73, ended his 30-year tenure atop the central bank as tearful employees took photos and a band played celebratory music with drums and trumpets.
In that same building, his four vice governors, led by incoming interim governor Wassim Mansouri, quickly pivoted to urge fiscal reforms for the cash-strapped country.
“We are at a crossroads,” Mansouri said at a news conference. “There is no choice, if we continue previous policy … the funds in the Central Bank will eventually dry up.”
Seventy-three-year-old Riad Salameh kicked off his tenure as central bank governor in 1993, three years after Lebanon’s bloody 15-year civil war came to an end. It was a time when reconstruction loans and aid was pouring into the country, and Salameh was widely celebrated at the time for his role in Lebanon’s recovery.
Now, he leaves his post a wanted man in Europe, accused by many in Lebanon of being a main culprit in the country’s financial downfall since late 2019.
It was a steep fall for a leader whose policies were once hailed for keeping the currency stable. Later, many financial experts saw him as setting up a house of cards that crumbled as the country’s supply of dollars dried up on top of decades of rampant and corruption and mismanagement from Lebanon’s ruling parties.
The crisis has pulverized the Lebanese pound and wiped out the savings of many Lebanese, as the banks ran dry of hard currency.
With the country’s banks crippled and public sector in ruins, Lebanon for years has run on a cash-based economy and relied primarily on tourism and remittances from millions in the diaspora.
Mansouri said previous policies that permitted the Central Bank to spend large sums on money to prop up the Lebanese state is no longer feasible. He cited years of spending billions of dollars to subsidize fuel, medicine, and wheat and more to keep the value of the Lebanese pound stable.
Instead, Mansouri proposed a six-month reform plan that included passing long awaited reforms such as capital controls, a bank restructuring law, and the 2023 state budget.
“The country cannot continue without passing these laws,” Mansouri explained. “We don’t have time, and we paid a heavy price that we cannot pay anymore.”
The reforms Mansouri mentioned are among those the International Monetary Fund set as conditions on Lebanon in April 2022 for a bailout plan, though he did not mention the IMF. None have been passed.
France, Germany, and Luxembourg are investigating Salameh and his associates over myriad financial crimes, including illicit enrichment and the laundering of $330 million. Paris and Berlin issued Interpol notices to the central bank chief in May, though Lebanon does not hand over its citizens to foreign countries.
Salameh has repeatedly denied the allegations and insisted that his wealth comes from his previous job as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch, inherited properties, and investments. He has criticized the probe and said it was part of a media and political campaign to scapegoat him.
In his final interview as governor, Salameh said on Lebanese television that the responsibility for reforms lies with the government.
“Everything I did for the past 30 years was to try to serve Lebanon and the Lebanese,” he said. “Some — the majority — were grateful, even if they don’t want to say so. And there are other people, well may God forgive them.”
Salameh’s departure adds another gap to crisis-hit Lebanon’s withering and paralyzed institutions. The tiny Mediterranean country has been without a president nine months, while its government has been running in a limited caretaker capacity for a year. Lebanon has also been without a top spy chief to head its General Security Directorate since March.
Lebanese officials in recent months were divided over whether Salameh should stay in his post or whether he should step down immediately in the remaining months of his tenure.
Caretaker Economy Amin Salam wanted the latter, given that the central bank chief had a “legal question mark.”
“I cannot explain anyone holding on to a person while a nation is failing unless there is something wrong or hidden,” Salam told The Associated Press.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/lebanons-central-bank-governor-ends-30-year-tenure-under-investigation-during-dire-economic-crisis/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:36 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/lebanons-central-bank-governor-ends-30-year-tenure-under-investigation-during-dire-economic-crisis/ |
HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. — The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a deadly crash involving a motorcycle that happened Sunday afternoon.
Hancock County sheriff’s deputies, along with officers from the McCordsville and Fortville police departments, responded to the area of U.S. 36 and County Road 400 West on a reported crash around 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
The crash involved a 2006 Kawasaki motorcycle and a 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup. The Kawasaki was driven by one male who died at the scene. The Chevy Silverado driver was not injured.
Investigators said witnesses told deputies that a motorcyclist was traveling at a very high rate of speed and passed several vehicles in a no-passing area. The motorcyclist was later identified as 30-year-old Robert Siuzdak of Avon.
Deputies said the truck was crossing both lanes of U.S. 36 to continue north on County Road 400 West. According to evidence at the scene, deputies believe the truck had crossed the eastbound lane of U.S. 36 and was crossing the westbound lane when the motorcycle crashed into it as it was trying to pass other vehicles.
Siuzdak was wearing a helmet, according to the sheriff’s department.
U.S. 36 was closed for two hours while officials investigated the scene. | https://fox59.com/news/indynews/motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-in-hancock-county-sunday/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:38 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/indynews/motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-in-hancock-county-sunday/ |
Lauren Holiday is no stranger to the standards set by the U.S. women's national team.
The former versatile midfielder won the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup with the Gals in which she made six appearances and recorded a goal. She was also a key member of the teams that took home gold in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Simply put, Holiday was a winner during her time on the field.
Despite retiring at just 27 years old after winning the 2015 World Cup to start a family and dedicate her time to causes she cared about, Holiday embodied the culture established by the USWNT as it seeks a fifth star during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Because of her experiences, Holiday knows exactly the high-pressure environment the current USWNT squad is navigating with a historic three-peat in play.
“It’s not just expected to win for like major tournaments, you’re expected to win in every aspect," Holiday said in a bonus episode of NBC and Telemundo's "My New Favorite Futbolista" podcast. "Like any friendly that we play, anything that we do, we’re expected to be the best. And that’s like a culture that’s been instilled from the beginning, from all the veterans.
“So I think when the girls, they’re competing in the World Cup … that’s no different than everyday training and I think that’s what separates us.”
But pressure for Holiday wasn't really a thing. She's a competitor and wants to win -- even when going up against her family in household games, which includes husband Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks and their two children, Jrue Tyler and Hendrix.
“I love to win," Holiday said. "I can’t even let my kids beat me at cards, my husband especially not. I think for me that wasn’t extra pressure, that was an expectation for myself.”
A UCLA product who won the U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year award in 2007 in her second year of college, Holiday, now 35, has been out of the game for a while. She's nearing eight years, to be exact, after her post-2015 World Cup retirement shocked the USWNT and soccer spectrum.
On her days away from the everyday life of a professional footballer, one aspect of her former life she misses is engaging with her teammates on a steady basis. In fact, Holiday finds this common part of adult life challenging: making friends.
“What I miss most is the community," she said. "I used to always say I have built-in friends and now I’m like a real adult. How do you make friends if they’re not your teammates, right? I’m still working on that.”
But reflecting on her playing days with the USWNT, Holiday, who was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2023, said she's proud of her role in getting the team to where it is today, especially with the impact the group has on women on and off the pitch.
“When I watch the team play now, I feel so much pride just to know I got to be a part of that," she said. "What they’re doing not only on the field but off the field is changing the game for women’s sports and women everywhere. To know that I was part of that legacy, to build to where we are today, I have a lot of pride in that.” | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/soccer/womens-world-cup/lauren-holiday-explains-why-uswnt-is-expected-to-win-every-game/530460/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:38 | 1 | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/soccer/womens-world-cup/lauren-holiday-explains-why-uswnt-is-expected-to-win-every-game/530460/ |
HOUSTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott has been awarded a project management consultancy (PMC) and engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contract for the Naphtha Cracker Expansion (Phase II) polypropylene expansion and new ethylene derivative unit project from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). The project is located at the Panipat Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, located 62 miles (100 kilometers) from New Delhi, India.
The project will increase the ethylene production capacity of the naphtha cracker unit (NCU) by approximately 20 percent. The additional ethylene and propylene production will act as feed for downstream polymer units. The polymer products will be used for the manufacture of household and industrial items, including containers, automobile parts, furniture, and heavy-duty films.
"McDermott is currently executing four other projects for IOCL, including the maleic anhydride (MAH) unit at the same site, allowing us to leverage our local resources and expertise while realizing synergies," said Vaseem Khan, Senior Vice President, Global Operations. "Furthermore, the project supports the growing demand for ethylene and propylene which will reduce imports and accelerate economic development in the area."
McDermott will provide comprehensive EPCM services and overall project management for the duration of the project, which will be executed from its Center of Excellence in Gurugram, India.
About McDermott
McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott's innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructure—empowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott's locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world. To learn more, visit www.mcdermott.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
McDermott cautions that statements in this press release which are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the expected scope and execution of the project discussed in this press release. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are made by using various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies and uncertainties, including, among others: adverse changes in the markets in which we operate or credit or capital markets; our inability to successfully execute on contracts in backlog; changes in project design or schedules; the availability of qualified personnel; changes in the terms, scope or timing of contracts, contract cancellations, change orders and other modifications and actions by our customers and other business counterparties; changes in industry norms; actions by lenders, other creditors, customers and other business counterparties of McDermott; and adverse outcomes in legal or other dispute resolution proceedings. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This communication reflects the views of McDermott's management as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, McDermott undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.
Contacts:
Global Media Relations
Reba Reid
Senior Director, Global Communications and Marketing
+1 281 588 5636
RReid@McDermott.com
Business Line Media Relations
Barbara Knight
Senior Director, Business Line Communications and Marketing
+971 56 403 2903
BBKnight@McDermott.com
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SOURCE McDermott International, Ltd | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mcdermott-selected-petrochemical-expansion-project-by-iocl/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:38 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mcdermott-selected-petrochemical-expansion-project-by-iocl/ |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Dalvin Cook got an up-close view of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets while watching practice from the sideline Sunday.
The free agent running back has to see if he’ll spend the rest of training camp in their backfield — or elsewhere.
Cook spent Sunday meeting with the Jets as he ponders the next stop of his playing career. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was released by the Vikings on June 8 for salary cap savings, according to a person familiar with Minnesota’s decision.
The Jets are the first team Cook has officially visited as a free agent, with his hometown Miami Dolphins also among possible suitors. New York also must consider whether to make him an offer before he leaves the team’s practice facility.
Cook, who turns 28 on Aug. 10, was greeted by chants of “Dal-vin Cooook! Sign that contract!” from fans in the stands as he walked onto the field. He later responded to the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a green heart emoji.
Several Jets players, including Rodgers, greeted Cook and he spent a few moments chatting with owner Woody Johnson.
“He’s a good young man, a very good young man,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “We didn’t interact too much. There’s a lot of stuff going on, especially when it’s open to the public. But it was good to say hello.”
Cook has talked up the Jets in TV interviews in recent days, telling NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Friday they “are right at the top of the list” and the odds of him signing with them were “pretty high.”
“It’s a unique situation because I think they’re building something special over there,” Cook told “Good Morning Football” during the interview. “When you look at it, you always want to be around a great QB, you always want to be around somebody you can pick his brain and just learn from. A-Rod is a four-time MVP. So, just being around a guy like that you can learn a lot more and just develop as a player.
“That’s what I’m looking to do.”
He reiterated those comments Saturday during an interview with ESPN, saying he thinks “the coaching staff, I think everything about what they got going on, just says winning.”
But Cook, a former Florida State star, also said in the interview he was interested in the Dolphins and it would be “a Cinderella story” to play for his hometown team.
He was the guest of the Jets on Sunday, though. And now they have to wait to see if they offer Cook a deal and he accepts — or explores his options.
Both sides have expressed interest, and the Jets wanted Cook to take a physical to be sure his surgically repaired shoulder is healthy.
“That’s pretty much it,” Saleh said. “Call it a meet and greet.”
Cook, who has run for at least 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, was scheduled to count more than $14.1 million against the Vikings’ salary cap before he was released. He’s third on Minnesota’s career rushing list with 5,993 yards in six seasons.
With the Jets, Cook could give New York some insurance in the backfield with Breece Hall working his way back from a knee injury that cut short a promising rookie season. New York also has Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, Damarea Crockett, fifth-round draft pick Israel Abanikanda and undrafted free agent Travis Dye at the position.
NOTES: Saleh said WR Garrett Wilson has a lower right ankle injury and the Jets are being cautious by holding him out of practice. Wilson appeared to have a slight limp and his right ankle was wrapped. … WR Corey Davis remains out with an illness, but Saleh said he could return to practice Monday. … WR Randall Cobb was activated from the physically unable to perform list and participated in practice. … Saleh said the starters aren’t expected to play Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game against Cleveland in Canton, Ohio. Among those players who will play include QB Zach Wilson and OT Mekhi Becton.
___
AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell and Rob Maaddi contributed.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-dalvin-cook-visits-with-the-jets-and-watches-practice-as-he-considers-his-options/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:41 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-dalvin-cook-visits-with-the-jets-and-watches-practice-as-he-considers-his-options/ |
Stock market today: Wall Street ticks higher ahead of another packed week of corporate earnings
Wall Street pointed modestly higher early Monday as investors look ahead to another busy week of corporate earnings while digesting a mixed bag of economic data from abroad.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 each rose about 0.1% before the bell.
Shares were mixed in Europe after data released Monday showed Europe’s economy has grown modestly after months of stagnation.
The 20 countries that use the euro currency and their 346 million people saw 0.3% growth in the April-to-June period, compared with the first three months of the year, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said.
That’s a slight improvement over zero growth in the first quarter and a slight decline in fourth quarter of last year.
Germany’s DAX was up 0.1% while the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.5% and Britain’s FTSE 100 was essentially unchanged.
Another heavy slate of corporate earnings will consume markets this week, with Pfizer, Starbucks, CVS Health, Amazon, Apple and Airbnb all releasing financial results in the coming days.
In Asia, most markets logged gains Monday on hopes for more stimulus from Beijing for the sluggish Chinese economy.
Worries over China’s slowdown have tempered optimism recently over the possibility that inflation is cooling enough to get the Federal Reserve to stop hiking interest rates.
Adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slowdown, Chinese factory activity contracted in July as export orders shrank, a survey showed,
A purchasing managers’ index issued by the national statistics agency and an industry group improved to 49.3 from June’s 49 on a 100-point scale but was below the 50-point level that shows activity contracting.
“The PMI surveys suggest that China’s economic recovery continued to lose momentum in July,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a commentary. “Looking forward, policy support is needed to prevent China’s economy from slipping into a recession, not least because external headwinds look set to persist for a while longer.”
The Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose 0.8% to 20,078.94, while the Shanghai Composite index advanced 0.5% to 3,291.04.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index closed 1.3% higher at 33,172.22. In Seoul, the Kospi climbed 0.9% to 2,632.58.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% higher, to 7,410.40 and the SET in Bangkok was up 0.8%. The Sensex in India rose 0.4% to 66,419.66.
Wall Street closed out another winning week on Friday, as the S&P 500 rose 1%. The Dow added 0.5% and the Nasdaq climbed 1.9% as Big Tech stocks led the market.
If inflation is cooling enough to get the Federal Reserve to stop hiking interest rates, that might allow the economy to continue growing and avoid a long-predicted recession.
Though critics say the stock market’s rally may have gone too far, too fast, hopes for a halt to rate hikes helped technology stocks and others seen as big beneficiaries from easier rates to rally.
A report on Friday showed the inflation measure the Fed prefers to use slowed last month by a touch more than expected. Data also showed total compensation for workers rose less than expected during the spring. While that’s discouraging for workers, investors see it adding less upward pressure on inflation.
The hope among traders is that the slowdown in inflation means Wednesday’s hike to interest rates by the Federal Reserve will be the final one of this cycle. The federal funds rate has leaped to a level between 5.25% and 5.50%, up from virtually zero early last year. High interest rates work to lower inflation by slowing the entire economy and hurting prices for stocks and other investments.
In other trading Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 81 cents to $81.39 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 49 cents to $80.58 on Friday.
Brent crude, the international standard, added 67 cents to $85.08 a barrel.
The U.S. dollar rose to 142.23 Japanese yen from Friday’s 141.01 yen. The euro was at $1.1026, up from $1.1019.
___
Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok; Ott reported from Silver Spring, Maryland.
AP Business Writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/stock-market-today-wall-street-ticks-higher-ahead-of-another-packed-week-of-corporate-earnings/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:42 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/business-news/stock-market-today-wall-street-ticks-higher-ahead-of-another-packed-week-of-corporate-earnings/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Six straight days of 12-hour driving. Single digit paychecks. The complaints come from workers in vastly different industries: UPS delivery drivers and Hollywood actors and writers.
But they point to an underlying factor driving a surge of labor unrest: The cost to workers whose jobs have changed drastically as companies scramble to meet customer expectations for speed and convenience in industries transformed by technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those changes, pushing retailers to shift online and intensifying the streaming competition among entertainment companies. Now, from the picket lines, workers are trying to give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce a show that can be binged any time or get dog food delivered to their doorstep with a phone swipe.
Overworked and underpaid employees is an enduring complaint across industries — from delivery drivers to Starbucks baristas and airline pilots — where surges in consumer demand have collided with persistent labor shortages. Workers are pushing back against forced overtime, punishing schedules or company reliance on lower-paid, part-time or contract forces.
At issue for Hollywood screenwriters and actors staging their first simultaneous strikes in 40 years is the way streaming has upended entertainment economics, slashing pay and forcing showrunners to produce content faster with smaller teams.
“This seems to happen to many places when the tech companies come in. Who are we crushing? It doesn’t matter,” said Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a screenwriter and showrunner on the negotiating team for the Writers Guild of America, whose members have been on strike since May. Earlier this month, the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined the writers’ union on the picket line.
Actors and writers have long relied on residuals, or long-term payments, for reruns and other airings of films and televisions shows. But reruns aren’t a thing on streaming services, where series and films simply land and stay with no easy way, such as box office returns or ratings, to determine their popularity.
Consequently, whatever residuals streaming companies do pay often amount to a pittance, and screenwriters have been sharing tales of receiving single digit checks.
Adam Shapiro, an actor known for the Netflix hit “Never Have I Ever,” said many actors were initially content to accept lower pay for the plethora of roles that streaming suddenly offered. But the need for a more sustainable compensation model gained urgency when it became clear streaming is not a sideshow, but rather the future of the business, he said.
“Over the past 10 years, we realized: ‘Oh, that’s now how Hollywood works. Everything is streaming,’” Shapiro said during a recent union event.
Shapiro, who has been acting for 25 years, said he agreed to a contract offering 20% of his normal rate for “Never Have I Ever” because it seemed like “a great opportunity, and it’s going to be all over the world. And it was. It really was. Unfortunately, we’re all starting to realize that if we keep doing this we’re not going to be able to pay our bills.”
Then there’s the rising use of “mini rooms,” in which a handful of writers are hired to work only during pre-production, sometimes for a series that may take a year to be greenlit, or never get picked up at all.
Sanchez-Witzel, co-creator of the recently released Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest,” said television shows traditionally hire robust writing teams for the duration of production. But Netflix refused to allow her to keep her team of five writers past pre-production, forcing round-the-clock work on rewrites with just one other writer.
“It’s not sustainable and I’ll never do that again,” she said.
Sanchez-Witzel said she was struck by the similarities between her experience and those of UPS drivers, some of whom joined the WGA for protests as they threatened their own potentially crippling strike. UPS and the Teamsters last week reached a tentative contract staving off the strike.
Jeffrey Palmerino, a full-time UPS driver near Albany, New York, said forced overtime emerged as a top issue during the pandemic as drivers coped with a crush of orders on par with the holiday season. Drivers never knew what time they would get home or if they could count on two days off each week, while 14-hour days in trucks without air conditioning became the norm.
“It was basically like Christmas on steroids for two straight years. A lot of us were forced to work six days a week, and that is not any way to live your life,” said Palmerino, a Teamsters shop steward.
Along with pay raises and air conditioning, the Teamsters won concessions that Palmerino hopes will ease overwork. UPS agreed to end forced overtime on days off and eliminate a lower-paid category of drivers who work shifts that include weekends, converting them to full-time drivers. Union members have yet to ratify the deal.
The Teamsters and labor activists hailed the tentative deal as a game-changer that would pressure other companies facing labor unrest to raise their standards. But similar outcomes are far from certain in industries lacking the sheer economic indispensability of UPS or the clout of its 340,000-member union.
Efforts to organize at Starbucks and Amazon stalled as both companies aggressively fought against unionization.
Still, labor protests will likely gain momentum following the UPS contract, said Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, which released a report this year that found the number of labor strikes rose 52% in 2022.
