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$1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot is among a surge in huge payouts due to more than just luck
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 37%. 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.
___
The top federal tax bracket has been corrected to 37%.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/105-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-is-among-surge-huge-payouts-due-more-than-just-luck/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:32 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/105-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-is-among-surge-huge-payouts-due-more-than-just-luck/ |
LAKE COUNTY, Ind. — The Indiana State Police have issued a Silver Alert for a missing 18-year-old in Griffith.
According to a news release from Indiana State Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department is looking for 18-year-old Alexander Hightower, who was reported missing early Monday morning. Hightower is described as being 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing around 160 pounds.
Hightower is also described as having black hair with brown eyes and was last seen wearing purple scrubs, a black leather jacket and gray and white gym shoes.
“He is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance,” the release said.
If individuals have any information on Hightower’s location, contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Department at (219) 660-0032 or call 911. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-state-police-issues-silver-alert-for-missing-18-year-old-who-is-believed-to-be-in-extreme-danger/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:33 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-state-police-issues-silver-alert-for-missing-18-year-old-who-is-believed-to-be-in-extreme-danger/ |
(WKBN) — August begins with a full moon – and what’s more, it’s a supermoon.
The next full moon will occur at 2:32 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 1. The moon will be below the horizon at that time, so you will have to wait until later in the day to catch the full moon.
Tuesday’s moon is the second of this year’s four “supermoons,” which appear bigger and brighter in the sky due to the distance of the moon from the Earth.
It is also the second of three full moons that will occur during the summer season.
What is the August full moon called?
According to NASA, the August full moon is called the “sturgeon moon,” a name that was published in the 1930s in the Maine Farmer’s Almanac.
According to the publication, the Native American tribe Algonquin gave the August full moon that name because it was easier for them to catch the prehistoric-looking sturgeon fish in larger bodies of water during this time of year.
NASA says another name for the August full moon is the “green corn” moon.
When can you see the Sturgeon supermoon?
The sturgeon moon will be nearly full when it rises Monday evening, July 31, but it will reach full illumination Tuesday afternoon, hitting its peak at 2:32 p.m. ET. However, it will be below the horizon at the time that 100% illumination is achieved.
You can catch a glimpse of the moon rising on Tuesday evening by looking toward the southeast after sunset.
The moon phase Monday evening through Tuesday morning is called the Waxing Gibbous, when the illuminated part of the moon goes from 50.1% to 99.9%.
The moon will still appear nearly full when rising Wednesday, Aug. 2.
What is a supermoon?
NASA defines a supermoon as any full moon occurring around the same time as the moon’s perigee, or closest point of orbit with the Earth. In contrast, an apogee is the point where the moon is farthest from the Earth.
The moon takes about 27 days to orbit the Earth, with its perigee occurring during each 27-day cycle.
NASA says there are roughly three to four supermoons each year, and they usually occur back to back. When the full moon occurs during its perigee, it will appear about 17% bigger and about 30% brighter than when it is at its apogee. To be considered a supermoon, the full moon has to occur when the moon is within at least 90% of its perigee.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the moon’s perigree can vary slightly from “month to month and year to year,” meaning the distance from Earth may not be the same each time.
Incidentally, the Farmer’s Almanac stated, this year’s new moon (the opposite of a full moon) on Jan. 21 was at its closest distance to Earth “in nearly 1,000 years (992 to be exact).”
A blue supermoon, one of 2023’s rare celestial occurrences, is coming later this month on Aug. 30. A blue moon occurs when there are two full moons in one month.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It is not expected to happen again until 2037.
This year’s first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.krqe.com/news/space-news/second-supermoon-of-the-year-coming-on-tuesday/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:33 | 0 | https://www.krqe.com/news/space-news/second-supermoon-of-the-year-coming-on-tuesday/ |
Man drowns after being thrown from boat on lake during storm, officials say
ANDERSON, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A man in South Carolina died after he was thrown off a boat while on a lake during a storm Saturday night.
WHNS reports the man, later identified as 69-year-old Darrell Hewett, was on his boat on Lake Hartwell trying to return to the dock when he was caught in the storm. Rough waters were stirred up because of the storm, causing Hewett to be thrown from his boat as he stood up, according to authorities.
First responders were called to Providence Point at around 8 p.m. in response to the drowning.
Officials said they learned that bystanders were also trying to get to the dock because of the storm and pulled Hewett from the water.
According to authorities, Hewett was not wearing a life jacket. His death was ruled as an accidental drowning.
Copyright 2023 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/man-drowns-after-being-thrown-boat-lake-during-storm-officials-say/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:38 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/07/31/man-drowns-after-being-thrown-boat-lake-during-storm-officials-say/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — A ramp connecting I-74 eastbound and I-465 northbound will be closed for three days, per a release from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).
Beginning Friday at 7 p.m., the ramp will be shut down so INDOT contractor, Milestone Contractors LP, can complete a thin deck overlay. Weather permitting, the ramp is expected to reopen at 6 a.m. on Aug. 7.
While construction is in progress, INDOT urges drivers to consider worker safety by slowing down, using caution and avoiding distractions when traveling in or near work zones. Motorists can monitor road closures and conditions here. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/ramp-connecting-i-74-eastbound-and-i-465-northbound-to-close-for-3-days/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:39 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/ramp-connecting-i-74-eastbound-and-i-465-northbound-to-close-for-3-days/ |
Carlos De Oliveira makes initial appearance in Mar-a-Lago documents case
Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos De Oliveira, who faces criminal charges in the case regarding former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, made his first appearance in federal court in Florida Monday.
De Oliveira, the property manager and former valet at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf club, did not enter a plea because he has not yet retained counsel licensed in Florida, and he was released on a $100,000 signature bond, which requires no money be given to the court up front. De Oliveira was read the charges against him — conspiracy to obstruct justice; altering, destroying, mutilating or concealing an object; corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, or concealing a document, record or other object; and false statements and representations.
He was required by the court to turn in his passport in the next 48 hours and cannot leave Florida without prior authorization. He must also follow the same no-contact order issued to Trump and Walt Nauta, the personal aide to Trump who has been charged as a co-conspirator in the case.
Last week, prosecutors in special counsel Jack Smith’s office filed a superseding indictment in the case against Trump and Nauta, adding De Oliveira as a co-defendant. The indictment claims De Oliveira helped move boxes for Trump and asked another employee to delete Mar-a-Lago security camera footage so it couldn’t be turned over to a federal grand jury that had issued a subpoena demanding the records.
The superseding indictment also added new counts against Trump, including: altering, destroying, mutilating, or concealing an object; and corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating or concealing a document, record or other object; and an additional count of willful retention of national defense information.
Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to charges in the case. The judge in the case, Aileen Cannon, has set a May 2024 date for the trial.
Last week, De Oliveira’s attorney declined to comment on the charges. When the superseding indictment was filed last week, Steve Cheung, spokesman for the Trump campaign, claimed the new counts are part of an effort to damage Trump as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination and “nothing more than a continued desperate and flailing attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their Department of Justice to harass President Trump and those around him.”
De Oliveira’s arraignment is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. on Aug. 10, in Fort Pierce, Fla. | https://www.wsgw.com/carlos-de-oliveira-makes-initial-appearance-in-mar-a-lago-documents-case/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:41 | 1 | https://www.wsgw.com/carlos-de-oliveira-makes-initial-appearance-in-mar-a-lago-documents-case/ |
BLUE RIVER, Ind. — For the first time in 30 to 40 years, a young, endangered salamander has been found in an Indiana river igniting hope among conservationists that a century-long decline may be rerouting onto a path of recovery.
The young hellbender salamander — a gilled larva —was documented recently by biologists who were conducting routine surveys in south-central Indiana on the Blue River.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Purdue University biologists labeled the discovery “significant” since hellbender salamanders have been in a documented decline in Indiana since the early-to-mid 1900s.
The DNR and Purdue biologists expressed hope that this rare sighting of a young salamander in the wild means the species is recovering thanks to decades of conservation efforts. The hellbender salamander has been in decline for a century due to habitat loss and poor water quality, DNR said.
Hellbender salamanders take seven to eight years to reach maturity and are said to play an important role in aquatic ecosystems. Hellbenders are “indicators of clean water,” DNR said.
“Finding hellbender larvae is a huge benchmark of the program’s success,” said DNR’s Nate Engbrecht, the state herpetologist. “It tells us that there has been successful breeding, hatching, and recruitment in the wild. It’s a wonderful sign that captive-reared and released hellbenders are doing what we want them to do at this site.”
DNR asks any anglers who accidentally hook a hellbender to cut the line and let the salamander go unharmed.
The Indiana Hellbender Partnership has developed over the last 15 years and is a collaboration between DNR and Purdue University with funding support from the Indiana DNR Nongame Wildlife Fund and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service along with partners in local governments, universities, non-governmental organizations and zoos. | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/young-endangered-salamander-spotted-in-indiana-river-first-time-in-decades/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:45 | 0 | https://fox59.com/indiana-news/young-endangered-salamander-spotted-in-indiana-river-first-time-in-decades/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Indy Now, July 31st
- Indy VegFest with 10th Street Diner
- Around the Table with Jolene Ketzenberger
- Tips when planning your family photo shoot with TheCityMoms
- Comedian Dave Dugan
- Lyrical Lightning
Posted:
Updated:
INDIANAPOLIS — Indy Now, July 31st | https://fox59.com/indy-now/indy-now-july-31st/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:51 | 1 | https://fox59.com/indy-now/indy-now-july-31st/ |
ELWOOD, Ind. — The Elwood community will honor slain police officer Noah Shahnavaz one year after he died in the line of duty.
The ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. in front of the Elwood Police Department located at 1505 S B Street. A one-mile stretch of Indiana 37 south of the intersection with Indiana 13 will be named in his honor.
The city is asking everyone in attendance to wear a blue or Noah shirt.
On July 31, 2022, the 24-year-old Elwood officer conducted a traffic stop around 2:30 a.m. near State Road 37 and County Road 1100N in Madison County. The suspect, later identified as 42-year-old Carl Roy Webb Boards II, exited the vehicle and fired multiple rounds, striking Shahnavaz at least once.
Responding officers conducted life-saving measures until EMS could arrive. Shahnavaz was flown to an Indianapolis hospital, where he died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Boards was charged with murder, possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, and resisting law enforcement. He is scheduled for trial in Madison Circuit Court Division 3 in January 2025.
Shahnavaz served in the Elwood Police Department for 11 months. In addition, Shahnavaz was a U.S. Army veteran. | https://fox59.com/news/elwood-officer-to-be-remembered-one-year-after-death/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:57 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/elwood-officer-to-be-remembered-one-year-after-death/ |
MONTOURSVILLE, Pa. — A Turkey Hill store in Lycoming County sold a $1.7 million winning lottery ticket.
A winning Cash 5 with Quick Cash ticket for the Sunday, July 30 drawing matched all five balls drawn—8,27,32,33,37—to win $1,713,561.
The Turkey Hill store on Route 87 in Montoursville gets a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Watch live Pennsylvania Lottery drawings every day on WNEP-TV.
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Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lycoming-county/cash-5-lottery-ticket-worth-more-than-17-million-sold-in-lycoming-county-turkey-hill-route-87-montoursville/523-f90f1f51-235e-4ed0-b105-f43866b1e564 | 2023-07-31T18:21:58 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lycoming-county/cash-5-lottery-ticket-worth-more-than-17-million-sold-in-lycoming-county-turkey-hill-route-87-montoursville/523-f90f1f51-235e-4ed0-b105-f43866b1e564 |
Nicki Minaj is the victim of yet another swatting incident.
According to reports by TMZ, the “Barbie World” rapper is the latest in a long line of Los Angeles swatting incidents involving celebrities.
Police spoke to Nicki after arriving and reports state that she was not pleased to see the Sheriff’s deputies at her home again.
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TMZ reports that the L.A. County Sheriff Deputies rolled with lights and sirens to Nicki’s house in the San Fernando Valley Saturday afternoon after a person called 911 claiming someone was shot at the house.
This is not the first time cops have gone to Nicki’s home after a swatting call. Last month that cops were called after a false 911 child abuse claim.
At this time, it is unclear why someone keeps targeting Nicki, however, police are investigating.
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The post Nicki Minaj Victim Of Another Squatting Incident appeared first on 92 Q.
Nicki Minaj Victim Of Another Squatting Incident was originally published on 92q.com | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590622/nicki-minaj-victim-of-another-squatting-incident/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:58 | 0 | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590622/nicki-minaj-victim-of-another-squatting-incident/ |
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.kvpr.org/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town | 2023-07-31T18:21:58 | 1 | https://www.kvpr.org/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town |
$1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot is among a surge in huge payouts due to more than just luck
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 37%. 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.
___
The top federal tax bracket has been corrected to 37%.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/31/105-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-is-among-surge-huge-payouts-due-more-than-just-luck/ | 2023-07-31T18:21:58 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/31/105-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-is-among-surge-huge-payouts-due-more-than-just-luck/ |
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco prosecutor’s office began laying out its case Monday against a tech consultant charged with murder in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, who was found bleeding on a deserted city street in April.
Prosecutors have provided no motive and released little information in a case that has drawn outsized media attention, partly due to Lee's status in the tech world. Lee created Cash App, a mobile payment service, and was the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency MobileCoin.
Nima Momeni, 38, has been in jail since his arrest April 13. He has pleaded not guilty, and he faces 26 years to life if convicted.
That came more than a week after Lee, 43, was found bleeding in a deserted part of downtown San Francisco early April 4. Lee was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
In making a motion to keep Momeni detained in jail without bail, prosecutors argued that he planned the attack, drove Lee to a secluded spot and stabbed him three times after a dispute related to Momeni’s younger sister.
Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai said at a May hearing that Momeni used a knife that was part of a unique kitchen set belonging to his sister. Analysis showed Momeni’s DNA on the weapon’s handle and Lee’s DNA on the bloody blade, Talai said.
Police recovered a knife with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade at the scene.
Momeni has hired two new lawyers, Saam Zangeneh and Bradford Cohen, both based in Florida. His first attorney, Paula Canny, withdrew in late May, citing a conflict of interest that she declined to disclose.
In arguing for bail, Canny said that Momeni was not a flight risk and would not leave the two people he loves most, his sister and mother. She said Momeni needs to fight the charges or face deportation to Iran, a country that his mother fled when the children were younger to escape a violent husband.
An unnamed friend of Lee told homicide investigators they had been hanging out and drinking with Momeni’s sister the day before the stabbing, prosecutors said in their motion to deny bail.
The friend said Momeni later questioned Lee about whether his sister was doing drugs or otherwise engaging in inappropriate behavior and Lee said she had not.
Surveillance video showed Lee later entering the posh Millennium Tower downtown, where Momeni’s sister Khazar lives with her husband, prominent San Francisco plastic surgeon Dino Elyassnia. Video footage then showed Lee and Momeni leaving the building together shortly after 2 a.m. and driving off in Momeni’s car.
Lee was found shortly after 2:30 a.m. in the Rincon Hill neighborhood, which has tech offices and condominiums but little activity in the early morning hours. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/cash-app-bob-lee-stabbed-san-francisco/f7584666-2fc5-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:21:58 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/cash-app-bob-lee-stabbed-san-francisco/f7584666-2fc5-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – On Monday, Ambers E. Hanson will add another chapter to his extraordinary journey as he celebrates his 100th birthday.
As part of the valiant crew on the B-17 planes during World War II, Hanson stands among the dwindling group of heroic soldiers who served America with unwavering courage. Ambers shares an incredible love and bond with his devoted wife, Jean Lowery Hanson, celebrating 71 years of marital bliss.
Born in 1923, Hanson’s life began on a small farm in Cleburne County. In 1942, at the age of 19, Hanson embarked on a journey of service and bravery by volunteering with the Air Force during World War II. While training his crew’s plane crashed into the side of a mountain. Hanson was not on the flight as he has been filling out some paperwork. All but one of the crew perished and he was reassigned to another crew. Their plane also crashed during training. This time, Hanson was on board and survived the crash. He served as a radio operator on both B-17 and B-24 aircraft, participating in 25 bombing missions over France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia.
Following the war, Hanson faced a pivotal moment in his life, unsure of the path he wanted to pursue. He took up odd jobs in Anniston for a brief period, but his yearning for something more led him back to education. Remarkably, Hanson returned to high school as an adult, sitting among much younger classmates. Hanson’s determination and dedication caught the attention of his high school principal, who encouraged him to pursue a college education.
Hanson’s desire to attend Auburn University was met with some obstacles initially, but he persisted and enrolled at West Georgia College, now part of the University of Georgia, for a year and a half. Eventually, he found his way back to Auburn, where he studied agricultural economics as a sophomore.
It was during this time Hanson moved into the historic boarding house at 210 West Glenn in Auburn, an experience he cherishes to this day.
Hanson’s journey at Auburn faced another interruption when he was called to serve once again, this time during the Korean War in 1951. After a year of service, he returned to Auburn, resuming his studies and completing his degree in agricultural economics in the spring of 1952.
Following graduation, Hanson embarked on a long and fulfilling 35-year career with the Social Conservation Service, applying his knowledge and expertise in service to his community and the nation.
Now, as he celebrates his 100th birthday, Hanson’s life story stands as a testament to resilience, the pursuit of knowledge, and a commitment to serving others.
The Auburn community come together to honor this remarkable man, expressing heartfelt gratitude for his service and invaluable contributions throughout his lifetime.
To hear more of Hanson’s incredible life, watch this YouTube video where he describes what it was like flying 25 bombing missions and surviving a plane crash. | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/ambers-e-hanson-last-surviving-member-of-his-b-17-bombing-crew-from-wwii-celebrates-100th-birthday-in-alabama/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:01 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/ambers-e-hanson-last-surviving-member-of-his-b-17-bombing-crew-from-wwii-celebrates-100th-birthday-in-alabama/ |
DES MOINES, Iowa — Another day, another billion dollar lottery jackpot.
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 37%. 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.
___
The top federal tax bracket has been corrected to 37%. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/mega-millions-lottery-jackpot/21f63c14-2fc8-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:22:02 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/mega-millions-lottery-jackpot/21f63c14-2fc8-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
WASHINGTON — Federal officials said Monday they are investigating a recent close call between an Allegiant Air plane and a private jet in which pilots of both aircraft received collision-threat warnings and took evasive action.
The FAA said an air traffic controller in Miami told the crew of Allegiant flight 485 that had taken off from Fort Lauderdale to turn east at 23,000 feet, and it crossed in front of a Gulfstream business jet that was heading north.
Pilots of the Allegiant Airbus A320 took evasive action after getting an automated alert about another aircraft at the same altitude. The pilot of the Gulfstream jet got a similar warning and also took evasive action.
The Allegiant plane returned to the Fort Lauderdale airport, and a flight attendant was treated for injuries, the FAA said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday that it was gathering information about the incident before deciding whether to open an investigation.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating about a half-dozen incidents this year in which planes came closer together than they should. In many cases, one or both planes were still on the ground.
The closest occurred in February, when a FedEx cargo plane coming in to land passed over the top of a Southwest Airlines that had been cleared to take off from the same runway. The head of the NTSB said the planes came within about 100 feet of each other.
The number of close calls in rapid succession led the then-acting administrator of the FAA to convene a “safety summit” in March. The official, who has since left the FAA, defended the nation’s safety record, but he called for more data about the incidents and cautioned everyone in aviation to pay more attention to safety procedures.
The last fatal crash involving a U.S. airline was in 2009. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/planes-close-call-safety-faa/151c7d10-2fcc-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:22:02 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/planes-close-call-safety-faa/151c7d10-2fcc-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
INDIANAPOLIS — An Indy man was sentenced to one year in prison after he pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Court documents detail between April 2 and April 26 of 2021, 23-year-old Kelvin Henderson visited a federally licensed firearms dealer at its locations in Indianapolis, Carmel and Lebanon. Henderson purchased six Glock 9mm handguns and one Ruger AR-556.
