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DeSantis unveils economic agenda, promising to roll back Biden policies and stymie ‘woke’ corporations
By Steve Contorno and Kit Maher, CNN
Rochester, New Hampshire (CNN) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday unveiled his economic agenda, a broad mix of conservative and populist guideposts that puts corporate boardrooms, federal bureaucrats, China and President Joe Biden’s domestic policy on notice.
The platform, which his 2024 presidential campaign has dubbed the “Declaration of Economic Independence,” nationalizes many of the concerns the Republican has raised as governor about the country’s direction under Biden. At the top of the list is severing economic ties with China, a focus that echoes a key priority of his top rival for the GOP nomination, former President Donald Trump.
“We are today declaring our economic independence from the failed elites and policies that have harmed this nation’s middle class,” DeSantis said at an event Monday. “We will diversify, and we will expand our economy. We will reward hard work and ingenuity. We will usher in a new era of growth, prosperity, and civic pride. We are a nation with an economy, not the other way around.”
The rollout of his economic agenda comes as DeSantis, who is known for his battles in the culture wars but less on kitchen table issues, pivots from focusing his candidacy on past victories in Florida and toward offering Republicans his vision for the country. It follows a reset of his presidential campaign amid dwindling resources and concerns from donors and supporters that his pitch has yet to sway GOP voters.
According to a fact sheet released by his campaign, DeSantis, if elected, will “unleash our domestic energy sector,” typically shorthand for easing regulations on oil, gas and coal industries, while eliminating incentives championed by Biden for people to purchase electric vehicles. He promised his plan would bring 3% economic growth, a level of expansion the country has not regularly seen in two decades.
As he has repeatedly promised, DeSantis would also slash federal bureaucracies that he claims are stymying small businesses and holding back the economy to the benefit of corporations, though his proposal did not outline which agencies might be on the chopping block.
Leaning into more populist ideas, DeSantis also proposed a ban on individual stock trading by members of Congress and executive branch officials. Earlier this month, bipartisan legislation was introduced by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley to ban stock trading and ownership by Congress, executive branch officials and their families.
The word “woke,” a near constant fixation of DeSantis that has fueled past confrontations with corporations and guided his economic policies as governor, is largely and noticeably absent from the agenda. It is referenced just once: a vow to continue to fight “woke corporations” using environmental, social and governance policies to guide their businesses, something he has attempted to curb in Florida.
DeSantis said he would, as president, work with the private sector to accelerate and develop vocational and apprenticeship programs “with a goal to become number one in the world for skilled trades by 2030,” as well as extend the individual tax rates and initiate a “purging” of tax carve outs and loopholes pushed by lobbyists.
The proposal also said DeSantis will “not be afraid of using his veto pen” when it comes to government programs “wrought with waste, fraud, and abuse.”
As he refocuses his message, DeSantis faces an uphill climb to convince Republicans its time to move on from Trump. In the latest New York Times/Siena College poll, Trump’s lead over DeSantis and the rest of the Republican field appears unwavering. In the national survey, 54% of Republicans would pick Trump to represent the party in 2024, with support for DeSantis well behind at 17%. No one else escaped low single digits.
Perhaps more troubling for DeSantis is that voters remain unconvinced that he gives the party a better chance of beating Biden or that he would be a more effective executive – the two key arguments of his candidacy. On the question of electability, 58% of Republicans said Trump has better odds of beating Biden while 28% said that of DeSantis. About two-thirds of Republicans surveyed remain convinced Trump would have an easier time getting things done.
DeSantis pushed back against the idea that Trump has a “stronghold” on the majority of the party during a Sunday visit to the Granite State.
“I don’t think he’s got a stronghold on the majority. I think he’s got a stronghold on some. But I think the vast majority of Republican primary voters are either definitely going to vote for someone else or willing to, you know, if you make the case,” DeSantis said.
“I’m the candidate that’s more likely to beat Biden. I’m more reliable on policy. I think we’ve seen my record in Florida, and I’m much more likely to actually get all this stuff done,” he added.
Republicans appear eager for a candidate who can nudge the country in a different direction. About 70% of likely Republican primary voters considered the nation’s economic conditions “poor,” per the New York Times/Siena College poll.
DeSantis is aggressively touring early nominating states as he attempts to gain more favor with voters. Last week, he swung through Iowa on a six-stop bus tour with the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, speaking at more intimate events with voters. In New Hampshire on Sunday, he made two retail stops at a diner in Derry and a lobster pound in Seabrook, in addition to fielding questions from voters at former US Ambassador Scott Brown’s “No B.S. BBQ” in Rye.
DeSantis will continue to campaign in New Hampshire Tuesday before heading back to Iowa for more events with Never Back Down on Friday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/desantis-unveils-economic-agenda-promising-to-roll-back-biden-policies-and-stymy-woke-corporations/ | 2023-07-31T17:45:50 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/desantis-unveils-economic-agenda-promising-to-roll-back-biden-policies-and-stymy-woke-corporations/ |
8-year-old survives cougar attack in Washington state national park
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) — An 8-year-old child survived a cougar attack with minor injuries while camping in Olympic National Park in Washington state over the weekend.
“The cougar casually abandoned its attack after being yelled and screamed at by the child’s mother,” the National Park Service said in a statement. After being assessed by park personnel, the child, who was not identified, went to a hospital for further evaluation.
Rangers shut down the campsite and surrounding areas following the Saturday attack. Park law enforcement and cougar specialists began looking for the animal on Sunday at Lake Angeles. If located, the cougar will be euthanized and officials hope a necropsy will provide clues as to why it attacked.
Cougars are rarely seen and attacks on humans are extremely rare, park officials said. The lethal removal of the cougar is in line with the park’s protocol for wildlife observations, interactions and attacks.
The entirety of the 1,562-square-mile park located about 60 miles east of Seattle is consider cougar territory.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ | 2023-07-31T17:45:51 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ |
Man mauled to death by pack of dogs, sheriff says
SKIPPERVILLE, Ala. (WTVY/Gray News) – A man was mauled to death by a pack of dogs, according to Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum, who explained investigators originally believed the man had been murdered.
Authorities said acquaintances found the body of 27-year-old Demarcus “Sam” McKenzie in the driveway of a home.
Bynum said it looked like McKenzie was leaving the house when the dogs became aggressive toward him.
“The victim began to run down the driveway as two to three more dogs joined in on the attack,” he explained.
The sheriff said surveillance video shows McKenzie falling and the dogs pouncing on him.
“At one point, five to six dogs are seen violently attacking and mauling the victim as he struggles to stand. After a few minutes, the dogs overpower the victim, and he appears to become incapacitated,” Bynum said.
The sheriff plans to discuss the tragedy with Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams but did not say who owns the dogs or if they could face charges.
The body’s condition led officers to first believe that McKenzie had been shot, Bynum said.
Copyright 2023 WTVY via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/man-mauled-death-by-pack-dogs-sheriff-says/ | 2023-07-31T17:45:54 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/man-mauled-death-by-pack-dogs-sheriff-says/ |
Mr. Carr is President and CEO of Capital Impact Partners and CDC Small Business Finance, which operate under the Momentus Capital Brand
ARLINGTON, Va. and SAN DIEGO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For all of us at Momentus Capital, 2022 was a year to remember. Working in cities and communities across the country, we put over $760 million into the hands of entrepreneurs, developers, and other local leaders. In addition, lenders utilized our Ventures Lending Technologies' suite of products to deploy more than $20 billion in financing to their clients. These numbers represent the highest level of investment in the history of our family of organizations.
But beyond these headline figures, what do these numbers represent? What do these dollars actually support? When I get asked this question, three things come to mind:
First and foremost, our work supports people. The people that we invest in are pursuing their own dreams for themselves and their communities. Most are small business owners and community real estate developers, but no matter their line of work, I see them the same way: as builders. In many cases, these folks are the folks that the traditional financial sector has left behind. Through their businesses, projects, and community leadership, they are building a better future for themselves and those around them – and we are proud to support their vision.
Second, our work advances a culture that puts the voices of these leaders at the center of what we do. Local voices shape our priorities, our projects, and our strategies. One of the reasons I admire our staff so deeply is because they are committed to this culture. We adopted our four Core Values – being visionary, invested, collaborative, and intentionally inclusive – to strengthen this culture. We build authentic relationships with our colleagues, our partners, and the community leaders we support. As we do, we strive to always actively listen to how they describe their own wants, needs, and vision.
Finally and most importantly, our work supports communities. Strengthening and supporting communities is the reason we exist. We are committed to the idea that the people of every community in America deserve to live, work, play, and dream without being constrained by a lack of capital, a lack of knowledge, a lack of power. Every bit of capital we provide is about directing power – economic, social, and cultural – to communities with dreams, assets, and aspirations that outstrip the power our current system has allowed them.
We do the work we do so that people, cultures, and communities across this country can thrive. As you can see in our Annual Report, we did a lot last year in the service of this goal. As with every year, our achievements are thanks to the expertise and dedication of our incredible staff. I am grateful for their commitment to our mission and proud of the way they approach this work. As the "first generation" of Momentus Capital employees, they are advancing the work while helping us to build a new type of organization, shaping the day-to-day environment of our organization. Every day, I feel lucky and honored to work with this team.
Of course, the real work is ahead of us, not behind. We are on a multi-year journey to build an integrated financial services organization that puts purpose over profit. Working together with partners, we will redefine how capital flows into underestimated communities so that everyone has access to the resources they need to thrive. The result? An economic system that respects and uplifts all peoples' right to achieve the dreams they have for themselves, their communities, and generations to come.
Thank you, as always, for your interest and support.
To read our full FY2022 Annual Report, please click here.
About Momentus Capital
The Momentus Capital branded family of organizations refers to the combined operations of Capital Impact Partners, CDC Small Business Finance, Momentus Direct Capital, Momentus Securities, and Ventures Lending Technologies. While each organization under the Momentus Capital brand still operates as a separate entity, their clients will now have access to more resources and products.
The Momentus Capital branded family of organizations is transforming how capital and investments flow into communities to provide people access to the capital and opportunities they deserve. We are working to reinvent traditional financial systems that have failed to address systemic issues of inequality, economic empowerment, and the widening racial wealth gap by offering a continuum of financial, knowledge, and social capital to help local leaders build inclusive and equitable communities and create generational wealth. This includes a comprehensive package of loan products, impact investment opportunities, training and business advising programs, and technology services that advance locally-led solutions.
Leveraging 80 years of combined experience, nearly $3 billion in assets, and strong community engagement, we have delivered $23 billion in financing, created and preserved 250,000 jobs, and served 12,000 small businesses and five million people across their history.
With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and San Diego, California, Momentus Capital operates nationally with a focus on larger urban areas and cities in Arizona, California, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Texas, and the Washington metro area.
Learn more at momentuscap.org.
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SOURCE Momentus Capital | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/momentus-capital-annual-report-fy2022-ellis-carr-creating-access-capital-opportunities-all/ | 2023-07-31T17:45:55 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/momentus-capital-annual-report-fy2022-ellis-carr-creating-access-capital-opportunities-all/ |
DeSantis unveils new economic policy that targets China, taxes and regulations
By HOLLY RAMER
Associated Press
ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis is taking aim at China with a 10-point economic plan he’s calling a “Declaration of Economic Independence.” The Florida governor unveiled his plan Monday at a warehouse in New Hampshire. He promised to boost the economy and fight for the middle class, in part by wresting control from China. His plan calls for ending China’s preferential trade status, banning imports of goods made from stolen intellectual property and preventing companies from sharing critical technologies with China. It’s the third major policy proposal put forth by DeSantis, whose campaign has struggled in recent weeks. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/desantis-unveils-new-economic-policy-that-targets-china-taxes-and-regulations/ | 2023-07-31T17:45:56 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/desantis-unveils-new-economic-policy-that-targets-china-taxes-and-regulations/ |
Award Recognizes Exemplary Commitment to Transportation Safety
BRUSLY, La., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), a national organization whose members include the most senior fire officials in the United States, is delighted to honor ExxonMobil with the esteemed Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award.
The ExxonMobil organization is recognized for having one of the safest years in Exxon Mobil Pipeline Company's (EMPCo) history and their industry-leading safety preparations for the upcoming buildout of a network of CO2 and H2 pipelines. By empowering personnel to identify and strengthen critical safeguards to mitigate risk in potential consequence areas, ExxonMobil takes on the challenge of emerging fuels pipelines and storage facilities while maintaining exceptional safety standards.
The Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award is an honor awarded to individuals or organizations who have shown a significant and lasting contribution to product, material and human safety. Named after its first recipient, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, the award recognizes achievements in transportation safety standards that exceed the minimum requirements.
"The way ExxonMobil engages with fire fighters is a great example of how companies and first responders should work together to yield the highest level of public safety and awareness," said Chief Butch Browning, NASFM Executive Director.
"It is an honor to receive this award on behalf of ExxonMobil. We are proud that our focus on safety and operational excellence is recognized by one of our most important stakeholders, first responders," said Steve Yatauro, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company President.
Since 2005, 11 organizations or individuals have received the Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award. ExxonMobil's recognition marks the first award since Former NASFM Presidents and State Fire Marshal Bill Degnan in 2016.
The award was presented to EMPCo VP of Operations Saul Flota at the NASFM Annual Conference on July 31, 2023, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
For more information, visit the NASFM website at firemarshals.org.
About the National Association of State Fire Marshalls:
The principal membership of NASFM comprises the senior fire officials in the United States and their top deputies. The primary mission of NASFM is to protect human life, property and the environment from fire and related hazards. A secondary mission of NASFM is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of State Fire Marshals' operations.
CONTACT:
Philip Oakes
Chief of Operations and Training
phil@browning.red
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SOURCE National Association of State Fire Marshals | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nasfm-recognizes-exxonmobil-with-norman-y-mineta-excellence-transportation-safety-award/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:02 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nasfm-recognizes-exxonmobil-with-norman-y-mineta-excellence-transportation-safety-award/ |
‘Elemental’ was written off as a box-office flop. Then it sprouted legs
By Brian Lowry, CNN
(CNN) — When “Elemental” opened to less than $30 million in the US in mid-June, box-office analysts and reporters were quick to label the animated movie a “flop,” one that was almost sure to lose money. Yet after steadily playing through the summer, the latest entry from one-time hit factory Pixar appears to have taken a page from the Little Mermaid – namely, by sprouting legs.
The animated love story is bearing down on $150 million in the US, meaning it will have earned five times its opening-weekend total – a multiple no Pixar movie has achieved since the original “Toy Story.”
The film, which features a love story between characters composed of fire and water in a world whose denizens represent the four elements, should cross the $400 million international barrier this week and add another infusion when it finally opens in Japan on August 4, putting Pixar parent Disney’s overall projections for its run in the neighborhood of $430 million.
The world of box-office reporting has understandably become frontloaded, which makes the endurance of “Elemental” notable. While the film obviously won’t approach the kind of massive hits Pixar has produced – the sequels “Toy Story 3” and “4,” “Incredibles 2” and “Finding Dory” all reached the $1-billion global threshold – it will gross far more than “Encanto,” which opened at a more challenging time in 2021 but had everyone singing about not talking about Bruno.
Tony Chambers, Disney’s head of theatrical distribution, admitted that the opening-weekend numbers for “Elemental” were disappointing, but that even then there were signs the movie might enjoy a longer run. That included overwhelmingly favorable audience scores that were far more positive than early reviews, and a relative dearth of animated competition until the latest “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movie, which opens this week.
“There was no way of sugarcoating a $30 million opening,” Chambers told CNN, while adding, “We knew the audiences loved it. … We’re seeing much longer legs on movies if the audience scores are good.”
Indeed, Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter fretted when the movie premiered to such lackluster results that the pandemic might have “trained” the audience to wait for animated fare on Disney+, after movies like “Soul” and “Turning Red” bypassed theatrical runs in the US. “We’re trying to make sure people realize there’s a great deal you’re missing by not seeing it on the big screen,” he told Variety.
As for the question of profitability, which has dogged expensive summer releases like “The Flash” and the “Indiana Jones” sequel, as the aforementioned “Encanto” illustrated box office doesn’t tell the entire story. That’s because Disney relies upon its IP, or intellectual property, to generate a variety of benefits, driving traffic to Disney+, selling merchandise and providing characters for its theme parks.
“We more than anyone can leverage our theatrical IP across all the various lines of business,” Chambers said. “We never look at it solely through the eyes of just box office.”
Nobody will confuse “Elemental” with “Barbie” – the summer’s breakthrough smash – but those movies and the summer’s major misfires all suggest that while old rules of movie-going still broadly apply, the pandemic appears to have made crystal balls regarding box-office forecasting even cloudier.
In the case of “Elemental,” that has included a steady drip of ticket sales that unexpectedly turned the initial impulses to bury it as an abject failure into so much hot air.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/elemental-was-written-off-as-a-box-office-flop-then-it-sprouted-legs/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:02 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/elemental-was-written-off-as-a-box-office-flop-then-it-sprouted-legs/ |
Foo Fighters and Alanis Morissette pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — The Foo Fighters brought out a special guest over the weekend to pay tribute to Sinéad O’Connor.
During an appearance at Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival, Alanis Morissette joined the band to perform O’Connor’s 1987 single, “Mandinka.”
The Irish singer died last week after being found unresponsive at a home in London. She was 56.
No cause of death has been released, but London police have said it was not being treated as suspicious.
At the festival, Foo Fighter’s frontman Dave Grohl announced, “We’re singing this song for a reason tonight.”
“Yes, for a beautiful woman with high intelligence and deep empathy, way ahead of her time, who is no longer with us,” Morissette added. “This is for her.”
It’s just one of many expressions of grief and tribute to O’Connor.
Singers Pink and Brandi Carlile performed a cover of O’Connor’s hit “Nothing Compares 2 You,” (which was written and composed by Prince) during Pink’s concert in Cincinnati after O’Connor’s death was announced.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/foo-fighters-and-alanis-morissette-pay-tribute-to-sinead-oconnor/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:08 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/foo-fighters-and-alanis-morissette-pay-tribute-to-sinead-oconnor/ |
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) President, Carole Fisher has attracted publicity for her role hosting the popular podcast series – "The Girlfriends". Produced by NOVEL for iHeartRadio, the thrilling nine-part series, led by Fisher, uncovers the horrific backstory of Gail Katz's death, the systems that failed her and all the girlfriends that brought her justice.
THE GIRLFRIENDS explores the bonds of friendship, female solidarity, empowerment, and bringing justice to all people who suffer at the hands of abuse and domestic violence. Since its release on July 10, The Girlfriends has achieved success – currently ranking at #1 in Canada, the United Kingdom and United States on Apple Podcasts.
"This is more than just being another binge-worthy true crime podcast series. It's about raising awareness around the horrors of abuse, especially domestic and sexual violence," said Carole Fisher, NPHI President. "It has been a privilege and an honor to speak up on behalf of Gail Katz, and so many other women who are victims of domestic violence. Together, we must do more to elevate the voices of those in danger."
NOVEL collaborated with the leading global charity NOMORE.org dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault by increasing awareness, inspiring action, and fueling culture change. NPHI maintains close links to these related issues through its engagement with Healthsperien LLC and applauds Carole Fisher for her continued commitment to social impact and raising awareness on the issues of domestic violence against women.
"I am extremely pleased to hear of the success of this podcast, and I support its greater goal in raising awareness around the pervasiveness of domestic violence," said Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI CEO. "Carole's entire lifework has been centered around helping and speaking out for others and her participation in this podcast highlights her never-ending commitment to creating social impact and change where it is rightly needed."
Carole, who is employed directly by the renowned DC Policy Firm, Healthsperien LLC, has presided over the day-to-day operations of NPHI since January 2021. In this capacity, she brings a wealth of expertise that has helped NPHI grow exponentially and evolve with the ever-changing hospice landscape. Prior to her time at Healthsperien and NPHI, she served as a highly regarded C-suite leader, including a long-time engagement as the CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice in her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada.
You can find The Girlfriends on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
About Carole Fisher: Ms. Fisher serves as President for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). Utilizing her previous experiences and deep familiarity with not-for-profit community-based hospice and palliative healthcare, she is charged with leading a wide range of activities for NPHI. With an emphasis on developing strategic partnerships, meaningful collaborations and transformational innovations, Ms. Fisher provides support for NPHI members leading complex organizations.
Ms. Fisher spends her time working between her homes in Las Vegas, Nevada and Covington, Louisiana. She frequently travels to Washington D.C. for policy-related initiatives.
You can find Carole on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram under @CaroleAFisher.
The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a membership organization comprising 100+ not-for-profit, community-integrated hospice and palliative care providers dedicated to ensuring patients and their families have access to care that reflects their individual goals, values, and preferences. Representing providers from 37 states and the District of Columbia, NPHI and its members help design more innovative and effective models of care, advocate for comprehensive and community-integrated care customized to meet each person's unique needs, and build collaboration between national thought leaders, decision-makers, and other healthcare stakeholders to improve hospice care. Learn more at hospiceinnovations.org.
Press Contact:
Matt Wilkinson
Communications Manager, NPHI
+1 (801) 615-4207
mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org
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SOURCE National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nphi-president-carole-fisher-hosts-trending-true-crime-podcast-girlfriends/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:08 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nphi-president-carole-fisher-hosts-trending-true-crime-podcast-girlfriends/ |
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies from cancer at 70
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 12:05 PM CDT|Updated: moments ago
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-best-known-pee-wee-herman-dies-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:09 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-best-known-pee-wee-herman-dies-age-70/ |
Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Wisconsin to tout broadband and raise money
Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit southeast Wisconsin this week
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit southeast Wisconsin on Thursday, making a stop in Pleasant Prairie to tout broadband and affordable connectivity before going to Milwaukee for a pair of campaign receptions.
The White House announced the planned stops on Sunday. There were no immediate details about the campaign events.
Harris will be joined by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo for the stop in Pleasant Prairie, which is 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Milwaukee near the Illinois border.
The visit comes a little over a month after President Joe Biden's administration announced that Wisconsin will receive more than $1 billion in federal money to expand high-speed internet access.
It's part of a plan to distribute $42.5 billion nationwide to provide reliable and affordable internet service for every home and business in the U.S. by 2030. States must complete a multi-step process before they can use the money.
Harris last came to Wisconsin in September 2022 as part of a campaign stop just ahead of the November midterm election. Thursday's visit is the first of this election cycle and would be Harris's fourth trip to Wisconsin since taking office.
Biden won perennial battleground Wisconsin by just under 21,000 votes in 2020, flipping the state for Democrats after former President Donald Trump carried it by just short of 23,000 votes in 2016. Four of the past six presidential elections in Wisconsin have been decided by less than a percentage point. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/vice-president-kamala-harris-will-visit-wisconsin-tout-broadband-raise-money/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:09 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/vice-president-kamala-harris-will-visit-wisconsin-tout-broadband-raise-money/ |
Georgia judge rejects Trump’s efforts to toss evidence in Fulton County probe and disqualify district attorney
By Sara Murray and Jason Morris, CNN
(CNN) — A judge in Fulton County, Georgia, on Monday rejected efforts by Donald Trump’s legal team to toss evidence in the criminal investigation into the former president’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia and to disqualify the district attorney investigating him.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney also rejected efforts by Cathy Latham, who served as one of the GOP fake electors in Georgia, to join Trump’s push.
“Having reviewed the pleadings, the Court now finds that neither Trump nor Latham enjoys standing to mount a challenge – at this pre-indictment phase of the proceedings – to the continued investigation into and potential prosecution of possible criminal interference in the 2020 general election in Georgia,” the judge wrote in a nine-page order.
McBurney added that, “while being the subject (or even target) of a highly publicized criminal investigation is likely an unwelcome and unpleasant experience, no court ever has held that that status alone provides a basis for the courts to interfere with or halt the investigation.”
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to present her 2020 election interference case to a grand jury by September 1. CNN previously reported that Willis is considering bringing racketeering and conspiracy charges in connection with Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.
The former president’s legal team in Georgia had previously asked the court to throw out all the evidence from the special purpose grand jury investigation and disqualify Willis, citing concerns about the constitutionality of special grand juries in the state and criticizing public comments she has made about the case.
Trump’s team already raised their arguments before the Georgia Supreme Court, which dismissed Trump’s attempt to shut down the investigation.
“There will be a time and a forum in which Trump and Latham can raise their concerns about the constitutionality of the special purpose grand jury statutes, about the performance of this particular Special Purpose Grand Jury (and the judge supervising it), and about the propriety of allowing the Fulton County District Attorney to remain involved with whatever criminal prosecution – if any – results from the work of this Special Purpose Grand Jury,” McBurney wrote Monday. “That time is not now and that forum is not here.”
McBurney also rejected the Trump team’s arguments that Willis should be disqualified from overseeing the criminal investigation into Trump and his allies.
“The drumbeat from the District Attorney has been neither partisan (in the political sense) nor personal, in marked and refreshing contrast to the stream of personal invective flowing from one of the movants,” McBurney wrote, in an apparent swipe at the Trump team’s barbed filings regarding Willis.
He continued: “Put differently, the District Attorney’s Office has been doing a fairly routine – and legally unobjectionable – job of public relations in a case that is anything but routine.”
Trump’s team has also argued that McBurney should be removed from the case, in part because he had not yet ruled on their request to have Willis and the evidence she has collected tossed. A hearing on that matter is currently scheduled before another judge on August 10.
In his ruling, McBurney noted that his decision is coming within the allotted time frame for him to rule and said the effort to remove him from the case should be rendered moot.
Willis’ years-long probe includes allegations of solicitation of election fraud, making false statements to state and local government bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of an oath-of-office and involvement in election-related threats.
The-CNN-Wire
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Partnership Will Enable OneValley to Provide Up to 1.1M Entrepreneurial Users with Algorithmic-Driven Web Content Scored for Reliability and Personalized to Help Them Grow Their Business
VIENNA, Va., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seekr, a revolutionary artificial intelligence company specializing in transparent content evaluation, announced today it has entered into a strategic partnership with OneValley, a Silicon Valley-based global entrepreneurship platform that powers many of the world's top innovation, entrepreneurial and non-profit ecosystems. The partnership integrates Seekr's groundbreaking search capabilities into OneValley's information-sharing platform, enabling 1.1 million entrepreneurial users supported by OneValley to access algorithmic-driven news that is personalized and scored for reliability.
"The OneValley platform is already a treasure trove of high-value information for entrepreneurs, providing guidance and insights on everything from ideation and launch to growth and scaling. Seekr's content evaluation capabilities amplify that value proposition, taking the platform to the next level," said Rob Clark, President and Chief Technology Officer at Seekr. "Our technology enables the OneValley platform to identify relevant information, regardless of whether it lives on the platform or on the broader internet, score it for reliability, curate it so that it's tailored to the unique needs and interests of each individual entrepreneur, and finally serve it up to the entrepreneur on-demand."
"As OneValley continues to expand worldwide, this unique partnership with Seekr will provide our customers with the knowledge they need to win in their markets," said Nikhil Sinha, CEO of OneValley. "We further expect that usage on the platform will continue to grow and enhance the life cycle growth from startup to big business."
Seekr's AI-powered search and evaluation technology will be fully integrated into OneValley's online consumer platform, Passport, and its enterprise platform, PassportOS. The technology will enable every OneValley user to generate a bespoke flow of news and other relevant content tailored to meet their unique individual interests and needs.
Under the terms of the agreement, the platform will also feature a stream of real-time news and relevant information powered by Seekr. Additionally, Seekr will provide OneValley with a dynamic competitive analysis tool that provides entrepreneurs and startups with insights into competitor movements and a fuller understanding of how market trends are moving over time.
For further information, visit www.seekr.com.
About Seekr Technologies Inc.
Seekr is a privately held artificial intelligence company that specializes in transparent content evaluation and objective ratings. Its AI technology is designed to rate all content, both authentic content created by humans, and synthetic, machine-generated content. Seekr empowers user choice and control by streamlining access to reliable information. The centerpiece of Seekr's technology is an independent search engine that is powered by proprietary AI and employs natural language processing (NLP) to generate a Seekr Score and Political Lean Indicator. Seekr is committed to building a web that people can trust by giving everyone access to technology that makes it easy to find reliable content in context.
Media Contact:
Ed Patru, EVP Communications
(202) 360-7063
epatru@seekr.com
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Wisconsin judge dismisses lawsuit over military voting lists
A Wisconsin judge has dismissed a GOP state lawmaker’s challenge over military voting records, saying that the lawsuit should have been brought against a local elections official, not the statewide elections commission
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge has dismissed a GOP state lawmaker’s lawsuit over military voting records, saying Friday that the challenge should have been brought against a local elections official, not the statewide elections commission.
Rep. Janel Brandtjen, the former head of the Assembly elections committee who has promoted election conspiracy theories, and a local veterans group sued the Wisconsin Elections Commission in November in an attempt to stop military absentee ballots from being counted in the 2022 midterm.
The lawsuit came in response to the actions of a top Milwaukee elections official who falsely requested military absentee ballots and sent them to Brandtjen's home. Kimberly Zapata, the former deputy director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, claimed she was trying to expose a vulnerability in the voting process. She now faces charges of election fraud and misconduct in office.
Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Maxwell refused to order military absentee ballots to be sequestered in November, issuing his decision just 14 hours before polls opened.
Local elections officials are required by state law to keep a list of eligible military voters in their jurisdictions. Brandtjen and the Concerned Veterans of Waukesha County wanted to obtain updated lists to see whether clerks were complying with the law. In his ruling Friday dismissing the lawsuit, Maxwell said it should have been filed against a municipal clerk, and not the elections commission, which is responsible for issuing guidance and providing support to local officials who actually run elections.
“The Court agrees with the assertion that WEC’s guidance ought to have more information for local election officials on how to utilize the military ballot list and perhaps how to audit the list and ballots to ensure that there are not fraudulent military ballots being cast, but the Court does not have the authority to require such additional guidance,” Maxwell said in his ruling.
Other efforts to address potential vulnerabilities in the military absentee voting process are ongoing. A bipartisan group of Wisconsin lawmakers in May proposed requiring service members to provide their Department of Defense identification number when requesting a military absentee ballot. Local clerks would then be required to verify the voter's identity using that information.
___
Harm Venhuizen is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Harm on Twitter. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/wisconsin-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-over-military-voting-lists/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:16 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/31/wisconsin-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-over-military-voting-lists/ |
Group: DeSantis win in Disney lawsuit could embolden actions against journalists
By MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An advocacy group for journalists wants to get involved with Disney’s free speech lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press says a win by the Florida governor could embolden other governments across the U.S. to take actions against journalists when they exercise their First Amendment rights. The committee on Friday asked a judge for permission to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the lawsuit brought by Disney against DeSantis in federal court in Tallahassee. The lawsuit claims the Florida governor violated the company’s free speech rights by taking over Disney World’s governing district after Disney opposed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/group-desantis-win-in-disney-lawsuit-could-embolden-actions-against-journalists/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:20 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/group-desantis-win-in-disney-lawsuit-could-embolden-actions-against-journalists/ |
Heights Preschool will have Houston’s first ‘alcohol-free zone’ around property
By Jeff Ehling
Click here for updates on this story
HOUSTON (KTRK) — A first-of-its-kind alcohol-free zone will be established around a Heights-area day care after Houston City Council voted on Wednesday to pass it.