“The whole idea that consumer convenience is above everything broke down during the pandemic. We started to think, ‘I’m at home ordering, but there is actually a worker who has to go the grocery store, who has to cook this for me so that I can be comfortable,’” Campos-Medina said. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/customers-want-instant-gratification-workers-say-theyre-on-the-brink/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:44 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/customers-want-instant-gratification-workers-say-theyre-on-the-brink/ |
Forester Wilderness Ad Showcases 'A Beautiful Silence' and Partnership with the National Park Foundation
CAMDEN, N.J., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today unveiled a new creative spot focused on the automaker's efforts to expand access to the outdoors for all. Featuring the all-new 2023 Subaru Forester Wilderness, the advertisement stars Keivonn Woodard, the Emmy-nominated, 10-year-old Deaf actor and showcases the automaker's long-standing partnership with the National Park Foundation.
In the creative, titled "A Beautiful Silence," a father and his young son, who is Deaf, drive through Yosemite National Park, with the wonders of the park's beauty surrounding them. Featuring audio elements and American Sign Language (ASL), the spot shows how the pair experience the park's natural wonders in different ways, but share the special feeling that nature brings forth.
"The outdoors are for everyone, and whether it's a trip to a national park or a walk in the woods, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience its beauty," said Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. "Through our partnership with the National Park Foundation and our commitment to making safe and capable vehicles like the Forester Wilderness, we're hoping that even more people will be inspired to explore the wonders of nature, just like the father and son in our new creative."
Through the National Park Foundation's Outdoor Exploration initiative and ParkVentures program, Subaru is helping more people create life-long relationships with the outdoors. The campaign seeks to make the outdoors more accessible to communities that have been historically excluded from parks, either through a community's physical presence on public lands or through the narrative of who belongs outdoors.
Last year, with support from Subaru, ParkVentures supported the efforts of more than 55 organizations to connect more people, including those with differing abilities, to meaningful experiences in United States national parks. Subaru also developed a direct relationship with ParkVentures grantee Black People Who Hike, which aims to help address the lack of representation in parks by empowering, educating and engaging Black people in the outdoors. Subaru provided the vehicles, gear, and experiences for an enhanced retreat in Acadia National Park to help create safe, welcoming spaces and cultivate lasting relationships with the outdoors.
Subaru is the largest corporate donor to the National Park Foundation and has provided over $70 million to organizations working to conserve national parks. To learn more about the automaker's partnership with National Park Foundation and over 20 years of environmentally focused initiatives, please visit Subaru.com/earth.
The new Subaru Forester Wilderness spot, created in collaboration with agency partner Carmichael Lynch, celebrates the automaker's devotion to adventure and environmental stewardship. Beginning today, "A Beautiful Silence" will run in 30-second format on national television and be featured in 15-second format in targeted digital and social media promotions throughout August, while a 60-second version will be available on YouTube.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $300 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 88,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Media Contacts:
Diane Anton
Corporate Communications Manager
(856) 488-5093
danton@subaru.com
Adam Leiter
Corporate Communications Specialist
(856) 488-8668
aleiter@subaru.com
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SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc. | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/new-subaru-creative-celebrates-access-outdoors-all/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:45 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/new-subaru-creative-celebrates-access-outdoors-all/ |
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Frank Clark has reunited with Russell Wilson in Denver and now the outside linebacker has former teammate Patrick Mahomes in his sights instead.
The 30-year-old outside linebacker signed with Denver after being jettisoned by the Kansas City Chiefs in a cost-cutting move this offseason and the Broncos are counting on him to add some oomph to their pass rush.
Still in the AFC West, Clark gets two opportunities at beating his former team this season, something the Broncos haven’t done since 2015. Their 15-game skid against the Chiefs is the fourth longest by one team to a single opponent in NFL history.
Unlike his reunion with Wilson, revenge and rivalry aren’t top of mind for Clark as he embraces his fresh start in the Rocky Mountains.
“I wouldn’t call it a rivalry. A rivalry is competitive,” Clark interjected in his first public comments since signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Denver last month. “I’m (with) the Broncos now. I’ve been on the other side. We didn’t call it a rivalry then.”
And before anyone around Denver can call it that the Broncos will have to beat Mahomes, something they have a better shot at doing with Clark on their side.
The Chiefs parted ways with Clark just a year after signing him to a two-year, $30 million extension. The Broncos haven’t had a fearsome pass rush since trading Von Miller two years ago. And with Baron Browning sidelined by a knee injury and Randy Gregory coming off an injury-filled debut season in Denver, first-year head coach Sean Payton eagerly welcomed the veteran with 58 1/2 sacks.
Clark had 23 1/2 sacks in four seasons in Kansas City and another 10 1/2 in the playoffs, helping the Chiefs go 10-2 in the postseason and make three trips to the Super Bowl.
“What we did in Kansas City was special,” Clark said. “Four-year run, two Super Bowl (rings), three AFC titles. It was fun, but at the end of the day all good things come to an end.”
Bad things, too, he hopes. Such as Denver’s 15-game skid to the Chiefs.
One thing Clark insists isn’t nearing the finish line in his proclivity for getting after the passer even though his five sacks in 2022 and two-game suspension for gun possession incidents a year earlier meant an end to his three-year run as a Pro Bowler.
“I wouldn’t say it was the end” in Kansas City last season, Clark said. “It’s never the end when you get the job finished.”
Now he aims to help the Broncos and Wilson bounce back in 2023.
“He’s still dangerous. Don’t get it twisted,” Clark said of Wilson, whom he played with in Seattle from 2015-18. “Russ is a veteran. He’s a guy that’s won on multiple levels. … I was a part of Seahawks teams that were successful; I was a part of teams where we didn’t make the playoffs. But it was the same Russ.
“So don’t think a bad season’s going to shake a guy like Russ,” Clark added. “Naw, bro, we start fresh every year. Every summer’s a fresh start.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ex-chiefs-linebacker-frank-clark-reunites-with-russell-wilson-in-denver/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:47 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-ex-chiefs-linebacker-frank-clark-reunites-with-russell-wilson-in-denver/ |
Medical cannabis patients worried shift in oversight will dampen their voices
(KSTP) – Beginning Tuesday, recreational marijuana will be legal in Minnesota and the current Medical Cannabis Task Force, which helps oversee the medical cannabis program, will be disbanded and replaced by a new, 50-member Recreational Cannabis Advisory Council, which only has three members connected to the medical cannabis program.
Patrick McClellan is a medical cannabis patient who helped write the current law that created the Minnesota medical cannabis program. McClellan told our sister station, ABC Twin Cities affiliate, KSTP-TV that he’s concerned the dissolution of the Medical Cannabis Task Force will leave the state’s 40,000 medical cannabis patients on the sidelines with their voices not being heard.
“The Cannabis Task Force has given patients direct access to the people who ran the medical cannabis program and also to the legislature that oversees it,” said McClellan. “This is a very important issue. Minnesota’s medical cannabis patients are the most vulnerable users of these products. Their voices should be amplified. Not muted.”
State Sen. Mark Koran, R-North Branch, co-chaired the Medical Cannabis Task Force. Koran says he shares the same concerns about cannabis patients and their needs getting drowned out by the new push to make recreational marijuana a success.
“The voices have been removed,” Koran said. “And so we’ll lose the medical expertise, and to me, that’s a sad outcome of this, the disregard. If they could have gotten rid of medicinal cannabis, I think they would have.”
Koran also said the recreational market could also lead to the demise of the medical cannabis program.
“The recreational market will likely kill a real medicinal market. And what you lose with that is someone who’s medically trained to help you understand its benefits,” said Koran. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/medical-cannabis-patients-worried-shift-in-oversight-will-dampen-their-voices/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:49 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/medical-cannabis-patients-worried-shift-in-oversight-will-dampen-their-voices/ |
(The Hill) – Dozens of former Cabinet officials under former President Trump’s administration declined to publicly support the former president’s third bid for the White House, NBC News reported.
NBC News reached out to 44 people who previously served in Trump’s Cabinet during his four years in office to gauge whether they would support the former president during the 2024 presidential election. The outlet reported that most of the people declined to comment or ignored the requests and that only four said publicly they would support Trump for the presidency.
Trump’s Cabinet saw a higher rate of turnover compared with many of his predecessors, with many new officials rotating in and out of his administration over the four years. The only four former Cabinet members who NBC News reached out to who said they would support Trump are former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, former chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought and former acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell.
A spokesperson for Meadows told NBC News that he “fully” supports Trump. In May, Vought posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, that the former president is “the only person I trust to take a wrecking ball to the Deep State.”
Other former administration officials were reluctant to support Trump or have publicly said they will not support him. Former Attorney General Bill Barr told NBC News that he opposes Trump getting the 2024 GOP nomination but declined whether to say he would support him in the general election if pitted against President Biden.
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Former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney also said that he does not want Trump to get the Republican nomination for president.
“I am working hard to make sure that someone else is the nominee,” Mulvaney told NBC News. “I think he’s the Republican who is most likely to lose in a general election, of all our leading candidates. If anyone can lose to Joe Biden, it would be him.”
Other former officials who have not endorsed Trump yet include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, former chief of staff John Kelly and Joseph Maguire and Dan Coats, who each once served as director of national intelligence. Coats told NBC News that he would be supporting former Vice President Mike Pence for the GOP primary.
The Hill has reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/dozens-of-former-trump-cabinet-officials-wont-publicly-support-his-2024-bid/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:50 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/dozens-of-former-trump-cabinet-officials-wont-publicly-support-his-2024-bid/ |
Proceeds to Continue Advancing Community Goals and Vital Life-Saving Initiatives for New Yorkers In Need
NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In just six months of sales, Housing Works Cannabis Co, a CAURD licensee and the first adult-use cannabis dispensary in the state of New York, has directed millions in cannabis proceeds toward some of New York City's most urgent community needs. As part of parent organization Housing Works, the dispensary's sales proceeds go directly to helping New Yorkers with healthcare, housing, job training, harm reduction, case management, advocacy for health equity and social justice initiatives, LGBTQ+ youth programs and sexual health services.
"Our goal, going back over 30 years ago through Housing Works, has been to empower New Yorkers through advocacy and bridge communities to life saving services," said Sasha Nutgent, Retail Manager at Housing Works Cannabis Co. "From the resources we've rolled out, to the brands we carefully select for our customers, everything we do here has a greater purpose and we're humbled to see the support our mission is receiving."
Sales & Consumer Trends
Within three hours of opening on Dec. 29, 2022, Housing Works Cannabis Co saw an estimated $40,000 in sales—amounting to over $1.6 million in the first month and an estimated $12 million in the first six months of operations. Conversion rates, sales and customer retention continue to be strong, with as many as 1,000 unique visitors on busy days.
Consumer trend insights from the Housing Works Cannabis Co team show that customers continue to make decisions based on potency, reflecting a need for more education on cannabis and its numerous uses. New Yorkers and tourists alike also tend to prefer sativa and sativa-leaning hybrid strains, with flower representing the top-selling product category. In addition, the team also found that those who come in seeking edibles typically look for products that promote sleep and mitigate anxiety.
Menu Expansion
More recently, the dispensary added 200 new products to its menu, bringing more options from queer-, BIPOC- and women-owned and led companies into the store for customers to discover. Housing Works Cannabis Co currently carries seven social equity brands, with more coming soon.
"One unforeseen challenge and a pain point for both retailers and customers has been product rollout," said Nutgent. "There have been major improvements with the state's product testing timeline, for example, but the feedback we still hear from some Black-owned brands is that there is not enough funding to get their products into the market."
Last month, Housing Works Cannabis Co introduced its first Black-owned brand, Brelixi—which is also woman- and queer-owned—onto its shelves. Other social equity brands include Fat Nell (women-led), The Weekenders (BIPOC-owned and -led), as well as Flamer and Drew Martin (queer-owned).
Delivery Service
With accessibility as another focal point for the nonprofit, Housing Works Cannabis Co also became the first legal cannabis delivery service to launch in the state. Handled fully in-house thanks to 30+ years of Housing Works' experience through its thrift furniture donation and pick-up program, deliveries currently account for about 5-7% of sales.
Spanning select ZIP codes in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, anyone over the age of 21+ with a valid ID can secure same-day and next-day delivery slots directly on Housing Works Cannabis Co's website.
"We've seen our delivery programs over the years forge meaningful and trusting relationships between our staff and thrift store patrons," said Charles King, CEO of Housing Works. "To see the same positive dynamic emerge between customers and budtenders reflects our roots in the city, our deep understanding of New York City culture and the community trust we continue to nurture."
For more information on Housing Works Cannabis Co, please visit: hwcannabis.co
About Housing Works Cannabis Co
Housing Works Cannabis Co is a recipient of New York State's CAURD social equity license initiative and the first legal cannabis dispensary to open in the state. Founded in 2022 as a bold new extension of Housing Works' established retail outlets—which include thrift store locations across the city and a bookstore in SoHo—proceeds from Housing Works Cannabis Co go directly to the nonprofit organization's mission to end social injustices through the provisioning of lifesaving services and relentless advocacy. For thirty years, Housing Works has provided housing, healthcare and other critical services to New Yorkers affected by AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse and criminal justice system involvement. The Housing Works Cannabis Co not only generates additional funding for these services, it does so while modeling the positive role cannabis can play in our communities. Learn more at hwcannabis.co
Media Contact:
Martha N. Marshall
Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency
martha@mygrasslands.com
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SOURCE Housing Works | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nonprofit-housing-works-cannabis-co-garners-12-million-sales-during-first-six-months-operation-new-york/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:51 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nonprofit-housing-works-cannabis-co-garners-12-million-sales-during-first-six-months-operation-new-york/ |
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers is sticking by his offensive coordinator and firing his hardest throw of the summer at Sean Payton.
The Jets quarterback was bothered by critical comments Payton, the Denver Broncos’ head coach, recently made about offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Payton told USA Today for a story published Thursday that Hackett’s 15-game stint with the Broncos last season ”was one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.″
Payton also said there were “20 dirty hands” around Russell Wilson’s career-worst season, and took some shots at the Jets — Hackett’s new team where he and Rodgers are reunited after enjoying success together in Green Bay.
“It made me feel bad that someone who has accomplished a lot in the league is that insecure that they have to take another man down to set themselves up for some sort of easy fall if it doesn’t go well for that team this year,” Rodgers told NFL Network on Sunday. “I think it was way out of line, inappropriate, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.”
Rodgers, acquired by New York in April from Green Bay, said Hackett is “arguably my favorite coach I’ve ever had in the NFL.” The pair was together for two of Rodgers’ four NFL MVP awards in 2020 and 2021 with the Packers.
During the interview with USA Today’s Jarrett Bell, Payton also criticized the Jets being the latest NFL team “trying to win the offseason” — something he said the Broncos under Hackett tried to do and were “embarrassed.”
Jets coach Robert Saleh said Thursday “Hackett’s doing a phenomenal job here” when asked about Payton’s comments. He also said the Jets are just focused on themselves, but recognizes “there’s a lot of people that are hatin’ on us and a lot of people looking for us to fail.”
Payton on Friday said he regretted his comments in which he disparaged Hackett, and said he would reach out to Hackett and Saleh “at the right time” to do so.
“Listen, I had one of those moments where I still had my Fox hat on and not my coaching hat,” said Payton, who’s returning to the sideline this season after a year’s sabbatical during which he worked as a studio football analyst for Fox Sports following a 15-year stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Rodgers told NFL Network he thought Payton’s initial comments “were very surprising, for a coach to do that to another coach.”
Meanwhile, the back-and-forth made the Jets’ matchup in Denver in Week 5 on Oct. 8 a bit juicier. Payton acknowledged Friday his comments “certainly will bring more interest to the game when we play them, but that seems like years from now.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, contributed.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jets-aaron-rodgers-defends-nathaniel-hackett-and-fires-back-at-the-broncos-sean-payton/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:54 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jets-aaron-rodgers-defends-nathaniel-hackett-and-fires-back-at-the-broncos-sean-payton/ |
Mar-a-Lago worker charged in Trump’s classified documents case will make his 1st court appearance
MIAMI (AP) — An employee of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Carlos De Oliveira, is expected to make his first court appearance Monday on charges accusing him of scheming with the former president to hide security footage from investigators probing Trump’s hoarding of classified documents.
De Oliveira, Mar-a-Lago’s property manager, was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the former president’s valet, Walt Nauta, in the federal case alleging a plot to illegally keep top-secret records at Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, estate and thwart government efforts to retrieve them.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators. He’s scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge in Miami nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
De Oliveira’s attorney, John Irving, said Monday that his client hadn’t yet found a Florida-based attorney — a requirement that had delayed Nauta’s arraignment previously — and cautioned that De Oliveira’s arraignment could also be delayed.
The developments in the classified documents case come as Trump braces for possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election. Trump, the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, has received a letter from Smith indicating that he is a target of that investigation, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week.
An attorney for De Oliveira declined last week to comment on the allegations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and said the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform last week that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents Trump took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of notional defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say De Oliveira asked a information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of, “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That same day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
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Richer reported from Boston.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-will-make-his-1st-court-appearance/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:55 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-will-make-his-1st-court-appearance/ |
DENVER (AP) — As Denver neared triple-digit temperatures, Ben Gallegos sat shirtless on his porch swatting flies off his legs and spritzing himself with a misting fan to try to get through the heat. Gallegos, like many in the nation’s poorest neighborhoods, doesn’t have air conditioning.
The 68-year-old covers his windows with mattress foam to insulate against the heat and sleeps in the concrete basement. He knows high temperatures can cause heat stroke and death, and his lung condition makes him more susceptible. But the retired brick layer, who survives on about $1,000 a month largely from Social Security, says air conditioning is out of reach.
“Take me about 12 years to save up for something like that,” he said. “If it’s hard to breathe, I’ll get down to emergency.”
As climate change fans hotter and longer heat waves, breaking record temperatures across the U.S. and leaving dozens dead, the poorest Americans suffer the hottest days with the fewest defenses. Air conditioning, once a luxury, is now a matter of survival.
As Phoenix weathered its 27th consecutive day above 110 degrees (43 Celsius) Wednesday, the nine who died indoors didn’t have functioning air conditioning, or it was turned off. Last year, all 86 heat-related deaths indoors were in uncooled environments.
“To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills,” said Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington professor who researches heat and health. “Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
It’s the poorest and people of color, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face grueling heat without air conditioning, according to a Boston University analysis of 115 U.S. metros.
“The temperature differences … between lower-income neighborhoods, neighborhoods of color and their wealthier, whiter counterparts have pretty severe consequences,” said Cate Mingoya-LaFortune of Groundwork USA, an environmental justice organization. “There are these really big consequences like death. … But there’s also ambient misery.”
Some have window units that can offer respite, but “in the dead of heat, it don’t do nothing,” said Melody Clark, who stopped Friday to get food at a nonprofit in Kansas City, Kansas, as temperatures soared to 101, and high humidity made it feel like 109. When the central air conditioning at her rental house went on the fritz, her landlord installed a window unit. But it doesn’t do much during the day.
So the 45-year-old wets her hair, cooks outside on a propane grill and keeps the lights off indoors. She’s taken the bus to the library to cool off. At night she flips the box unit on, hauling her bed into the room where it’s located to sleep.
As far as her two teenagers, she said: “They aren’t little bitty. We aren’t dying in the heat. … They don’t complain.”
While billions in federal funding have been allocated to subsidize utility costs and the installation of cooling systems, experts say they often only support a fraction of the most vulnerable families and some still require prohibitive upfront costs. Installing a centralized heat pump system for heating and cooling can easily reach $25,000.
President Joe Biden announced steps on Thursday to defend against extreme heat, highlighting the expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which funnels money through states to help poorer households pay utility bills.
While the program is critical, said Michelle Graff, who studies the subsidy at Cleveland State University, only about 16% of the nation’s eligible population is actually reached. Nearly half of states don’t offer the federal dollars for summer cooling.
“So people are engaging in coping mechanisms, like they’re turning on their air conditioners later and leaving their homes hotter,” Graff said.
While frigid temperatures and high heating bills birthed the term “heat or eat,” she said, “we can now transition to AC or eat, where people are going to have to make difficult decisions.”
As temperatures rise, so does the cost of cooling. And temperatures are already hotter in America’s low-income neighborhoods like Gallegos’ Denver suburb of Globeville, where people live along stretches of asphalt and concrete that hold heat like a cast-iron skillet. Surface temperatures there can be roughly 8 degrees hotter than in Denver’s wealthier neighborhoods, where a sea of vegetation cools the area, according to the environmental advocacy group American Forests.