Multiple purchases of identical firearms in a short period of time are indicative of gun trafficking. During the buys, Henderson falsely stated that he was the actual buyer of the guns. Investigators say Henderson illegally purchased the guns on behalf of others in a scheme known as “straw purchasing.”
Surveillance video from the gun dealer showed Henderson handing one of the firearms purchased to another person immediately after leaving the store. In an interview with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Henderson admitted to using the social media platform Instagram for the purchase on behalf of two individuals.
Authorities claimed the purchases arranged included one person who Henderson stated was a student at an Indianapolis high school and too young to purchase the guns legally.
“Gun traffickers who put deadly weapons in the hands of people with no business having them fuel the epidemic of gun violence in our communities,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Today’s gun traffickers are using Instagram and other social media platforms to illegally put guns in the hands of children and criminals. Together with our partners at ATF we will make our neighborhoods safer by targeting the sources of crime guns and holding illegal gun traffickers accountable.”
“Kelvin Henderson not only illegally purchased firearms, but he did so knowingly risking the lives of minors and the safety of our community. Straw purchasing is not a victimless crime and will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Daryl McCormick. “ATF and its law enforcement partners will identify and hold accountable those individuals who continue to contribute to the violence in our cities.”
In addition to Henderson’s one-year sentence to federal prison, the judge ordered that he be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for one additional year following his release. | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/man-sentenced-to-1-year-in-federal-prison-after-using-instagram-to-illegally-sell-guns-to-minor/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:03 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/man-sentenced-to-1-year-in-federal-prison-after-using-instagram-to-illegally-sell-guns-to-minor/ |
OKLAHOMA CITY — Native American tribes in Oklahoma will get to keep their existing agreements on how they share money from tobacco sales with the state.
As a result, any tribe with an existing agreement on tobacco sales can opt to extend the terms of that agreement until Dec. 31, 2024. Leaders from several of the state’s most powerful tribes were in the gallery for Monday’s vote.
The override is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between the Republican governor and several Oklahoma-based tribes. Stitt, himself a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, has said he wants to adjust the compact language to make sure tribes don’t expand where they sell tobacco as a result of a landmark 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision that determined the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s historical reservation still existed.
Since that decision, lower courts have determined the reservations of several other Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole, are still intact.
The current tobacco compacts, which allow the state and tribes to evenly split the tax revenue on the sale of tobacco on tribal land, generate tens of millions of dollars each year in revenue for both the state and tribes.
Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat said last week he wants to give the governor more time to renegotiate the terms of the deal and has been openly critical of Stitt’s disputes with the tribes. Treat, a Republican, also said he would consider changing state law to give the Legislature a greater role in compact negotiations if the governor doesn’t negotiate in good faith. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/tribal-compacts-oklahoma-tobacco-native-americans/a175a07c-2fca-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:22:03 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/31/tribal-compacts-oklahoma-tobacco-native-americans/a175a07c-2fca-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
The National Institutes of Health announced Monday that it is enrolling hundreds of patients in four studies testing the safety and effectiveness of potential long-covid treatments, and expects to launch seven more clinical trials in the coming months, a response that critics have said was long overdue.
The areas to be studied include measures to reduce viral persistence and another to alleviate brain fog, memory loss and other cognitive problems. Other treatments would address excessive sleepiness and sleep disturbances, and a fourth area involves therapies for problems involving the autonomic nervous system, which includes heart rate, breathing and the digestive system.
A fifth treatment area that is expected to focus on exercise intolerance and fatigue remains under development, and officials said they are waiting for more input from patients and scientific experts.
The first of the clinical trials, which will test a longer regimen of the antiviral medication Paxlovid on people with viral persistence, is underway.
Doctors have found in some cases that the virus persists in patients for as long as 280 days after infection.
Long covid is a diffuse constellation of more than 200 symptoms that are a ripple effect of the coronavirus, the worst public health crisis in a century. While most people who contract covid recover within days, others suffer from symptoms that can linger for weeks, months or longer, sometimes with debilitating effects.
There is no agreed-upon definition of long covid, and attempts by researchers to assess its prevalence have relied on different lists of symptoms and different time frames after patients came down with acute covid.
“The answer kind of depends on how you define the problem,” Walter Koroshetz, director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said during a news briefing Monday.
Koroshetz said some studies have suggested that 5 percent to 10 percent of people in the United States infected with the coronavirus go on to have long-covid symptoms, with the frequency higher in earlier versions of the virus than more recent variants.
An analysis of nearly 5 million U.S. patients who had covid, based on a collaboration between The Washington Post and an electronic health records company called EPIC, found that about 7 percent of those patients sought care for long-covid symptoms within six months of their initial infection. At the time, about 200 million people in the United States were known to have had covid, so that percentage translated into about 15 million with long-covid symptoms. The Post-Epic analysis also found that people with certain other health conditions were more likely to develop long-covid symptoms.
The RECOVER initiative grew out of Congress’s decision to allot more than $1 billion to NIH to understand the mysterious phenomenon of long covid and to try to find ways to treat it. The initiative began early in 2021. NIH acting director Lawrence A. Tabak said during Monday’s briefing that so far, it has involved 24,000 patients who have participated through medical exams or surveys and analyses of 60 million electronic health records.
Until now, the research sponsored by RECOVER, distributed to biomedical investigators at universities throughout the country, has been observational — meaning it has sought to describe long covid. In contrast, clinical trials test possible interventions, finding out whether treatments are safe and effective.
Patient advocates and some researchers have been impatient for NIH to begin the clinical trials, arguing they should have begun long before now.
“It’s been close to three years,” since RECOVER began, “and it really shouldn’t take that long,” said Ziyad Al-Aly, director of the Clinical Epidemiology Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and a major long-covid researcher.
“They don’t have the sense of urgency they needed to have,” said Al-Aly, whose own research uses Department of Veterans Affairs data and does not rely on NIH funding. “There is a lot of time lost. I want RECOVER to succeed, but I also want them to have a sense of urgency around it.”
In the meantime, he said that researchers at a few universities have found other sources of support to study potential treatments for long covid, including from Pfizer, a major pharmaceutical manufacturer. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/07/31/long-covid-treatment-studies-nih/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:03 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/07/31/long-covid-treatment-studies-nih/ |
Five teenagers have been arrested after an 18-year-old was attacked and robbed while walking in Akron over the weekend.
The victim told police he was approached by the individuals near W. Thornton and Main Streets on Saturday evening. He claims that at least one of them had a gun. He was beaten and robbed of his belongings before the teens – ranging from age 13 to 17 – fled on foot.
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FOX 8 initially reported the story.
Responding officers located the suspected teens at a home in the 700 block of Dunbar Drive. Police say they recovered a handgun possibly used in the robbery and arrested the teens without incident. The teens were charged with aggravated robbery and assault.
At this time no motive for the assault has been made public. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
To read the entire FOX 8 report, [click here].
READ MORE STORIES ON WZAKCLEVELAND.COM:
- Akron: 5 Teenagers Arrested For Brutal Armed Robbery
- 13 Year Old Girl Found Deceased in Akron Alley
- Drugs, Guns Found in Raid of Illegal Akron Gambling Hall | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590686/akron-5-teenagers-arrested-armed-robbery/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:04 | 1 | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590686/akron-5-teenagers-arrested-armed-robbery/ |
TAMAQUA, Pa. — Fitness enthusiasts of all ages are working out together in Schuylkill County in a space that wasn't always a fitness center.
When Sheila Davison-Bray and her sister first purchased the Perla building in downtown Tamaqua, little did she know they would take the rooms left behind from an old movie theatre and transform them into the Perla Power Fitness Center.
She decided to fill the extra storage space with gym equipment.
"There are gyms, but there weren't any gyms that attracted the different age groups that we were looking to do," said Davison-Bray, the CEO of CARES, a community nonprofit providing social services in the Tamaqua area.
"Growing up in Tamaqua, we didn't have any indoor facilities, so to come and see this space be utilized by the youth, it's very important," said Lance Williams, the marketing director of CARES.
The organization is also thinking of older residents who are trying to stay active.
"Many seniors have told me that they have gone backwards, that they have declined, their health has declined since they weren't working out regularly," Davison-Bray said.
The people who run the fitness center say their goal was to fill the vacant rooms in the Perla Building with a variety of ways to work out, from lifting weights to playing basketball.
"There's just a lot of options, and that's what we want for people, to give them options rather than a treadmill or a bicycle," said Brian Turner, Perla Power's manager.
They believe that a community that dances together or sweats together sticks together.
"We're a big family. They're amazing with how supportive they are. I'm always here for them, and I truly love teaching all of these people," said instructor Stefanie Gensure.
Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/perla-power-fitness-opens-in-tamaqua-gym-workout-community-center-cares/523-536eeb42-b739-4a1a-84e6-5c83e2d60fbc | 2023-07-31T18:22:04 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/perla-power-fitness-opens-in-tamaqua-gym-workout-community-center-cares/523-536eeb42-b739-4a1a-84e6-5c83e2d60fbc |
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.kvpr.org/2023-07-31/leanne-morgan-the-mrs-maisel-of-appalachia-jokes-about-motherhood-and-menopause | 2023-07-31T18:22:04 | 0 | https://www.kvpr.org/2023-07-31/leanne-morgan-the-mrs-maisel-of-appalachia-jokes-about-motherhood-and-menopause |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/aafco-membership-approves-new-model-pet-food-specialty-pet-food-regulations/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:05 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/aafco-membership-approves-new-model-pet-food-specialty-pet-food-regulations/ |
MUNCIE, Ind. — Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour, along with officials from the Muncie Police Department, provided an update Monday on an early Sunday morning shooting that shook the community to its core.
According to previous reports, the shooting, which caused the death of one man and left more than a dozen individuals injured, occurred around 1:14 a.m. Sunday in the area of S. Hackley St. and E. Willard St. One man, identified by the Delaware County coroner as 30-year-old Joseph Bonner who was an attendee of the party, died after the shooting and a number of others were reported as injured.
“On Sunday morning, our community was shaken to the core by violence. One man was fatally injured and 17 more sustained injuries from gunshots,” Ridenour said while overcome by emotion during Monday’s update. “The words cannot express our deep grief and sympathy for the families of those involved (and the community at large).”
Muncie Police Chief Nathan Sloan said that a party on Saturday night, going into Sunday morning, became out of control when shots were fired. Eight agencies responded to the incident Sunday, including a number of SWAT teams.
Muncie Police Department Deputy Chief Melissa Criswell said that 18 individuals had gun-related injuries and one other person was injured because of “vehicular contact” after Sunday’s incident. As of Monday, Criswell said four individuals were transferred to Indianapolis hospitals after the incident, one of whom has since been released. One of the individuals remains in critical condition.
Sloan said that the department does not believe it was one person targeting the gathering, which the department estimated at around 500 to 1,000 people. No one has been arrested in relation to the incident as of this story’s publication.
Sloan said the department is investigating if multiple people fired shots during the incident. Sloan also provided details on the overall crime scene, which had a large amount of evidence, including reported shell casings and alcohol. When asked to comment further on specifics, Sloan said he could not, because of the ongoing investigation.
“We are on top of the situation,” he said, “but we have to maintain the integrity of the investigation.”
Ridenour said that as the investigation continues, there will be “swift action” to bring relief to the victims, their families as well as the community at large, including available mental health resources. Ridenour also said that the city is working with faith leaders to help start a donation fund for the victims and that a prayer vigil will be hosted at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Berea Church in Muncie.
While he does not know what led to the violence on Sunday morning, Ridenour said action needs to be taken against uncoordinated mass gatherings after midnight.
“I’m shaken,” he said. “Our officers and first responders are shaken. Our citizens are shaken.”
The Muncie Police Department is asking for people who were at the party to come forward and help with the department’s investigation, specifically individuals who may have photos or videos of what happened. The department said there is no threat to the community and that the department is just attempting to gather information.
Anyone with information should call the investigation division at (765) 747-4867. | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/muncie-officials-provide-update-on-early-sunday-shooting/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:07 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/muncie-officials-provide-update-on-early-sunday-shooting/ |
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Kayla Crawford’s husband was taken into custody in Mobile County Monday morning, according to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
The George County Sheriff’s Department obtained a first-degree murder warrant for Jacob McIntosh on Friday. Crawford’s family said on Friday that Crawford is dead.
MCSO said a citizen spotted McIntosh at a Hardee’s and called MCSO. Deputies responded to the restaurant and arrested him “without incident.”
MCSO said they have notified the George County Sheriff’s Department. | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/kayla-crawfords-husband-arrested-mobile-co-sheriffs-office/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:08 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/alabama-news/kayla-crawfords-husband-arrested-mobile-co-sheriffs-office/ |
A 13-year-old teenage boy was shot in Cleveland on Sunday. Police confirmed that he died later that night as a result of the gunshot.
The shooting occurred in an apartment near East 98th Street.
FOX 8 initially reported the story.
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From FOX 8:
Police said an initial investigation revealed another child shot the victim, whose name has not yet been released. It is not clear if the two knew one another or what led to the shooting.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
To read the entire FOX 8 report, [click here].
READ MORE STORIES ON WZAKCLEVELAND.COM:
- Cleveland: 13-Year-Old Fatally Shot On East 98th Street Identified
- Cooling Centers Open In Greater Cleveland Amid Heat Wave
- Here Are The Most and Least Educated Cities In Ohio | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590689/cleveland-13-year-old-fatally-shot-on-east-98th-street-identified/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:10 | 1 | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590689/cleveland-13-year-old-fatally-shot-on-east-98th-street-identified/ |
FRACKVILLE, Pa. — A convenience store in Schuylkill County sold a Powerball ticket worth $150,000 for the Saturday, July 29 drawing.
The ticket matched four of the five white balls drawn—10, 25, 27, 34, 38—and the red Powerball 2 to win $150,000. Without the $1 Power Play option, the ticket would have been worth $50,000.
Central Highway Oil on Altamont Boulevard in Frackville gets a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Watch live Pennsylvania Lottery drawings every day on WNEP-TV.
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Check out WNEP’s YouTube channel. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/powerball-ticket-worth-150000-sold-in-schuylkill-county-central-highway-oil-frackville/523-2ca8747b-0adc-46c3-9b84-ac3388efe301 | 2023-07-31T18:22:10 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/powerball-ticket-worth-150000-sold-in-schuylkill-county-central-highway-oil-frackville/523-2ca8747b-0adc-46c3-9b84-ac3388efe301 |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/arbor-realty-trust-expands-presence-boston-opening-office-historically-significant-building/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:11 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/arbor-realty-trust-expands-presence-boston-opening-office-historically-significant-building/ |
Georgia judge rejects Trump bid to quash grand jury report, disqualify DA
▶ Watch Video: Looking at next steps in Georgia 2020 election probe
Washington — A Georgia judge has rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to quash a report by a special grand jury in Fulton County about his conduct after the 2020 election and to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from further involvement in the case. The ruling comes as Willis signals a decision on whether the former president will face charges could come soon.
In a nine-page ruling on Monday, Judge Robert McBurney of the Fulton County Superior Court said that Trump’s request to block the report was premature, since he has not been charged. Trump’s motion was joined by Cathleen Latham, one of the “alternate” electors in Georgia who claimed Trump won the state in 2020.
“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,” McBurney’s order said. “[W]hile 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.”
McBurney also said Willis has done nothing to warrant her recusal from the case.
“[T]he District Attorney’s Office has been doing a fairly routine — and legally unobjectionable — job of public relations in case that is anything but routine. None of what movants cite rises to the level of justifying disqualification,” he wrote, contrasting her public statements with “the stream of personal invective flowing from one of the movants.”
The special grand jury was convened in May 2022 to investigate alleged efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election in the state, which Joe Biden won. It issued a report earlier this year, with a unanimous finding that “no widespread fraud took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election that could result in overturning that election.” Portions of the report remain sealed.
Trump’s attorneys asked the court to quash the special grand jury’s findings in March, calling the report “confusing, flawed, and at times, blatantly unconstitutional.”
A new grand jury was convened in July to consider potential charges in the case. Willis, the district attorney, said over the weekend that a decision on charges would come soon.
“The work is accomplished,” Willis told Atlanta’s 11Alive news station. “We’ve been working for 2.5 years. We’re ready to go.”
Willis’ investigation began shortly after a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensberger. According to a recording of the call, Trump told Raffensperger, “I just want to find 11,780 votes” — the exact number of votes he would have needed to surpass Mr. Biden. It soon expanded into a sprawling probe of efforts to sway the election for Trump in the months after Mr. Biden’s win.
The former president has denied any wrongdoing, describing that January 2021 phone call as “perfect.” And in a February 2023 interview with CBS News, Trump’s attorneys defended the former president’s actions.
“We absolutely do not believe that our client did anything wrong, and if any indictments were to come down, those are faulty indictments. We will absolutely fight anything tooth and nail,” attorney Jennifer Little said at the time.
As with the other criminal investigations into him, the former president claims the Georgia probe is politically motivated. He already faces charges in a “hush money” case in New York state, as well as charges in special counsel Jack Smith’s case about Trump’s handling of classified documents. He has also acknowledged that he is a target of Smith’s parallel investigation into the aftermath of the November 2020 presidential election and alleged attempts to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power.
Graham Kates contributed reporting. | https://www.wsgw.com/georgia-judge-rejects-trump-bid-to-quash-grand-jury-report-disqualify-da/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:12 | 0 | https://www.wsgw.com/georgia-judge-rejects-trump-bid-to-quash-grand-jury-report-disqualify-da/ |
(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.”
Reubens’ 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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:13 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-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.”
Reubens’ 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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.cbs42.com/entertainment/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:14 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/entertainment/pee-wee-herman-star-paul-reubens-dies-at-age-70/ |
Last week we reported that now-former Circleville, Ohio, Police Department officer Ryan Speakman was fired after he released his K9 on Black truck driver Jadarrius Rose, who clearly had his hands in the air at the time. Well, it appears that the egregious act of blatant police brutality was not the reason Speakman got his pink slip. Instead, the ex-cop was terminated because he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut about it.
In fact, per usual, the police department decided after investigating itself that Speakman did nothing wrong.
From ABC News:
The documents, released by the Circleville city law director in response to a public records request from ABC News, indicate Speakman was an emotional wreck following the police dog mauling of 23-year-old Jadarrius Rose and was repeatedly crying at work. He was also upset a local newspaper published the initial report of his involvement in the July 4 arrest.
Circleville Police Chief Shawn Baer disclosed in a July 25 written report that at one point Speakman came to him “crying and very upset,” concerned that he was going to take away his K-9 partner, Serge — a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois Shepherd mix.
“He was begging I do not take his best friend from him,” Baer wrote, according to the report. “I told him that we had not taken K-9 Serge from him and that he was scheduled to go to training. I told him again, if you haven’t done anything wrong, we would not take (the) K-9 from him.”
Baer, according to the documents, said he also told Speakman, “The review board had convened, and everything appeared that the deployment was within policy and training guidelines.”
Baer said he received a report from the chairman for this use-of-force review board, acting Capt. Kenny Fisher of the Circleville Police Department, who wrote, “The board concluded that all personnel involved acted within departmental policy regarding the use of force and canine operations policy.”
Where to even start?
First of all, Speakman was “crying and very upset,” but not because he had committed a senseless act of violence against a frightened citizen who was trying to surrender—but because he didn’t want to lose custody of his comfort animal-slash-brutality device.
ABC noted that Speakman immediately tried to justify weaponizing the dog he loved so much.
“I gave you three warnings. Did I not? You didn’t comply, so you got the dog,” Speakman told the 23-year-old who had his hands in the air while another officer explicitly shouted at Speakman multiple times not to release the dog because, again, HE HAD HIS HANDS IN THE AIR!
“I think it’s a justifiable bite,” Speakman told another officer at the scene.
Apparently, the department didn’t disagree with him and decided it was perfectly OK to use that degree of force on a visibly unarmed citizen who visibly poses no threat to officers.
Mind you, audio 911 dispatch recordings indicate that Rose did initially pull over for the officers involved, but he pulled off because they approached him with their guns drawn, which is a strange way to approach someone they pulled over because his truck was missing a mudflap.
Anyway, back to the reason Speakman was actually fired.