Houston City Council voted on the proposal, which would set up a 300-foot zone around Heights Preschool where alcohol cannot be sold. The city has similar zones set up around public schools, churches, and hospitals, but this will be the first around a day care.
A decade ago, the city passed an ordinance allowing day cares to seek alcohol-free zones, but until now, no one had applied for one.
The owners of Heights Preschool, located on Oxford near 20th Street, say more than 100 kids are enrolled in the school, and parents say the ban on booze sales will help keep their kids safe.
“Houston has bars on nearly every other corner, but few safe places for children,” Chad Mason addressed council members on Tuesday prior to the vote. “I am asking you to vote for children’s safety and vote for allowing the 300-foot alcohol free zone. All schools currently have this simple ordinance. Why shouldn’t 100 vulnerable children of Heights Preschool have the same?”
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NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognized for relentlessly pursuing innovative audience engagement solutions, Resulticks is now redefining the space with a laser focus on creating Connected Experiences for brands and their audiences through its flagship product RESUL.
Addressing this next leap in the product's evolution, Dakshen Ram, Co-Founder and Chief Product and Innovation Officer of Resulticks said, "RESUL began ten years ago as an omnichannel stack with the aim of moving clients steadily toward digital transformation. Now, recalibrating what audience engagement really means, we have created the definitive solution to deliver end-to-end Connected Experiences—real-time, contextual, everywhere, anytime, and across the phygital spectrum."
Connected Experiences reimagines how businesses can engage with their audiences. Brands will be able to leverage non-conventional channels for data consolidation and communications. The shift will also incorporate new channels of communication including IoT interfaces such as digital billboards, smart devices, and facial recognition devices, enabling organizations to facilitate customer engagement across the physical and digital landscape.
Operating at native latency, businesses will be able to deliver entirely hyper-personalized journeys at scale that are not only attributable but most importantly are limited only by end-point processing capabilities and speeds.
Ram also noted that there is a marked gap between what audiences expect in terms of real-time engagement and what is being served to them today. The interpretation of real-time often has been understandably subjective. "But from the audience's perspective," he said, "it's time to move the needle from real-time engagement to right-now engagement, which means effortlessly syncing with audiences traversing spaces, channels, devices, and IoT interfaces."
Commenting on edge computing and serverless infrastructure supported by the WebAssembly framework, Ram added, "Our next major release RESUL 5.5 slated for release in Q4 of 2023 as well as our work on a generative AI core will further equip brands to chart audience journeys leveraging the flexibility offered by technology rather than being bound by its limitations. This commitment to a connected experience framework is set to usher in, for brands, an era of audience engagement that is instant, creative, and attributable like never before."
About Resulticks
Resulticks is a global leader in real-time audience engagement solutions that deliver top-line growth for brands through connected experiences. Outcomes-focused and enabled by its proprietary cookie-independent identity resolution technology, Resulticks equips brands to make a transformational leap to true 360o customer engagement. With its AI-powered, audience-centric approach it is changing how brands worldwide reach, acquire, and retain satisfied customers. Resulticks Solution Inc. is headquartered in New York City.
Media Contact:
Name: Sneha Subramanian
Email: ssneha@resulticks.com
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2165938/Connected_Experiences_PR_Banner.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2165967/RESULTICKS_Logo.jpg
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MLB Probable Starting Pitchers Tonight: Monday, July 31
Monday's MLB schedule features a slew of intriguing pitching matchups, and we've got all of the probable pitchers listed below. Top billing goes to the bout between the Orioles and the Blue Jays, who will be sending Kyle Gibson and Chris Bassitt to the mound, respectively.
Read on to find the probable pitcher matchups for every game on the schedule for July 31.
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Today's Probable Starting Pitchers
Phillies at Marlins Probable Pitchers
The Philadelphia Phillies will send Taijuan Walker (11-4) to the bump as they face the Marlins, who will look to Edward Cabrera (5-6) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Phillies at Marlins
- MIA Odds to Win: -110
- PHI Odds to Win: -110
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Phillies at Marlins
- Game Time: 6:40 PM ET
- Streaming: BSFL (regional restrictions may apply)
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Brewers at Nationals Probable Pitchers
The Milwaukee Brewers will send Corbin Burnes (9-6) to the mound as they face the Nationals, who will counter with Jake Irvin (3-5) for the matchup between the clubs Monday.
Vegas Odds for Brewers at Nationals
- MIL Odds to Win: -210
- WSH Odds to Win: +170
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Brewers at Nationals
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MASN2 (regional restrictions may apply)
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Rays at Yankees Probable Pitchers
The Tampa Bay Rays will send Tyler Glasnow (4-3) to the hill as they face the Yankees, who will give the start to Domingo German (5-7) when the clubs face off Monday.
Vegas Odds for Rays at Yankees
- TB Odds to Win: -145
- NYY Odds to Win: +120
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Rays at Yankees
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Orioles at Blue Jays Probable Pitchers
The Baltimore Orioles will send Gibson (9-6) to the mound as they play the Blue Jays, who will counter with Bassitt (10-5) when the teams play Monday.
Vegas Odds for Orioles at Blue Jays
- TOR Odds to Win: -130
- BAL Odds to Win: +110
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Orioles at Blue Jays
- Game Time: 7:07 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Angels at Braves Probable Pitchers
The Los Angeles Angels will send Griffin Canning (6-4) to the bump as they face the Braves, who will look to Charlie Morton (10-8) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Angels at Braves
- ATL Odds to Win: -225
- LAA Odds to Win: +180
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Angels at Braves
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Streaming: BSSO (regional restrictions may apply)
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Reds at Cubs Probable Pitchers
The Cincinnati Reds will send Andrew Abbott (6-2) to the mound as they face the Cubs, who will counter with Marcus Stroman (10-7) when the clubs play Monday.
Vegas Odds for Reds at Cubs
- CHC Odds to Win: -120
- CIN Odds to Win: +100
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Reds at Cubs
- Game Time: 8:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MARQ (regional restrictions may apply)
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Guardians at Astros Probable Pitchers
The Cleveland Guardians will send Noah Syndergaard (1-4) to the bump as they play the Astros, who will look to J.P. France (6-3) when the clubs face off Monday.
Vegas Odds for Guardians at Astros
- HOU Odds to Win: -175
- CLE Odds to Win: +145
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Guardians at Astros
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet SW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Padres at Rockies Probable Pitchers
The San Diego Padres will send Seth Lugo (4-5) to the mound as they play the Rockies, who will hand the ball to Austin Gomber (8-8) for the matchup between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Padres at Rockies
- SD Odds to Win: -200
- COL Odds to Win: +165
- Total: 11.5 runs
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Live Stream Padres at Rockies
- Game Time: 8:40 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet RM (regional restrictions may apply)
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Red Sox at Mariners Probable Pitchers
The Boston Red Sox will send Nick Pivetta (7-5) to the mound as they play the Mariners, who will give the start to George Kirby (9-8) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Red Sox at Mariners
- SEA Odds to Win: -135
- BOS Odds to Win: +110
- Total: 7.5 runs
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Live Stream Red Sox at Mariners
- Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
- Streaming: ROOT Sports NW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Diamondbacks at Giants Probable Pitchers
The Arizona Diamondbacks will send Ryne Nelson (6-5) to the mound as they take on the Giants, who will look to Alex Cobb (6-3) when the clubs meet Monday.
Vegas Odds for Diamondbacks at Giants
- SF Odds to Win: -150
- ARI Odds to Win: +125
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Diamondbacks at Giants
- Game Time: 9:45 PM ET
- Streaming: NBCS-BA (regional restrictions may apply)
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Here’s how hot and extreme the summer has been, and it’s only halfway over
By SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science Writer
At about summer’s halfway point, the record-breaking heat and weather extremes are both unprecedented and unsurprising, hellish yet boring in some ways, scientists say.
Killer heat. Deadly floods. Smoke from wildfires that chokes.
And there’s no relief in sight.
Expect a hotter than normal August and September, American and European forecast centers predict.
“We are seeing unprecedented changes all over the world,” said NASA climate scientist Gavin Schmidt. “The heat waves that we’re seeing in the U.S. and in Europe, in China are demolishing records left, right and center. This is not a surprise.”
Imperial College of London climate scientist Friederike Otto said examining what’s causing heat waves is “boring” in a way since it keeps happening. Yet she added that it matters “because it shows again just how much climate change plays a role in what we are currently experiencing.”
“This story, these impacts, are going to continue,” Schmidt said. “We’re going to be seeing this pretty much this year and into next year” with a natural El Nino warming of the Pacific adding to the overwhelming influence of human-caused climate change largely from the burning of coal, oil and gas.
Here’s a rundown of the summer of Earth’s discontent.
RECORD-SHATTERING HEAT
Globally, June this year was the hottest June on record — and scientists say July has been so hot that even before the month was over they could say it was the hottest month on record. But it’s individual places where people live that the heat has stuck around and killed.
Phoenix, where the last day of June and each day of July has been at least 110 degrees (43 degrees Celsius), set records for the longest mega-heat streak and longest stretch when the temperatures didn’t go below 90 degrees (32 degrees Celsius) at night.
El Paso, Texas, had 44 days of 100 degree (37 degree) heat. Schools closed in Nuevo Leon state in northern Mexico a month earlier than usual as temperatures reached 113 degrees (45 Celsius).
Farther east, Miami added humidity to high heat for 46 straight days of feels-like temperatures of 100 or more.
Beijing had its own record streak with at least 27 days of 95 degrees (35 Celsius) in July, after a three-day streak of at least 104 (40 Celsius) in June. And the country set it’s all-time highest temperature on July 16 in remote Sanbao township with 126 degrees (52.2 Celsius).
Heat records fell all over southern Europe. Sardinia, Italy, hit 117 (47 Celsius). Palermo in Sicily broke a record that goes back to 1791 by a whopping 3.6 degrees (2 degrees Celsius). Temperatures hit 115 (46 Celsius) in Gytheio, Greece.
Spain reported nearly 1,000 excess deaths from the heat, mostly among the elderly, by mid July.
In Argentina, where it’s mid-winter, temperatures were above 89.6 (32 Celsius) four straight days in June in the northern part of the county. One July night in Buenos Aires didn’t get below the 70s (low 20s Celsius).
TOO MUCH RAIN
More than 10,000 people had to be evacuated in central Hunan province in China where heavy rainfall caused at least 70 houses to collapse. In Yichang, rain triggered a landslide that buried a construction site and killed at least one person.
Australia’s Queensland outback got 13 times its normal monthly July rain in just one day.
Thousands of people were evacuated from Delhi in India as rains caused flash floods and landslides. Elsewhere in the country at least 100 people were killed by the downpours.
In the United States, sudden heavy rain killed people in Vermont, Connecticut and Pennsylvania with tragic stories of children washed away in flooding.
WILDFIRES AND SMOKE
Too little rain in Greece and Spain fed wildfires that proved difficult to fight. In the Canary Islands, a fire caused 4,000 people to evacuate, others to wear face masks and had 400 firefighters battling it.
Hot and dry conditions caused about 160 wildfires to break out in Israel in early June.
But what really brought fires home happened in parts of Canada where few people live. Rare far northern Quebec wildfires triggered nasty smoke that inflicted the world’s dirtiest air on cities like New York and Washington, then switched to the Midwest.
As of late July more than 600 wildfires were out of control in Canada. A record 47,490 square miles (123,000 square kilometers) burned, and fire season isn’t near done. That’s an area larger than the state of Pennsylvania or North Korea.
WATER TEMPERATURES
Water temperatures in the Florida Keys and off the Everglades hit the high 90s (high 30s Celsius) with Manatee Bay breaking 100 degrees twice in what could be an unofficial world record for surface water temperature, although that’s in dispute.
The North Atlantic had hot spots that alarmed scientists. The world’s oceans as a whole were their hottest ever in June and got even hotter in July. In Antarctica, sea ice smashed record-low levels.
Ocean temperatures take a long time to warm up and cool down, said University of Northern Illinois meteorology professor Victor Gensini. So it doesn’t look good for the rest of the summer, he said.
A HOT FORECAST
“We are favoring above normal temperatures for the next three months,” said NOAA Climate Prediction Center meteorologist Matt Rosencrans.
The only potential relief he sees, especially in the hot Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, is if a hurricane or tropical storm moves through.
The peak of hurricane season in September hasn’t even started.
When going through the litany of this summer’s weather extremes so far, University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann had one question: “How on God’s Earth are we still burning fossil fuels after witnessing all this?”
___
Researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report from New York. ___
Follow AP’s climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
___
Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/heres-how-hot-and-extreme-the-summer-has-been-and-its-only-halfway-over/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:28 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/heres-how-hot-and-extreme-the-summer-has-been-and-its-only-halfway-over/ |
New Contract Protecting Nearly 8,000 Workers Overwhelmingly Approved
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters have overwhelmingly ratified a new national contract at TForce Freight by 81 percent. The five-year master agreement provides members with significant improvements to wages and benefits, and safeguards against subcontracting and technology.
"Teamsters at TForce have set a powerful example for how to take on the employer and win a strong agreement. Over the next five years, TForce workers will continue to establish better standards for freight under this contract, including the most lucrative economic package in the industry and vital protections for technology, pension, health care, and safety," said Sean M. O'Brien, Teamsters General President and Chair of the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC).
The agreement will go into effect August 1, 2023, and expire July 31, 2028. Contract highlights include:
- Wage Increases: The highest wage increases in the history of the national contract. Full-time local cartage and clerks will receive increases of $4.50 per hour over the life of the agreement. Road drivers will receive industry-leading increases to their current mileage rate over the length of the deal, starting at $0.7557 in August 2023 and increasing to $0.8257 by January 2028. The agreement eliminates split wage increases and two-tier wages.
- Health, Welfare, and Pension Contributions: TForce is required to increase its contributions to health, welfare, and pension plans. These contributions will provide vital support for members' health care and retirement needs.
- Technology Safeguards: The agreement includes provisions to safeguard members' rights and well-being from invasive technology. It prevents discipline from cameras and prohibits the use of robots, driverless vehicles, drones, or other technology to move freight or replace drivers, clerks, or dockworkers.
- Additional Holiday: Martin Luther King Day has been added as a paid holiday.
- Safety: All newly purchased equipment and vehicles must have air conditioning.
- Discretionary Days and Vacation: Starting January 1, 2024, two additional discretionary days will be added to the contractual floor, increasing the minimum number of paid days from four to six. There will be no blackout dates.
- Work Rule Protections: Shuttle and drayage work will not count towards the guarantee covered under the agreement. Road drivers will only perform road work and cannot work the docks except for the current mini-hub operations. TForce must have approval from the Teamsters for any other expansion of mini-hub operations.
- Protections Against Subcontracting: Road drivers would be protected against subcontracting. Penalties have been put in place to ensure rail and subcontracting come back into the bargaining unit.
"Our members at TForce have spoken loud and clear, and they overwhelmingly agree this new contract will deliver massive economic gains and non-economic improvements," said John A. Murphy, Teamsters National Freight Director and TNFINC Co-Chair. "The entire union thanks our lead negotiators Kris Taylor and Ed Thompson and the full negotiating team for their efforts to bargain an industry-defining agreement. Most of all, we thank the tireless and dedicated rank-and-filers who served on the negotiating committee to improve the lives of their fellow Teamsters at TForce."
Teamsters voted in-person last week and ballots were counted on Sunday. The agreement covers approximately 7,800 Teamsters at 126 local unions throughout the U.S.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-tforce-freight-ratify-national-agreement/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:29 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-tforce-freight-ratify-national-agreement/ |
Hunter Biden’s former business partner appears for closed-door interview with GOP-led committee
By FARNOUSH AMIRI
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden’s former business partner has appeared for closed-door testimony on Capitol Hill, with Republicans planning to question him about claims that President Joe Biden was directly involved in his younger son’s financial dealings. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee is holding a hourslong, transcribed interview Monday with Devon Archer as part of its expanding congressional inquiry into the Biden family businesses as the party explores a potential impeachment inquiry into the president. Archer served with Hunter Biden on the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma. And he is seen by Republicans as a key witness in their so-far fruitless search to connect the president to his son’s various international business transactions. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/hunter-bidens-former-business-partner-appears-for-closed-door-interview-with-gop-led-committee/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:34 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/hunter-bidens-former-business-partner-appears-for-closed-door-interview-with-gop-led-committee/ |
MLB Probable Starting Pitchers Tonight: Monday, July 31
Monday's MLB schedule features a slew of intriguing pitching matchups, and we've got all of the probable pitchers listed below. Top billing goes to the bout between the Orioles and the Blue Jays, who will be sending Kyle Gibson and Chris Bassitt to the mound, respectively.
Read on to find the probable pitcher matchups for every game on the schedule for July 31.
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Today's Probable Starting Pitchers
Phillies at Marlins Probable Pitchers
The Philadelphia Phillies will send Taijuan Walker (11-4) to the bump as they face the Marlins, who will look to Edward Cabrera (5-6) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Phillies at Marlins
- MIA Odds to Win: -110
- PHI Odds to Win: -110
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Phillies at Marlins
- Game Time: 6:40 PM ET
- Streaming: BSFL (regional restrictions may apply)
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Brewers at Nationals Probable Pitchers
The Milwaukee Brewers will send Corbin Burnes (9-6) to the mound as they face the Nationals, who will counter with Jake Irvin (3-5) for the matchup between the clubs Monday.
Vegas Odds for Brewers at Nationals
- MIL Odds to Win: -210
- WSH Odds to Win: +170
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Brewers at Nationals
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MASN2 (regional restrictions may apply)
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Rays at Yankees Probable Pitchers
The Tampa Bay Rays will send Tyler Glasnow (4-3) to the hill as they face the Yankees, who will give the start to Domingo German (5-7) when the clubs face off Monday.
Vegas Odds for Rays at Yankees
- TB Odds to Win: -145
- NYY Odds to Win: +120
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Rays at Yankees
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Orioles at Blue Jays Probable Pitchers
The Baltimore Orioles will send Gibson (9-6) to the mound as they play the Blue Jays, who will counter with Bassitt (10-5) when the teams play Monday.
Vegas Odds for Orioles at Blue Jays
- TOR Odds to Win: -130
- BAL Odds to Win: +110
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Orioles at Blue Jays
- Game Time: 7:07 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Angels at Braves Probable Pitchers
The Los Angeles Angels will send Griffin Canning (6-4) to the bump as they face the Braves, who will look to Charlie Morton (10-8) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Angels at Braves
- ATL Odds to Win: -225
- LAA Odds to Win: +180
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Angels at Braves
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Streaming: BSSO (regional restrictions may apply)
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Reds at Cubs Probable Pitchers
The Cincinnati Reds will send Andrew Abbott (6-2) to the mound as they face the Cubs, who will counter with Marcus Stroman (10-7) when the clubs play Monday.
Vegas Odds for Reds at Cubs
- CHC Odds to Win: -120
- CIN Odds to Win: +100
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Reds at Cubs
- Game Time: 8:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MARQ (regional restrictions may apply)
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Guardians at Astros Probable Pitchers
The Cleveland Guardians will send Noah Syndergaard (1-4) to the bump as they play the Astros, who will look to J.P. France (6-3) when the clubs face off Monday.
Vegas Odds for Guardians at Astros
- HOU Odds to Win: -175
- CLE Odds to Win: +145
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Guardians at Astros
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet SW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Padres at Rockies Probable Pitchers
The San Diego Padres will send Seth Lugo (4-5) to the mound as they play the Rockies, who will hand the ball to Austin Gomber (8-8) for the matchup between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Padres at Rockies
- SD Odds to Win: -200
- COL Odds to Win: +165
- Total: 11.5 runs
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Live Stream Padres at Rockies
- Game Time: 8:40 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet RM (regional restrictions may apply)
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Red Sox at Mariners Probable Pitchers
The Boston Red Sox will send Nick Pivetta (7-5) to the mound as they play the Mariners, who will give the start to George Kirby (9-8) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Red Sox at Mariners
- SEA Odds to Win: -135
- BOS Odds to Win: +110
- Total: 7.5 runs
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Live Stream Red Sox at Mariners
- Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
- Streaming: ROOT Sports NW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Diamondbacks at Giants Probable Pitchers
The Arizona Diamondbacks will send Ryne Nelson (6-5) to the mound as they take on the Giants, who will look to Alex Cobb (6-3) when the clubs meet Monday.
Vegas Odds for Diamondbacks at Giants
- SF Odds to Win: -150
- ARI Odds to Win: +125
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Diamondbacks at Giants
- Game Time: 9:45 PM ET
- Streaming: NBCS-BA (regional restrictions may apply)
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:35 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ |
8-year-old survives cougar attack in Washington state national park
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) — An 8-year-old child survived a cougar attack with minor injuries while camping in Olympic National Park in Washington state over the weekend.
“The cougar casually abandoned its attack after being yelled and screamed at by the child’s mother,” the National Park Service said in a statement. After being assessed by park personnel, the child, who was not identified, went to a hospital for further evaluation.
Rangers shut down the campsite and surrounding areas following the Saturday attack. Park law enforcement and cougar specialists began looking for the animal on Sunday at Lake Angeles. If located, the cougar will be euthanized and officials hope a necropsy will provide clues as to why it attacked.
Cougars are rarely seen and attacks on humans are extremely rare, park officials said. The lethal removal of the cougar is in line with the park’s protocol for wildlife observations, interactions and attacks.
The entirety of the 1,562-square-mile park located about 60 miles east of Seattle is consider cougar territory.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:37 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ |
How is New Mexico influencing federal oil and gas air pollution policy?
National policy on controlling air pollution from oil and gas could be modeled after New Mexico’s recently enacted rules targeting the release of the greenhouse gas from operations throughout the state.
In 2021 and 2022, the State enacted regulations at its Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources (EMNRD) and New Mexico Environment (NMED) departments intended to curb pollution resulting from methane’s release into the air.
The EMNRD rules targeting waste of the methane, a key component of extracted natural gas used for electricity and power generation, requiring operators to capture 98 percent of the gas by 2026.
More:Oil demand to peak by 2033, followed by declining production in New Mexico, officials say
Routine flaring, or the burning of excess gas, was also banned by EMNRD’s Oil Conservation Division as an additional measure to address air pollution.
NMED last year increased requirements for leak detection, repair and reporting at oil and gas operations throughout the U.S., specifically targeting precursor gasses that create ground-level ozone – also known as smog.
NMED Cabinet Secretary James Kenney touted the state’s policies, developed he said through engagement with both industry and activist groups, during the White’s House’s recent Methane Summit that saw the creation of a federal Methane Task Force.
More:$75M oil and gas deal announced in Permian Basin as region leads US in production
Kenney said, during a panel led by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary David Turk, that collaboration was crucial to developing NMED’s ozone rules.
“New Mexico is leading the way in decarbonizing every sector of our thriving economy – from oil and gas to power generation to transportation,” he said. “Our partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration continues to support our efforts to hold oil and gas polluters accountable and protect frontline communities.”
NMED reported methane leaks lead to billions of dollars in waste natural gas each year, with 30 percent of those emissions coming from the oil and gas sector.
More:What we know about federal plan to restrict oil and gas drilling from New Mexico caves
The federal government recently announced it was developing policy at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten restrictions on oil and gas emissions and add requirements that new technology intended to capture more gas is used.
White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said the efforts would also generate highly skilled jobs, and that New Mexico was serving as a model for policy throughout the U.S.
A report from national environmental group Blue Green Alliance showed the EPA’s proposed methane policies would create “10s of thousands” of jobs paying a median salary of $30.88 an hour compared to the national average of $19.60 an hour.
More:Oil and gas industry in New Mexico could see higher land rates under federal proposal
“The Biden administration is turbocharging our efforts to cut wasteful and harmful methane leaks by harnessing innovative technologies and enlisting skilled workers in this urgent task,” Zaidi said. “New Mexico is a critical partner for us in this effort and is a national leader on tackling methane pollution.
“New Mexico is proof that strong climate action and good economic policy go hand-in-hand.”
But due to continually worsening ozone pollution largely attributed to oil and gas production in the region, the EPA was considering designating the Permian Basin in southeast New Mexico and West Texas in “non-attainment” of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).
More:New Mexico to investigate PFAS 'forever chemicals' in oil and gas drilling after petition
That could mean heavier federal restrictions on oil and gas permitting.
This drew the ire of oil and gas industry supporters arguing stricter policy could curb energy production, potentially harming the economies of communities throughout the Permian Basin.
U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) in May slammed the EPA’s policies during a meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, calling the federal agencies’ recent actions a “government overreach.”
More:Oil company's mineral rights in Eddy County upheld by New Mexico Supreme Court
During a line of questions of EPA administrator Michael Regan, Pfluger criticized the agency for imperiling the livelihoods of his constituents in West Texas, which shares the Permian Basin with southeast New Mexico.
“I speak for 750,000 constituents that are extremely worried about the overreach and the attack and assault on American energy,” Pfluger said according to a transcript of the meeting.
“The single greatest prevention of loss of life over the past decade has been from the Permian Basin, which has helped a billion people worldwide extend their lives and lift them out of poverty.”
He pointed specifically the EPA’s consideration of the region’s ozone designation which Pfluger said would impose unfair obstacles to oil and gas production.
“Last summer, the EPA released a regulatory agenda which included the consideration of re-designation of ozone attainment in the Permian Basin,” Pfluger said. “If this is finalized, it would impose serious regulatory burdens.”
Adrian Heddencan be reached at 575-628-5516,achedden@currentargus.com or@AdrianHedden on Twitter. | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2023/07/31/how-new-mexico-permian-basin-is-influencing-federal-oil-gas-methane-ozone-air-pollution-policy/70477780007/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:38 | 0 | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2023/07/31/how-new-mexico-permian-basin-is-influencing-federal-oil-gas-methane-ozone-air-pollution-policy/70477780007/ |
It was more than 40 years ago that a family business was launched inside a downtown hole in the wall called the Green Frog Lounge.
The tiny bar — along with a few other taverns and shops on P Street — was eventually torn down to make room for the Embassy Suites, but Roger Patton was just getting started.
He would soon open Risky’s Sports Bar & Grill at 48th Street and Leighton Avenue in what had previously been a dry — alcohol-free — part of town. He eventually opened a second Risky’s location in Beatrice.
His bars were managed by Terri Patton, his daughter, who also did the bookkeeping. Meanwhile, Roger’s other children and grandchildren worked at the family business tending bars and waiting tables.
Risky’s closed recently, but Terri Patton — with some financial help from Roger — is keeping the family legacy alive.
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In May, she opened Lil’ Risky, 4620 Bair Ave. in north Lincoln. The name is an homage to her father’s bars but also shows her own playful side.
“It’s just a little risky,” Terri Patton said. “Just a little.”
With her bar ownership, Patton has broken through a glass ceiling, so to speak. She’s watched over the years as the industry, most of it run by males, has moved forward.
“I’ve been in the bar business for 35 years,” she said. “As a female, I’ve got lots of stories I can tell you.
“It’s a good old boy network and always has been.”
Gender aside, Patton has followed the same blueprint for staffing her new bar. Just like the days of her father’s empire, Lil’ Risky is loaded with family members.
Her son, Phillip Mays (who goes by the nickname Pip) is the bar’s manager, while his daughter, Haizey — a Nebraska Wesleyan University student majoring in social work — is the night manager.
“That’s four generations of this family who have worked in our bars,” Patton said.
Lil Risky is located inside the former Heidelberg’s Sports Bar & Restaurant. About 2,000 square feet were lost in the renovation to make room for a Little Caesars location.
That leaves about 5,400 square feet for Lil Risky, more than enough room, says Patton, adding that big bars are a thing of the past.
“No one can afford to pay for that kind of square footage,” she said.
Lil’ Risky has a full-service kitchen that specializes in burgers, Patton said.
The upcoming start to the football season brings with it a lot of excitement, said Patton, who remembers being so close to Memorial Stadium during the days of the Green Frog.
That changed a little with the opening of Risky’s, which was located more in the middle of town. However, Lil’ Risky is situated minutes from the stadium — which should enhance the game day experience.
Patton said Lil’ Risky will provide a shuttle service to Husker games. For $10, vans will provide round-trip transportation and a post-game drink upon arrival.
“I miss all of that,” she said. “I remember game days being so much fun.” | https://journalstar.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/new-lincoln-sports-bar-promises-to-be-just-a-lil-risky/article_5a658f10-2b03-11ee-8ef5-8f70899d53be.html | 2023-07-31T17:46:38 | 0 | https://journalstar.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/new-lincoln-sports-bar-promises-to-be-just-a-lil-risky/article_5a658f10-2b03-11ee-8ef5-8f70899d53be.html |
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies from cancer at 70
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and the TV series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live “Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show. HBO would air the show as a special.
Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985′s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, “The Bicycle Thief.” The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.
A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received “Big Top Pee-wee,” in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016′s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.
His television series, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.
Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?” The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.
“It’s for kids,” Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. “People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.
“The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning,” Reubens told the AP. “That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know.”
___
Associated Press Writer Alicia Rancilio and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-best-known-pee-wee-herman-dies-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:39 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-best-known-pee-wee-herman-dies-age-70/ |
Israel’s full high court to hear petitions against judiciary law in September that spurred protests
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court said Monday that a full panel of 15 justices would hear petitions in September against a contentious law that was passed last week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and which has spurred mass protests.
The law was one of a series of proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary put forward by Netanyahu’s government earlier this year that seek to curb the power of the Supreme Court. The judicial overhaul plan has been met with months of sustained mass protest against the legislation and drawn criticism from the White House.
Critics of the overhaul say that the package of laws would concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition and erode the system of checks and balances between branches of government. Proponents say the measures are necessary to limit the power of unelected judges who they say are overly activist.
Netanyahu and his allies passed a law last week that removes the high court’s ability to annul government decisions considered “unreasonable.” The “reasonableness standard” was implemented by the Supreme Court earlier this year to thwart the appointment of a Netanyahu ally as interior minister after he had recently pleaded guilty to tax offenses.
The court said the hearing concerning the law striking down the “reasonableness standard” would take place on Sept. 12 with a full bench of 15 justices. The Supreme Court typically hears cases with smaller panels of justices, but appears to have opted for a full complement of judges because of the highly delicate nature of the matter.
The Netanyahu administration’s push to overhaul the judiciary has deeply divided an already highly polarized country and sparked the longest sustained protests in the country’s history.
Netanyahu and his allies took office in December after the country’s fifth election in under four years, most of them referendums on the longtime leader’s fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/israels-full-high-court-to-hear-petitions-against-judiciary-law-in-september-that-spurred-protests/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:40 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/israels-full-high-court-to-hear-petitions-against-judiciary-law-in-september-that-spurred-protests/ |
Juul seeks authorization on a new vape it says can verify a user’s age. Here’s how it works
By Nadia Bidarian, CNN
(CNN) — E-cigarette company Juul Labs is seeking US authorization to sell a “next-generation” vape with age verification capabilities in the United States.
To verify a user’s age, the proposed vape pairs with a phone app, requiring a customer to either upload their government ID and a real-time selfie or input personal information and allow a third-party database to verify their identity, according to a Juul spokesperson.
A unique Pod ID chip within the Juul device can also detect counterfeit cartridges made by other companies, many of which have flooded the market with illegal fruity flavors that appeal to minors.
