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New Delhi: The inflation across categories have continued unabated for the past several months.
The inflation rate based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 7% in August. It had gone down to 6.71 % in July. The rate had fallen below 7 % in July after three months. Inflation hit the highest point in 8 months in April at 7.79 %.
For the past eight months, the rate has been above the Reserve Bank’s tolerance band of 6 %. The RBI's target is to bring it close to 4 %. The current assessment is that the inflation rate will remain high until December. Since the inflation rate continues to show an upward trend, a meeting of the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), to be held on September 28 to 30, is expected to hike the interest rates again.
The rise in the prices of food items has mainly been reflected in the August statistics. The inflation related to food articles went up to 7.62 % in August from 6.69 % in July.
Kerala: Marginal increase in the rate
In Kerala, the inflation rate increased to 5.73 % in August. Though Kerala is among the states that witness the lowest inflation rate in the country, this is the highest rate that the state recorded in the last one year. In July and June, this was 5.36 % and 5.41 % respectively, and in May, it was 4.82 %. In town areas, the price rise was 5.77 %, and in villages, it was 5.71 %.
Industrial production rate at 2.4 %
Meanwhile, India's Industrial production rate in July touched a four-month low of 2.4 percent. The highest production rate recorded before this was in August 2021 at 13 %. The lowest was in March at 2.2 %. The Industrial production rate declined this time mainly on account of the poor show by the manufacturing, mining, and power sectors. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in April and May was 6.7 % and 19.6 % respectively. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/business/2022/09/13/inflation-india-kerala-rbi-limit.amp.html | 2022-09-13T16:48:48Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/business/2022/09/13/inflation-india-kerala-rbi-limit.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NBA bans Suns owner Sarver 1 year, fine him $10M after probe
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year, plus fined him $10 million, after an investigation found that he had engaged in what the league called “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies.”
The findings of the league’s report, published Tuesday, came nearly a year after the NBA asked a law firm to investigate allegations that Sarver had a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents over his nearly two-decade tenure overseeing the franchise.
The allegations were reported by ESPN, which said it talked to dozens of current and former team employees for its story, including some who detailed inappropriate behavior by Sarver. He originally denied or disputed most of the allegations through his legal team.
Sarver, the league said, cannot be present at any NBA or WNBA team facility, including any office, arena, or practice facility; attend or participate in any NBA or WNBA event or activity, including games, practices or business partner activity; represent the Suns or Mercury in any public or private capacity; or have any involvement with the business or basketball operations of the Suns or Mercury.
The league said it would donate the $10 million “to organizations that are committed to addressing race and gender-based issues in and outside the workplace.”
“The statements and conduct described in the findings of the independent investigation are troubling and disappointing,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “We believe the outcome is the right one, taking into account all the facts, circumstances and context brought to light by the comprehensive investigation of this 18-year period and our commitment to upholding proper standards in NBA workplaces.”
Sarver also will have to complete a training program “focused on respect and appropriate conduct in the workplace” during his suspension, the league said.
The league also will require the Suns and Mercury to engage in a series of workplace improvements, including retaining outside firms that will “focus on fostering a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace.”
Employees of those organizations will be surveyed, anonymously and regularly, to ensure that proper workplace culture is in place. The NBA and WNBA will need to be told immediately of any instances, or even allegations, of significant misconduct by any employees.
All those conditions will be in place for three years.
“Regardless of position, power or intent, we all need to recognize the corrosive and hurtful impact of racially insensitive and demeaning language and behavior,” Silver said. “On behalf of the entire NBA, I apologize to all of those impacted by the misconduct outlined in the investigators’ report. We must do better.”
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbko.com/2022/09/13/nba-bans-suns-owner-sarver-1-year-fine-him-10m-after-probe/ | 2022-09-13T16:49:57Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/2022/09/13/nba-bans-suns-owner-sarver-1-year-fine-him-10m-after-probe/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chicory's In-Recipe Commerce Solutions Send Alaska Seafood to Online Grocery Carts
NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicory, the leading contextual commerce advertising platform, today announced its partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), an organization fostering the economic development of the Alaska seafood industry. The partnership seeks to drive consumer awareness and online sales of wild Alaska seafood using Chicory's full suite of in-recipe commerce solutions.
"We're on a mission to help home cooks easily prepare delicious, wild Alaska seafood," said ASMI Domestic Marketing Director Megan Rider. "Chicory makes this simple, which is why they are our premier partner in our new era of digital growth. Together, through our recently launched Seafood Recipe Finder and Chicory's extensive network, we're providing seamless shopping experiences and making Alaska seafood more accessible to the everyday consumer."
As of February, all recipes on alaskaseafood.org are powered by Chicory's signature "Get Ingredients" button. The technology takes site visitors from inspiration to checkout, at over 60 retailers, in just a few clicks. ASMI also leverages Chicory's recipe network of 5,200 sites to reach 110 million additional high-intent shoppers each month: Chicory's contextual commerce advertising solutions promote seafood from Alaska in highly-relevant, in-network recipes via proprietary contextual targeting; Branded Cart prioritizes Alaska seafood products across Chicory's network, at the add-to-cart step of the in-recipe shopping experience.
"We're thrilled to have been selected as ASMI's trusted contextual commerce partner," said Chicory CEO & Co-Founder Yuni Sameshima. "In leveraging our full suite of solutions, the ASMI team is exceeding benchmarks, driving site engagement and bolstering the sales of Alaska seafood. The results from the partnership are further validation of the power of in-recipe, contextual commerce advertising."
Chicory is ASMI's first commerce media provider. The partnership comes amid rapid growth for both organizations: Chicory's recipe network more than tripled over the last few months, growing from 1,600 to 5,200 websites; ASMI recently re-launched its website and expanded its digital recipe portfolio. Learn more about Chicory's clients and solutions at www.chicory.co.
ASMI is a public-private partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry established to foster the economic development of a renewable natural resource. ASMI plays a key role in positioning Alaska's seafood industry as a competitive market-driven food production industry.
Chicory, the leading contextual commerce advertising platform, transforms recipe content into commerce media. Its platform powers a network of recipe publishers and retailers that CPG brands use to reach 110 million high-intent grocery shoppers each month. Chicory's contextual advertising and shoppable recipe solutions can be found on over 5,200 websites including Taste of Home, The Kitchn, LandOLakes.com and thousands of food blogs. Sites enabled with Chicory's technology take grocery shoppers from inspiration to checkout in just a few clicks, driving products to cart for 60+ leading retailers. Learn more at www.chicory.co.
Contact:
Madeline Lenahan
PR Manager
pr@chicory.co
(917) 463-3434
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SOURCE Chicory | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/alaska-seafood-partners-with-chicory-drive-e-commerce-sales-consumer-awareness/ | 2022-09-13T16:50:19Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/alaska-seafood-partners-with-chicory-drive-e-commerce-sales-consumer-awareness/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TUCSON, Ariz. — It may be the start of football season, but Visual Concepts is tipping off the NBA season early with the latest edition of its sim series, "NBA 2K23."
The game features Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker on its cover.
Booker shares center stage with NBA legend Michael Jordan, who features heavily in the Jordan Challenges Mode.
A refresh of the NBA 2K11 feature, Jordan Challenge lets you relive some of the magic of the docuseries "The Last Dance" by taking you through some of His Airness's greatest career moments.
Phil Villarreal: Like cover star Booker, this game is all about flash and productivity-minded performance. This is the Madden and FIFA of basketball sims, piling on features and modes for players of all stripes.
While I spend most of my time in one-off games online and off, it's comforting to have an in-depth franchise mode at the ready, and it's always intriguing to dabble in MyTeam and Career Theater. Building up a player of your own and taking him through the trials of making his way in the league is always satisfying.
It was pleasant to see Jordan Challenge come back. I am a big fan of single-player narratives in sports games that pay tribute to the game's history by introducing you to new control aspects.
What stood out to you, Sean?
Sean Newgent: I enjoy a good character creator, and while I've never been a sports fan, I like the chance to create some alien-like creature and watch him go through an underdog journey. The Jordan Challenge was another fun mode I found myself returning to. But what ultimately kept me coming back was jumping into a quick game, getting the chance to enjoy a little NBA action whenever I wanted it.
There's a ton of content here, and I was surprised by how much is actually in this package. But before I could get into the game, I had to get over some really bad facial animations. The players look like they are wearing melting clay masks of themselves. Seeing Steph Curry walk onto the hardwood for the first time had me laughing. It's not unbearably bad, but the players look off.
Did you have similar issues with the characters Phil? And how was the gameplay for you?
Phil: I noticed it, too, starting with the stylized cover art. Instead of going with the traditional action or posed shot, Devin Booker looks like some sort of action figure that you wouldn't be surprised to see popping up alongside LeBron James in "Multiversus."
There is a bit of an exaggerated flair with visuals. I think the plan is to channel some sort of "NBA Jam" style heightened reality. I didn't get a look at the game on PS4, but it looks slick and smooth on Xbox Series X. My eyes adapted to the visuals and animations pretty quickly, but it was a little jarring to see Brittney Griner suit up for the Phoenix Mercury. Her inclusion in the game is welcome, but because she is serving a sentence in a Russian prison, it was saddening to see what she could be doing if she were free.
Overall, I agree with you, Sean, that this game has a lot to enjoy. While it's a bit early for me to get excited about NBA, it will be good to have this game around once the Arizona Cardinals bury my expectations and I start longing for Booker and the Suns to carry my hopes and dreams on his shoulders.
Final thought, Sean?
Sean: Gamers familiar with 2K will be unsurprised by this package. It opens with a lengthy privacy policy agreement, it is littered with micro-transactions, and while it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it has the utility NBA and WNBA fans will expect.
Getting to destroy my least favorite team or make my Shrek-adjacent create-a-character the top scorer in the league has a certain joy that, no matter how many times I feel like I've played this game, I can't shake off. We played 2K's WWE game earlier this year, and I can comfortably say that this feels like it had much more love and polish.
Ultimately, fans of the franchise won't be surprised by anything here, and gamers introduced to the series will find a perfectly competent entry point.
The publisher provided codes. Phil played on Xbox Series X. Sean played on PS4.
Past game reviews by Sean and Phil:
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
Diablo II Resurrected
NEO: The World Ends with You
Rainbow Six: Extraction
King of Fighters XV
WWE 2K22
Weird West
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge
Capcom Fighting Collection
Capcom Arcade: 2nd Stadium
Stray
Digimon Survive
Cult of the Lamb
TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection | https://www.fox17online.com/entertainment/nba-2k23-channels-spirits-of-booker-jordan-in-new-edition-of-basketball-sim | 2022-09-13T16:50:25Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/entertainment/nba-2k23-channels-spirits-of-booker-jordan-in-new-edition-of-basketball-sim | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lone Surivorer's\nWalton 38ft Pocket Stern Hard Graft Boaty'N Craft' by Tim Oster (p 15) Tim describes all stages he had in converting hard to be a yawl boat\nThis entry was tagged Waltsn Walsh Slip' Walmsd Hackers's Walmer (Shropshire / Telford /) Ward Marine Boat building (A &) Watchm GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is inviting all West Michigan artists to add a little flair to its interior space!
The airport is seeking installation designs that would embellish the new expansion to Concourse A under three categories:
- Wall art: Artwork will be visible on designated walls near boarding and gathering areas.
- Suspended art: Art is visible from multiple angles in a way that conveys circulation.
- Terrazzo flooring: Art depicts West Michigan landscapes on the floors of four areas with high visibility.
“Through our art program, we strive to curate a unique sense of place that resonates with our community,” says President & CEO Tory Richardson. “As the gateway to West Michigan, we are always looking to showcase the immense talent that exists in our region, from the lakeshore to urban core.”
The public art program comes from the airport’s collaboration with the Frey Foundation, Richardson adds.
Visit the airport’s website for more information. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/grand-rapids/west-michigan-artists-invited-to-decorate-expansion-to-gerald-r-ford-intl-airport | 2022-09-13T16:50:37Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/grand-rapids/west-michigan-artists-invited-to-decorate-expansion-to-gerald-r-ford-intl-airport | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New COVID-19 booster shots are available and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for those ages 12 and up who were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus at least two months ago.
Also, flu shots for the 2022-23 season are now widely available and recommended for nearly everyone.
Should you get the vaccine simultaneously with both shots being accessible and recommended?
White House COVID-19 Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said he thinks it's a good idea to get both shots simultaneously.
“As the annual flu vaccination campaign kicks into high gear later this month and into early October, we expect millions will choose to get their COVID-19 shot at the same time, or over the course of the fall when people go in for routine checkups,” Jha said. “I really believe this is why God gave us two arms -- one for the flu shot and the other one for the COVID shot.”
The CDC recommends flu vaccinations in September and October annually.
Dr. Keith Armitage, medical director of Cleveland's University Hospitals Roe Green Center for Travel Medicine & Global Health, said it was previously advised not to get the shots together. That is no longer the case.
“When the COVID-19 vaccines were first approved, the recommendation was to not get a vaccine two weeks before or after. The reason for this was to not confuse adverse reactions,” Armitage said. “By now there has been so much experience with COVID vaccines, this no longer applies. It is absolutely okay to get a flu shot and COVID shot on the same visit.”
Generally, flu cases spike in cold-weather months. As the Southern Hemisphere comes out of its winter, there is an indication that flu levels could return to pre-COVID pandemic levels. Flu cases were dramatically reduced in the last two winters. Officials attribute masking and social distancing to the greatly reduced flu levels.
Jha said that the return of a regular flu season combined with COVID could strain the U.S. health care system.
“And I think we all as Americans have to pull together to try to protect Americans this fall and winter and do what we can to get our health care system through what might be a difficult fall and winter ahead,” he said.