More from ABC:
The newly released records, first reported by the Scioto Valley Guardian newspaper, show Speakman was terminated for “unauthorized and inappropriate intentional release of confidential or protected information,” disobeying orders from his superiors not to discuss the incident with anyone other than investigators and for lying to Baer as well as investigators about whom he spoke to in the days after the dog attack.
In his July 25 report, Baer wrote that he initially placed Speakman on paid administrative leave “pending a fit-for-duty review.”
In the document, Baer said he met with Speakman on July 19 — 15 days after the dog attack — and spoke to him “about reports I received that he was crying and talking to other employees about being stressed over the July 4, 2023, K-9 deployment.”
During a meeting, which was also attended by the police department’s deputy chief and human resources director, Baer ordered Speakman to stop talking to people about the incident, according to the records.
“I explained to him that his conduct was not beneficial to himself or the agency,” Baer wrote.
Baer said when he asked Speakman who he had spoken to about the K-9 deployment, the officer initially replied he had only spoken to a few employees of the Circleville Police Department (CPD) and no one outside the agency.
The chief wrote in his report that even after ordering Speakman to keep quiet about the incident, Speakman “continued to approach CPD employees upset and crying.”
So, what it sounds like is Speakman was fired because he wouldn’t stop talking about the thing the department would rather quietly declare justified and sweep under the rug. Speakman was terminated, not because he committed a violent and obviously unnecessary act against a surrendering citizen, but because he violated the unwritten “hush” protocol. He was chipping away too much at the blue wall of silence.
He was messing with the routine.
“Circleville police officer Ryan Speakman’s actions during the review of his canine apprehension of suspect Jadarrius Rose on July 4 show that officer Speakman did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers,” Baer said when announcing Speakman’s termination last week.
Imagine stating explicitly that it wasn’t the violent “cabin apprehension” that got Speakman the axe, but his “actions during the review” of the incident that did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers.”
It’s just more evidence that the problem in policing isn’t “a few bad apples”—the entire orchard is rotten to the core.
SEE ALSO:
Ohio Cop Fired After Releasing Dog On Black Man Who Had His Hands Up After Trooper Told Him Not To
‘Don’t Call Her Karen’: White Woman’s NYT Op-Ed Defends Sarah Jane ‘Citi Bike’ Comrie
The post Officer Who Released K9 On Jadarrius Rose Was Fired For Talking About It, Not Doing It, Documents Reveal appeared first on NewsOne.
Officer Who Released K9 On Jadarrius Rose Was Fired For Talking About It, Not Doing It, Documents Reveal was originally published on newsone.com | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590758/officer-who-released-k9-on-jadarrius-rose-was-fired-for-talking-about-it-not-doing-it-documents-reveal/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:16 | 1 | https://wzakcleveland.com/4590758/officer-who-released-k9-on-jadarrius-rose-was-fired-for-talking-about-it-not-doing-it-documents-reveal/ |
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.
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.”
The actor's death was met with an immediate response from fans and fellow entertainers on social media.
"Paul Reubens was like no one else - a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time," wrote television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel. "He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him."
"Love you so much, Paul," wrote actress Natasha Lyonne. "One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is." | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/nation-world/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-has-died/507-5aabe911-4a9a-428f-a97c-ff3099d3c5fc | 2023-07-31T18:22:16 | 1 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/nation-world/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-has-died/507-5aabe911-4a9a-428f-a97c-ff3099d3c5fc |
Former LSU swimmer to compete on new season of Big Brother
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A former swimmer at Louisiana State University will make his big appearance as one of the house guests on the 25th season of Big Brother.
Matthew Klotz (Matt) will be on the new season premiering Wednesday, Aug 2 on CBS Television Network. Klotz is one of 16 contestants on the reality competition show.
Klotz, a Deaflympics gold medalist is 27 and from Cameron Park, California. He currently lives in Baton Rouge where he attended LSU.
Klotz attended LSU as a student athlete from 2016-2020 who closed out his LSU career with the third fastest time in school history in the 50 Free and the 200 Back, as well as the fourth fastest time in the 100 Back. Klotz was also part of the 200 Free Relay team that broke the school record at the SEC Championships, according to LSU Athletics.
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Copyright 2023 WAFB. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/former-lsu-swimmer-compete-new-season-big-brother/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:18 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/former-lsu-swimmer-compete-new-season-big-brother/ |
This year, Halloween Horror Nights promises to immerse guests in the terrifying worlds of Hollywood's biggest horror films and original shows, complete with 10 haunted houses and five scare zones.
New featured haunted houses include The Exorcist: Believer, Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count and Universal Monsters: Unmasked. New houses themed after The Last of Us and the newest season of Stranger Things will also be featured.
For those seeking even more scares, the event will also see haunted houses Dr. Oddfellow: Twisted Origins, Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate, YETI: Campground Kills, The Darkest Deal and Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings.
Universal will conjure up five new scare zones: Dr. Oddfellow’s Collection of Horror, Dark Zodiac, Jungle of Doom: Expedition Horror, Vamp ’69: Summer of Blood and Shipyard 32: Horrors Unhinged, ensuring no guest is safe from terror.
Universal invites guests to pair all that fear-fueled adrenaline with some on-theme drinks from the all-new Peacock's Halloween Horror Bar and Dead Coconut Club.
Halloween Horror Nights runs Sept. 1 through Nov. 4 at Universal Orlando Resort. Tickets start at $79.99 and are available now. To sweeten the deal, Universal is offering an exclusive offer of six free months of Peacock streaming service with the purchase of a Halloween Horror Nights ticket.
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Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/arts/halloween-horror-nights-complete-haunted-house-lineup-revealed-for-2023-event-34749091 | 2023-07-31T18:22:18 | 0 | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/arts/halloween-horror-nights-complete-haunted-house-lineup-revealed-for-2023-event-34749091 |
LOS ANGELES — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died. He was 70.
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 television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
The Pee-wee character would become a cultural constant for much of the 1980s, though an indecent exposure arrest in 1991 would send him into entertainment exile for years.
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.
The show closely resembled the format the Saturday morning TV “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” would follow years later, with Herman living in a wild and wacky home with a series of stock-character visitors, including one, Captain Karl, played by the late “Saturday Night Live” star Phil Hartman. In the plot, Pee-wee secretly wishes to fly.
HBO would air the show as a special.
“Pee Wee got his wish to fly,” Steve Martin tweeted after his death. “Thanks Paul Reubens for the brilliant off the wall comedy.”
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 like 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.”
Jimmy Kimmel posted on Instagram that “Paul Reubens was like no one else — a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time. He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met.”
Reubens’ career was derailed when he was arrested for indecent exposure in an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Florida, where he grew up. He was handed a small fine but the damage to the character was incalculable.
He became the frequent butt of late-night talk show jokes and the perception of Reubens immediately changed.
“The moment that I realized my name was going to be said in the same sentence as children and sex, that’s really intense,” Reubens told NBC in 2004. “That’s something I knew from that very moment, whatever happens past that point, something’s out there in the air that is really bad.”
Reubens said he got plenty of offers to work, but told the AP that most of them wanted to take “advantage of the luridness of my situation”,” and he didn’t want to do them.
“It just changed,” he said. “Everything changed.”
In 2001, Reubens was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography after police seized images from his computer and photography collection, but the allegation was reduced to an obscenity charge and he was given three years probation.
Born Paul Rubenfield in Peekskill, New York, Reubens, the eldest of three children, grew up primarily in Sarasota before going to Boston University and the California Institute of the Arts.
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Associated Press Writer Alicia Rancilio and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/2023/07/31/pee-wee-herman-paul-reubens-dead/bb8b4960-2fc7-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:22:18 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/2023/07/31/pee-wee-herman-paul-reubens-dead/bb8b4960-2fc7-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/blue-ridge-bankshares-inc-announces-second-quarter-2023-results/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:18 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/blue-ridge-bankshares-inc-announces-second-quarter-2023-results/ |
(WKBN) — August begins with a full moon – and what’s more, it’s a supermoon.
The next full moon will occur at 2:32 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 1. The moon will be below the horizon at that time, so you will have to wait until later in the day to catch the full moon.
Tuesday’s moon is the second of this year’s four “supermoons,” which appear bigger and brighter in the sky due to the distance of the moon from the Earth.
It is also the second of three full moons that will occur during the summer season.
What is the August full moon called?
According to NASA, the August full moon is called the “sturgeon moon,” a name that was published in the 1930s in the Maine Farmer’s Almanac.
According to the publication, the Native American tribe Algonquin gave the August full moon that name because it was easier for them to catch the prehistoric-looking sturgeon fish in larger bodies of water during this time of year.
NASA says another name for the August full moon is the “green corn” moon.
When can you see the Sturgeon supermoon?
The sturgeon moon will be nearly full when it rises Monday evening, July 31, but it will reach full illumination Tuesday afternoon, hitting its peak at 2:32 p.m. ET. However, it will be below the horizon at the time that 100% illumination is achieved.
You can catch a glimpse of the moon rising on Tuesday evening by looking toward the southeast after sunset.
The moon phase Monday evening through Tuesday morning is called the Waxing Gibbous, when the illuminated part of the moon goes from 50.1% to 99.9%.
The moon will still appear nearly full when rising Wednesday, Aug. 2.
What is a supermoon?
NASA defines a supermoon as any full moon occurring around the same time as the moon’s perigee, or closest point of orbit with the Earth. In contrast, an apogee is the point where the moon is farthest from the Earth.
The moon takes about 27 days to orbit the Earth, with its perigee occurring during each 27-day cycle.
NASA says there are roughly three to four supermoons each year, and they usually occur back to back. When the full moon occurs during its perigee, it will appear about 17% bigger and about 30% brighter than when it is at its apogee. To be considered a supermoon, the full moon has to occur when the moon is within at least 90% of its perigee.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the moon’s perigree can vary slightly from “month to month and year to year,” meaning the distance from Earth may not be the same each time.
Incidentally, the Farmer’s Almanac stated, this year’s new moon (the opposite of a full moon) on Jan. 21 was at its closest distance to Earth “in nearly 1,000 years (992 to be exact).”
A blue supermoon, one of 2023’s rare celestial occurrences, is coming later this month on Aug. 30. A blue moon occurs when there are two full moons in one month.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It is not expected to happen again until 2037.
This year’s first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/second-supermoon-of-the-year-coming-on-tuesday/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:19 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/second-supermoon-of-the-year-coming-on-tuesday/ |
Former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer said during closed door testimony that Hunter Biden included President Biden on a number of phone calls that presumably included business associates, according to one lawmaker’s account of the testimony, a revelation that is likely to fuel Republican attempts to link the president to his son’s business dealings.
But the Democratic lawmaker said that Archer’s testimony to the House Oversight Committee did not show that the president was involved in Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
“The witness indicated that Hunter spoke to his father every day, and approximately 20 times over the course of 10 year relationship, Hunter may have put his father on the phone with any number of different people, and they never once spoke about any business dealings,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) said.
“As he described it, it was all casual conversation, niceties, the weather, ‘What’s going on?’” Goldman said, adding that. “There wasn’t a single conversation about any of the business dealings that Hunter had.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who was also in the interview, told reporters that Archer had revealed new information, but declined to elaborate further.
The readout of the testimony appears to back up House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer’s (R-Ky.) statement to the New York Post last week that he expected Archer to discuss the times he “has witnessed Joe Biden meeting with Hunter Biden’s overseas business partners when he was vice president, including on speakerphone.”
Asked last week about allegations that the president had communicated directly with his son’s foreign business associates, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the president “was never in business with his son.”
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 consist of four hours of questioning divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, and is expected to end mid-afternoon. In addition to Jordan and Goldman, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) attended the Archer interview.
“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.
Updated at 2:02 p.m. | https://www.cbs42.com/hill-politics/hunter-biden-associate-devon-archer-gives-closed-door-interview/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:20 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/hill-politics/hunter-biden-associate-devon-archer-gives-closed-door-interview/ |
The U.S. Department of Energy is banning the sale of energy inefficient light bulbs beginning Aug. 1, 2023. Given that incandescent and halogen light bulbs are far less energy efficient than LED light bulbs, many people are treating this as a ban on incandescent and halogen bulbs.
Incandescent and halogen lights have a wire within the bulb that heats up and produces light, while LED bulbs do not.
But light bulbs aren’t just used in floor lamps and ceiling fans. People in various online communities have asked how the light bulb ban affects them — including a question about halogen headlights in a Ram trucks subreddit, multiple questions about heat lamps in communities for reptile pet owners and a question about how the law affects lava lamps.
THE QUESTION
Is the U.S. government banning all incandescent and halogen light bulbs?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, the U.S. government is not banning all incandescent and halogen light bulbs.
WHAT WE FOUND
The new rule bans the manufacture and sale of inefficient “general service lamps,” which largely refers to the standard kinds of light bulbs you’d use to illuminate your home. Most incandescent and halogen light bulbs fail to meet these new energy efficiency standards, and are therefore banned by the rule.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has carved out exceptions for many different kinds of light bulbs in its ban on the manufacturing and sale of energy inefficient light bulbs.
“It does not ban the sale or manufacture of ALL incandescent bulbs, just those common household incandescent (and other) bulbs that are not energy-efficient,” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says of the new ban. “Many bulbs, including specialty bulbs, three-way bulbs, chandelier bulbs, refrigerator bulbs, plant grow lights and others, are exempt from the law's requirements.”
The reason incandescent and halogen bulbs are less energy efficient than LED bulbs is because the incandescent and halogen bulbs create light by passing an electrical current through a tungsten filament, which also creates heat, General Electric says. The heat that’s released is usually wasted energy, although it can sometimes be useful for things like heat lamps.
The ban is a rule that has been in the making since 2007, when Congress passed and former President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The law required the Secretary of Energy to determine if there should be a rule with a “minimum standard of 45 lumens per watt for general service lamps.”
In Jan. 2017, the DOE adopted this rule, and planned to begin enforcing it in 2020. DOE withdrew this rule in Sept. 2019 and didn’t adopt it again until May 2022, regulations.gov says. Therefore, the enforcement date was moved to Aug. 1, 2023, a DOE document says.
According to the 2007 law, the rule only makes changes to the “Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles” within the U.S. code, meaning the ban does not apply to car lights, including headlights.
Additionally, the 2007 law required the rule to exempt a number of various bulbs from the ban. These include:
Appliance lamps (such as refrigerator lights)
Heat lamps, plant lights and bug lamps
Colored lights and black lights
Reflector lamps
Chandelier bulbs, Christmas lights and decorative bulbs of 40 watts or less
The EPA notes that the rule does not ban the use or purchase of incandescent or halogen lightbulbs, just the manufacture and sale of the bulbs. Therefore, individuals will not be penalized for continuing to use incandescent bulbs in their homes. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/verify/government-verify/incandescent-halogen-light-bulb-lamp-ban-phase-out/536-4cc9c8bb-bd10-4ca1-900e-e74df93f0ed8 | 2023-07-31T18:22:22 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/verify/government-verify/incandescent-halogen-light-bulb-lamp-ban-phase-out/536-4cc9c8bb-bd10-4ca1-900e-e74df93f0ed8 |
New Louisiana laws go into effect on August 1
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 11:48 AM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Over 100 bills were signed into law during the 2023 regular legislative session, some of which go into effect on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
- Senate Bill 7 (Act 436) limits what minors can check out at public libraries, primarily LGBTQ+ materials and other books deemed “sexually explicit.” Libraries have until January 2024 to adopt a policy and until June 2024 to implement it.
- Senate Bill 175 (Act 457) criminalizes the creation and possession of “deepfakes” of minors engaging in sexual conduct.
- House Bill 8 (Act 264) requires every public K-12 and college classroom to display “In God We Trust.” There are also regulations on how the posters must look.
- Senate Bill 124 (Act 256) increases the penalty for driving a vehicle without a license plate attached.
- House Bill 258 (Act 231) creates a state maritime academy within the University of Louisiana system.
- House Bill 121 (Act 219) requires public schools that include kindergarten through fifth grade to provide at least 15 minutes of recess per day.
- Senate Bill 135 (Act 207) recognizes the value of midwives and implements a Medicaid reimbursement rate for midwifery services.
- Senate Bill 229 (Act 212) expands the boundaries of the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority Economic Growth and Development District and amends the tax structure.
- House Bill 439 (Act 451) creates the Victims of Vehicular Homicide Fund to pay reparations to family members.
- House Bill 68 (Act 215) authorizes public schools to offer an elective course in the history of literature of the bible. The law states that the course must maintain religious neutrality and not use any particular translation of the Bible.
- House Bill 55 (Act 214) is also known as the “Mental Healing Justice for Incarcerated People Act” which allocates funding for access to better mental health services in state prisons and screenings for inmates with mental health disorders.
- House Bill 90 (Act 399) enacts harsher penalties, up to life in prison, for those convicted of selling fentanyl.
- Senate Bill 169 (Act 193) requires State Police to track rape kits from collection through storage through conviction. State Police are allowed to phase in this policy but it must be fully implemented by Summer 2024.
- House Bill 523 (Act 445) extends the amount of time minors can be held in adult lockup if a juvenile detention facility is not available to up to 48 hours. The minors must be separated from adult offenders.
- House Bill 5 (Act 439) allows mothers of children to recoup 50% of out-of-pocket pregnancy-related medical expenses from the biological father within a certain time period.
You can find all the bills signed by Gov. Edwards during the legislative session in two separate lists HERE and HERE.
Copyright 2023 KPLC. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/new-louisiana-laws-go-into-effect-august-1/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:24 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/new-louisiana-laws-go-into-effect-august-1/ |
More than six months after a Mega Millions jackpot crested the $1 billion mark, the potential haul has again reached 10 digits.
That’s not the largest of the juiced-up jackpots.
Powerball, the other big name in big-money lotteries, said the winning ticket for its November jackpot was worth $2.04 billion. This month, a winning ticket was sold in California for a $1 billion Powerball jackpot, one of three that have hit 10 digits.
Billion-dollar jackpots are coming more frequently because lotto companies have engineered lower odds for the games, experts say.
The Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs Powerball, changed the game’s format in October 2015, The Washington Post reported, worsening the odds from 1 in roughly 175 million to 1 in roughly 292 million.
Mega Millions tweaked the rules of its game in 2017, according to its website, upping the starting jackpot from $15 million to $40 million and increasing the ticket price from $1 to $2. It lengthened the odds of winning the top prize from 1 in 258,890,850 to 1 in 302,575,350, The Post reported.
At that time, the largest Mega Millions jackpot had been a $656 million prize — split three ways — in 2012. Since the 2017 change, four billion-dollar prizes have been claimed, Mega Millions says.
Mega Millions and Powerball are separate games with different odds and payout amounts. Mega Millions has no central office and is run by states that offer the game. Powerball is run by the nonprofit Multi-State Lottery Association, which represents member lotteries.
Those who win the big prizes put themselves in the nation’s highest income-tax bracket of between 35 percent and 37 percent. It’s possible, experts say, that if a $1 billion jackpot is split two ways, each person could net about $185 million after taxes.
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday at 11 p.m. Eastern.
Here are the largest claimed Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots, according to their websites:
- $2.04 billion Powerball: Nov. 7, 2022
- $1.586 billion Powerball: Jan. 13, 2016
- $1.537 billion Mega Millions: Oct. 23, 2018
- $1.348 billion, Mega Millions: Jan. 23, 2023
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions: July 29, 2022
- $1.08 billion, Powerball: July 19, 2023
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions: Jan. 22, 2021
- $768.4 million, Powerball: March 27, 2019
- $758.7 million, Powerball: Aug. 23, 2017
- $754.6 million, Powerball: Feb. 6, 2023 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/07/31/billion-mega-millions-jackpot-lottery/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:24 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/07/31/billion-mega-millions-jackpot-lottery/ |
The iconic eatery was known for its comforting array of homemade, old-fashioned diner fare, as well as the memories that local regulars made and shared along the way, from the opening of its doors decades ago to its final days on Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park.
Owner Linda D'Auria, keeper of the diner for the past 35 years, did not initially disclose the reason for the restaurant's planned closure when it was first announced in early June, but the 67-year-old recently told News 6 she's looking to retire and spend more time with her family.