This disparity plays out nationwide. Researchers at the University of San Diego analyzed 1,056 counties and in over 70%, the poorest areas and those with higher Black, Hispanic and Asian populations were significantly hotter.
About one in 10 U.S. households have no air conditioning, a disparity compounded for marginalized groups, according to a study by the Brookings Institution. Less than 4% of Detroit’s white households don’t have air conditioning; it’s 15% for Black households.
At noon on Friday, Katrice Sullivan sat on the porch of her rented house on Detroit’s westside. It was hot and muggy, but even steamier inside the house. Even if she had air conditioning, Sullivan said she’d choose her moments to run it to keep her electricity bill down.
The 37-year-old factory worker pours water on her head, freezes towels to put around her neck, and sits in her car with the air conditioner on. “Some people here spend every dollar for food, so air conditioning is something they can’t afford,” she said.
Shannon Lewis, 38, lived in her Detroit home for nearly 20 years without air conditioning. Lewis’s bedroom was the only place with a window unit, so she’d squeeze her teenager, 8-year-old and 3-year-old-twins into her queen-size bed to sleep, eat meals and watch television.
“So it was like cool in one room and a heat stroke in another,” Lewis said. For the first time, Lewis now has air conditioning through a local non-profit, she said. “We don’t have to sleep or eat in the same room, we are able to come out, sit at the dining room table, eat like a family.”
After at least 54 died during a 2021 heat wave, mostly elderly people without air conditioning, in the Portland area, Oregon passed a law prohibiting landlords from placing blanket bans on air conditioning units. By and large, however, states don’t have laws requiring landlords to provide cooling.
In the federal Inflation Reduction Act, billions were set aside for tax credits and rebates to help families install energy-efficient cooling systems, but some of those are yet to be available. For people like Gallegos, who doesn’t pay taxes, the available credits are worthless.
The law also offers rebates, the kind of state and federal point-of-sale discounts that Amanda Morian has looked into for her 640-square-foot home.
Morian, who has a 13-week-old baby susceptible to hot weather, is desperate to keep her house in Denver’s Globeville suburb cool. She bought thermal curtains, ceiling fans and runs a window unit. At night she tries to do skin-to-skin touch to regulate the baby’s body temperature. When the back door opens in the afternoon, she said, the indoor temperature jumps a degree.
“All of those are just to take the edge off, it’s not enough to actually make it cool. It’s enough to keep us from dying,” she said.
She got estimates from four different companies for installing a cooling system, but every project was between $20,000 and $25,000, she said. Even with subsidies she can’t afford it.
“I’m finding that you have to afford the project in the first place and then it’s like having a bonus coupon to take $5,000 off of the sticker price,” she said.
Lucy Molina, a single mom in Commerce City, one of Denver’s poorest areas, said her home has reached 107 degrees without air conditioning. Nearby, Molina’s two teenage children slurped popsicles to cool off, lingering in front of the open freezer.
For Molina, who bustled around her kitchen on a recent day when temperatures reached 99 degrees outdoors, it’s hard to see any path to a cooling respite.
“We’re just too poor,” she said. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/were-just-too-poor-record-heat-waves-reveal-plight-of-americans-without-air-conditioning/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:56 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/were-just-too-poor-record-heat-waves-reveal-plight-of-americans-without-air-conditioning/ |
HOUSTON (AP) — Quarterback C.J. Stroud, taken second overall in this year’s draft, isn’t worried that the Panthers picked No. 1 selection Bryce Young as their starter on Day 1 of training camp while the Houston Texans are making him compete for the job.
“I’m happy for him, but his situation is his situation, and my situation is mine,” Stroud said Sunday. “So, I know that I’ve got to work on my end and do whatever I’ve got to do to make this team better. It’s not about the starter (or) who’s not the starter, it’s about getting better for Week 1 against Baltimore.”
Stroud is vying with Davis Mills to be the team’s quarterback. The Texans have split first-team snaps between the two in the first few days of camp.
Houston drafted Stroud after Mills struggled as the team’s starter for the past two years after Deshaun Watson sat out following a trade request before being shipped to Cleveland before last season.
Mills went 5-22-1 in 28 games, including 26 starts, as the Texans were among the NFL’s worst teams.
Stroud is just the third quarterback the Texans have drafted in the first round, joining Watson, taken 12th in 2017 and David Carr, the team’s first draft pick who was taken first overall in 2002.
After using such a high pick on Stroud it’s hard to imagine that he won’t end up as the team’s starter. But for now, new coach DeMeco Ryans is adamant that it’s an open competition between the former Ohio State star and Mills.
While Ryans won’t answer questions about what Stroud will have to do to win the job, he’s had plenty to say about the dedication the 21-year-old has shown since joining the team.
“What you see about C.J. is the work and preparation that he does when he’s not here,” Ryans said. “He’s a true football junkie. He loves football, always watching football, always asking for extra cut-ups from our coaches. I’m so impressed with the mental part of him and just how much he loves the game of football. When a guy has that much love for the game of football, he’s (only) going to continue to get better.”
Stroud was a two-year starter for Ohio State, where he threw for 8,123 yards with 85 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions as the Buckeyes went 21-4. His 85 touchdowns over two seasons broke a Big Ten record held by Drew Brees.
Despite competing with Mills for the job, the rookie said that he and fellow quarterback Case Keenum have both helped him a lot as he’s made the jump from college to the pros.
“I’ve learned everything from Davis,” Stroud said. “Davis and Case are great vets. And just because we may be competing against each other, doesn’t mean that we’re not going to learn from each other. I’ve had a really great time being in the room with those guys.”
Stroud certainly knows what’s at stake for him in this camp, but he’s trying not to let the competition change how he approaches his job day to day.
“I feel like when you try to have a different mindset you confuse yourself,” he said. “So, for me, I just try to keep my head down and I work — just try to work harder and harder every day. Just trying to … be the best person I can be on and off the field.”
As Stroud prepares for his first NFL season, he certainly has plenty of goals. However, his approach to goals has never been to list only lofty, far down the road ones.
“I have goals written down,” he said. “I did it in college and I’ll do it now. But I have a lot of things that I put down, like really small goals. I think the more you can accomplish small goals in your life, the big ones can come kind of natural. And they come as you get the small ones checked off.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-no-2-pick-stroud-competes-with-mills-for-starting-qb-job-with-houston-texans/ | 2023-07-31T12:32:55 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-no-2-pick-stroud-competes-with-mills-for-starting-qb-job-with-houston-texans/ |
First new nuclear unit in three decades is now online, providing safe, reliable,emission-free energy for electric cooperative consumers
TUCKER, Ga., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Oglethorpe Power, on behalf of the Georgia electric cooperatives it serves, commended the safe and successful achievement of commercial operation for Plant Vogtle Unit 3, which marks a historic accomplishment for the energy industry, the state of Georgia and the entire nation. Now in service, the Unit is available for safe and reliable dispatch and will provide emission-free, baseload power for Georgians for the next 60 to 80 years.
"Nuclear energy is increasingly important to the clean energy transition, and Oglethorpe Power's significant ownership in the Vogtle construction project is a testament to the important investments we're making that drive us toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future," said Oglethorpe Power President & CEO Mike Smith. "We understand the importance of keeping the lights on in a way that preserves both affordability and reliability – and we are proud that the clean energy generated by Unit 3 will help us deliver on that mission for years to come."
Nuclear power is a reliable, baseload energy resource. Unit 3 can generate emission-free electricity at full power 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When Unit 4 enters service, emission-free nuclear energy will account for nearly half of the energy Oglethorpe Power generates for its member cooperatives and the 4.4 million Georgians they serve. The company's investment in the new nuclear units underscores its commitment to fuel diversity and price stability.
As one of the largest clean energy projects in the nation, Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 represent the first advanced commercial nuclear project in the United States in more than thirty years. Once Unit 4 reaches commercial operation, Plant Vogtle will become the largest producer of emission-free energy in the United States.
"Oglethorpe Power commends the efforts of the dedicated men and women who make up the Plant Vogtle workforce. With Unit 3 online and operating safely, homes and businesses across Georgia will be powered by reliable, emission-free nuclear energy for decades," added Smith. "Additionally, with the recent receipt of the 103(g) finding for Unit 4, the site has achieved another critical milestone toward loading fuel, which means we are one step closer to Unit 4 joining Unit 3 in safe commercial operation."
Learn more at opc.com/nuclear.
About Oglethorpe Power
Oglethorpe Power is one of the nation's largest power supply cooperatives with more than $16 billion in assets serving 38 Electric Membership Corporations which, collectively, provide electricity to approximately 4.4 million Georgia residents. A proponent of conscientious energy development and use, Oglethorpe Power balances reliable and affordable energy with environmental responsibility and has an outstanding record of regulatory compliance. Its diverse energy portfolio includes natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric and coal generating plants with a combined capacity of more than 7,800 megawatts. Oglethorpe Power was established in 1974 and is owned by its 38 member systems. Its headquarters are in Tucker, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. For more information, visit www.opc.com.
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RFK Jr. says he’s not anti-vaccine. His record shows the opposite. It’s one of many inconsistencies
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic because of his strident opposition to vaccines. Yet, he insists he’s not anti-vaccine. He has associated with influential people on the far right – including Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn – to raise his profile. Yet, he portrays himself as a true Democrat inheriting the mantle of the Kennedy family.
As he challenges President Joe Biden, the stories he tells on the campaign trail about himself, his life’s work and what he stands for are often the opposite of what his record actually shows.
Though Kennedy’s primary challenge to a sitting president is widely considered a long-shot, he’s been sucking up media attention due to his famous name and the possibility that his run could weaken Biden ahead of what is expected to be a close general election in 2024. He’s drawn praise from Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Meanwhile, Trump supporters, including his longtime ally Roger Stone, have ginned up interest by floating a Trump-Kennedy unity ticket.
Debra Duvall, 62, who lives in Fort Myers, Florida, and said she serves on the Lee County GOP executive committee, described herself as a longtime Trump supporter, but said she’s torn for 2024.
“I’ll take Trump or RFK. Either one,” she said, explaining that she was drawn to both because she believes they can’t be bought.
That kind of support has demonstrated some of the contradictions in Kennedy’s candidacy. He has said he wants to “reclaim” the Democratic Party, while aligning himself with far right figures who have worked to subvert American democracy. He touts his credentials as an environmentalist, yet pushes bitcoin — a cryptocurrency that requires massive amounts of electricity from supercomputers to generate new coins, prompting most environmental advocates to loudly oppose it.
And though he peppers his speeches, podcast appearances and campaign materials with invocations of the Democratic Party legacies of his uncle President John F. Kennedy and his father Robert F. Kennedy, his relatives have distanced themselves from him and even denounced him.
“He’s trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame,” Jack Schlossberg, President Kennedy’s grandson, said of his cousin in an Instagram video earlier this month. “I’ve listened to him. I know him. I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is, his candidacy is an embarrassment.”
Kennedy’s recent comments that COVID-19 could have been “ethnically targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people — which he denies were antisemitic but concedes he should have worded more carefully — also drew a condemnation from his sister, Kerry Kennedy.
The contradictions between what Kennedy says and his track record were nowhere more apparent than when he testified before a congressional committee this month at the invitation of Republican members.
Anti-vaccine activists, some who work for Kennedy’s nonprofit group Children’s Health Defense, sat in the rows behind him, watching as he insisted “I have never been anti-vaxx. I have never told the public to avoid vaccination.”
But that’s not true. Again and again, Kennedy has made his opposition to vaccines clear. Just this month, Kennedy said in a podcast interview that “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective” and told FOX News that he still believes in the long-ago debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism. In a 2021 podcast he urged people to “resist” CDC guidelines on when kids should get vaccines.
“I see somebody on a hiking trail carrying a little baby and I say to him, better not get them vaccinated,” Kennedy said.
That same year, in a video promoting and anti-vaccine sticker campaign by his nonprofit, Kennedy appeared onscreen next to one sticker that declared “IF YOU’RE NOT AN ANTI-VAXXER YOU AREN’T PAYING ATTENTION.”
A close examination of Kennedy’s campaign finance filings shows that the anti-vaccine movement lies at the heart of his campaign.
Several of his campaign staff and consultants have worked for his anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, including Mary Holland, the group’s president on leave, campaign spokeswoman Stefanie Spear, and Zen Honeycutt, who hosted a show for the group’s TV channel, CHD TV.
Children’s Health Defense currently has a lawsuit pending against a number of news organizations, among them The Associated Press, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.
The campaign paid KFP Consulting, a Texas-based company run by Del Bigtree, head of the anti-vaccine group ICAN, and a leading voice in the movement, more than $13,000 for communications consulting, the AP found. Bigtree appeared to still be working for the campaign last week, when an AP reporter saw him helping facilitate a Kennedy event in New York.
Kennedy also has received substantial support from activists who have spread misinformation about the coronavirus and vaccines, including Steve Kirsch, an entrepreneur who has falsely claimed COVID-19 vaccines kill more people than they save, chiropractors Patrick Flynn and Kevin Stillwagon, and others.
Ty and Charlene Bollinger, who run an anti-vaccine business and who the AP has previously reported have had a financial relationship with Kennedy, gave more than $6,000. The couple, along with Kennedy’s communication consultant Bigtree, were involved in hosting a rally near the Capitol on Jan. 6, and Ty Bollinger has said he was among the people who crowded at the Capitol doors in an attempt to get inside, though he said he did not enter.
American Values 2024, a super PAC supporting Kennedy, is run by close associates to Kennedy who have propped up anti-vaccine ideas — the former head of the New York chapter of Children’s Health Defense John Gilmore is its CEO and Kennedy’s publisher Tony Lyons is its co-chair.
The Kennedy campaign did not return emails seeking comment about a number of questions, including how he can say he is not anti-vaccine given his record and his support from anti-vaccine activists.
Kennedy’s run is also getting plenty of financial support from the right. A super PAC supporting Kennedy’s presidential run, called Heal the Divide PAC, has deep ties to Republicans, F ederal Election Commission records show.
The committee’s address is listed in the care of RTA Strategy, a campaign consulting firm that has been paid for its work to help elect Republicans including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and the former Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker.
The PAC’s treasurer, who works for RTA Strategy, is Jason Boles, a past donor to Trump and many other Republicans who includes “MAGA” and “AmericaFirst” in his bio on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Kennedy denied knowing Boles or the Heal the Divide PAC when it came up at the congressional hearing, saying, “I’ve never heard of Mr. Boles, and I’ve never heard of that super PAC.”
But video available online shows he was a guest speaker at a Heal the Divide event just two days earlier. The video features a “Heal the Divide 2024” logo with clips of him speaking at length about plans to back the U.S. dollar with bitcoin and precious metals.
Kennedy says that as president, he would fight for government honesty and transparency, heal the political divide, reverse economic decline, end war and preserve civil liberties. He has made freedom of speech a major part of his platform, arguing that the government’s communication with social media companies unfairly censors protected speech.
Kennedy’s press office did not respond to several messages asking about his support from the far right.
It also did not respond to questions about whether his stance on bitcoin was at odds with being an environmentalist.
Kennedy lists the environment as one of six top priorities on his campaign website and has spent many years speaking against pollution and climate change as an environmental lawyer. Yet he has made supporting the energy-intensive cryptocurrency bitcoin a key part of his platform.
Bitcoin mining, the process of generating new coins, uses massive amounts of electricity — more than some entire countries use, said Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group.
That’s because it works by tasking a network of supercomputers with solving complex mathematical puzzles — even as some other cryptocurrencies have adopted far more energy efficient mining methods.
“No one who claims to be an environmentalist could support a digital asset that needlessly consumes more electricity than all Americans use to power the lights in our homes,” Faber said. “In fact, bitcoin produces more climate pollution than any other digital asset.”
Despite the environmental downsides of bitcoin, some Democrats, including elected officials, have advocated for the currency.
Kennedy, for his part, told a crowd at Bitcoin 2023 that environmentalists like himself “will continue to pressure you to improve.” Online, he has promoted the argument that demand for bitcoin will boost investment in new renewable energy projects.
Regardless, his financial disclosure documents show he has already personally invested between $100,001 and $250,000 in bitcoin, and he promised at Bitcoin 2023 that he wouldn’t let the environmental argument hinder the currency’s use.
“As president, I will make sure that your right to hold and use bitcoin is inviolable,” he said.
During the past several years, Kennedy has cultivated his ties to the far right. He has appeared on Infowars, the channel run by Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. He has granted interviews to Trump ally Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson. After he headlined a stop on the ReAwaken America Tour, the Christian nationalist road show put together by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, he was photographed backstage with Flynn, Charlene Bollinger and Trump ally Roger Stone.
Those appearances have led to goodwill on the right, and he has found enthusiastic support among a segment of Trump’s base, with some suggesting him as a potential vice presidential pick.
At a July 1 rally in the tiny town of Pickens, South Carolina, Adrian Palashevsky – a small businessman who described himself as more of a “libertarian” than a Republican – posited a unity ticket, with Kennedy as his top pick for Trump’s VP.
“I think they would get along just fine,” he said. “They’re both anti-establishment, and that’s why they’re under so much attack.”
DeSantis, one of Trump’s Republican challengers, has also indulged in praise for the fringe candidate, saying in a recent interview that while he wouldn’t make Kennedy vice president, he would consider appointing him to one of the federal agencies that regulates vaccine safety and protects public health.
“If you’re president, you know, sic him on the FDA if he’d be willing to serve, or sic him on CDC,” DeSantis said.
Not everyone is buying the Kennedy mystique.
At the annual meeting of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in New York earlier this month, Kennedy leaned heavily on his family legacy, mentioning his father’s alliance with labor leader Cesar Chavez and his uncle’s work in Latin American countries.
But in his nearly 20-minute speech, he didn’t lay out any plan or policy proposals of his own, or talk about specific issues facing the Latino community. He spent most of his time telling a story about getting arrested with the Mexican American actor Edward Olmos in 2001, an attempt at relating with the community that disappointed both Republicans and Democrats in the audience.
Mario Ceballos, president of a PAC representing LGBTQ+ Latinos, said Kennedy’s speech — and the candidate’s conspiracy theory beliefs — saddened him.
“When I was living in Mexico, Kennedy was an American president that my whole family respected,” Ceballos said. “And what he is presenting are esoteric, dangerous options that are actually going to hurt the same people that his father and uncle wanted to help.”
___
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Meg Kinnard in Pickens, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/rfk-jr-says-hes-not-anti-vaccine-his-record-shows-the-opposite-its-one-of-many-inconsistencies/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:01 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/political-news/rfk-jr-says-hes-not-anti-vaccine-his-record-shows-the-opposite-its-one-of-many-inconsistencies/ |
WESTFIELD, Ind. – The Indianapolis Colts will give “Kids Day” another shot.
Friday’s practice at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield was supposed to celebrate the special day, but a round of severe weather during the morning forced the team to move practice inside.
As a result, many of the thousands of fans expected for Friday’s session couldn’t attend practice, which moved indoors to the Events Center, a smaller venue capable of seating about 750 fans. The weather also forced the team to close Colts City for the day.
The Colts moved Kids Day to Monday, July 31. Practice is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.; free tickets are available at the Colts’ website. The team said tickets to July 28’s practice will not be accepted; fans need to claim new ones for Monday’s session.
While tickets remain for several training camp practices, the following four dates are sold out:
- Sat. Aug. 5 – 6 p.m.
- Sun., Aug. 6 – 2 p.m. (“Give Back Sunday,” presented by Meijer)
- Wed., Aug. 16 – 6 p.m. (Joint Practice No. 1 with the Chicago Bears)
- Thurs., Aug. 17 – 6 p.m. (Joint Practice No. 2 with the Chicago Bears; Thirsty Thursday) | https://fox59.com/sports/colts/indianapolis-colts-to-host-rescheduled-kids-day-at-training-camp/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:02 | 1 | https://fox59.com/sports/colts/indianapolis-colts-to-host-rescheduled-kids-day-at-training-camp/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Olson says it’s no mystery why he’s leading the majors in RBIs.
In Atlanta’s powerful lineup, Olson is often hitting with runners on base.
Olson drove in five runs with two homers, including a two-run shot in the eighth, and the Braves beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Sunday to cap their sweep of the high-scoring series.