The new COVID-19 boosters offer protection against strains of the omicron variant as previous vaccine doses waned in effectiveness against the virus. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/coronavirus/should-you-get-a-covid-19-booster-and-flu-shot-at-the-same-time | 2022-09-13T16:50:50Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/coronavirus/should-you-get-a-covid-19-booster-and-flu-shot-at-the-same-time | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This document contains general overtime laws per 2045a\nLicensor Name LSST Inc Submiter Gareth Isaac Type Public Release Date December, year Year of Expiration This Document contains rules set by ¶10102 LICORNE. In addition, they require their license be purchased from their LDC\nIn case of the Licensees, you hold such authority directly in your job with company; for example being HECR member author HOLLAND, Mich. — *Tune into FOX 17 Unfiltered at 7 p.m. for the full story!*
It almost seems as if every good invention starts in a garage. For siblings Hugh and Greta Davis, their story is no different.
Before their home was an office space though, it was a playground. On summer breaks in high school and college, they would meet up with neighbors in Holland and set up a few nets in driveways to play pickleball.
Hugh said they would sometimes have as many as 16 people out there.
They immediately fell in love with the sport, but just as quickly ran into some issues.
"I broke like 100 paddles," said Hugh. "Not actually, but many, many paddles in those first few years.”
“Just playing normally," he added, "but playing probably harder and more often than your average player at that time. The sport was in its infancy. So the paddles weren't being stress tested by millions and by younger players as often.”
It wasn't only Hugh. All his friends were breaking paddles too. He just became the guy who fixed them.
“First it was just a hobby, but it became clear — there's some business potential there too," he said.
The initial motivation was to create a paddle that promised high-performance. Then, Hugh realized he could build exactly that using sustainable materials. So he enlisted the help of Greta, a fellow engineer, to bring that vision to life.
Thus, Revolin Sports was born.
They got to work in the garage, spending countless hours tinkering with tons of different materials and combinations.
“The first paddle was made out of carbon fiber," Hugh said. "That's what most paddles are made out of today — carbon fiber and fiberglass. We started there, because we didn't know any better.”
He continued to say, “After a few years, and maybe 20 to 30 prototypes, we moved to our first ever natural fiber. (It was) a flax fiber."
Hugh and Greta continued to pump out prototypes until 2019, when they sold their first paddle. It was proof they had a great idea — it just hadn't been perfected yet.
It wasn't until September 2020 when Revolin Sports officially nailed down the technology and launched its first full lineup.
"Our paddles are sustainable because this surface, which is normally carbon fiber or fiberglass, (has been) replaced that with hemp and flax — natural fibers," Hugh said. "So these natural fibers, they grow from the earth, they're absorbing CO2, they're harvested, woven, and they create a really lightweight, really durable composite.”
Revolin now has a patent pending on the materials they use and the process to make their paddle.
Since that initial launch, Revolin has now sold to customers in 43 states and a few countries.
What was once a small startup with an uncertain path is now a successful brand with a bright future. | https://www.fox17online.com/fox-17-unfiltered/did-ya-know/holland-pickleball-startup-creating-paddles-to-help-players-and-the-planet | 2022-09-13T16:51:20Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/fox-17-unfiltered/did-ya-know/holland-pickleball-startup-creating-paddles-to-help-players-and-the-planet | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 74-year-old pedestrian is dead after being hit by a car in Muskegon Township Tuesday morning.
The Muskegon Township Police Department says the crash happened near Morningside Street on Apple Avenue at around 9:30 a.m.
We’re told the man tried to cross Apple Avenue when he was hit by a westbound vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to police.
The driver reportedly sustained minor injuries and is cooperating with authorities.
Speed, alcohol and drugs are not suspected factors in the crash, which remains under investigation. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/lakeshore/muskegon/74-year-old-pedestrian-hit-and-killed-in-muskegon-township | 2022-09-13T16:51:39Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/lakeshore/muskegon/74-year-old-pedestrian-hit-and-killed-in-muskegon-township | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This chapter out lines all details from TOPGUN FLIED and from TARGA 82 which would involve, and help shape my story at the 57th, of those air forces falsified, events which would play some big influence over any FLTG’s pilot in combat , during those times… In this I must ask , the unknowings, just to know: I flew airborneo of my airforce , from May – October and MIAMI — Some football fans in Miami saw their cars go up in smoke on Sunday.
ABC affiliate WPLG reported that Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a fire at a parking lot outside the Hard Rock Stadium just before 1:30 p.m.
According to the news outlet, the smoke from the fire could be seen from inside the stadium at the Dolphins' first game of the NFL season.
Fire crews arrived to find eight parked vehicles on fire, but they were able to quickly put out the flames, NBC Miami and WFLA-TV reported.
No injuries were reported, the news outlets reported.
The fire department's spokesperson told TMZ that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/several-cars-outside-dolphins-game-catch-fire-in-stadium-parking-lot | 2022-09-13T16:51:51Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/national/several-cars-outside-dolphins-game-catch-fire-in-stadium-parking-lot | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MONTCLAIR, N.J., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BDP Holdings, a New Jersey-based real estate investment company, announced today that Jennifer Kolpien has joined the company as its chief financial officer, bringing nearly 25 years of experience in finance, operations and tax accounting to her new role.
As a key member of the executive management team, Kolpien will assume a strategic role in the overall management of the company. In this position she will be accountable for the administrative, financial, and risk management operations of the company.
"Jennifer Kolpien is a proven professional with robust financial management and reporting skills and a keen sense of accounting, finance and overall business operations," said David Placek, managing partner, BDP Holdings. "Her deep knowledge, financial expertise and strong leadership skills will help position BDP Holdings for continued success now and into the future."
Kolpien started her career with Arthur Anderson as a senior tax associate and has held a series of progressively senior inhouse and consulting roles for various size manufacturing and service industry businesses as well as for many high-net worth individuals and closely held business owners. She also served as an adjunct professor for the University of Illinois at Chicago for three years teaching a variety of senior and graduate level accounting courses. During her tenure she was a nominee for the Illinois CPA Society Outstanding Educator Award.
Kolpien received a bachelors in business administration from Miami University and a masters in taxation from Villanova.
About BDP Holdings
Led by a team with nearly 30 years of experience, BDP Holdings is a New Jersey-based real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition, development and repositioning of real estate in the New York Tri-State area and across the U.S. BDP focuses on properties in markets with high barriers to entry and then seeks to add value through the repositioning of current properties or the development of new properties and communities. BDP's executive team has invested in over $6.5 billion of value-driven real estate and acquired over five million commercial square feet in more than 30 states.
Contact:
Rebecca Cleary
Spotlight Marketing Communications
949.427.1462
rebecca@spotlightmarcom.com
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SOURCE BDP Holdings | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/bdp-holdings-hires-jennifer-kolpien-chief-financial-officer/ | 2022-09-13T16:52:32Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/bdp-holdings-hires-jennifer-kolpien-chief-financial-officer/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Debiopharm Innovation Fund strategically invests in Whitelab Genomics' mission to make genomic medicine development faster and leaner for more efficient access to cancer patients in the future
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Debiopharm Innovation Fund, the strategic investment arm of Swiss biopharmaceutical company Debiopharm (www.Debiopharm.com), announced today their investment in Whitelab Genomics alongside French Venture Capital company, Omnes Capital, in a $10 Million Series A Round to advance their mission to accelerate the development of genomics medicines via technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Whitelab Genomics' computational platform reduces biotherapies' development time and cost, enabling faster access to the market and cheaper therapeutic solutions available for patients in need. Debiopharm's investment in Whitelabs Genomics contributes to the growth plan of the start-up' R&D team and US operations. Such an investment aligns with Debiopharm's focus on investing in digital health solutions that improve the cancer patient journey, transform pharmaceutical R&D, and shift healthcare towards a more patient-centric approach.
Founded in 2019 by David Del Bourgo, MBA, and Julien Cottineau, Ph.D., alongside a team of world-class data scientists specialized in AI, computational biologists, molecular biologists, and genomic medicine scientists, the start-up offers in-silico simulations customized for target discovery, vector, and payload design, genotoxicity assessment and identification of experimental protocols of in vitro and in vivo strategies.
"We're moving into a time where AI-based technology will play a critical role in drug development. With better ways to develop drugs, de-risk assets, de-risk any toxicity, and ensure efficacy, we're able to bring more personalized drugs to patients – that's precisely what Whitelab Genomics is proven to do," stated Tanja Dowe, CEO of the Debiopharm Innovation Fund.
"The value of using this AI-based platform is the potential acceleration of pre-clinical, translational stage, helping drug research companies quickly design payloads and vectors and identify the best experimental protocols for in vitro and in vivo tests," said Hamzeh Abdul-Hadi, Investment Director of the Debiopharm Innovation Fund.
"We are very excited to close this first institutional investment round with such renowned investors with deep knowledge of the pharma environment. With this funding, we can continue developing our proprietary data sets and algorithms for both payload and vectors, and develop our collaborations with our customers," expressed David Del Bourgo, CEO and co-founder of Whitelab Genomics.
About Whitelab Genomics
WhiteLab Genomics, based in Paris and Cambridge (MA) was founded in 2019 by David Del Bourgo and Julien Cottineau, experts in genomics drug development and commercialization. WhiteLab Genomics aims to revolutionize genomic therapies development using public and private data and in-house AI algorithms. Whitelab Genomics supports its clients through the in-silico development phases enabling them to quickly develop target vectors and payloads and save precious time needed to give patients access to new genomic therapies. In only 2 years, Whitelab Genomics has convinced leading European and US Biotech and pharma to use its solutions for their new drug development programs, including RNA, DNA & Cell therapies. WhiteLab Genomics is also collaborating with world-renowned INSERM and Genethon laboratories and has been selected by Y-Combinator in its Winter 2022 batch. The company has won multiple awards, including the Galien Foundation nominee for startups, the Alumni New Venture Fund from the Polsky Innovation Center at the University of Chicago, and the Future 40 from Station F.
For more information, please visit www.whitelabgx.com
About Debiopharm Innovation Fund
Debiopharm Innovation Fund, the strategic investment arm of Swiss biopharmaceutical company Debiopharm, provides strategic funding and guidance for companies with an ambition to improve the patient journey, re-imagine how clinical trials are conducted, along with companies offering digital platforms that support cutting-edge drug technologies. Since 2017 Debiopharm has invested in 14 digital health companies, typically leading the investment rounds.
For more information, please visit www.debiopharm.com/digital-health/
We are on Twitter. Follow us @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews
Debiopharm Contact
Dawn Bonine
Head of Communications
dawn.bonine@debiopharm.com
Tel: +41 (0)21 321 01 11
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SOURCE Debiopharm International SA | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/debiopharm-co-leads-10m-usd-series-round-accelerate-development-genomic-medicines-through-artificial-intelligence/ | 2022-09-13T16:52:44Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/debiopharm-co-leads-10m-usd-series-round-accelerate-development-genomic-medicines-through-artificial-intelligence/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
- Payments and lending will continue to be the largest embedded financial services. But these will be bolstered by the growth of adjacent value-added services, including insurance, tax, and accounting.
- Established financial institutions face major challenges from embedded finance and urged to adapt and reinvent business models to take advantage of its opportunities and growing scope
BOSTON, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Embedded finance, the integration of value-added financial services into software offerings, is set to redefine how consumers and businesses build and manage relationships with financial services, according to new research and analysis from Bain & Company and Bain Capital. The swift acceleration in use of embedded finance, and its transition into the financial mainstream, is being propelled as its proposition enhances customer experience and financial access, alongside cost- and risk-reduction benefits for companies across the value chain.
The forecasts for the huge expansion of embedded finance, in a detailed new analysis of the fast-moving sector from Bain & Company and Bain Capital, show that revenue opportunities for software platforms and the enabling infrastructure providers that power these embedded offerings will more than double from $21 billion in 2021 to $51 billion in 2026. The transaction value of embedded finance also will surge $7 trillion in 2026 and account for 10% of US financial transactions.
The factors driving the expansion of embedded finance space and its implications are clear:
Embedded finance can provide a much better value proposition – and platforms are the lynchpin
Businesses and their end customers benefit from contextual, seamless experiences; platforms can unlock new use cases and often use proprietary customer data to improve financial access while reducing costs for their end customers.
Platforms are partnering across the new value chain to deliver these benefits to customers and differentiate their core services. In turn, this increases their ability to spur sales in their core business. For example, embedding payments into the native invoicing workflow improves accounting or business management software for the merchant, significantly reducing time spent reconciling payments and invoices. Embedding financial services helps platforms drive superior economics, increasing customer lifetime value. With minimal incremental customer acquisition costs, platforms can raise average revenues per user, while keeping customers longer.
Market opportunity valued at $51 billion by revenues by 2026, and payments and lending are the largest growth drivers
The forecast jump in revenues will flow from the expansion in transaction volumes and value but also from increasing penetration of embedded finance in specific industries and gains in revenue multiples seen in segments such as business-to-business (B2B) payments as well as in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) market.
Payments and lending will continue to be the two biggest segments of embedded finance. Currently, consumer payments account for more than 60% of all embedded finance transactions and this is expected to reach $3.5 trillion by 2026. B2B payments have lagged with transactions expected to reach $2.6 trillion by 2026, marking a three-fold increase on levels today. Smaller retail merchants will stand to gain the most from embedded B2B payments, helping these businesses to tackle challenges such as late or unpaid invoices. Embedded finance-driven business lending, meanwhile, is projected to grow five-fold over the next five years, from a mere $200 million in 2021 to $1.3 billion by 2026, thanks to the rise of a range of new specialist providers.
While payments and lending will constitute a significant driver for the rise of embedded finance over the next decade, the analysis also predicts growth in compliance, HR and procurement among a range of areas.
Incumbent institutions confront threats but can realize tremendous growth from reinventing business models
Disruptive digital first organisations, especially platform businesses, are best placed to take advantage of the embedded finance sector's expansion. Their access to more sophisticated technology, algorithms and data provides them with an edge in finding and targeting the most creditworthy customers. Embedded finance poses a major challenge to traditional financial institutions, threatening to separate banks from their customers and leave them with the low growth, low margin role of a regulated entity. However, there is still a significant opportunity for these institutions to use embedded finance to rethink their core business and drive growth through new services.