“My sister passed away unexpectedly on May 1st and I think everything just lined up after that," D'Auria told News 6. "She was telling me for a while, saying, ‘How
long are you going to keep working? You’ve been tied down, you need to live your life.'"
Linda's was a staple for many customers and staff alike. Some of the diner employees had worked there for more than 20 years, serving up homestyle meals. D'Auria has reportedly sold the building to a developer, with future plans for the property site unknown at this time. The mother and grandmother says she's helped some of her employees find new work, telling News 6 she "couldn't have lasted 35 years" without them.
Linda's Winter Park Diner placed third in Orlando Weekly's 2021 Best of Orlando Reader's Poll for Best Diner, and according to its regulars, will be sorely missed.
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Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | or sign up for our RSS Feed | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/food-drink/lindas-winter-park-diner-closes-its-doors-34748171 | 2023-07-31T18:22:24 | 1 | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/food-drink/lindas-winter-park-diner-closes-its-doors-34748171 |
WESTFIELD, Ind. — Zack Moss, the Indianapolis Colts running back who was making the most of Jonathan Taylor’s absence, suffered a broken arm in Monday morning’s practice.
The veteran running back slammed his helmet on the ground after a running play during 11-on-11 work and eventually was escorted by trainers off the practice field at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
Examination of the injury revealed a broken right arm that likely will keep Moss out of action for approximately six weeks, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo was among the first to report the news.
Moss, 25, was acquired in a November trade with Buffalo that sent Nyheim Hines to the Bills.
He appeared in eight games with three starts and was the Colts’ second-leading rusher – behind Taylor – with 365 yards on 76 carries. He rushed for 334 yards and one touchdown in his final four games, including a 114-yard outing in the season-ending loss to Houston.
Taylor remains on the physically unable to perform list (PUP).
In other injury news, rookie tight end Will Mallory was activated from PUP. He sustained a foot injury in a rookie minicamp. | https://fox59.com/sports/colts/colts-rb-zack-moss-suffers-broken-arm-during-practice/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:25 | 0 | https://fox59.com/sports/colts/colts-rb-zack-moss-suffers-broken-arm-during-practice/ |
LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CosmosAI, the global smart computing power network project, is making significant strides through negotiations to acquire prominent Nasdaq-listed companies. The discussions focus on acquiring platforms and businesses in diverse sectors like sports betting AI services, smart retail, and intelligent security solutions. These strategic acquisitions are set to accelerate CosmosAI's growth and provide capitalization opportunities for investors.
These ongoing negotiations emphasize CosmosAI's commitment to becoming a transformative force in smart computing networks. Leveraging the expertise and market presence of Nasdaq-listed companies, CosmosAI aims to drive innovation and expand its intelligent connectivity solutions.
In the sports betting AI services industry, the potential acquisition promises to enhance user experiences and streamline betting operations. A Nasdaq-listed sports betting platform would enable CosmosAI to offer cutting-edge solutions for sports enthusiasts and industry stakeholders.
Similarly, in the smart retail sector, the integration of smart computing power can revolutionize the shopping experience. By acquiring a Nasdaq-listed smart retail company, CosmosAI envisions driving advancements in personalized shopping, inventory management, and customer analytics.
Addressing the importance of security, CosmosAI recognizes smart computing's role in safeguarding individuals, businesses, and public spaces. The potential acquisition of a Nasdaq-listed intelligent security firm would enhance CosmosAI's ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions for video analytics, facial recognition, and smart surveillance.
Aligned with its vision of a smarter and connected society, CosmosAI accelerates its development with Nasdaq-listed companies' expertise and resources. Investors can expect enhanced value and returns as CosmosAI expands into new sectors and markets, unlocking significant shareholder value.
CosmosAI remains dedicated to realizing a future of intelligent connectivity and shaping a smart society. The potential acquisitions strengthen CosmosAI's market position and fulfill its mission of revolutionizing global computational resource sharing.
About CosmosAI:
CosmosAI is a global smart computing network project dedicated to building the future of intelligent connectivity. By integrating computing devices worldwide, CosmosAI provides strong and fair computing support for AI development, promoting digitization on a global scale. For more information, please visit the official website: https://ai-cosmo.com
Media Contact:
Nadine Hwu
Email: info@ai-cosmo.com
+1 (937) 551-5555
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2166180/CosmosAI.jpg
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SOURCE CosmosAI | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/cosmosais-nasdaq-acquisitions-fueling-exponential-growth/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:25 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/cosmosais-nasdaq-acquisitions-fueling-exponential-growth/ |
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.cbs42.com/hill-politics/lawsuit-seeks-to-block-first-religious-charter-school-in-the-us/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:26 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/hill-politics/lawsuit-seeks-to-block-first-religious-charter-school-in-the-us/ |
On July 29, several accounts on Twitter, now called X, shared an image of actor Tom Hanks wearing a shirt that said “KEEP AMERICA TRUMPLESS.” The image went viral, trending on the social media site, with some commenters questioning whether the image was real or manipulated.
The photo spread to other platforms, racking up hundreds of thousands of views across social media and photo sharing websites.
THE QUESTION
Is the photo of Tom Hanks wearing a “Keep America Trumpless” shirt real?
THE SOURCES
RevEye, a reverse image search engine
THE ANSWER
No, the photo of Tom Hanks in a ‘Keep America Trumpless’ shirt is fake.
WHAT WE FOUND
The photo of Tom Hanks in an anti-Trump shirt was edited. It was created using a photo taken in 2020 when Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were in Sydney, Australia.
VERIFY was able to find the original photo using RevEye, a reverse image search engine.
Photos posted on British tabloid The Sun’s website show Hanks walking down a Sydney sidewalk with Wilson ahead of their son, Truman.
Comparing the doctored image to the original image, you can see Truman wearing the same shirt behind Hanks, with the same watch and rolled-up sleeves. You can also see Hanks is wearing the same hat, sunglasses and has the same facial expression.
The only difference is the shirt. In the original, Hanks is wearing a solid navy shirt – not a “KEEP AMERICA TRUMPLESS” shirt.
This is not the first time a photo of a celebrity was doctored to make it appear like he was wearing a shirt that said “KEEP AMERICA TRUMPLESS.”
In June 2022, a doctored photo of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson went viral claiming to show the wrestler-turned-actor wearing a shirt with the same slogan. That photo was fake, too. | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/verify/pop-culture/tom-hanks-shirt-keep-america-trumpless-fake/536-32a1a490-cd41-461a-ac00-c31cd234d665 | 2023-07-31T18:22:29 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/news/verify/pop-culture/tom-hanks-shirt-keep-america-trumpless-fake/536-32a1a490-cd41-461a-ac00-c31cd234d665 |
Suspect arrested following shooting that injured 7 people, deputies say
LABADIEVILLE, La. (WAFB) - Deputies arrested a suspect following a shooting that left seven people injured back on Sunday, June 11.
According to the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office, Korey Jacobi Davis, 23, has been arrested on multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Deputies said the shooting happened at a retail store north of Labadieville.
Davis was involved in a fight and ran toward a second person involved in the altercation, deputies said. They added that Davis then pulled out a gun and started shooting into a crowd of people.
As a result of the shooting, seven people suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, according to the Assumption Parish Sherrif’s Office. Deputies said the seven people were treated at healthcare facilities.
Davis is being held without bond pending a court hearing, authorities said.
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Copyright 2023 WAFB. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/suspect-arrested-following-shooting-that-injured-7-people-deputies-say/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:30 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/suspect-arrested-following-shooting-that-injured-7-people-deputies-say/ |
Udon noodles happen to be my favorite noodle — thick, slick, chewy, yet porous enough to absorb all the flavors of a broth. For years, I'd pay
Sushitomi on S. John Young Parkway a weekly visit just to indulge in a comforting slurp.
Now, thanks to
James Beard-nominated restaurateurs Johnny and Jimmy Tung, we'll have a noodle shop specializing in these superlative, square-shaped squigglers and the pair aren't holding back.
Zaru will open this September at 1114 E. Colonial Drive next door to Tien Hung Market and feature a 25-seat dining room and open kitchen but, most importantly, the concept will allow guests to enjoy scratch-made udon noodles, handcrafted from premium Japanese flour sourced from Kagawa prefecture, the birthplace of udon. The Tungs will also bring specialized equipment — including an udon-making machine — from Kagawa to raise the udon-eating understanding of noodle lovers in Orlando.
"We wanted to carry on the 500-year-old noodle making tradition," Johnny says of Zaru. "Traveling throughout Japan earlier this year, I loved how the udon tasted there, and wanted to bring that experience back to Florida."
click to enlarge Zaru
The square-shaped squigglers
The menu will also offer chilled zaru udon, ikura shiso udon, Edo-style tempura and crab gyoza, as well as Japanese beers and sake.
Customizable noodle bowls will also be available.
Zaru, named after the Japanese bamboo collander often used to drain noodles, is being designed by Make Studios (Soseki, Camille, Viet-Nomz) and will be just one of one of "several" concepts the Tung Brothers have planned for the 10,000 square-foot space neighboring the longstanding Vietnamese market.
While they're keeping mum about those projects, work continues on
Sorekara, the ambitious and highly anticipated restaurant headed up by chef William Shen promising a reimagined level of Japanese dining to Baldwin Park.
No doubt it's shaping up to be another busy year for the brothers who just recently launched Camille, The Foreigner and are poised to open 10-seat omakase concept Kōsen in Tampa in the coming weeks.
Zaru will be open daily for lunch and dinner. Follow
@Zarufl for all the latest updates. | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/food-drink/zaru-will-bring-handmade-japanese-udon-noodles-to-mills-50-34745998 | 2023-07-31T18:22:30 | 0 | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/food-drink/zaru-will-bring-handmade-japanese-udon-noodles-to-mills-50-34745998 |
MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE, Calif. — Crews battled “fire whirls” in California’s Mojave National Preserve this weekend as a massive wildfire crossed into Nevada amid dangerously high temperatures and raging winds.
Wind-driven flames 20 feet (6 meters) high in some spots charred tens of thousands of acres of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to an incident update.
A fire whirl — sometimes called a fire tornado — is a “spinning column of fire” that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, according to the National Park Service.
The vortexes — which can be anywhere from a few feet tall to several hundred feet high, with varying rotational speeds — were spotted Sunday on the north end of the York Fire.
“While these can be fascinating to observe they are a very dangerous natural phenomena that can occur during wildfires,” the park service wrote.
Crews expected to face limited visibility due to the fire’s thick smoke. The cause of the York Fire remains under investigation.
To the southwest, the Bonny Fire burned about 3.6 square miles (9.3 square kilometers) in the rugged hills of Riverside County. The blaze was about 20% contained on Monday.
More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday near the community of Aguanga that is home to horse ranches and wineries.
One firefighter was injured in the blaze.
Gusty winds and the chance of thunderstorms into Tuesday will heighten the risk of renewed growth, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/31/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave/6a70bb70-2fc5-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:22:30 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/31/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave/6a70bb70-2fc5-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Deerpath Capital Management, LP ("Deerpath"), one of the largest private credit managers in the U.S. lower-middle market, has announced the reset and upsize of Deerpath CLO 2020-1, a $403.3 million collateralized loan obligation (CLO).
The CLO was originally sized at $330 million and priced in March 2020. This upsize and repricing represents the eighth CLO issued by Deerpath since 2018 and brings the firm's total CLO assets under management to approximately $2.4 billion.
This is Deerpath's second CLO issuance in 2023, having closed Deerpath CLO 2023-1 at $504 million in March. Like all of the firm's existing CLOs, Deerpath CLO 2020-1 is secured by a portfolio of senior secured loans to middle market, private equity-backed companies, which have been primarily directly originated by the firm.
Deerpath sold securities rated from AAA through BBB- to third-party institutional investors, including insurance companies, pension funds, banks, and asset managers. Deerpath's managed funds purchased 100 percent of the subordinated notes issued by the CLO. The transaction is set to close on July 31, 2023 and the reinvestment period is four (4) years.
Derek Dubois, Managing Director and Treasurer said, "Deerpath has continued to access the CLO market during 2023, despite the ongoing volatility in the broader markets. This is our second CLO transaction of 2023. We are very excited to have locked in attractive long term portfolio financing for our fund investors."
GreensLedge Capital Markets LLC served as Lead Placement Agent, Structuring Agent and Bookrunner. NatWest Markets served as Co-Placement Agent.
About Deerpath Capital Management, LP
Founded in 2007, Deerpath Capital Management, LP is one of the largest providers of customized, cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower-middle market companies across diverse industries. The firm currently manages approximately $6 billion of assets under management. For more information, please visit www.deerpathcapital.com.
Media:
Aidan O'Connor
Prosek Partners (On behalf of Deerpath Capital)
(646) 818-9283
aoconnor@prosek.com
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SOURCE Deerpath Capital Management, LP | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/deerpath-capital-successfully-resets-2020-collateralized-loan-obligation/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:31 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/deerpath-capital-successfully-resets-2020-collateralized-loan-obligation/ |
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.cbs42.com/hill-politics/trump-expects-to-be-indicted-on-jan-6-charges-any-day-now/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:32 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/hill-politics/trump-expects-to-be-indicted-on-jan-6-charges-any-day-now/ |
NEW YORK — While the Las Vegas Aces are the class of the WNBA so far this season, their dominance may actually hurt them in final awards ballots.
Locked On Women's Basketball hosts Natalie Heavren and Em Adler discussed their WNBA awards ballots at the midway point of the season on the latest episode of the podcast, starting with likely runaway MVP Breanna Stewart, producing at an elite level in her first season in Brooklyn.
“I think if Stewie puts up a few more 40-point games … that’s probably a turning point," Adler said. "If New York cleans (clutch performance) up, then I think it will sort of be the difference in wins and losses that will convince a lot of people.”
Coming in second on the hosts' MVP ballots was Alyssa Thomas, the standout forward for the Connecticut Sun playing at her peak at age 30.
“I wasn’t necessarily expecting Alyssa Thomas to be so close to Breanna Stewart," Adler explained. "It could go either way, I think Alyssa Thomas is certainly deserving of that recognition, especially with how much she has led the team lately.”
Thomas was the hosts' pick to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Perhaps the most clear-cut winner of any WNBA award this season will be Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever, a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year.
“Aliyah Boston is obviously going to be Rookie of the Year," Adler said. "She is the one player consistently getting doubled from Indiana … it’s really hard to stop her one on one.”
The hosts also listed Chicago Sky reserve forward Alanna Smith as their Most Improved Player and went through the top coach and executive in the WNBA as well as how the race could evolve in the back half of the year. | https://www.wnep.com/article/sports/locked-on/lo-national/locked-on-womens-basketball/midseason-wnba-awards-breanna-stewart-mvp-aliyah-boston-roy/535-78390825-45c3-445f-b27e-019598b02f2c | 2023-07-31T18:22:35 | 0 | https://www.wnep.com/article/sports/locked-on/lo-national/locked-on-womens-basketball/midseason-wnba-awards-breanna-stewart-mvp-aliyah-boston-roy/535-78390825-45c3-445f-b27e-019598b02f2c |
Triple digit heat wave continues
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect today and we are likely to continue with Heat Advisories or Excessive Heat Warnings right through the weekend.
Air temperatures will climb above 100° each day this week. To make matters worse, oppressive humidity will lead to feels like temperatures above 110° daily. This is very dangerous heat and everyone should take heat-related precautions.
Record-high temperatures are currently in the forecast for the next 6 days! Rain chances will remain very limited going no higher than 30% this week. The ridge of high pressure responsible for this record-breaking heat and mainly dry conditions doesn’t look to change much for this week. As we go into next week a squeeze play will take place as the jet stream to the north flattens and tries to push south. As the ridge gets compressed it could open the door to more clouds and higher rain chances as we move through next week. As a result, the forecast shows a few degrees of cooling by the end of our 10-day forecast.
We continue to monitor 2 features in the tropical Atlantic, but only one appears likely to develop. A system moving off the East Coast has only a low chance for development. An area further out into the Central Atlantic has a high chance for tropical development and a tropical depression could form today or tomorrow. This system is forecast to remain out to sea and poses no threat to land.
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Copyright 2023 WAFB. All rights reserved. | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/triple-digit-heat-wave-continues/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:36 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/2023/07/31/triple-digit-heat-wave-continues/ |
On Saturday, July 29, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office posted a video to social media showing what's often referred to as a manatee "mating ball" or a "mating herd."
"If you see this ... Don't call us," said PCSO. "They are more than fine. It's manatee mating season."
Though incredibly violent, this summertime tradition is a common sight around Tampa Bay, and usually involves a group of male manatees herding a female into shallow water in a desperate attempt to procreate. A single "mating herd" can sometimes last up two to four weeks, reports LiveScience.
And, right now, the Gulf of Mexico is essentially a heart-shaped manatee hot tub.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as the water temperatures rise, so does manatee libido, and Florida coastal water temps are at an all-time high.
"We get calls all the time from citizens when they see this," wrote PCSO in the video’s caption. "We can assure you they are more than fine. Manatees often mate in herds like these, often they are near the shore. They mate all through the year but generally mating herds like these are seen in the summer months. If you see this [mating herds], there’s no need to call, they are a-okay."
This "mom and dad time" is crucial for Florida manatees. The FWC reports that 378 manatees have died so far in 2023, compared to 800 total in 2022. However, the worst year for manatee deaths was back in 2021, when an estimated 1,101 died, mostly due to pollution destroying large tracts of the state's coastal seagrass beds.
According to the FWC, manatees are considered “threatened” in the state of Florida, and it is against the law to touch the animals. Manatees are also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978, which states: "It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee."
If you do see an actual injured or distressed manatee, then contact the FWC's wildlife alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922.
This story first appeared in our sister publication Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
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Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/dont-call-us-law-enforcement-asks-beachgoers-to-stop-snitching-on-horny-manatees-in-tampa-bay-34749069 | 2023-07-31T18:22:37 | 1 | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/dont-call-us-law-enforcement-asks-beachgoers-to-stop-snitching-on-horny-manatees-in-tampa-bay-34749069 |
A New Hampshire nurse, who has reportedly been kidnapped in Haiti, has described Haitians as “resilient people” in a video about her work for a nonprofit Christian ministry in the country.
Dorsainvil and her daughter were kidnapped Thursday, the organization said in a statement over the weekend. El Roi Haiti, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
That happened the same day that the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti,” adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.”
The department has not issued any updates since then. Alix Dorainvil’s father, Steven Comeau, reached in New Hampshire, said he could not talk.
Dorsainvil graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti. Before that, she went to Cornerstone Christian Academy in Ossipee, New Hampshire.
“Pray that God would keep her safe, be with her through this trial, and deliver her from her captors,” the school posted on its Facebook page.
In its advisory Thursday, the State Department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
It said kidnappings often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed.
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti’s worsening situation.
In December 2021, an unidentified person paid a ransom that freed three missionaries kidnapped by a gang in Haiti under an agreement that was supposed to have led to the release of all 15 remaining captives, t heir Ohio-based organization confirmed.
The person who made the payment was not affiliated with Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, and the workers say they don’t know who the individual is or how much was paid to the gang, which initially demanded $1 million per person. Internal conflicts in the gang, they say, led it to renege on a pledge to release all the hostages, freeing just three of them instead on Dec. 5.
The accounts from former hostages and other Christian Aid Ministries staffers, in recent recorded talks to church groups and others, were the first public acknowledgement from the organization that ransom was paid at any point following the Oct. 16 kidnapping of 16 Americans and a Canadian affiliated with CAM. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/31/haiti-mother-daughter-kidnapping-missing-christian-ministry/36fca3ea-2fc9-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:22:37 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/07/31/haiti-mother-daughter-kidnapping-missing-christian-ministry/36fca3ea-2fc9-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A former jeweler of several Middle Tennessee jewelry stores has been sentenced after his involvement in a violent heist of more than $1 million in jewelry belonging to the late provost of Western Kentucky University.