Olson has 35 homers, tops in the NL, and 88 RBIs. The Braves scored 29 runs in the three-game sweep in the matchup of NL contenders.
“There’s always dudes on base,” Olson said. “I feel like I’m rarely taking at-bats with the bases empty.”
The only player in the majors with more homers than Olson is Shohei Ohtani, with 39. Ohtani will bring the Los Angeles Angels into Atlanta for a series beginning Monday night.
With the sweep, the Braves won five of six against the Brewers in the last two weeks, including two of three in Milwaukee on July 21-23.
“You know you’re probably not shutting them out,” said Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich, who homered and drove in two runs.
Yelich said a “back-and-forth game” is likely against Atlanta. Sure enough, the Brewers lost despite holding leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 6-5.
“To keep roaring back, it’s a testament to how tough these guys are,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Atlanta (67-36) leads the NL East by 11 1/2 games over Miami. Milwaukee’s loss coupled with Cincinnati’s win at the Dodgers dropped the Brewers (57-49) into second in the NL Central.
Orlando Arcia led off the eighth with a double to left against Milwaukee’s Joel Payamps (4-2). With one out, Olson’s tiebreaking 35th homer landed in the Atlanta bullpen in right-center.
Payamps entered with a string of 17 consecutive scoreless appearances. He had allowed just seven hits in his last 18 innings.
Kirby Yates (5-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Raisel Iglesias earned his 20th save by striking out the side in the ninth.
Olson’s three-run homer lifted the Braves to a 5-3 lead in the third. He drove in Ronald Acuña Jr., who singled and stole second, and Austin Riley, who walked.
Collin McHugh blew the 5-3 lead by giving up three runs in the sixth. William Contreras doubled in two runs for Milwaukee.
Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna tied the game at 6 with his homer off Hoby Milner.
Riley continued his power surge for Atlanta by hitting his eighth homer in the last 11 games in the first, giving him 24 on the year. The two-run shot off Colin Rea carried 463 feet to left-center.
Rea allowed five runs in five innings.
Carlos Santana, acquired from Pittsburgh on Saturday, hit his first homer with the Brewers in the third. The liner over the right-field wall gave Milwaukee a 3-2 lead. Yelich led off the third with his 16th homer.
TRADE
Atlanta added veteran infielder Nicky Lopez in a trade with the Kansas City Royals. The Braves sent left-hander Taylor Hearn to Kansas City for the 28-year-old Lopez, who can play shortstop, second base and third.
ROOKIE RETURNS
Atlanta rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game, allowed three runs and four hits in five innings.
“He’s got a great way about him,” Snitker said of the 20-year-old right-hander. “There’s no panic in him. … There’s tremendous upside for him as he figures things out.”
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Thanks to Riley’s homer, the Braves have scored 109 first-inning runs, the most in the majors by any team in any inning. The Texas Rangers’ 90 fourth-inning runs are second on the list.
“We come in ready to swing and ready to do damage,” Ozuna said.
TRAINING ROOM
Brewers: LHP Wade Miley (left elbow) will come off the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday night at Washington. … RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) will pitch for Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday. … RHP Julio Teheran (right hip impingement) was placed on the 15-day IL. RHP Peter Strzelecki was recalled from Nashville.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (9-6, 3.46 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Monday night’s opener of a three-game series at Washington against RHP Jake Irvin (3-5, 4.96 ERA).
Braves: Atlanta opens an interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. Braves RHP Charlie Morton (10-8, 3.57 ERA) faces RHP Griffin Canning (6-4, 4.46 ERA). Morton is 4-1 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 career starts against the Angels.
——
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP–Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-olson-drives-in-5-with-2-hrs-including-go-ahead-shot-as-braves-sweep-brewers-8-6/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:02 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-olson-drives-in-5-with-2-hrs-including-go-ahead-shot-as-braves-sweep-brewers-8-6/ |
The owner of Helping Hands for Furry Paws animal rescue in Butler County, Ohio, was issued an arrest warrant after a raid of her home led to the discovery of nearly 120 dogs, 30 of which were found dead in freezers on Friday.
The remaining 86 dogs were taken to the Animal Friends Humane Society of Butler County for evaluation and treatment.
Rescue owner Rhonda Murphy had been hospitalized and, at the time of publication, had not been taken into police custody.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the conditions were some of the worst ever seen by sheriff's deputies and dog warden investigators.
"Five sets of puppies. No food," Jones said. "This one was nursing other pups, and you can see ribs hanging out, so, pretty nasty stuff."
SEE MORE: Why are custody battles over pets on the rise?
The conditions at Helping Hands for Furry Paws were completely different from Cincinnati Animal Care. Volunteers spent Saturday afternoon beautifying the property as 40 to 50 employees, like Ray Anderson, work daily to care for roughly 8,000 animals who pass through their facility annually.
"A lot of folks, they don't know the difference between a shelter and a rescue," Anderson said.
He said rescues can range from large operations dealing with hundreds of animals to a single person housing a couple of dogs off the street, but a person attempting to surrender their pet may never know what they're dealing with if they don't do their due diligence.
"Go some place where you can actually see the living conditions of the animals," Anderson said. "If someone is telling you they'll meet you at the Ikea parking lot or some other public space versus seeing how the animal is living, that would be a red flag for me."
If a person can't make a trip to see a property with their own eyes, Anderson suggested doing thorough research online.
He said reputable rescues should be posting recent pictures or videos of multiple animals around their facility, and the same should be true for any rescue's social media presence.
"Really, that's the big thing," Anderson said, "transparency."
Anderson said amateur rescues that get out of control usually start with the good intentions of helping animals in need, but become too much to handle.
He said shelters exist to help people before it reaches that point, and suggested people reach out to their local shelter before it reaches the point of criminality.
This story was originally published by Sean DeLancey for Scripps News Cincinnati.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wptv.com/animal-rescue-owner-charged-after-grisly-discovery | 2023-07-31T12:33:04 | 1 | https://www.wptv.com/animal-rescue-owner-charged-after-grisly-discovery |
NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Smirta, a New Jersey-based digital health company committed to improving cancer patient care, is pleased to announce that OneOncology has selected Smirta as a preferred vendor to provide Smirta's OncoSmart® oncology infusion schedule optimization platform to the OneOncology network of physician practices. OneOncology is a national partnership created by independent community oncologists to strengthen oncology practices by helping them grow and deliver high-value cancer care services. The network includes more than 300 sites of care, empowering oncologists to learn from their peers and leverage their collective experience to address the pressures facing community oncology today and innovate for the future of cancer care delivery.
OncoSmart® is a data-driven digital transformation platform developed by Smirta, in close collaboration with Tennessee Oncology, that optimizes resources, increases capacity, and simplifies the complexities of cancer treatment clinic operations. OncoSmart®'s clinic management, optimization, nurse assignment, business intelligence, and resource management modules empower infusion centers to better manage critical clinical resources and deliver the best in cancer care.
"Understandably, every patient wants to be the first to get their infusion and every doctor wants to start their day early," said Jeff Patton, MD, CEO, OneOncology. "Consequently, we found our clinics contending with a tremendous, daily bottleneck through the afternoon. Smirta's OncoSmart® platform has been invaluable in establishing a superior scheduling process to smooth out the day and boost patient care by flattening the utilization curve so that the ratio of clinical staff to patients remains consistent and ramps more evenly throughout the day. We are thrilled to partner with Smirta and sponsor their technology, which will exponentially improve the standard of care and the scheduling metrics of cancer treatment clinics nationwide."
Stephen Schleicher M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Tennessee Oncology, a OneOncology partner practice, added: "The Smirta team are amazing to work with. They tailor their software to precisely what we need for our clinics and staff and have been incredibly responsive during the onboarding process. The software itself is very intuitive. Outside of the clinic level where it helps with treatment room capacity and nurse assignments, it also offers a system-wide look across the company, allowing us to see how all of our clinics are doing in terms of overtime, staffing, volume, and so on. Through Smirta and OncoSmart®, we really get to understand which clinics need help through a birds-eye view of how the company's doing from a patient experience and staff experience standpoint."
The A.I.-generated solutions provided by the OncoSmart® platform were created to support a diverse group of clinics with varying sizes and volume, as well as to optimize all service types including lab, MA, MD, treatment, and injections. OncoSmart® products have:
- reduced patient appointment delays and wait times
- unlocked infusion chair capacity
- reduced infusion treatments that extend beyond operating hours
- reduced overtime costs
- created a radically more balanced nurse load through schedule optimization
"Cancer care is inherently complex, with a confluence of problems manifesting most pronouncedly during peak times," said Ram Iyengar, Smirta, CEO. "Through our OncoSmart® platform, we can address and neutralize preventable bottlenecks, nursing attrition, and increased operational expenses while significantly improving patient satisfaction and quality of care. We are proud to partner with OneOncology in our combined mission to ensure the best possible treatment for cancer patients through enabling the most supportive, productive setting for all clinic staff."
Smitra has also already worked with another OneOncology partner practice, Piedmont Cancer Institute. The Atlanta-based cancer center's Chief Clinical Officer, Stephanie Braatz said: "The Smirta team has been so responsive and are very easy to work with. Their OncoSmart platform offers tools that streamline our infusion center operations, and their optimization tool has helped us effectively utilize our resources by balancing the patient load across different types of service.
"The business intelligence tool has identified bottlenecks, such as provider schedules, and has helped us find solutions to fix them. The nurse assignments tool has tremendously, and positively, affected the reduction of manual effort while showing us a view of the treatment room that we simply weren't able to see before. The entire team and suite of tools have added value," said Braatz.
About OneOncology
OneOncology was founded by community oncologists, for community oncologists, with the mission of improving the lives of everyone living with cancer. Its goal is to enable community oncology practices to remain independent and to improve patient access to care in their communities, all at a lower cost than in the hospital setting. OneOncology supports its platform of community oncology practices through group purchasing, operational optimization, practice growth, and clinical innovation. The network's 960 cancer care providers care for approximately 528,000 patients at more than 300 sites of care nationwide. To learn more, visit oneoncology.com or LinkedIn.
About Tennessee Oncology
Tennessee Oncology, PLLC is one of the nation's leading teams of cancer care specialists, nationally recognized for improving patient outcomes and driving quality of life innovation. In 2018 it created a partnership with OneOncology, a technology-powered, data-driven, alliance of America's foremost community oncologists. Its comprehensive range of cancer care services includes specialized oncology nursing care, laboratory services, pharmacy, outpatient chemotherapy, PET/CT services, palliative care, patient and family education, and financial support services. Founded in 1976, the practice's unique vision, introducing patient-driven care with a clinical trial focus, propelled Tennessee Oncology to lead one of the largest, physician-owned, community oncology practices in the country. Currently over 95 physicians in more than 30 locations share the privilege of serving adult cancer patients from South Central Kentucky through Middle Tennessee to Northwest Georgia. For a complete list of Physicians, locations, and services please visit: www.tnoncology.com
About Smirta
Smirta is a digital health company providing next-generation technology solutions to the healthcare industry. Its OncoSmart® suite of products are at the core of cancer treatment clinical operations optimizing millions of services annually.
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SOURCE Smirta; OneOncology | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/oneoncology-selects-smirta-its-innovative-oncosmart-platform-enhance-operational-efficiencies/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:04 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/oneoncology-selects-smirta-its-innovative-oncosmart-platform-enhance-operational-efficiencies/ |
Two tribal nations to open Minnesota’s first legal recreational marijuana dispensaries
WHITE EARTH, Minn. (AP) — At least two tribal nations are expected to open Minnesota’s first recreational marijuana dispensaries in August as recreational marijuana becomes legal to possess and grow in the state on Tuesday.
Following a council vote on Friday, the White Earth Nation in northwestern Minnesota legalized recreational cannabis and will begin selling it sometime in the first half of August, Minnesota Public Radio reported. Both tribal members and non-tribal adults 21 years and older would be able to purchase from the nation’s dispensary.
Weeks earlier, NativeCare — a tribal-run medical marijuana provider — announced a recreational marijuana dispensary expected to open shortly on Red Lake Nation once the new law takes effect, the Star Tribune reported. The nation is also in northwestern Minnesota.
The band could’ve started selling recreational marijuana at that time but decided to wait until Minnesota’s new marijuana law legalizes possession statewide.
“Our intention is to be a good partner and ultimately fill the void for people who intend to use cannabis,” Red Lake tribal secretary Sam Strong told the Star Tribune.
The state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature approved a massive marijuana legalization bill this year, which Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed in May.
White Earth Nation and Red Lake Nation plan to take advantage of their sovereignty and allow sales right away. But the state projects most legal retail sales won’t begin until early 2025, while it creates a licensing and regulatory system for the new industry.
Minnesota is the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana, more than a decade after Colorado and Washington did so.
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Minnesota Public Radio News. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/top-news/two-tribal-nations-to-open-minnesotas-first-legal-recreational-marijuana-dispensaries/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:07 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/top-news/two-tribal-nations-to-open-minnesotas-first-legal-recreational-marijuana-dispensaries/ |
It is a refreshing morning across central Indiana with temperatures dropping into the 50s and lower 60s. The humidity levels are falling below 60-degrees, which is making it feel much more comfortable outside. Today is going to be the pick-of-the-week with sunshine, less humid conditions, and highs in the mid-80s.
The Indiana State Fair is closed today, but the weather will be ideal to visit Colts Training Camp this morning or if you plan on going to a local pool!
High pressure over the Great Lakes will keep the region rain-free through midweek. However, scattered storms will creep back into Indiana by Wednesday afternoon as a storm system clips our southwestern counties. Most of the rainfall will impact the Mississippi River Valley midweek and it will only bring a chance of rain for a portion of the area.
Do not cancel outdoor plans this week because rain chances will remain low! Another storm system will travel across the Great Lakes region by the weekend, and it will bring our highest chance for showers and storms this week.
The weather may be comfortable now, but you will want to prepare for the high heat again at the end of the week. Temperatures are going to gradually rise and eventually peak into the lower 90s again. Humidity levels will climb to tropical levels too, which will make the heat more uncomfortable heading into next weekend.
We are wrapping up the month of July with more than six inches of rainfall in Indianapolis! The city will end the month with a surplus of rainfall (+1.76”), which did help improve the drought conditions that formed late May into June. However, 75% of the state is still considered “abnormally dry” with 25% of it under a “moderate drought.” | https://fox59.com/weather/refreshing-open-to-the-week-tracking-a-dry-start-to-august/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:08 | 0 | https://fox59.com/weather/refreshing-open-to-the-week-tracking-a-dry-start-to-august/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sparked by the young guy and the old man, the Cincinnati Reds took over sole possession of first place in the NL Central.
Elly De La Cruz, the 21-year-old sensation, and Joey Votto, who turns 40 in September, helped the Reds rout the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-0 on Sunday. They won home and road series against the NL West-leading Dodgers this season.
“It’s big-time for us,” winning pitcher Graham Ashcraft said. “It keeps us going and gives us that edge to keep fighting.”
De La Cruz hit a two-run homer and went 4 for 5 in his third game of the season with four hits. He also scored twice as the Reds rapped out 14 hits in handing the Dodgers their worst loss since a 15-0 defeat to San Francisco on June 17.
De La Cruz broke out of the struggles he’s had since the All-Star break, while Votto shook off his offensive funk with a two-run shot. Votto went 2 for 5 with three RBIs.
“He knows how to come out of those slumps. He gives us ideas and tips on how we can get out of there too,” De La Cruz said. “He helps me and if there’s something I can help him out with, I’ll tell him, too.”
Votto respects the equanimity shown by his much younger teammates.
“During the rough spells, these guys have been the exact same people every day,” he said. “It’s a very young team. The energy is consistent. That’s the really charming part about it. Every single day from spring training, the optimism has been there.”
Ashcraft (6-7) scattered five hits over six innings and struck out two.
The Dodgers hit into three double plays on Friday and three more Sunday. They managed just two hits in a 3-2 loss Saturday. They didn’t get a runner past second base over the final five innings in the finale.
Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas made his first career pitching appearance in the ninth. He nearly hit Votto before the designated hitter answered with an RBI double that made it 9-0. Rojas then hit Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
Dodgers starter Michael Grove (2-3) got hit hard over the first three innings. Three pitches into the game, the Reds led 1-0 on TJ Friedl’s RBI double. Friedl scored on a throwing error by center fielder James Outman, and Matt McLain hustled home on Spencer Steer’s groundout to third.
“Too many pitches to hit with guys on base. I got to shore that up,” Grove said. “My attack plan wasn’t great early and I just got put on defense to start with and had to adjust. I got punished cause I was leaving pitches over the plate.”
De La Cruz’s solo shot traveled 411 feet into the right-field pavilion with two outs in the second. It was De La Cruz’s seventh homer.
McLain hit his 11th homer into the Dodgers bullpen in left leading off the third. Votto’s 418-foot shot into the Reds bullpen in right field scored Jake Fraley, who singled, and extended the lead to 7-0.
Votto was robbed of a potential second homer on Outman’s leaping catch at the top of the wall in right-center in the fifth.
The Reds led 8-0 on Friedl’s RBI double with two outs in the sixth.
Grove gave up eight runs and 10 hits in six innings. The rookie right-hander struck out a career-best 10 and walked one on a career-high 96 pitches.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: INF Jonathan India went on the IL with left heel pain.
Dodgers: DH J.D. Martinez left after the first inning with left hamstring tightness. … C Will Smith left the game in the top of the fourth with a left elbow contusion after getting hit by a pitch. X-rays were negative. … OF Mookie Betts (right ankle soreness) was out of the lineup for the second straight day. He got hurt in the batter’s box trying to avoid a pitch on Friday, but is expected back Tuesday. … LHP Julio Urías is having his next start pushed back a couple days while he deals with a nail issue. … LHP Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) played catch.
UP NEXT
Reds: LHP Andrew Abbott (6-2, 1.90 ERA) starts Monday night in the opener of a four-game series at the Chicago Cubs.
Dodgers: RHP Lance Lynn (6-9, 6.47 ERA) makes his Dodgers debut Tuesday in an interleague series opener against Oakland.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-reds-beat-dodgers-9-0-on-homers-by-de-la-cruz-and-votto-grab-nl-central-lead-over-brewers/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:09 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-reds-beat-dodgers-9-0-on-homers-by-de-la-cruz-and-votto-grab-nl-central-lead-over-brewers/ |
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Do you ever have those days in the middle of winter when your skin looks a little dry and weathered as if it needs a little plumping pick-me-up? This is exactly what happened to me last February after an unusually long bout of snow in my area. I walked into Sephora and asked the sales associate what I needed to manufacture some type of dewy glow. Without hesitation, she walked me over to Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminator.
It comes in two sizes and shades, and after sampling it, I immediately went all in on the larger size in the Starglow shade. It was exactly what I was looking for. The liquid water-based luminizer gives you a radiant finish without making you look like a ’90s pop star with glitter specs stuck to your cheeks. It’s much more subtle than that.
It’s also created with good-for-the-skin ingredients like plant-based glycerin, which plumps up the skin, and rose hip seed oil and vitamin C to nourish and brighten, which I love. I cringe thinking about all the junk makeup I’ve used over the years, but now I’ve wised up and completely cleaned up my skincare and makeup regime. I try hard to only buy products that are deemed clean.
Currently, the 0.5-ounce size sells for $15.20 on Amazon, but the 1-ounce is a slightly better deal at $26.60-$28. It comes in two shades: Starglow and Sunglow. The Starglow is whiter while the slightly-more-expensive Sunglow has a golden brown tone.
Buy Saie Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Illuminator at Amazon for $28.
A few months after purchasing, while having wine with an old friend from high school, she leaned in and asked me what I was doing to make my skin look so good.
“How so?” I asked.
She said, “I know you are happy, but you’re practically glowing!” As any good friend would, I let her behind the Saie curtain and immediately texted her a link to the product so she could buy it later.
You can mix it with your face lotion or foundation, but I use it the most as a highlighter on my cheekbones. During the summer, I blend it into my body lotion to give my legs and collarbones a little shimmer on date nights. It’s lightweight and buildable. When I use it as a highlighter, I don’t even use a full pump. It’s more like a baby drop, so a large bottle will last you a very long time.
Not only is the Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminator amazing 365 days a year, but it makes a great gift. My teenage daughter uses it too, and I’m thinking of gifting her a bottle for the new school year.