Adam Davis, Associate Partner in Bain & Company's FinTech practice, commented: "Embedded finance has quietly become a significant part of the way consumers and businesses make payments and access funding. In the years to come it will have a transformative effect on the relationship we have with our finances, removing friction from the sector and making financial services more contextual, accessible and helpful. Jeff Tijssen, a Bain & Company expert partner and leader of its global FinTech practice, added: "For businesses this shift is an enormous opportunity. There will be no shortage of growth finance for the sector as platforms experiment with integrating everything from tax to payroll services in the years to come."
"Embedded finance clearly provides a compelling win-win proposition. For software platforms, these products unlock new revenue streams and for end customers, they routinely increase access to financial services at lower costs compared to traditional financial institutions," said Blake Adams, a Senior Vice President at Bain Capital. "As one of the longest-tenured investors in the fintech and software spaces, we've had the privilege of helping software platforms launch and scale embedded financial offerings while supporting enabled infrastructure players to scale and attain product-market fit. This research clearly signifies that embedded finance is still in its early innings, and we're excited to support the founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who will continue to advance and disrupt this ecosystem," added Matt Harris, a Partner at Bain Capital.
Media contacts
For any questions or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Bain & Company: Gary Duncan (London) — Tel: +44 (0) 7788 163 791 Email: gary.duncan@bain.com
Bain Capital : Eddie de Sciora (Boston) – Tel: +1 516-458-3783 Email: edesciora@baincapital.com
About Bain & Company
Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.
Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.
About Bain Capital
Bain Capital, LP is one of the world's leading private investment firms that creates lasting impact for our investors, teams, businesses, and the communities in which we live. Since our founding in 1984, we've applied our insight and experience to organically expand into numerous asset classes including private equity, credit, public equity, venture capital, real estate, and other strategic areas of focus. The firm has offices on four continents, more than 1,300 employees, and approximately $160 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit www.baincapital.com.
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SOURCE Bain & Company | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/embedded-finance-transaction-value-more-than-double-7-trillion-us-by-2026-financial-institutions-must-move-quickly-keep-up-bain-amp-company-bain-capital-report/ | 2022-09-13T16:52:57Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/embedded-finance-transaction-value-more-than-double-7-trillion-us-by-2026-financial-institutions-must-move-quickly-keep-up-bain-amp-company-bain-capital-report/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
London: The impacts of climate change are "heading into uncharted territories of destruction", UN secretary-general António Guterres warned on Tuesday on the release of a multi-agency scientific report reviewing the latest research on the subject.
The report, led by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), warns that the world is "going in the wrong direction" on climate change.
With greenhouse gas concentrations continuing to rise in the atmosphere and world leaders failing to adopt strategies to hold global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, the earth is inching closer to dangerous climate tipping points, the United in Science report says.
Already, extreme weather events are more frequent and more intense.
"Heatwaves in Europe. Colossal floods in Pakistan...There is nothing natural about the new scale of these disasters," Guterres said in a video message.
Despite a dip in emissions during coronavirus lockdowns, planet-warming emissions have since soared beyond pre-pandemic levels. Preliminary data reveal that global carbon dioxide emissions in the first half of this year were 1.2 per cent higher than during the same period in 2019, the report finds.
The past seven years were the warmest on record.
The global average temperature has already warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average. And scientists expect the annual average could be anywhere between 1.1C and 1.7C warmer up to 2026 - meaning there's a chance we could pass the 1.5C warming threshold in the next five years.
By the end of the century, without aggressive climate action, global warming is estimated to reach 2.8C.
But even at the current level of warming, we could pass several climate tipping points.
The ocean current that moves heat from the tropics into the northern hemisphere, for example, is now at its slowest in 1,000 years - jeopardizing historic weather patterns, says the report, which includes contributions from the UN Environment Programme and UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Nearly half the world's population is considered highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change -- floods, heat, drought, wildfires, and storms.
By the 2050s, over 1.6 billion city-dwellers will regularly swelter through three-month average temperatures of at least 35C (95F).
To help communities cope, the WMO has promised to put every person on earth under the protection of an early warning system within the next five years. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/13/climate-change-impact-entering-uncharted-territories-destruction-un-chief.amp.html | 2022-09-13T16:53:09Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/13/climate-change-impact-entering-uncharted-territories-destruction-un-chief.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New York: A 26-year-old Indian citizen has pleaded guilty in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading case in the US, in which he along with his brother and their Indian-American friend made ill-gotten profits totalling over a million dollars.
Nikhil Wahi, a citizen of India residing in Seattle, on Monday pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading in cryptocurrency assets by using confidential Coinbase information about which crypto assets were scheduled to be listed on Coinbase's exchanges.
Coinbase was one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world.
This is the first time that a defendant has admitted his guilt in an insider trading case in the US involving the cryptocurrency markets.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Preska on December 13.
In July this year, Nikhil and his elder brother Ishan, 32 along with their Indian-American friend Sameer Ramani, 33, who resided in Houston, were charged in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading scheme.
Prosecutors said the three were charged in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading tipping scheme, in which the defendants made illegal trades in at least 25 different crypto assets and realised ill-gotten gains totalling approximately USD 1.5 million.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said that Nikhil, who was arrested in July, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Loretta A Preska.
Less than two months after he was charged, Nikhil Wahi admitted in court today that he traded in crypto assets based on Coinbase's confidential business information to which he was not entitled. For the first time ever, a defendant has admitted his guilt in an insider trading case involving the cryptocurrency markets, Williams said.
He added that the guilty plea should serve as a reminder to those who participate in the cryptocurrency markets that authorities will continue to steadfastly police frauds of all stripes and will adapt as technology evolves.
Nikhil Wahi now awaits sentencing for his crime and must also forfeit his illicit profits, Williams noted.
According to the allegations in the Indictment, and statements made in public court proceedings, beginning in approximately October 2020, Ishan worked at Coinbase as a product manager assigned to a Coinbase asset listing team.
In that role, he was involved in the highly confidential process of listing crypto assets on Coinbase's exchanges and had detailed and advanced knowledge of which crypto assets Coinbase was planning to list and the timing of public announcements about those crypto asset listings.
On several occasions between July 2021 and May 2022, after getting tips from Ishan as to which crypto assets Coinbase was planning to list on its exchanges, Nikhil used anonymous Ethereum blockchain wallets to acquire those crypto assets shortly before Coinbase publicly announced it was listing them on its exchanges.
Following Coinbase's public listing announcements, on multiple occasions, Nikhil sold the crypto assets for a handsome profit.
To conceal his purchases of crypto assets in advance of Coinbase listing announcements, Nikhil used accounts at centralised exchanges held in the names of others and transferred funds, crypto assets and proceeds of their scheme through multiple anonymous Ethereum blockchain wallets.
Nikhil also created and used new Ethereum blockchain wallets without any prior transaction history in order to conceal his involvement in the scheme, it added. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/13/indian-man-pleads-guilty-cryptocurrency-insider-trading-case-us.amp.html | 2022-09-13T16:53:22Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/13/indian-man-pleads-guilty-cryptocurrency-insider-trading-case-us.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
New York: A 26-year-old Indian citizen has pleaded guilty in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading case in the US, in which he along with his brother and their Indian-American friend made ill-gotten profits totalling over a million dollars.
Nikhil Wahi, a citizen of India residing in Seattle, on Monday pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading in cryptocurrency assets by using confidential Coinbase information about which crypto assets were scheduled to be listed on Coinbase's exchanges.
Coinbase was one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world.
This is the first time that a defendant has admitted his guilt in an insider trading case in the US involving the cryptocurrency markets.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Preska on December 13.
In July this year, Nikhil and his elder brother Ishan, 32 along with their Indian-American friend Sameer Ramani, 33, who resided in Houston, were charged in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading scheme.
Prosecutors said the three were charged in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading tipping scheme, in which the defendants made illegal trades in at least 25 different crypto assets and realised ill-gotten gains totalling approximately USD 1.5 million.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said that Nikhil, who was arrested in July, pleaded guilty before US District Judge Loretta A Preska.
Less than two months after he was charged, Nikhil Wahi admitted in court today that he traded in crypto assets based on Coinbase's confidential business information to which he was not entitled. For the first time ever, a defendant has admitted his guilt in an insider trading case involving the cryptocurrency markets, Williams said.
He added that the guilty plea should serve as a reminder to those who participate in the cryptocurrency markets that authorities will continue to steadfastly police frauds of all stripes and will adapt as technology evolves.
Nikhil Wahi now awaits sentencing for his crime and must also forfeit his illicit profits, Williams noted.
According to the allegations in the Indictment, and statements made in public court proceedings, beginning in approximately October 2020, Ishan worked at Coinbase as a product manager assigned to a Coinbase asset listing team.
In that role, he was involved in the highly confidential process of listing crypto assets on Coinbase's exchanges and had detailed and advanced knowledge of which crypto assets Coinbase was planning to list and the timing of public announcements about those crypto asset listings.
On several occasions between July 2021 and May 2022, after getting tips from Ishan as to which crypto assets Coinbase was planning to list on its exchanges, Nikhil used anonymous Ethereum blockchain wallets to acquire those crypto assets shortly before Coinbase publicly announced it was listing them on its exchanges.
Following Coinbase's public listing announcements, on multiple occasions, Nikhil sold the crypto assets for a handsome profit.
To conceal his purchases of crypto assets in advance of Coinbase listing announcements, Nikhil used accounts at centralised exchanges held in the names of others and transferred funds, crypto assets and proceeds of their scheme through multiple anonymous Ethereum blockchain wallets.
Nikhil also created and used new Ethereum blockchain wallets without any prior transaction history in order to conceal his involvement in the scheme, it added. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/13/indian-man-pleads-guilty-cryptocurrency-insider-trading-case-us.html | 2022-09-13T16:53:28Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/09/13/indian-man-pleads-guilty-cryptocurrency-insider-trading-case-us.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kafene, a cutting-edge digital platform used by merchants at the point-of-sale to help offer underserved consumers more flexible purchase options through transparent lease-to-own (LTO) agreements, announced today that it has raised $18 million in a Series B funding round led by Third Prime and existing investors. This round follows a Series A investment of $30 million in 2021 that was co-led by Third Prime and Valar Ventures. Kafene will use the new capital to increase headcount to meet the demand from merchants and consumers for omni-channel, technology-enabled purchase options.
Kafene's lease-to-own agreements are free of debt and structured in a way that is simple, consumer-friendly and transparent. These agreements primarily serve the underbanked, given that one-third of Americans have credit scores that limit their purchasing ability, particularly on necessary big-ticket items such as furniture, appliances, electronics, tires and other goods. In doing so, Kafene's financing platform provides retailers with a way to reach more of these consumers than they would otherwise be able to, which can meaningfully add to their customer bases.
Kafene's platform is easy-to-use, removing time and friction at the point of sale, supplemented by a high-touch approach to customer service. Beneath that is an underwriting model that leverages more than 20,000 data inputs to inform AI-driven approvals, allowing for financing to be tiered based on actual risk rather than one-size-fits-all. This enables underwriting to be more efficient and affordable for more underbanked consumers who have fewer financing alternatives, which can help merchants meaningfully expand their customer bases.
"We're extremely excited to be doubling down on partnering with merchants to offer more flexible ownership options precisely when they're needed most, and right at a time in which others have retreated and tightened their credit boxes," said Neal Desai, Chief Executive Officer, Kafene. "Kafene continues to grow in scale and valuation, and we're thrilled to have like minded investors who share our vision and belief that today presents a powerful opportunity to take our platform and relationships to the next level. We're poised not just to take market share, but to significantly broaden the market. We've only just scratched the surface "
"We're proud of the results to date from Kafene and its management team in building a superb platform with a next-gen underwriting model that delivers strong unit economics and is resilient in the face of economic headwinds," said Wes Barton, co-founder and Managing Partner, Third Prime. "We couldn't be happier to continue our support to better their ability to leverage a massive market opportunity that not only provides a way to serve the underbanked, but could also appeal more broadly as Kafene becomes the go-to point-of-sale partner for retailers big and small with consumers up and down the credit spectrum."
Kafene is a cutting-edge digital platform used by merchants at the point-of-sale to help offer underserved consumers more flexible purchase options through transparent lease-to-own (LTO) agreements that help retailers of furniture, appliances, electronics, tires and other goods meaningfully broaden their addressable market. Kafene utilizes more than 20,000 data inputs in tandem with best-in-class artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to underwrite, approve using efficient risk-based pricing, and enable payment in a near-instantaneous manner, while creating a best-in-class customer experience. To learn more about Kafene please visit www.kafene.com, and to learn more about Kafene's commitment to customer experience and consumer protection, please visit here.
For Kafene:
Roger Sauerhaft
roger@pennybridgepr.com
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SOURCE Kafene | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/kafene-raises-18-million-series-b-accelerate-growth-helping-merchants-offer-flexible-lease-to-own-financing-options-consumers/ | 2022-09-13T16:55:14Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/kafene-raises-18-million-series-b-accelerate-growth-helping-merchants-offer-flexible-lease-to-own-financing-options-consumers/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a newly designed pair of work gloves that can be used even when their palm sides become worn," said an inventor, from Wapato, Wash., "so I invented the DOUBLE FACED WORK GLOVE. My design would offer a durable and cost-effective option for anyone who utilizes work gloves."
The patent-pending invention provides a durable design for work gloves. In doing so, it offers continued use even when the gloves become worn. As a result, it helps to extend the life of the gloves and it eliminates the need to immediately discard and purchase a replacement pair. The invention features a practical design that is easy to wear and use so it is ideal for laborers, construction workers, do-it-yourselfers, gardeners, etc. Additionally, it is producible in design variations and a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the Seattle sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-FED-2407, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/inventhelp-inventor-develops-durable-design-work-gloves-fed-2407/ | 2022-09-13T16:55:47Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/inventhelp-inventor-develops-durable-design-work-gloves-fed-2407/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Leading Professional Crypto Trading Technology Provider Announces Rebrand That Will Bridge the Gap Between Professional and Crypto Trading.
CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercury Digital Assets, the crypto trading technology built by professionals for professionals, has changed its name to Liquid Mercury.