Marshall “Sonny” Belew was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of complicity to commit theft and one count of complicity to commit second-degree burglary.
According to Belew’s attorney Jeff Cherry, he will be eligible for parole after two years.
The heist happened the morning of July 13, 2020 on Smallhouse Road in Bowling Green where three people armed with guns entered the residence and assaulted an employee, who was working in the home office.
The female employee was restrained with zip ties while the intruders removed a large safe, containing an estimated 300 to 400 pieces of jewelry valued at approximately $1 million.
The Smallhouse Road home belonged to the late Western Kentucky University provost Barbara Burch and the three intruders disguised themselves as delivery workers to gain access to the residence.
Belew was listed as one of the owners of American Jewelry, which has locations in Brentwood and Mt. Juliet. The business’ website previously listed “Sonny” Belew as the “owner/master jeweler.”
Dwight Belew, an owner of American Jewelry said in a statement that he and his wife started the business 50 years ago and “we own and have always owned 100% of it.”
“We continue to be as honest, honorable and caring as we have always been and have not been suspected or accused of anything,” he added. “He’s my son and I love him.” | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/former-tennesse-jeweler-sentenced-after-million-dollar-heist/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:38 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/crime/former-tennesse-jeweler-sentenced-after-million-dollar-heist/ |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/fractal-reaffirms-its-commitment-ethical-business-practices-compliance-safety-global-shipping-industry/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:37 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/fractal-reaffirms-its-commitment-ethical-business-practices-compliance-safety-global-shipping-industry/ |
Southfield Man Shot in Saginaw
July 31, 2023 12:49PM EDT
Police say a person of interest has been identified in a shooting that took place in Saginaw Sunday morning.
According to Michigan State Police, a 49-year-old man from Southfield was shot around 1:55 a.m. near Water and Janes Street. The man was reported to be in stable condition as of Monday morning.
No arrests have been made, and investigators ask anyone with information to call the Saginaw Major Case Unit at (989) 759-1605 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-JAIL. | https://www.wsgw.com/southfield-man-shot-in-saginaw/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:42 | 0 | https://www.wsgw.com/southfield-man-shot-in-saginaw/ |
The standards have drawn criticism from the White House and prompted a defense from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The state Board of Education gave the new standards, designed to guide lessons from kindergarten through high school, the green light on July 19.
The wide-ranging guidelines require instruction for students in early grades about important historical figures, for example.
Instruction for older students would include things such as lessons on African Americans’ contributions to things such as science, poetry, politics and literature.
But criticism of the standards focuses largely on part of the middle-school standards that would require instruction to include “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”
Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, who is chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, released a statement Friday that accompanied a letter urging DeSantis and state Education Commissioner Manny Diaz to revise the standards.
“Our request is simple; stop playing partisan politics with the futures of Florida’s children. To say that the enslaved Americans of our past somehow benefited from their violent exploiters without acknowledging the millions that never knew the freedom of autonomy over their own bodies, lives, and futures is shameful and disgusting,” Hart said.
Meanwhile, DeSantis has defended the standards while traveling around the country as he campaigns for president.
In a video clip posted on Twitter by First Lady Casey DeSantis, the governor said the standards “makes it very clear about the injustices of slavery in vivid detail.”
DeSantis also has disputed Vice President Kamala Harris’ criticisms of the standards. Harris visited Jacksonville last week, where she said “extremist so-called leaders” in Florida are pushing “propaganda to our children.”
Diaz also has defended the standards. In a letter to school district superintendents Wednesday, Diaz said that “we are not turning our backs on the great work of the African American History workgroup,” which helped craft the standards.
“We will implement these standards swiftly, transparently, and honestly,” Diaz wrote.
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Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida-black-lawmakers-press-state-to-change-new-school-curriculum-that-says-slaves-benefited-from-slavery-34748778 | 2023-07-31T18:22:43 | 0 | https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/florida-black-lawmakers-press-state-to-change-new-school-curriculum-that-says-slaves-benefited-from-slavery-34748778 |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A dead man was found lying along the road in Birmingham over the weekend.
On Sunday, members from the Birmingham Fire and Rescue crew found an unresponsive man lying on the grass shoulder of a road in the Wylam community. According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the BFR crew was returning to their station from an unrelated call when they found him in the 200 block of Quebec Drive Wylam at 6:35 a.m. Six minutes later, the victim was pronounced dead.
An autopsy will be performed Monday to determine the identity of the man and the cause and manner of his death. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/man-found-dead-off-roadway-in-birmingham/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:44 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/man-found-dead-off-roadway-in-birmingham/ |
Leading HBCU scholarship program to provide 132 incoming college freshmen $40,000 awards
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives of The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) today welcomed 132 new scholarship recipients from 26 states across the nation. The students will begin school at 26 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) this Fall and will major in more than a dozen science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. They join nearly 300 current FOSSI scholarship recipients.
Established in 2020 to help reduce financial barriers to higher education and enhance workforce diversity in the chemical sector, FOSSI provides $40,000 scholarships to students pursuing preferred STEM degrees. Scholarship recipients are individually matched with one of more than 70 corporate sponsors committed to helping them achieve their goals and receive skills training, mentorship, and internship opportunities. Notably, this robust support has led to an approximately 95% student retention rate since FOSSI welcomed its first class in 2021, with those scholars scheduled to graduate in 2025.
FOSSI has an ambitious goal of supporting 1,000 students through 2025 and has raised nearly $30 million to support 595 students to date.
Program leaders welcomed the new scholars during a virtual celebration featuring keynotes from Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC) and Dr. Dietra Trent, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs.
FOSSI Advisory Board Chair Jim Fitterling, chair and chief executive officer of Dow, shared, "I am proud to welcome these 132 talented and ambitious scholars to the FOSSI family. From their academic performance to the contributions they have made to their schools and communities, these scholars have distinguished themselves as some of the best and brightest across the nation. We can't wait to see what they accomplish in their chosen fields."
Applications for the Fall of 2024 will open September 22, 2024. To learn more about FOSSI, visit www.FutureOfSTEMScholars.org.
About the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative
The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative was founded in 2020 by the American Chemistry Council, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), The Chemours Company, and the HBCU Week Foundation. FOSSI is a national chemical industry-wide program which provides scholarships to students pursuing degrees in relevant science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), helping to eliminate financial barriers for historically under-represented groups. Sponsored by chemical manufacturers and related industry stakeholders, FOSSI provides scholarship recipients $10,000 per year for four years and connects these students to leadership development, mentoring and internship opportunities at participating companies. Learn more at FutureofSTEMscholars.org.
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SOURCE American Chemistry Council | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/future-stem-scholars-initiative-announces-2023-hbcu-scholarship-recipients/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:44 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/future-stem-scholars-initiative-announces-2023-hbcu-scholarship-recipients/ |
Fred S. Hoffman, a longtime Associated Press reporter who covered the Defense Department for more than two decades and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for an investigation into the black market in Vietnam, died June 24 at his home in Alexandria, Va. He was 100.
Well known within the Pentagon, Mr. Hoffman was recalled as a tough, enterprising, ethical and tireless reporter. He spent nearly four decades in the news business, including 36 years with the Associated Press. After retiring from the AP, he served as chief spokesman and policy adviser to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
Mr. Hoffman began his career as a radio reporter in Boston covering boxing matches from the front row, dodging flying droplets of blood. After moving to the AP, he covered seven administrations.
He spent extensive time in Vietnam covering the war and, with Hugh Mulligan, was a finalist for a 1967 Pulitzer Prize for their series of stories on profiteering and corruption in South Vietnam, revealing that hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars were being lost through theft, bribery, waste and money manipulation.
“He was a giant among Pentagon reporters,” said Robert Burns, a retired AP national security correspondent.
Lisa Hoffman, who also covered the Pentagon as a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service, said she learned the tradecraft of journalism by listening to her father at dinner, and the stories he would tell.
“I don’t think some people knew about how good he was at reading things upside down,” she said. “He’d be chatting with some official and they’d have something on their desk, and he’d read it, memorize it and have a good story.”
She said his “guiding principle was ‘go there.’ Don’t sit at your desk or wait for the phone calls or make phone calls. Go, hit the hallways and make the rounds and talk to people in person.”
Mr. Hoffman was also highly protective of his sources, keeping a notebook of phone numbers — but no names, his daughter said. He had memorized the names, and in his desk files inside the Pentagon, he would take care to remove any marks indicating a source. More than once, Lisa Hoffman said, her father went into the Pentagon to work weekends and found officials going through his files.
“He was so, so adept at hiding them that he never blew a source,” she said.
Bill Greener, deputy press secretary to President Gerald Ford during the high-tension 1975 Mayaguez incident, recalled that Mr. Hoffman filed his story on the seizing of the ship “faster than we could get the information to the president of the United States.”
Among his awards were commendations from the Overseas Press Club and the National Headliner Club; the Veterans of Foreign War’s first Gold Medal for national security reporting; and the Defense Department medal for distinguished public service.
The Pentagon award recognized his service as Weinberger’s spokesman. He served in that role for four years and spearheaded changes in the press pool system to ensure journalists could get to the front lines quickly.
Mr. Hoffman was born in Dorchester, Mass., on Dec. 26, 1922. His mother had fled Poland, arriving in the United States alone in steerage at age 13, with her mother’s Sabbath candlesticks and little else in her bag. His father worked as a paper hanger.
Mr. Hoffman studied journalism for three years at Boston University and served as an Army reservist during World War II.
His wife of 72 years, Norma Simons, died in 2017. Besides his daughter, survivors include two grandchildren. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/07/31/fred-hoffman-pentagon-associated-press/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:49 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/07/31/fred-hoffman-pentagon-associated-press/ |
BELEN, N.M. (KRQE) — A 6-year-old boy’s lemonade stand was robbed last week in Belen, New Mexico, while he was trying to raise money for a good cause. After news spread about the theft, the community stepped up and rallied around him.
Connor Brock had a goal: raise $250 to donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as part of their “Lemonade Stand in July” challenge.
His parents were also raising money for Connor’s benefit: “Connor has autism level two, and we’ve used the lemonade stand not only to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital but also to teach Connor responsibility, to recognize the one dollar bill, the president on it, how to count money,” said Abbegale Brock, Connor’s mother. She wanted to teach him about things like empathy and compassion.
That all came to a halt when thieves stole the money Connor raised and cleared out his lemonade stand.
“I was just dumbfounded because we weren’t gone long. Went to get something to eat, and it didn’t make any sense. It was items that you wouldn’t even think anyone would take,” Brock recalled.
Brock said she had to explain to Connor what had happened: “I just told him somebody else must have needed it more than we did.”
This weekend, Connor found himself back in business when two motorcycle groups rallied dozens of bikers Saturday and Sunday to help out.
“We heard the unfortunate situation that happened to him last week, and we just wanted to stand behind him and come show some support and just let him know that we’re here, and we got his back,” said Marcos Jaramillo, president of Moose Riders Belen 1680.
Cup after cup, from Saturday to Sunday, donations came pouring in.
“I contacted all my folks, and we put it out there four days ago. Four days ago, we put this out there, and I believe we had over 56 bikes show up this morning,” said Andrew Witham, with Rogue Biker Life, “If you’re not a part of the solution, you’re definitely a part of the problem, and if we can help in any way shape or form, we’re going to.”
“As a biker community, what we’re saying as bikers is, we’re going to be there,” explained Toby Gutierrez, owner of Rogue Biker, “If you’re going to come out and do this, you can expect to see us.”
An anonymous donation of lemonade jars for Connor was also dropped off at the Belen Police Department, and Brock said the New Mexico Gas Company donated money and built him a new lemonade stand to use. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/biker-groups-community-support-6-year-old-boy-after-thieves-target-lemonade-stand/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:50 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/biker-groups-community-support-6-year-old-boy-after-thieves-target-lemonade-stand/ |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/hybribio-showcased-cutting-edge-cervical-cancer-hpv-diagnostic-solutions-adlm-2023/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:51 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/hybribio-showcased-cutting-edge-cervical-cancer-hpv-diagnostic-solutions-adlm-2023/ |
Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian who created and portrayed the character Pee-wee Herman, who became a fixture of children’s television and movies with his red bow tie and impish antics, died July 30 at a hospital in Los Angeles. He was 70.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Mr. Reubens had said in a statement distributed by his publicist. “I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
A complete obituary is forthcoming. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-pee-wee-herman-dead/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:55 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/07/31/paul-reubens-pee-wee-herman-dead/ |
REEDLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – An investigation into a warehouse in Reedley, California, uncovered a large-scale illegal medical lab complete with bioengineered mice, infectious agents, nearly 30 refrigerators and freezers, incubators and more.
The investigation was prompted by a simple garden hose that was illegally attached and coming out of a wall in the back of the building.
“Frankly, we knew that should not have been there and when she went to investigate, she found that there was activity or operation or something happening within that building,” said Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba.
The city then obtained a search warrant to look inside what should have been an ordinary warehouse. Inside, they found thousands of vials, many of which contained bio-hazardous materials like human blood, and other unknown substances.
“There was over 800 different chemicals on site in different bottles of different acids. Unfortunately, a lot of these are being categorized under unknown chemicals,” said Assistant Director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health Joe Prado. “A lot of these labels have been removed from bottles so there was only so much testing. We could do those chemicals.”
Health officials also discovered nearly 1,000 lab mice, 200 of which were dead.
Prado said the warehouse occupants claimed they were “doing some testing on laboratory mice that would help them support, developing the COVID test kits that they had on-site.”
According to court documents, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested what they could and determined that at least 20 potentially infectious viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents were present, including E. coli, malaria, and the virus that causes COVID-19.
“This is an unusual situation. I’ve been in government for 25 years. I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Zieba.
“I’ve never seen this in my 26-year career with the County of Fresno,” Prado agreed.
Over the course of several weeks, officials with local, state, and federal agencies worked to remove the materials from the location
“I think because of that swift action that was taken we had been able to maintain public safety this entire time,” Prado explained.
“There are no more biologicals. There are no more mice, but they still will see us abating, 30 freezers and fridges, medical equipment, and all sorts of furniture in there. They’ll still see some activity, nothing hazardous at this point,” Zieba said.
Officials are still trying to figure out what type of operation was taking place inside that building. Prado said the owners operated under the name Prestige Biotech and the company president was not forthcoming with information.
A criminal investigation is also ongoing.
All of the mice inside the lab had to be euthanized. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/illegal-medical-lab-discovered-in-california-included-bioengineered-mice-infectious-agents/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:56 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/illegal-medical-lab-discovered-in-california-included-bioengineered-mice-infectious-agents/ |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mike-castro-retire-ceo-become-chairman-board-delta-dental-california-president-sarah-chavarria-named-successor/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:57 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/mike-castro-retire-ceo-become-chairman-board-delta-dental-california-president-sarah-chavarria-named-successor/ |
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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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/momentus-capital-annual-report-fy2022-ellis-carr-creating-access-capital-opportunities-all/ | 2023-07-31T18:22:59 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/momentus-capital-annual-report-fy2022-ellis-carr-creating-access-capital-opportunities-all/ |
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — A woman was thrown off a plane and was arrested after becoming “unruly,” according to an arrest report from the Pensacola Police Department.
Dorissa Owens, 35, is accused of becoming unruly on a plane and running from officers inside the Pensacola International Airport on July 26. Owens boarded a plane at Gate 5 and asked to borrow a man’s phone, according to the report. Owens then took the phone to the back of the plane.
The man told Owens he wanted his phone back, at which point Owens began asking other people for their phones. The report said a flight attendant and the pilot asked Owens to leave but she refused. Officers arrived and were eventually able to get Owens off the plane.
According to the report, Owens was talking to officers when she took off running and exited the airport through an emergency fire exit leading to the runway. Officers were eventually able to catch up to her and took Owens into custody.
Owens was charged with violating the designated operational area of an airport. | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/florida-news/woman-thrown-off-plane-at-florida-airport/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:02 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/florida-news/woman-thrown-off-plane-at-florida-airport/ |
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.cbs42.com/regional/georgia-news/georgia-judge-rejects-trump-effort-to-quash-fulton-county-investigation/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:02 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/georgia-news/georgia-judge-rejects-trump-effort-to-quash-fulton-county-investigation/ |
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Health care providers in Alabama filed a lawsuit on Monday against the state’s attorney general that seeks to clarify whether they could be charged for helping women get abortions outside the state.
“We get a lot of the anger — and we know that it’s not us that they are angry at,” said Robin Marty, operations director for the West Alabama Women’s Center. “It’s the situation, but it is very, very hard for my staff. They want to be able to help them.”
Staff members who want to provide assistance are afraid to give much information beyond a website that lists abortion clinic locations, after the state’s Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall suggested people could face criminal charges for helping Alabama women obtain abortions elsewhere.
The three health care providers filed the lawsuit to get a court declaration and injunction clarifying that the state’s criminal statutes can’t be used to prosecute people who help women leave the state for an abortion. The suit was filed by the Women’s Center, the Alabama Women’s Center in Huntsville, and Dr. Yashica Robinson, an obstetrician.
“What the attorney general has tried to do via these threats is to effectively extend Alabama’s abortion ban outside of its borders for Alabama residents,” Meagan Burrows, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the providers in the lawsuit.
Burrows said the threat of prosecution is harming both the health care providers and the women who want to obtain abortions.
In a statement Monday, the attorney general’s office said it “will continue to vigorously enforce Alabama laws protecting unborn life which include the Human Life Protection Act. That includes abortion providers conspiring to violate the Act.”
The lawsuit cites Marshall’s comments on a conservative radio talk show last year, in which he said that state law can’t be used to prosecute a woman for getting an abortion out of state.
However, Marshall said, “if an individual held themselves out as an entity or a group that is using funds that they are able to raise to be able to facilitate those visits, then that’s something that we’re going to look at closely.”
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and handed authority on abortion law to the states, the Deep South quickly became an area of limited abortion access.
Alabama bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest. The only exemption is if it’s needed because pregnancy threatens the health of the woman.
The landscape outside the state has also evolved rapidly and continues to change quickly as trigger laws and new bans are allowed to take effect. Clinics that remain open are extremely busy.
Marty, the clinic director, said most people who reach out to the clinic know “there is no abortion in Alabama. What they aren’t aware of is how far that extends.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/31/abortion-alabama-lawsuit/d0c46620-2fc4-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:05 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/31/abortion-alabama-lawsuit/d0c46620-2fc4-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nasfm-recognizes-exxonmobil-with-norman-y-mineta-excellence-transportation-safety-award/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:06 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/nasfm-recognizes-exxonmobil-with-norman-y-mineta-excellence-transportation-safety-award/ |
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — One of the last times Kendyl Reisz talked to her manager at Emporium Arcade and Bar on St. Claude Avenue was the night Dustin Strom was hit by a car and killed.
In early June, Strom was riding down St. Claude Avenue near Marigny Street when witnesses said a speeding driver threw him off his bicycle. Reisz ran out of the bar and tried to help.
“I checked his pulse and he was gone,” Reisz said.
According to Reisz, it took about 45 minutes to block off traffic and give the New Orleans Police Department a statement. She claimed someone else was working at Emporium with her that night but that 45 minutes was allegedly enough to cost her her job.
Reisz told WGNO News she was written up for running out from behind the bar to help Strom and for talking back to managers. She was fired a few days later.
“People come in there all the time and they’re like ‘Where is she? Where’s she at? What happened?’ They won’t say why but they definitely keep their distance from me and my friends,” Reisz explained.
Reisz said she would do the same thing again in a heartbeat and believes more needs to be done to protect cyclists in the Crescent City.
“A lot of people don’t respect bicyclists,” Reisz said. “I ride bikes and motorcycles. We have certain lanes and certain things that can prevent that but still cars don’t respect them. They don’t care.”
Emporium Arcade and Bar did not respond to WGNO News’ request for comment about Reisz’s termination.
Since the collision, Strom’s family said a ghost bike has been placed at the scene of the crash in Dustin’s honor.