The mission of the new platform is twofold, according to the company: Encourage adult smokers to switch from combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes while restricting underage access.
The legal age to purchase e-cigarettes in the United States is 21.
“We look forward to engaging with FDA throughout the review process while we pursue this important harm-reduction opportunity,” Juul’s Chief Regulatory Officer Joe Murillo said in a company news release.
If authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration, Juul Labs hasn’t yet decided on the name to market their new product in the US. In the UK and Canada, where it’s already for sale, it’s called the JUUL2.
A problematic past
Advertising itself as an alternative nicotine product, Juul publicly advises that adults vape only as a replacement for combustible cigarettes.
But Juul has a troubled history in US markets.
“They were the spark that ignited the flame,” said Robin Koval, CEO of the nonprofit Truth Initiative, organizers of the nation’s largest campaign for youth to quit vaping. “This is not a company known to tell the truth.”
Juul Labs has settled more than 5,000 cases brought by approximately 10,000 plaintiffs since its vaping devices initially skyrocketed in popularity in 2016, with some alleging the company deceived or failed to warn consumers about the risks of its products. The e-cigarette maker also agreed to pay $462 million to six US states and Washington, DC, in April after a lawsuit accused Juul Labs of directly promoting its products to high school students. In total, Juul Labs has agreed to pay more than $1 billion in its various legal settlements.
Juul dominated over 70% of the US e-cigarette market at its peak in late 2018. In the same year, 27% of high school students and 7.2% of middle school students said they used tobacco for one or more days in the month, according to the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
Juul is now a less favored brand among youth. When asked what e-cigarette brands they used in the past 30 days, youth e-cigarette users in the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey answered Puff Bar most frequently (29.7%), followed by Vuse (23.6%) and then Juul (22%), with the first two being disposable vaping products.
In 2019, Juul suspended all flavors other than tobacco and menthol and suspended broadcast, digital and print publication marketing.
Even with limited flavors, the FDA banned Juul products in the US last year after reviewing Juul’s applications seeking marketing authorization for their devices. The FDA determined that the applications lacked “sufficient evidence” within the toxicological profile of the vaporizers to prove that marketing the products would be in the interest of public health.
The FDA has placed the ban on hold while Juul Labs appeals.
What we know about Juul’s latest filing
Juul Labs submitted its most recent application to the FDA on July 19, as all e-cigarette manufacturers are required to do before their product can be marketed and sold legally in the United States. This first filing concerns just one flavor, Virginia Tobacco, with a nicotine concentration of 18 mg per mL.
Although Juul’s new platform has age verification capabilities, the company does not intend to lock all their new pods before use. For example, the Virginia Tobacco pods will not come automatically locked. The spokesperson for Juul said doing so could create “friction” for the adult smokers the tobacco flavor is most likely to target.
“If you’re an adult smoker and you go to buy a cigarette, it’s pretty easy to use the product,” a Juul spokesperson told CNN. “If you add in another barrier before product use, that creates some level of friction.”
Using the new Pod ID feature, Juul’s new vaping device could tell a Virginia Tobacco pod apart from a menthol-flavored pod. It could then require age verification to activate only the latter, according to the spokesperson.
Juul has researched other flavors that combine tobacco and menthol with fruity tones to potentially submit to the FDA following this filing. Juul currently sells the flavor Autumn Tobacco in the UK, which contains “tangy apple notes,” according to its website.
Regulating e-cigarettes is “Whac-a-Mole for the FDA,” says nonprofit CEO
Just because e-cigarette companies are required to comply with the FDA doesn’t mean all of them do. In fact, most don’t. To date, the FDA has authorized only 23 specific e-cigarette products, all of which are tobacco flavored.
Yet more than 2.5 million US middle and high school students said they use e-cigarettes as of last year, according to the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Almost 85% consume fruity, candy or other flavored products, despite them being illegal.
Koval of Truth Initiative said the tobacco industry “floods the market” with products such that the FDA can’t keep up.
“It is a little bit like Whac-a-Mole for the FDA and for those of us who are trying to promote healthier behaviors for young people,” Koval said. The total number of e-cigarette brands increased by 46.2% between January 2020 and December 2022, from 184 to 269, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To gain FDA authorization for its latest platform, Juul must prove to the FDA that in aiding the public health crisis of adult smoking, it is not further exacerbating the spread of youth vaping.
“This is only the beginning of new tech being developed and refined for the US market and abroad to eliminate combustible cigarettes and combat underage use,” Juul’s Chief Product Officer Kirk Phelps said.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/juul-seeks-authorization-on-a-new-vape-it-says-can-verify-a-users-age-heres-how-it-works/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:42 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/juul-seeks-authorization-on-a-new-vape-it-says-can-verify-a-users-age-heres-how-it-works/ |
Trinity Site nuke test exposed New Mexicans to radiation. Senate votes to compensate them
“Oppenheimer” recently dramatized in cinema what many New Mexicans see as a tragedy rippling through generations, and one the federal government this week took a step to address.
The movie released nationwide on July 21 acts out the first atomic bomb test in the U.S. held in 1945 at the Trinity Site in central New Mexico, an event that left people living nearby struggling with the impacts of radiation for decades since.
And as moviegoers enjoyed the more-than-three-hour epic, New Mexico’s downwinders continued the fight to be compensated by the federal government for what they called generations of suffering caused by the events depicted on screen.
More:Feds digging up nuclear waste in Los Alamos for disposal at Carlsbad-area repository
Those efforts appeared closer to fruition, after the U.S. Senate passed an expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Thursday, sending the measure to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
The (RECA) program provides payments for Americans in multiple states affected by nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site, but New Mexico groups for years argued they should be included in the payments after generations of cancers and other ailments they said were caused by the test at Trinity.
The expansion, which would extend payments to New Mexicans and other downwinders in affected states, came as an amendment cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) to the $886.3 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which the Senate voted to approve on an 86-11 vote.
More:South Carolina nuclear waste coming to facility along Texas-New Mexico border
This will mean the GOP-led House will next vote on the bill used to fund national defense and military initiatives nationwide, potentially amending or even removing Lujan’s amendment.
“While this important vote passed, this fight is not over,” Lujan said. “I will continue working with my colleagues and advocates to ensure that the House follows our lead and does what is right by Downwinders and uranium mine workers.”
Tina Cordova is one of those who said she can quantify the tragic impact by counting the multitude of cancer diagnosis and deceased family members in her community of Tularosa about 50 miles from the Trinity Site.
She's a cofounder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders which has advocated for expanding RECA for years, and said the measure was now the "furthest its ever gotten" to becoming law.
"It's not a partisan issue," Cordova said. "Radiation exposure affects Republicans and Democrats alike. People in the West have been horribly harmed by the nuclear testing that took place."
Nuclear reparations increased, extended 20 years if amendment passes
If it’s passed, the RECA program, which sunsets next year, would offer reparations to communities near the Trinity Site around south-central New Mexico in small towns like Tularosa and Carrizozo.
More:Holtec will lose millions in storing nuclear waste in New Mexico, whistleblower suit says
It would also offer payments to downwinders in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Utah, and expand eligibility to more uranium mine workers exposed after 1971.
The amendment also sought to extend the RECA program by 19 years, much longer than previously-passed bills that have extended it in two-year increments, and increase the dollar amount of payments.
“Nearly eight decades after the Trinity Test in New Mexico, many New Mexicans are still left out of the original RECA program,” Lujan continued. “This is unacceptable given the number of New Mexicans who have gotten sick and died from radiation exposure. The federal government must do right by these communities, and today’s Senate vote is a step in the right direction toward justice.”
More:Nuclear waste repository near Carlsbad staying open longer than estimated, officials say
The amendment was a bipartisan effort, sponsored by Lujan and Republicans Sens. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Mike Crapo of Idaho, along with Democrat Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Michael Bennet of Colorado and Jon Tester of Montana.
Independent U.S. Sen. Krysten Sinema of Arizona also served as a cosponsor.
“I was proud to work across the aisle to build support for this historic RECA expansion. The support of my colleagues, and the many advocates engaged on this issue, helped bring attention to the injustice faced by New Mexicans,” Lujan said. “Today, the Senate took the most significant vote on RECA since the program was first adopted.”
More:No progress to report on nuclear waste site aside from Carlsbad-area repository, feds say
'Oppenheimer' ignores, exploits New Mexico's plight, group says
Amid the theatrical release of Oppenheimer, Cordova said she expected the issue to get more attention from the national press and others as the New Mexicans impacted by the nuclear test featured in the film were conspicuously "left out" of the movie.
"We're going to continue to receive a lot of attention from the film and the fact that the people of New Mexico were completely left out of it," she said. "There would be no Manhattan Project without New Mexico."
She said the downwinders group attempt a dialogue with the makers of the film, helmed by renowned Director Christopher Nolan, but was ignored, their stories of the human cost of the test excluded.
"They have basically looked away from us," Cordova said. "Shame on them. They were filming in our state. They came here and used our tax incentives, used our landscape and they walked away. That's exploitation. There's no excuse for that."
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who introduced a separate bill July 13, along with several measures in the past to extend RECA’s lifetime, said in a statement the legislation was essential to righting the wrongs of the past and present, as in Nolan's film, in ignoring New Mexico's downwinders in the nuclear conversation.
“Imagine having radioactive waste fall down like dirty snow on your homes and communities causing cancer and disease,” she said in a statement. “Then think about the despair when you learn that the U.S. government compensated other communities exposed to radiation during the nuclear testing program but not yours.”
Cordova called on the GOP-led House to push the NDAA, with the RECA amendment, forward and to the desk of President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
"We know it's not a done deal. Of course we're concerned," she said. "We hate the idea of making it this far and not getting there."
Lilly Adams, outreach coordinator for the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Global Security Program advocated for the RECA expansion, arguing the federal government unfairly denied support for downwinders from New Mexico and other states for years.
“RECA is a valuable program, but it does not go far enough to support the veterans, Indigenous communities, miners, farmers, and our neighbors who were exposed to radiation, but have been denied the support they deserve from the government,” she said.
Adrian Heddencan be reached at 575-628-5516,achedden@currentargus.com or@AdrianHedden on Twitter. | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2023/08/01/radiation-nuclear-exposed-new-mexicans-trinity-site-compensated-us-senate-vote-oppenheimer/70484797007/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:44 | 0 | https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/2023/08/01/radiation-nuclear-exposed-new-mexicans-trinity-site-compensated-us-senate-vote-oppenheimer/70484797007/ |
A Crete man was treated at a hospital in Crete after he accidentally shot himself with his friend's handgun at a barbecue Saturday evening about 15 miles southwest of Lincoln, according to authorities.
The 29-year-old man picked the Glock 9 mm up off a picnic table, cocked it and pulled the trigger after the gun's owner, a 22-year-old Lancaster County man, had set it down while showing it off to friends at the barbecue, said Capt. Tommy Trotter of the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.
The shooting happened at a property near the southwestern edge of Lancaster County, two miles east of Crete, Trotter said. Crete police called the sheriff's office to investigate after determining it happened in Lancaster County.
"The investigation revealed that it was completely accidental," Trotter said.
The man shattered a metatarsal bone in his right foot and was treated and released from Crete Area Medical Center. | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/crete-man-accidentally-shot-himself-in-the-foot-at-lancaster-county-barbecue-deputy-says/article_7b6ebd86-2fb2-11ee-ac7f-27ace2e4c7d5.html | 2023-07-31T17:46:44 | 1 | https://journalstar.com/news/local/crime-courts/crete-man-accidentally-shot-himself-in-the-foot-at-lancaster-county-barbecue-deputy-says/article_7b6ebd86-2fb2-11ee-ac7f-27ace2e4c7d5.html |
Man searches for beloved lost dog after fire erupts in Philadelphia rowhome
By Briana Smith
Click here for updates on this story
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Residents are reeling after a massive fire broke out at a rowhome in South Philadelphia on Saturday morning.
The first and second floors of the home on West Porter Street were burned to a crisp, and everything inside was destroyed by the flames.
Firefighters say everyone was able to get out, but they are still searching for one tenant’s beloved dog Mordecai.
While crews investigate what started the fire, tenant Edward Nicodemus and his roommate are searching for a new place to live.
Nicodemus says he struggled with homelessness before and doesn’t want to go through it again.
But equally important, Nicodemus is searching for his pet, who he calls Morty.
Morty saved Nicodemus’ life Saturday by waking him up when the fire began but then ran away.
The dog is a 12-year-old Akita German Shepard and weighs about 80 pounds.
Nicodemus is asking the community to be on the lookout for him.
“Somebody told me that they saw him at Muffling Square Park where I bring him every day. I walk him around without a leash because he was my service dog for many years. He was too old for that anymore. He’s really friendly,” he said.
Everyone who knows Morty says he’s an incredible companion.
“He’s just a really good dog. When he sits down, he crosses his paws and he’s just so loving and kind, and he’s been my dog’s best friend and adventure buddy for years. I know how much he means to Ed,” said Erin Cookman from South Philadelphia.
Nicodemus says that despite Morty running away and being unable to return home, the community is giving him hope.
People are collecting donations for Nicodemus and his roommate as well as searching for Morty.
There is also a cash reward for finding the beloved dog.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/man-searches-for-beloved-lost-dog-after-fire-erupts-in-philadelphia-rowhome/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:48 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/man-searches-for-beloved-lost-dog-after-fire-erupts-in-philadelphia-rowhome/ |
Moscow attacks Zelensky’s hometown after he said war had returned to Russia
By Olga Voitovych and Vasco Cotovio, CNN
Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN) — A day after Volodymyr Zelensky said war was “returning to Russia” with an attempted drone strike on Moscow, the Kremlin launched a deadly airstrike against the Ukraine president’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih.
At least six people were killed and another 75 were wounded when a pair of ballistic missiles struck a school building and residential tower in the central Ukrainian city. Among the dead are a 5-year-old girl.
Zelensky said more than 350 were involved in the rescue operation. Emergency services personnel were still searching for survivors under the rubble as of Monday afternoon.
Residents said there were no air raid sirens before the missiles struck and took out significant portions of two buildings. Some said they had little time to scramble for cover.
“This time, we did not have time to orient ourselves,” Kryvyi Rih resident Natalia Balaba said. “My husband was in the corridor, he was knocked down by the wave.”
Balaba said all the windows in their apartment had been shattered and damage lay everywhere.
“We were very frightened, we were in great shock,” she said.
It’s unclear why Russia targeted Kryvyi Rih. Ukrainian officials said there were no military targets nearby. The head of the local defense council, Oleksandr Vilkul called the bombardment a “terrorist attack.”
Russia carried out a similar attack on the city in June, killing 11 people.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented on the situation in Kryvyi Rih. Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilian infrastructure, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
On Monday, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Kremlin would intensify its attacks in response to Kyiv’s attempted drone strikes against Moscow the previous day that damaged a business and shopping development in the west of the capital.
Hours later, Zelensky said Ukraine “is getting stronger, and the war is gradually returning to Russia’s territory, to its symbolic centers and military bases.”
“This is an inevitable, natural, and absolutely fair,” Zelensky said.
A spokesman for Ukraine’s Air Force said Kyiv was targeting Moscow to impact Russians who, since the invasion began in February 2022, felt the war was distant.
Shoigu and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov both said Ukraine’s attempted drone strikes on Moscow terrorist attacks were meant to deflect from a purported lack of success on the battlefield.
“Against the backdrop of an unsuccessful so-called counteroffensive, the Kyiv regime – with the support of Western sponsors – focused on carrying out terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in the cities and towns of the Russian Federation,” Shoigu said.
No casualties were reported in the attempted Moscow drone strikes over the weekend. However, Russian bombardments in Ukraine have struck civilian homes, schools, hospitals, churches and power plants, killing thousands of bystanders in the process.
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CNN’s Anna Chernova, Maria Kostenko and Joshua Berlinger contributed to this report | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/moscow-attacks-zelenskys-hometown-after-he-said-war-had-returned-to-russia/ | 2023-07-31T17:46:54 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/moscow-attacks-zelenskys-hometown-after-he-said-war-had-returned-to-russia/ |
Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto is a true-story, Coen brothers-esque caper about a California desert town that tried to revive its economy by turning to legal cannabis sales.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air
Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto is a true-story, Coen brothers-esque caper about a California desert town that tried to revive its economy by turning to legal cannabis sales.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air | https://www.kcbx.org/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town | 2023-07-31T17:46:56 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town |
MrBeast’s Kris Tyson says she’s ‘so much happier’ after six months of hormone replacement therapy
By Scottie Andrew, CNN
(CNN) — Kris Tyson, a co-host of the massively popular MrBeast YouTube channel, is beaming in a new selfie taken after six months of hormone replacement therapy.
Tyson came out as transgender earlier this month after sharing parts of her journey with hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. The treatment is prescribed to both trans and cisgender people, including menopausal women, who may undergo the therapy to reduce their symptoms.
“The physical changes aren’t the only things that have made me feel so much happier,” Tyson wrote in an Instagram caption, while sharing photos of her transformation. “The ability to get out of bed, ready to start the day, the desire to live my life to fullest again, and just being able to look in the mirror and see the woman I’ve always known was inside me finally starting to make her way in the world. Every day living your life your own way is the best day every day.”
In a July interview with Smosh’s Anthony Padilla, Tyson said that the treatment saved her life.
“I’ve really never felt connected to my body until I started taking HRT,” she told Padilla, adding that she’d been “fully confident” in her transition for over a year.
Tyson has appeared in MrBeast videos for over a decade, beginning when she was a teenager and befriended Jimmy Donaldson (the titular MrBeast, who has amassed 172 million subscribers on YouTube). Tyson assisted Donaldson with massive pranks and action-packed set pieces, but she said that her online fame held her back from coming out.
“It was really just the societal pressure (that kept her from coming out sooner),” she told Padilla. “‘You’re Chris from MrBeast; you’re the guy who starts the fires.’ I never really felt like ‘the guy.’”
Tyson said her friends were immediately supportive once she came out to them, and Donaldson has previously defended Tyson from transphobic comments online.
“Chris (sic) isn’t my ‘nightmare,’” Donaldson tweeted in April. “(Tyson is) my f**ken friend and things are fine. All this transphobia is starting to piss me off.”
Though Tyson has received support from her MrBeast compatriots, she and other online personalities like trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney have also been subjected to anti-trans comments. After Mulvaney shared a personalized can of Bud Light sent to her by Anheuser-Busch, notable conservatives, including Kid Rock, vowed to stop buying Bud Light and repeatedly misgendered Mulvaney. Tyson has reposted several tweets in support of Mulvaney.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/mrbeasts-kris-tyson-says-shes-so-much-happier-after-six-months-of-hormone-replacement-therapy/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:00 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/mrbeasts-kris-tyson-says-shes-so-much-happier-after-six-months-of-hormone-replacement-therapy/ |
A Georgia judge has rejected former President Trump’s efforts to quash an investigation into his efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.
“The movants’ asserted ‘injuries’ that would open the doors of the courthouse to their claims are either insufficient or else speculative and unrealized,” Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney wrote in the nine-page ruling.
“They are insufficient because, while being the subject (or even target) of a highly publicized criminal investigation is likely an unwelcome and unpleasant experience, no court ever has held that that status alone provides a basis for the courts to interfere with or halt the investigation.”
The ruling is the second roadblock for Trump in his efforts to dismiss the probe, after the state’s Supreme Court earlier this month rejected another suit seeking to block it.
That court had in part rejected Trump’s arguments while noting the matter before McBurney.
McBurney presided over the grand jury who were presented evidence by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) who has advised court officials she could bring charges in the high-profile case the second or third week of August.
Trump has also sued Willis and McBurney in another third suit filed alongside his petition to the state supreme court — an additional attempt to nix the investigation beyond the matter McBurney addressed Monday.
“Petitioner’s every attempt to seek redress in the normal course have been ignored, and the District Attorney has given every indication that the injury is imminent,” Trump wrote in the petition earlier this month.
McBurney also determined that Trump didn’t have standing to sue to quash the investigation, noting that the former president can only “theorize” that he will be named in an indictment.
“The professed injuries are also speculative and unrealized because there is, as of yet, no indictment that creates the genuine controversy required to confer standing,” McBurney wrote.
—Updated at 12:04 p.m. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/georgia-judge-rejects-trump-effort-to-quash-fulton-county-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:01 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/georgia-judge-rejects-trump-effort-to-quash-fulton-county-investigation/ |
I just lost another evening to car pricing and searching, indecision and then panic. I need to replace my dead car, and I want to go electric, but I will never forget that day in fire valley.
“Check the app, please,” my younger son whined.
“I dunno. It says .6 kilowatts?” I said, squinting at my phone screen, with zero clue about how far that much power would get our sleek, electric rental car, which was tethered to the sole charger we could find in a 24-mile radius of our little sightseeing adventure into the Valley of Fire State Park.
This is what the fear of electric vehicles is all about — being stranded at the dumb intersection of impulse and unexpected circumstances in a situation our family has dubbed “fire valley.”
While the daily experience of the average American driver putzing between school and the grocery store would not leave them stranded, the anxiety of it is visceral in the existential response to the Biden administration’s goal of making half of new car sales electric by 2030. While we wring our hands, the market is gearing up — seven car manufacturers last week announced a massive campaign to grow fast-charging stations across the nation.
We’ll need it.
“Sure, we’d love to try an EV,” I thought, when we left the rental car agency in Nevada with a Chevy Bolt, which promised us it would go another 172 miles.
It did not.
I had tried this once before, chuffed when a Tesla was available for a weekly rental after my car caught fire this spring — thus the perpetual car shopping — and I needed a stopgap. It was a glorious vacation into a sleek and soundless, minimalist future, like driving around in an Apple genius bar.
Charging wasn’t too hard, even though we don’t have a charger at home, which is really the only way — I’ve decided — an EV car can work for our family. (We made it work with two banks of Tesla chargers in D.C., one near my son’s school.)
It was undeniably cool. But a Tesla isn’t in our price range, so I was excited to get the Chevy Bolt on our recent trip.
Now, with fire valley seared into their brains, my family can’t bolt away from it fast enough.
We were in Las Vegas, which — like many American cities — simply doesn’t have an EV infrastructure robust enough to make a casual rental an easy experience.
After we safely returned from fire valley, I spent another 90 minutes pinballing between the charging stations that popped up on my map. Two hookups were out of order, and there was a line of five cars waiting for the remaining four in the first station I found. We all watched a guy who clearly thought we were chumps move the traffic cones and plug his car into a dead charger.
His defeat was immediate, his retreat ungracious. The next chargers I tried were either broken or didn’t exist.
“Charging is an inseparable part of the EV experience,” Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Källenius said last week as part of the announcement by a car manufacturers’ alliance that pledges to double the number of EV stations in America “to make it as convenient as possible.”
This is the only way that any of the EV aspirations set by the leaders who choose to acknowledge climate change and the high cost, in cash and geopolitics, of a gas-dependent nation. Other leaders — despite the worldwide shift toward EV (China is dominating global EV sales, followed closely by Europe) — are hobbling their constituents by turning this into yet another culture war.
Yes, the research on what the shift away from gas-powered cars will mean for the environment is clear — although reports on what it has taken to build EV batteries are troubling. Practically, these legislative goals cast in our collective responsibility to curb climate change will only work with enough tax incentives, price breaks and investments in a robust, charging infrastructure.
Without that — everything will become fire valley.
Earlier this spring, Maryland was one of 17 states that agreed to follow California’s strict emissions standards and make 2035 the goal to end all gas-powered new car sales.
The move will have “generational impacts,” Gov. Wes Moore (D) said, before he drove off in a mustard-colored electric Mustang after an announcement in Baltimore.
Wonder if he was racing to a charging station.
While the highest percentage of EV ownership is found in left-leaning counties, a recent poll showed blue Marylanders aren’t overwhelmingly in support of his plan. Which is surprising. Have they been to “fire valley” too?
That poll showed folks like saving the environment, but they’re squeamish about paying more for EV cars.
Even more surprising is the data showing pockets of Trump country — places in Florida, central California and Texas, even — are beginning to ditch gas guzzlers.
“I think selfishly it was, you know, how is this going to help my pocketbook,” the Republican-voting, Marine veteran head of a Tesla owners’ club in Texas told The Washington Post’s Jeanne Whalen.
On both sides, it’s all about the Benjamins, baby.
Despite another sizzling summer of record-setting temperatures and freak storms, it’s still hard for us to live with future generations — rather than the heft of our bank accounts — in mind.
That’s why I have to get serious about making this decision. I still don’t know what I will do, even though I know exactly what I should do. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/31/electric-vehicle-anxiety-logistics/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:01 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/07/31/electric-vehicle-anxiety-logistics/ |
Leanne Morgan remembers the moment she realized she could make it in comedy: She was at a party, telling jokes, and a woman "peepeed on the couch."
"That was a 'God' moment for me ... " Morgan says. "I thought, 'OK, I can make it in stand-up.'"
Morgan took a roundabout route to professional comedy: She was a young mother living in Bean Station, Tenn., in the 1990s — and she started selling jewelry in women's houses two or three nights a week as a way to make a bit of extra money.
"It was like Mary Kay and Tupperware, those kinds of companies," Morgan says. "Somebody makes a dip, or a pan of brownies, and then I would schlep that big case of jewelry and put all that jewelry out on a kitchen table."
Morgan was supposed to be talking up the jewelry, but instead she found herself making her customers laugh with stories about breastfeeding and hemorrhoids.
Morgan was 32 with three young children at home when she started performing stand-up in clubs on the weekend. Every few years, someone from Hollywood would call to offer her a sitcom deal — but each time the deal would fall through.
In 2018, she nearly gave up, but she decided to make one more push. She hired two brothers in Plano, Texas, to help promote her material on social media. One clip, in which she joked about going to a Def Leppard/Journey concert with her husband, went viral.
"That [video] blew up, and I started selling out all over the United States," Morgan says. "People would see those videos ... and start calling comedy clubs and ask them to book me."
Now 57 with three grown children and two grandchildren, Morgan has her own self-produced Netflix special, Leanne Morgan: I'm Every Woman. In it, she makes fun of everyday life, from marriage and motherhood to menopause and dating apps.
"It took me a long time to find my audience ... but I always knew they were out there," she says. "I think Hollywood forgets us, and I think a lot of comedians that are cool and edgy and all of that, just forget about my demographic and I think we're the best. I think we're the people that make decisions to go buy tickets and want to get out and have a good time."
Interview highlights
On connecting to her audience
I'm nurturing. If I make fun, it's of myself, it's not of anybody else. I'm not confrontational. And so I think people find comfort with me. ... I was in LA doing The Comedy Store, which was a dream of mine, and it was all these edgy comedians that were getting up and talking about all kinds of stuff. And then I got up and talked about how somebody made me a meatloaf at my children's school the day that I got my IUD replaced. And young people came out of The Comedy Store and said, "Can I hug you?" I think that even though ... in my mind I'd have a chip on my shoulder over the years and think, Oh, I'm not edgy enough there. I'm not a cool kid in the business in the industry and all that, I do think that people were enjoying what I did.
On calling herself the "Mrs. Maisel of Appalachia"
Comedy is hard. ... It's a hard business. I resonated with that character because she was fearless and she had those babies and her husband was a ding dong. My husband's not a ding dong, but she overcame so much and kept going and men would say, "Oh, women aren't funny," and all that kind of stuff, and trying to sabotage her. I've been through all that. When young people ask me, "Do you think I should do stand-up?" I don't want to squash somebody's dreams. But it's hard for me as a mother not to say, "Listen, you're going to be driving in a car for 300 miles to make $50 and you won't have a hotel room." I mean, it's a hard, hard business. But when I saw that series, I thought, that's what I did: I had three babies. I was in the Appalachian Mountains. I didn't have a comedy club near me, and I just had to pave out another way than the traditional way that people do stand-up. And I did. I don't know how, but I did.
On the four television sitcom deals over the years that fell through
I would be devastated at the time. But those little nuggets would give me the encouragement to keep going. For one thing, because I was in Knoxville. ... I was not living in LA or New York. I was raising these children and I got to raise them in Knoxville, Tennessee, and they became who they're supposed to be. If I'd have gone to LA, they probably wouldn't be who they are. And I would be devastated [when the series fell through], but then it always kept me encouraged, like, I've got something. I know I'm not crazy. I can do this.
On ignoring her ex-husband when he advised her to get rid of her Tennessee accent
[He] said to me, "Your accent and your diction, you need diction lessons. People are making fun of me. People think you're stupid." And I remember at the time, I don't know how I had the sense to think, "No, you're wrong." And I didn't change anything. I could have. I had pretty low self-esteem and was pretty beat down at the time, but I felt like ... you're not going to change me. This is who I am. And I think now, going forward, 40 years later, that is what has made this happen for me, is I am who I am. .... I'm authentic. I feel like at my age now, it's like this is who I am. You either like it or you don't. It's OK if you don't. ... I do find humor in hard things, but I think a lot of comedians do. That's how we cope.
Lauren Krenzel and Seth Kelley produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the web.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air. | https://www.kcbx.org/2023-07-31/leanne-morgan-the-mrs-maisel-of-appalachia-jokes-about-motherhood-and-menopause | 2023-07-31T17:47:02 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/2023-07-31/leanne-morgan-the-mrs-maisel-of-appalachia-jokes-about-motherhood-and-menopause |
Former Hunter Biden associate Devon Archer is sitting for a closed-door transcribed interview with the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday, in an appearance that is expected to fuel Republican attempts to link President Biden to his son’s business dealings.
The interview follows a letter from the Department of Justice over the weekend regarding Archer’s sentencing for an unrelated matter that is adding to GOP claims of government obstruction of their investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings — even as Archer’s attorney beat down the speculation.
The Justice Department (DOJ) in its letter requested that a judge set a date for Archer to start his one-year prison sentence for his conviction for defrauding a Native American tribe, despite Archer’s counsel saying it was “premature” to do so because of an anticipated appeal and an “error” in sentencing.
That set off alarm bells in the GOP.
“I don’t know if this a coincidence, or if this is another example of the weaponization of the Department of Justice,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said Sunday on Fox News.
Other Republicans went further, accusing the DOJ of explicit interference in the GOP-led investigation. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said lawmakers should return from an August recess for emergency hearings if Archer did not show up.
But Archer’s attorney stressed the letter would not impact his planned interview, which had been rescheduled multiple times since Comer subpoenaed him in June.
“We are aware of speculation that the Department of Justice’s weekend request to have Mr. Archer report to prison is an attempt by the Biden administration to intimidate him in advance of his meeting with the House Oversight Committee on Monday,” Acher’s lawyer Matthew Schwartz said in a Sunday statement, first provided to Politico. “To be clear, Mr. Archer does not agree with that speculation. In any case, Mr. Archer will do what he has planned to do all along, which is to show up on Monday and to honestly answer the questions that are put to him by the Congressional investigators.”
The DOJ said in a subsequent letter that it was not requesting that Archer surrender before his expected congressional testimony.
His appearance went on as scheduled. A smiling Archer did not answer shouted questions as he arrived at the interview with his lawyer Monday morning.
The interview will comprise four hours of questioning divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, and it is expected to end midafternoon. Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) were in attendance.