Liquid Mercury is the #1 choice for sophisticated buy-side and institutional sell-side legacy trading professionals moving into crypto. "Sophisticated market participants will lead the next phase of growth in crypto," said Liquid Mercury CEO Tony Saliba. "Liquid Mercury was built for professional market participants moving into crypto."
World-renowned professional trader and "Market Wizard" Tony Saliba has been powering professional trading for the last 30 years. LiquidPoint (sold to Bank of New York ConvergEX in 2007) is currently #3 in highest overall execution volumes behind Citadel Securities and Susquehanna. Matrix Executions, launched in 2018, is now #5 in the overall execution volumes. The combined execution volumes of LiquidPoint and Matrix would be second only to Citadel Securities
"Liquid Mercury represents the best of the best of my last 30 years serving this industry," said Tony. "We've collected the best and brightest minds, including key management from LiquidPoint and Matrix Executions, to create the leading professional crypto trading solution in Liquid Mercury. Everything our customers trust us for - efficiency, scalability, and reliability - encapsulates this exciting rebranding effort."
"This rebranding will help us move faster and be even more responsive to customer needs," said Tony. "At Liquid Mercury, we develop and provide customizable proprietary technology to fit the client's needs ensuring anything they want can be designed, built, and delivered quickly to keep up with the competitive and fast-moving crypto assets world."
Liquid Mercury's expansive knowledge and foundation of trust with sophisticated market participants will continue to be the leading factor in their ongoing mission to power professional crypto trading.
About Liquid Mercury
Liquid Mercury powers professional crypto trading. Liquid Mercury is the #1 choice for sophisticated buy-side and institutional sell-side legacy trading professionals moving into crypto. Institutional grade infrastructure, access to deep liquidity, and best-in-class trading tools and workflow automation; Liquid Mercury was built by professionals for professionals. For more information about Liquid Mercury, visit www.liquidmercury.com.
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SOURCE Liquid Mercury | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/mercury-digital-assets-rebrands-liquid-mercury/ | 2022-09-13T16:55:47Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/mercury-digital-assets-rebrands-liquid-mercury/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Top 500 ENR Firm to Further Waterloo's Downtown Development Renaissance
WATERLOO, Iowa, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Building off of development momentum within the City of Waterloo, ISG is now the primary tenant of Art Bloc, a new mixed-use residential building overlooking the Cedar River in downtown Waterloo. ISG—a nationally recognized architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm—reimagined the second level interior, designing a state-of-the-art office build-out to facilitate collaboration and communication and improve operational efficiencies.
One of ISG's 11 locations, the new Waterloo office features an elevated plaza and outdoor patio adjacent to the River Loop Amphitheatre, a hotspot for live music and events. Just steps away, employees can easily access Waterloo's extensive trail network, a popular riverfront amenity.
"We are excited to be situated along Waterloo's vibrant waterfront and be a part of the area's revitalization. ISG has been involved in several major downtown renovation projects, including the Waterloo Convention Center and Best Western Hotel, and is excited to add to the positive story of Waterloo's regional resurgence," says Cody Vanasse, ISG Architectural Group Leader.
Since 2018, ISG has continued to invest in Waterloo and the Cedar Valley by not only recruiting staff to the area but supporting local communities. From staff count and community initiatives to the design of transformative local projects, ISG continues to grow its presence in Waterloo. For five consecutive years, Zweig Group has named ISG among the 100 fastest growing firms, best places to work, and market excellence leader in the United States. In 2021, the firm jumped 56 spots to 250 on the Engineering News Record magazine Top 500 Design Firms list.
"We strongly believe that growth, whether within our firm or community, requires leadership, culture, and great places to perform work. ISG is looking to add top talent to our Waterloo office and feel that is best accomplished in the downtown Art Bloc location with dedicated, local leadership," states Derek Johnson, PE, ISG Executive Vice President.
ISG prides itself on giving back to the community with its time, talent, and resources. Several members of the Waterloo office team hold leadership positions on boards and committees for Main Street Waterloo, Grow Cedar Valley, and Partners in Education. Additionally, a spacious conference room in the new office is available as a resource for community groups to meet.
In 2023, ISG will celebrate 50 years of making a difference for its clients, communities, and its team. Starting as a small office and growing to over 450 employees across four states, ISG is dedicated to forging a legacy of sustainable growth and looks forward to positively impacting the Waterloo community and surrounding region.
About ISG
ISG, a 100 percent ESOP firm, has a rich history, which extends over 49 years of building trusting relationships with clients, stakeholders, and the community. As a full-service architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm with 450+ professionals in offices throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, ISG provides exceptional services, strategies, and guidance to a wide range of markets nationwide. To learn more about ISG, visit ISGInc.com.
Media Contact
Abby Gram, Director of Marketing
Abby.Gram@ISGInc.com
952.426.0699
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SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine Square Therapeutics, a biotechnology company applying computational chemistry and machine-learning enabled cell profiling to discover and develop novel small-molecule therapeutics for life-threatening neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and ALS, announced today that John Hood, Ph.D., has joined the company's Board of Directors.
"We are very excited to welcome John to the Nine Square team. Over the past two decades, John has founded or co-founded multiple successful biotech companies and led them through various stages of growth, from early discovery to commercial stage and from start-up to M&A. In addition, John is an outstanding scientist and drug developer," said Nine Square Therapeutics CEO Robert Paul, M.D. "We are thrilled that he will lend his expert counsel to Nine Square at a time when we are progressing multiple novel pipeline candidates through development."
Dr. Hood is a veteran of the California life science community who has founded and led several successful biotechnology companies in his 20-year career. He is currently Founder, CEO and Executive Chairman of Endeavor Biomedicines, a company funded in 2021 to develop novel therapeutics for oncology and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Prior to that, John was the Founder and CEO of Impact Biomedicines (now owned by Bristol-Myers Squibb), the developer of fedratinib, which has subsequently been approved worldwide for the treatment of myelofibrosis. He began his career as Director of Research at TargeGen in 2001, where he co-discovered fedratinib and led a team identifying small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and eye disease. John is an inventor on 100+ patents and the author of 50+ scientific articles. He received his Ph.D. in medical physiology and a B.S. in biochemistry from Texas A&M University.
"I am delighted to join the Nine Square team as the company advances a pipeline of innovative therapeutics to address high unmet medical needs," said Dr. Hood. "Nine Square's therapeutic approach has the potential to treat a broad range of neurodegenerative diseases, including movement disorders and rare diseases. I look forward to working with the team to help create a new generation of drugs to improve the lives of patients and their families."
Nine Square Therapeutics is discovering novel small-molecule therapeutics for life-threatening neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and ALS. Founded by life sciences venture capital firm ATP (Apple Tree Partners) and leading scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Nine Square has the capabilities and depth in computational science to drive drug discovery at an accelerated pace and provide multiple approaches to high value targets, to bring hope and help to people living with debilitating conditions. For more information, visit https://www.ninesquaretx.com/.
Contact: info@ninesquaretx.com
Media inquiries: sjacob@appletreepartners.com
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Shareholders with $100,000 losses or more are encouraged to contact the firm.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Lottery.com Inc. f/k/a Trident Acquisitions Corp. ("Lottery.com" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LTRY).
Class Period: November 15, 2021 – July 29, 2022
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: October 18, 2022
If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the Company lacked adequate internal accounting controls; (2) the Company lacked adequate internal controls over financial reporting, including but not limited to those pertaining to revenue recognition and the reporting of cash; (3) the Company was not in compliance with state and federal laws governing the sale of lottery tickets; and (4) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to info@frankcruzlaw.com, or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/ltry-investors-have-opportunity-lead-lotterycom-inc-fka-trident-acquisitions-corp-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 2022-09-13T16:56:41Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/ltry-investors-have-opportunity-lead-lotterycom-inc-fka-trident-acquisitions-corp-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Jo Ann Ross Appointed to New Advisory Role as Chairman, Paramount Advertising
John Halley Promoted to President, Paramount Advertising, Succeeding Ross to Lead National Sales Across the Company's Expansive Media Portfolio of Linear and Streaming Brands
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NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) today announced that Jo Ann Ross is being named Chairman, Paramount Advertising, following 30 remarkable years at the company. John Halley, who previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Advertising, will succeed Ross as President, Paramount Advertising, overseeing the company's domestic multiplatform sales efforts across its leading portfolio of broadcast, cable, digital and streaming assets. He will report to Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount, effective immediately.
As Chairman, Ross will continue to provide her expertise and experience in a strategic advisory role to ensure a smooth transition.
"Jo Ann is a true trailblazer in our industry and a dominant force behind the success of CBS, ViacomCBS, and now Paramount Global," said Bakish. "As the world of entertainment has evolved, Jo Ann has been on the forefront of advertising innovations that have been instrumental to establishing Paramount as a trusted partner and must-buy for advertisers everywhere. Her talent and passion for this business is only matched by her exceptional ability to lead through change, building talented teams and enduring client relationships throughout her illustrious career. She has made an indelible mark on Paramount during her record tenure, and we are grateful for her continued contributions."
Bakish continued: "John is a proven leader and visionary who has driven innovations in Paramount's advertising business that have set the pace for the entire industry for years. His deep understanding of both the linear and digital businesses, and the underlying forces driving their change, has guided key advancements in our advertising products and empowered us to deliver better outcomes for our clients. Given the rapid pace of evolution in advertising, John is ideally suited to lead Paramount's sales organization forward."
Ross joined CBS in 1992 as Vice President of Olympic Sales and rose to become the first woman to serve as sales chief of a broadcast network and the longest tenured sales head in broadcast television. She shepherded transformative advertising practices for the industry that instituted the company's first-mover advantage and sustained market-leading position, from creating new ways to sell network programing and genre-defining franchises to successfully adapting to the advent of digital video and streaming platforms. Along the way, her sharp wit, ingenuity and steadfast commitment to her team and clients became a hallmark of her superlative leadership — including leveraging the company's expansive portfolio and massive footprint to advance diversity and inclusion.
As a result, Ross has been recognized with innumerable industry awards and accolades throughout her groundbreaking and storied career. In November, she will accept the prestigious Center for Communication's Frank Stanton Award, honoring individuals who not only achieve great success in the business, but who also serve as tireless advocates for a more equitable industry. She serves on the board of directors of the John A. Reisenbach Foundation, the Ad Council, the VAB, the International Radio and Television Society, and FourBlock. She also supports Memorial Sloan Kettering's Cycle for Survival to accelerate progress in rare cancer research.
Halley joined Viacom in 2007 and has led commercial and business operations in various roles for Viacom, ViacomCBS and now Paramount's advertising efforts over the last 15 years. He has worked closely with Ross to unify the sales team post-merger and drive a go-to-market strategy that has been integral to the company's extraordinary digital advertising growth. Halley's continual focus on innovation and ad effectiveness over the years has led to multiple product introductions, including the development of Vantage, the industry's leading audience targeting platform; the launch of EyeQ, Paramount's scaled, multi-billion dollar connected TV ad product; and the creation of OpenAP, the advanced activation platform for the convergent video marketplace that enables scale and transactional simplicity for new currencies. Halley currently serves as Chairman of OpenAP and is a board member of Blockgraph, the IAB, and the VAB. He is also Chairman of the New York Chapter of the March of Dimes and a board member of Literacy Inc.
About Paramount
Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic studios, networks and streaming services, Paramount's portfolio of consumer brands includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. Paramount delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry's most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions.
For more information about Paramount, please visit www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social platforms.
PARA-IR
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National Center for Families Learning to lead Center alongside state and local partners
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Education has selected the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) to create and lead the Colorado Statewide Family Engagement Center (CO SFEC). In partnership with Colorado Education Initiative (CEI), the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition (CSPC), and the Black Parent Network (BPN), the CO SFEC will build the capacity of families, schools, and communities to address learning recovery and related impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as implement practices and systems to improve student development and family well-being.
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for robust, cohesive family engagement systems. Recent Colorado data confirms support for students' social, emotional, and mental health and for working with families and community remain top areas school leaders and teachers report needing additional support and professional development to lead schools effectively. Now, more than ever, coordinated and aligned family engagement efforts are needed to support learning recovery and academic achievement, particularly for children of color.
The CO SFEC priorities are aligned to the 2020 Colorado School District Community Needs Inventory and its work will support identified needs of K-3 reading loss, student mental health, disengagement of high school students, and adult education.
"We're thrilled for this opportunity to enhance family engagement efforts with key partners and stakeholders across the state of Colorado through the establishment of a Statewide Family Engagement Center," says NCFL's President and CEO, Dr. Felicia C. Smith. "Given the strength of Colorado's education landscape, the state is primed for innovative and equity-centered practices advancing family engagement as a lever for improving student learning outcomes. Our partners for the CO SFEC are trusted organizations who have long been doing great work in the state. This effort will build upon their work to strengthen the bridge between family, school, and community commitments to Colorado children."
According to the new Latinos for Education report, the way schools and districts communicate achievement and assessment information to parents is an important area for growth. CEI has already begun supporting response to this need through its newly released family assessment literacy tool.
"This SFEC award comes at a time when we are seeing increasing demand for deeper family partnership behaviors across Colorado, with CEI school and district partners recently identifying high-impact family and community engagement as their top area of interest for support. In addition to the more common focus for family partnership in early elementary, we are thrilled that the CO SFEC will also deepen family engagement practices related to career and college readiness," says CEI's President and CEO Rebecca Holmes. "CEI is honored by this opportunity to bring together the unique assets of NCFL with the Colorado partner organizations to build reciprocal bottom-up and top-down support for centering families as partners in education, with emphasis on families of color."
"We know that family engagement is critical in a child's and school's success. When families are deeply connected to their school and community, everyone does better. We are excited to receive this important grant to support districts in their meaningful family engagement. We look forward to partnering with the CO SFEC partners on this work." – Dr. Katy Anthes, Commissioner, CDE
The five-year grant, under the Statewide Family Engagement Centers Program (84.310A), will total $4,773,464.