The driver, 36-year-old Darren Mcintosh, was arrested at the scene and faces charges of negligent homicide and reckless operations of a vehicle, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
According to Barry Strom, Dustin’s father, as of July 30, they still had not received Dustin’s phone from police. Barry said the family wants the phone to see photos of their son’s last days in New Orleans. | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/louisiana-news/bartender-claims-she-was-fired-after-helping-cyclist-hit-by-car-in-new-orleans/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:08 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/regional/louisiana-news/bartender-claims-she-was-fired-after-helping-cyclist-hit-by-car-in-new-orleans/ |
The Cape and Islands district attorney is the latest official calling on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to launch federal criminal and civil investigations into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration’s transport of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
Cape and Islands DA Robert Galibois on Monday wrote a letter to Garland about the migrant flights last September, when 49 asylum seekers were transported from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.
Galibois noted that there are “serious indications and allegations” the immigrants were tricked and fooled into making the journey.
“Subsequent reporting and public statements also indicate that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his administration planned, initiated, funded with taxpayer monies, and executed this enterprise,” the DA wrote to Garland.
“I am conscious of my obligation as District Attorney to investigate any potential criminal activity that occurs within my jurisdiction, regardless of whether it took place before I assumed office,” he added.
Because the migrants were transported across state lines, this alleged scheme could be federally prosecuted, Galibois told the U.S. attorney general.
The DA in the letter referred to a request earlier this month from other officials for the Department of Justice to investigate the flights.
“I stand behind and support a request made to you on July 6, 2023, from the Governor of California, the Attorney General of California, and the Sheriff from Bexar County Texas (where this and a subsequent comparable journey to California originated), to open federal criminal and civil investigations into these incidents,” Galibois wrote.
Soon after deplaning on the Vineyard in September, most of the immigrants were interviewed in Spanish.
“My initial request is that the Department of Justice assist our office in obtaining certified translations and transcriptions of these interviews,” the DA said. “These interviews, coupled with other obtained evidence, would provide crucial support for my initial assessment as to whether further investigation is warranted.”
Galibois later added, “Like my colleagues, I stand ready to cooperate with the Department of Justice, provide and share any information about these flights and schemes, and look forward to working with the Department on this issue.”
This formal request from the Cape and Islands DA for a federal investigation comes in the wake of DeSantis visiting the Cape for a presidential campaign fundraiser over the weekend. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/cape-and-islands-da-calls-on-merrick-garland-to-investigate-the-desantis-marthas-vineyard-migrant-flights/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:09 | 1 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/cape-and-islands-da-calls-on-merrick-garland-to-investigate-the-desantis-marthas-vineyard-migrant-flights/ |
When a mysterious object showed up on a beach in Western Australia earlier this month, authorities and the public were left scratching their heads about what it was and where it came from.
For more than two weeks, people speculated about what this metallic cylinder could be and where it came from. Many questioned (with varying levels of sincerity) if it was from outer space and could be proof of alien life.
Others wondered if the debris could be from the Malaysian Airlines plane that vanished in 2014.
However, the Australian Space Agency quickly debunked some of the more out there theories, and determined the object was from another country’s space program.
MORE: Scientists discover a two-faced dwarf star
We have concluded the object located on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia is most likely debris from an expended third-stage of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
The PSLV is a medium-lift launch vehicle operated by @isro.
[More in comments] pic.twitter.com/ivF9Je1Qqy
— Australian Space Agency (@AusSpaceAgency) July 31, 2023
“We have concluded the object located on a beach near Jurian Bay in Western Australia is most likely debris from an expended third-stage of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle […] operated by @isro (Indian Space Research Organization),” the agency shared on its official Twitter account.
The New York Times reported India did launch a rocket intended to go to the moon a few days before the object was found on the remote Australian beach.
The Australian Space Agency disclosed it has now placed the discovered item in storage and plans to work with ISRO to determine what’s next.
A 1968 United Nations agreement outlines guidelines for nations that “requires States Parties [to] return any ‘foreign’ space objects discovered in their territory to their owners and that they notify the [U.N.] Secretary-General of any such discovered objects.”
According to space archeologist Alice Gorman, discoveries such as this will likely become more common with more launches from organizations such as SpaceX and other national space programs.
“There are so many more launches than there used to be that it is likely we’re going to see more fuel tanks and other components ending up on Earth,” Gorman told ABC News Australia.
However, she assured the general public not to worry about stuff falling from space. This latest piece of space debris washed up to the shore from the ocean, and public risk is minimal now.
“Nobody has to walk around looking above their heads in fear that a piece of space junk is going to fall on them and decimate them,” Gorman concluded.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories. | https://www.kxlf.com/mysterious-object-ended-up-on-beach | 2023-07-31T18:23:09 | 1 | https://www.kxlf.com/mysterious-object-ended-up-on-beach |
8 best SD card readers
Digital memory cards fit into readers on our electronic gadgets. We use these memory devices to store photos, movies, games, documents and more. Secure Digital is a proprietary flash memory card format for use in portable devices. Some SD memory card readers can read only a single, specific type of memory device, but the most useful are those that read multiple formats, such as SD cards, micro SD cards, compact flash cards and more.
What is an SD card reader?
Memory card readers are a popular way of copying and transferring digital files from one computer to another because they are so easy to use. You slip the memory chip into the open slot and plug the card reader into a USB port on your computer.
Why an SD card and not a flash drive?
- Flash drives are external memory devices used for transferring files from one computer to another. Flash drives do not have slots to hold memory cards because the memory is built right into the stick itself.
- SD cards are postage-stamp size computer memory centers. SD cards are found in tablets, cameras, digital music players, surveillance cameras, video game consoles and other small electronic devices where space is at a premium.
Before you buy a card reader
Memory cards
Start with the kinds of memory cards your electronic gear uses. Most need card-specific readers to work properly, so look for a reader that accepts all the varieties of memory cards you're using. These little chips look a lot alike, but there are four types, and it's important to know the differences.
- SD cards: Secure digital memory cards are the original version of SD memory. They hold the least data and are the slowest of all SD card types, but are compatible with all card readers.
- SDHC cards: Secure digital high-capacity memory cards hold more data and transfer it more quickly. SDHC cards work well with most card readers, but not SD-only.
- SDXC cards: Secure digital extended capacity memory cards are the fastest — up to 80 megabits per second — and hold as much as 512 gigabytes of data.
- MicroSD cards: First designed to fit in the very small spaces of smartphones, microSD cards are now used in tablets, digital cameras and even drones.
Computer operating system
Most people save files, photos, videos and more to internal SD cards, then transfer them to their computer via an SD card reader. Make sure your reader is compatible with your computer’s operating system.
USB connector types
Most SD card readers connect via a USB cable that plugs into the ports on your computer. No matter the read and write speed of your memory card, transfer speeds are limited by the type of USB connector you choose.
What you need to buy
USB 2.0 card readers
USB 2.0 is the original rectangular port and has a transfer speed of only 480 megabits per second, slowest of all the USB types. If your need for data reading, writing and transfer speeds is modest, an inexpensive USB 2.0 card reader is a good choice.
[ Micro USB 2.0 SD Card Reader for Android ]
You can connect your Android phone directly to your laptop with this cleverly designed device that has a USB 2.0 connector on one end and a USB-C connector on the other. That way, you can bridge the gap between the old and the new.
Available at Amazon
[ Atolla USB 2.0 SD Card Reader and Splitter ]
You can expand one USB 2.0 port to three USB 3.0 ports with this reader-splitter. Each port has an individual power switch with an LED indicator. Use any of them to read and transfer files from SD and MicroSD cards.
Available at Amazon
Cotchear Mini Super Speed Micro SD/SDXC USB 2.0 Card Reader
This light, compact card reader comes on a key chain so you won’t lose it. It's anti-magnetic, moisture-proof, resistant to high temperatures and compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems.
Available at Amazon
USB 3 card readers
USB 3.0, 3.1 and 3.2 are all backward compatible, so you also can use them with USB 2.0 readers. They have transfer speeds of 5, 10 and 20 gigabytes per second, respectively.
[ SmartQ C368 USB 3.0 SD Card Reader ]
This plug-and-play reader has four slots to support SD, SDXC, SDHC, MicroSD, CompactFlash and MultiMedia Cards and needs no software. It supports full-speed, high-speed and super-speed transfers of up to 5Gbps.
Available at Amazon
[ Lexar Multi-Card 2-in-1 USB 3.1 Reader ]
This card reader lets you simultaneously transfer files from SD and MicroSD slots to your computer. It is also backward compatible.
Available at Amazon
[ ProGrade Digital SD UHS-11 Dual Slot Memory Card Reader ]
You get ultra-high-speed data transfer from this card reader that is built with professional photographers and videographers in mind. It's a great choice for people looking for better performance because it uses USB 3.2.
Available at Amazon
USB-C card readers
USB-C has the same 10Gbps speed as the USB 3.1 connector but is oval, not rectangular, a design that means you can plug it in without it ever being upside down.
[ Verbatim USB-C Pocket Reader ]
This sleek device is made for newer electronics with USB-C ports. The plug-and-play system works with Windows and Mac operating systems.
Available at Amazon
[ Apple USB-C to SD Card Reader ]
This card reader is cleverly designed so it doesn't block any of your other tablet or computer ports. It works with ultra-high-speed SD cards.
Available at Amazon
Which one should I buy?
The best SD card reader for you is one that's compatible with your computer operating system, reads all the different kinds of memory cards your electronic devices use and has all the speed you need. Browse the options above and see which one is best for you and your computer.
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Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-electronics-which-sd-card-reader-should-i-buy-20230730-7xagyupvebhinemjvawjd5qygm-story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:09 | 0 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-electronics-which-sd-card-reader-should-i-buy-20230730-7xagyupvebhinemjvawjd5qygm-story.html |
Laurel Kelly | Mayo Clinic News Network (TNS)
July is UV Safety Month, which makes this a good time to learn about sunburn and why it’s important to avoid one by protecting your skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet, or UV, radiation from sunlight.
Sunburn is inflamed, painful skin that feels hot to the touch. It’s caused by too much exposure to UV light. That UV light may be from the sun or artificial sources, such as sunlamps and tanning beds. UVA is the wavelength of light that can penetrate to the deep layers of skin and lead to skin damage over time. UVB is the wavelength of light that penetrates the skin more superficially and causes sunburn.
UV light damages skin cells. The immune system reacts by increasing blood flow to the affected areas, which causes the inflamed skin known as sunburn.
Any exposed part of your body, including your earlobes, scalp and lips, can burn. Even covered areas can burn if, for example, your clothing has a loose weave that allows UV light through. Your eyes, which are extremely sensitive to the sun’s UV light, also can burn. You can get sunburn on cool or cloudy days. Surfaces such as snow, sand and water also can reflect UV rays and burn skin.
Sunburn signs and symptoms usually appear within a few hours after sun exposure. But it may take a day or more to know how severe the sunburn is. If the damage is severe, medical attention may be required.
Intense, repeated UV light exposure that results in sunburn increases the risk of other skin damage, such as wrinkles and age spots. It also raises the risk of skin cancers such as melanoma. This slideshow includes images of several conditions caused by sun damage.
Here are four ways you can protect yourself from UV radiation damage:
— Time of day: Avoid sun exposure in the middle of the day — between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. — when the UV rays are strongest. In addition, be mindful that clouds offer little protection, and UV rays can bounce off surfaces such as water, sand, snow or pavement, leading to increased UV exposure.
— Sunscreen: Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor, or SPF, of at least 30 — even on cloudy days. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring. Use a generous amount of sunscreen on all exposed skin, including your lips, the tips of your ears, and the backs of your hands and neck. And if you’re using leftover sunscreen from year to year, be sure to check the expiration date. Learn more about choosing the best sunscreen.
— Sunglasses: UV radiation also can burn your eyes. Sunburned eyes can feel painful or gritty. Too much UV light can damage the retina, lens and cornea. Sun damage to the lens can lead to clouding of the lens, or cataracts. Exposure to UV light also can increase your risk of developing ocular melanoma. Sunburn of the cornea also is called snow blindness. Look for sunglasses that block both types of UV radiation — UVA and UVB rays. Learn more about choosing the best sunglasses.
— Protective clothing: Sunscreens don’t provide complete protection from UV rays. You also should protect your skin with dark, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs, and a broad-brimmed hat that provides more protection than a baseball cap or visor. Some companies also sell photoprotective clothing, with a UV protection factor, or UPF, rating similar to the SPF rating of sunscreens. Learn more about UPF clothing.
Exercising and enjoying time outdoors are important for good health. This time of year means fun in the sun for many people. Knowing how to protect your skin will allow you to do so safely.
©2023 Mayo Clinic News Network. Visit newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/consumer-health-what-is-a-sunburn/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:09 | 1 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/consumer-health-what-is-a-sunburn/ |
Did you know that there’s a name for the outbursts of energy that makes your cat zip around out of control? They are called “the zoomies,” and they usually occur without warning.
It can be amusing to watch your fur baby turn into a blur of fluff during episodes of this behavior, but not so much when the zoomies wake you in the middle of the night or knock your favorite collectibles off a shelf. Providing opportunities for your cat to play, climb and exercise will channel this overabundance of energy.
What are cat zoomies?
Although zoomies is a fun descriptive name for speedy, erratic feline activity, the official term for this behavior is frenetic random activity periods. When the zoomies kick in, a cat can go from relaxing to running around the house with excessive speed in seconds. Additionally, it’s common for cats to jump on top of objects, run under furniture, scratch on walls, pounce on small objects and meow when in full zoomie mode. Many cats quickly return to calm behavior after several minutes of extreme activity.
Reasons cats get the zoomies
The main reason that cats get the zoomies is unspent energy. This can be the result of boredom, excessive napping, hunting instincts or a lack of playtime. Zipping around the house provides the exercise necessary to release this abundance of energy.
Age plays a factor in events of hyperactivity in cats, as kittens and young cats are more energetic than older cats. However, even senior cats can experience zoomies.
Tension or excitement by the presence of kids, dogs and other cats can also prompt energy bursts in cats. Many cats zoom when they play together. Dual zoomies can be an excellent source of exercise between a pair of felines when they are like-minded in their efforts but can lead to a cat spat when only one decides enough is enough.
One of the most frustrating aspects of the zoomies for cat parents is that the pent-up energy often emerges during the night. This is because cats are nocturnal by nature. However, various health concerns can also produce hyperactive behavior in cats.
When to call a veterinarian for a hyperactive cat
Occasional hyperactive behavior is normal in cats, so the zoomies are rarely a reason for concern. However, there are some factors that indicate the need for an evaluation by a veterinarian.
Pain from an underlying condition can cause zoomie-like activity in felines. Hyperthyroidism can also cause this behavior. The condition typically occurs in older cats and usually requires medication. If hyperactivity occurs with signs of distress like loud meowing and panting, or a change in litter box habits, it’s time for a vet visit to rule out a health problem.
Ways to halt cat zoomies
When you are dealing with a cat with the zoomies, quality, engaging playtime is a must to burn off energy. Introducing a combination of traditional and interactive cat toys will keep your cat active and fit as well as less likely to dash from room to room.
Cats’ instincts to climb and scratch also play a role in the zoomies. Cat trees and scratchers provide a way for felines to participate in these natural inclinations, detracting them from furniture, doors and walls.
Calming products that are formulated for cats are also available for tough cases of hyperactivity. Quality products are made with natural ingredients and pheromones and come in diffuser, spray and supplement forms. Although no prescription is required, it’s always a good idea to check with your veterinarian before use.
Best products for cat zoomies
Best cat toys
[ SmartyKat Hot Pursuit Cat Toy ]
This interactive toy is motorized and features a furry moving component that promotes exercise while allowing cats to act on their prey drive. It has two speed settings and makes noises to keep cats intrigued.
Sold by Amazon
[ Fashion’s Talk Variety Pack Cat Toys ]
Mice, balls, feathers, catnip pouches and more — this collection of 20 cat toys includes fun designs for hours of play.
Sold by Amazon
[ Catit Super Roller Circuit Toy for Cats ]
With motion-activated balls that roll around a cat-friendly track, this action-packed toy encourages cats to bat and pounce. It’s a great choice for multiple cats.
Sold by Amazon
[ Instachew Sneak Attack Electronic Cat Toy ]
Cats love chasing the ball around the track of the Sneak Attack toy. It has several settings and a feather to keep their interest piqued.
Sold by Amazon
Best cat trees and scratchers
Whether you have one very active cat or multiple cats, this cat tree is built to impress with numerous components for perching, hiding and scratching. At 72 inches in height, it’s also ideal for climbers.
Sold by Amazon
[ PetFusion Three-Sided Vertical Cat Scratcher ]
With a unique triangular design, this cat scratcher offers three surfaces for cats to indulge in their instinct to scratch. It also comes with catnip, which encourages them to use it.
Sold by Amazon
This cat tree stands out for its cozy hammocks that provide comfortable napping spots after your kitty’s zoomies have passed. It also has numerous areas for climbing, scratching and hiding.
Sold by Amazon
Best calming supplements
[ Feliway Classic Pheromone Cat Calming Spray ]
Not only does pheromone-based Feliway have a calming effect, but it also eases stress and tension among multiple cats. The spray bottle makes it easy to apply to areas where cats spend their time.
Sold by Amazon
[ Relaxivet Calming Diffuser ]
This cat-calming product works by plugging the diffuser into an outlet and emitting soothing pheromones into the kitty's environment. It’s reusable and takes replacement refills, each lasting up to 30 days.
Sold by Amazon
Calming bites contain natural ingredients like chamomile and L-tryptophan that calm hyperactivity in some felines. The package contains 60 bites.
Sold by Amazon
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Jennifer Manfrin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-pets-how-to-help-your-cat-release-energy-zoomies-20230730-23srumza6jdafjwexontg3v22u-story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:09 | 1 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-pets-how-to-help-your-cat-release-energy-zoomies-20230730-23srumza6jdafjwexontg3v22u-story.html |
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska defensive back Myles Farmer, the team’s second-leading tackler last season, was not on the 120-man roster when the Cornhuskers opened practice Monday and his return was uncertain.
The previous coaching staff suspended Farmer for the game against Michigan last November after he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
Rhule also announced that wide receiver Josh Fleeks, a transfer from Baylor, reported “significantly” overweight Sunday and will be held out until he makes weight.
Brodie Tagaloa, who was expected to be in the defensive line rotation, probably is out for the season because of injuries sustained in a car accident two weeks ago. Rhule said Tagaloa had facial cuts and required knee surgery.
___
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25 Sign up for the AP Top 25 newsletter here: https://link.apnews.com/join/6nr/morning-wire-newsletter-footer-internal-ads | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/2023/07/31/nebraska-myles-farmer-matt-rhule-suspended/a955731e-2fc8-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:11 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/2023/07/31/nebraska-myles-farmer-matt-rhule-suspended/a955731e-2fc8-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
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
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Seekr Technologies | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/onevalley-seekr-announce-strategic-content-partnership/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:13 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/onevalley-seekr-announce-strategic-content-partnership/ |
By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER (Associated Press)
MIAMI (AP) — The property manager of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate made his first court appearance on Monday on charges in the classified documents case against the former president but did not enter a plea because he has not found a Florida-based attorney to represent him.
Carlos De Oliveira is accused of scheming with Trump to try to delete security footage sought by investigators probing the former president’s hoarding of classified documents at his Palm Beach club. De Oliveira was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the ex-president’s valet, Walt Nauta, and faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators.
De Oliveira, wearing a blue suit and tie, answered questions from a magistrate judge during a brief hearing in Miami federal court. He was ordered to turn over his passport and sign an agreement to pay $100,000 if he doesn’t return to court. He was represented by Washington, D.C.-based attorney John Irving, but under court rules he needs local counsel to proceed with his arraignment, which was scheduled for Aug. 10 in Fort Pierce.
Irving told reporters after the hearing that he looks forward to seeing what potential evidence the Justice Department has. He declined to comment about whether De Oliveira has been asked to testify against Trump.
De Oliveira’s court appearance comes as Trump braces for possible charges stemming from investigations into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
Trump, the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, has been informed he’s a target of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week. A Georgia prosecutor is also expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to subvert his election loss there.