“I believe he can tell us things we haven’t heard before,” Biggs said.
Goldman cast doubt on the GOP attempts to link the president to his son’s business dealings.
“We’re all waiting for any pin, whether it be a linchpin or other pin, to figure out how this is connected at all to President Biden,” Goldman said. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/hunter-biden-associate-devon-archer-gives-closed-door-interview/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:07 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/hunter-biden-associate-devon-archer-gives-closed-door-interview/ |
The U.S. State Department has selected an Indigenous artist to represent the country at the 2024 Venice Biennale.
Jeffrey Gibson, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, will be the first such artist to have a solo exhibition in the U.S. Pavilion at the prestigious international arts event.
That's according to a statement this week from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the government body responsible for co-curating the U.S. Pavilion, alongside Oregon's Portland Art Museum and SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico.
The State Department's records of the U.S. Pavilion exhibitions date back to when it was built, in 1930.
Although Indigenous artists have shown work more broadly in Venice over the years, the last time Indigenous artists appeared in the U.S. Pavilion at the Biennale was in 1932 — and that was in a group setting, as part of a mostly Eurocentric exhibition devoted to depictions of the American West.
"In 1932, one of the rooms was devoted to Native American art, but it was done in what I would say was a very ethnographic type of presentation," said Kathleen Ash-Milby, curator of Native American Art at the Portland Art Museum, and one of the co-commissioners of Jeffrey Gibson's work in the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. "It grouped native people together and didn't really focus on their individuality as much. There were Navajo rugs on the floor. There were displays of jewelry. Many of the artists were not named."
Ash-Milby, who is also the first Native American curator to co-commission and co-curate an exhibition for the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, told NPR her team selected Gibson because of the artist's wide-ranging, inclusive and critical approach to art-making.
"His work is multifaceted. It incorporates all sorts of different types of media," the curator, a member of the Navajo Nation, said. "But to me, what's most important is his ability to connect with both his culture and different communities, and bring people together. At the same time, he has a very critical lens through which he looks at our history as Americans and as world citizens. Pulling all those things together in the practice of an American artist is really important for someone who's going to represent us on a world stage."
Born in Colorado and based in New York, Gibson, 51, focuses on making work that fuses together American, Native American and queer perspectives. In a 2019 interview with Here and Now, Gibson said the art world hasn't traditionally valued Indigenous histories and artistic representations.
"There's this gap historically about these histories existing on the same level and being valued culturally," Gibson said. "My goal is to force them into the contemporary cannon of what's considered important."
A MacArthur "Genius" Grant winner, Gibson has had his work widely exhibited around the country. Major solo exhibitions include one at the Portland Art Museum last year and, in 2013, at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art. His work is in the collections of high-profile institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Art. Gibson participated in the 2019 Whitney Biennial.
"Having an Indigenous artist represent the United States at the Venice Biennale is a long overdue and very powerful moment," San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Director Christopher Bedford said in an email to NPR. "Centering the perspectives of contemporary indigenous artists is a critical component of fostering inclusivity and equity in museums, and in our world."
The details of Gibson's contribution for the 2024 Biennale are mostly under wraps. Curator Ash-Milby said the artist is working on a multimedia installation with the title "the space in which to place me" — a reference to a poem by the Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier.
According to the organizers of the U.S. Pavilion, the upcoming Biennale will enable international audiences to have the first major opportunity to experience Gibson's work outside of the U.S. It will be on view April 20 through Nov. 24, 2024.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-07-29/in-a-first-the-u-s-picks-an-indigenous-artist-for-a-solo-show-at-the-venice-biennale | 2023-07-31T17:47:08 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-07-29/in-a-first-the-u-s-picks-an-indigenous-artist-for-a-solo-show-at-the-venice-biennale |
Updated July 31, 2023 at 1:41 PM ET
The sentencing hearing for Lori Vallow Daybell began in Idaho at 9 a.m. MT (11 a.m. ET) Monday, as she faces punishment for murdering two of her children and conspiring to murder a romantic rival — crimes of which she was found guilty in May.
Vallow Daybell, 50, faces a punishment ranging up to life in prison without parole. The sentencing hearing is being livestreamed from the Fremont County Courthouse — you can watch video of the hearing below (The court announced a 30-minute recess just before 1 p.m. ET).
The lengthy trial was full of strange and shocking moments. Prosecutors say Vallow Daybell was motivated by arcane religious beliefs about "dark energy" and the "end times," and by her desire to pursue a life with her new husband, Chad Daybell — including conspiring to kill his late wife.
The sentencing hearing includes four main phases: five victim impact statements; the prosecution's sentencing recommendation; the defense's sentencing recommendation; and the chance for Vallow to address the court.
"Ms. Vallow may speak," her defense team said in court on Monday.
Judge Steven Boyce will hand down his sentence after the court hears victim impact statements from relatives of Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon "JJ" Vallow, Vallow Daybell's children, whose bodies were found in 2020; and from relatives of Tammy Daybell, the previous wife of Chad Daybell — who also faces charges in all three deaths.
Prosecutor Rob Wood asked for the maximum sentence — several fixed life terms without the possibility of parole — saying Vallow Daybell had betrayed her children's trust in a horrific manner.
The children's bodies were found in 2020
A jury found Vallow Daybell guilty of killing her two youngest children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon "JJ" Vallow. Tylee was nearly 17 when she and JJ, 7, were last seen alive in September 2019. The children's bodies were found in June 2020, buried on property in Rexburg, Idaho, owned by Chad Daybell.
Even before the remains were found, Vallow Daybell was charged with felony desertion of a child and obstruction. Prosecutors said she didn't report her children missing so she could keep collecting benefit payments.
Vallow Daybell was also found guilty of conspiring to murder Tammy Daybell, Chad's then-wife, who was found dead in her home in October 2019 — less than one month before he and Vallow got married in Hawaii. He is Vallow Daybell's fifth husband.
'Zombie' beliefs arose during trial
In court documents, Vallow Daybell's close friend Melanie Gibb described hearing her say that Tylee had become a zombie — a concept Vallow Daybell had picked up from Daybell.
Gibb said she heard Vallow Daybell call Tylee a zombie after Tylee had refused to babysit JJ — to which Tylee replied, "Not me, mom," according to a police affidavit. Gibb said Vallow Daybell later concluded that JJ had also become a zombie.
Prosecutors also said Daybell and Lori Vallow Daybell portrayed themselves as religious figures called "James and Elaina." And they purported to be able to "rate" people, detecting whether they might be under the thrall of an evil spirit's dark energy.
Tammy Daybell's family speaks out
In a victim impact statement, Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy Daybell's sister, said her family has been "ripped apart," thrust into grief, suspicion and sadness by Tammy's unexpected death at 49. It deepened, she said, when the family learned Chad Daybell was remarrying just weeks later, in a Hawaii ceremony with Lori Vallow.
The more she learned about Vallow, Gwilliam said, she found only "lies" — from Vallow Daybell's claim that her most recent husband had died of a heart attack to her saying she and Chad would be "empty nesters," with no young children.
It was only when Tammy Daybell was disinterred and an autopsy was performed, Gwilliam said, that the family began to "get some answers and some truth, after so many lies." That truth, she added, was that Tammy Daybell was both an obstacle for Vallow Daybell and a way to profit from her death, through an insurance policy.
Weeping in court, Gwilliam described how her family's relationships with Chad and Tammy Daybell's children has become strained. She also read a statement from Tammy's father, recounting the toll Vallow Daybell's actions took on his wife, who died earlier this year.
At one point, Gwilliam compared her sister, a librarian and educator, to Vallow Daybell.
"Because of the choices you made, my family lost a beloved mother, sister, aunt and daughter. She is irreplaceable," she said. "She was 1,000 times the woman you will ever dream of being."
The case depicted a love affair that turned deadly
Prosecutors say Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell's relationship was entwined in a deadly criminal conspiracy they sought to justify with fantastical beliefs. Rather than simply starting a new life together after they met in October 2018, the prosecution said, the couple plotted to kill their closest relatives and benefit from their deaths through insurance payouts and Social Security benefits.
Vallow Daybell's defense attorney, James Archibald, has said his client was in the thrall of a man she sees as a messiah and her eternal soulmate. He has also argued that the prosecution has produced little direct evidence to tie Vallow Daybell to her children's deaths.
Other criminal cases are still pending
Chad Daybell is expected to undergo his own murder trial for the same three deaths in the spring of 2024.
Other criminal cases are also pending for Vallow Daybell in Arizona, where she previously lived.
She's under indictment there on conspiracy murder charges for allegedly arranging for one of her brothers to shoot and kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in July 2019. That brother, Alex Cox, died in December 2019, of what was determined to be natural causes. She's also accused of conspiring with Alex to murder her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux, who was shot at in 2019 but who survived.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-07-31/watch-lori-vallow-daybell-is-sentenced-for-killing-her-children-in-zombie-murders | 2023-07-31T17:47:14 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-07-31/watch-lori-vallow-daybell-is-sentenced-for-killing-her-children-in-zombie-murders |
Nine state residents and the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee filed a lawsuit Monday to stop the nation’s first openly religious charter school from operating.
Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School Board had voted 3-2 last month to approve the application of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
The plaintiffs, represented by organizations including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union, are arguing the board violated the Oklahoma Constitution, the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act and several of its own regulations when it approved St. Isidore.
Among the reasons the lawsuit says the school is unlawful are policies that could deny students admissions for sexual orientation or a difference in beliefs. It says St. Isidore will provide a religious education “and indoctrinate its students in Catholic religious beliefs.”
“A school that claims to be simultaneously public and religious would be a sea change for American democracy. It’s hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing a public school that is run as a religious school,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
“We’re witnessing a full-on assault on church-state separation and public education – and religious public charter schools are the next frontier. America needs a national recommitment to church-state separation,” Laser added.
The residents filed in the District Court of Oklahoma County to stop funding to St. Isidore and block the charter school board from doing business with the school.
The Hill has reached out to St. Isidore for comment.
The lawsuit had been expected as the proposed school caused quite a stir when it was approved, even among other charter school advocates.
“This decision runs afoul of state law and the U.S. Constitution. All charter schools are public schools, and as such must be non-sectarian. Charter schools were conceived as, and have always been, innovative public schools that provide an alternative for families who want a public school option other than the one dictated by their ZIP code,” Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, said after the board voted.
St. Isidore went through a months-long process to get approved, with its application originally rejected by the charter school board. The school has already indicated it is ready to take a lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court.
“We’re not surprised by the threat of a suit, but we will be preparing if they choose to file one,” Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, said back in June. “This is a question that ultimately needs to be answered by the courts, perhaps by the US Supreme Court.” | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/lawsuit-seeks-to-block-first-religious-charter-school-in-the-us/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:16 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/lawsuit-seeks-to-block-first-religious-charter-school-in-the-us/ |
Former President Trump predicted Monday that he would be indicted “any day now” as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his conduct after the 2020 election.
“I assume that an Indictment from Deranged Jack Smith and his highly partisan gang of Thugs, pertaining to my ‘PEACEFULLY & PATRIOTICALLY Speech, will be coming out any day now, as yet another attempt to cover up all of the bad news about bribes, payoffs, and extortion, coming from the Biden ‘camp,’” Trump posted on Truth Social. “This seems to be the way they do it. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT!”
Smith is investigating Trump’s attempts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, which culminated with Trump delivering a speech Jan. 6, 2021, in which he repeated false claims about the election being rigged. Trump supporters then violently stormed and ransacked the Capitol in a bid to halt the certification of the election results.
Anticipation over a potential indictment of Trump has been building for weeks after the former president shared that he had received a letter from the Justice Department notifying him he was a target of their investigation.
Target letters typically indicate prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to bring charges against an individual.
In addition, a handful of former Trump officials have reportedly testified in recent weeks as part of Smith’s investigation into the former president’s actions after the 2020 election. Prosecutors are said to have been interested in whether Trump acknowledged that he lost the election despite his public claims that it was fraudulent and could be overturned.
Trump pursued a multi-pronged plan to remain in office following the 2020 election, turning to the DOJ, state officials and even his own supporters, who violently ransacked the Capitol after then-Vice President Mike Pence refused Trump’s request to overturn the results.
The former president’s attorneys met last week with officials from Smith’s office. Trump called it a “productive” meeting, and he indicated his representatives sought to make the case against bringing charges.
A federal grand jury hearing evidence in the case meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/trump-expects-to-be-indicted-on-jan-6-charges-any-day-now/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:19 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/hill-politics/trump-expects-to-be-indicted-on-jan-6-charges-any-day-now/ |
(NEXSTAR) — For five days this year, all national parks will be offering free admission to all visitors. One of those special days is nearly upon us.
The National Park Service announced the 2023 free days late last year. There are more than 400 parks, monuments, seashores and other NPS lands, the majority of which do not require an entrance fee. For the roughly 100 that do, these free admission days open the gates to everyone.
We’ve already had two free days this year: Jan. 16, which is Martin Luther King Day, and April 22, which was the first day of National Park Week.
Now, on Friday, Aug. 4, we’ll have another, which marks the anniversary of the Great Americans Outdoors Act.
The act, GAOA, was signed in 2020 and brought bipartisan investments to “improve visitor experiences, bolster climate resilience, and invest in the economy by creating good-paying jobs” at the parks, the Department of the Interior explains.
In honor of the bill signing anniversary, you won’t need to pay entrance fees at parks that usually require them. Fees will, however, still be necessary for overnight camping, cabin rentals, transportation, group day use and use of special areas.
The next two free admission days are Sept. 23, National Public Lands Day, and Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
Last year, there were roughly 312 million recreational visits to 395 national parks that track attendance, a 15 million increase over 2021. The most visited park was Blue Ridge Parkway, which received 15.7 million visits last year, edging out the Golden Gate National Recreation Area by slightly more than 72,000 visits. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/california/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:20 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/california/you-can-get-into-the-national-parks-for-free-this-week-heres-when/ |
LOCAL
Prayer vigil in aftermath of shooting
David Penticuff
Muncie Star Press
MUNCIE, Ind. − A community prayer vigil in the wake of the early morning shooting Sunday at Hackley and Willard Streets will be conducted at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Berea Church at 1201 Wheeling Ave. The public is welcome.
A 30-year-old Muncie man, Joseph E. Bonner III, died at the scene, according to Delaware County Coroner Gavin Greene. Muncie police reported 18 other people were treated at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, with 17 of those victims believed to be suffering from gunshot wounds.
No related arrests had been made as of Monday morning. | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/07/31/prayer-vigil-in-aftermath-of-shooting/70497239007/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:20 | 0 | https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2023/07/31/prayer-vigil-in-aftermath-of-shooting/70497239007/ |
The moon will seem extra big and bright and thus be quite a sight this August, with a sturgeon supermoon visible on Tuesday and then a rare blue supermoon coming at the end of the month.
Two of the four supermoon events of 2023 will take place in August, with the first happening on Tuesday. On Aug. 30 there will be a blue supermoon, which won't happen again until 2032. Here's what you need to know so you can catch this summer's lunar double feature.
What is a supermoon?
A perigean full moon, better known as a supermoon, happens when the moon is full during its closest orbits to Earth. This gives its appearance an extra pop, making it look up to 8% bigger and 16% brighter than a typical full moon, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
According to NASA, the moon's typical orbit ranges between 226,000 and 251,000 miles from Earth, but variances can bring it a bit closer or farther away. Only the closest three or four approaches each year qualify as supermoons. The last one was on July 3.
Up first is the sturgeon supermoon on Tuesday
The sturgeon moon got its name from Native American tribes that found that the giant sturgeon from the Great Lakes were "most readily caught" at this time of the summer, according to Farmer's Almanac. It's also known as a green corn moon, grain moon, flying up moon, harvest moon, ricing moon, black cherries moon and the mountain shadow moon.
This spectacle will hit peak illumination at 2:32 p.m. ET. "That evening, look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the Sturgeon Moon rising," Farmer's Almanac says.
A sturgeon, for non-anglers, is an enormous fish with roots in the Jurassic period that spends its life — up to 150 years — in both fresh and saltwater. The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America, reaching as long as 20 feet and nearly 2,000 pounds, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. But most of the sturgeon inhabiting the Great Lakes measure about 6 feet in length and weigh approximately 200 pounds.
The second show is a rare blue supermoon
While a supermoon references the moon's orbit in relation to Earth, a blue moon has to do with frequency, referring to when there's a second full moon in a single calendar month, NASA says. It's also used to describe the third of four full moons in an astrological season.
The moon takes 27.3 days to orbit the Earth, but because of how the sun's light hits the satellite, it takes 29.5 days to complete its lunar cycle from one new moon to the next.
The term "once in a blue moon" is an idiom used to describe a rare but nonetheless recurring event. But according to NASA they're not actually all that rare, recurring every two-and-a-half years or so.
A blue supermoon, however, happens far less frequently. According to the website Time and Date, the last blue supermoon was in December 2009, and the next one won't be until August 2032.
This year's blue supermoon will peak at 9:36 p.m. ET on Aug. 30, Farmer's Almanac says, but you can use their moonrise calculator to see when it will be visible in your area.
The end of August supermoon will be the biggest and brightest of 2023 because the moon will be "exceptionally close" to Earth at 222,043 miles, nearly 17,000 miles closer than average.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvia.org/news/2023-07-31/if-you-miss-augusts-super-blue-moon-youll-have-to-wait-9-years-for-your-next-chance | 2023-07-31T17:47:20 | 0 | https://www.wvia.org/news/2023-07-31/if-you-miss-augusts-super-blue-moon-youll-have-to-wait-9-years-for-your-next-chance |
Illinois-based Camping World Holdings Inc. plans to acquire Mount Comfort RV in Greenfield in a deal that would bring the number of Camping World locations in Indiana to three.
Financial terms for the acquisition, announced last week, were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter.
Mount Comfort RV was founded in 2006, when owner Ken Eckstein acquired what was then known as Mark’s RV Sales. The dealership, which primarily sells Forest River, Coachmen, Tiffin, Newmar, and Winnebago products, is one of the largest in the state.
Mount Comfort RV has 55 employees, according to the company’s website. The company did not say whether the deal would affect employment.
In November 2019, the company invested more than $5 million on an indoor sales center at its 17-acre campus at 5935 W. 225 N. in Greenfield. The new 37,000-square-foot building included a 10,000-square-foot showroom, a 4,500-square foot parts store, 20 sales offices, a customer lounge, children’s play areas and a nursery.
The company said at the time it expected to create up to 30 jobs with the expansion.
“Mount Comfort is one of the premier RV dealers in America,” Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis said in a written statement. “They bring expertise and talent, which help strengthen our already No. 1 position in Indiana.”
Camping World did not respond to multiple requests for more information on the deal.
Camping World operates sales and service locations in 43 states. Its other Indiana stores are in Greenwood and Richmond.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content. | https://www.ibj.com/articles/camping-world-to-acquire-mount-comfort-rv-in-greenfield | 2023-07-31T17:47:20 | 1 | https://www.ibj.com/articles/camping-world-to-acquire-mount-comfort-rv-in-greenfield |
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Crews are working to restore power to thousands of PG&E customers in southeast Fresno, according to Pacific Gas and Electric.
PG&E says 2,509 customers are without power near Belmont and Fowler avenues.
The power outage was first reported around 8:00 a.m. PG&E says they are investigating the cause of the outage.
Customers can call PG&E at (800) 743-5002 for additional information or visit PG&E.com
PG&E says the estimated time of power to be restored is 10:30 a.m. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/pge-crews-working-to-restore-power-to-fresno/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:21 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/pge-crews-working-to-restore-power-to-fresno/ |
Musk threatens to sue researchers who documented the rise in hateful tweets
By DAVID KLEPPER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.
An attorney representing the social media site wrote to the Center for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening legal action over the nonprofit’s research into hate speech and content moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH’s research publications seem intended “to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”
Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed back white supremacists and election deniers to the platform, which he renamed X earlier this month. But the billionaire has at times proven sensitive about critical speech directed at him or his companies.
The center is a nonprofit with offices in the U.S. and United Kingdom. It regularly publishes reports on hate speech, extremism or harmful behavior on social media platforms like X, TikTok or Facebook.
The organization has published several reports critical of Musk’s leadership, detailing an increase in anti-LGBTQ hate speech as well as climate misinformation since his purchase. The letter from X’s attorney cited one specific report from June that found the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users that violated the platform’s rules.
In the letter, attorney Alex Spiro questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to harm X’s reputation. The letter also suggested, without evidence, that the center received funds from some of X’s competitors, even though the center has also published critical reports about TikTok, Facebook and other large platforms.
“CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, using the platform’s former name.
Imran Ahmed, the center’s founder and CEO, told the AP on Monday that his group has never received a similar response from any tech company, despite a history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech and extremism. He said that typically, the targets of the center’s criticism have responded by defending their work or promising to address any problems that have been identified.
Ahmed said he worried X’s response to the center’s work could have a chilling effect if it frightens other researchers away from studying the platform. He said he also worried that other industries could take note of the strategy.
“This is an unprecedented escalation by a social media company against independent researchers. Musk has just declared open war,” Ahmed told the Associated Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us other researchers will be next in line.”
Messages left with Spiro and X were not immediately returned Monday.
It’s not the first time that Musk has fired back at critics. Last year, he suspended the accounts of several journalists who covered his takeover of Twitter. Another user was permanently banned for using publicly available flight data to track Musk’s private plane; Musk had initially pledged to keep the user on the platform but later changed his mind, citing his personal safety. He also threatened to sue the user.
He initially had promised that he would allow any speech on his platform that wasn’t illegal. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means,” Musk wrote in a tweet last year.
X’s recent threat of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who said the billionaire was trying to use the threat of legal action to punish a nonprofit group trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable.
“Instead of attacking them, he should be attacking the increasingly disturbing content on Twitter,” Schiff said in a statement. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/musk-threatens-to-sue-researchers-who-documented-the-rise-in-hateful-tweets/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:22 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/musk-threatens-to-sue-researchers-who-documented-the-rise-in-hateful-tweets/ |
North Louisiana motorcycle and social clubs put on their fifth annual school supply giveaway
By Madison Beam
Click here for updates on this story
SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — With the new school year quickly approaching the stress of buying new uniforms, supplies and learning new bus schedules can be a big load.
North Louisiana motorcycle and social clubs handed out free school supplies Sunday at the Friendship House on 2320 Legardy Street.
This giveaway is helping many lighten their load for back-to-school preparations.
Each student received a bag of supplies fit for their grade level.
The clubs had a goal of handing out a thousand bags.
The organizations hope that this gives some families relief.
“We want to take a little relief off the parents. This is just one last thing that parents have to worry about. They don’t have to worry about going about school supplies this year. We’re going to help them out with that and that’s something they can focus on, spending money somewhere else to help their child out,” said Outcast Motorcycle Club member known by his biker name, Biznezz.
This is the Murray family’s first year attending and they are feeling grateful.
“I just want to thank all the young ladies and gentlemen over there for doing this. It really helps,” said Isaiah Murray, a student who attended the giveaway.
The giveaway is providing support during a busy time.
“It is a crazy time, but it’s helping me because at this point right now, we [are] homeless. So, I’m getting school supplies for my kids and I don’t have to buy them… I love the fact that it helps them because it helps them to go to school so they can be successful. That’s the main thing that we’re focusing on today,” said Ashley Murray, mother of Isaiah Murray.
A bonus to the giveaway, a free meal of hamburgers and hotdogs for everyone who came.
This is the North Louisiana motorcycle clubs and social club’s fifth year doing this giveaway and they see no sign of this stopping in the future.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/north-louisiana-motorcycle-and-social-clubs-put-on-their-fifth-annual-school-supply-giveaway/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:28 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/north-louisiana-motorcycle-and-social-clubs-put-on-their-fifth-annual-school-supply-giveaway/ |
Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto is a true-story, Coen brothers-esque caper about a California desert town that tried to revive its economy by turning to legal cannabis sales.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air
Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto is a true-story, Coen brothers-esque caper about a California desert town that tried to revive its economy by turning to legal cannabis sales.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air | https://www.wvia.org/news/arts/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town | 2023-07-31T17:47:29 | 1 | https://www.wvia.org/news/arts/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town |
The Biden administration calls it a “student loan safety net.” Opponents call it a backdoor attempt to make college free. And it could be the next battleground in the legal fight over student loan relief.
Starting this summer, millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in a new repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms ever. Interest won’t pile up as long as borrowers make regular payments. Millions of people will have monthly payments reduced to $0. And in as little as 10 years, any remaining debt will be canceled.
It’s known as the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, Plan, and although it was announced last year, it has mostly been overshadowed by President Joe Biden’s proposal for mass student loan cancellation. But now, after the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s forgiveness plan, the repayment option is taking center stage.
Since the ruling Biden has proposed an alternate approach to cancel debt and also shifted attention to the lesser-known initiative, calling it “the most affordable repayment plan ever.” The typical borrower who enrolls in the plan will save $1,000 a year, he said.
Republicans have fought against the plan, saying it oversteps the president’s authority. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called it “deeply unfair” to the 87% of Americans who don’t have student loans.
The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated over the next decade the plan would cost $230 billion, which would be even higher now that the forgiveness plan has been struck down. Estimates from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania put the cost at up to $361 billion.
Emboldened by the Supreme Court’s decision on cancellation, some opponents say it’s a matter of time before the repayment plan also faces a legal challenge.
Here’s what to know about the SAVE Plan:
WHAT IS AN INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN?
The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of four plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans.
Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower’s discretionary income. If a borrower’s earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased.
As part of his debt relief plan announced last year, Biden said his Education Department would create a new income-driven repayment plan that lowers payments even further. It became known as the SAVE Plan, and it’s generally intended to replace existing income-driven plans.
Right away, more people will be eligible for $0 payments. The new plan won’t require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line—$32,800 a year for a single person. The cutoff for current plans, by contrast, is 150% of the poverty line, or $22,000 a year for a single person.
Another immediate change aims to prevent interest from snowballing.
As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, their overall balance won’t increase. Once they cover their adjusted monthly payment — even if it’s $0 — any remaining interest will be waived.
Other major changes will take effect in July 2024.
Most notably, payments on undergraduate loans will be capped at 5% of discretionary income, down from 10% now. Those with graduate and undergraduate loans will pay between 5% and 10%, depending on their original loan balance. For millions of Americans, monthly payments could be reduced by half.
Next July will also bring a quicker road to loan forgiveness. Starting then, borrowers with initial balances of $12,000 or less will get the remainder of their loans canceled after 10 years of payments. For each $1,000 borrowed beyond that, the cancellation will come after an additional year of payments.
For example, a borrower with an original balance of $14,000 would get all remaining debt cleared after 12 years. Payments made before 2024 will count toward forgiveness.
HOW DO I APPLY?
The Education Department recently launched a beta version of the application process, allowing borrowers to request the plan.
Those enrolled in an existing plan known as REPAYE will automatically be moved into the SAVE plan. Borrowers will also be able to sign up by contacting their loan servicers directly.
It’s available to all borrowers in the Direct Loan Program who are in good standing on their loans.
WHAT ABOUT BORROWERS WHO MISSED OUT ON EARLIER PROGRAMS?
The administration announced in June it would make fixes to correct mistakes in tracking payments that qualify toward forgiveness under income-driven repayment plans. As a result, the education department said Friday, it will wipe out $39 billion in debt held by more than 800,000 borrowers
Officials said eligible borrowers will be informed starting Friday that they qualify for forgiveness without further action on their part.
“For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS?
Supporters say Biden’s plan will simplify repayment options and offer relief to millions of borrowers. The Biden administration has argued that ballooning student debt puts college out of reach for too many Americans and holds borrowers back financially.
Opponents call it an unfair perk for those who don’t need it, saying it passes a heavy cost onto taxpayers who already repaid student loans or didn’t go to college. Some worry that it will give colleges incentive to raise tuition prices higher since they know many students will get their loans canceled later.
Voices across the political spectrum have said it amounts to a form of free college. Biden campaigned on a promise to make community college free, but it failed to gain support from Congress. Critics say the new plan is an attempt to do something similar without Congress’ approval.
IS IT LEGAL?
That depends on who you ask, but the question hasn’t been taken up by a federal court.
Instead of creating a new payment plan from scratch, the Biden administration proposed changes to an existing plan. It cemented those changes by going through a negotiated rulemaking process that allows the Education Department to develop federal regulations without Congress.
It’s a process that’s commonly used by administrations from both political parties. But critics question whether the new plan goes further than the law allows.
More than 60 Republicans lawmakers urged Cardona to withdraw the plan in February, calling it “reckless, fiscally irresponsible, and blatantly illegal.”
Supporters argue that the Obama administration similarly used its authority to create a repayment plan that was more generous than any others at the time.
The Biden administration formally finalized the rule this month. Conservatives believe it’s vulnerable to a legal challenge, and some say it’s just a matter of finding a plaintiff with the legal right—or standing—to sue.
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8-year-old survives cougar attack in Washington state national park
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) — An 8-year-old child survived a cougar attack with minor injuries while camping in Olympic National Park in Washington state over the weekend.
“The cougar casually abandoned its attack after being yelled and screamed at by the child’s mother,” the National Park Service said in a statement. After being assessed by park personnel, the child, who was not identified, went to a hospital for further evaluation.
Rangers shut down the campsite and surrounding areas following the Saturday attack. Park law enforcement and cougar specialists began looking for the animal on Sunday at Lake Angeles. If located, the cougar will be euthanized and officials hope a necropsy will provide clues as to why it attacked.
Cougars are rarely seen and attacks on humans are extremely rare, park officials said. The lethal removal of the cougar is in line with the park’s protocol for wildlife observations, interactions and attacks.
The entirety of the 1,562-square-mile park located about 60 miles east of Seattle is consider cougar territory.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:31 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ |
Paul Reubens, Pee-wee Herman star, dead at 70
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — Paul Reubens, who found fame as the quirky man-child character Pee-wee Herman, has died, his publicist announced in a statement.
He was 70.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” a post on his verified social media reads. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
Reubens left a statement with his team to share with the public after his death.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens wrote. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
Born in Peekskill, New York, Reubens grew up in Sarasota, Florida, and developed an affinity for comedy early on in his life that he attributed in part to Sarasota being the winter home of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Circus.
In sixth grade, while attending Southside Elementary, Reubens stepped onto a stage for the first time as Nick Burns in “A Thousand Clown”s at The Players Theatre. While at Brookside Junior High, he appeared at The Players in “The Riot Act”, “Camelot” and “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.”
He led his high school drama club and appeared in starring roles in productions of “The Comedy of Errors,” “My Fair Lady” and “Guys and Dolls.” He was also voted “Most Talented” during his senior year.
After high school graduation, Reubens enrolled in Boston University’s theatre department before moving to Los Angeles to attend the acting program at California Institute of the Arts, the new school founded by Walt Disney.
It was after college that Reubens created the iconic character Pee-wee Herman while a member of the famed Los Angeles improv group, The Groundlings.
“The Pee-wee Herman Show” premiered at The Groundlings Theatre in 1981 before moving to The Roxy on Sunset Strip, where it ran for an unprecedented five months.
The HBO broadcast of the show introduced the Pee-wee Herman character to a national audience.
The character was later brought to the big screen in the 1985 comedy, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” which Reubens co-wrote.