To learn more about NCFL's partners in this work, read the full press release.
Contacts:
National Center for Families Learning – Sara Ulliman, 502.584.1133x206, sulliman@familieslearning.org
Colorado Education Initiative – Samantha Olson, 585.739.3699, solson@coloradoedinitiative.org
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SOURCE National Center for Families Learning | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/statewide-family-engagement-center-launch-colorado/ | 2022-09-13T16:57:40Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/statewide-family-engagement-center-launch-colorado/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TrewUp launches deduction management software to extract, read and decipher deduction data, enabling consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to increase productivity and profitability.
BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TrewUp has announced the launch of its Deduction Management & Analytics platform. TrewUp's cloud-based AI technology simplifies the grueling and time-consuming process of analyzing deductions. TrewUp makes deductions easy.
This SaaS solution, found at https://www.trewup.com/, digitizes thousands of pages of static data and transforms it into actionable data all accessible in a single platform. With the click of a button, TrewUp puts the power back into the hands of manufacturers by both reducing hours of time spent analyzing thousands of pages of PDFs and increasing visibility of distributor deductions by type, retailer/distributor, and UPC code.
Traditionally, brands often group all distributor deductions into "trade spend" in their profit & loss statement (P&L). In reality, deductions include both trade and operations expenses including advertising, temporary price reductions (TPRs), product demonstrations (demos), manufacturer charge-backs (MCBs), scans, product shorts, logistics fines, fees, cut cases, and product spoils. With TrewUp's easy-to-use platform featuring dashboards and downloadable excel files, CPG CFOs, CEOs, deductions analysts, account receivable specialists, sales managers and other team-members can have a better understanding of how their dollars with distributors are being spent.
"TrewUp was developed to solve one of the biggest pain points for CPG companies focused on the Natural and Specialty channels, allowing them the ability to focus on driving profitability, rather than deciphering literally thousands of pages of data delivered in PDFs" indicated Scott Cousins, TrewUp Co-Founder and former Chief Information Officer of KeHE, a large natural & organic, fresh and specialty distributor. CEO, Kyle Barnholt, added, "we couldn't be more excited about the launch of this platform. It's going to be game-changing for small and large natural products companies, alike. They will be able to gain clarity and insight around distributor and retailer deductions like never before so that they can focus on business strategy, control costs, and improve profitability."
For more information on TrewUp, go to https://www.trewup.com/ or email sales@trewup.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trewup/
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7,000-year-old winemaking region uncorked
HOUSTON, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- North American Wine & Spirit Importers, LLC (NAWSI) has launched Wine from Lebanon, introducing 15 innovative winemakers and four unique indigenous grapes from one of the oldest and finest wine growing regions in the world to the state of Texas. With a thirst for exploring new wine regions and consuming 60.3 million gallons of wine a year, Texas ranks 4th in the U.S. for wine consumption. Wine from Lebanon features 15 winemakers including several female-owned and managed wineries, winemakers under 40 years old and winemakers utilizing indigenous grapes like Obaideh, Merwah, Meksassi and Sobbagiegh. Interested wholesalers, retailers and restaurants can attend tasting events to try the wine firsthand. NAWSI is seeking distribution for the Wine from Lebanon program.
Sam A. Jaoude, who was born in Lebanon and a managing partner of NAWSI, saw this as an opportunity years ago while operating his MadeNLebanon exporting business. "Lebanon's winemaking history stretches as far back to the Phoenicians and Cana where Jesus turned water into wine," explained Jaoude. "We have incredible terroir for growing grapes across the entire country and we felt it was finally time to share our story with the rest of the world," said Jaoude.
Jaoude found a kindred spirit in his now business partner Constance McDerby, co-founder of Food & Vine Time Productions, producers of consumer lifestyle events with a wine and food focus for more than 20 years. McDerby said, "Lebanon enjoys a vast variety of wine production that is unique both in taste and culture. We're excited to introduce this wine collection to consumers with a thirst for new and exciting tastes."
From the mountain peaks of the Batroun region to the fertile Bekaa Valley to the Jezzine Caza in South Lebanon, winemakers have been producing wine for generations. While there is truly a wine renaissance in progress, this is a story as old as civilization itself. 7,000 years ago, the Lebanese people's ancestors—the seafaring Phoenicians, domesticated grapes, perfected viticulture and spread it throughout the Mediterranean between 2700 B.C. and 300 B.C. Wine was an important trading item, but evidence of winemaking had been scant until the recent discovery of a 2,600-year-old winepress unearthed at Tell el-Burak, five miles south of the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon.
Today's Lebanese winemakers are as unique as the grapes they craft. Generational traditions are carried on while new winemakers look to the future trying their hand at enticing new tastes like Pet-Nat Gold from Couvent Rouge, the first Lebanese sparkling wine. Domaine Wardy, a winery dating back to 1881 and started by a young widow, is run by the fourth generation of winemakers. Mersel is committed to sustainable farming supporting local farmers and shepherding herds of desert goats on their property, the symbol of the winery. Chateau St. Thomas focuses on cultivating local varietals including its Obeidy St. Thomas, featuring the Obadiah grape. Named one of the World's best vineyards in 2021 is Chateau Cana, a father-daughter operation. Atibaia, which focuses its efforts on small yields, sits atop one of the oldest villages in Lebanon where a feudal castle stronghold was built during the Crusades.
Programs like this enable emerging countries to gain a stronghold into the giant wine business. Thouraya Karam, from Karam Wines said, "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to market our wines in Texas as we believe this program will promote Lebanon as a wine producing country and create access to new markets with huge untapped potential for Lebanese wine sales."
Joanna Gerges, managing partner of Chateau Cana commented, "We have been producing wine for over 20 years. I have envisioned spreading the Lebanese culture worldwide and raising Lebanon's profile. I am thankful for this program that will help us reach a market that has so much potential," Gerges added.
A trade tasting event will be held on September 20 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Texas Wine School in Houston. Interested wholesalers, retailers and restaurants can attend. Contact admin@nawsimporters.com or visit winefromlebanon.com for information.
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ATLANTA, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new year-long study titled, Building Opportunities: The Compelling Language of Real Estate Investment Trusts from Invesco, a leading global investment management firm, and Maslansky + Partners, a research-driven language strategy firm, many commonplace words and phrases used in today's real estate conversations may fall short when used in discussions with investors. One reason why may be that while most financial professionals understand the importance of including potential benefits in communications with clients, many do not know how to articulate them using words that fully resonate with investors.
"It is important for financial professionals to effectively communicate with their clients the potential benefits of real estate investing so they can understand their investment choices, and the research upheld our longstanding belief that word choice matters when introducing real estate investment trusts (REITs)," said Paul Brunswick, Head of Invesco Global Consulting. "Although most of the investors surveyed had favorable views on real estate investing, their views shifted depending on how certain concepts were presented."
Phrases to Use When Talking about REITs
Based on the extensive research using instant dial response technology, Invesco Global Consulting found that 60% of investors believe that it is a good time to invest in real estate, but only 46% said they were likely to invest in real estate.1 This gap can be attributed to investors not understanding the role real estate can play within a portfolio. Given this, it is crucial for financial professionals to clearly articulate the potential benefits of REITs to clients.
Invesco Global Consulting researched how to best articulate core benefits of real estate investment trusts in a study with 500 accredited investors. The research proved that word choice can impact the importance of potential benefits to clients. The following list of phrases have been shown to help financial professionals highlight the right potential benefits of REITs when talking to clients:
Investors Like Plainspoken Language When Describing Real Estate Potential Benefits
With interest rates rising, financial professionals can explain to clients that REITs are one way to potentially play defense when it comes to inflation. When asked what they would rather add to their portfolio for inflation protection, 24% selected "an inflation hedge," while 76% liked "a source of income that can rise to stay ahead of inflation."1 The phrase "hedge" is not a plainspoken potential benefit and often investors think of the term in a negative light.
"We believe it is important for financial professionals to better understand investment communications from the client's point of view, and with that knowledge, they can better communicate real estate alternative investments to their clients," said Brunswick.
Portfolio Diversification Misconceptions
Historically, retail investors have only allocated a very small portion of their portfolios to alternatives even though the asset class has potential diversification benefits. When talking about the diversification benefits of REITs, 44% of accredited investors believed "comprehensive" diversification worked best over "true" diversification (29%) and "enhanced" diversification (27%). Of the 500 accredited investors surveyed, only 16% felt that diversification was an investing priority, proving that most felt they already had a well-diversified portfolio.1 Given this, it is important to emphasize that a move into alternatives is about achieving potentially better diversification.
"Helping retail investors understand the potential benefits of REITs is the first step toward bridging the knowledge gap that presently exists and democratizing alternative investments for the masses," said R. Scott Dennis, Invesco Real Estate CEO. "Through effective communication and education, investors will be informed about how alternatives like real estate can potentially broaden exposure to different asset classes within their portfolios and potentially achieve better risk-adjusted returns."
Not All Real Estate is Perceived Equally
The study found that not all real estate is perceived equally by investors. The majority of investors felt it was a good time to invest in technology projects, apartments/suburban housing and storage but were less comfortable investing in retail, commercial and office space. In this example, most accredited investors immediately thought of empty office buildings as a risk, not an opportunity.1 Given this, it is important for financial professionals to cite specific opportunities in real estate when articulating the potential benefits of investing in the asset class, such as technology projects, medical offices, and senior housing.
Other key findings from the Building Opportunities study include1:
- Maintain "portion control." A majority (70%) of accredited investors find it more appealing to have a "portion" of their income needs allocated to real estate. If the "portion" is not explicitly said, investors may assume their financial professional is suggesting a change to their entire portfolio.
- Emphasizing the potential benefits of consistent, stable and reliable income resonates with investors. 57% of accredited investors surveyed preferred "consistent" rental income over "durable" and "alternative" rental income as the most valuable potential benefit a real estate investment could provide as he/she looks ahead to retirement.
- Using the language of "more" over the language of "less." 67% of accredited investors preferred the phrase "increasing efficiencies" over "reducing inefficiencies." Similarly, 61% of investors found that there was a bigger advantage in investing in real estate assets when it was described as "more stable than equities" over "less volatile than equities."
This initiative is part of Invesco Total CX – the total client experience – an all-in-one platform of tools, coaching and content designed to help financial professionals connect with clients, enhance their business, and optimize portfolios. Building Opportunities: The Compelling Language of Real Estate Investment Trusts is one of several research studies that Invesco Global Consulting has conducted over the last 15 years.
1 Source: Survey by Invesco Global Consulting of 500 accredited investors (75% with > $1mm in investable assets, 47% with > $1.5mm in investable assets, 52% male, 48% female, 75% with real estate investment experience and 100% of whom utilized the services of a financial professional.)
About Invesco Ltd.
Invesco Ltd. (Ticker NYSE: IVZ) is a global independent investment management firm dedicated to delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life. Our distinctive investment teams deliver a comprehensive range of active, passive and alternative investment capabilities. With offices in more than 20 countries, Invesco managed US $1.4 trillion in assets on behalf of clients worldwide as of June 30, 2022. For more information, visit www.invesco.com/corporate.
Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the US distributor for Invesco Ltd retail products. It is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd.
Invesco Global Consulting programs are for illustrative, informational, and educational purposes. We make no guarantee that participation in any programs or utilization of their content will result in increased business for any financial professional.
This does not constitute a recommendation of any investment strategy or product for a particular investor. Investors should consult a financial professional before making any investment decisions.
Alternative products typically hold more non-traditional investments and employ more complex trading strategies, including hedging and leveraging through derivatives, short selling and opportunistic strategies that change with market conditions. Investors considering alternatives should be aware of their unique characteristics and additional risks from the strategies they use. Like all investments, performance will fluctuate. You can lose money.
Investments in real estate related instruments may be affected by economic, legal or environmental factors that affect property values, rents or occupancies of real estate. Real estate companies, including REITs or similar structures, tend to be small- and mid-cap companies, and their shares may be more volatile and less liquid.
Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of loss.
Invesco does not provide tax advice. Investors should always consult their own legal or tax professionals for information regarding their individual situations.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change without notice. These opinions may differ from those of other Invesco investment professionals.
All date created and produced by Invesco Global Consulting unless otherwise noted.
Not a Deposit | Not FDIC Insured | Not Guaranteed by the Bank | May Lose Value | Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency
Contact: Jamie Braverman, 212-278-9630
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SOURCE Invesco Ltd. | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/words-use-lose-new-research-based-language-study-measures-emotional-response-investors-have-common-real-estate-investing-words-phrases/ | 2022-09-13T16:58:46Z | wbko.com | control | https://www.wbko.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/words-use-lose-new-research-based-language-study-measures-emotional-response-investors-have-common-real-estate-investing-words-phrases/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Up2Us2022 is hybrid, in person at the NY Society for Ethical Culture and live streamed free.
Register for tickets HERE
NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
EVENT: Up2Us2022: Strategies and Solutions to Save the Coolest Planet in the Universe
VENUE: New York Society for Ethical Culture, Adler Hall, 2 West 64th Street, NYC
DATE: Monday, September 19th, 2022, 7:00 -- 8:45 p.m. ET
WHAT: For the fifth year in a row, a team of pro-bono women producers have created a highly anticipated event on the first night of Climate Week NYC, featuring a stellar lineup of world-renowned climate and sustainability thought leaders. This annual Climate Week event will feature iconic speakers, solutionaries and movement leaders addressing the need for solutions at the speed and scale required this critical decade.
WHO: You will be moved by a special video message from actress, talk-show host and sustainability advocate Drew Barrymore and touched by a live performance from 15-year old America's Got Talent runner-up and two time Golden Buzzer winner, singing phenom Angelica Hale.