Trump, who pleaded not guilty in June, has denied any wrongdoing. He posted on his Truth Social platform last week that the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators and that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents the former president took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of national defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but also from Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say, De Oliveira asked an information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say, Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
___
Richer reported from Boston. Associated Press journalist Daniel Kozin in Miami contributed. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/mar-a-lago-manager-de-oliveira-makes-his-first-court-appearance-in-trumps-classified-documents-case/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:14 | 0 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/mar-a-lago-manager-de-oliveira-makes-his-first-court-appearance-in-trumps-classified-documents-case/ |
Which Power Rangers Megazord toys are best?
Since "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" first aired in the U.S. in 1993, the Power Rangers franchise has been a huge hit with kids. If a child in your life has asked for a Power Rangers Megazord toy, it's important to find out which are worth the money and which should be left on the shelf.
In the world of Power Rangers, a Megazord is a gigantic robot that's formed when the Rangers' smaller robots, known as Zords, come together to defeat the biggest of foes. Megazord toys can sometimes be disassembled into smaller Zords but often, they come as one solid piece.
Best Power Rangers Megazord toys
[ Power Rangers Dino Fury Megazord Mega Pack ]
Anyone who's a fan of the 2021 "Power Rangers Dino Fury" series will love this Megazord toy. What sets it apart from many others is that it can be disassembled into five separate Zords, which gives it more scope for play. These Zords can be combined in different ways to create a range of Megazord configurations, providing hours of fun. It's suitable for kids ages 4 and up, though younger kids may find it tricky to assemble.
Sold by Amazon
[ Playskool Heroes Mega Mighties Power Rangers Megazord Action Figure ]
This Megazord figure is suitable for ages 3 and up and is a great choice of Power Rangers toy for young kids who might struggle with more complex offerings. It's poseable with six points of articulation and comes with a sword and a couple of snap-on shields that the Megazord can use in battle. It's lightweight and reasonably compact, so it's easy for little kids to play with and carry around.
Sold by Amazon
[ Power Rangers Ninja Steel DX Ninja Steel Megazord ]
From the "Ninja Steel" series of Power Rangers that aired in 2017 and 2018, this cool-looking Megazord can morph into two different modes, as well as disassembling into five individual zords. It has a cockpit that any 5-inch Power Ranger figure can fit into, although there’s a compatible figure included. It also comes with a weapon for defeating those evil foes.
Sold by Amazon
[ Power Rangers Beast Morphers Beast-X Megazord ]
A 10-inch scale action figure of a Megazord from the 2019-2020 "Power Rangers Beast Morphers" series, this toy comes with two accessories: a sword and a shield. It's suitable for kids 4 and older and it doesn't disassemble into separate Zords, making it simpler to play with and meaning kids can't lose parts and become unable to reassemble it into Megazord form. That said, older kids may get bored with it after a short length of time.
Sold by Amazon
[ Power Rangers Zeo Megazord 12-inch Collectible Action Figure ]
Inspired by the 1996 "Power Rangers Zeo," this is an excellent choice of Megazord toy for kids who have gone back and watched the early seasons of the show or for adult fans who watched it in their youth. The package artwork was even based on the '90s branding, making it a true nostalgia kick. This Megazord toy is poseable and comes with five interchangeable helmets.
Sold by Amazon
[ Playskool Heroes Power Rangers Power Morphin Megazord ]
This huge 2-foot Megazord playset is suitable for ages 3 and up and is ideal for young Power Rangers fans. Kids will have fun transforming it from a humanoid Megazord into a powerful beast. It comes with a 3-inch Red Ranger to play with and is kitted out with a range of lights and sounds to make play even more fun. You can buy additional Playskool Power Rangers figures for more play options.
Sold by Amazon
[ Power Rangers Mighty Morphin Megazord Megapack ]
Based on the original Megazord from "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," this set consists of five separate Zord toys that can be morphed together to create one awesome Megazord. This toy measures around 14 inches when fully assembled into Megazord mode and comes with the Megazord Power Sword from the original show. It's a great toy for kids with plenty to keep them entertained, but the quality of the finish isn't high enough to excite most adult collectors. It's suitable for ages 4 and up, though young kids may have issues with the connectors, which are somewhat flimsy.
Sold by Amazon
[ Hasbro Megazord Power Ranger ]
This Megazord toy is also based on the Mighty Morphin Megazord from the original series, but this is a simpler and cheaper version. Unlike the option above, it doesn't disassemble into separate Zords and is instead stuck in Megazord mode. It does come with the Megazord Power Sword, however, and is poseable to make it more fun to play with. It's designed for ages 4 and up, though older kids might find it has limited uses.
Sold by Amazon
[ Power Rangers Megazord Bull Megazord ]
From "Power Rangers Samurai," this figure can be easily transformed from a Samurai robot Megazord to a bull Megazord and back again. Kids ages 4 and up will have a great time playing with this Power Rangers Megazord toy. While it doesn't separate into individual Zords, it’s compatible with other toys in the ZordBuilder range to transform into even bigger creations. It comes with shoulder blasters and a gatling cannon to play with.
Sold by Amazon
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Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-toys-best-power-rangers-megazord-toy-20230730-txuvrqpnprggpnlfmxawlqsbmy-story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:14 | 1 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-toys-best-power-rangers-megazord-toy-20230730-txuvrqpnprggpnlfmxawlqsbmy-story.html |
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Two United States senators had issues last week that’s prompting conversations about whether they are mentally and physically fit to serve and is leading some politicians to suggest the idea of mental competency tests.
During a committee yes or no vote, Senator Dianne Feinstein gave a wandering speech instead and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell froze mid-sentence and had to be escorted away from a press conference.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons says McConnell appears to be okay for now but both McConnell and Feinstein have had prior health scares.
“I feel like he’s going to be the Republican leader through the rest of this Congress, and what happens after that, I don’t know,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said.
Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley is suggesting testing to ensure people are fit to serve.
“We need to have term limits in Congress, and we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75,” Haley said.
Members of Congress aren’t the only one’s she’s concerned about.
“When you go and you look at Biden, he was in the week before and he can’t say it,” Haley added. “When you go and see him falling asleep with leaders, that’s concerning. And I know when I was at the United Nations, leaders watch the health status of other leaders.”
But Asa Hutchinson, another Republican presidential candidate, dismissed the idea of mental competency tests outright.
“The tests are not constitutional. And so, it’s really something that’s a throwaway line that catches people’s attention,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson also said that determining whether politicians are fit to serve is up to the voters. | https://www.cbs42.com/washington/washington-dc/feinstein-mcconnell-health-scares-leading-some-to-suggest-competency-tests/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:14 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/washington/washington-dc/feinstein-mcconnell-health-scares-leading-some-to-suggest-competency-tests/ |
Is that a piccolo peeking out from behind the library check-out desk? Could that be a tenor tip-toeing through the turn-styles?
Classical orchestral music and opera programs for families have been popping up at local libraries this summer, performing free mini-concerts for audiences ranging in age from senior citizens to 2-year-olds in strollers equipped with sippy cups.
These concerts represent a departure from the libraries’ well-established reputation as hallowed halls of silence, where the only sound ever heard was the occasional snap of a page being turned.
At least two arts groups have brought classical orchestra music and operas to libraries this summer:
The Annapolis Opera is presenting 14 “Stories Through Music” concerts in Anne Arundel County libraries from late June through early August. The program, which is aimed at youngsters ages 6 to 10, explains the plots behind operas, biblical spirituals and art songs (a form of classical music composed for a singer and piano and often sung in German.)
“I’m a tenor,” Brandon Lockhart told a few dozen young audience members recently at the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library. “In opera, tenors tend to be the lover boys and the good guys. We’re always trying to rescue somebody.”
Then Lockhart opened his mouth and belted out an aria from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Maple Flute” that demonstrated quite persuasively what a hero sounds like.
Meanwhile, children in Cecil and Frederick counties were learning how musical instruments can be played to mimic the chirps and growls and meows of different animals in Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.”
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and its musicians’ foundation sent a woodwind quintet and the spoken word artist Wordsmith to perform the 45-minute comic kids’ classic as part of the symphony’s Music for Maryland summer tour, which will bring the BSO to every county in the state over three years.
Taking the concert out of the hall
On a recent late afternoon, a meeting room at the Elkton Branch Library filled with families eager to hear the story of how clever Peter defeated the Big Bad W with the help of some friends: a bird (the flute), a duck (the oboe), a cat (the clarinet) and his grumpy grandfather (a bassoon.)
As Beth Graham played the menacing strains of the wolf on her French horn, a young girl in the first row, her face alert and alive, turned to her friends and pulled her hands up to her shoulders, forming them into the shape of claws. Another girl in a pink shirt began to dance in the aisle.
Mazie Converse, 10, of Newark, Delaware, watched with rapt concentration as Marcia McHugh executed tricky trills on her flute.
“That’s really hard,” said Maisie, who has recently began taking flute lessons. “She’s really good.”
Brian Prechtl, the symphony’s interim director of education and community engagement, hopes to integrate more family-friendly activities into the summer tours in future years.
He said there’s a growing realization in the classical music field that concert halls — despite the pristine acoustics that showcase the deep and rich sound of an orchestra performing at its best — can actually be a barrier to attendance.
Instead of expecting audiences to take the time, effort and spend the money to visit symphony halls, Prechtl said there’s an increased emphasis on taking the orchestra to places where people naturally congregate: libraries or churches or high school auditoriums. Perhaps the acoustics can’t always compare. But the trade-off is worth it.
“People look at classical music as something that takes place over there,” Prechtl said, and gestured with his arm towards someplace far away and practically out of view.
“They look at classical music as something that is for someone else. But, we want to [reach] everyone. We’ve got to help people see that what we do can be a part of their daily lives.”
‘This is not your grandmother’s library’
But of all the possible places to hold a music concert, a library might be the most unexpected.
Everyone expects people to make noise in a high school gym, or a public park. But in a library, where the norm has always been hush-hush? Not so much.
So ingrained is this social rule that it was affectionately satirized in Meredith Wilson’s 1957 musical, “The Music Man.”
In one of the musical’s best-known songs, “Marian the Librarian,” the character of Professor Harold Hill jokes that he’ll forever be prevented from declaring his feelings to the woman he loves, because he must conduct his courtship inside her workplace.
“It’s a long-lost cause I can never win,” Hill sings, “For the civilized world accepts as unforgivable sin / Talking out loud with any librarian / Such as Marian.”
But those were the old days, according to Christine Feldmann, director of communications for the Busch Annapolis Library. She is quite sure that Harold Hill wouldn’t run into the same roadblocks in 2023.
Weekend Watch
“This is not your grandmother’s library,” she said. “You are encouraged to come to our library and to eat and drink at our library. You can even make joyful noises in our library.”
That’s good to know, since opera singers are famed for their ability to project their voices to the back row of a 2,500-seat concert hall without a microphone.
Dnazha Mason, 24, brought four children to the Annapolis opera concert, including her two-year-old daughter, Treasure Stevenson. Mason said she doesn’t know much about opera, but always thought it was beautiful. She wanted to expose the youngsters to something they didn’t encounter every day.
And indeed, Treasure, reclining in her stroller like a young queen, opened her mouth wide in a perfect oval just after Lockhart opened his mouth to propel Mozart’s music to the back of the room. When Lockhart closed his mouth, Treasure closed her mouth, too.
And when the song ended and Treasure’s brother and cousin began to clap, Treasure put down her bottle and clapped along with them.
One minute later, Treasure’s head lolled to one side and she was fast asleep.
“She was really engaged,” Mason said. “She hung in there for as long as she could.” | https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bs-fe-classical-kids-libraries-20230731-ojezd4xi3ravdfgwhhz63fp43a-story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:15 | 0 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bs-fe-classical-kids-libraries-20230731-ojezd4xi3ravdfgwhhz63fp43a-story.html |
By Andrew Dalton | Associated Press
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.
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 “Bicycle Thieves.” Directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” it 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 writers Alicia Rancilio and Jake Coyle contributed to this report. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-dies-at-70/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:15 | 0 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-dies-at-70/ |
By JEFF AMY (Associated Press)
ATLANTA (AP) — The first new U.S. nuclear reactor to be built from scratch in decades is sending electricity reliably to the grid, but the cost of the Georgia power plant could make it a dead end instead of a path to a carbon-free future.
Georgia Power Co. announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has completed testing and is now in commercial operation, seven years late and $17 billion over budget.
At its full output of 1,100 megawatts of electricity, Unit 3 can power 500,000 homes and businesses. A number of other utilities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are receiving the electricity, in addition to the 2.7 million customers of Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power.
“This hadn’t been done in this country from start to finish in some 30-plus years,” Chris Womack, CEO of Atlanta-based Southern Co. said Monday in a telephone interview. “So to do this, to get this done, to get this done right, is a wonderful accomplishment for our company, for the state and for the customers here in Georgia.”
A fourth reactor is also nearing completion at the site, where two earlier reactors have been generating electricity for decades. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday said radioactive fuel could be loaded into Unit 4, a step expected to take place before the end of September. Unit 4 is scheduled to enter commercial operation by March.
The third and fourth reactors were originally supposed to cost $14 billion, but are now on track to cost their owners $31 billion. That doesn’t include $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid to the owners to walk away from the project. That brings total spending to almost $35 billion.
The third reactor was supposed to start generating power in 2016 when construction began in 2009.
Vogtle is important because government officials and some utilities are again looking to nuclear power to alleviate climate change by generating electricity without burning natural gas, coal and oil. But most focus in the U.S. currently is on smaller nuclear reactors, which advocates hope can be built without the cost and schedule overruns that have plagued Vogtle. For its part, Womack said Southern Co. isn’t looking to add any more reactors to its fleet.
“In terms of us making additional investments, at this time is not something that we’re going to do, but I do think others in this country should move in that direction,” Womack said.
In Georgia, almost every electric customer will pay for Vogtle. Georgia Power currently owns 45.7% of the reactors. Smaller shares are owned by Oglethorpe Power Corp., which provides electricity to member-owned cooperatives, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the city of Dalton. Oglethorpe and MEAG plan to sell power to cooperatives and municipal utilities across Georgia, as well in Jacksonville, Florida, and parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Georgia Power’s residential customers are projected to pay more than $926 apiece as part of an ongoing finance charge and elected public service commissioners have approved a monthly rate increase of more than $4 a month for residential customers as soon as the third unit begins generating power. That could hit bills in August, two months after residential customers saw a $16-a-month increase to pay for higher fuel costs.
The high construction costs have wiped out any future benefit from low nuclear fuel costs in the future, experts have repeatedly testified before commissioners.
“The cost increases and schedule delays have completely eliminated any benefit on a life-cycle cost basis,” Tom Newsome, director of utility finance for the commission, testified Thursday in a Georgia Public Service Commission hearing examining spending.
The utility will face a fight from longtime opponents of the plant, many of whom note that power generated from solar and wind would be cheaper. They say letting Georgia Power make ratepayers pay for mistakes will unfairly bolster the utility’s profits.
“While capital-intensive and expensive projects may benefit Georgia Power’s shareholders who have enjoyed record profits throughout Vogtle’s beleaguered construction, they are not the least-cost option for Georgians who are feeling the sting of repeated bill increases,” Southern Environmental Law Center staff attorney Bob Sherrier said in a statement.
Commissioners will decide later who pays for the remainder of the costs of Vogtle, including the fourth reactor. Customers will pay for the share of spending that commissioners determine was prudent, while the company and its shareholders will have to pay for spending commissioners decide was wasteful.
Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene said the company hasn’t decided how much it will ask customers to pay.
“That will be determined as we move closer and closer to our prudence filing, but we have not made a final determination,” Greene said. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/the-first-us-nuclear-reactor-built-from-scratch-in-decades-enters-commercial-operation-in-georgia/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:16 | 1 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/the-first-us-nuclear-reactor-built-from-scratch-in-decades-enters-commercial-operation-in-georgia/ |
Paul Reubens, the actor best known for portraying Pee-wee Herman, died Sunday night after a private bout of cancer. He was 70.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” wrote Reubens in a statement posted to Instagram after 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.”
“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,” wrote Reubens’ estate in the caption. “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 began his career in the 1970s after joining the Los Angeles live comedy troupe the Groundlings as an improvisational comedian and stage actor. In 1980, he launched “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” a stage production centered on a fictional character he had been developing for years. As Pee-wee became a beloved comic figure, Reubens’ show ran for five sold-out months, and he landed a special at HBO. Reubens also committed to the character in his interviews and public appearances.
In 1985, he teamed with Tim Burton on “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” the character’s feature film debut, which was a critical and commercial success. Reubens returned three years later for a follow-up film, “Big Top Pee-wee,” helmed by Randal Kleiser. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/paul-reibens-pee-wee-herman-actor-dies-20230731-ed44onzljzdmzgewz5pswxvv4i-story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:17 | 1 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/paul-reibens-pee-wee-herman-actor-dies-20230731-ed44onzljzdmzgewz5pswxvv4i-story.html |
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick was carted off the field Monday with a left leg injury almost a year after he tore his right ACL at training camp.
Patrick was participating in a 7-on-7 drill with the Broncos in full pads for the first time and his left leg buckled as he pushed off to run a route. He yelled out in pain and threw his helmet as coach Sean Payton, quarterback Russell Wilson and receiver Courtland Sutton were among the first to rush over to him.
He was helped onto a cart and taken inside the team’s headquarters as the crowd of some 3,000 fans fell silent.
Patrick was the team’s No. 1 receiver going into last season when he tore his right ACL in a noncontact drill on Aug. 2.
He was a projected starter again this summer even in a crowded wide receiver room that also features Jerry Jeudy, Sutton, rookie Marvin Mims Jr., Brandon Johnson, Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, among others.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2023/07/31/nfl-broncos-tim-patrick-injury/616d485a-2fc9-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:17 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2023/07/31/nfl-broncos-tim-patrick-injury/616d485a-2fc9-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils have signed defenseman Kevin Bahl to a two-year contract worth $2.1 million.
The Devils acquired Bahl from Arizona in December 2019 in the deal that sent Taylor Hall to the Coyotes. He made his NHL debut against Philadelphia late in the 2020-21 season. Before that, he played for the Devils’ American Hockey League affiliates at Binghamton and Utica.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nhl/2023/07/31/devils-balh-defenseman-contract/3126e3b2-2fca-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:19 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nhl/2023/07/31/devils-balh-defenseman-contract/3126e3b2-2fca-11ee-85dd-5c3c97d6acda_story.html |
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.
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SOURCE Resulticks | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/resulticks-carves-out-new-niche-audience-engagement-connected-experiences-powered-by-resul/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:19 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/resulticks-carves-out-new-niche-audience-engagement-connected-experiences-powered-by-resul/ |
There’s a special moment following a trip — it could be days later, even months or years — when an aroma wafts through the air that suddenly transports you back to your destination, like the warm coconut smell of an Caribbean resort or light lavender scent of luxury spa day.
When it comes to memory, there is no sense more closely linked than smell.
“Our olfactory system is unique compared to our other sensory systems in that the pathways from the nose and olfactory bulb go directly into memory and emotion centers in the brain, such as the entorhinal cortex and amygdala,” Jennifer Newson, in-house neuroscience consultant at neurocosmetics brand Children of Earth Skincare, said in an email. She says scents can influence us subconsciously, so not only can they be used to create pleasant environments, they can plant a seed in the brain tied to a specific place and time.
Scent is also a powerful emotion evoker, which hotels harness to create a memorable experience. Guests stepping into a hotel lobby may not even be aware that they are starting to relax, all thanks to a scent being pumped through the air.
Developing a signature scent
Though scents can be subtle, developing a signature scent isn’t a simple task for brands, which is why many turn to olfactory branding agencies like 12.29 Scent, whose clients include Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton hotels.
“We’re able to create an idea of comfort, or atmosphere of safety, or inspiration, or relaxation, or whatever the hotel brand wants to do,” says Dawn Goldworm, co-founder and nose of the agency. To achieve this, they have to take into consideration everything within the hotel’s space, location and target market. “We work with the music, we work with the lighting, we work with the textures, the colors, and everything becomes that emotion a brand wants to elicit from their branding efforts.”