Reubens went on to create, co-write and co-direct the series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” on CBS, where the series earned 22 Emmy Awards during its run from 1986 to 1991. Reubens was nominated for 14 Emmy Awards during his career, winning twice.
In 2010, he produced, co-wrote and starred in an updated revival of “The Pee-wee Herman Show” in Los Angeles. The production later traveled to Broadway, opening to rave reviews at The Stephen Sondheim Theater.
This story is developing and will be updated…
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-pee-wee-herman-star-dead-at-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:34 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-pee-wee-herman-star-dead-at-70/ |
While many businesses struggled during the pandemic, one saw revenues grow by the millions: the short-term rental (STR) industry.
Under the pressure of travel restrictions, Pennsylvanians looking to take a break from the confines of their homes while staying safe turned to the outdoors – especially the Poconos. Situated about two hours from Philadelphia and New York City, the pandemic turned the quiet mountains running through Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Carbon counties into a vacation destination.
However, while the Poconos saw increased traffic during the pandemic, Chris Barrett, President and CEO of Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau (PMVB), says the Poconos has always been a hotspot for STRs.
“The Pocono Mountains and its surroundings and beauty kind of lends itself naturally to short-term rentals. And that type of rental has been happening in this area for centuries,” says Barrett.
Apps like Airbnb and VRBO turned STR into a buzzword, says Barrett.
“It's so much more mainstream now, because the guest really has control of selection of where they want to stay and the amenities that they want. Even [in the] 1940s and 1950s, a lot of real estate agents handled the direct booking of what short-term rentals were at that time: cabins, second houses, whatever you want to call them,” says Barrett.
Nowadays, the Poconos sees over 30 million visitors per year, according to a 2023 study conducted by East Stroudsburg University for PMVB. The same study found that tourism saves Poconos residents around $1,500 in taxes per year. However, while STRs revitalized the Poconos economy during the pandemic, their resurgence led to a series of unanticipated questions about their regulation.
Shawn McGlynn, a zoning/building/code enforcement officer for 14 municipalities across the Poconos and surrounding areas, says municipalities are defining what STRs are following the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Slice of Life decision. The 2019 ruling allows local government to ban short-term rentals in single-family residential districts.
“At the very core, short-term rentals are a zoning matter,” explains McGlynn. “So, they should be regulated by municipalities through their zoning ordinance. So, anyone who wants to change the use of a property from a single-family dwelling to a transient-for-profit, short-term rental use would have to get a permit.”
While beautifully built STRs highlight the Poconos’s idyllic mountains and lakes, McGlynn adds that mismanaged ones can disrupt local communities.
“Some, particularly a certain number of short-term rental investors, really capitalized on this concept of the party house,” says McGlynn. “They would maximize how many beds, they would claim that they could sleep thirty. People would show up in buses.”
Some communities have opted to ban all STRs altogether to stop party houses from taking over their neighborhoods. Wayne Mauzer, President of Cobble Creek Community Association, manages one of these communities. WVIA News reached out to over ten HOAs and Cobble Creek was the only one who agreed to an interview. Two other HOAs spoke to us off-the-record.
“The serenity of the property, the area, the quietness, would not lend itself to short-term rentals. Again, I told you we have some people that have tried to short-term rent their properties by saying they were friends [of the owner] and so forth and so on. And we get, we get parties, all of a sudden, and you see there's eight, nine, ten cars in a particular house, and there's parties and they're drinking and shooting off fireworks,” says Mauzer.
As the industry’s opponents push for increased legislation or outright bans on STRs, many supporters advocate for better enforcement of existing laws on STRs. Chryssa Yaccarino mangages her family’s STR, which has run for around 50 years. She expressed frustration with the quality of STR regulation.
“Good STR owners were jumping up and down saying, 'Crack down on these bad houses!' And they wouldn't -- it was like they were hesitant to do anything. Which is utterly unfair. Do enforce the rules you have in place. Don't now make it harder for everybody else,” says Yaccarino.
While townships, boroughs, and homeowners associations have authority to regulate STRs, many people – both STR owners and those living nearby – say current legislation has not done enough to protect local communities. Amy Young, vacation rental business owner and administrator of “Things to Do in the Poconos,” a Facebook group with over 40,000 followers, says STR regulation has a long way to go.
“People are still complaining about the same things and the same houses. And I think that the government is limited on how to enforce this. I think a lot of them are still kind of learning the process in order to take these houses down,” Young says.
Aside from municipalities, STR owners often regulate themselves to ensure that their businesses are protected from disrespectful renters and general wear and tear. Bill Allen, a STR owner, says he monitors who enters his property.
“If I see a list with like, six or seven guys, I'll ask 'Is this a bachelor party?' Or they'll tell me, 'Hey, we're coming out there for paintball or fishing or skiing.' Y'know, I kind of vet that a little bit,” Allen says.
Owners are also creating their own groups for STR resources and support. Earlier this year, a group of STR owners created PoconosVRO, a trade association focused on lobbying for STR owners’ interests. President Mark Shay says the association educates owners and municipalities on STRs.
“We don't regulate ourselves. There is a pledge that we ask our members to take which is focused on delivering quality service, being a good neighbor. And then for these as businesses, because technically they are operating as independent small businesses, we want to provide services and support to help them run a better business, and ultimately a profitable business,” says Shay.
However, neither owners nor associations can predict who will abuse their properties. Municipalities and HOAs often only find out about a bad renter after he disrupts neighbors. Allen says he focuses on community impact when dealing with his renters.
“I don't know what's going on behind anybody's closed doors, whether they're a renter or resident,” says Allen. “And that's, and that's not my concern, what my concern is affecting the quality of life of the neighbors.”
Neighbors often have to take it into their own hands to alert their HOA and local municipalities of issues caused by bad renters and STR mismanagement. Some say no one is listening.
“It seems like the more people express how concerned they are about the situation, the more it gets ignored.”
That’s Patrick Garrity. He used to work the gate of a private community before suffering serious health issues from stress. The line outside of the gate reaches a mile long during rush hour – because of the explosion of STRs in the community. Every night after coming home from work, he says his voice cracked from the pressure.
“There are bad actors, y'know, that are involved in this that are just making it a nightmare for everyone. It's not all of them. It's a small percent that no matter what restrictions you put on them, they're gonna go that extra inch until the line to see how far they can go before it's dealt with and it's killing people. People want out. And for everyone that gets out, it becomes a rental. It's just a downward spiral,” Garrity says.
People like Garrity, fed up with party houses and overburdened communities, wish to leave their homes for a calmer part of the Poconos. However, many say investors inundated the marketplace, making it difficult for families and individuals to find affordable housing. Zoning/Code/Building Enforcement Officer Shawn McGlynn says that new businesses are taking advantage of the housing crunch by creating alternatives for Poconos residents.
“STRs have really driven up real estate values to the point that there are no rental units for worker housing. So, now we have a real demand for apartment buildings in the region. Because there's no place for the people who work at Kalahari or a Great Wolf. There's no place for them to live because it's much better if you're going to buy a residential property to turn it into an STR than would be to rent long-term. Your profits are far greater as an STR,” McGlynn says.
However, some residents wanting to move away from STR communities feel trapped by today’s housing marketplace. Garrity says that the damage from living in a community saturated by STRs limited his financial options.
“You can't get out of here.” Garrity says. “I mean, we were looking online for listings the other night to see what our options would be. Even if we had the money, we would have to go far enough that we would both have to find new jobs because there's absolutely nothing around here because they're all bought up by short term rentals.”
Just as some neighbors are negatively affected by STRs, some owners say they face undue blame for the Poconos’ financial struggles. Longtime owner, Chryssa Yaccarino, says she has become their scapegoat.
“Well, I'm being vilified, I guess. Y’know, for something that we've done – I've been a part of for my entire life. I'm taking away property, I'm part of the housing crisis, I'm part of pollution, I'm part of crime increasing…I’m part of everything that's anything bad that's happening in the Poconos," says Yaccarino.
Many STR owners are not blind to the issues nearby residents face from mismanaged properties and overwhelmed communities. However, they can only ask that disgruntled neighbors report their concerns to the authorities. STR business owner Amy Young says she acknowledges the pain of living in communities overwrought by bad STRs.
“I feel genuinely bad for people who live next to a party house and houses that have destroyed quality of life. And the problem is, is that for a long time, I've gone out to township meetings and I've listened to people cry, y'know. Every weekend people come in and the guests are just horrible. And I would say to them is just keep reporting them,” says Young.
STRs inevitably change the communities they pop-up in. Sometimes for the better, through beautification efforts and raising property values, but other times they leave long-time residents feeling disempowered in their own communities. As many people say, both owners and neighbors, STR regulation is a slow moving process. One thing is for certain – STRs and its part in the greater tourism industry – is at the heart of the Poconos. | https://www.wvia.org/news/local/2023-07-31/renting-a-house-in-the-poconos-for-the-weekend-its-complicated | 2023-07-31T17:47:36 | 0 | https://www.wvia.org/news/local/2023-07-31/renting-a-house-in-the-poconos-for-the-weekend-its-complicated |
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies from cancer at 70
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and the TV series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live “Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show. HBO would air the show as a special.
Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985′s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, “The Bicycle Thief.” The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.
A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received “Big Top Pee-wee,” in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016′s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.
His television series, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.
Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?” The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.
“It’s for kids,” Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. “People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.
“The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning,” Reubens told the AP. “That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know.”
___
Associated Press Writer Alicia Rancilio and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-best-known-pee-wee-herman-dies-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:37 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-best-known-pee-wee-herman-dies-age-70/ |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Churchill Downs will implement safety measures for its September meet including new track surface maintenance equipment and additional monitoring and equine care following 12 horse deaths before and after the Kentucky Derby that spurred suspension of its spring meet.
Racing is scheduled to resume Sept. 14 and run through Oct. 1 at the historic track, which paused racing operations on June 7 to conduct an internal safety review following the spate of horse deaths from racing or training injuries. Seven died in the days leading up to the 149th Derby on May 6, including two in races preceding the premier event.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority recommended suspending the remainder of the meet, which moved to Ellis Park in western Kentucky. Training continued at Churchill Downs during the investigation, and a release on Monday stated that while industry experts found no issues with the racing surfaces, the track invested in new maintenance equipment. It will also double the frequency of surface testing among infrastructure upgrades.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said the track’s commitment to safety “remains paramount” in the release and added, “our participants, fans and the public can be assured that we will continue to investigate, evaluate and improve upon every policy and protocol.”
The announcement comes days after Carstanjen said racing would resume this fall with no changes and called the deaths “a series of unfortunate circumstances” in an earnings call with CDI investors.
Churchill Downs veterinarians will receive additional resources for specialized horse care and to assist in pre-race inspections and entry screening, the release added. The track will work with HISA and industry experts to predict at-risk horses through advanced analytic techniques.
A safety management committee including horsemen, track employees and veterinarians will also be created.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wivb.com/news/ap-churchill-downs-to-improve-track-maintenance-veterinary-resources-for-fall-meet-after-horse-deaths/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:39 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/ap-churchill-downs-to-improve-track-maintenance-veterinary-resources-for-fall-meet-after-horse-deaths/ |
Leanne Morgan remembers the moment she realized she could make it in comedy: She was at a party, telling jokes, and a woman "peepeed on the couch."
"That was a 'God' moment for me ... " Morgan says. "I thought, 'OK, I can make it in stand-up.'"
Morgan took a roundabout route to professional comedy: She was a young mother living in Bean Station, Tenn., in the 1990s — and she started selling jewelry in women's houses two or three nights a week as a way to make a bit of extra money.
"It was like Mary Kay and Tupperware, those kinds of companies," Morgan says. "Somebody makes a dip, or a pan of brownies, and then I would schlep that big case of jewelry and put all that jewelry out on a kitchen table."
Morgan was supposed to be talking up the jewelry, but instead she found herself making her customers laugh with stories about breastfeeding and hemorrhoids.
Morgan was 32 with three young children at home when she started performing stand-up in clubs on the weekend. Every few years, someone from Hollywood would call to offer her a sitcom deal — but each time the deal would fall through.
In 2018, she nearly gave up, but she decided to make one more push. She hired two brothers in Plano, Texas, to help promote her material on social media. One clip, in which she joked about going to a Def Leppard/Journey concert with her husband, went viral.
"That [video] blew up, and I started selling out all over the United States," Morgan says. "People would see those videos ... and start calling comedy clubs and ask them to book me."
Now 57 with three grown children and two grandchildren, Morgan has her own self-produced Netflix special, Leanne Morgan: I'm Every Woman. In it, she makes fun of everyday life, from marriage and motherhood to menopause and dating apps.
"It took me a long time to find my audience ... but I always knew they were out there," she says. "I think Hollywood forgets us, and I think a lot of comedians that are cool and edgy and all of that, just forget about my demographic and I think we're the best. I think we're the people that make decisions to go buy tickets and want to get out and have a good time."
Interview highlights
On connecting to her audience
I'm nurturing. If I make fun, it's of myself, it's not of anybody else. I'm not confrontational. And so I think people find comfort with me. ... I was in LA doing The Comedy Store, which was a dream of mine, and it was all these edgy comedians that were getting up and talking about all kinds of stuff. And then I got up and talked about how somebody made me a meatloaf at my children's school the day that I got my IUD replaced. And young people came out of The Comedy Store and said, "Can I hug you?" I think that even though ... in my mind I'd have a chip on my shoulder over the years and think, Oh, I'm not edgy enough there. I'm not a cool kid in the business in the industry and all that, I do think that people were enjoying what I did.
On calling herself the "Mrs. Maisel of Appalachia"
Comedy is hard. ... It's a hard business. I resonated with that character because she was fearless and she had those babies and her husband was a ding dong. My husband's not a ding dong, but she overcame so much and kept going and men would say, "Oh, women aren't funny," and all that kind of stuff, and trying to sabotage her. I've been through all that. When young people ask me, "Do you think I should do stand-up?" I don't want to squash somebody's dreams. But it's hard for me as a mother not to say, "Listen, you're going to be driving in a car for 300 miles to make $50 and you won't have a hotel room." I mean, it's a hard, hard business. But when I saw that series, I thought, that's what I did: I had three babies. I was in the Appalachian Mountains. I didn't have a comedy club near me, and I just had to pave out another way than the traditional way that people do stand-up. And I did. I don't know how, but I did.
On the four television sitcom deals over the years that fell through
I would be devastated at the time. But those little nuggets would give me the encouragement to keep going. For one thing, because I was in Knoxville. ... I was not living in LA or New York. I was raising these children and I got to raise them in Knoxville, Tennessee, and they became who they're supposed to be. If I'd have gone to LA, they probably wouldn't be who they are. And I would be devastated [when the series fell through], but then it always kept me encouraged, like, I've got something. I know I'm not crazy. I can do this.
On ignoring her ex-husband when he advised her to get rid of her Tennessee accent
[He] said to me, "Your accent and your diction, you need diction lessons. People are making fun of me. People think you're stupid." And I remember at the time, I don't know how I had the sense to think, "No, you're wrong." And I didn't change anything. I could have. I had pretty low self-esteem and was pretty beat down at the time, but I felt like ... you're not going to change me. This is who I am. And I think now, going forward, 40 years later, that is what has made this happen for me, is I am who I am. .... I'm authentic. I feel like at my age now, it's like this is who I am. You either like it or you don't. It's OK if you don't. ... I do find humor in hard things, but I think a lot of comedians do. That's how we cope.
Lauren Krenzel and Seth Kelley produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Beth Novey adapted it for the web.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air. | https://www.wvia.org/news/news/arts/2023-07-31/leanne-morgan-the-mrs-maisel-of-appalachia-jokes-about-motherhood-and-menopause | 2023-07-31T17:47:40 | 0 | https://www.wvia.org/news/news/arts/2023-07-31/leanne-morgan-the-mrs-maisel-of-appalachia-jokes-about-motherhood-and-menopause |
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies from cancer at 70
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.” | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-dies-from-cancer-at-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:40 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-dies-from-cancer-at-70/ |
(WFLA) — Paul Reubens, known for his role in the Pee-wee Herman films, has died at age 70, according to posts on the Pee-wee Herman social media pages.
According to a statement on Facebook, the actor died Sunday night after a six-year battle with cancer.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” his team said in the statement.
The statement added that Reubens had “bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit.”
The post also quoted Reubens apologizing for not going public with his condition.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” he said. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
Calling the actor “gifted and prolific talent,” the actor’s team said, “He will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
This is a developing story. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:41 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ |
MLB Probable Starting Pitchers Tonight: Monday, July 31
Monday's MLB schedule features a slew of intriguing pitching matchups, and we've got all of the probable pitchers listed below. Top billing goes to the bout between the Orioles and the Blue Jays, who will be sending Kyle Gibson and Chris Bassitt to the mound, respectively.
Read on to find the probable pitcher matchups for every game on the schedule for July 31.
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Today's Probable Starting Pitchers
Phillies at Marlins Probable Pitchers
The Philadelphia Phillies will send Taijuan Walker (11-4) to the bump as they face the Marlins, who will look to Edward Cabrera (5-6) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Phillies at Marlins
- MIA Odds to Win: -110
- PHI Odds to Win: -110
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Phillies at Marlins
- Game Time: 6:40 PM ET
- Streaming: BSFL (regional restrictions may apply)
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Brewers at Nationals Probable Pitchers
The Milwaukee Brewers will send Corbin Burnes (9-6) to the mound as they face the Nationals, who will counter with Jake Irvin (3-5) for the matchup between the clubs Monday.
Vegas Odds for Brewers at Nationals
- MIL Odds to Win: -210
- WSH Odds to Win: +170
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Brewers at Nationals
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MASN2 (regional restrictions may apply)
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Rays at Yankees Probable Pitchers
The Tampa Bay Rays will send Tyler Glasnow (4-3) to the hill as they face the Yankees, who will give the start to Domingo German (5-7) when the clubs face off Monday.
Vegas Odds for Rays at Yankees
- TB Odds to Win: -145
- NYY Odds to Win: +120
- Total: 8.5 runs
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Live Stream Rays at Yankees
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Orioles at Blue Jays Probable Pitchers
The Baltimore Orioles will send Gibson (9-6) to the mound as they play the Blue Jays, who will counter with Bassitt (10-5) when the teams play Monday.
Vegas Odds for Orioles at Blue Jays
- TOR Odds to Win: -130
- BAL Odds to Win: +110
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Orioles at Blue Jays
- Game Time: 7:07 PM ET
- Streaming: MLB Network (regional restrictions may apply)
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Angels at Braves Probable Pitchers
The Los Angeles Angels will send Griffin Canning (6-4) to the bump as they face the Braves, who will look to Charlie Morton (10-8) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Angels at Braves
- ATL Odds to Win: -225
- LAA Odds to Win: +180
- Total: 9.5 runs
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Live Stream Angels at Braves
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Streaming: BSSO (regional restrictions may apply)
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Reds at Cubs Probable Pitchers
The Cincinnati Reds will send Andrew Abbott (6-2) to the mound as they face the Cubs, who will counter with Marcus Stroman (10-7) when the clubs play Monday.
Vegas Odds for Reds at Cubs
- CHC Odds to Win: -120
- CIN Odds to Win: +100
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Reds at Cubs
- Game Time: 8:05 PM ET
- Streaming: MARQ (regional restrictions may apply)
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Guardians at Astros Probable Pitchers
The Cleveland Guardians will send Noah Syndergaard (1-4) to the bump as they play the Astros, who will look to J.P. France (6-3) when the clubs face off Monday.
Vegas Odds for Guardians at Astros
- HOU Odds to Win: -175
- CLE Odds to Win: +145
- Total: 9 runs
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Live Stream Guardians at Astros
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet SW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Padres at Rockies Probable Pitchers
The San Diego Padres will send Seth Lugo (4-5) to the mound as they play the Rockies, who will hand the ball to Austin Gomber (8-8) for the matchup between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Padres at Rockies
- SD Odds to Win: -200
- COL Odds to Win: +165
- Total: 11.5 runs
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Live Stream Padres at Rockies
- Game Time: 8:40 PM ET
- Streaming: SportsNet RM (regional restrictions may apply)
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Red Sox at Mariners Probable Pitchers
The Boston Red Sox will send Nick Pivetta (7-5) to the mound as they play the Mariners, who will give the start to George Kirby (9-8) for the game between the teams Monday.
Vegas Odds for Red Sox at Mariners
- SEA Odds to Win: -135
- BOS Odds to Win: +110
- Total: 7.5 runs
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Live Stream Red Sox at Mariners
- Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
- Streaming: ROOT Sports NW (regional restrictions may apply)
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Diamondbacks at Giants Probable Pitchers
The Arizona Diamondbacks will send Ryne Nelson (6-5) to the mound as they take on the Giants, who will look to Alex Cobb (6-3) when the clubs meet Monday.
Vegas Odds for Diamondbacks at Giants
- SF Odds to Win: -150
- ARI Odds to Win: +125
- Total: 8 runs
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Live Stream Diamondbacks at Giants
- Game Time: 9:45 PM ET
- Streaming: NBCS-BA (regional restrictions may apply)
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbay.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:43 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/sports/betting/2023/07/31/mlb-probable-starting-pitchers/ |
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court said Monday that a full panel of 15 justices would hear petitions in September against a contentious law that was passed last week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and which has spurred mass protests.
The law was one of a series of proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary put forward by Netanyahu’s government earlier this year that seek to curb the power of the Supreme Court. The judicial overhaul plan has been met with months of sustained mass protest against the legislation and drawn criticism from the White House.
Critics of the overhaul say that the package of laws would concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition and erode the system of checks and balances between branches of government. Proponents say the measures are necessary to limit the power of unelected judges who they say are overly activist.
Netanyahu and his allies passed a law last week that removes the high court’s ability to annul government decisions considered “unreasonable.” The “reasonableness standard” was implemented by the Supreme Court earlier this year to thwart the appointment of a Netanyahu ally as interior minister after he had recently pleaded guilty to tax offenses.
The court said the hearing concerning the law striking down the “reasonableness standard” would take place on Sept. 12 with a full bench of 15 justices. The Supreme Court typically hears cases with smaller panels of justices, but appears to have opted for a full complement of judges because of the highly delicate nature of the matter.
The Netanyahu administration’s push to overhaul the judiciary has deeply divided an already highly polarized country and sparked the longest sustained protests in the country’s history.
Netanyahu and his allies took office in December after the country’s fifth election in under four years, most of them referendums on the longtime leader’s fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. | https://www.wivb.com/news/ap-israels-full-high-court-to-hear-petitions-against-judiciary-law-in-september-that-spurred-protests/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:45 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/ap-israels-full-high-court-to-hear-petitions-against-judiciary-law-in-september-that-spurred-protests/ |
Q&A: Janelle Monae talks about freedom, how new album defines her and getting ready to tour again
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — If you believe Janelle Monae’s hyper-sexual expression is a front, think again. These days, Monae is unapologetically living her truth in a bold manner while trying to avoid negativity. The star, once known for sporting custom-made suits, has shed that attire to nearly bare all like on the cover of her fourth studio album “The Age of Pleasure,” where she’s seen swimming in a topless pool. Other instances of her exposing herself onstage have drawn criticism, which the singer brushes off. Monae spoke recently with The Associated Press about her supportive mother, side-stepping criticism and her upcoming 26-city tour that kicks off in Seattle on Aug. 30. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/qa-janelle-monae-talks-about-freedom-how-new-album-defines-her-and-getting-ready-to-tour-again/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:46 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/qa-janelle-monae-talks-about-freedom-how-new-album-defines-her-and-getting-ready-to-tour-again/ |
(WFLA) — Paul Reubens, known for his role in the Pee-wee Herman films, has died at age 70, according to posts on the Pee-wee Herman social media pages.
According to a statement on Facebook, the actor died Sunday night after a six-year battle with cancer.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” his team said in the statement.
The statement added that Reubens had “bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit.”
The post also quoted Reubens apologizing for not going public with his condition.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” he said. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
Calling the actor “gifted and prolific talent,” the actor’s team said, “He will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
This is a developing story. | https://www.wivb.com/news/national/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:51 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/national/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ |
San Francisco prosecutors to lay out murder case against consultant in death of Cash App’s Bob Lee
By JANIE HAR
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco prosecutor’s office has started laying out its murder case against a tech consultant charged in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee. The preliminary hearing began Monday before a judge who will decide if there’s enough evidence for a trial against Nima Momeni. Momeni has pleaded not guilty and has remained in jail without bail since his arrest on April 13. That was more than a week after Lee was found bleeding in a deserted part of downtown San Francisco. He later died at a hospital. Prosecutors have argued that Momeni planned the attack, drove Lee to a secluded spot and stabbed him three times after a dispute related to Momeni’s younger sister. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/san-francisco-prosecutors-to-lay-out-murder-case-against-consultant-in-death-of-cash-apps-bob-lee/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:52 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/san-francisco-prosecutors-to-lay-out-murder-case-against-consultant-in-death-of-cash-apps-bob-lee/ |
Forget Barbie’s house. This online auction gives you beach house living forever — with a tiny catch
Visiting a popular theme park for the day can be a fun indulgence, but what about living in one — forever?
Legoland California, in a novel fundraising effort for disadvantaged and ill children, is offering anyone the chance — via an auction — to have their 4-inch-tall likeness replicated with Lego bricks and then immortalized in a home with a view inside Miniland USA.
And did we mention that this would not be any old tract home but rather a four-bedroom beachfront abode with a designer kitchen, Jacuzzi and firepit — and designed by a real estate celebrity?
The winner of the auction, launched last week, will get to have up to 10 family members and a pet or two pose for Lego Master Model Builders, who will transform them into Minilanders before moving them into their dream home in Coronado — that is, the re-creation of Coronado within Miniland San Diego. The new attraction, featuring iconic San Diego landmarks, debuted just a few months ago.
Long before the pandemic, many adults turned to toys from Legos to collectible items to tap into their inner childhood for comfort
“It’s the only way most San Diegans can afford a beach home,” joked Julie Estrada, director of public relations, North America, for Merlin Entertainments, owner of Legoland.
“And it’s a way to never age, you’ll never need plastic surgery,” Estrada said. “You’re taken care of every day, our model builders go through Legoland every day, so you have house cleaners, there’s even a playroom inside, and imagine being able to see cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York all from the veranda of your Miniland home.”
The idea for the charitable fundraiser originated from a somewhat similar initiative undertaken years ago at Legoland’s Windsor resort in Britain.
In that instance, the Legoland park had a contest where people could submit photos of their homes in hopes of being chosen to have their house built out of Lego bricks and put on display within the park. That competition, though, was not designed to raise money for a charitable cause.
“We thought that was a really cool idea, and with San Diego Miniland, we’ve had so much good feedback that we thought, wouldn’t it be amazing to have a house built specifically for you where you can see all of San Diego in no more than 15 minutes,” Estrada said. “You can see Petco Park, the convention center, Old Town, the beaches, all the different landmarks, from this home.”
A replica of Inglewood’s Sofi Stadium opening at Legoland this week is the largest stadium made of Legos in the world, theme park officials said.
To pull off this designer home feat, Legoland collaborated with celebrity real estate agent Allie Lutz of the Netflix program “Buying Beverly Hills,” who worked with the master model builders to create the Craftsman-style home. The mini-construction project took 380 hours and 50,000 Lego bricks.
In addition to its four bedrooms and 4½ bathrooms, the Coronado beach home has an outdoor area that would be the dream of any coastal dweller — a “brick-scaped” front yard and porch with a bird feeder and fountain, veranda-covered backyard deck gussied up with a flower overhang and dining table, and a shower, hot tub and grill for evening relaxation.
And it’s within walking distance of human-scale attractions such as Dragon coaster.
The auction, which closes Aug. 7, started off slowly but has picked up with the highest bid reaching nearly $9,000 as of Monday morning.
Merlin’s Magic Wand Foundation, which will be getting the proceeds, is described as a nonprofit organization that partners with Merlin Entertainments to “deliver magical experiences to children who need them most.”
The foundation, Estrada said, supports children ages 2 to 18 who may be seriously ill, have disabilities, are in foster care or are under guardianship.
In some cases, the beneficiaries of the foundation get to take advantage of “magical days off,” where they get free tickets to attractions such as Legoland, Madame Tussauds or the Sea Life Aquariums. In other cases, the nonprofit will go to the children or remake spaces with a Lego-themed experience in hospitals or treatment centers where the kids need to spend a lot of time.
Once the auction ends, work will begin to re-create the winning bidder and family. Estrada said it’s the park’s hope to have the occupants of the new home, which is already completed, ready by Sept. 16, when Legoland’s popular Halloween celebration — Brick-or-Treat — begins.
“The winner’s home will be redecorated during the holidays, where we will put up Christmas lights and decorate for Halloween,” Estrada said. “It should be playful, because that’s what we are all about.” | https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-07-31/want-to-live-in-legoland-california-forever-heres-how | 2023-07-31T17:47:54 | 0 | https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-07-31/want-to-live-in-legoland-california-forever-heres-how |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another day, another billion dollar lottery jackpot.
At least, that’s how it seems ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing for an estimated $1.05 billion top prize.
It’s a huge sum of money, but such giant jackpots have become far more common, with five prizes topping $1 billion since 2021 — and one jackpot reaching $2.04 billion in 2022.
The massive prizes are due in part to chance, but it’s not all happenstance. Rising interest rates coupled with changes to the odds of winning are also big reasons the prizes grow so large.
HOW DO INTEREST RATES INCREASE JACKPOTS?
Nearly all jackpot winners opt for a lump sum payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million. The lump sum is the cash that a winner has actually won. The highlighted $1.05 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, which is funded by that lump sum and will be doled out annually over 30 years.
That’s where the higher interest rate becomes a factor, because the higher the interest rate, the larger the annuity can grow over three decades. The U.S. is in the midst of a remarkable run of interest rate increases, with the Federal Reserve raising a key rate 11 times in 17 months, and that higher rate enables a roughly $500 million lump sum prize to be advertised as a jackpot of about twice that size.
HOW DOES THE ANNUITY WORK?
A winner who chooses the annuity option would receive an initial payment and then 29 annual payments that rise by 5% each year. Opting for an annuity has some tax advantages, as less of the winnings would be taxed at the top federal income tax rate of 24%. It also could be an option for winners who don’t trust themselves to manage so much money all at once.
If lottery winners die before 30 years, the future payments would go to their beneficiaries.
WHY DO WINNERS SNUB THE ANNUITY OPTION?
The annuities pay out big money, but not nearly as big as taking the lump sum.
For example, a sole winner of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions could choose a lump sum of an estimated $527.9 million or an initial annuity payment of about $15.8 million. Of course, those annuity payments would continue for decades and gradually increase until the final check paid about $65.1 million, according to lottery officials.
In both cases, the winnings would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.
Given all that, nearly all jackpot winners think they could make more money by investing the money themselves, or they simply want the biggest initial payout possible.
WHAT ABOUT THE ODDS OF WINNING?
That’s another factor that has created so many huge prizes for those who match all six numbers.
In 2015, the Powerball odds were changed from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions took a similar action in 2019 by lengthening the game’s odds from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million.
For lottery officials, the hope was that by making it harder to win jackpots, the prizes would roll over for weeks and create truly massive pots of money that would in turn generate higher sales.