The speakers will include:
Dr. Jonathan Foley: Chief Scientist & Exec Dir., Project Drawdown
Janine Benyus: Co-Founder, Biomimicry Institute
Kate Raworth: Creator, Doughnut Economics
Bill McKibben: Founder, Third Act, 350org
Xiye Bastida: Youth Activist, Co-founder, Re-Earth Initiative
JoJo Mehta: Exec. Dir., Stop Ecocide International
Ginger Zee, Chief Meteorologist, ABC News
Alexandria Villasenor: Youth Activist, Founder, Earth Uprising
Mark Hertsgaard: Exec. Dir., Covering Climate Now
Julia Olson: Founder, Our Children's Trust
- The event is hybrid, both in person at the NY Society for Ethical Culture and live streamed. Register for tickets HERE
- To interview any of the speakers or the event producers email up2us2022@gmail.com
- To be added to the Press List to cover the event live, please email request with your name and media affiliation to up2us2022@gmail.com
- To receive our full Media Toolkit, please request access to link by emailing our PR team at up2us2022@gmail.com
And a word about the team of pro bono producers from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Carlos Nobre: "I want to thank the entire team from Up2Us2022 for the work you are doing to find solutions to cool the planet."
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Powered by the new PD 3.1 charging protocol, Ugreen's Nexode 140W Charger puts the "fast" in fast charging.
- Hyper Fast Charging: The cutting-edge PD3.1 protocol allows the Nexode 140W to charge the MacBook Pro 16'' to 56% in 30 minutes using a single port with an output wattage up to 140 watts.
- One Charger For Everything: With 2 USB-C and 1 USB-A ports, charge two laptops and a mobile device simultaneously. No longer will users be contained by traditional, single-port charging bricks.
- A Safe & Lasting Charge: The Power Dispenser System adjusts power output to devices, extending battery life. Ugreen's Thermal GuardTM system takes 800 temperature readings per second for additional safety.
- A Greener Approach: GaN chips produce less carbon per chip, making it a more environmentally friendly charger, compared to silicon chips.
WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ugreen, a leader in mobile charging, is announcing the newest member of its Nexode Charger family: the Nexode 140W Charger. This charger is setting the standard for being one of the faster, most convenient chargers available; capable of fast charging multiple devices simultaneously. It comes with 2 USB-C and 1 USB-A port, becoming a quick-charging charger for your mobile devices. With the inclusion of GaN chips, the Nexode 140W and its family are at the forefront of what fast charging should be. In addition to GaN technology, the Nexode 140W offers features like:
Charging Forward with PD3.1: Power Delivery(PD) 3.1 is the latest in fast charging protocols. With the implementation of this protocol, the Nexode 140W can fast charge the 16-inch MacBook Pro from 0 to 56% in 30 minutes using the Apple C-MagSafe cable. With more tech companies expected to implement this cutting-edge protocol, the Nexode 140W Charger is currently ahead of the curve.
Multiple Ports for Maximum Utility: With the Nexode 140W Charger, providing the right amount of power to three ports is easier than before. Compared to other single-port 140W chargers, the Nexode 140W has 2 type-C ports providing the ability to fast charge two 14-inch laptops simultaneously.
More Charge in a Smaller Package: Portability is important, especially during a time where remote work is becoming more prevalent. The Nexode 140W Charger is 22% smaller than Apple chargers of equivalent wattage, making the 140W particularly easier to pack and carry, and a better companion for consumer charging needs.
Power Displacement & Energy Protection: Featuring the latest in power distribution, the Nexode 140W Charger intelligently distributes the appropriate amount of energy to your device, extending the battery life of your device. Consumers will be welcomed with additional ease of mind know that Ugreen's Thermal GuardTM system scans temperatures 800 times per second, providing first-rate protection from overheating.
GaN & The Nexode Family
GaN, or Gallium Nitride, is the latest in semiconductor compounds with useful applications in radars, satellites, lasers, and now, chargers. With the inclusion of the GaN chips, Nexode chargers provide higher conversion efficiency, smaller size, and better heat dissipation than before.
About Nexode Chargers:
The Nexode series are high-end chargers that offer better heat dissipation, smaller size, and lower energy consumption, among other high-quality features. Currently, the Nexode series includes 45W, 65W, 100W, 140W wall chargers, and a 200W desktop charger.
Pricing and Availability
The latest Nexode 140W, $149.99: Available at Amazon.com and Ugreen.com
Nexode 45W, $39.99: Available at Amazon.com and Ugreen.com
Nexode 65W, $59.99: Available at Amazon.com and Ugreen.com
Nexode 100W, $79.99: Available at Amazon.com and Ugreen.com
Nexode 200W, $199.99: Available at Amazon.com and Ugreen.com
About Ugreen:
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SOURCE Ugreen Limited | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/ugreen-announces-faster-safer-charger-any-charging-scenario-nexode-140w-pd31-charger/ | 2022-09-13T16:59:44Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/ugreen-announces-faster-safer-charger-any-charging-scenario-nexode-140w-pd31-charger/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — As inflation remains a heavy burden for Americans, Social Security recipients are left to wonder how much of a cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) they'll receive next year.
The latest consumer pricing data revealed Tuesday that U.S. inflation slowed for a second straight month, but excluding energy most other items got more expensive in August.
How much could social security increase in 2023?
The Senior Citizens League, a non-partisan advocacy group for seniors, estimates the Social Security benefits increase for next year may be 8.7%, based on the data released Tuesday morning. Last month, the group estimated it to be 9.6%, based on data at the time.
If the current estimate holds, it would be the highest cost-of-living-adjustment since 1981 when it was 11.2%.
"A COLA of 8.7% is extremely rare and would be the highest ever received by most Social Security beneficiaries alive today," the Senior Citizens League said in a press release.
When will Social Security increase be announced?
We won't know the 2023 COLA for sure until mid-October, when the Social Security Administration announces it. Last year's increase was 5.9%, the highest in 39 years. Over the previous 10 years, it averaged about 1.7% annually as inflation remained low.
When consumer price data showed inflation at a 40-year high in June, the Senior Citizens League calculated its COLA prediction to be as high as 10.5%. But as inflation has slowed since then, the expected increase for Social Security recipients has dipped as well.
How much more would Social Security recipients get in 2023?
The exact amount depends on your monthly Social Security retirement benefit. TSCL said for the average benefit of $1,656, the projected COLA of 8.7% would add $144.10 for a total of around $1,800.
There's also time for circumstances to change. The Social Security Administration has one more month of data to factor into its COLA for 2023, so the actual increase may vary.
Can Social Security keep paying large COLAs?
Social Security trustees said in their report this year that Social Security’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2035. This date was pushed back a year from the previous estimate due to stronger-than-expected economic recovery.
Social Security pays benefits to more than 65 million Americans, mainly retirees as well as disabled people and survivors of deceased workers. When the Social Security trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay 80% of scheduled benefits, the report said.
Such a reduction would represent a major hardship for most people who depend on Social Security, even middle-class retirees. | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/social-security-benefits-2023-cola-september-estimate/507-9c72fb47-6fe4-4efd-bfa6-bebf8a624219 | 2022-09-13T17:00:00Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/social-security-benefits-2023-cola-september-estimate/507-9c72fb47-6fe4-4efd-bfa6-bebf8a624219 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON — A former security chief at Twitter told Congress on Tuesday that the social platform is plagued by weak cyber defenses, privacy threats and the inability to control millions of fake accounts. Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, a respected cybersecurity expert, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to lay out his allegations.
“Twitter's misleading the public, lawmakers” and regulators, Zatko said as he began his sworn testimony.
“They don’t know what data they have, where it lives and where it came from and so, unsurprisingly, they can’t protect it,” Zatko said. “It doesn’t matter who has keys if there are no locks."
Zatko said “Twitter leadership ignored its engineers,” in part because “their executive incentives led them to prioritize profit over security.” His message echoed one brought to Congress against another social media giant last year, but unlike that Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, Zatko hasn't brought troves of internal documents to back up his claims.
Zatko was the head of security for the influential platform until he was fired early this year. He filed a whistleblower complaint in July with Congress, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.
Senators are clearly alarmed.
Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who heads the Judiciary Committee, said Zatko has detailed flaws “that may pose a direct threat to Twitter’s hundreds of millions of users as well as to American democracy.”
“Twitter is an immensely powerful platform and can’t afford gaping vulnerabilities,” he said.
Zatko's claims could also affect Tesla billionaire Elon Musk's attempt to back out of his $44 billion deal to acquire the social platform. Musk claims that Twitter has long underreported spam bots on its platform and cites that as a reason to nix the deal he struck in April.
Many of Zatko’s claims are uncorroborated and appear to have little documentary support. Twitter has called Zatko’s description of events “a false narrative ... riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies” and lacking important context.
Zatko also accuses the company of deception in its handling of automated “spam bots,” or fake accounts. That allegation is at the core of billionaire tycoon Elon Musk’s attempt to back out of his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. Musk and Twitter are locked in a bitter legal battle, with Twitter having sued Musk to force him to complete the deal. The Delaware judge overseeing the case ruled last week that Musk can include new evidence related to Zatko's allegations in the high-stakes trial, which is set to start Oct. 17.
Sen. Charles Grassley, the committee's ranking Republican, said Tuesday that Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal declined to testify at the hearing, citing the ongoing legal proceedings with Musk. But the hearing is “more important that Twitter’s civil litigation in Delaware," Grassley said.
In his complaint, Zatko accused Agrawal as well as other senior executives and board members of numerous violations, including making “false and misleading statements to users and the FTC about the Twitter platform’s security, privacy and integrity.”
Zatko, 51, first gained prominence in the 1990s as an ethical hacker and later worked in senior positions at an elite Defense Department research unit and at Google. He joined Twitter in late 2020 at the urging of then-CEO Jack Dorsey. | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/twitter-whistleblower-capitol-hill/507-745ea287-6095-4bd6-831a-8002869cb1e8 | 2022-09-13T17:00:06Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/news/nation-world/twitter-whistleblower-capitol-hill/507-745ea287-6095-4bd6-831a-8002869cb1e8 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SPOKANE, Wash. — Hooray! Peppa Pig and her family will be bringing some holiday cheer to Spokane this December.
The musical show Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure will make a stop at Spokane’s First Interstate Center for the Arts on December 3, 2022.
The show features Peppa, George and their school friends as they go on an exciting camping trip in the winter woods. Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe will be part of the adventure.
Of course, Daddy Pig will be there too! He’s driving the bus as Peppa and friends head out on their exciting, outdoor holiday adventure.
The show features singing, dancing, games, and surprises. Maybe there will even be a muddy puddle or two.
The show starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec 3, 2022. Its runtime is 60 minutes and is good for the whole family.
Tickets for Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure range from $30 to $60. They go on sale to the general public starting Friday,t. 16 at 10 a.m. on TicketsWest.com.
Fans can also purchase an additional Peppa Pig's Adventure Photo Experience. The event gives fans a chance to “experience a unique photo opportunity by jumping in a mud puddle alongside Peppa Pig & Friends.”
The photo experience begins after the end of the show. Each adult and child (age two and up) are required to purchase a separate photo experience ticket in order to attend.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com. | https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/peppa-pig-spokane-holiday-season/293-488dae08-9528-4770-85ea-56d9f32a2c9e | 2022-09-13T17:00:12Z | krem.com | control | https://www.krem.com/article/entertainment/peppa-pig-spokane-holiday-season/293-488dae08-9528-4770-85ea-56d9f32a2c9e | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Nearly half of the country's governors have signed off on a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to withdraw his student loan forgiveness plan that would cancel up to $20,000 for federal aid borrowers.
"As governors, we support making higher education more affordable and accessible for students in our states, but we fundamentally oppose your plan to force American taxpayers to pay off the student loan debt of an elite few..." the governors said in a letter dated Monday.
The governors, all Republicans, argue that the lowest income Americans will be paying the debts of doctors, lawyers and professors "with the most debt, such as $50,000 or more..."
Though, Biden's plan caps relief at $20,000 for those who received Pell grants – awarded to low-income students – and $10,000 for students who did not get Pell grants in college. Additionally, individuals who make more than $125,000 are not eligible for the one-time relief.
"College may not be the right decision for every American, but for the students who took out loans, it was their decision: able adults and willing borrowers who knowingly agreed to the terms of the loan and consented to taking on debt in exchange for taking classes," the letter states. "A high-cost degree is not the key to unlocking the American Dream—hard work and personal responsibility is."
It further argues that it is unfair to those who previously already paid off their student loans.
The governors also expressed concern that the forgiveness plan could encourage higher education institutions to drive up their costs, and therefore worsen inflation.
"Rather than addressing the rising cost of tuition for higher education or working to lower interest rates for student loans, your plan kicks the can down the road and makes today's problems worse for tomorrow's students."
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told NPR in August the forgiveness plan was birthed largely from a way to undo the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and will boost the economy as a result.
"Everyone knows someone that's struggling post pandemic," he said. "And, you know, if we help folks in the communities so that they - reduce the chances of them going into default, everybody wins. It helps the economy."
The letter is signed by 22 Republican governors, including:
The governors are also challenging Biden's power to go through with the plan, saying "As president, you lack the authority to wield unilateral action to usher in a sweeping student loan cancellation plan."
In seven states, the forgiveness payments could be taxed as income.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcur.org/education/2022-09-13/missouri-gov-mike-parson-asks-joe-biden-to-cut-student-loan-forgiveness-plan | 2022-09-13T17:07:12Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/education/2022-09-13/missouri-gov-mike-parson-asks-joe-biden-to-cut-student-loan-forgiveness-plan | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden says he does not want private citizens to do anything illegal in service to his ongoing investigation into recent election results in the county.
Hayden made that clarification recently after a video emerged of him speaking last month with a group of supporters at his office in which he tells a woman who asked if she could take pictures of things she deems suspicious as she works at the polls to be “slippery” about it.
Such an action could run afoul of a state law that makes it a felony to intentionally disclose ballot information.
In the video, which was recorded Aug. 30 and posted to the website Rumble, the woman asks Hayden if, as a poll worker, she can take pictures and send them to Hayden.
“Be slippery about it if you do it,” he responds, prompting laughter in the room.
After the laughter dies down, Hayden adds: “You can take a picture of your own ballot. I know that. But everything else, they get all touchy and crazy if they catch you doing it.”