Presidio Lodging in San Francisco has been working with a similar company to develop a signature scent for Lodge at the Presidio, one of their two properties. General manager Terry Haney can attest to the complicated process: Starting with thousands of scents, he is tasked with sniffing his way down to one. Floral and sweet scents were nixed early on, while more subdued scents stayed in consideration. Encapsulating their unique location — bridging San Francisco’s eucalyptus forest to the Bay — is important but not without challenges. “We want to be able to bring the outside in, but I don’t want it to smell like you’re in the woods either,” he says.
It’s a lot of work, but as a boutique property, nailing the scent is vital. “Since the beginning, we’ve never been a big box; our guests aren’t looking for that experience, they want something special,” Haney says of the 42-room hotel. “Part of that is touching on all five of the senses. But scent is really what sticks with people; that’s what creates the memory and people don’t even realize it.” He credits the white tea scent at sister property Inn at the Presidio as one of the reasons for their 45 percent repeat-guest rate.
When smell is the main attraction
From singular properties to entire hotel chains, scent can become one of the defining characteristics of an accommodation. Anyone who has stayed at one of Edition Hotels’ 16 properties can probably recall their custom black tea scent by Le Labo just by thinking about it.
“We wanted to create a potent means to stimulate the senses that has the power to trigger memories or an emotion of an experience at an Edition Hotel,” Josh Fluhr, senior vice president and managing director of Edition Hotels, said in an email. Their signature rich, complex aroma has become synonymous with their worldwide properties, not only setting an elevated tone, but creating a consistent sensory experience that guests can expect wherever they go.
Though much lesser-known than its fountains, the signature scent of the Bellagio in Las Vegas may stand out in visitors’ minds. “When developing Bellagio’s signature scent, the goal was to create something elegant and beautiful that evoked wonderful memories each time a guest stepped back into the resort,” Ana Maria Viditchi, vice president of retail strategy for MGM Resorts, said in an email. Their fragrance of bergamot, orange blossom, clove and sandalwood was designed to be, “warm and welcoming while still elegant and luxurious,” ideally reflecting how Bellagio guests feel when visiting.
In Vegas hotels, the scents serve a few purposes: to create a lasting memory, help guests differentiate as they bounce from property to property on the Strip and, maybe most importantly, cover the smoky smell of casino floors.
There’s another challenge in developing signature scents: Travelers can have different reactions to the same scent.
The smell of burning incense in the lobby of an Abu Dhabi hotel sent France-based content marketer Jill Starley-Grainger into an hour-long coughing fit upon arrival. “The scent only got worse as we were taken down the vast, palatial hallways to our room, so I can only assume that they were piping the fragrance through vents into the hallway,” she said in an email.
As someone with allergies and asthma, she believes hotels should desist from scents altogether. “Strong fragrances can cause all sorts of health problems for people, including migraines, epilepsy, nausea and more.” In this case scent created a powerful memory, but one she never wants to revisit.
For Steph Dyson, U.K.-based travel journalist and blogger at Worldly Adventurer, the signature scent she encountered at Paradise Cove in Mauritius was a revelation.
“Upon arrival at the hotel, I was given a refreshing cold flannel to dab away the sticky Mauritian heat,” she said in email. It had been infused with the hotel’s signature bergamot fragrance. “I instantly loved the idea. The fruity fragrance of bergamot seemed to encapsulate the island itself, and now conjures up in my mind the powdery beaches and aquamarine waters of Paradise Cove.”
Scent’s capacity for memory creation has also led to an influx of aromatic products for sale by hotels. The Bellagio, Wynn and Edition hotels sell the scent of their hotel for your home with candles, diffusers and scent sticks. Once they’ve landed on a scent, Presidio Lodging is also planning to offer similar products in-house. Even Super 8 motels tried to get into scent business this year with beef jerky and fresh linen candles.
“I was given a reed diffuser carrying the signature scent when I left the hotel,” Dyson says of Paradise Cove, “and it now floods my downstairs bathroom with delicate citrus that speaks of sunshine and hot, lazy afternoons by the pool.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/07/31/hotel-scents-le-labo/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:25 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/07/31/hotel-scents-le-labo/ |
ROSEMONT, Ill., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), the leading medical organization dedicated to advancing quality in vascular health care, has issued a response to a recent New York Times article detailing allegations of overuse of interventions to treat patients with peripheral vascular disease. SVS sent a strong message that it is inaccurate and a disservice to patients to paint all providers treating vascular patients with the same broad brush. There are important differences all patients and health reporters should know:
An estimated 10-12 million Americans have peripheral artery disease. Left untreated, vascular disease can affect quality of life and potentially threaten patients' limbs and lives — as can delayed care due to lack of education, financial barriers, or mistrust of qualified physicians. The actions of a few outliers, while important to address, must not tarnish the reputation of the 98% of physicians that are providing excellent patient care.
As in all professions, there are health care providers practicing outside the norms established by evidence-based guidelines. SVS is dedicated to addressing this issue through high quality science, education, and policy. The individuals described in the Times' investigation are not board-certified vascular surgeons or SVS members. Creating the impression that all providers of vascular care are the same is a disservice to patients seeking credible and reliable information to make good health care decisions.
Vascular surgeons are defined and certified by rigorous national standards ( ABMS ABS definition and ACGME specialties ) as the primary specialty trained to provide comprehensive care across the full spectrum of vascular disease states. While vascular care may often be team-based, vascular surgeons are irreplaceable on such teams because of their depth of understanding of the entire spectrum of vascular disease and its wide range of treatment options, including the full range of medical management, non-operative options, minimally invasive endovascular therapy (angioplasty, stents) and major surgical reconstructions.
SVS also emphasizes that while individual providers are responsible and accountable for the care of their patients, efforts to better align health and medico-economic policies to drive, reinforce, and incentivize appropriate care are long overdue.
"We stand against the inappropriate use of interventions and appreciate the Times' efforts to raise patient awareness, promote quality and advocate for safety in the delivery of vascular care," says Dr. Joseph Mills, SVS President. "The Society for Vascular Surgery's mission and code of ethics is rooted in prioritizing patient wellbeing, ensuring the best outcomes for those under our care. No procedure should be recommended or performed if not primarily and solely for a patient's benefit and best interests – period."
SVS members place a strong emphasis on medical therapy and lifestyle changes for patients. This approach aligns with the SVS mission to educate individuals to seek care early and prioritize lifestyle and nonsurgical interventions. Building trusting relationships between patients and their doctors, along with regular visits, plays a crucial role in achieving best outcomes.
SVS members prioritize adherence to best practices and evidence-based guidelines to ensure the delivery of optimal patient care. In fact, SVS established its Patient Safety Organization to monitor outcomes of patient care with Vascular Quality Initiative registries, and – in collaboration with the American College of Surgeons – recently launched its Vascular Verification Program, setting standards of quality across vascular care, regardless of site of service.
SVS agrees industry-wide reform is needed and urges action, with Dr. Mills saying: "It's incumbent upon the entire health care system to address underlying health care policy drivers contributing to inappropriate use."
The Society for Vascular Surgery always emphasizes quality and safety in patient care and is fully committed to tackling these issues and promoting best practices through scientific research, guidelines and patient registries.
About the Society for Vascular Surgery:
The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) seeks to advance excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research and public awareness. The organization was founded in 1946 and has a membership of more than 6,300. SVS membership is recognized in the vascular community as a mark of professional achievement.
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SOURCE Society for Vascular Surgery | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/society-vascular-surgery-responds-new-york-times-article-overuse-interventions-vascular-surgery/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:26 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/society-vascular-surgery-responds-new-york-times-article-overuse-interventions-vascular-surgery/ |
Close to 35,000 Maryland residents lost access to Medicaid as the state returned to checking eligibility for the public health insurance program, after a COVID-era requirement to keep recipients continuously enrolled expired on May 31. Most people — 71% — lost the safety net because of procedural problems, such as failing to file forms or responding to requests for information too late. They are among millions of others who are losing Medicaid coverage, meant for low income families and individuals, nationwide.
Loss of such health coverage can lead to delays in accessing medical care and prevent individuals from filling prescriptions for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. That means primary care offices and community health centers may have lower numbers of patient visits, while emergency departments visits could rise, with more severe health issues requiring hospital admissions.
Maryland is taking care to spread this process of reviewing eligibility over 12 months. It is critical that Marylanders receiving Medicaid keep their information up to date. In Baltimore City, for example, a third of all residents and two thirds of young people ages 19 and under, are insured through this program. If their information is incorrect, these residents might miss important notices, putting them at risk of losing their health insurance.
To update information, recipients should log in to the Maryland Health Connection website (www.marylandhealthconnection.gov) and make sure their contact information is up to date. They should stay on the lookout for emails and letters from Maryland Health Connection letting them know a) if they are still eligible for Medicaid, and b) when it’s time for them to renew. Recipients have 45 days to renew or enroll in a different health plan if you are no longer eligible. If they miss this notice and do not re-enroll, they will lose their coverage. They can still apply to renew, but will face a gap in coverage. Anyone who needs assistance can call the Health Care Access Maryland Connector Program at 410-500-4710 or the Maryland Health Connection at 855-642-8572. After they’re all set, they should talk with their family members and neighbors about the process, increasing awareness for anyone they think might need this crucial information.
Community-based organizations and clinic providers should share these Medicaid changes with clients and patients, via flyers and social media posts, among other outlets. When possible, they should make reminder phone calls to members and patients with complex needs asking them to update their information with Maryland Health Connection and to check their email and mail for notices.
The Maryland Department of Health has an easy to use communication toolkit available online (health.maryland.gov) to get the word out about these changes. These resources include YouTube announcements, reminder messages from Gov. Wes Moore, printable flyers to post in offices, social media and email templates, and newsletter notices. Many of these tools are available in several languages.
Baltimore City Health Department is raising awareness about the state’s Medicaid Check-In campaign through our clinical staff and social media. We are emphasizing the fact that Medicaid renewal is not automatic this year and it is important that all Medicaid enrollees make sure that their contact information is up to date with the Maryland Health Connection. In-person application assistance is available to Baltimore City residents through HealthCare Access Maryland (HCAM), which houses the Medicaid Unit for Baltimore City and the Connector Program for Central Region. Currently, HCAM is working with BCHD on a schedule to have in-person consumer assistance workers available at health department sites to assist city residents through the Medicaid Check-In process.
BCHD and our partners are doing everything we can to ensure Baltimoreans don’t lose their health insurance. Now we ask Medicaid enrollees to take these important steps now to update their information and stay covered.
Tamara Green (tamara.green@baltimorecity.gov) is chief medical officer for the Baltimore City Health Department. | https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-medicaid-coverage-maryland-20230731-hrl7qeenlzfhfjtriuwp7g3gdu-story.html | 2023-07-31T18:23:29 | 0 | https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/op-ed/bs-ed-op-medicaid-coverage-maryland-20230731-hrl7qeenlzfhfjtriuwp7g3gdu-story.html |
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Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, the United States is the only high-income country without any guaranteed paid parental leave. On Monday, Aug. 7 at 11:00 a.m. ET, Cecilia Rouse, former chair of President Biden’s White House Council of Economic Advisers, joins The Post’s Frances Stead Sellers to discuss the issue as it gains momentum on the state and national level. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2023/08/07/cecelia-rouse-paid-parental-leave/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:31 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2023/08/07/cecelia-rouse-paid-parental-leave/ |
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.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-tforce-freight-ratify-national-agreement/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:33 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/teamsters-tforce-freight-ratify-national-agreement/ |
The endless summer heat wave in the southern United States, now entering its third month, continues this week, scorching millions of Americans with record heat and high humidity. While portions of the Desert Southwest will see the searing heat ease ever so slightly early this week, it’s getting hotter along the Gulf Coast, especially in Louisiana and central to eastern Texas.
The week’s dangerous heat will focus on the Central and Southern Plains, the Lower Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast states where heat alerts were in effect Monday for more than 55 million people. Excessive heat warnings were issued for areas expecting the most extreme heat and humidity, covering northeast Texas, including Dallas; northern and southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans; southwestern Mississippi; and southeast Kansas.
New Orleans, a city accustomed to punishing levels of heat and humidity, could see some of its most extreme conditions on record with heat indexes over 115 degrees. Much of Texas, which is enduring a historically hot month, will roast for yet another week. According to The Washington Post’s heat tracker, Austin and Dallas will be the nation’s two hottest large cities this week, with heat indexes near or above 105 degrees all week.
“These temperatures and heat indices will pose a health risk to those without an effective cooling method and/or adequate hydration,” the National Weather Service said. “It is essential to have ways to cool down and limit your heat exposure.”
Numerous heat records, both for hot daytime high temperatures and warm nighttime lows, have fallen during the heat wave and more are expected this week. Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin are all forecast to challenge records Monday and Tuesday.
Slight, but temporary break in the heat for Desert Southwest
The record streak of 100+ high temperatures at El Paso ended today, with a high temperature this afternoon of 97. The streak lasted 44 days which was 21 days longer than the old record streak set back in 1994. #heat #txwx pic.twitter.com/cklTY3cizk
— NWS El Paso (@NWSElPaso) July 31, 2023
The zone from Arizona to West Texas is seeing its first slight break in the heat since June, although it probably won’t last long.
In El Paso, the 44-day streak of days reaching 100 degrees or higher ended when Sunday maxed out at 97 degrees. The previous longest streak was 23 days in 1994. A new streak of triple-digit temperatures could begin by midweek.
The heat is finally relenting just a bit in Phoenix. Its streak of days climbing to 110 degrees or higher could end at 31 days, shattering the previous record of 18 straight days in 1974, if Monday’s high only reaches around 108 as forecast. Highs are forecast to be around 105 to 108 through Wednesday, but could climb to 110 or higher again starting Thursday.
In Las Vegas, the past two weeks have been hotter than any other 14-day stretch on record, with an average high of 112 degrees and average low of 89. Forecast highs this week are around 100 to 105, but could trend hotter again by the weekend.
Relentless heat continues for much of Texas
Wish we had better news... but the heat continues through the end of the week with the next best chance for rain at the end of next weekend. Hot and dry conditions don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. We will try again in October... 😔 #dfwwx #ntxwx #ctxwx #txwx pic.twitter.com/69R8lXIWxh
— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) July 30, 2023
Texas has barely seen the heat let up all summer, and for most of the state, there’s no relief in sight this week.
Houston will continue to see highs near 100 through the weekend and heat indexes near or over 105. In Austin, high temperatures are predicted to reach near 105 all week and this weekend. The city has reached 100 degrees or higher on 23 consecutive days and could tie or break the record of 27 straight days set in 2011. The heat has even prompted a water park near Austin to dump ice into the water to keep guests cool.
Around Dallas-Fort Worth and Waco, forecast highs are around 105 to 107 all week and this weekend, with no rain in the forecast until at least the end of the weekend. The hot, dry and breezy conditions have elevated the fire threat along and west of Interstate 35. Waco hasn’t recorded measurable rain for 43 straight days, seven days short of the record 50-day rainless streak in 2015.
Especially hot and humid in Louisiana
The first half of this work week will just be brutal. 🥵
— NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) July 30, 2023
Please take precautions to stay safe from the heat and be sure to check on those who are more vulnerable, too. pic.twitter.com/FuX2iD7dbX
New Orleans and Baton Rouge are bracing for highs in the upper 90s to near 100 all week and this weekend. Extremely high humidity could push heat indexes as high as 115. Both cities could tie or break the record high for the date each day, while New Orleans could crush its previous record of three straight days reaching 99 degrees or higher.
“The first half of this workweek will just be brutal,” the National Weather Service in New Orleans said. “Please take precautions to stay safe from the heat and be sure to check on those who are more vulnerable, too.”
Will the heat ever end?
Eventually, yes, but it may not be anytime soon. The heat dome responsible for the prolonged and punishing heat developed in June. While it has expanded and contracted, persistent and intense heat has centered on a zone stretching from Arizona to Florida, and should continue to do so during the next few weeks.
The Climate Prediction Center’s eight-to-14-day outlook for Aug. 7 to 13 calls for a high chance of temperatures well above normal across most of the nation’s southern tier.
Jason Samenow contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/31/heat-wave-south-neworleans-gulfcoast/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:37 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/31/heat-wave-south-neworleans-gulfcoast/ |
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So it’s no wonder that in the quest for a good night’s rest, so many people turn to supplements. Trying to get better sleep is one of the three most common reasons people say they have taken a supplement, according to a summer 2022 nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of 3,070 U.S. adults. About 1 in 3 Americans say they have taken supplements to sleep better.
Melatonin was by far the most popular supplement for sleep mentioned in our survey. Cannabidiol (CBD) and magnesium rounded out the top three but were much less popular. And other vitamins and supplements, including valerian, iron and vitamin D, have sometimes been touted as sleep aids, too. Here’s what the evidence says about whether any of these actually work — plus what you might want to try instead.
Whenever you buy a supplement, you should look for a safety seal from a trusted third party.
Melatonin
Your body runs on an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. Melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone, helps signal to your brain that it’s bedtime. That’s the idea behind using a melatonin supplement at bedtime.
The evidence suggests that taking melatonin can help people fall asleep about seven minutes faster, on average, and studies show that it’s useful for people with jet lag or a sleep disorder called delayed sleep phase syndrome. But to avoid interfering with your body’s natural production, high doses should not be taken long term, says Selena Chan, a psychiatrist and associate director of clinical programs at the University of California at San Francisco’s Osher Center for Integrative Health.
CBD
Some people use this compound, a nonpsychoactive derivative of hemp or marijuana, to relieve anxiety and promote sleep.
A 2017 paper suggested that CBD may be a reasonable treatment for insomnia, but the scientists said such research is in its infancy and more long-term studies are needed. As long as you’re practicing good sleep habits and not taking other medications at the same time, Chan says CBD may be beneficial before bedtime. Just check with your doctor first.
And shop carefully. Consumer Reports tests have found that some CBD gummies don’t have the amount of CBD advertised on the label.
Magnesium
The mineral magnesium may help reduce stress and relax the body before bed. Magnesium supplements can be taken as pills or as a powder added to drinks.
Research in this area is scarce, however. While some studies link magnesium to better sleep quality, it’s unclear whether supplementing helps with sleep disorders such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome. (Be sure to avoid types called magnesium oxide or citrate for sleep use because these forms are more commonly used as laxatives.)
Iron
Iron deficiency is closely linked to restless legs syndrome, a condition marked by uncomfortable sensations in the limbs and an uncontrollable urge to move them, which can interfere with sleep. Think this might be your problem? Consult a doctor before self-treating. Taking iron could mask a more serious problem.
Plus, for people without a deficiency, supplementing could lead to iron overload, which can damage organs.
Vitamin D
A growing body of evidence suggests a link between low levels of vitamin D and sleep troubles.
One study of 89 adults with sleep disorders, published in 2018, found that when people whose vitamin D levels were on the low side (but not deficient) took supplements regularly for eight weeks, they said they nodded off faster, slept longer and had better sleep quality than those who received a placebo.
But other research has found that the supplements have no positive effect on sleep or may worsen it in certain populations. What to do? Talk to your doctor about getting tested for vitamin D deficiency and whether supplements might be worth a try.
Valerian
This root has been used for centuries to treat insomnia. And several studies suggest that this supplement may help people fall asleep faster and wake up less often at night, although next-day grogginess may occur. But other studies show no benefit.
Such mixed findings may be due to the variable quality and instability of active ingredients in valerian, according to a 2020 research review, so be sure to check for a trustworthy seal on the bottle.
What else to try
A consistent sleep routine can help signal bedtime to your body. Relax without screens, whether you journal, read or take a bath, Chan says. Try to limit alcohol, and don’t consume caffeine after lunchtime. For sleep disorders, medication or a form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can also be effective.
Copyright 2023, Consumer Reports Inc.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Read more at ConsumerReports.org. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/07/31/sleep-cbd-melatonin-supplements/ | 2023-07-31T18:23:39 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/07/31/sleep-cbd-melatonin-supplements/ |