The result is that all of the billion dollar jackpots have come after the changes in the odds.
HOW LONG UNTIL THERE IS A WINNER?
Luck remains a big factor, as the odds of any ticket being a winner never changes. However, the more people who play Mega Millions, the more of the potential 302.6 million number combinations are covered.
For the last Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, 20.1% of possible number combinations were purchased. Typically, the larger the jackpot grows, the more people buy tickets and the more potential combinations are covered.
Tuesday night’s drawing will be the 30th since the last jackpot winner. That is inching closer to the longest Mega Millions jackpot drought, which reached 37 drawings from Sept. 18, 2020, to Jan. 22, 2021.
The longest jackpot run was for a Powerball prize that stretched over 41 drawings and ended with a record $2.04 billion prize on Nov. 7, 2022. | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-1-05-billion-mega-million-jackpot-is-among-a-surge-in-huge-payouts-due-to-more-than-just-luck/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:57 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-1-05-billion-mega-million-jackpot-is-among-a-surge-in-huge-payouts-due-to-more-than-just-luck/ |
Students get free school supplies, haircuts across the metro
By Asia Wilson
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ATLANTA, Georgia (WANF) — School is starting back for many districts across Metro Atlanta, and this weekend has been packed with several back-to-school events to help students get prepared.
Atlanta News First went on a back-to-school tour, with pit stops at many other places across the area.
There were a lot of clippers hard at work on Sunday.
Barclay Rucker styled roughly 40 heads of hair at Hibbett Sports in Lawrenceville, for the company’s Clips and Kicks, and Cuts 4 Kids Back to School Event.
“It feels good to be able to give back to the children because when you look good, you feel good and I want everybody to feel good as they go back to school,” Rucker said. “Everything that I do for my celebrity clients. I’m going do for the children today, and if you’re good to be able to give back to the children, you know, cool. When you look good, you feel good. And I want everybody to feel good as they go back to school,” he said.
Brittany Randell is a mom of four. She didn’t have to spend a dime on her sons’ hair.
“I usually spend about $150, and I only have three boys,” she said.
Randell said she also got to stock up on free school supplies for her kids and won a $50 dollar gift card. She said with inflation, every bit helps.
“It really does because like I said I have four kids and buying stuff for them is not easy,” Randell said.
“I like to keep the extra backpacks they go through backpacks. They go through like three in one year. You never have too many school supplies,” Randell said.
There was a similar setup on the city’s South End. Amerigroup Georgia teamed up with Radio One Atlanta, Level Up Barbershop, and ZAS Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. for a 2nd Annual Style Tour. They gave 100 girls and boys free hairstyles and free uniforms shirts, socks, face painting and more.
In Atlanta’s Westside, William Platt’s B.A.N.K Foundations hosted a huge Back-to-School Drive with NFL Star Julio Jones. The Back-to-School Bash included a giveaway with uniforms, backpacks, supplies, and haircuts.
“The acronym for B.A.N.K is blessing our neighborhood kids and I was once upon a time a neighborhood kid,” Platt said. “Like I always say God sent me through my grandma’s prayers,” Platt said. “This is how we got here. So, our goal at the bank, we want to make an impact on some kids that’s coming behind us,” he said.
Speaking of kids, 12-year-old Caden Harris hosted a school supply giveaway with Legacy Wealth EDU Corporation in Southwest Atlanta.
“It should be very common for people to do this. to be able to spread the message…help out in the community and I decided to have this back-to-school bash so that people can have less of a burden,” Harris said.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/students-get-free-school-supplies-haircuts-across-the-metro/ | 2023-07-31T17:47:58 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/students-get-free-school-supplies-haircuts-across-the-metro/ |
Mob beating at Hollywood nightclub kills father of 2 who took care of his grandmother
After a brutal mob attack left a nightclub security guard dead, police have no suspects and little information about the deadly incident.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon around 2 a.m. Sunday in the 6500 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers found a man lying unconscious in the street and not breathing, the LAPD said.
He was identified by a relative as Daniel Sandifer, a father of two who also was his grandmother’s primary caretaker.
A group of seven to 11 men confronted Sandifer, who police said was working as a security guard at Dragonfly Hollywood nightclub. The mob, all of whom were in their 20s, kicked and stomped Sandifer after he tripped and fell into the street, authorities said. It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the assault.
Police say the guard had been involved in a verbal altercation with a group of people outside the Dragonfly on Santa Monica. Then it turned violent.
After the attack, the group ran west on Santa Monica Boulevard and then south on Hudson Avenue, police said.
Paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived to tend to the victim, but Sandifer died from his injuries, authorities said.
Police told KTLA-TV Channel 5 they do not know whether the initial confrontation between the guard and the group of men began inside or outside the club. On Saturday night, the venue hosted rapper Tee Grizzley, according to the club’s Instagram account. The event was scheduled to start at 10 p.m.
Evette Sandifer confirmed her cousin was the man killed in the attack. She said last saw him about two months ago at a family funeral and understood that he had worked as a security guard for a few years. He was a father to two preteen daughters and took care of his grandmother, who is in her 70s, Evette Sandifer said.
She said he was a hardworking man who dedicated his time to his grandmother, who is in hospice care. It wasn’t clear who would be able to identify his body or make funeral arrangements, Sandifer said, because most of her cousin’s family live outside California and his grandmother is ill.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner had not confirmed the victim’s name as of Monday morning.
Evette Sandifer said she can’t imagine why police don’t have a single suspect out of such a large group of attackers.
“I’m sure the club provided some footage. That’s on them, but everybody has cellphones nowadays,” Sandifer said when reached by The Times on Monday. “We need to get some suspects and hold them accountable.”
Anyone with information can contact the LAPD’s West Bureau Homicide Division at (213) 382-9470.
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Summer of extreme heat rages on with more record-breaking temperatures possible
By Jennifer Gray, CNN meteorologist
(CNN) — Record-long extreme heat streaks are finally coming to an end, but despite the signs of relief, the dangerous heat isn’t going away completely. The relentless heat dome driving the deadly heat wave will meander across the southern tier of the US this week, bringing more record-breaking temperatures.
The numbers so far this summer have been jaw-dropping: In El Paso, Texas, the high temperature topped 100 degrees for a record-breaking 44 straight days; in Miami, the heat index stayed above 100 degrees for 46 consecutive days; and in Phoenix, temperatures have been at or above 110 degrees for 31 consecutive days.
All of those streaks will have ended by Monday if Phoenix hits its closer-to-average forecast high of 108 degrees.
It’s been so hot for so long the average temperature for Phoenix for the month of July set a record at 103 degrees, shattering the previous one by 4 degrees. It goes to show this heat has been exceptional even for one of the nation’s hottest cities.
“It’s been a year of abnormalities and streaks, so it’s just a testament to just how strange this year has been,” said Ryan Worley, meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Phoenix.
Why temperatures have been so hot
Phoenix has yet to join other parts of the state with measurable monsoon rain, something that the city is desperately counting on to cool temperatures down. If Phoenix receives rainfall Monday, it would be the third latest monsoon rainfall on record.
The city will get a slight “break” from the heat Monday and Tuesday as the threat of monsoon rains rolls through, but highs will be back up above 110 degrees by midweek, possibly making it to 116 degrees by the weekend.
Meanwhile, with little rain for relief, more than 40 million people across the Deep South and Southern Plains are still under heat alerts. More than 140 potential high temperature records could fall again this week, as the oppressive heat shows no signs of backing down across the country’s midsection.
It is especially true in Dallas. The city could experience its hottest days of the year this week, with highs potentially topping 110 degrees on Tuesday.
High temperatures will stay in the triple digits all the way through the weekend, at times running as much as 10 degrees above normal.
Little Rock, Arkansas, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Houston will feel as hot as 110 degrees or higher Monday and much of the week, with no relief in sight. Unfortunately, there is no real chance of cooler temperatures for some of the hottest locations for the foreseeable future, as this dome of high pressure responsible for the extreme heat won’t budge.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/summer-of-extreme-heat-rages-on-with-more-record-breaking-temperatures-possible/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:02 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/summer-of-extreme-heat-rages-on-with-more-record-breaking-temperatures-possible/ |
Driver critically injured in single-car crash near UCI
A man was critically injured Saturday morning in a single-car crash in Newport Beach.
The crash near the intersection of Jamboree Road and University Drive, near UC Irvine, was reported about 6:25 a.m., according to Newport Beach police.
Responding officers found that the car had collided with a tree and caught fire, police said. Officers pulled the driver out of the car while on fire.
The driver was transported to a hospital for treatment of his critical injuries, police said. There were no other people in the car.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
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Motorcyclist injured in collision with car in Huntington Beach Sunday
A motorcyclist was injured in a crash involving a car in Huntington Beach, authorities said Monday.
The crash was reported about 10 p.m. Sunday on Beach Boulevard near Taylor Drive, according to the Huntington Beach Police Department.
The motorcyclist was taken to a hospital in unknown condition, police said.
According to police, the collision involved a motorcycle and a 2010 Honda Civic. The 41-year-old man who was driving the Honda remained at the scene, and the circumstances of the crash were under investigation, police said.
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The moon will seem extra big and bright and thus be quite a sight this August, with a sturgeon supermoon visible on Tuesday and then a rare blue supermoon coming at the end of the month.
Two of the four supermoon events of 2023 will take place in August, with the first happening on Tuesday. On Aug. 30 there will be a blue supermoon, which won't happen again until 2032. Here's what you need to know so you can catch this summer's lunar double feature.
What is a supermoon?
A perigean full moon, better known as a supermoon, happens when the moon is full during its closest orbits to Earth. This gives its appearance an extra pop, making it look up to 8% bigger and 16% brighter than a typical full moon, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
According to NASA, the moon's typical orbit ranges between 226,000 and 251,000 miles from Earth, but variances can bring it a bit closer or farther away. Only the closest three or four approaches each year qualify as supermoons. The last one was on July 3.
Up first is the sturgeon supermoon on Tuesday
The sturgeon moon got its name from Native American tribes that found that the giant sturgeon from the Great Lakes were "most readily caught" at this time of the summer, according to Farmer's Almanac. It's also known as a green corn moon, grain moon, flying up moon, harvest moon, ricing moon, black cherries moon and the mountain shadow moon.
This spectacle will hit peak illumination at 2:32 p.m. ET. "That evening, look toward the southeast after sunset to catch a glimpse of the Sturgeon Moon rising," Farmer's Almanac says.
A sturgeon, for non-anglers, is an enormous fish with roots in the Jurassic period that spends its life — up to 150 years — in both fresh and saltwater. The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America, reaching as long as 20 feet and nearly 2,000 pounds, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. But most of the sturgeon inhabiting the Great Lakes measure about 6 feet in length and weigh approximately 200 pounds.
The second show is a rare blue supermoon
While a supermoon references the moon's orbit in relation to Earth, a blue moon has to do with frequency, referring to when there's a second full moon in a single calendar month, NASA says. It's also used to describe the third of four full moons in an astrological season.
The moon takes 27.3 days to orbit the Earth, but because of how the sun's light hits the satellite, it takes 29.5 days to complete its lunar cycle from one new moon to the next.
The term "once in a blue moon" is an idiom used to describe a rare but nonetheless recurring event. But according to NASA they're not actually all that rare, recurring every two-and-a-half years or so.
A blue supermoon, however, happens far less frequently. According to the website Time and Date, the last blue supermoon was in December 2009, and the next one won't be until August 2032.
This year's blue supermoon will peak at 9:36 p.m. ET on Aug. 30, Farmer's Almanac says, but you can use their moonrise calculator to see when it will be visible in your area.
The end of August supermoon will be the biggest and brightest of 2023 because the moon will be "exceptionally close" to Earth at 222,043 miles, nearly 17,000 miles closer than average.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kasu.org/education-technology/2023-07-31/if-you-miss-augusts-super-blue-moon-youll-have-to-wait-9-years-for-your-next-chance | 2023-07-31T17:48:13 | 1 | https://www.kasu.org/education-technology/2023-07-31/if-you-miss-augusts-super-blue-moon-youll-have-to-wait-9-years-for-your-next-chance |
Suspect arrested in murder of wife, sheriff says
By Web Staff
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GEORGE COUNTY, Mississippi (WLOX) — A Lucedale man wanted for the murder of his wife has been arrested, Sheriff Keith Havard confirms.
Sheriff Havard says 32-year-old Jacob Kyle McIntosh was arrested in Mobile County, Alabama Monday morning.
Friday, law enforcement announced a warrant for McIntosh’s arrest after human remains, thought to belong to his wife, were found a week prior on July 21.
His wife, 31-year-old Kayla Brooke Crawford, had been missing since March.
Officials believe the remains found near the Movella community are Crawford’s, but they are waiting on official DNA confirmation.
Details are limited at this time, but Sheriff Havard says other information should be released soon.
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Takeaways from AP’s reporting on inconsistencies in RFK Jr.’s record
By MICHELLE R. SMITH and ALI SWENSON
Associated Press
As Democratic presidential primary candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 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 shows. Kennedy rose to prominence during the coronavirus pandemic because of his strident opposition to vaccines, but he insists he’s not anti-vaccine. Kennedy 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. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/takeaways-from-aps-reporting-on-inconsistencies-in-rfk-jr-s-record/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:20 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/takeaways-from-aps-reporting-on-inconsistencies-in-rfk-jr-s-record/ |
The FBI should face new limits on its use of US foreign spy data, a key intelligence board says
By NOMAAN MERCHANT
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI should stop using a U.S. spy database of foreigners’ emails and other communications for investigating crimes that aren’t related to national security, a group of White House intelligence advisers recommended in a report released Monday.
The President’s Intelligence Advisory Board’s findings come as the White House pushes Congress to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before its expiration at the end of this year. U.S. intelligence officials say Section 702 enables investigations of Chinese and Russian espionage, potential terrorist plots, and other threats.
But spy agencies also end up capturing the communications of U.S. citizens and businesses, and a series of intelligence mistakes at the FBI has fanned bipartisan criticism of the bureau that has shaped the debate over renewing the law. Some lawmakers in both parties and civil liberties groups have called for stronger curbs on how the FBI uses foreign surveillance to search for Americans’ data.
While the White House did not commit to accepting the recommended changes, administration officials on Monday praised the board’s work and again called on Congress to reauthorize the surveillance program. The board argues in its report that Section 702 is critical to U.S. national security and suggests that allowing the program to lapse would be an “intelligence failure” and a step backward from changes made after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The board says the FBI made “inappropriate use” at times of Section 702 information. Those include queries for a U.S. senator and state senator’s names without properly limiting the search, looking for someone believed to have been at the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and doing large queries of names of protesters following the 2020 death of George Floyd.
“Unfortunately, complacency, a lack of proper procedures, and the sheer volume of Section 702 activity led to FBI’s inappropriate use of Section 702 authorities, specifically U.S. person queries,” the board said in its report. “U.S. person queries” generally mean searches for U.S. citizens and businesses.
The board recommends the FBI no longer search the data when it is seeking evidence of a crime not related to national security. Currently, the FBI conducts fewer than two dozen such searches a year, a senior administration official told reporters Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.
The White House has not decided whether it will accept the recommendation but is studying the board’s work and report, the official said.
The board’s report largely lines up with the White House’s positions on other changes being debated in Congress. The board opposed requiring the FBI to obtain a warrant before it searches Section 702 data, saying that change would be impractical. It also says the FBI needs to maintain access to foreign spy collection because unlike other intelligence agencies, it has law enforcement authorities inside the U.S. and can warn Americans that they are being targeted by foreign spies or criminals.
Already, both Republicans and Democrats have called for broader changes affecting the FBI, including a handful of lawmakers in both parties who want to require warrants for any search.
Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., sharply questioned Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen in June about how it searches Section 702 data and signaled he would push for new protections.
“I don’t think you’ve effectively made the case that there shouldn’t be a warrant requirement, whether or not it is constitutionally required, for a U.S. person search that is crime only,” he said.
Many in the GOP, meanwhile, are furious about the FBI’s investigations of former President Donald Trump and mistakes found by the Justice Department inspector general and other reviewers.
In a statement, the FBI said the report highlighted “how crucial” foreign intelligence was to the bureau’s mission.
“We agree that Section 702 should be reauthorized in a manner that does not diminish its effectiveness, as well as reassures the public of its importance and our ability to adhere rigorously to all relevant rules,” the bureau’s statement said. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/the-fbi-should-face-new-limits-on-its-use-of-us-foreign-spy-data-a-key-intelligence-board-says/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:23 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/the-fbi-should-face-new-limits-on-its-use-of-us-foreign-spy-data-a-key-intelligence-board-says/ |
The stars of Broadway’s ‘Back to the Future’ musical happily speed into the past every night
By MARK KENNEDY
AP Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — When actor Casey Likes watched “Back to the Future” growing up, his mom would always say he reminded her a lot of the film’s star, Michael J. Fox. Something in the universe agrees: He’s taken on Fox’s classic movie role on Broadway.
The rising stage star plays Marty McFly for a musical adaptation of the beloved 1985 sci-fi comedy about a time-traveling duo who go back to the 1950s in a souped-up, gull-winged DeLorean.
“I remember growing up and just really, really loving the film. It kind of sat in that realm of like ‘E.T.’ and ‘Close Encounters’ — movies that came at a time when film was magical,” says Likes, 21. “I hope we accomplish something kind of similar with Broadway.”
The show, which won the Olivier Award for best new musical last year in London, arrives at the Winter Garden Theatre this summer with a story by Bob Gale, who previously co-created and co-wrote the movie with Robert Zemeckis. It hews very closely to the original, including having a DeLorean onstage and the shout “Great Scott!”
Broadway veteran and Tony Award-winner Roger Bart takes on Christopher Lloyd’s role of Doc Brown, the oddball scientist with a knack for inventions. Bart recalls seeing “Back to the Future” in his early 20s when it first appeared in movie theaters. He watched with three friends from theater school and they were all secretly jealous of Fox.
“None of my friends — even knowing each other as well as we did — none of them, including my mother, ever nudged me and said, ‘No, no, kid. You’re Doc Brown. Just be patient,’” the Tony-winner says laughing.
Like the film, the musical centers on Marty McFly traveling back to his hometown in 1955. Once there, he gets caught up in the soap opera lives of his own teenage parents, including his mom, who develops a crush on her future son. He must reconnect mom and dad or he risks disappearing from history.
“We feel like it’s very important – I’m sure Casey would agree — for the public to come to the show and recognize that they are seeing that story in a different form but with all of its charms very deeply intact,” says Bart, whose Broadway credits include “The Producers,” “Disaster!” and “Young Frankenstein.”
New songs have been crafted by the film’s composer Alan Silvestri and songwriter and producer Glen Ballard. Some Huey Lewis and the News songs from the movie also have been included, like the theme tune “The Power of Love” and “Back in Time,” as well as Marty McFly’s futuristic rendition of “Johnny B. Goode.”
“We go back to the ‘50s, you get some songs that sound like ’Grease,’ like ‘Bye Bye Birdie.’ And then we have some ‘80s moments in there that are very ’Footloose,’” says Likes. “It feels kind of like the greatest hits of not only rock ‘n’ roll, but of musical theater.”
While both men are fans of the films — and both got to meet the original stars at a gala last week — neither Bart nor Likes want to straightjacket themselves into the way Fox and Lloyd performed their roles.
“I don’t want to impersonate the movie. I want to remind you of the movie,” says Likes, who made his Broadway debut last year as the Cameron Crowe-inspired lead character of the musical “Almost Famous.”
“There’s a lot of things that Roger is doing that are similar, and there’s a lot of things that I’m doing that hopefully are similar to Michael. But we’re really just reminding you of their brilliance. Hopefully, at the same time, you’re able to kind of go along the journey with our Marty and Doc.”
In addition to being a cultural touchstone, “Back to the Future” was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry and the American Film Institute listed it as the No. 10 best science-fiction film. Bart thinks the movie’s staying power is because it manages to straddle many worlds.
There’s a time travel story and one about getting to know your parents as peers. There’s a love story between Marty’s parents and there’s also a buddy movie — Marty and Doc putting their friendship on the line.
“Between all of these elements, it answers so many of the things that we love about that era of moviemaking and storytelling,” says Bart. “I think that’s one of the reasons why it is has sort of stuck around so long.”
Not to mention the fact that audiences can appreciate the story at different parts of their lives. Kids can enjoy the thrills and special effects; adults can be moved by the notion of meeting their own moms and dads. “Part of its sustaining power is the fact that it can mean one thing at one age and another at another,” says Bart.
Likes also adds another reason: Marty initially only wants to get back to his own time period to reconnect with his girlfriend. But his reasons start to change — save Doc, save his family, save the world.
“As the show goes on, there’s more stacked up reasons as to why he has to get back. And I think that’s a really interesting thing to think about in our own life,” he says. “What would be our reasons to to get back to our current life?”
___
Mark Kennedy can be reached at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/the-stars-of-broadways-back-to-the-future-musical-happily-speed-into-the-past-every-night/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:29 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/the-stars-of-broadways-back-to-the-future-musical-happily-speed-into-the-past-every-night/ |
‘This Barbie has a Nobel Prize’: Malala Yousafzai jokes husband is ‘just Ken’
By Amarachi Orie, CNN
(CNN) — “She’s everything. He’s just Ken.”
The tagline for the record-breaking “Barbie” movie highlights the stark difference between Margot Robbie’s lead character and her lackluster, overlooked boyfriend Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.
It quickly became a running joke on social media leading up to the release of the movie. Now, education activist Malala Yousafzai might have the funniest take on it of all.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Yousafzai posted a picture of herself with her husband, Asser Malik, inside the Barbie box.
“This Barbie has a Nobel Prize,” she captioned the image, adding: “He’s just Ken.”
In 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize, which she was awarded along with Kailash Satyarthi in recognition of their efforts on behalf of children’s rights.
In the social media post, Yousafzai went on to give her take on Greta Gerwig’s film, which had the largest opening weekend of 2023 and the biggest-ever debut for a female director, stating: “We loved the movie, it was so funny and thoughtful.”
She continued with a warning that she meant no harm with her initial words, adding: “I hope this caption doesn’t hurt all the Kens as much as the movie Ken.”
It clearly did not hurt her husband, who took the caption light-heartedly, comically responding: “I’m Kenough.”
The post amassed more than 500,000 likes and thousands of comments, with social media users heaping praise on the caption.
“This caption wins,” wrote YouTube star Lilly Singh. “BEST Barbie caption I’ve read so far,” another user wrote.
Yousafzai graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 2020. She and Malik married the following year.
Ahead of the release of the “Barbie” movie on July 21, Warner Bros. released a “Just Ken” teaser in which the downtrodden character sings about not knowing who he is without Barbie and living in her shadow in Barbieland. (Warner Bros., like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery).
“It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, I’m always number two,” he laments musically.
“I’m just Ken. Anywhere else I’d be a 10. Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blonde fragility?” he goes on to sing.
The song does later get more upbeat however, with Ken exclaiming: “I’m just Ken and I’m enough. And I’m great at doing stuff. So, hey, check me out.”
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/this-barbie-has-a-nobel-prize-malala-yousafzai-jokes-husband-is-just-ken/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:31 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/this-barbie-has-a-nobel-prize-malala-yousafzai-jokes-husband-is-just-ken/ |
Twitter threatens to sue hate-speech watchdog group
by Brian Fung
Washington, DC (CNN) — Elon Musk has called himself a free-speech absolutist and has praised “even my worst critics.” But now Twitter has threatened to sue a nonprofit known for sharply criticizing the platform for its handling of hate speech and misinformation.
In a July 20 letter shared publicly Monday, Twitter threatened to sue the Center for Countering Digital Hate, accusing the group of a campaign to hurt Twitter by driving away its advertisers. The CCDH has published numerous reports about various social media companies’ approach to everything from vaccine misinformation to online racism and antisemitism.
The letter by Alex Spiro, an outside attorney representing Twitter owner Musk, alleges that CCDH has made “inflammatory, outrageous, and false or misleading assertions about Twitter and its operations” through its reports, which he argued lack scientific rigor.
To back up his claim, Spiro cited one report in which CCDH staff flagged tweets from 100 Twitter Blue subscribers to the platform as being harmful and found that after several days, the company had not taken action on the vast majority of it. The resulting CCDH report said Twitter had failed to act on “99% of Twitter Blue accounts tweeting hate.”
“This article leaves no doubt that CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote to CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed, adding that Twitter is investigating whether it can sue the nonprofit for making false descriptions of the company.
CCDH tweeted Spiro’s July 20 letter along with the organization’s reply to Twitter — which Musk has since rebranded as X — that called the legal threat “ridiculous.”
“These allegations not only have no basis in fact (your letter states none), but they represent a disturbing effort to intimidate those who have the courage to advocate against incitement, hate speech and harmful content online, to conduct research and analysis regarding the drivers of such disinformation, and to publicly release the findings of that research, even when the findings may be critical of certain platforms,” wrote CCDH’s attorneys in a response dated Monday.
Spiro didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Since taking over Twitter, Musk has slashed roughly 80% of the company’s staff, including many working on the platform’s content moderation teams.
In December, Twitter shuttered its Trust and Safety Council comprised of outside experts on online safety, human rights, mental health, suicide prevention and child sexual exploitation.
Reports from multiple groups, including CCDH but also the Anti-Defamation League as well as researchers from Tufts University and the University of Southern California, have pointed to observed increases in hate speech.
Musk claimed that impressions of hate speech — which he described as based on a list of “bad words” — declined in the month following his takeover.
But concerns about the platform’s handling of hateful content under Musk last year have persisted, prompting many brands to pause their advertising on Twitter and contributing to sharp financial losses at the company.
Despite claiming in April that most of Twitter’s advertisers had returned, Musk acknowledged this month that Twitter’s ad revenue remains down by 50% and that the company is still cash-flow negative.
In addition, Twitter has made changes to its platform restricting how third parties can access its data, a move that has drawn widespread criticism from academic researchers who study extremism and other online harms. The changes, which require researchers to pay hefty fees, could inhibit studies on how misinformation, harassment and spam spread on Twitter, experts have said.
Threatening lawsuits has become a favored tactic for Musk as Twitter faces continued pressure. Earlier this month, Twitter threatened to sue Facebook-parent Meta over the launch of its competing app, Threads, accusing the company of copying Twitter’s product through trade secret theft. In May, Spiro sent a letter to Microsoft accusing it of over-using its ability to download tweets from the platform as Musk stepped up his criticism of the Redmond, Wash.-based tech giant as a perceived rival in artificial intelligence technology.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/twitter-threatens-to-sue-hate-speech-watchdog-group/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:43 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/twitter-threatens-to-sue-hate-speech-watchdog-group/ |
US needs a win or draw to avoid risk of elimination in group play for 1st time in Women’s World Cup
By JENNA FRYER
AP National Writer
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. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/us-needs-a-win-or-draw-to-avoid-risk-of-elimination-in-group-play-for-1st-time-in-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:49 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/us-needs-a-win-or-draw-to-avoid-risk-of-elimination-in-group-play-for-1st-time-in-womens-world-cup/ |
York Fire crosses state line from California into Nevada
By Shawna Khalafi
Click here for updates on this story
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — The York Fire has crossed the state line from California into Nevada, according to a 3:30 p.m. update Sunday from the National Park Service.
As of 1:30 p.m. Sunday, the York Fire had burned 70,000 acres with no containment.
The York Fire started Friday in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernadino County, California. A park service employee noticed smoke in the area around noon Friday.
Park rangers said dry brush and high winds are fueling the flames.
“I would say it’s definitely fast-moving, especially when the winds come in and push it, it makes it extremely challenging conditions,” said Mojave National Preserve spokesperson Stephanie Bishop.
More than 200 personnel from multiple agencies worked the York Fire on Sunday, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, San Bernadino County Fire Protection District. Additionally, now that the fire has crossed the Nevada state line, Clark County fire crews are standing by, ready to protect residential areas.
“We have to go into a unified motion, working with another state agency, working closely with them to make sure we have good communication with each other,” said Bishop.
The Clark County Fire Department set up a mobile command near Searchlight and Nipton, ready to protect residents in those areas. A Clark County spokesperson Sunday night said at this time, the fire is burning in a desert area of Nevada, and residential areas are still some ways away.
Bishop said one advantage of this multi-agency approach is that each agency has their own specialized knowledge of their own area, which they can share to help with firefighting efforts and keep firefighters safe in unfamiliar territory.
“They kind of know what can be expected or what might be occurring in that area,” said Bishop, “and that might be good intel that we can share across the board of ‘Be prepared for this, watch for this.’”
No evacuations orders are in place, although Bishop said a few California residents chose to evacuate on their own.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/york-fire-crosses-state-line-from-california-into-nevada/ | 2023-07-31T17:48:55 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/07/31/york-fire-crosses-state-line-from-california-into-nevada/ |
1 dead after rollover, 1 arrested for vehicular manslaughter
LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - On Saturday at 9:48 p.m., the Lemhi County Sheriff's Office responded to a rollover collision on Panther Creek Road.
It was reported four individuals has been involved in the incident with an adult man having been critically injured.
Salmon EMTs, Air Methods, Salmon Search and Resuce and the Gibbonsville QRUs were also dispatched.
Emergency personnel made it to the scene, and the injured victim, a 22-year-old Twin Falls man, was found to be deceased.
No other occupants had notable injuries.
The driver, 21-year-old Garret Duncan of Jerome, was arrested and booked into the Lemhi County Jail for vehicular manslaughter.
The Lemhi County Sheriff's Office and Idaho State Police are still investigating the crash. | https://localnews8.com/news/idaho/2023/07/31/1-dead-after-rollover-1-arrested-for-vehicular-manslaughter/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:01 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/idaho/2023/07/31/1-dead-after-rollover-1-arrested-for-vehicular-manslaughter/ |
Drilling work may cause traffic impacts on Teton Pass
JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) - The Wyoming Department of Transportation, along with contract crews from Salisbury Drilling, will be performing some investigative geotechnical drilling work alongside Wyoming State Highway 22, around milepost 12.6, on Teton Pass, on Aug. 1.
Work will take place between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. If the work goes well, crews should complete the job in roughly three hours. While work is underway, a single lane of traffic will be controlled by flagging operations. Traffic control will be needed to lift a crane over the guardrail for the work.
Crews will be installing equipment to monitor movement of the highway in the area.
Drivers are warned to expect delays and plan their travels accordingly.
WYDOT would like to remind drivers to remember to obey all roadside signs, traffic control devices and closures. For more information on construction projects across Wyoming, visit our web site at www.wyoroad.info, select the “map” link, and highlight “construction” on the additional layers menu. | https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/07/31/drilling-work-may-cause-traffic-impacts-on-teton-pass-2/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:07 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/07/31/drilling-work-may-cause-traffic-impacts-on-teton-pass-2/ |
Jackson chef competing in competition hosted by James Beard Foundation
JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) - After teaching for a number of years, Leah Dow-Sanchez took the dive and opened her mobile restaurant Down Home Eats.
Dow-Sanchez originally went to school to become a chef and eventually became a teacher. Now as a full-time chef, she is a quarter-finalist in a competition that is hosted by the James Beard Foundation.
The James Beard Foundation is an organization that strives to support people behind America's food culture. The competition they host highlights chefs moving forward in America's food culture.