Election investigation
The video and the meeting it was recorded at come as Hayden continues a months-long investigation into 2020 and 2021 election results in Johnson County.
The investigation has gone on since the fall of 2021, and Hayden has mentioned it in some appearances before right-wing groups like the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, a group that espouses the view that a sheriff’s authority within their county supersedes that of all other government agents or elected officials at any level.
So far, only one election-related offense report has been filed, according to records returned by the sheriff’s office following an open records request.
County and state election officials have continued to stand by the integrity of their election procedures and the validity of recent election results.
Hayden has often mentioned voting drop boxes as a source of concern but said in the Aug. 30 meeting that his office’s surveillance of them did not turn up any instances of people dropping off more than the ten-ballot limit.
He also reiterated to attendees that it has been difficult to get enough information to charge someone.
The two-hour question-and-answer session recorded Aug. 30 took place in the sheriff’s office with about 25 to 30 people who were clearly supportive of Hayden’s ongoing investigation.
Hayden said the meeting was part of a series of talks he’s been having since the COVID-19 pandemic, intended to ease people’s fears on various topics.
The group was not representative of any particular political party, he said.
A video of it was posted to Rumble, a video platform supported by Donald Trump and right-leaning entrepreneur Peter Thiel.
A question about taking pictures
Hayden never does give the woman a direct answer about whether taking pictures of ballots or election data at polling sites would be illegal.
Ballot selfies taken by a voter of his or her own ballot were deemed legal by the state in 2018, but unauthorized disclosure of a ballot’s contents is a felony under Kansas Statute 25-2422.
When asked by the Post about Hayden’s comments, Johnson County Election Commissioner Fred Sherman directed a reporter to that same statute.
At an earlier point in the Aug. 30 meeting, Hayden exhorts attendees who want to help his office: “Volunteer. Go to the election office and keep an eye on them, because that is what we’ve done. You guys are our biggest supporters.”
In a follow-up phone conversation with the Post Sunday, Hayden clarified that he is not deputizing private citizens to commit illegal acts in order to help his election investigation.
“Oh, gosh no, not at all. That would be wholly inappropriate,” he said.
His recent comments, he said, were meant to encourage attendees at the meeting to educate themselves about the process.
Hayden at first said he had told woman who asked about taking pictures at the polls to be cautious and to ask someone at the polling station whether it would be okay.
He also said he did tell her it is illegal to take a picture of anyone else’s ballot. But later in the phone conversation, he acknowledged the video does not show him clearly saying that, and that those sentiments may have been said by people in crosstalk in the meeting.
“It’s kind of unfortunate the way this thing’s recorded, but there were probably 50 people in the room,” he said.
Hayden said he understood the woman to be asking about printed data for the primary vote recount that did not include names of voters.
“As a poll worker can I take a picture of stuff that I see as evidence to give to you?” she is heard asking on the video.
In the phone conversation Sunday, Hayden said the rules on who can take images of printouts of voter data from election offices are a “vague place in the law,” but he acknowledged he did not know if it’s illegal to take them.
“I think everybody knows, especially the workers over there that it’s illegal to take a picture of somebody else’s ballot. Now the printout, I do not know if it is or not,” he said.
Johnson County Sheriff’s investigation goes on
During a recent hearing in Johnson County District Court, the county’s legal representatives said they believed Hayden’s investigation would soon be drawing to a close.
But in speaking to the group on Aug. 30, Hayden seemed to indicate it is nowhere near being over. He didn’t rule out an eventual request to the FBI for help, though he says he’s not talked to the agency yet.
At the meeting, he told supporters he is not ready to drop it, and may in fact continue to pursue his voter fraud suspicions through other avenues.
“I’m really making them mad and I don’t care,” he said of other county officials. “We will continue to dig until I’m convinced there’s nothing there. I’m a little hard headed.”
In answer to another question from an attendee, Hayden said the lack of probable cause for charges may not stop the investigation.
“If it affects our citizens we’re going to pursue it. I don’t care if it’s international, we will go where we have to go,” he said. “We may have to rely on the (Department of Justice).”
The state legislature may be another avenue to try, he said, adding he’s got some recommendations he’d make to lawmakers.
In particular, state statutes on election procedural violations should come with some specific punishments, he said.
“We’re going to work with the legislature to try to get it tightened up,” he said. “You may see ballot boxes go; you may see machines go.”
Social unrest
On the video, Hayden also gave his opinions on a number of other topics, including his efforts to get more funding to attract applicants in an understaffed sheriff’s office.
He related memories of the protest marches around Johnson County in the summer of 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Johnson County Sheriff’s deputies, under mutual aid agreements, were at the Kansas City, Mo., protests as well as at events in Prairie Village and Lawrence, he said.
Hayden said he told local authorities that he is opposed to letting marchers block the streets, but in Prairie Village, city leaders decided to allow it, he said.
“I told them, ‘I’ll watch for a while. If they break anything I don’t care if it’s a pencil, we’re going to take them to jail,’” he is heard telling the attendees in the video posted to Rumble.
Likewise, he said Johnson County loaded up 100 officers in “big black buses” to watch over a Lawrence protest.
“There’s nothing I wanted more than to go down Mass Street and arrest them all,” he says in the video.
More protests might be coming with the next elections, Hayden suggested.
“If these elections go the way we think they’re going to go there may be some social unrest,” he said, adding that he needs to hire more specialists in social unrest because his current force is depleted by half.
One questioner referenced a conspiracy theory about federal funding for 87,000 Internal Revenue Service agents, saying he feared the agents would be going house to house to suppress political opponents.
Hayden’s response: “The IRS is a spooky, spooky entity. I can tell the FBI to get out of my county,” he said, but not the IRS.
“It’s why it’s important to have an army you can depend on. I will tell you they’re going to have every IRS agency in the United States come to Johnson County, Kansas before they start doing the crap they’re doing because we’re going to be 500 strong and we’ll do what we need to do,” he said, followed by enthusiastic applause.
Hayden’s response
Contacted on Sunday afternoon by phone, Hayden tried to clarify some of the comments he’s heard making in the video.
On the possibility of the FBI becoming involved, Hayden said it’s a subject that so far has not been broached.
“No, not at all. Not yet,” he said. But he wouldn’t rule it out either, he said.
His office has gotten volumes of complaints, he said, some of which involve companies the county has contracts with. Some of those international corporate relationships bear looking into, he said.
“Not a day goes by when somebody is not providing some other complaint or some other information,” that the sheriff’s office is obligated to look into. “Some of it is crazy and way out there. Some of it is not, but it takes a long time to vet some of this stuff out.”
“Everybody wants to get this thing wrapped up. We all do,” he said. “But this is one of the most complicated issues we’ve run up against.”
On his allusions to social unrest in the future, he declined to predict the next election.
He also pledged to enforce the laws on protest equally and with no preference to any political ideology.
“I don’t care which side it is, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to keep the citizens of Johnson County safe,” he said. “And if they’re going to exercise their First Amendment rights we’ll protect that. Let’s just do it legally.”
On the IRS, Hayden said he’s not encountered a situation where IRS agents are conducting warrantless searches of individual homes, but that he meant to assure people that they would be protected from that if it does happen.
He stressed that the Johnson County Sheriff’s office’s response would be nonviolent.
“Absolutely. We’ll go talk to them,” he said. “I haven’t found any of them yet to be crazy right-wing people. The bottom line is there’s a law. The laws are there for a reason and we abide by the law. Both sides of us do.”
“I’m not this crazy guy that they’re trying to make me out to be. I’m not this right-wing nut. I work for the citizens of this county and we’re going to keep the peace,” he said as the interview concluded. “We’ll work with anybody who wants to help us.”
This story was originally published on the Shawnee Mission Post. | https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-09-13/amid-his-own-fraud-investigation-johnson-county-sheriff-caught-telling-poll-worker-to-be-slippery | 2022-09-13T17:07:16Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-09-13/amid-his-own-fraud-investigation-johnson-county-sheriff-caught-telling-poll-worker-to-be-slippery | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Hosts
Michael Stern
Dan Margolies
Program
Sinfonia In G Minor, Op. 6, No. 6
by Johann Christian Bach
Bernard Labadie, guest conductor
Live performance, May 2012
The youngest of Johann Sebastian Bach’s 11 sons, Johann Christian Bach was greatly admired in his day and was a big influence on the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He composed operas and longer works but 'he had a lot of success writing these symphonies which are really very short," Michael Stern says. "They're kind of miniatures inspired by Italian overtures, but there's a lot of energy and propulsion in this music."
Concerto in A Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 129
by Robert Schumann
Narek Hakhnazaryan, cello
Live performance, January 2013
Schumann tried to calm the auditory hallucinations that led to his eventual mental breakdown and his placement in an asylum shortly afterword by proof-reading this concerto. Six days later, he hurled himself into the Rhine River. This emotional work has "so much variety of mood and shifting passion and virtuosity and extraordinary songfulness," says Michael Stern.
Bacchanale
by Charles Tomlinson Griffes
Live performance, September 2014
The White Peacock
by Charles Tomlinson Griffes
Live performance, January 2019
Like a lot of American composers of his day, Griffes went to study in Germany and came under the spell of Wagner. Ultimately, though, he gravitated to the music of Debussy and Ravel, influences that are apparent in his vividly chromatic writing. "He was to American music what Debussy and Ravel would be to French music," Michael Stern explains, adding that "he never got there because it's a tragedy that he died so young. He would've changed American music for sure."
The Planets
by Gustav Holst
Bramwell Tovey, guest conductor
The Kansas City Symphony Chorus - Charles Bruffy, director
Live performance, November 2014
Clifford Bax, the brother of the British composer Arnold Bax, introduced Holst to astrology, which Holst referred to as his "pet vice." The spectacular international success of "The Planets" catapulted Holst to fame, although, Holst, a shy man, preferred to be left in peace to compose and teach. While "The Planets" is often thought of as a programmatic work, Michael Stern clarifies that "there is no narrative. It's the feeling of Holst pondering the idea behind what the astrological significance of each planet is." | https://www.kcur.org/show/kansas-city-symphony/2022-09-13/enchantment-and-immensity-music-by-j-c-bach-schumann-charles-tomlinson-griffes-and-gustav-holst | 2022-09-13T17:07:17Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/show/kansas-city-symphony/2022-09-13/enchantment-and-immensity-music-by-j-c-bach-schumann-charles-tomlinson-griffes-and-gustav-holst | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TUCSON, Ariz. — If "Clerks" was the film that captured the hopes, angst, and despair of teens and 20-somethings in 1994, "Clerks III" does the same for middle-aged viewers in 2022.
It's the sort of movie that happens when a talented filmmaker rediscovers his old voice.
"Clerks III" is a slice of vintage Kevin Smith. Wickedly incisive humor, poignant themes, and a heartfelt story coalesce into his best film since the days when Smith ruled geek culture with the likes of "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," and "Dogma."
Quotable, thoughtful, and introspective, the film will undoubtedly be one of my favorites of 2022. The comedy marks an artistic renaissance for the filmmaker, podcaster, and stand-up comedian, who seems ready to enter an exciting second act as a filmmaker.
Clearly informed by his 2018 heart attack, the movie tracks Randal's ennui and fleeting passions (Jeff Anderson) and Dante (Brian O'Halloran). The men hated working as convenience store clerks in their 20s and now own the store, which makes so little money that they still have to work the front counter.
Just as they always have, Randal and Dante pass the time by bickering, commenting on pop culture, dealing with irritating customers, and ignoring them with rooftop hockey matches.
A sudden crisis causes Randal — and, by extension, Dante — to re-evaluate their stations in their lives and their goals. Randal's revelation — as was Smith's with "Clerks" is to make a movie.
Smith transforms what could have been a cheesy, meta gimmick into a stroke of brilliance. The filmmaker's story pays tribute — and unflinching critique of — to his own origins as an artist, tells a compelling story of its own, and crams in loads of fan service to boot.
Slipping into their old roles like a comfortable pair of sneakers, Anderson and O'Halloran resurrect the whip-smart repartee from the original film. Their faces are more plump and lined, but they sparkle with the same pizzazz they had in 1994.
Self-aware cameos from the likes of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Justin Long, and Sarah Michelle Gellar made me smile, and a powerful performance by Rosario Dawson as Dante's late wife, Becky, hit their emotional marks.
Smith and Jason Mewes, of course, are also back as Jay and Silent Bob, and Trevor Fehrman reprises his "Clerks II" role as Trevor, the goofy wannabe who looks up to Dante and Randal.
The greatest comedies are the most rewatchable of movies, and I have probably watched "Clerks" more times than I have any other movie.
While I didn't find the same magic in the sequel, "Clerks III" similarly speaks to me as the original. I'll be eager to come back to it again and again.
RATING: 4 stars out of 4. | https://www.katc.com/entertainment/kevin-smith-back-in-90s-form-in-hilarious-poignant-clerks-iii | 2022-09-13T17:08:48Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/entertainment/kevin-smith-back-in-90s-form-in-hilarious-poignant-clerks-iii | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLORADO SPRINGS — Fraudsters want you to know you’re so close to claiming a massive cash grand prize. All they need is for you to pay a fee and to give up some information.
”He called and left a message first and I didn’t hear the phone. So this was his voicemail, “Call us back. You are the winner of $2.5 Million and a check of $5,000 a week for the rest of your life,” said Colorado Springs resident Robin Palazzolo.
The call was supposedly from the popular Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. Palazzolo said she was shocked to get the phone call but hoped it was real.
”I thought wow, I’m a winner, everyone does. I hadn’t entered for years, but I think all of us have entered once or twice,” said Palazzolo.
So she called back.
”He said I know you don’t think it’s real, but it’s very real. A lot of people don’t believe me when I call and he went on and on about how this is a life-changing event,” said Palazzolo.
But there was a catch. She had to go to the bank and deposit $5,000 to unlock the prize and the man on the phone, an imposter, told her this was standard protocol
”Well, we have to pay for the prize patrol. They’ll meet you there with the balloons and the check a black and gold van,” the man on the phone told Palazzolo.