MORE: This eye cream for dark circles has nearly 17,000 5-star reviews on Amazon
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.wptv.com/glowy-gel-luminizer-will-light-your-complexion | 2023-07-31T12:33:10 | 0 | https://www.wptv.com/glowy-gel-luminizer-will-light-your-complexion |
New Oracle Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone solution reduces barriers to cloud adoption and enables mission owners to rapidly build compliant architectures
AUSTIN, Texas, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) has introduced a new Secure Cloud Computing Architecture (SCCA) for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The solution helps make security compliance and cloud adoption for mission-critical workloads easier, faster, and more cost effective by using a framework of cloud native services.
SCCA is a DoD security framework designed to provide a standard approach for boundary and application-level security for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Impact Level 4 and 5 data hosted in commercial cloud environments. Historically, SCCA compliance has required significant investment from DoD mission owners in the form of independent development efforts and third-party software licensing. The cost and time result in a significant challenge during cloud migrations.
Oracle Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone provides a framework for securely running DoD mission workloads and storing Impact Level 2, 4, and 5 data in OCI government regions. The automation provided by the solution enables DoD mission owners to establish a compliant security architecture in just a few hours or days, instead of months. It uses cloud native infrastructure services, significantly accelerating the time to deployment of mission critical workloads by reducing architecture time and minimizing decision points.
"Oracle Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone is a game changer for our customers. What we are doing is fundamentally different,"said Rand Waldron, vice president, OCI Global Government Sector. "We will deliver all the capabilities necessary for SCCA completely in native OCI services. Our customers will no longer have to manage multiple licenses, multiple vendor relationships, or multiple kinds of security configurations. Our SCCA solution will provide everything the customer needs to stand up an SCCA-compliant workload in the cloud.".
Learn more about Oracle's new Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone solution in the OCI SCCA Architecture Guide.
Simplifying and accelerating DoD security compliance
The Oracle Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone includes baseline configurations, rules, and templates that meet DISA Impact Level 2, 4 and 5 accreditation requirements. This is delivered using a standardized Infrastructure-as-Code (IAC) template that meets a set of SCCA controls in a simplified and repeatable way. Based on Terraform, OCI Landing Zones allow OCI customers to perform one click, best-practice deployments of multiple Oracle services at once. Customers can launch the templates from the Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone, answer a few simple questions about their configuration, and have an architecture set up same day.
The solution also addresses the four primary technical components of the SCCA framework; Cloud Access Point (CAP), Virtual Data Center Security Stack (VDSS), Virtual Data Center Management Service (VDMS), and Trusted Cloud Credential Manager (TCCM). Customers who deploy the secure baseline using the Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone are provided with an architecture guide, implementation guide, requirements checklist, reference architecture, and best practices to accelerate the accreditation of their application on OCI.
Security, compliance, consistent high performance, and simple, predictable pricing
The Oracle Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone script and associated technical documentation are provided at no separate or additional charge under a customer's contract. Underlying consumable cloud services used to stand up Oracle Cloud Native SCCA in a customer's tenancy may be billable in accordance with the customer's contract. Oracle Cloud for DoD services are priced at the same, consistent global pricing as Oracle's commercial public cloud regions and meet DISA Impact Levels 2, 4, and 5 and FedRAMP+ authorization standards.
Commercial customers can also take advantage of the automated security posture outlined above. All OCI customers can leverage custom security zones with the SCCA and other OCI Landing Zones that allow organizations to apply security policies and prevent changes that could weaken a customer's security configuration quickly and easily. Learn more about Oracle Landing Zones here.
Oracle Cloud Native SCCA Landing Zone scripts are available within the OCI Console, through GitHub, and from the Hosting and Compute Center (HaCC) website.
Additional Resources
- Oracle Cloud for DOD
- DISA IL5 Authorized Oracle Cloud for Government for U.S. Defense and Intelligence
- Oracle FedRAMP Authorizations
- Government Region Service Catalog
- Oracle and U.S. Defense Department continue their partnership with JWCC
About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.
Trademarks
Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company--ushering in the new era of cloud computing.
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SOURCE Oracle | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/oracle-introduces-first-cloud-native-secure-cloud-computing-architecture-solution-us-dod/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:11 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/oracle-introduces-first-cloud-native-secure-cloud-computing-architecture-solution-us-dod/ |
Who’s in, who’s out: A look at which candidates have qualified for the 1st GOP presidential debate
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — With less than a month to go until the first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign, seven candidates say they have met qualifications for a spot on stage in Milwaukee.
But that also means that about half the broad GOP field is running short on time to make the cut.
To qualify for the Aug. 23 debate, candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: at least 1% in three high-quality national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls, between July 1 and Aug. 21, and a minimum of 40,000 donors, with 200 in 20 or more states.
A look at who’s in, who’s (maybe) out and who’s still working on making it:
WHO’S QUALIFIED
The current front-runner long ago satisfied the polling and donor thresholds. But he is considering boycotting and holding a competing event.
Campaign advisers have said the former president has not made a final decision about the debate. One noted that “it’s pretty clear,” based on Trump’s public and private statements, that he is unlikely to appear with the other candidates.
“If you’re leading by a lot, what’s the purpose of doing it?” Trump asked on Newsmax.
In the meantime, aides have discussed potential alternative programming if Trump opts for a rival event. One option Trump has floated is an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who now has a program on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
The Florida governor has long been seen as Trump’s top rival, finishing a distant second to him in a series of polls in early-voting states, as well as national polls, and raising an impressive amount of money.
But DeSantis’ campaign has struggled in recent weeks to live up to the sky-high expectations that awaited him when he entered the race. He let go of more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.
If Trump is absent, DeSantis may be the top target on stage at the debate.
The South Carolina senator has been looking for a breakout moment. The first debate could be his chance.
A prolific fundraiser, Scott enters the summer with $21 million cash on hand.
In one debate-approved poll in Iowa, Scott joined Trump and DeSantis in reaching double digits. The senator has focused much of his campaign resources on the leadoff GOP voting state, which is dominated by white evangelical voters.
She has blitzed early-voting states with campaign events, walking crowds through her electoral successes ousting a longtime incumbent South Carolina lawmaker, then becoming the state’s first woman and first minority governor. Also serving as Trump’s U.N. ambassador for about two years, Haley frequently cites her international experience, arguing about the threat China poses to the United States.
The only woman in the GOP race, Haley has said transgender students competing in sports is “the women’s issue of our time” and has drawn praise from a leading anti-abortion group, which called her “uniquely gifted at communicating from a pro-life woman’s perspective.”
Bringing in $15.6 million since the start of her campaign, Haley’s campaign says she has “well over 40,000 unique donors” and has satisfied the debate polling requirements.
The biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” is an audience favorite at multicandidate events and has polled well despite not being nationally known when he entered the race.
Ramaswamy’s campaign says he met the donor threshold earlier this year. He recently rolled out “Vivek’s Kitchen Cabinet” to boost his donor numbers even more, by letting fundraisers keep 10% of what they bring in for his campaign.
The former New Jersey governor opened his campaign by portraying himself as the only candidate ready to take on Trump. Christie called on the former president to “show up at the debates and defend his record.”
Christie will be on that stage, even if Trump isn’t, telling CNN this month that he surpassed “40,000 unique donors in just 35 days.” He also has met the polling requirements.
Burgum, a wealthy former software entrepreneur now in his second term as North Dakota’s governor, has been using his fortune to boost his campaign.
He announced a program this month to give away $20 gift cards — “Biden Relief Cards,” as a critique of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy — to as many as 50,000 people in exchange for $1 donations. Critics have questioned whether the offer violated campaign finance law.
Within about a week of launching that effort, Burgum announced he had surpassed the donor threshold. Ad blitzes in the early-voting states also helped him meet the polling requirements.
WHO HASN’T QUALIFIED:
Trump’s vice president has met the polling threshold but has yet to amass a sufficient number of donors, raising the possibility that he might not qualify for the party’s first debate.
Pence and his advisers have expressed confidence he will do so, noting that most other Republican hopefuls took a month or two of being active candidates to meet the mark. Pence entered the race on June 7, the same day as Burgum and one day after Christie.
“We’re making incredible progress toward that goal. We’re not there yet,” Pence told CNN in a recent interview. “We will make it. I will see you at that debate stage.”
According to his campaign, the former two-term Arkansas governor has met the polling requirements but is working on satisfying the donor threshold. As of Wednesday, Hutchinson marked more than 11,000 unique donors.
Hutchinson is running in the mold of an old-school Republican and has differentiated himself from many of his GOP rivals in his willingness to criticize Trump. He has posted pleas on Twitter for $1 donations to help secure his slot.
The Miami mayor has been one of the more creative candidates in his efforts to boost his donor numbers. He offered up a chance to see Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi’s debut as a player for Inter Miami, saying donors who gave $1 would be entered in a chance to get front-row tickets.
Still shy of the donor threshold, he took a page from Burgum’s playbook by offering a $20 “Bidenomics Relief Card” in return for $1 donations. A super political action committee supporting Suarez launched a sweepstakes for a chance at up to $15,000 in tuition, in exchange for a $1 donation to Suarez’s campaign.
Suarez’s campaign did not return a message seeking details on his number of donors or qualifying polls.
The conservative radio host wrote in an op-ed that the RNC “has rigged the rules of the game by instituting a set of criteria that is so onerous and poorly designed that only establishment-backed and billionaire candidates are guaranteed to be on stage.”
His campaign last week declined to detail its number of donors, saying only that there had been “a strong increase the last few weeks.” He has not met the polling requirements.
Johnson, a wealthy but largely unknown businessman from Michigan, said in a recent social media post that he had notched 23,000 donors and was “confident” he would make the debate stage. He added that all donors were “eligible to attend my free concert in Iowa featuring” country duo Big & Rich next month.
Johnson, who has reached 1% in one qualifying poll, has also offered to give copies of his book “Two Cents to Save America” to anyone who donated to his campaign.
The former Texas congressman — the last candidate to enter the race, on June 22 — has said repeatedly that he would not pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, a stance that would keep him off the stage even if he had the qualifying donor and polling numbers.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/top-news/whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:13 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/top-news/whos-in-whos-out-a-look-at-which-candidates-have-qualified-for-the-1st-gop-presidential-debate/ |
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen enters the mid-season break in unstoppable form, after emphatically winning the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday for an eighth straight win and 10th overall of a crushingly dominant season.
Despite starting from sixth place he finished 22.3 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez to give Red Bull an easy 1-2. It moved Verstappen ominously closer to a third straight world title and his own F1 record of 15 wins from last year.
Verstappen is 125 points ahead of Perez after just 12 races, and his next target is matching Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight wins with a victory at the Dutch GP when the lopsided season resumes on Aug. 27.
“I just want to have a nice time now, have a bit of time with family and friends,” Verstappen said.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished in third spot for a third podium of the season, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Mercedes ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) completing the top 10.
Leclerc started on pole ahead of Perez, with Hamilton and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. behind them. McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri was on the next row alongside Verstappen — who was fastest in Friday’s qualifying but took a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change and had to avoid early traffic.
“It was just about surviving turn one. I could see it was all getting really tight,” Verstappen said. “I’ve been in that position before myself so I am just going to stay out of that and it worked out. From there onwards I made the right overtakes.”
Last year Verstappen won from 14th, and once he overtook Perez on Lap 17 of 44 his 45th career win was seemingly inevitable.
“Really enjoyable to drive once I got in the lead,” Verstappen said. “It was again a great race.“
Red Bull extended its record to 13 straight wins, including the final race of last season.
Hamilton came in on the penultimate lap for a tire change and the move paid off as he took the bonus point for fastest lap from Verstappen — a very minor blip for the dominant Dutchman.
It was yet another stellar weekend for Verstappen, who also won Saturday’s sprint race. The only issue was some more bickering with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over radio, as they continued their spat from Friday’s qualifying.
“Don’t forget Max, use your head, please,” Lambiase told Verstappen when he questioned why Perez was making his first tire change on Lap 14.
Verstappen defused any talk of tension with Lambiase.
“It’s fine. We know each other very well and we have a very good relationship,” he said. “I think it’s really important.”
With some rain forecast, Verstappen boxed on the next lap and came out about 2 seconds behind Perez. Just minutes later he cruised past Perez and, as so often this season, the rest was just about control.
Perez, meanwhile, pledged to stay on the podium for the rest of the season.
“It’s been a bit of a rough patch,” the 33-year-old Mexican said. “I really need this summer break, it’s been really intense. I’ll come back really strong for Zandvoort.”
Conditions were dry for the race start, in stark contrast to the two previous days, which were impacted by heavy rain at the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Leclerc, who won his first F1 race here in 2019, made a solid start but Perez’s extra pace soon put him in front.
“I knew it was quite crucial for my race to get Charles on Lap 1,” Perez said.
Verstappen rose two places to fourth after Sainz bumped into Piastri on the first corner.
Piastri had to retire, while Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 6, Leclerc three laps later and made short work of Perez just before some rain fell briefly.
Some good overtaking from Ocon moved the Frenchman up from 10th to eighth in the closing stages.
It was an early end for Piastri, who had impressed with a second place in Saturday’s sprint race.
A bad day for Sainz saw him retiring on Lap 25 and Leclerc moving above him in the standings.
“Of course the race was good on my side, a shame for Carlos as we had good pace,” Leclerc said. “When you look at the Red Bulls we still have a lot of work to do … This was the best we could achieve today, no doubt.”
After the F1 break there will be 10 races left, but most of the competition for places will be behind Verstappen.
Alonso is one point ahead of Hamilton in third overall, with Leclerc and Russell level and Sainz seven points behind them.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-verstappen-wins-belgian-gp-to-extend-huge-f1-lead-red-bull-teammate-perez-2nd/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:15 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-verstappen-wins-belgian-gp-to-extend-huge-f1-lead-red-bull-teammate-perez-2nd/ |
ST. ANTHONY, Idaho — Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell faces up to life in prison without parole Monday as she is sentenced in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband's previous wife.
The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow Daybell also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece's ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece's ex survived an attempt later that year.
Monday's sentencing will take place at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho. Judge Steven W. Boyce is expected to hear testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell's only surviving son, Colby Ryan.
The case began in July 2019, when Vallow Daybell's brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self defense. He was never charged in the case and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes.
Vallow Daybell was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published author who wrote doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him.
The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell's yard the following summer.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell's previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said.
Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow Daybell to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his "weird" apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow Daybell's brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths.
Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a "sexual goddess" who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said.
Vallow Daybell's former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow Daybell believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into "zombies," including JJ and Tylee. | https://www.wptv.com/news/national/idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival | 2023-07-31T12:33:16 | 0 | https://www.wptv.com/news/national/idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival |
Introducing the industry's first-ever utility side-by-side with a 1500cc 3-cylinder engine for more power to make tough jobs easier and the industry's only STEELDRIVE transmission for greater durability
MINNEAPOLIS, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Polaris Off Road, the global leader in powersports and off-road innovation, is once again breaking new ground with the industry's first extreme duty utility side-by-side: the all-new RANGER XD 1500. With its unprecedented capability, brute strength and unmatched comfort, the new extreme duty class of RANGER side-by-sides are engineered with the first-ever ProStar 1500cc 3-cylinder engine that offers an industry-leading 110 horsepower, the industry-exclusive STEELDRIVE automatic transmission for greater durability and precise control, and over 70 new accessories for enhanced customization, highlighted by Polaris' exclusive Lock & Ride MAX system. The RANGER XD 1500 establishes a new benchmark for utility side-by-sides.
"We spent over five years meeting with farmers, ranchers, large acreage property owners and big game hunters to develop an extreme duty vehicle that was missing from the market. From its ProStar 1500cc engine to the industry's only STEELDRIVE transmission, RANGER XD 1500 is unlike anything else offered today and is yet another example of our relentless commitment to advancing the industry with fresh thinking and innovative solutions that meet the real-world needs of our utility customers," said Steve Menneto, President of Polaris Off Road.
"Polaris RANGER has been the No. 1 selling utility side-by-side brand for more than 15 years and with the introduction of RANGER Extreme Duty, we've taken the industry's hardest-working lineup and expanded it," said Chris Judson, Vice President of Off Road Utility. "A segment of our utility customers said they are facing exceptionally large tasks and they simply need a machine with more power, more torque, more hauling and towing capacity, and more durability. And our team set out to deliver just that, incorporating dozens of new features and the latest engineering to make the RANGER XD 1500 more capable, stronger, and more comfortable than any other utility side-by-side out there."
Unprecedented Capability
Farmers, ranchers, and large landowners routinely haul and tow heavy loads around the property, and they've been asking for a solution when it comes to their heaviest tasks. The RANGER XD 1500 delivers unprecedented capability for hard-working customers to haul more, tow more, and get more done in less time. With the industry's only 1500cc utility engine, the RANGER XD 1500 provides over 30% more power and over 50% more torque than the next closest competitor.
- ProStar 1500cc 3-Cylinder Engine – Effortless towing, hauling, and confidence in tough terrain with an industry-leading 110HP and 105 lb-ft torque.
- 1,500 lb Cargo Box Capacity – Three-quarter ton box capacity providing nearly 50% more box volume than existing models for maximum productivity with fewer trips and bigger loads.
- 3,500 lb Towing Capacity – For those routinely towing heavy loads on the property, drive better productivity with nearly 40% more towing than existing models.
- Industry-leading Ground Clearance – All RANGER XD 1500 models get 15" of ground clearance with high-clearance arched A-arms to overcome large obstacles.
Brute Strength
Utility customers asked for a more durable, longer lasting offering to maximize their uptime and drive efficiency. Designed to last longer than any model before it, RANGER XD 1500 is the industry's most durable utility side-by-side and has been engineered from the ground up to be stronger and stand up to the demands of the longest days.
- Industry-exclusive STEELDRIVE transmission – Offers a 100 percent steel constructed belt that delivers smooth, precise operation and a fully sealed, liquid-cooled design for unmatched durability.
- High-Strength Steel Heavy Duty Frame – RANGER XD 1500 has a high-strength steel one-piece chassis featuring 160 percent more torsional stiffness for a smoother ride and better cab sealing.
- Industry-leading Service Intervals – RANGER XD 1500 offers the industry's longest service intervals so customers can maximize their uptime.
Unmatched Comfort
- From the farm to remote backcountry, utility customers work from before the sun rises to after it sets, and need something that delivers all-day comfort. Beyond industry-leading capability and durability, the RANGER XD 1500 prioritizes comfort across the entire lineup to keep customers going strong on the longest days.
- Most Spacious Interior – Equipped with the most spacious and premium cab available in utility side-by-sides, the XD 1500 offers increased leg and shoulder room, making it easy to enter and exit the vehicle. Adjustable seating and a telescopic steering wheel lets drivers find the perfect fit for height and riding preferences.
- Premium Seating – Contoured seating with added bolstering provides more rider comfort along with a center seat that flips down into an armrest with additional cup holders.
- Available Heated Seats – For comfort on the coldest days, RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar Ultimate is the first utility side-by-side that comes from the factory with heated seats.
- Drive Modes – RANGER XD 1500 comes with an intuitive and easy-to-use rotary drive mode selector that lets customers choose from four different drive modes, including:
- Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) – Riders can stay comfortable in harsh weather conditions in the RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar Edition, featuring an all-new HVAC system and a fully-enclosed, next generation ProShield cab that's been redesigned with improved sealing to prevent dust and water intrusion, while locking in the temperature from the climate-controlled cab.
- Sun Visors – All-new integrated sun visors provide improved visibility throughout the day for added confidence while driving.
- RIDE COMMAND – Available 7" waterproof touchscreen display powered by RIDE COMMAND technology featuring a back-up camera, GPS navigation regardless of cell service, and AM/FM radio with Bluetooth® streaming capability.
- RIDE COMMAND+ – Customers can keep tabs on their vehicle directly from the Polaris App and access critical vehicle information like vehicle location, maintenance reminders, and issue diagnostics right from the palm of their hand with the industry's only connected-vehicle technology. Available from the factory on NorthStar Ultimate.
Customization
Customers have been asking for increased versatility, durability, and ease of use for the different work applications they face throughout the day. With over 70 new Polaris Engineered Accessory options designed specifically for the RANGER XD 1500, plus options from partners brands including JBL®, Rhino Rack®, Pro Armor, Kolpin, and HD Parts, customers have more opportunity than ever before to make their vehicle fit their specific needs.