Dow-Sanchez shares it's been through her hard work that she's made it this far. After starting to compete in May.
"I'm currently in seventh place as a quarterfinalist. Next week begins the semifinals. And in two and a half weeks from today, somebody will win $25,000. So I've worked very hard to get this far, and I'm super proud of Down Home Eats and what we offer and everything that I provide for the community that I live in," Dow-Sanchez said.
The competition isn't aired on TV, but it still is a nationwide competition.
"It's only based on people's votes and donations to the James Beard Foundation. But in that same act, it is extremely stressful because when people are eating your food, if they don't like it, they're not going to vote for you or continue to vote for you," Dow-Sanchez said.
Dow-Sanchez says she is happy to see how the Jackson community has rallied behind her and helped her to make it this far.
"At all of the events that I'm at the exposure events, I have a poster or little poster with a QR code. So that when people come up, I can say, Hey, when you eat that and you love it, come back and vote for me because I'm in a competition for $25,000. And that really gets people like, Oh, I'll vote right now. And so it's just that call to action."
Dow-Sanchezsaid for her to continue competing and making it forward in the Favorite Chef Competition.
"I've gotten a lot of votes from anonymous people that I don't even know which is exactly how this competition is going to go. And it's exactly how Jackson and the surrounding community work. It's just it's it takes a village. And this is definitely that time that I need my village to support me."
Dow-Sanchez says if she ends up winning the $25,000 from the competition she will end up hosting a party in Jackson Town Square and take a short vacation with her family.
You can find her pink tent every Saturday at the town Farmer's Market at the square from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and at the Wednesday People's Market. You can vote for Leah and the Down Home Eats Restaurant by donating to the James Beard Foundation in her name. | https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/07/31/jackson-chef-competing-in-competition-hosted-by-james-beard-foundation/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:13 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/07/31/jackson-chef-competing-in-competition-hosted-by-james-beard-foundation/ |
8-year-old survives cougar attack in Washington state national park
PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) — An 8-year-old child survived a cougar attack with minor injuries while camping in Olympic National Park in Washington state over the weekend.
“The cougar casually abandoned its attack after being yelled and screamed at by the child’s mother,” the National Park Service said in a statement. After being assessed by park personnel, the child, who was not identified, went to a hospital for further evaluation.
Rangers shut down the campsite and surrounding areas following the Saturday attack. Park law enforcement and cougar specialists began looking for the animal on Sunday at Lake Angeles. If located, the cougar will be euthanized and officials hope a necropsy will provide clues as to why it attacked.
Cougars are rarely seen and attacks on humans are extremely rare, park officials said. The lethal removal of the cougar is in line with the park’s protocol for wildlife observations, interactions and attacks.
The entirety of the 1,562-square-mile park located about 60 miles east of Seattle is consider cougar territory.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:16 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2023/07/31/8-year-old-survives-cougar-attack-washington-state-national-park/ |
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort winter 2023-24 lift tickets on sale Aug. 1
TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. (KIFI) — Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) will launch its winter 2023-24 early bird lift ticket sale and multi-resort passholder reservation system on Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 10 a.m. MDT.
JHMR will continue to limit the number of tickets sold each day and will also continue to require reservations for Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective passholders.
In addition to the early bird lift tickets, all winter products and services will be available for purchase on Aug. 1, including offerings from the Mountain Sports School, rentals and more.
JHMR is extending its season by an extra week — the longest on record — to offer 143 days of skiing and riding from Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, through Sunday, April 14, 2024. Guests can save up to 15% on day tickets when purchased before Oct. 1.
“As the Resort enters its fourth winter season managing capacity on the mountain, we are pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response from our guests, and we are excited to see other ski areas adopt similar policies,” JHMR President Mary Kate Buckley said. “We believe that limiting the number of skiers and riders creates a better experience on the mountain and results in better service at retail and rental stores, dining outlets, lodging properties and our Mountain Sports School. We encourage everyone to plan ahead for their trip as lift tickets may sell out and reservations for Ikon and Mountain Collective Passes can fill up, especially on holidays and weekends.”
For best pricing and availability, JHMR recommends that guests purchase day tickets as far in advance as possible before their arrival. For more information on the winter 2023-24 early bird ticket sale, pricing, and winter in Jackson Hole, click HERE.
To help plan the perfect Jackson Hole vacation package, guests can take advantage of the new Jackson Hole Resort Reservations (JHRR) full destination reservation service, offering complete vacation packages that include air, lodging, transportation, lift tickets and activities. Guests interested in speaking with JHRR’s vacation experts can call 1-800-473-1000 or click HERE. | https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/07/31/jackson-hole-mountain-resort-winter-2023-24-lift-tickets-on-sale-aug-1/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:19 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/wyoming/2023/07/31/jackson-hole-mountain-resort-winter-2023-24-lift-tickets-on-sale-aug-1/ |
Changes to pet food and specialty pet food packaging will provide consistency and transparency
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pet owners will soon find updated packaging and labels when shopping for pet food and specialty pet food products, including treats and supplements -- the first major update in more than 40 years. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) approved the new suggested labeling guidelines that include standardized nutrition information, clear ingredient statements, and storage and handling instructions. The modern design and updated information will ensure consistency and transparency, so consumers can easily make more informed buying decisions for their pets.
The passage of the revised Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food sets a new standard for pet food manufacturers and distributors to follow. Feed regulatory professionals across the United States and Canada worked cooperatively with consumers and professionals within the pet food industry on a strategic course to ensure pet food labels provide a more comprehensive view of the product.
"The feedback we received from both consumers and industry advisors throughout this process was an important part of our collaboration to make improvements. We sought public comment to learn more about how pet food label changes would enhance transparency and provide clearer information in a consumer-friendly format. New packaging and labels will be well-defined and easy to understand. And that's good news for all of us, from pet owners and manufacturers to pets themselves," said Austin Therrell, executive director of AAFCO.
Major Label Changes
As states begin the rulemaking process of adopting and enforcing the Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food, AAFCO recommends a transition period of six years for manufacturers to fully incorporate the label and packaging changes to their products. Pet owners will see some changes before that date, but all packaging should be consistent by the end of the six-year period. Below is a snapshot of what to expect from label updates in four key areas:
- Nutrition Facts Box – Updated to resemble human-food labeling more closely.
- Intended Use Statement – Updated to new location on the lower-third of the front display panel to help consumers easily identify the purpose of the pet food.
- Ingredient Statement – Updated to clarify the use of consistent terminology and allow parentheticals and common or usual names for vitamins.
- Handling and Storage Instructions (optional) – Updated and standardized with optional icons for greater consistency.
About Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM)
AAFCO and its key stakeholders have worked together since 2015, to develop the revised Pet Food Model Regulations. Multiple rounds of consumer research were conducted to understand how pet food labels can better communicate important information. AAFCO used the feedback from consumers and industry officials to develop this new update and to support uniform state implementation of the new regulations. This initiative has been a key example of the benefit of industry and consumer collaboration to solve challenges and make improvements to pet food labels. For more information about PFLM, visit http://www.aafco.org/pflm.
About AAFCO
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has been guiding state, federal and international feed regulators with ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory standards for more than 110 years, while supporting the health and safety of people and animals. Its members are charged by their state or federal laws to regulate the manufacture, sale and distribution of animal feeds and feed ingredients. Learn more at aafco.org.
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SOURCE The Association of American Feed Control Officials | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/aafco-membership-approves-new-model-pet-food-specialty-pet-food-regulations/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:23 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/aafco-membership-approves-new-model-pet-food-specialty-pet-food-regulations/ |
Trump leadership PAC requests $60 million refund from super PAC as legal fees mount
By Kristen Holmes, CNN
(CNN) — As legal fees for Donald Trump and his associates mount, the former president’s leadership PAC that has been used to pay many of these bills requested a refund on a $60 million contribution it made to a super PAC supporting Trump, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. It was not immediately clear if any of the money had been refunded.
The leadership PAC, Save America, spent more than $40 million on legal fees for him and many of his associates since the start of 2023.
The refund request was first reported by The New York Times.
CNN previously reported that Trump’s team is creating a legal defense fund to help offset some of the enormous bills incurred amid a multitude of investigations into the former president.
Special counsel Jack Smith filed new charges on Thursday against the former president, his aide Walt Nauta and a third defendant, Carlos De Oliveira, in the case alleging Trump mishandled classified documents after leaving the White House. The new charges included allegations that Trump and his employees attempted to delete Mar-a-Lago security footage sought by the grand jury. Both Nauta and De Oliveira are being represented by attorneys paid for by Trump world.
Additionally, earlier this year, Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on more than 30 counts related to business fraud. He also faces potential charges in the special counsel’s grand jury investigation into the leadup to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot as well as an investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney’s office in Georgia relating to claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election.
The fund is expected to cover the bills of some of Trump’s current and former aides and employees who have been wrapped up in these investigations.
The new fund will be called the Patriot Legal Defense Fund Inc., sources previously told CNN, and will be led by Trump associate and adviser Michael Glassner.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/07/31/trump-leadership-pac-requests-60-million-refund-from-super-pac-as-legal-fees-mount/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:25 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/07/31/trump-leadership-pac-requests-60-million-refund-from-super-pac-as-legal-fees-mount/ |
Multifamily Lender Strives to Leverage Strong Performance to Attract Top Boston Talent
BOSTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Arbor Realty Trust (NYSE:ABR) announces a new and larger office location at 501 Boylston St., a historically significant Class A property close to Copley Square in Boston's lively Back Bay neighborhood.
Arbor, which has 15 offices in cities across the United States, moved its 88-member Boston team from 1 Lincoln St. in expectation of the team's expansion and growth, and with the recognition that Boston's thriving economy and talent pool is also creating opportunities in our core business of multifamily lending. Boston has had 8.5% annual rent growth through April 2023 and is presently the third-tightest multifamily rental market in the United States, our proprietary research reveals.
This past Friday, Arbor Realty Trust reported an outstanding second quarter and a dividend increase to $0.43, reflecting a 12th increase in the last 14 quarters.
Join Us - Arbor is Hiring in Boston and Nationally
Are you interested in a career in multifamily lending? Arbor is hiring in Boston and at many other locations. Advance your career at a firm that encourages entrepreneurial drive, collaborative spirit, and the quest for excellence.
Browse our current job openings.
About Arbor
Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR) is a nationwide real estate investment trust and direct lender, providing loan origination and servicing for multifamily, single-family rental (SFR) portfolios, and other diverse commercial real estate assets. Headquartered in Uniondale, New York, Arbor manages a multibillion-dollar servicing portfolio, specializing in government-sponsored enterprise products. Arbor is a leading Fannie Mae DUS® lender, Freddie Mac Optigo® Seller/Servicer, and an approved FHA Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) lender. Arbor's product platform also includes bridge, CMBS, mezzanine, and preferred equity loans. Arbor is rated by Standard and Poor's and Fitch. In June 2023, Arbor was added to the S&P SmallCap 600® index. Arbor is committed to building on its reputation for service, quality, and customized solutions with an unparalleled dedication to providing our clients excellence over the entire life of a loan.
CONTACT: press@arbor.com
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SOURCE Arbor Realty Trust | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/arbor-realty-trust-expands-presence-boston-opening-office-historically-significant-building/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:29 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/arbor-realty-trust-expands-presence-boston-opening-office-historically-significant-building/ |
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE American: BRBS), the holding company of Blue Ridge Bank, National Association ("Blue Ridge Bank" or the "Bank") and BRB Financial Group, Inc. ("BRB Financial Group"), announced today financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.
For the second quarter of 2023, the Company reported net loss from continuing operations of $19.5 million, or $1.03 per diluted common share, compared to net income from continuing operations of $1.6 million, or $0.09 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2023, and net income from continuing operations of $1.1 million, or $0.06 per diluted common share, for the second quarter of 2022.
A Message From Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. President and CEO, G. William "Billy" Beale:
"The net loss for the quarter was driven primarily by higher provision expense and the associated reversal of interest income related to loans that were placed on nonaccrual during the quarter. This group of loans, totaling $58.1 million at quarter-end, were sourced by a former lender, and is best described as specialty finance that we deemed to be not in keeping with our desired risk profile. I don't believe this asset quality matter is pervasive within our loan portfolio, and excluding these loans, measures of asset quality were generally stable as compared to the prior quarter.
Having recently joined the organization in May 2023, I am pleased to have found Blue Ridge to be a quality bank providing exceptional service to its customers. My foremost priority, and that of our team, is to remain focused on our regulatory remediation efforts, as we continue to work diligently to bring the Bank's fintech policies, procedures, and operations into conformity with regulatory directives. At the same time, we want to re-energize the core banking franchise by attracting new customers from within our footprint, while supporting our fintech partners that continue to gain momentum."
Q2 2023 Highlights
(Comparisons for Second Quarter 2023 are relative to First Quarter 2023 unless otherwise noted)
Formal Written Agreement:
- As previously disclosed, Blue Ridge Bank entered into a formal written agreement (the "Agreement") with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") on August 29, 2022. The Agreement principally concerns the Bank's fintech line of business and requires the Bank to continue enhancing its controls for assessing and managing the third-party, BSA/AML, and IT risks stemming from its fintech partnerships. A complete copy of the Agreement was filed as an exhibit to the Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on September 1, 2022 and can be accessed on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) and the Company's website (www.mybrb.com). The Company continues to actively work to bring the Bank's fintech policies, procedures, and operations into conformity with OCC directives. The Company reports that, although work is progressing, many aspects of the Agreement require considerable time for completion, implementation, validation, and sustainability. Remediation costs related to regulatory matters were $2.4 million in the second quarter of 2023 compared to $1.1 million in the prior quarter.
Asset Quality:
- Nonperforming loans totaled $86.1 million, or 2.68% of total assets, compared to $30.7 million, or 0.92% of total assets, at the prior quarter-end. The increase reflects the migration of a group of specialty finance loans to nonaccrual status during the quarter. These loans had a 1.79% impact on the nonperforming loans to total assets ratio for the second quarter.
- The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $20.5 million, compared to $3.7 million last quarter. Net loan charge-offs were $8.0 million in the quarter, representing an annualized net charge-off rate of 1.29% of average loans, compared to $1.1 million, representing an annualized net charge-off rate of 0.17% of average loans, for the prior quarter. Net loan charge-offs in the quarter were primarily attributable to one loan.
- The allowance for credit losses ("ACL") as a percentage of total loans held for investment was 1.76% at quarter-end, compared to 1.22% at the prior quarter-end. Specific reserves associated with the aforementioned specialty finance loans totaled $14.1 million at June 30, 2023.
Capital:
- As previously announced, on July 12, 2023, the Board of Directors determined to forego the declaration and payment of a cash dividend on the Company's common stock in the third quarter of 2023. The decision was based on the desire to preserve capital and available cash.
- The ratio of tangible stockholders' equity to tangible total assets was 6.3%1, compared to 6.8%1 at the prior quarter-end. Tangible book value per common share was $10.551, compared to $11.931 at the prior quarter-end.
- For the quarter ended June 30, 2023, the Bank's tier 1 leverage ratio, tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, common equity tier 1 capital ratio, and total risk-based capital ratio were 7.86%, 9.27%, 9.27%, and 10.77%, respectively, compared to 8.50%, 10.06%, 10.06%, and 11.12%, respectively, at the prior quarter-end. Capital ratios at quarter-end were within regulatory guidelines to categorize the Bank as well capitalized.
Net Interest Income / Net Interest Margin:
- Net interest income was $20.4 million, a decline of $7.0 million from the prior quarter, primarily reflecting the reversal of $4.7 million in interest income, related to the aforementioned group of specialty finance loans, and higher funding costs. These impacts were partially offset by increasing loan yields in the quarter, which increased 5 basis points excluding the effect of the interest income reversal.
- Net interest margin was 2.67% compared to 3.58% for the prior quarter. The reversal of interest income noted above had an approximate negative 60 basis points impact on second quarter net interest margin.
- Cost of deposits and total cost of funds were 2.21% and 2.49%, respectively, compared to 1.74% and 2.11%, respectively, for the prior quarter. Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta ("FHLB") and Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond ("FRB") advances were $284.1 million at June 30, 2023, compared to $239.1 million at the prior quarter-end. Deposit costs and overall funding costs increased during the second quarter of 2023 due primarily to the impact of higher average balances of wholesale funding secured in late first quarter in response to then market events, as well as interest rates on deposits that adjust with changes in federal funds rates.
Balance Sheet:
- Total deposit balances declined $148.0 million, or 5.4%, from the prior quarter-end, due primarily to a decrease of $93.8 million in wholesale funding, primarily time deposits and interest-bearing demand balances. Excluding wholesale funding, total deposits during the second quarter of 2023 declined by 2.1% from the prior quarter-end.
- Deposits related to fintech relationships were $708 million at June 30, 2023, compared to $716 million at the prior quarter-end. These deposits represented 27.1% of total deposits at June 30, 2023, compared to 25.9% of total deposits at the prior quarter-end. Excluding wholesale funding, deposits related to fintech relationships represented 30.1% and 29.8% of total deposits at June 30, 2023 and March 31, 2023, respectively.
- Loans held for investment, excluding Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans, were $2.45 billion, essentially level with the prior quarter-end.
- The held for investment loan to deposit ratio measured 94.1% at quarter-end, compared to 89.0% at the prior quarter-end. The increase was primarily due to the reduction in wholesale deposits.
Noninterest Income / Noninterest Expense:
- Noninterest income was $9.7 million, compared to $7.3 million for the prior quarter, due primarily to fair value adjustments to mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs"), reported in residential mortgage banking income, which were a positive $0.8 million, compared to a negative $2.1 million in the prior quarter.
- Noninterest expense was $34.1 million, compared to $28.8 million for the prior quarter. Increased expenses primarily reflected higher other contractual services, legal, regulatory remediation, and FDIC insurance costs, partially offset by lower salaries and employee benefits costs. Higher other contractual services expense was primarily due to outsourced BSA/AML compliance services as the Bank continues to augment its compliance staff, while higher legal expense was primarily attributable to corporate, employee benefit plans, and other employment matters. Higher FDIC insurance cost relative to the prior quarter was primarily due to balance sheet growth, while lower salaries and employee benefits cost was primarily due to continued headcount reduction in the mortgage division. During the quarter, the Company sold its wholesale mortgage business operating as LenderSelect Mortgage Group.
Income Statement:
Net Interest Income
Net interest income was $20.4 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $27.4 million for the first quarter of 2023, and $24.1 million for the second quarter of 2022. Relative to both the prior quarter and year-ago periods, net interest income declined due to a lower net interest margin resulting primarily from the aforementioned reversal of interest income related to the specialty finance loans moved to nonaccrual status during the second quarter of 2023, the impact of higher interest rates on the Company's deposits and overall funding costs, and actions taken to add balance sheet liquidity following the market events of March 2023. Relative to the prior year period, these developments were partially offset by an increase in average interest-earning asset balances, and relative to both prior periods, higher loan yields.
Total interest income was $39.0 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $43.1 million for the first quarter of 2023, and $26.2 million for the second quarter of 2022. The decline relative to the prior quarter reflects the aforementioned reversal of interest income related to loans placed on nonaccrual status during the second quarter of 2023. The increase relative to the prior year reflects higher average balances of and yields on interest-earning asset balances, partially offset by the reversal of interest income on loans moved to nonaccrual status during the second quarter of 2023, and lower income from purchase accounting adjustments. The yield on average loans held for investment, excluding PPP loans, was 5.54% for the second quarter of 2023, compared to 6.24% for the first quarter of 2023, and 4.97% for the second quarter of 2022. The reversal of interest income noted above had an approximate negative 75 basis points impact on the yield on average loans held for investment, excluding PPP loans, for the second quarter of 2023.
Total interest expense was $18.6 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $15.7 million for the first quarter of 2023, and $2.2 million for the second quarter of 2022. The increase relative to the prior quarter and the year-ago period reflects higher deposit costs and overall funding costs due to higher market interest rates and a shift in the mix of average interest-bearing liabilities, primarily to higher cost wholesale funding sources.
Average balances of interest-earning assets increased $3.6 million, or 0.1%, to $3.06 billion, in the second quarter of 2023, relative to the prior quarter, and increased by $582.0 million, or 23.5%, from the year-ago period. Relative to the prior quarter, average interest-earning asset balances were relatively flat, reflecting a slight decline in average total securities and loans held for investment balances, offset by higher average balances of loans held for sale and interest-earning deposits in other banks. Relative to the prior year-ago period, average interest-earning asset balances increased due primarily to higher balances of loans held for investment and interest-earning deposits at other banks, partially offset by lower average securities balances.
Average balances of interest-bearing liabilities increased $177.1 million, or 8.2%, to $2.35 billion, in the second quarter of 2023, relative to the prior quarter, and increased $719.3 million, or 44.2%, relative to the year-ago period. Relative to the prior quarter, the increase reflected higher average interest-bearing deposits, primarily higher average wholesale time deposits, partially offset by lower average FHLB borrowings. Relative to the prior year, the increase reflected higher average interest-bearing deposits and higher average FHLB borrowings.
Cost of funds was 2.49% for the second quarter of 2023, compared to 2.11% for the first quarter of 2023, and 0.36% for the second quarter of 2022, while cost of deposits was 2.21%, 1.74%, and 0.26%, for the same respective periods. Higher deposit costs and overall funding costs reflect the impact of higher market interest rates, higher average balances and related interest costs of FHLB borrowings, and a shift in the mix of funding, including an increase in higher cost time deposits, which includes an increase in wholesale funding average balances and a decline in average noninterest-bearing deposits.
Net interest margin was 2.67% for the second quarter of 2023, compared to 3.58% for the first quarter of 2023, and 3.89% for the second quarter of 2022. The decline in net interest margin relative to both prior periods primarily reflects the aforementioned reversal of interest income related to loans placed on nonaccrual status during the second quarter of 2023, the impact of higher interest rates on funding costs, and less benefit from purchase accounting adjustments. These declines were partially offset by higher yields on loans, excluding the reversal of interest income.
Provision for Credit Losses
The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $20.5 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $3.7 million for the first quarter of 2023, and $7.5 million for the second quarter of 2022. Relative to both prior periods, the increase in provision is primarily attributable to specific reserves and charge-offs on the aforementioned group of specialty finance loans.
Noninterest Income
Noninterest income was $9.7 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $7.3 million for the first quarter of 2023, and $10.2 million for the second quarter of 2022. Relative to the prior quarter, the increase reflected higher residential mortgage banking income, primarily due to the aforementioned fair value adjustments to MSRs, and, to a lesser extent, higher bank and purchase card income, partially offset by lower other noninterest income and negative fair value adjustments of other equity investments. Relative to the year-ago period, the decline reflected lower residential mortgage banking income, partially offset by higher other noninterest income and higher gain on sale of government guaranteed loans.
Noninterest Expense
Noninterest expense was $34.1 million for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $28.8 million for the first quarter of 2023, and $25.3 million for the second quarter of 2022. Relative to the prior quarter and year-ago period, the increase primarily reflects higher other contractual services, legal, regulatory remediation, and FDIC insurance costs, partially offset by lower salaries and employee benefits costs.
Balance Sheet:
Loans
Loans held for investment, excluding PPP loans, were $2.45 billion at June 30, 2023, compared to $2.45 billion at March 31, 2023, and $2.05 billion at June 30, 2022. Loan balances were flat with the prior quarter level, while the Company selectively replaced the amortization of balances with higher yielding loans. The increase in loan balances relative to the year ago period reflected the high level of growth, particularly in the second half of 2022.
Deposits
Total deposits were $2.61 billion at June 30, 2023, a decline of $148.0 million, or 5.4%, from the prior quarter-end, and an increase of $277.4 million, or 11.9%, from the year-ago period. Relative to the prior quarter, the decrease reflected a decline in wholesale funding, primarily time deposits, and, to a lesser extent, declines in other deposit types. Relative to the year-ago period, the increase reflected higher wholesale funding balances, interest-bearing demand and money market deposits, partially offset by lower noninterest-bearing demand deposits. Noninterest-bearing deposits declined 3.1% and 26.7% relative to the prior quarter and year-ago periods, respectively, and represented 22.0%, 21.5%, and 33.6% of total deposits at June 30, 2023, March 31, 2023, and June 30, 2022, respectively. The change from the year-ago period was primarily due to certain fintech-related balances shifting to interest-bearing accounts.
The held for investment loan to deposit ratio was 94.1% at June 30, 2023, compared to 89.0% at the prior quarter-end, and 88.4% at the year-ago period-end. The increase on a linked quarter basis was due primarily to lower wholesale funding at second quarter-end 2023, while the increase from the year-ago period end was due to second half 2022 loan growth.
Fintech Business:
Interest and fee income related to fintech partnerships represented approximately $3.4 million, $2.9 million, and $1.8 million of total revenue for the Company for the second quarter of 2023, the first quarter of 2023, and the second quarter of 2022, respectively.
Deposits related to fintech relationships were $708 million at June 30, 2023, compared to $716 million at the prior quarter-end. These deposits represented 27.1% of total deposits at June 30, 2023, compared to 25.9% of total deposits at the prior quarter-end. Included in deposits related to fintech relationships were assets managed by BRB Financial Group's trust division of $37.2 million as of June 30, 2023.
Other Matters:
On May 15, 2023, the Company sold its wholesale mortgage business operating as LenderSelect Mortgage Group ("LSMG") to a third-party for $250 thousand in cash. The Company recorded a loss on the sale of LSMG of $553 thousand, which is reported in other noninterest income in the consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023.
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company sold its majority interest in MoneyWise Payroll Solutions, Inc. ("MoneyWise") to the holder of the minority interest in MoneyWise. Income statement amounts related to MoneyWise are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures:
The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and prevailing practices in the banking industry. However, management uses certain non-GAAP measures to supplement the evaluation of the Company's performance. Management believes presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful supplemental information that is essential to a proper understanding of the operating results of the Company's core businesses. These non-GAAP disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for operating results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP performance measures that may be presented by other companies. Reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP measures are included at the end of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This release of the Company contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent plans, estimates, objectives, goals, guidelines, expectations, intentions, projections, and statements of the Company's beliefs concerning future events, business plans, objectives, expected operating results and the assumptions upon which those statements are based. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and are typically identified with words such as "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "intend," "plan," or words or phases of similar meaning. The Company cautions that the forward-looking statements are based largely on its expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond the Company's control. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause the Company's financial performance to differ materially from that expressed in such forward-looking statements: (i) the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which it conducts operations; (ii) changes in the level of the Company's nonperforming assets and charge-offs; (iii) management of risks inherent in the Company's real estate loan portfolio, and the risk of a prolonged downturn in the real estate market, which could impair the value of collateral and the ability to sell collateral upon any foreclosure; (iv) the effects of, and changes in, trade, monetary, and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve, inflation, interest rate, market, and monetary fluctuations; (v) changes in consumer spending and savings habits; (vi) the Company's ability to identify, attract, and retain experienced management, relationship managers, and support personnel, particularly in a competitive labor environment; (vii) technological and social media changes impacting the Company, the Bank, and the financial services industry in general; (viii) changing bank regulatory conditions, laws, regulations, policies, or programs, whether arising as new legislation or regulatory initiatives, that could lead to restrictions on activities of banks generally, or the Bank in particular, more restrictive regulatory capital requirements, increased costs, including deposit insurance premiums, increased regulations, prohibition of certain income producing activities, or changes in the secondary market for loans and other products; (ix) the impact of changes in financial services policies, laws and regulations, including laws, regulations and policies concerning taxes, banking, securities and insurance, and the application thereof by regulatory bodies; (x) the Company's involvement, from time to time, in legal proceedings and examination and remedial actions by regulators; (xi) the impact of, and the ability to comply with, the terms of the formal written agreement between the Bank and the OCC; (xii) the impact of changes in laws, regulations, and policies affecting the real estate industry; (xiii) the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices, as may be adopted from time to time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or other accounting standards setting bodies; (xiv) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the adverse impact on our business and operations and on the Company's customers which may result, among other things, in increased delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures and losses on loans; (xv) the occurrence of significant natural disasters, including severe weather conditions, floods, health related issues, and other catastrophic events; (xvi) geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, or actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, which could impact business and economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad; (xvii) the timely development of competitive new products and services and the acceptance of these products and services by new and existing customers; (xviii) the willingness of users to substitute competitors' products and services for the Company's products and services; (xix) the Company's inability to successfully manage growth or implement its growth strategy; (xx) reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of the Company's customers, suppliers, employees or other business partners; (xxi) the effect of acquisitions the Company may make, including, without limitation, disruption of employee or customer relationships, and the failure to achieve the expected revenue growth and/or expense savings from such acquisitions; (xxii) the Company's participation in the PPP established by the U.S. government and its administration of the loans and processing fees earned under the program; (xxiii) the Company's involvement, from time to time, in legal proceedings, and examination and remedial actions by regulators; (xxiv) the Company's potential exposure to fraud, negligence, computer theft, and cyber-crime; (xxv) the Bank's ability to effectively manage its fintech partnerships, and the abilities of those fintech companies to perform as expected; (xxvi) the Bank's ability to pay dividends to the Company; and (xxvii) other risks and factors identified in the "Risk Factors" sections and elsewhere in documents the Company files from time to time with the SEC.
1 Non-GAAP financial measure. Further information can be found at the end of this press release.
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SOURCE Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/blue-ridge-bankshares-inc-announces-second-quarter-2023-results/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:36 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/blue-ridge-bankshares-inc-announces-second-quarter-2023-results/ |
GENEVA, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Fractal, a shipping company developed to enhance global energy security, reiterates its unwavering commitment to strict adherence to international law and rigorous safety standards. The company diligently monitors the global price of crude and faithfully abides by the rules established by the price cap mechanism. This dedication to ethical business practices and full compliance, including adhering to the price cap regulations set by the EU, US, and other international regulatory bodies, reinforces Fractal's responsible approach in the energy sector.
"Our mission at Fractal is not just to ensure the smooth transportation of goods globally, but also to uphold the highest standards of safety, compliance, and respect for international law," stated Mathieu Philippe, Chief Executive Officer and Ultimate Beneficial Owner of Fractal. "We are proud to contribute to the world's energy security while adhering to the legal boundaries and fostering sustainable practices in the shipping industry."
Fractal's expertise lies in efficiently transporting crude oil and petroleum products worldwide, serving a diverse and global clientele with a primary focus on customers seeking reliable access to energy products. Each client relationship is built on the foundation of mutual respect for international law, further emphasizing Fractal's commitment to responsible and transparent business conduct.
To ensure the utmost level of compliance, Fractal has implemented a robust "Know Your Customer" process, enhancing its ability to meet regulatory requirements and maintain the highest ethical standards. Additionally, the company strictly adheres to international sanctions and compliance regimes, including in operations involving trade with Russia crude, in pursuit of conducting business responsibly and ethically.
Fractal's fleet consistently meets the industry's most stringent safety standards. Every vessel in the fleet undergoes regular inspections under the Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE), guaranteeing compliance and top-notch maintenance.
Every vessel in our fleet is certified by world-renowned certification bodies, members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), such as DNV, BV, Lloyd's Register, ABS, NKK. Additionally, our ships are insured by prominent international groups of P&I clubs, including the West of England and American Club. This is a testament to our commitment to maintaining not only regulatory compliance but also the highest safety standards.