- Lock & Ride MAX – Polaris' easiest to use, most versatile, and confident accessory attachment platform ever. With customizable configurations and the ability to reconfigure on the fly with no tools required, this new accessory platform allows users to prepare for their day, their way. Customers can simply choose and place their accessory, lock it in place, and ride confidently knowing their gear is secure.
- New JBL® Audio – Polaris partnered with JBL® to create the highest performing audio system ever included in a RANGER from the factory. For customers wanting to turn it up a notch, the JBL® Trail Pro 4200 audio upgrade adds rear speakers and two subwoofers for an immersive audio experience.
- Glacier Pro HD Plow – New 84" plow designed for faster, more efficient plowing during the winter months. A hydraulic plow lift and angle kit can be paired with an all-new plow controller to manage the largest plow Polaris has ever offered, all without ever leaving the comfort of the cab.
2024 RANGER XD 1500 Premium: Starting at US $29,999 / CAN $36,199
The RANGER XD 1500 Premium commands a large presence thanks to heavy-duty components and the industry's largest bumper, providing complete front-end protection. The vehicle comes equipped with one of the most comprehensive standard packages in a side-by-side to date including 29" tires, tilt steering and seat slider for customizable comfort, four drive modes, high output LED headlights for enhanced visibility, and USB ports with multiple charging capabilities. The vehicle also comes equipped with boosted brakes and heavy-duty suspension to ensure performance across a variety of off-road environments.
2024 RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar Premium: Starting at US $39,999 / CAN $48,799
The next step up is the RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar Premium. This machine features a fully enclosed cab with HVAC temperature and five different mode controls, lockable full doors with power windows and a fixed front glass windshield. Additional features include an electronically controlled power tilt bed to dump heavy loads with ease, an overhead switch panel for easy accessorization, and an overhead rear work light to illuminate the cargo box in low-light conditions. NorthStar Premium comes stock with 30" Kenda® CrossTrail tires and available 32" tires to overcome large obstacles and tough terrain.
2024 RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar Ultimate: Starting at US $44,999 / CAN $54,499
Rounding out the lineup is the RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar Ultimate, which features everything from the NorthStar Premium trim, plus the 7" infotainment display powered by RIDE COMMAND and heated seats. The NorthStar Ultimate trim also delivers an immersive sound experience, featuring full AM/FM radio with Bluetooth® streaming capability and industry-exclusive JBL® speakers for precise audio and premium sound. Finally, the vehicle comes standard with RIDE COMMAND+, allowing for vehicle health monitoring and more.
The 2024 RANGER XD 1500 lineup is expected to begin shipping to dealers in late summer. To learn more about the 2024 RANGER family, please visit https://ranger.polaris.com/en-us/ or join the conversation and follow on Facebooksm, Instagramsm, YouTubesm and Twittersm.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris' high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman® all-terrain off-road vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles; Indian Motorcycle® mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot® moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com
Warning: vehicle rollaway can cause serious injury or death. This vehicle can roll whenever the gear selector is not in the park position. Always shift to park when stopping the engine or leaving the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle on an incline is unavoidable, use extra care. If leaving the vehicle unattended, block the rear wheels on the downhill side and keep children, pets, and others away form the gear selector. Notice: Vehicle payload and trailer weight will affect the angle of hill on which the vehicle will hold.
Kenda® is a registered trademark of Kenda Rubber Industrial Co, Ltd.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig, Inc.
JBL® is a registered trademark of Harman International Industries, Incorporated
Rhino-Rack® is a registered trademark of Rhino Rack Australia Pty Limited
Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Polaris Industries Inc.
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SOURCE Polaris Inc. | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/polaris-expands-its-ranger-lineup-with-all-new-ranger-xd-1500-an-entirely-new-class-extreme-duty-utility-side-by-sides/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:17 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/polaris-expands-its-ranger-lineup-with-all-new-ranger-xd-1500-an-entirely-new-class-extreme-duty-utility-side-by-sides/ |
US needs win to ensure Americans avoid elimination in group play for first time in Women’s World Cup
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The United States arrived at the Women’s World Cup as the favorites to win an unprecedented third consecutive title. But after an underwhelming draw against the Netherlands, there’s a real chance the Americans can be eliminated in group play for the first time in tournament history.
The U.S. plays Portugal in the third and final match of Group E play, and if Portugal pulls off an upset Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland, the Americans could be in big trouble.
The United States needs to either win or draw against Portugal, one of eight teams playing in its first World Cup, to ensure the Americans continue to play in this tournament.
“I think we feel like we have to win everything all the time,” said American star Megan Rapinoe. “That’s the expectation for ourselves. That’s the expectation playing for U.S. national team. It’s just kind of like, ‘Why would you come into the World Cup if you don’t think that you should win it, and if you don’t think that you can win it?’”
The United States sits atop the group after a 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the tournament opener, and a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands last Thursday in Wellington. The Dutch are tied with the U.S. on points, but the Americans have the tie-breaker on goals scored.
Portugal lost to the Dutch in its opener but then beat Vietnam 2-0. So if the Portuguese beat the United States, they’ll move on, and the Americans would then need Vietnam to beat the Dutch in Dunedin — while keeping their advantage on goal differential — to advance.
“One thing is for sure, that we have a job to do and that’s first and foremost to take care of our game, so our main focus right now it our performance, our team, and Portugal,” said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski. “What happens on the other side is something we can’t control. We have to stay focused on the things we can control.”
Portugal could use a swarming defense to try to prevent the United States from scoring the way Vietnam — unsuccessfully — played the Americans in the opener.
Portugal defender Ana Borges said her team will be prepared.
“This is the stage where we want to be. It’s against these teams that we want to play because we’re going to learn and grow from them,” Borges said. “Not saying anything about the other team, but if we weren’t prepared for this challenge, we wouldn’t be playing football.”
CHINA-ENGLAND
England is in very good shape headed into its Group D finale against China, needing only a draw Tuesday night in Adelaide, Australia to win the group and advance to the round of 16.
Even a loss would be OK and push England through as group winners so long as Denmark doesn’t beat Haiti. If Denmark won and England lost, the group winner would be decided by FIFA tiebreakers.
England edged out a 1-0 victory over Haiti to open the tournament, then beat Denmark by the same score.
China lost 1-0 to Denmark in the opener but rebounded with a 1-0 win over Haiti and is now trying to keep its streak intact of advancing out of group play in all eight of its World Cup appearances.
It will be a tough task: China can advance to the round of 16 if the Chinese beat England. But if Denmark beats Haiti, coupled with a China win, then FIFA tiebreakers would come into a play. A loss would mean China’s only chance at advancing would be if Haiti beat Denmark.
England and China meet for just the fifth time, but first since a 2-1 China victory in 2015.
England has scored in each of its last 15 matches at the Women’s World Cup for a tally of 25 goals since 2015. A goal against China would make England the first team to score in 16 consecutive matches in the tournament.
China is looking to win consecutive World Cup games for the first time since 1999.
VIETNAM-NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands want to win every match in the Women’s World Cup but none more so than Tuesday’s game against Vietnam.
At stake: avoiding Sweden in the knockout round.
The Dutch, the tournament runner-up in 2019, need only a win or a draw in the Group E match played in Dunedin, New Zealand. And even a loss would be OK so long as the United States beats Portugal in a game being played simultaneously.
But the Netherlands has mapped out the tournament and wants no part of Sweden anytime soon.
“The first aim is always to win and get to the last 16 and then after that if we can score goals we will, of course,” said Dutch coach Andries Jonker. “But looking at our colleagues from the U.S. and Portugal, we’ve noticed it’s not all that easy. We’ve never shown any kind of arrogance, but if we get chances to score goals we will. We would prefer to play against the number two in this group and not Sweden.”
The Netherlands are tied with the United States for the top spot in the group after playing to a 1-1 draw against the Americans and a 1-0 win over Portugal.
Vietnam has already been eliminated from its first Women’s World Cup following losses to the United States and Portugal. Vietnam has lost its last five internationals by a combined score of 18-1.
“The Netherlands tries to have as many goals as possible, and I have to say we are at a low level,” said Vietnam coach Mai Duc Chung. “If we compare with Asia, we’re still at a low level. So if we compare with the world, we are still quite behind. It is a success for us already. In the past two matches we have tried our best. Great effort already.”
HAITI-DENMARK
First-time Women’s World Cup participant Haiti would like to stick around a bit longer but needs a miracle against in the Group D finale against Denmark to have any shot to advance.
Haiti needs to beat Denmark in the Tuesday match played in Perth, Australia, and hope England beats China. If both those things happen, Haiti’s only chance would still come down to FIFA’s tiebreaker system.
It’s very long odds for Haiti, which has played better in this tournament than its 0-2 record shows. Haiti held both England and China to one goal each in the first two matches.
Haiti is on a six-game losing streak headed into what is probably its final game of this tournament.
Denmark, meanwhile, is trying to advance to the group stage for the first time since 1995. Denmark was a 1-0 winner over China to start the tournament, then lost 1-0 to England and heads into the game tied for second in the group with China with three points each.
A win over Haiti pushes Denmark through to the next round so long as England doesn’t lose to China. That scenario would put tiebreakers into play.
The Danes, in the tournament for the first time since 2007, can also get through with a draw, but again, only if England beats China.
Denmark has won five of its last seven international matches.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-needs-win-to-ensure-americans-avoid-elimination-in-group-play-for-first-time-in-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:19 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-needs-win-to-ensure-americans-avoid-elimination-in-group-play-for-first-time-in-womens-world-cup/ |
KHAR, Pakistan — The death toll from a massive suicide bombing that targeted an election rally for a pro-Taliban cleric rose to 54 Monday, as Pakistan held funerals and the government vowed to hunt down those behind the attack.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombing, which also wounded nearly 200 people. Police said their initial investigation suggested that the Islamic State group's regional affiliate could be responsible.
The victims were attending a rally organized by the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman. He did not attend the rally, held under a large tent close to a market in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.
Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan's Taliban government, escaped at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Victims of the bombing were buried in Bajur on Monday.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who received minor injuries were discharged from hospital while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll continued to rise as critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, Bajur's largest town. Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, said police were "investigating this attack in all aspects."
At least 1,000 people were gathered under a large tent Sunday as their party prepared for parliamentary elections, expected in October or November.
"People were chanting God is Great on the arrival of senior leaders, when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb," said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent.
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances started arriving and taking the wounded away.
Abdul Rasheed, a senior leader in Rehman's party said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that "such attacks cannot deter our resolve."
Islamist groups have long had a presence in Bajur. The district was formerly a base for Al Qaida and a stronghold of the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The army declared the district clear of the group in 2016 following a series of offensives.
The IS regional affiliate, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, is based in neighboring Afghanistan's Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and Al Qaida.
Shaukat Abbas, a senior police officer, said that police have made progress in their investigation, but did not provide details.
Pakistani security analyst Mahmood Shah told The Associated Press that breakaway factions of the TTP could also be behind the attack. He said some TTP members have been known to disobey their top leadership to carry out attacks, as have breakaway factions of the group.
Shah said such factions could have perpetrated the attack to cause "confusion, instability and unrest ahead of the elections."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to dissolve Pakistan's parliament in August.
Rehman's party is part of Sharif's coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. The bombing has also drawn nationwide condemnation, with ruling and opposition parties offering condolences to the families of the victims. The U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad also condemned the attack.
Khan condemned the bombing Sunday.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the attack, saying that the attack aimed to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that "such crimes cannot be justified in any way."
The bombing came hours before the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad, where on Monday he was to participate in an event to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Pakistan.
In recent months, China has helped Pakistan avoid a default on sovereign payments. Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Sunday's bombing was one of the four worst attacks in northwestern Pakistan since 2014, when 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters. | https://www.wptv.com/news/world/death-toll-in-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-to-54-as-families-hold-funerals-police-say | 2023-07-31T12:33:22 | 1 | https://www.wptv.com/news/world/death-toll-in-pakistan-suicide-bombing-rises-to-54-as-families-hold-funerals-police-say |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have given outside linebacker Danielle Hunter a hefty pay raise, paving the way for the team’s best pass rusher to participate in practice after a months-long contract stalemate.
The Vikings announced Sunday on their website that they reached a new deal with Hunter, the three-time Pro Bowl pick with 71 sacks who will turn 29 in three months.
Hunter reported to training camp last week on schedule after skipping the offseason program and mandatory minicamp, but he has yet to join his teammates on the field. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Saturday that Hunter has been “in the building” and that they’ve been in “daily dialogue” about his physical and mental preparation.
“Danielle Hunter is a very special player, and as soon as we can get him out here, you guys will see him out here,” O’Connell said.
Hunter’s previous contract called for a $4.9 million base salary. According to NFL Network, he’ll make $17 million guaranteed this year with an opportunity to earn an additional $3 million in incentives. Hunter will still hit the free agent market after the season, unless he and the team strike a deal on an extension in the meantime.
Hunter’s presence will be vital for a Vikings defense that has been one of the NFL’s worst over the past three years. They allowed the second-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league in 2022, despite decent production by their primary edge rushers. Hunter had 10 1/2 sacks, Za’Darius Smith had 10 sacks and backups D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones had four sacks apiece.
Smith was since traded to Cleveland in a cost-cutting move, leaving Hunter as the only proven pass rusher on the roster. Marcus Davenport was signed as a free agent to push for a starting spot, but this remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the team this season.
“I think Danielle’s a phenomenal player,” said defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who was hired to replace the fired Ed Donatell. “I look forward to working with him.”
Under Donatell, Hunter often found himself as a standup rusher in a three-point stance. The Vikings with Flores are aiming to get back to turning Hunter loose with his hand in the ground more often.
“Veteran players, they’ve seen a lot of defense, coverages, fronts, stunts. I think terminology will probably be the one thing that’s a little bit different, maybe, but some of it, there’s some crossover from some things he’s heard in the past so I don’t think it’ll take long for him to get up to speed,” Flores said. “At the end of the day, we’re telling him to go get the quarterback. There’s really not much to that. So I think he’ll be just fine.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-vikings-end-stalemate-with-danielle-hunter-by-giving-edge-rusher-a-big-pay-raise/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:22 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-vikings-end-stalemate-with-danielle-hunter-by-giving-edge-rusher-a-big-pay-raise/ |
Highlights Include the Return of Polaris Sportsman 570 and XP 1000 Hunt Editions, Along with a Host of
Aesthetic and Performance Upgrades Across the Lineup
MINNEAPOLIS, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of debuting its innovative Polaris XPEDITION and the all new Extreme Duty RANGER XD 1500, Polaris Off Road today unveiled updates for 2024 to the off-road industry's most expansive lineup. The 2024 lineup features a host of rider-inspired updates and refreshed styling and new colors. Additionally, the customer-favorite Polaris Sportsman 570 and XP 1000 Hunt editions make a return, and a Premium trim offering is now available on the 2024 GENERAL 1000 to provide customers with an upgrade in style and performance. RIDE COMMAND+ also received enhanced features for 2024, delivering unmatched connectivity and peace of mind to riders through all-new Location Bump Alerts and Check-In Messages.
"From the completely redesigned 2024 RZR XP and the industry's first "adventure side-by-side" Polaris XPEDITION, to our introduction of the all-new RANGER XD 1500, this year has been a powerful showcase of our ongoing commitment to lead the industry and innovate for our riders," said Steve Menneto, President of Polaris Off Road. "While those revolutionary product debuts are pivotal, our unwavering focus on refining and enhancing our current offerings based on customer needs and feedback remains essential, and that's what the 2024 updates represent."
From fresh new styles and colorways, to improved trim levels that appeal to a wide variety of riders, the Polaris Off Road 2024 model year lineup and RIDE COMMAND+ technology enhancements include the following:
RIDE COMMAND+:
Making its debut last fall, RIDE COMMAND+, the industry's first connected-vehicle technology, continues to roll out new enhancements to its service for 2024. With new features like Location Alerts, that will notify the owner if its vehicle has been bumped or moved from its last location, owners can now protect their vehicle more than ever before. RIDE COMMAND+ is now available as a factory option for 2024 RZR Pro R Ultimate, RANGER XD 1500 NorthStar, RANGER XP 1000 NorthStar, Polaris XPEDITION NorthStar and Sportsman XP 1000 RIDE COMMAND Edition. This service is also available on most 2024 RZR, RANGER, Sportsman and Polaris XPEDITION models as an accessory install.
Sportsman
Polaris Sportsman, the long-standing No. 1 selling automatic 4x4 ATV, is reintroducing the Sportsman 570 and XP 1000 Hunt Editions, while also implementing key improvements across the core 2024 lineup. A customer favorite, specifically designed to meet the unique needs of hunters, the Sportsman 570 and XP 1000 Hunt editions include accessories such as the 3,500 lb Polaris Winch, Kolpin Gun Scabbard & Mount, Kolpin Ratchet Claws and more.
Additionally, the 2024 Sportsman 450 and 570 lineup boasts several quality refinements for a better riding experience including a new rear brake pedal for reduced pedal effort and feel, improved sealing around the shifter, and enhanced seat fitment delivering a more comfortable ride. The 570 EPS trim and above will also include enhanced PVT clutch sealing with a higher intake location for better performance in wet conditions.
For added utility, the model year 2024 Sportsman 570 lineup will be equipped with new LED lights for the Premium and Utility HD for added visibility from dawn to dusk.
New color options also are available for the 570 Premium and Trail, 570 Ride Command Edition, Sportsman 850 Premium and Ultimate Trail, Sportsman XP 1000 Ultimate Trail, Sportsman XP 1000 High Lifter Edition, Scrambler XP 1000 S and Sportsman XP 1000 S.
The 2024 Sportsman lineup starts at $6,999 US MSRP and will begin shipping to dealers this early fall. For additional pricing on the entire model lineup, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/sportsman/
GENERAL
Polaris GENERAL is the industry's most versatile crossover side-by-side, capable of tackling tough trails, while also knocking out tasks around the property. For 2024, the GENERAL 1000 receives a new Premium trim offering that provides both style and performance enhancements. Featuring 14" wheels with 27" Coronado tires, and FOX® Podium QS3® shocks that riders can adjust between soft, medium and firm based on terrain changes, the new Premium trim will deliver a smooth ride over rugged terrain, while LED headlights provide greater visibility at morning and night. These upgrades will help riders knock out more tasks and hit the trails confidently in the GENERAL 1000.
Additionally, new colorways on the GENERAL 1000 model include Ghost Gray and Volcanic Orange. The Premium and Ultimate trim levels for the GENERAL XP will feature new colors and graphics in Matte Silver Quartz and Polaris Blue.
The 2024 GENERAL lineup starts at $17,499 US MSRP and will begin shipping to dealers this summer. For additional pricing on the entire model lineup, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/general/
RZR
Polaris RZR, the No. 1 sport side-by-side brand, receives fresh new colors and graphics across its lineup, helping riders make a bold statement when hitting the trails. The 2024 RZR Trail and RZR Trail S are now available in Storm Blue on the Sport trim and two-tone Storm Blue with White Lightning on the Ultimate. Both Sport and Ultimate trim levels now receive the same upgraded steering wheel offered in the fully-redesigned 2024 RZR XP that provides a sportier feel while driving on trails. New for 2024, the RZR Trail and Trail S Sport level feature electric power steering and LED headlights standard, providing riders easier steering input on tight trail corners and enhanced visibility. Additionally for 2024, the RZR Trail S Ultimate trim now features Walker Evans Racing® shocks, while the Sport trim moved to ZF Sachs shocks, both offering riders plush suspension performance against the rugged terrain.
For 2024, the RZR Pro XP Sport and Premium models feature Walker Evans Racing® shocks, while the Ultimate will continue to be equipped with FOX® Live Valve shocks with DYNAMIX active suspension. Both the Premium and Ultimate trim received a refresh with new graphics on the Super Graphite colorway.
Lastly and by consumer demand, the Wide Open lineup of RZR Pro R and RZR Turbo R receives refreshed color options for 2024. For the first time since launching, the RZR Pro R Ultimate is available in an all-new Matte Onyx Black with Lifted Lime accents or Matte Heavy Metal, while the Premium trim level is offered in Matte Heavy Metal. The 2024 RZR Turbo R also welcomes vibrant new colors like Velocity Blue with Green Burst accents and Military Tan with Orange Burst accents.
The 2024 RZR lineup starts at $15,999 US MSRP and will begin shipping to dealers this fall. For additional pricing on the entire model lineup, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/rzr/
RANGER
In addition to the newly launched Extreme Duty RANGER XD 1500, the Polaris RANGER lineup receives a variety of rider-inspired upgrades and quality refinements for 2024. RANGER SP 570 gets new color options, while the NorthStar Edition gets exclusive tailgate badging and new 25" 8-ply Pro Armor X-Terrain tires for added durability and enhanced puncture resistance.
Additionally, Polaris expands the color options for the RANGER 1000 Premium which will now be offered in the sleek Granite Grey color and graphics, while the XP 1000 will be featured in two new options: Desert Sand and Super Graphite with orange burst accents. Furthermore, the RANGER XP 1000 NorthStar Ultimate model boasts connectivity features such as vehicle health, issue diagnostics, and maintenance reminders enabled by RIDE COMMAND+.
The 2024 RANGER lineup starts at $11,699 US MSRP and will begin shipping to dealers this fall. For additional pricing on the entire model lineup, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/ranger/
Youth
Dedicated to inspiring the next generation of riders, Polaris Off Road delivers the industry's largest and most varied lineup of youth offerings. For 2024, the Polaris ORV Youth lineup receives a refresh with eye-catching new colors and graphics. This lineup continues to provide industry-leading safety features that give parents peace of mind and help instill confidence in growing riders, including pin code start, adjustable speed limiter, geofencing, helmet aware technology and industry-exclusive safety gear kit.
Specifically, the 2024 RZR 200 EFI is now offered in Storm Gray and a new graphic pattern with bright red accents. The Outlaw 70 EFI ATV is offered in Velocity Blue with either Lifted Lime or Fierce Fuchsia accents, while the Outlaw 110 EFI is now offered in both Bright White with Polaris Blue and Bright White with Radiant Green details.
The 2024 Polaris Youth lineup starts at $2,999 US MSRP and will begin shipping to dealers this winter. For additional pricing on the entire model lineup, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/shop-by-use/youth/
Polaris XPEDITION
The Polaris XPEDITION, which recently launched in May 2023, is the first-of-its-kind adventure side-by-side, combining the all-terrain capabilities of traditional side-by-sides with comfort and cargo capabilities typically associated with overlanding at the highest level. With a host of standard features and optional configurations to accommodate the greatest range of outdoor pursuits and enable consumers to keep chasing the wild, the 2024 Polaris XPEDITION XP and ADV are the most adaptable, comfortable and capable adventure machine on the market.
The 2024 Polaris XPEDITION lineup starts at $28,999 US MSRP and is currently shipping to dealers. For additional pricing on the entire model lineup, visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road/polaris-xpedition/
To learn more about the Polaris ORV 2024 lineup and to stay up to date on testing and demo opportunities, please visit https://offroad.polaris.com/en-us/ or join the conversation and follow on FacebookSM, InstagramSM, YouTubeSM and TwitterSM. Walker Evans Racing® is a registered trademark of Walker Evans Enterprises Incorporated; FOX® is a registered trademark of Fox Factory Inc.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris' high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman® all-terrain off-road vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles; Indian Motorcycle® mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot® moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com
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NPR's Leila Fadel talks with former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb about the federal investigation into efforts to overturn the election, and the potential legal jeopardy for the former president.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Leila Fadel talks with former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb about the federal investigation into efforts to overturn the election, and the potential legal jeopardy for the former president.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/another-indictment-against-trumps-efforts-to-undermine-democracy-could-come-soon | 2023-07-31T12:33:25 | 1 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/another-indictment-against-trumps-efforts-to-undermine-democracy-could-come-soon |
Pakistan buries dead from massive suicide attack at political rally that killed 54
KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — Hundreds of mourners attended funerals in Pakistan on Monday after a suicide bombing killed at least 54 people at an election rally for a pro-Taliban cleric, carrying caskets draped in colorful cloths to burial sites in the hills.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing in Bajur that killed at least five children and wounded nearly 200 people.
The attack appeared to reflect divisions between Islamist groups, which have a strong presence in the district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. It targeted the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
At least 1,000 people, according to police, were crowded into a tent near a market for the rally ahead of fall elections.
“People were chanting God is Great as the leaders arrived,” said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent, “and that was when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb.”
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances arrived and began taking the wounded away.
Police said their initial investigation suggested that the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate, a rival of the Taliban, could be responsible, while a Pakistan security analyst pointed to breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban as possible suspects.
The Pakistani military spent years fighting the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in Bajur before declaring the district clear of militants in 2016. But the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman, has remained a potent political force.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, the district’s principal town.
The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, which police identified as a suspect in the attack, is based in neighboring Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida.
Pakistani security analyst Mahmood Shah said some TTP members have been known to disobey their top leadership to carry out attacks, as have breakaway factions of the group.
Shah said such factions could have perpetrated the attack to cause “confusion, instability and unrest ahead of the elections.”
On Monday, female relatives and children wailed and beat their chests at family homes as the dead were taken for funerals, following local customs. Hundreds of men followed the caskets to mosques and open areas for special funeral prayers and then into the hills for burial.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who had lesser injuries were discharged from hospital, while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll continued to rise as some critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
Gul Akbar, the father of an 11-year-old boy who was wounded in the attack, told The Associated Press that his entire family was in a state of shock after hearing about the bombing Sunday. He said he first went to the scene of the attack, and later found his son Taslim Khan being treated in a hospital in Khar.
“What would I have done if he had also been martyred? Five children died in this barbaric attack, and we want to know what our children did wrong,” he said.
Rehman’s party is preparing to contest elections, which are expected in October or November. Abdul Rasheed, one of the party’s senior leaders, said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that “such attacks cannot deter our resolve.”
Rehman’s party is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. Khan condemned the bombing Sunday, as did the U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the bombing, saying that it was intended to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The bombing came hours before Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Islamabad, where he signed new agreements to boost trade and economic ties to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which China has invested $10 billion in Pakistan over 10 years, according to Sharif.
“We will not tolerate any obstacles in the way of friendship with China,” Sharif said, as he stood next to He.
But the government canceled a cultural event that had been arranged in honor of He, according to Sharif, while the nation mourns.
Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan’s Taliban government, survived at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Sunday’s bombing was one of the worst in northwestern Pakistan in the last decade. In 2014, 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
___
Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this story from Islamabad.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/pakistan-buries-dead-from-massive-suicide-attack-at-political-rally-that-killed-54/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:25 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/pakistan-buries-dead-from-massive-suicide-attack-at-political-rally-that-killed-54/ |
HAITI — A woman from New Hampshire who works for a nonprofit organization in Haiti and her young daughter have been reported as kidnapped as the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
Alix Dorsainvil, a nurse for El Roi Haiti, and her daughter were kidnapped on Thursday, the organization said in a statement Saturday. El Roi, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti,” adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.” | https://www.wptv.com/news/world/us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti-people-warned-not-to-travel-there | 2023-07-31T12:33:28 | 1 | https://www.wptv.com/news/world/us-mother-daughter-reported-kidnapped-in-haiti-people-warned-not-to-travel-there |
NPR's Leila Fadel talks with former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb about the federal investigation into efforts to overturn the election, and the potential legal jeopardy for the former president.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Leila Fadel talks with former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb about the federal investigation into efforts to overturn the election, and the potential legal jeopardy for the former president.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/another-indictment-against-trumps-efforts-to-undermine-democracy-could-come-soon | 2023-07-31T12:33:30 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/another-indictment-against-trumps-efforts-to-undermine-democracy-could-come-soon |
How beavers are helping restore wetlands and create buffers against wildfires Published July 31, 2023 at 7:23 AM EDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 1:43 Some experts now see beavers — nature's helpers — as their dams can mitigate the effects of drought and wildfires. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/how-beavers-are-helping-restore-wetlands-and-create-buffers-against-wildfires | 2023-07-31T12:33:31 | 0 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/how-beavers-are-helping-restore-wetlands-and-create-buffers-against-wildfires |
Police search for driver who intentionally hit 6 migrant workers; injuries aren’t life-threatening
LINCOLNTON, N.C. (AP) — Six migrant workers were intentionally hit by an SUV in a Walmart parking lot in North Carolina on Sunday, police said.
The workers were hit at a Walmart in Lincolnton in what appears to have been an intentional assault with a vehicle, but the Lincolnton Police Department said in a statement posted on social media that the driver’s motives are still under investigation. The workers were taken to a hospital with various injuries, but police said none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.
Police are asking the public for help identifying the driver and the vehicle, described as an older model black sport utility vehicle with a luggage rack.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/police-search-for-driver-who-intentionally-hit-6-migrant-workers-injuries-arent-life-threatening/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:31 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/police-search-for-driver-who-intentionally-hit-6-migrant-workers-injuries-arent-life-threatening/ |
BUFFALO, N.Y., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
SUMMARY NOTICE OF (I) PENDENCY OF CLASS ACTION, CERTIFICATION OF SETTLEMENT CLASS, AND PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION; (II) SETTLEMENT HEARING; AND (III) MOTION FOR AN AWARD OF
ATTORNEYS' FEES AND REIMBURSEMENT OF LITIGATION EXPENSES
TO: All persons and entities who, during the period from February 18, 2016 through July 31, 2019, inclusive (the "Settlement Class Period"), purchased or otherwise acquired 22nd Century Group, Inc. ("22nd Century") common stock and were allegedly damaged thereby (the "Settlement Class").
PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY, YOUR RIGHTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT PENDING IN THIS COURT.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and an Order of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, that the above-captioned litigation (the "Action") has been certified as a class action on behalf of the Settlement Class, except for certain persons and entities who are excluded from the Settlement Class as set forth in the full printed Notice Of (I) Pendency Of Class Action, Certification Of Settlement Class, And Proposed Settlement of Class Action; (II) Settlement Hearing; And (III) Motion For An Award Of Attorneys' Fees And Reimbursement Of Litigation Expenses (the "Notice").
YOU ARE ALSO NOTIFIED that Lead Plaintiffs in the Action have reached a proposed settlement of the Action for $3,000,000.00 in cash (the "Settlement"), that, if approved, will resolve all claims in the Action.
This Summary Notice relates to the proposed Settlement of claims in a pending securities class action lawsuit brought by investors alleging, among other things, that Defendants 22nd Century, Henry Sicignano, III, and John T. Brodfuehrer (collectively, the "Defendants") violated the federal securities laws by making alleged misrepresentations or omissions regarding certain alleged stock promotion articles and Defendants' alleged failure to disclose an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") into a material weakness in 22nd Century's internal controls, which Defendants deny.
A hearing will be held on October 3, 2023 at 11:00 a.m., before the Honorable Michael J. Roemer, United States Magistrate Judge, at the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse, 2 Niagara Square, Buffalo, New York 14202, or by telephonic, video conferencing or other electronic means, as posted on the website of the Claims Administrator. The hearing will determine (i) whether the proposed Settlement should be approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (ii) whether the Action should be dismissed with prejudice against Defendants, and the Releases specified and described in the Stipulation And Agreement Of Settlement (and in the Notice) should be granted; (iii) whether the proposed Plan of Allocation should be approved as fair and reasonable; (iv) whether Lead Counsel's application for an award of attorneys' fees and reimbursement of Litigation Expenses should be approved, and (v) whether to award Lead Plaintiff for reimbursement of Lead Plaintiffs' time and expenses out of the Settlement Fund and pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §78u-4(a)(4) in connection with their representation of the Settlement Class and, if so, in what amount.
If you are a member of the Settlement Class, your rights will be affected by the pending Action and the Settlement, and you may be entitled to share in the Settlement Fund. If you have not yet received the Notice and Claim Form, you may obtain copies of these documents by contacting the Claims Administrator at 22nd Century Securities Litigation, c/o Epiq, P.O. Box 3839, Portland, OR 97208-3839. Copies of the Notice and Claim Form can also be downloaded from the website maintained by the Claims Administrator, www.22ndCenturySecuritiesLitigation.com.
If you are a member of the Settlement Class, in order to be potentially eligible to receive a payment under the proposed Settlement, you must submit a Claim Form either online at the Settlement website, www.22ndCenturySecuritiesLitigation.com, by October 10, 2023, or by first class postage prepaid U.S. mail postmarked no later than October 10, 2023. If you are a Settlement Class Member and do not timely submit a proper Claim Form, you will not be eligible to share in the distribution of the net proceeds of the Settlement but you will nevertheless be bound by any judgments or orders entered by the Court in the Action.
If you are a member of the Settlement Class and wish to exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you must submit a request for exclusion such that it is received no later than September 12, 2023, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice. If you properly exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you will not be bound by any judgments or orders entered by the Court in the Action and you will not be eligible to share in the proceeds of the Settlement.
Any objections to the proposed Settlement, the proposed Plan of Allocation, or Lead Counsel's motion for attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses, must be filed with the Court and delivered to representatives of Lead Counsel and Defendants' counsel such that they are received no later than September 12, 2023, in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Notice.
Please do not contact the Court, the Clerk's office, 22nd Century, or Defendants' counsel regarding this notice. All questions about this notice, the proposed Settlement, or your eligibility to participate in the Settlement should be directed to Lead Counsel or the Claims Administrator.
Requests for the Notice and Claim Form should be made to:
22nd Century Securities Litigation
c/o Epiq
P.O. Box 3839
Portland, OR 97208-3839
Inquiries, other than requests for the Notice and Claim Form, should be made to Lead Counsel:
POMERANTZ LLP
Jeremy A. Lieberman
Brian Calandra
600 Third Avenue, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10016
jalieberman@pomlaw.com
bcalandra@pomlaw.com
Dated: August 7, 2023
By Order of the Court
United States District Court
Western District of New York
URL: www.22ndCenturySecuritiesLitigation.com
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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pomerantz-llp-announces-pendency-class-action-proposed-settlement-involving-purchasers-22nd-century-group-inc-common-stock/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:31 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/pomerantz-llp-announces-pendency-class-action-proposed-settlement-involving-purchasers-22nd-century-group-inc-common-stock/ |
How beavers are helping restore wetlands and create buffers against wildfires Published July 31, 2023 at 7:23 AM EDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 1:43 Some experts now see beavers — nature's helpers — as their dams can mitigate the effects of drought and wildfires. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/how-beavers-are-helping-restore-wetlands-and-create-buffers-against-wildfires | 2023-07-31T12:33:36 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/how-beavers-are-helping-restore-wetlands-and-create-buffers-against-wildfires |
A Libyan man who says he escaped execution by the Russian mercenary Wagner group is taking them to court in the U.S. — alleging torture and multiple human rights abuses.
Copyright 2023 NPR
A Libyan man who says he escaped execution by the Russian mercenary Wagner group is taking them to court in the U.S. — alleging torture and multiple human rights abuses.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/libyan-man-who-says-he-was-tortured-wants-to-hold-wagner-group-accountable | 2023-07-31T12:33:37 | 0 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-07-31/libyan-man-who-says-he-was-tortured-wants-to-hold-wagner-group-accountable |
Russian missiles strike an apartment building, killing at least 4 in Ukrainian leader’s hometown
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles slammed into an apartment complex and a university building in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih Monday, killing four people and wounding scores of others as the blasts trapped residents beneath rubble, Ukraine’s interior minister said.
One of the two missiles destroyed a section of the apartment building between the fourth and ninth floors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Video showed black smoke billowing from corner units and burned out or damaged cars on a tree-lined street.
A 10-year-old girl was among those killed, officials said. Dnipro Gov. Serhii Lysak said 53 people were wounded in the morning attack, which also destroyed part of the four-story university building.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian artillery strike on partially occupied Donetsk province killed two people and wounded six in the regional capital, according to Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-installed leader of the illegally annexed province.
A bus was also hit as Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Donetsk multiple times Monday, Pushilin said.
Neither side’s claims could be independently verified.
A recent Ukrainian counteroffensive, deploying weaponry supplied by Kyiv’s Western allies and aimed at driving Russian forces out of occupied areas, intensified last week. At the same time, Ukraine has sought to take the war deep into Russia, reportedly using drones to hit targets as far away as Moscow.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and Moscow-annexed territory, especially Crimea, have become more frequent. The latest strike, on Sunday, damaged two office buildings a few miles (kilometers) from the Kremlin.
Russia has tightened security in the aftermath of that attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday, describing the assault as an “act of desperation.”
“The Kyiv regime is in a very, very difficult situation,” Peskov said, “as the counteroffensive is not working out as planned.”
“It’s obvious that the multibillion-dollar resources that have been transferred by NATO countries to the Kyiv regime are actually being spent inefficiently,” Peskov said.
“This raises big questions in Western capitals and great discomfort among taxpayers in Western countries.”
Another Ukrainian drone targeted a district police department early Monday in Russia’s Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, but there were no casualties, the local governor said.
In Kryvyi Rih, which is the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rescue crews searched Monday for people who were trapped in the wreckage of the two hit buildings. The Kremlin’s forces have occasionally targeted the city since they invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Bombarding populated areas with missiles, artillery and drones has been a hallmark of Moscow’s military strategy during the war, an approach that has continued during the Ukrainian counteroffensive that started in June.
Russian officials insist they only take aim at legitimate military targets, but Ukraine and its supporters say mass civilian deaths during previous attacks provide evidence of war crimes.
“In recent days, the enemy has been stubbornly attacking cities, city centers, shelling civilian objects and housing,” Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media. “But this terror will not frighten us or break us.”
Russian shelling Monday also killed a 70-year-old woman in her home in a Kharkiv province village near Izyum, as well as a civilian in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, local authorities said.
In eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province, one person was reported killed and seven people were injured after Russia shelled 12 cities and villages, according to Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.
Ukrainian officials didn’t acknowledge Sunday’s drone attacks in the Moscow region. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said: “Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centers and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process.”
Meanwhile, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday his Wagner Group is not currently recruiting fighters.
In an audio message published on a Telegram channel associated with the Wagner chief, Prigozhin said the company had suspended recruitment as there is currently “no shortage of personnel.”
Prigozhin previously agreed with Western estimates that he lost more than 20,000 men in the long battle for the Ukrainian city Bakhmut.
Prigozhin last month led a short-lived mutiny against Moscow, demanding a leadership change in the Russian military. In an attempt to control him, Russian authorities insisted that Wagner fighters can only return to Ukraine if they join Russia’s regular army.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/russian-missiles-strike-an-apartment-building-killing-at-least-4-in-ukrainian-leaders-hometown/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:37 | 1 | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/russian-missiles-strike-an-apartment-building-killing-at-least-4-in-ukrainian-leaders-hometown/ |
New Zillow survey finds 80% of mortgage holders report having a rate of less than 5%
SEATTLE, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Zillow® survey has identified the mortgage rate tipping point that makes homeowners more likely to move, which is key in unlocking the housing market and slowing price growth. Homeowners with a mortgage rate above 5% are nearly twice as likely to say that they plan to sell their home than those paying a rate below 5%.
Zillow's survey finds that about 80% of mortgage holders reported having a rate of less than 5%, and about 90% have a rate of less than 6%. Almost one-third reported a rate of less than 3%.
As today's mortgage rates near 7%, a vast majority of homeowners would need to finance a new home at a higher rate than the rate they currently hold, adding hundreds of dollars a month to their mortgage payment and creating an incentive to hold on to their home rather than move. This helps explain why Zillow data finds that 28% fewer new for-sale listings hit the market in June than a year ago.
"We expect mortgage rates may notch down slightly as inflation comes under control, but they are unlikely to return to 5% in the near future," said Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow Home Loans. "That means many homeowners will move only for major life events, like a new baby or retirement. Over time, homeowners will likely accept higher rates as the new normal, but until then, the market could remain challenging for home shoppers, who will see fewer options and higher prices."
There is reason to be optimistic that more homes could hit the market in the next few years. Zillow's survey finds that nearly one-quarter of homeowners are considering selling their home in the next three years or currently have their home listed for sale (23%), which is significantly higher than the 15% of homeowners who said the same one year ago. The share is even greater among mortgage holders who have a rate above 5%. Nearly 40% of those homeowners say they would consider selling their home in the next three years (38%).
In the meantime, the shortage of for-sale homes is pushing up prices. Zillow's latest monthly market report finds that home values hit a record high in June, topping $350,000 for the first time nationally. Home values climbed in all of the 50 largest metro areas for a second month in a row.
Higher prices are compounding affordability challenges for buyers who are also facing today's higher mortgage interest rates. A typical monthly mortgage payment is more than twice as much as it was in 2020 and 13% higher than a year ago.