"At Fractal, safety, compliance, and respect for international law are at the core of everything we do. Our strategic and efficient shipping operations differentiate us in the global shipping industry, and we are steadfast in our commitment to contributing to the world's economy responsibly," said Mathieu Philippe.
About Fractal:
Fractal is an international shipper with a focus on the global transportation of crude oil and petroleum products. The company is dedicated to upholding the principles of international law, safety, and compliance while contributing to the world's energy security. Fractal's commitment to ethical business practices and safety sets it apart in the global shipping industry.
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SOURCE Fractal | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/fractal-reaffirms-its-commitment-ethical-business-practices-compliance-safety-global-shipping-industry/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:43 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/fractal-reaffirms-its-commitment-ethical-business-practices-compliance-safety-global-shipping-industry/ |
ANAHEIM, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hybribio (300639.SZ) exhibited live at the 75th ADLM (former AACC) Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, July 25-27, at Anaheim Convention Center, California, USA. This event attracted 958 exhibitors and over 70,000 attendees worldwide from different areas of clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of progressing laboratory science.
At the booth No.1482, Hybribio (300639.SZ) featured cervical cancer HPV diagnostic solutions, which include Hybribio 14 High-risk HPV with 16/18 Genotyping Real-time PCR Kit, 21 HPV GenoArray Diagnostic Kit, 37 HPV GenoArray Diagnostic Kit, 13 High-risk HPV Real-time PCR Kit, 23 HPV Genotyping Real-time PCR Kit, 14 High-Risk HPV E6/E7 mRNA Real-time PCR Kit (PCR with Fluorescent Probe), and SOX1 and PAX1 Methylation Real-time PCR Kit. Hybribio presented its successful experience in cervical cancer prevention and control in China to global attendees, aiming to unite experts in different aspects (clinical laboratories, hospitals, research institutes, enterprises, etc.) to promote the global elimination of cervical cancer. Moreover, all HPV detection kits manufactured by Hybribio are CE-certified and have been exported to more than 20 countries around the world.
Being the top HPV DNA test manufacturer in China, Hybribio (300639.SZ) not only has the biggest Chinese market share (over 40%) of HPV testing kits but also contributes greatly to the movement of eliminating cervical cancer. In the past two decades, Hybribio has taken up 40 % of national breast-cervical cancer screening projects and provided more than 50 million HPV DNA tests for females in China (2003-2023). Furthermore, Hybribio established the China HPV database with the Ministry of Health P. R. China in 2009, monitoring the long-term evolution of Human Papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer in China.
The booth highlighted 14 High-risk HPV with 16/18 Genotyping Real-time PCR Kit, which successfully obtained the first clinical screening license approved in China, with a high sensitivity and specificity of 93.6% and 88.46%, respectively. The negative predictive value using this kit with a 3-year follow-up is 99.84% which means that this kit is explicitly suitable for cervical cancer primary screening, co-screening with pap smear and ASC-US triage. Moreover, Hybribio HPV testing reagents have achieved a 100% coincident rate in the WHO HPV external quality assessment for seven consecutive times from 2011 to 2022.
For laboratory automated instrument, the fully Automated Sample Preparation Liquid System (HB-IEX96A) integrates functions including de-capping and re-capping, barcode scanning, tube loading, pipetting, nucleic acid extraction and PCR plate liquid transferring, which is able to achieve a one-step workflow and enhance laboratory efficiency by reducing human errors. The in-booth demonstration of this instrument drew many visitors' attention, attributed to its wide applicability, powerful functions and excellent design. With this fully Automated Sample Preparation Liquid System (HB-IEX96A), it could alleviate laboratory labor burden and improve testing efficiency significantly for a large-scale screening project.
The year 2023 is the 20th anniversary of Hybribio Biotech. Hybribio has been adhering to its original aspiration of taking care of maternity and child health in the past two decades. In Molecular diagnostics, Hybribio has developed a series of nucleic acid diagnostics kits for reproductive health infections, neonatal and prenatal genetic diseases, respiratory tract infections and cancer markers. By 2023, one billion people have benefited from using Hybribio's products and services. Meanwhile, Hybribio is constantly expanding its product line in different areas. Apart from molecular diagnostic assays and automated instruments, Hybribio also develops a variety of laboratory consumables, including pipette tips, PCR consumables, deep-well place, tip comb and sample tubes.
Upcoming Event
Hybribio (300639.SZ) is going to attend MEDICA 2023 at Dusseldorf, Germany, 13-16 November 2023. Hybribio is looking forward to meeting you in person at MEDICA 2023, where Hybribio will feature more cutting-edge diagnostics solutions and high-throughput automated instruments.
About Hybribio
Founded in 2003, Hybribio (300639.SZ) is a leading nucleic acid test supplier and manufacturer who specializes in in-vitro diagnostic products with a fully integrated one-step operation chain from R&D, manufacturing, and sales & marketing to after-sales technical support services. Hybribio provides products including, but not limited to, HPV testing, reproductive health, genetic diseases, methylation, respiratory tract infection, pharmacogenetics and instrumentation.
For more information, please visit: www.hybribio.com
CONTACT: Qiyu Lin, qylin@hybribio.cn
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SOURCE Guangdong Hybribio Biotech Co.,Ltd. | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/hybribio-showcased-cutting-edge-cervical-cancer-hpv-diagnostic-solutions-adlm-2023/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:49 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/hybribio-showcased-cutting-edge-cervical-cancer-hpv-diagnostic-solutions-adlm-2023/ |
SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Dental of California and affiliates today announced that Mike Castro will retire as its chief executive officer (CEO) Dec. 31, 2023 and become chairman of the board of Delta Dental of California effective Jan. 1, 2024. Sarah Chavarria, current president of Delta Dental of California, will succeed Mr. Castro to become president and CEO Jan. 1, 2024.
Mr. Castro has led the company as CEO of Delta Dental since 2019. During his two decades with the company, he has held a variety of leadership roles, including serving as chief financial officer for 14 years.
"It has been a privilege to lead our business," said Mike Castro, chief executive officer of Delta Dental of California. "Over the years, many people have asked how I want to define my legacy at Delta Dental. The simple answer has always been the same: to leave the company better than I found it, and in better hands. I'm proud to say we're a stronger company than we were five years ago, and we have a deep bench of exceptional leaders to help us continue to capitalize on our position of strength thanks to the team."
Sarah Chavarria was promoted to president in 2022 and has led the organization's Operations, Technology, People, Growth, Marketing and Communication divisions. She began her career at Delta Dental as chief people officer and later expanded her leadership to include oversight of the other teams.
"I want to thank Mike for his support, exceptional leadership and dedication to Delta Dental, which have laid the foundation for a successful future," said Sarah Chavarria, president of Delta Dental of California. "We will continue our partnership when he moves into his new role as chairman of the board. Together, we will ensure our customers, providers and employees remain at the forefront of our business and that we stay focused on our purpose to improve health by providing access to quality care for our more than 45 million members."
About Delta Dental of California
Since 1955, Delta Dental of California has offered comprehensive, high quality oral health care coverage to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in the country. The Delta Dental of California enterprise includes its affiliates Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., as well as the national DeltaCare USA network, and provides dental benefits to more than 45 million people across 15 states and the District of Columbia*. All are members of the Delta Dental Plans Association based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the not-for-profit national association that through a national network of Delta Dental companies collectively covers millions of people nationwide. For more information about Delta Dental of California, please visit www.deltadentalins.com
*Delta Dental of California's operating areas encompass Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and District of Columbia.
For media inquiries, contact:
Tom Sarris
Director, Corporate Communications
Delta Dental of California
tsarris@delta.org
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SOURCE Delta Dental of California | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mike-castro-retire-ceo-become-chairman-board-delta-dental-california-president-sarah-chavarria-named-successor/ | 2023-07-31T17:49:56 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mike-castro-retire-ceo-become-chairman-board-delta-dental-california-president-sarah-chavarria-named-successor/ |
Mr. Carr is President and CEO of Capital Impact Partners and CDC Small Business Finance, which operate under the Momentus Capital Brand
ARLINGTON, Va. and SAN DIEGO, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For all of us at Momentus Capital, 2022 was a year to remember. Working in cities and communities across the country, we put over $760 million into the hands of entrepreneurs, developers, and other local leaders. In addition, lenders utilized our Ventures Lending Technologies' suite of products to deploy more than $20 billion in financing to their clients. These numbers represent the highest level of investment in the history of our family of organizations.
But beyond these headline figures, what do these numbers represent? What do these dollars actually support? When I get asked this question, three things come to mind:
First and foremost, our work supports people. The people that we invest in are pursuing their own dreams for themselves and their communities. Most are small business owners and community real estate developers, but no matter their line of work, I see them the same way: as builders. In many cases, these folks are the folks that the traditional financial sector has left behind. Through their businesses, projects, and community leadership, they are building a better future for themselves and those around them – and we are proud to support their vision.
Second, our work advances a culture that puts the voices of these leaders at the center of what we do. Local voices shape our priorities, our projects, and our strategies. One of the reasons I admire our staff so deeply is because they are committed to this culture. We adopted our four Core Values – being visionary, invested, collaborative, and intentionally inclusive – to strengthen this culture. We build authentic relationships with our colleagues, our partners, and the community leaders we support. As we do, we strive to always actively listen to how they describe their own wants, needs, and vision.
Finally and most importantly, our work supports communities. Strengthening and supporting communities is the reason we exist. We are committed to the idea that the people of every community in America deserve to live, work, play, and dream without being constrained by a lack of capital, a lack of knowledge, a lack of power. Every bit of capital we provide is about directing power – economic, social, and cultural – to communities with dreams, assets, and aspirations that outstrip the power our current system has allowed them.
We do the work we do so that people, cultures, and communities across this country can thrive. As you can see in our Annual Report, we did a lot last year in the service of this goal. As with every year, our achievements are thanks to the expertise and dedication of our incredible staff. I am grateful for their commitment to our mission and proud of the way they approach this work. As the "first generation" of Momentus Capital employees, they are advancing the work while helping us to build a new type of organization, shaping the day-to-day environment of our organization. Every day, I feel lucky and honored to work with this team.
Of course, the real work is ahead of us, not behind. We are on a multi-year journey to build an integrated financial services organization that puts purpose over profit. Working together with partners, we will redefine how capital flows into underestimated communities so that everyone has access to the resources they need to thrive. The result? An economic system that respects and uplifts all peoples' right to achieve the dreams they have for themselves, their communities, and generations to come.
Thank you, as always, for your interest and support.
To read our full FY2022 Annual Report, please click here.
About Momentus Capital
The Momentus Capital branded family of organizations refers to the combined operations of Capital Impact Partners, CDC Small Business Finance, Momentus Direct Capital, Momentus Securities, and Ventures Lending Technologies. While each organization under the Momentus Capital brand still operates as a separate entity, their clients will now have access to more resources and products.
The Momentus Capital branded family of organizations is transforming how capital and investments flow into communities to provide people access to the capital and opportunities they deserve. We are working to reinvent traditional financial systems that have failed to address systemic issues of inequality, economic empowerment, and the widening racial wealth gap by offering a continuum of financial, knowledge, and social capital to help local leaders build inclusive and equitable communities and create generational wealth. This includes a comprehensive package of loan products, impact investment opportunities, training and business advising programs, and technology services that advance locally-led solutions.
Leveraging 80 years of combined experience, nearly $3 billion in assets, and strong community engagement, we have delivered $23 billion in financing, created and preserved 250,000 jobs, and served 12,000 small businesses and five million people across their history.
With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and San Diego, California, Momentus Capital operates nationally with a focus on larger urban areas and cities in Arizona, California, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Texas, and the Washington metro area.
Learn more at momentuscap.org.
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Award Recognizes Exemplary Commitment to Transportation Safety
BRUSLY, La., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), a national organization whose members include the most senior fire officials in the United States, is delighted to honor ExxonMobil with the esteemed Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award.
The ExxonMobil organization is recognized for having one of the safest years in Exxon Mobil Pipeline Company's (EMPCo) history and their industry-leading safety preparations for the upcoming buildout of a network of CO2 and H2 pipelines. By empowering personnel to identify and strengthen critical safeguards to mitigate risk in potential consequence areas, ExxonMobil takes on the challenge of emerging fuels pipelines and storage facilities while maintaining exceptional safety standards.
The Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award is an honor awarded to individuals or organizations who have shown a significant and lasting contribution to product, material and human safety. Named after its first recipient, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, the award recognizes achievements in transportation safety standards that exceed the minimum requirements.
"The way ExxonMobil engages with fire fighters is a great example of how companies and first responders should work together to yield the highest level of public safety and awareness," said Chief Butch Browning, NASFM Executive Director.
"It is an honor to receive this award on behalf of ExxonMobil. We are proud that our focus on safety and operational excellence is recognized by one of our most important stakeholders, first responders," said Steve Yatauro, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company President.
Since 2005, 11 organizations or individuals have received the Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award. ExxonMobil's recognition marks the first award since Former NASFM Presidents and State Fire Marshal Bill Degnan in 2016.
The award was presented to EMPCo VP of Operations Saul Flota at the NASFM Annual Conference on July 31, 2023, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
For more information, visit the NASFM website at firemarshals.org.
About the National Association of State Fire Marshalls:
The principal membership of NASFM comprises the senior fire officials in the United States and their top deputies. The primary mission of NASFM is to protect human life, property and the environment from fire and related hazards. A secondary mission of NASFM is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of State Fire Marshals' operations.
CONTACT:
Philip Oakes
Chief of Operations and Training
phil@browning.red
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SOURCE National Association of State Fire Marshals | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nasfm-recognizes-exxonmobil-with-norman-y-mineta-excellence-transportation-safety-award/ | 2023-07-31T17:50:09 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nasfm-recognizes-exxonmobil-with-norman-y-mineta-excellence-transportation-safety-award/ |
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) President, Carole Fisher has attracted publicity for her role hosting the popular podcast series – "The Girlfriends". Produced by NOVEL for iHeartRadio, the thrilling nine-part series, led by Fisher, uncovers the horrific backstory of Gail Katz's death, the systems that failed her and all the girlfriends that brought her justice.
THE GIRLFRIENDS explores the bonds of friendship, female solidarity, empowerment, and bringing justice to all people who suffer at the hands of abuse and domestic violence. Since its release on July 10, The Girlfriends has achieved success – currently ranking at #1 in Canada, the United Kingdom and United States on Apple Podcasts.
"This is more than just being another binge-worthy true crime podcast series. It's about raising awareness around the horrors of abuse, especially domestic and sexual violence," said Carole Fisher, NPHI President. "It has been a privilege and an honor to speak up on behalf of Gail Katz, and so many other women who are victims of domestic violence. Together, we must do more to elevate the voices of those in danger."
NOVEL collaborated with the leading global charity NOMORE.org dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault by increasing awareness, inspiring action, and fueling culture change. NPHI maintains close links to these related issues through its engagement with Healthsperien LLC and applauds Carole Fisher for her continued commitment to social impact and raising awareness on the issues of domestic violence against women.
"I am extremely pleased to hear of the success of this podcast, and I support its greater goal in raising awareness around the pervasiveness of domestic violence," said Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI CEO. "Carole's entire lifework has been centered around helping and speaking out for others and her participation in this podcast highlights her never-ending commitment to creating social impact and change where it is rightly needed."
Carole, who is employed directly by the renowned DC Policy Firm, Healthsperien LLC, has presided over the day-to-day operations of NPHI since January 2021. In this capacity, she brings a wealth of expertise that has helped NPHI grow exponentially and evolve with the ever-changing hospice landscape. Prior to her time at Healthsperien and NPHI, she served as a highly regarded C-suite leader, including a long-time engagement as the CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice in her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada.
You can find The Girlfriends on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
About Carole Fisher: Ms. Fisher serves as President for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). Utilizing her previous experiences and deep familiarity with not-for-profit community-based hospice and palliative healthcare, she is charged with leading a wide range of activities for NPHI. With an emphasis on developing strategic partnerships, meaningful collaborations and transformational innovations, Ms. Fisher provides support for NPHI members leading complex organizations.
Ms. Fisher spends her time working between her homes in Las Vegas, Nevada and Covington, Louisiana. She frequently travels to Washington D.C. for policy-related initiatives.
You can find Carole on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram under @CaroleAFisher.
The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a membership organization comprising 100+ not-for-profit, community-integrated hospice and palliative care providers dedicated to ensuring patients and their families have access to care that reflects their individual goals, values, and preferences. Representing providers from 37 states and the District of Columbia, NPHI and its members help design more innovative and effective models of care, advocate for comprehensive and community-integrated care customized to meet each person's unique needs, and build collaboration between national thought leaders, decision-makers, and other healthcare stakeholders to improve hospice care. Learn more at hospiceinnovations.org.
Press Contact:
Matt Wilkinson
Communications Manager, NPHI
+1 (801) 615-4207
mwilkinson@hospiceinnovations.org
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SOURCE National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nphi-president-carole-fisher-hosts-trending-true-crime-podcast-girlfriends/ | 2023-07-31T17:50:15 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nphi-president-carole-fisher-hosts-trending-true-crime-podcast-girlfriends/ |
Partnership Will Enable OneValley to Provide Up to 1.1M Entrepreneurial Users with Algorithmic-Driven Web Content Scored for Reliability and Personalized to Help Them Grow Their Business
VIENNA, Va., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seekr, a revolutionary artificial intelligence company specializing in transparent content evaluation, announced today it has entered into a strategic partnership with OneValley, a Silicon Valley-based global entrepreneurship platform that powers many of the world's top innovation, entrepreneurial and non-profit ecosystems. The partnership integrates Seekr's groundbreaking search capabilities into OneValley's information-sharing platform, enabling 1.1 million entrepreneurial users supported by OneValley to access algorithmic-driven news that is personalized and scored for reliability.
"The OneValley platform is already a treasure trove of high-value information for entrepreneurs, providing guidance and insights on everything from ideation and launch to growth and scaling. Seekr's content evaluation capabilities amplify that value proposition, taking the platform to the next level," said Rob Clark, President and Chief Technology Officer at Seekr. "Our technology enables the OneValley platform to identify relevant information, regardless of whether it lives on the platform or on the broader internet, score it for reliability, curate it so that it's tailored to the unique needs and interests of each individual entrepreneur, and finally serve it up to the entrepreneur on-demand."
"As OneValley continues to expand worldwide, this unique partnership with Seekr will provide our customers with the knowledge they need to win in their markets," said Nikhil Sinha, CEO of OneValley. "We further expect that usage on the platform will continue to grow and enhance the life cycle growth from startup to big business."
Seekr's AI-powered search and evaluation technology will be fully integrated into OneValley's online consumer platform, Passport, and its enterprise platform, PassportOS. The technology will enable every OneValley user to generate a bespoke flow of news and other relevant content tailored to meet their unique individual interests and needs.
Under the terms of the agreement, the platform will also feature a stream of real-time news and relevant information powered by Seekr. Additionally, Seekr will provide OneValley with a dynamic competitive analysis tool that provides entrepreneurs and startups with insights into competitor movements and a fuller understanding of how market trends are moving over time.
For further information, visit www.seekr.com.
About Seekr Technologies Inc.
Seekr is a privately held artificial intelligence company that specializes in transparent content evaluation and objective ratings. Its AI technology is designed to rate all content, both authentic content created by humans, and synthetic, machine-generated content. Seekr empowers user choice and control by streamlining access to reliable information. The centerpiece of Seekr's technology is an independent search engine that is powered by proprietary AI and employs natural language processing (NLP) to generate a Seekr Score and Political Lean Indicator. Seekr is committed to building a web that people can trust by giving everyone access to technology that makes it easy to find reliable content in context.
Media Contact:
Ed Patru, EVP Communications
(202) 360-7063
epatru@seekr.com
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SOURCE Seekr Technologies | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/onevalley-seekr-announce-strategic-content-partnership/ | 2023-07-31T17:50:22 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/onevalley-seekr-announce-strategic-content-partnership/ |
NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognized for relentlessly pursuing innovative audience engagement solutions, Resulticks is now redefining the space with a laser focus on creating Connected Experiences for brands and their audiences through its flagship product RESUL.
Addressing this next leap in the product's evolution, Dakshen Ram, Co-Founder and Chief Product and Innovation Officer of Resulticks said, "RESUL began ten years ago as an omnichannel stack with the aim of moving clients steadily toward digital transformation. Now, recalibrating what audience engagement really means, we have created the definitive solution to deliver end-to-end Connected Experiences—real-time, contextual, everywhere, anytime, and across the phygital spectrum."
Connected Experiences reimagines how businesses can engage with their audiences. Brands will be able to leverage non-conventional channels for data consolidation and communications. The shift will also incorporate new channels of communication including IoT interfaces such as digital billboards, smart devices, and facial recognition devices, enabling organizations to facilitate customer engagement across the physical and digital landscape.
Operating at native latency, businesses will be able to deliver entirely hyper-personalized journeys at scale that are not only attributable but most importantly are limited only by end-point processing capabilities and speeds.
Ram also noted that there is a marked gap between what audiences expect in terms of real-time engagement and what is being served to them today. The interpretation of real-time often has been understandably subjective. "But from the audience's perspective," he said, "it's time to move the needle from real-time engagement to right-now engagement, which means effortlessly syncing with audiences traversing spaces, channels, devices, and IoT interfaces."
Commenting on edge computing and serverless infrastructure supported by the WebAssembly framework, Ram added, "Our next major release RESUL 5.5 slated for release in Q4 of 2023 as well as our work on a generative AI core will further equip brands to chart audience journeys leveraging the flexibility offered by technology rather than being bound by its limitations. This commitment to a connected experience framework is set to usher in, for brands, an era of audience engagement that is instant, creative, and attributable like never before."
About Resulticks
Resulticks is a global leader in real-time audience engagement solutions that deliver top-line growth for brands through connected experiences. Outcomes-focused and enabled by its proprietary cookie-independent identity resolution technology, Resulticks equips brands to make a transformational leap to true 360o customer engagement. With its AI-powered, audience-centric approach it is changing how brands worldwide reach, acquire, and retain satisfied customers. Resulticks Solution Inc. is headquartered in New York City.
Media Contact:
Name: Sneha Subramanian
Email: ssneha@resulticks.com
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2165938/Connected_Experiences_PR_Banner.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2165967/RESULTICKS_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE Resulticks | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/resulticks-carves-out-new-niche-audience-engagement-connected-experiences-powered-by-resul/ | 2023-07-31T17:50:29 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/resulticks-carves-out-new-niche-audience-engagement-connected-experiences-powered-by-resul/ |
New Contract Protecting Nearly 8,000 Workers Overwhelmingly Approved
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters have overwhelmingly ratified a new national contract at TForce Freight by 81 percent. The five-year master agreement provides members with significant improvements to wages and benefits, and safeguards against subcontracting and technology.
"Teamsters at TForce have set a powerful example for how to take on the employer and win a strong agreement. Over the next five years, TForce workers will continue to establish better standards for freight under this contract, including the most lucrative economic package in the industry and vital protections for technology, pension, health care, and safety," said Sean M. O'Brien, Teamsters General President and Chair of the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC).
The agreement will go into effect August 1, 2023, and expire July 31, 2028. Contract highlights include:
- Wage Increases: The highest wage increases in the history of the national contract. Full-time local cartage and clerks will receive increases of $4.50 per hour over the life of the agreement. Road drivers will receive industry-leading increases to their current mileage rate over the length of the deal, starting at $0.7557 in August 2023 and increasing to $0.8257 by January 2028. The agreement eliminates split wage increases and two-tier wages.
- Health, Welfare, and Pension Contributions: TForce is required to increase its contributions to health, welfare, and pension plans. These contributions will provide vital support for members' health care and retirement needs.
- Technology Safeguards: The agreement includes provisions to safeguard members' rights and well-being from invasive technology. It prevents discipline from cameras and prohibits the use of robots, driverless vehicles, drones, or other technology to move freight or replace drivers, clerks, or dockworkers.
- Additional Holiday: Martin Luther King Day has been added as a paid holiday.
- Safety: All newly purchased equipment and vehicles must have air conditioning.
- Discretionary Days and Vacation: Starting January 1, 2024, two additional discretionary days will be added to the contractual floor, increasing the minimum number of paid days from four to six. There will be no blackout dates.
- Work Rule Protections: Shuttle and drayage work will not count towards the guarantee covered under the agreement. Road drivers will only perform road work and cannot work the docks except for the current mini-hub operations. TForce must have approval from the Teamsters for any other expansion of mini-hub operations.
- Protections Against Subcontracting: Road drivers would be protected against subcontracting. Penalties have been put in place to ensure rail and subcontracting come back into the bargaining unit.
"Our members at TForce have spoken loud and clear, and they overwhelmingly agree this new contract will deliver massive economic gains and non-economic improvements," said John A. Murphy, Teamsters National Freight Director and TNFINC Co-Chair. "The entire union thanks our lead negotiators Kris Taylor and Ed Thompson and the full negotiating team for their efforts to bargain an industry-defining agreement. Most of all, we thank the tireless and dedicated rank-and-filers who served on the negotiating committee to improve the lives of their fellow Teamsters at TForce."
Teamsters voted in-person last week and ballots were counted on Sunday. The agreement covers approximately 7,800 Teamsters at 126 local unions throughout the U.S.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971
dmoskowitz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-tforce-freight-ratify-national-agreement/ | 2023-07-31T17:50:35 | 1 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-tforce-freight-ratify-national-agreement/ |
'Pee-wee Herman' star Paul Reubens loses battle to cancer at 70
LOS ANGELES - Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years," Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you."
The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and the TV series "Pee-wee's Playhouse."
Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live "Pee-wee Herman Show" debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show. HBO would air the show as a special.
Actor Paul Rubens poses for a portrait in July 1995 in Los Angeles, California. (Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images)
Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985’s "Pee-wee’s Big Adventure." The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, "The Bicycle Thief." The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of "Saturday Night Live," sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.
A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received "Big Top Pee-wee," in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday," for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.
His television series, "Pee-wee’s Playhouse," ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.
Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, "I know you are, but what am I?" and "Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?" The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.
FILE - Paul Reubens attends the AOL Build Speaker Series to discuss "Pee-wee's Big Holiday" at AOL Studios In New York on March 25, 2016, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
"It’s for kids," Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. "People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.
"The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning," Reubens told the AP. "That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know."
However, off-camera Reubens had a bout with legal troubles.
In 2015, Reubens was sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor obscenity charge involving photographs seized from his erotica collection. He agreed to register as a sex offender for the duration of his probation.
The charge resulted from a search of Reubens' home in November 2001. Police seized about 30,000 images from his photography collection and personal computers.
In 1991, Reubens pleaded no contest to an indecent exposure charge after his arrest in Sarasota, Fla., for allegedly exposing himself in a movie theater.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-loses-battle-to-cancer-at-70 | 2023-07-31T17:50:59 | 1 | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-loses-battle-to-cancer-at-70 |
Despite lack of time together, USA expects more cohesive unit vs. Portugal
AUCKLAND, New Zealand - The United States women's national team players are fully aware they haven't played anywhere near their best yet at this World Cup.
Players have said it to each other, and Vlatko Andonovski has admitted it himself.
"That's a fair statement," the U.S. head coach said after a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands.
"Part of the reason," he continued, "is because this team has not had time together. The first time we've seen this team [play] together is Game 1. And now we've seen them in Game 2. So in Game 3, we expect to grow from there.
"The baseline is the second half of [the Netherlands match], and as we move forward, we're going to see a better and better U.S. team."
That's quite the promise, and one the USWNT hopes to fulfill in a pivotal group stage showdown against Portugal on Tuesday at Eden Park (coverage begins at 1 a.m. ET with kickoff at 3 a.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
The 23 players Andonovski selected for this roster were not the original group he imagined he'd bring when he was first hired in 2019. As he embarked on a four-year cycle that would culminate this summer, he assumed he'd have veteran weapons such as Catarina Macario, Sam Mewis, Becky Sauerbrunn and Mallory Swanson. Maybe even Christen Press and Abby Dahlkemper, too. But injuries (some new, others recurring) kept many star players with major tournament experience out of contention.
Andonovski has had to adapt and tinker with lineups to try to build a cohesive winning group. The challenge is that national teams aren't club teams. The players aren't training together regularly except for a few weeks out of the year.
"You're in and out all the time," midfielder Andi Sullivan said. "So you're constantly adjusting."
That's OK sometimes. The squad that won it all four years ago in France didn't necessarily play more pre-tournament matches together, but they also didn't have quite as many national team newbies. There weren't significant injuries to playmakers in the lead up, either.
This time, though, there are 14 newer faces, some of whom only earned their first senior national team caps last year (Naomi Girma, Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson). Savannah DeMelo made her USWNT debut at the send-off game July 9 and has started the first two matches in the central midfield.
So, how can this team jell quickly when they are still getting used to playing with each other? Especially in a game with nervy implications. The U.S. currently sits atop Group E based on goal differential and advances to the knockout round with a win or draw. A loss would mean the dream of making history and winning three consecutive titles is over. The Americans have never not made it out of the group stage at a World Cup.
"We're very direct when something is not going the way that we want it to go," Sullivan said, explaining how the team gets in sync with each other. "You have to be direct and clear and honest and loud."
There's a history of having direct conversations on this team. It comes with the high standards and expectations set by previous generations.
Before the Netherlands match, Carli Lloyd shared a story on the FOX Sports pregame show about being forthright with Julie Ertz during the 2015 World Cup semifinal match against Germany.
Ertz, then 23 years old and playing in her first World Cup, committed a foul in the box that led to a German penalty kick.
"In that moment, Julie Ertz started crying and getting emotional," Lloyd said. "And I turned to her — I'm not going to use the language that I used on the pitch — but I told her to snap out of it. It was blunt, it was direct, but in that moment you can't dwell on what's happened, and it's important to move on."
German forward Celia Sasic missed that spot kick, and the U.S. ultimately won 2-0 to clinch a spot in the final.
Sullivan said there were pointed conversations in the locker room during halftime against the Dutch because the Americans knew they could play better. It started as player-to-player discussions, including substitutes telling starters at their respective positions what they were seeing from their vantage point on the bench. Then it evolved to coaches giving their perspective.
Younger players, Sullivan said, have gotten used to this kind of feedback and handle these moments with "grace and confidence."
"It was very direct, knowing that we could do better and sorting out what the issues were," Sullivan said. "This is what we didn't do, this is what went well, this is what we need to do better, let's execute."
However, as clear and succinct as this team is willing to be with each other, that doesn't change the fact the USWNT hasn't looked the part of the ruthless, do-anything-to-win team yet.
It showed a glimpse after the break when Rose Lavelle came in and co-captain Lindsey Horan scored an equalizer following a skirmish with Dutch midfielder and Lyon teammate Danielle van de Donk in the 62nd minute. Only then did the USWNT look more dangerous.
But as Andonovski said, that second-half performance is the baseline now.
And with a World Cup elimination game looming, now is the time for the U.S. to get on the same page, no matter how many minutes they've played together.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman. | https://www.fox5ny.com/sports/usa-expects-cohesive-unit-vs-portugal | 2023-07-31T17:51:05 | 0 | https://www.fox5ny.com/sports/usa-expects-cohesive-unit-vs-portugal |