While these challenges have tempered demand, buyers are persisting and getting creative to achieve homeownership. A recent survey from Zillow Home Loans finds that nearly half of all buyers are buying points to lower their interest rate and reduce their monthly mortgage payment (45%). Mortgage points give buyers an option to pay an upfront fee to buy down the interest rate on a loan. Buyers are also making compromises on their wish lists and competing for smaller, more affordable homes.
There are tools to help buyers better understand what they can afford and to make homeownership more attainable. Buyers can find out if they're eligible for down payment assistance programs, which are listed on every for-sale home on Zillow. Buyers can also use mortgage and affordability calculators to understand what they can afford on a monthly basis, and then search for homes by monthly cost to land a home they can afford.
About Zillow Group:
Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences.
Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans℠; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+℠, which includes ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop®.
All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2023 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.
View original content:
SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc. | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/rate-lock-tipping-point-homeowners-are-nearly-twice-willing-sell-if-their-mortgage-rate-is-5-or-higher/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:38 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/rate-lock-tipping-point-homeowners-are-nearly-twice-willing-sell-if-their-mortgage-rate-is-5-or-higher/ |
A Libyan man who says he escaped execution by the Russian mercenary Wagner group is taking them to court in the U.S. — alleging torture and multiple human rights abuses.
Copyright 2023 NPR
A Libyan man who says he escaped execution by the Russian mercenary Wagner group is taking them to court in the U.S. — alleging torture and multiple human rights abuses.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/libyan-man-who-says-he-was-tortured-wants-to-hold-wagner-group-accountable | 2023-07-31T12:33:42 | 1 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/libyan-man-who-says-he-was-tortured-wants-to-hold-wagner-group-accountable |
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A Hubbard Broadcasting Company | https://www.kaaltv.com/trivia/britt-iowa-is-home-to-which-museum/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:44 | 0 | https://www.kaaltv.com/trivia/britt-iowa-is-home-to-which-museum/ |
Pitstick brings product, operations, and value-based care expertise to leading behavioral health provider
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- aptihealth, the leading tech-driven behavioral healthcare provider built for higher acuity care, today announced that Regina Pitstick has joined the organization as Senior Vice President of aptihealth Medical Group.
Most recently, Pitstick was VP Advocacy Product & Innovation for the Employer and Individual segment at UnitedHealth Group, where she drove the company's product strategy and vision, focused on delivering a seamless, personalized patient experience. Responsible for product development initiatives, Pitstick's leadership and experience fueled successful long-range strategies, broader market penetration and deeper engagement for over 15M consumers.
"Regina brings more than twenty years of extremely relevant experience in the healthcare industry to aptihealth—including a deep skillset in digital health start-ups, product development, operations, process improvement and value-based care," said Tim Koehler, President and Chief Operating Officer of aptihealth. "Regina's patient-centered approach, insightful understanding of the health care landscape, innovate approach, and impeccable ability to execute strategic initiatives will greatly enhance our medical group. She's ideal for this critical role at aptihealth as we continue to pursue our mission of becoming the nation's preeminent provider of behavioral health services."
Pitstick joins aptihealth at a time of significant growth, having served nearly 15,000 patients for leading national and regional health plans. aptihealth expects to more than double its patients in 2023, with a majority covered by value-based care contracts.
"The value that aptihealth is providing to health plans, physicians groups, health systems and higher-acuity patients simply can't be underestimated," indicated Pitstick. "Whether it's the company's commitment to engaging new patients at any point of care, to their proprietary screening and assessment tools, to their proven ability to improve outcomes and decrease the overall cost of care, it's not hyperbole to state that aptihealth is changing the behavioral healthcare game. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to help aptihealth continue to improve its care model, meet its strategic goals, and intelligently achieve its considerable opportunities for growth."
About aptihealth
aptihealth is improving higher acuity behavioral healthcare for populations who need it most—one patient at a time. The company's virtual-first model and proprietary screening, assessment, and treatment programs give members fast, convenient access to precise, personalized care. Headquartered in Saratoga Springs and employing over 150, aptihealth has raised over $70 million in funding from leading international private equity firms. The company's care program and data insights are driving breakthroughs in mental health understanding, treatment, outcomes, and cost reduction. Learn more at: www.aptihealth.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE aptihealth | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/regina-pitstick-named-senior-vp-aptihealth-medical-group/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:44 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/regina-pitstick-named-senior-vp-aptihealth-medical-group/ |
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
A massive bombing at a political rally near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border killed at least 54 and wounded nearly 200 on Sunday. NPR's Diaa Hadid says the attack spotlights how "violence has been spilling over into Pakistan since the Taliban seized Afghanistan nearly two years ago."
The Taliban has been killing suspected Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan, and the Islamic State has been fighting back, Hadid says on Up First this morning. But she says this attack was "politically sensitive" because the targeted party is part of the current Pakistani government coalition. Pakistan is preparing for elections this fall, and Hadid reports that the stakes are high, as voting will be difficult if political parties are targeted like this.
Ukrainian forces have recaptured the southeastern village of Staromaiorske during their counteroffensive against Russia.
A Ukrainian soldier tells NPR's Joanna Kakissis that progress has been slow and hard-fought, but reclaiming the village was a strategic win, as it's one line of attack that aims to cut off Russia's resupply routes. Russia has also blamed Ukraine for recent drone attacks. Though Ukraine hasn't officially claimed responsibility, Zelenskyy has said the drone attacks are "absolutely fair" considering Russia's attacks.
The shipping company Yellow is expected to file for bankruptcy as early as today. The move would put some 30,000 jobs at stake, according to the Teamsters union. Yellow received a $700 million federal loan and was deemed essential to national security during the pandemic. Here's everything we know about the situation so far.
The expected shutdown would be the largest trucking bankruptcy in U.S. history, an analyst tells NPR's Camila Domonoske. Legal filings say the Teamsters union intentionally "triggered a death spiral" by blocking Yellow's restructuring efforts and scaring away customers with threats of a strike. The Union blames gross mismanagement at the company. Domonoske adds that a Congressional Oversight Board raised red flags about the loan given to Yellow and why it was deemed essential.
Ashley Hemmers, the tribal administrator for the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, got heatstroke while driving to a meeting to present her people's concerns about climate change. She didn't make the meeting, but tells NPR's Leila Fadel how climate change is impacting indigenous communities.
"For us, it's one of the highest threats," she says on Morning Edition. "If we keep extracting from our environment, it won't just be heat stroke and second and third-degree burns — it's going to be losing people's lives."
Picture show
The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City is showcasing work from living West African artists for the first time as part of an ongoing series the museum says will focus on "specific art scenes across the globe." The current collection of photographs captures the colonial past, beautiful beaches and boisterous protests of Lagos, Nigeria. The exhibition runs through Sept. 16. Check out some of the photographs if you can't make it.
Life advice
When Keisha "TK" Dutes lost her cat Feisty Misses Peabody, she wasn't prepared for the grief she felt. She spoke with her friend Alexander Hardy about how to cope with pet loss.
Give yourself space and time to process the loss.
Don't go through it alone, and find a way to channel your grief.
Don't forget the good times, and honor your pet in a way that resonates with you.
3 things to know before you go
Soccer fans in Malawi might see a person dressed as a colorful tsetse fly on the field. But it's not a team mascot — the fly's performance teaches residents about sleeping sickness.
Scientists revived a tiny roundworm frozen in the Siberian permafrost for 46,000 years. The remarkable discovery could help researchers understand how other animals adapt to extreme temperatures.
Jeffrey Gibson, a multimedia artist who fuses together American, Native American and queer perspectives in visual culture, will be the first Indigenous artist to represent the U.S. at the 2024 Venice Biennale, a prestigious international arts event. | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/up-first-briefing-pakistan-bombing-yellow-trucking-meltdown-grieving-pet-loss | 2023-07-31T12:33:48 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-07-31/up-first-briefing-pakistan-bombing-yellow-trucking-meltdown-grieving-pet-loss |
SUV driver intentionally hit 6 migrant workers, police say
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 7:26 AM CDT|Updated: 5 minutes ago
LINCOLNTON, N.C. (AP) — Six migrant workers were intentionally hit by an SUV in a Walmart parking lot in North Carolina on Sunday, police said.
The workers were hit at a Walmart in Lincolnton in what appears to have been an intentional assault with a vehicle, but the Lincolnton Police Department said in a statement posted on social media that the driver’s motives are still under investigation. The workers were taken to a hospital with various injuries, but police said none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.
Police are asking the public for help identifying the driver and the vehicle, described as an older model black sport utility vehicle with a luggage rack.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kwch.com/2023/07/31/suv-driver-intentionally-hit-6-migrant-workers-police-say/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:49 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/2023/07/31/suv-driver-intentionally-hit-6-migrant-workers-police-say/ |
The fashion show on September 13, 2023, hosted by Shaquem Griffin, will feature Adaptive and Universally Designed apparel, footwear, and products from: Zappos, Kohl's, Target, JCPenney, Tommy Hilfiger, Stride Rite, Steve Madden, French Toast Adaptive, adidas, and a runway debut of Victoria's Secret and PINK's first-ever Adaptive Intimates.
NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Runway of Dreams™ Foundation, a nonprofit organization leading the charge on inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity in the fashion and beauty industries for people with disabilities, announced today their return to the runway during New York Fashion Week. This one-of-a-kind Adaptive fashion show, aptly titled A Fashion Revolution, is presented by online retailer Zappos, and will take place on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, New York. Shaquem Griffin, former NFL linebacker, will be hosting. Griffin was featured this summer in the Runway of Dreams' Campaign for Inclusion, the first multi-brand fashion and beauty campaign featuring people with disabilities wearing Adaptive & Universally Designed products. "I'm honored to continue my journey with Runway of Dreams. This organization is a trailblazer for change, and advocates for millions of people across the globe like myself, who need accessible clothing, which so many people take for granted every day of their lives," - he said. Mr. Griffin will be dressed in looks provided by Neiman Marcus and Tommy Hilfiger.
A Fashion Revolution will highlight the groundbreaking work that leading and emerging companies, from lingerie to luxury, are doing in the Adaptive and Universally Designed space, showcased on 70 models with varying disabilities and backgrounds. The show brings together 500+ leaders and champions of DEI under one roof during New York Fashion Week with the same mission: celebrate inclusion in the fashion and beauty industries.
"The Runway of Dreams stage is where brands have chosen to celebrate the debut of their Adaptive designs over the years, and I am thrilled and so honored to welcome Victoria's Secret and Pink Adaptive to the Adaptive family. Knowing the Victoria's Secret and PINK Adaptive products were developed with and for people with disabilities proves their commitment to true inclusion, and understanding the work that needs to go into making these products authentically," said Mindy Scheier, Founder of Runway of Dreams.
"We are excited to debut our first-ever Adaptive collection during New York Fashion Week on the Runway of Dreams' runway. Runway of Dreams advocates for industry change by empowering people with disabilities to have confidence and self-expression through inclusion in fashion and beauty. We are honored to join the many brands who have decided to debut their Adaptive apparel on this runway adding to the historic timeline that is the future of fashion," said Lydia Smith, Chief Diversity Officer, Victoria's Secret & Co.
In addition to brands on the runway, innovative small brands will showcase their products onsite during the evening. Brands included: MAI We Care, Spoonie Threads, One Leg Up, Reboundwear, and Silverts Adaptive.
Zappos will be awarded the esteemed Pioneer of Change Award, presented to Zappos CEO Scott Schaefer and Zappos Adaptive Business Development Manager Dana Zumbo. Billy Price of BILLY Footwear will also be awarded with the Inspirational Achievement Award for their innovative zippered Adaptive shoes. Two scholarships will be awarded as part of the Foundation's commitment to educate and inspire the next generation of Adaptive designers.
"We've been proud partners of Runway of Dreams since the launch of our Zappos Adaptive shopping experience in 2017," said Dana Zumbo, Business Development Manager for Zappos Adaptive. "Together, we have grown in our shared commitment to make fashion more functional and fashionable for all. This is the stage to be on, and we are humbled to be returning this year as the 2023 Presenting Sponsor."
Following the show, September 14th to 16th is a free and open-to-the-public and first-of- its-kind Adaptive exhibit at Hudson Yards in New York City. This curated display will feature Adaptive and Universally Designed collections from mainstream brands committed to inclusion in the fashion and beauty industries and the history of Runway of Dreams as a trailblazer in the Adaptive space. The event is an opportunity for the public to learn about available Adaptive and Universally Designed products, and to emphasize the need for true inclusion in our mainstream world.
Sponsorship and Corporate Seating Packages Available. Please contact corporaterelations@runwayofdreams.org for more details. Public ticket sales and information about the public exhibit will be announced at runwayofdreams.org and on the Runway of Dreams' social channels.
ABOUT RUNWAY OF DREAMS:
Runway of Dreams is a non-profit (501c3) organization leading the movement of disability inclusion in the fashion and beauty industries. ROD raises awareness and inspires change through programming that celebrates people's differences, challenges stereotypes, and highlights the need for Adaptive & Universally designed apparel.
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SOURCE Runway of Dreams Foundation | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/runway-dreams-foundation-returns-new-york-fashion-week-with-runway-show-public-exhibit-recognizing-adaptive-amp-universally-designed-apparel-footwear-products/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:51 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/runway-dreams-foundation-returns-new-york-fashion-week-with-runway-show-public-exhibit-recognizing-adaptive-amp-universally-designed-apparel-footwear-products/ |
BEIJING, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 36Kr Holdings Inc. ("36Kr" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: KRKR), a prominent brand and a pioneering platform dedicated to serving New Economy participants in China, today announced the launch of its 36Kr Media Lab in Silicon Valley, an initiative to embrace the large language models (LLM) revolution taking place in the content creation industry and optimize the application of artificial intelligence (AI) for the new economy sector.
36Kr Silicon Valley Media Lab's first project leveraging LLM, "Empty Office," will experimentally explore scenarios where AI can think and work as humans, enhancing content production efficiency and reducing costs. Through "Empty Office," 36Kr is also building innovative media solutions that will transform traditional video, graphic and text communications into avant-garde dialogues between customized AI characters and audiences. These network-based dialogues will be naturally and seamlessly driven by real-time data generation, and available anytime, anywhere.
At the same time, 36Kr Silicon Valley Media Lab continues to focus on tailoring its LLM to the new economy sector. By utilizing dedicated financial and business datasets, including enterprises' financial results, news, market dynamics and knowledge repositories, among other resources, to train its LLM to thoroughly understand and analyze business information, 36Kr has developed a model that keenly grasps the business nuances to generate accurate analysis and interpretation. 36Kr Silicon Valley Media Lab constantly maintains its database, serving as the reference foundation to ensure that its fact-based model produces rigorous and up-to-date business and financial analysis.
Furthermore, 36Kr's professionally-training, fine-tuning capability enables its LLM-empowered "Empty Office" to quickly and efficiently create informative content for the new economy sector. For instance, in the case of a business event, such as a new product launch, an AI agent can instantly extract relevant data from the database, automatically perform a comprehensive analysis, and issue reports within just seconds. This top-speed response gives 36Kr's business and financial-focused media platform an unrivaled edge.
Mr. Dagang Feng, Co-chairman and CEO of 36Kr, commented, "The launch of 36Kr Silicon Valley Media Lab is a testament to our AI technology acumen and vision as well as our commitment to extending media's boundaries. By integrating pioneering AI technology into content creation, 36Kr will constantly elevate the efficiency and quality of content production alongside the rapid advancement of the LLM, fostering a superior content ecosystem encompassing business, finance and technology, further turbocharging the evolution of the New Economy. As we adopt and develop more AI tools amid the technology's rapid advancement, we are strategically positioning the Company to break new ground and ultimately drive long-term growth for our business."
About 36Kr Holdings Inc.
36Kr Holdings Inc. is a prominent brand and a pioneering platform dedicated to serving New Economy participants in China with the mission of empowering New Economy participants to achieve more. The Company started its business with high-quality New Economy-focused content offerings, covering a variety of industries in China's New Economy with diverse distribution channels. Leveraging traffic brought by high-quality content, the Company has expanded its offerings to business services, including online advertising services, enterprise value-added services, and subscription services, to address the evolving needs of New Economy companies and upgrading needs of traditional companies. The Company is supported by a comprehensive database and strong data analytics capabilities. Through diverse service offerings and significant brand influence, the Company is well-positioned to continuously capture the high growth potential of China's New Economy.
For more information, please visit: http://ir.36kr.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goal and strategies; the Company's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; relevant government policies and regulations relating to our business and industry; the Company's expectations regarding the use of proceeds from this offering; the Company's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its services; the Company's ability to maintain and enhance its brand; the Company's ability to provide high-quality content in a timely manner to attract and retain users; the Company's ability to retain and hire quality in-house writers and editors; the Company's ability to maintain cooperation with third-party professional content providers; the Company's ability to maintain relationships with third-party platforms; general economic and business conditions in China; possible disruptions in commercial activities caused by natural or human-induced disasters; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
In China:
36Kr Holdings Inc.
Investor Relations
Tel: +86 (10) 8965-0708
E-mail: ir@36kr.com
The Piacente Group, Inc.
Jenny Cai
Tel: +86 (10) 6508-0677
E-mail: 36Kr@tpg-ir.com
In the United States:
The Piacente Group, Inc.
Brandi Piacente
Tel: +1-212-481-2050
E-mail: 36Kr@tpg-ir.com
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SOURCE 36Kr Holdings Inc. | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/36kr-launches-silicon-valley-media-lab-empower-content-ecosystem-with-llm-based-ai-technology/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:55 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/36kr-launches-silicon-valley-media-lab-empower-content-ecosystem-with-llm-based-ai-technology/ |
Lori Vallow Daybell to be sentenced in “doomsday mom” murder case
▶ Watch Video: What’s next for Lori Vallow Daybell after guilty verdict
Lori Vallow Daybell, whose children’s 2019 reported disappearance sparked a nationwide search before their bodies were discovered buried on her husband’s Idaho property months later, is set to be sentenced Monday in the murders of 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow.
In the weekslong trial that stretched from April into mid-May, she was also found guilty of conspiracy in their murders and the murder of her husband Chad’s first wife, Tammy Daybell, along with other charges related to the theft of Social Security payments for the children.
Daybell, 50, faces 10 years to life in prison on the first-degree murder charges.
Judge Steven Boyce ruled that immediate family members of the victims could testify at the sentencing hearing, including Daybell’s son Colby Ryan, her sister, Summer Shiflet, JJ Vallow’s grandmother Kay Woodcock and Tammy Daybell’s aunt Vicki Hoban.
Ryan and Shiflet each testified against Vallow Daybell during the trial, and the jury heard emotional jailhouse phone calls of each of them confronting her about the children’s murders.
The defense called no witnesses. Vallow Daybell, who had pleaded not guilty, did not take the stand in her own defense.
Some testimony centered on the extreme and apocalyptic religious beliefs of the couple, including in “zombies” and casting out of “evil spirits,” while other witnesses recounted gruesome details of the children’s deaths and burials.
While Boyce blocked video recordings and live broadcast of the trial, the verdict was livestreamed. He ordered in May that the sentencing hearing in the Fremont County Courthouse, set to begin at 11 a.m. ET, will also be livestreamed.
Vallow Daybell also faces separate charges in the July 2019 death of her husband, Charles Vallow, who was shot by her brother Alex Cox. Cox claimed he shot Vallow in self-defense and was not charged in the shooting. He died in December 2019, after the children had been reported missing but before their bodies were found on Chad Daybell’s property.
- What did Lori Vallow Daybell do? A full timeline of the “doomsday mom” case up to her guilty verdict
Vallow Daybell has been charged in Arizona for conspiracy to commit murder in his death. She has also been charged in Arizona for conspiracy for the 2019 attempted shooting of Brandon Boudreaux, who was married to Vallow Daybell’s niece. Boudreaux testified in the Idaho trial.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office told CBS News in May it would begin extradition proceedings following her sentencing in Idaho.
Chad Daybell also faces first-degree murder and conspiracy charges in Idaho the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and Vallow Daybell’s children, but he waived his right to a speedy trial and is scheduled to be tried April 1, 2024. Unlike his wife, he faces the death penalty.
The two were not permitted to meet or coordinate their defense. | https://www.wsgw.com/lori-vallow-daybell-to-be-sentenced-in-doomsday-mom-murder-case/ | 2023-07-31T12:33:55 | 1 | https://www.wsgw.com/lori-vallow-daybell-to-be-sentenced-in-doomsday-mom-murder-case/ |