Feeling uneasy about the request, she added her husband to a three-way call and he wasn’t buying the scheme.
”My husband told him, why don’t you get a real job? He said to hang up, just go ahead and hang up,” Palazzolo said.
Publisher’s Clearing House has legitimate sweepstakes. You’ve probably seen the advertisements on TV with Steve Harvey, but on its website, it warns against phone calls like this and even phony solicitations being sent in the mail.
Last year, Elaine was told on the phone by an imposter she won $3 million.
"I was one of them, I didn't say they weren't happening, I just said it had never happened to me. These scam calls do happen. They are scary," she said.
Palazzolo believes people will make the mistake of paying fraudsters thousands in situations like this because she was almost one of them.
”I fell for it for a few minutes. I was dragged in and I’m embarrassed to say that because I think I’m pretty smart, but he really actually just suckered me in,” said Palazzolo.
If you get one of these imposter sweepstakes calls, there are red flags that can help you hang up fast.
According to Publishers Clearing House:
- It will never call, email, or text to say you are a winner as contacts are made in person
- Winning is always free. It will never ask you for payments of any kind upfront
- It will never send you a check and ask you to send back some of the money
Publishers Clearing House partners with the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Postal Service and law enforcement to try to stop these fraudsters.
This article was written by Patrick Nelson for KOAA. | https://www.katc.com/money/consumer/bogus-cash-prize-wins-used-by-fraudsters-to-trick-people-into-paying-them | 2022-09-13T17:08:54Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/money/consumer/bogus-cash-prize-wins-used-by-fraudsters-to-trick-people-into-paying-them | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WALLED LAKE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Rebecca Lanis, 21, said her grandmother called her Sunday morning and asked if she was in the hospital.
Unaware of the tragedy that unfolded at her home in Walled Lake, Rebecca said she found that to be a strange question. She said she was at a friend's sleepover.
Rebecca soon learned her father shot her sister and mother. Her sister was critically injured. Her mother was killed.
“I had a really close bond with my mom, and I can’t believe she’s not here," Rebecca said.
The Oakland County sheriff said when officers responded to the home, 52-year-old Igor Lanis opened fire on them. A Walled Lake police officer and an Oakland County sheriff's deputy returned fire and killed him.
The sheriff's department said Igor had also killed the family dog.
Rebecca said her father had never been physically violent, but his behavior started spiraling about two years ago.
“He became a different person after 2020 when Trump lost," Rebecca said.
She said he started getting more agitated at normal things and that he often found a way to bring up conspiracies about the vaccine, 5G and electromagnetic fields.
Rebecca also said her father turned to extremism like QAnon, a political conspiracy theory and political movement. It centers around baseless claims that former President Donald Trump was fighting enemies within a so-called "deep state" and a sex-trafficking ring run by satanic cannibals.
Rebecca said her family's tragedy is a warning for people to pay attention to their loved ones who may need help.
"I think that people need to focus more on radicalization, Qanon. And if they have relatives with guns who are like this, you need to get them help and they need to get checked into a mental institution, even if you think they're not dangerous," she advised.
This story was originally reported by Darren Cunningham and Brian Schwartz on wxyz.com. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/daughter-blames-qanon-after-father-shot-family | 2022-09-13T17:09:06Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/daughter-blames-qanon-after-father-shot-family | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Inside this clinic, medicine is more than just health care.
It's a lifeline.
"The way we do that is we have a free food pantry, a clothing closet, and free medical clinic,” said Jeffrey Foster, program manager for The Shalom Project.
This nonprofit runs a medical clinic that serves some of those with the greatest need in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina community.
"We are kind of the basic safety net that catches all of these folks,” he said. "We can take blood. We have a lab. We have a full pharmacy. We have an orthopedic doctor that comes."
It's a lot of work and Foster said they could use some help.
Now, they're about to get it.
Public Health AmeriCorps is a new joint effort between the federal AmeriCorps volunteer program and the Centers for Disease Control.
Through the American Rescue Act, $60 million in grants is helping recruit more than 3,000 paid volunteers in states across the country to work in health care settings. Many of them are college students pursuing health care-related majors.
Marianne Magjuka coordinates the program and is an assistant dean of students and the executive director of the Office of Civic and Community Engagement at Wake Forest University.
"This is the first year of funding for Public Health AmeriCorps," she said. "AmeriCorps members will be doing all kinds of different things. They'll be doing patient navigation services, translation services. They'll also be working with patients to do follow-up care."
Tripp Causby is a biochemistry and molecular biology major at Wake Forest University and one of the first Public Health AmeriCorps volunteers.
"Some people might have access to health care, but the quality of health care that they have is just not what it needs to be," he said.
Causby is preparing to go to medical school and said his upbringing opened his eyes to health care disparities in America.
"I come from a rural western North Carolina town that a lot of people don't have access to quality care, and I've seen that firsthand," Causby said, "and I feel like through this Public Health AmeriCorps program, it all sort of further exposed me to these inequities that I hope to combat one day as a physician."
For Wake Forest psychology major Rachael Nyankson, the pandemic served as a wake-up call and prompted her to volunteer.
"Just to be able to learn how to better advocate and serve those in this community and how we can start to change, start the conversation about getting increased health access to individuals," she said.
Back at The Shalom Project, Jeffrey Foster is looking forward to getting additional help.
"They're going to be concentrated in the medical side of it, which I'm excited about,” he said, adding, “because there's a lot that we need to do here." | https://www.katc.com/news/national/new-public-health-americorps-program-looks-to-tackle-health-care-gap | 2022-09-13T17:09:18Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/new-public-health-americorps-program-looks-to-tackle-health-care-gap | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert for packages of ground beef included in HelloFresh meal kits in July.
Officials expressed concern that the ground beef was tainted with E. coli.
The packages were sent to consumers from July 2-21, 2022. The packets have codes “EST#46841 L1 22 155” or “EST#46841 L5 22 155” on the side of the packaging.
The USDA said it has traced some cases of E. coli illnesses to the ground beef. The agency said it is concerned some consumers may still have the products in their freezers.
The USDA urged consumers to throw away the ground beef packages.
A recall order was not issued as the products were no longer for sale.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said cooking ground beef to 160 degrees will generally kill off E. coli germs. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/public-health-alert-issued-for-hellofresh-ground-beef | 2022-09-13T17:09:24Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/public-health-alert-issued-for-hellofresh-ground-beef | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A kangaroo attacked a killed a 77-year-old man in Western Australia, authorities said.
According to Australian media, family members found Peter Eades on Sunday with serious injuries.
Emergency crews were called in and reportedly had to shoot the kangaroo to get to Eades.
Efforts to save Eades were unsuccessful and he died at the scene, police said.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Eades had raised the three-year-old kangaroo as a pet since it was a joey.
Fatal kangaroo attacks are rare in Australia. The last one reportedly occurred in 1936. | https://www.katc.com/news/world/kangaroo-kills-man-in-australia | 2022-09-13T17:09:43Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/world/kangaroo-kills-man-in-australia | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Don't Waste Your Money may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
You might be familiar with certain products by Dash, such as the Dash Mini Waffle Maker. But perhaps you weren’t aware that the company makes several other useful appliances and gadgets, including a griddle, egg bite maker, and mandoline. They are all being discounted as part of Amazon’s Deal of the Day today.
Dash Deluxe Everyday Griddle
With 4.7 stars and more than 3,200 ratings, the Dash Deluxe Everyday Griddle is ideal for cooking everything from eggs, pancakes and grilled cheese to stir-fry, burgers, quesadillas and even cookies.
Customers who reviewed the Dash Griddle say it’s easy to use and just as simple to clean.
“We ordered this for rainy days in the camper but have ended up using it just about every day inside the house,” reviewer Alison McLean said. “We cook bacon & eggs, pancakes, hamburgers, hotdogs, salmon … just about anything you can cook in a pan we do on this griddle. It is SUPER easy to clean and can be put into the dishwasher.”
The Dash griddle measures 20 by 10.5 inches. Plug it in, set the desired temperature and it will heat up in minutes. It has a PFOA-free, non-stick surface for consistent cooking and includes a drip tray.
The Dash Deluxe Everyday Griddle, which currently comes in Aqua, Black, Grey or Red, is at the lowest price of the year as an Amazon Deal of the Day, dropping from $59.99 to $39.99.
Dash Family Size Egg Bite Maker
For fast, savory breakfasts or healthy, protein-packed snacks, the Dash Family Size Egg Bite Maker couldn’t be simpler to use. All you have to do is whip up your ingredients, pour them into the silicone cups and close the lid.
This egg bite maker measures 12 by 10.25 inches and weighs just two pounds. It features nine silicone cups and a PFOA-free, non-stick surface for mess-free prep and fast cleanup.
Customers who reviewed the appliance say it is ideal for egg bites but can also be used for brownies, biscuits and muffins. With 1,100 ratings and 4.6 stars, this egg bite maker is discounted from $49.99 to $39.99. It’s now available in Aqua, Black, and Red.
Dash Safe Slice Mandoline
Before you can cook, you have to prep, and the Dash Safe Slice Mandoline Slicer, Julienne + Dicer has you (and your fingers!) covered.
It is uniquely designed to keep your hands away from the built-in blades. You can slice, julienne, matchstick or dice foods to 1-8 mm in thickness with over 30 cutting options.
This slicer is 14 inches high, 4.7 inches wide and 11 inches long. A cleaning brush is included, and the mandoline folds down for more accessible storage.
With more than 17,200 ratings and 4.5 stars, this slicer is highly popular. As an Amazon Deal of the Day, it’s on sale for $31.99.
If you want to add the Dash Griddle, Egg Bite Maker or Mandoline to your kitchen, don’t delay! This sale only lasts one day.
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money. | https://www.wtxl.com/dash-griddle-amazon-deal-of-the-day | 2022-09-13T17:09:56Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/dash-griddle-amazon-deal-of-the-day | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TUCSON, Ariz. — If "Clerks" was the film that captured the hopes, angst, and despair of teens and 20-somethings in 1994, "Clerks III" does the same for middle-aged viewers in 2022.
It's the sort of movie that happens when a talented filmmaker rediscovers his old voice.
"Clerks III" is a slice of vintage Kevin Smith. Wickedly incisive humor, poignant themes, and a heartfelt story coalesce into his best film since the days when Smith ruled geek culture with the likes of "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," and "Dogma."
Quotable, thoughtful, and introspective, the film will undoubtedly be one of my favorites of 2022. The comedy marks an artistic renaissance for the filmmaker, podcaster, and stand-up comedian, who seems ready to enter an exciting second act as a filmmaker.
Clearly informed by his 2018 heart attack, the movie tracks Randal's ennui and fleeting passions (Jeff Anderson) and Dante (Brian O'Halloran). The men hated working as convenience store clerks in their 20s and now own the store, which makes so little money that they still have to work the front counter.
Just as they always have, Randal and Dante pass the time by bickering, commenting on pop culture, dealing with irritating customers, and ignoring them with rooftop hockey matches.
A sudden crisis causes Randal — and, by extension, Dante — to re-evaluate their stations in their lives and their goals. Randal's revelation — as was Smith's with "Clerks" is to make a movie.
Smith transforms what could have been a cheesy, meta gimmick into a stroke of brilliance. The filmmaker's story pays tribute — and unflinching critique of — to his own origins as an artist, tells a compelling story of its own, and crams in loads of fan service to boot.
Slipping into their old roles like a comfortable pair of sneakers, Anderson and O'Halloran resurrect the whip-smart repartee from the original film. Their faces are more plump and lined, but they sparkle with the same pizzazz they had in 1994.
Self-aware cameos from the likes of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Justin Long, and Sarah Michelle Gellar made me smile, and a powerful performance by Rosario Dawson as Dante's late wife, Becky, hit their emotional marks.
Smith and Jason Mewes, of course, are also back as Jay and Silent Bob, and Trevor Fehrman reprises his "Clerks II" role as Trevor, the goofy wannabe who looks up to Dante and Randal.
The greatest comedies are the most rewatchable of movies, and I have probably watched "Clerks" more times than I have any other movie.
While I didn't find the same magic in the sequel, "Clerks III" similarly speaks to me as the original. I'll be eager to come back to it again and again.
RATING: 4 stars out of 4. | https://www.wtxl.com/entertainment/kevin-smith-back-in-90s-form-in-hilarious-poignant-clerks-iii | 2022-09-13T17:09:59Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/entertainment/kevin-smith-back-in-90s-form-in-hilarious-poignant-clerks-iii | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
COLORADO SPRINGS — Fraudsters want you to know you’re so close to claiming a massive cash grand prize. All they need is for you to pay a fee and to give up some information.
”He called and left a message first and I didn’t hear the phone. So this was his voicemail, “Call us back. You are the winner of $2.5 Million and a check of $5,000 a week for the rest of your life,” said Colorado Springs resident Robin Palazzolo.
The call was supposedly from the popular Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. Palazzolo said she was shocked to get the phone call but hoped it was real.
”I thought wow, I’m a winner, everyone does. I hadn’t entered for years, but I think all of us have entered once or twice,” said Palazzolo.
So she called back.
”He said I know you don’t think it’s real, but it’s very real. A lot of people don’t believe me when I call and he went on and on about how this is a life-changing event,” said Palazzolo.
But there was a catch. She had to go to the bank and deposit $5,000 to unlock the prize and the man on the phone, an imposter, told her this was standard protocol
”Well, we have to pay for the prize patrol. They’ll meet you there with the balloons and the check a black and gold van,” the man on the phone told Palazzolo.
Feeling uneasy about the request, she added her husband to a three-way call and he wasn’t buying the scheme.
”My husband told him, why don’t you get a real job? He said to hang up, just go ahead and hang up,” Palazzolo said.
Publisher’s Clearing House has legitimate sweepstakes. You’ve probably seen the advertisements on TV with Steve Harvey, but on its website, it warns against phone calls like this and even phony solicitations being sent in the mail.
Last year, Elaine was told on the phone by an imposter she won $3 million.
"I was one of them, I didn't say they weren't happening, I just said it had never happened to me. These scam calls do happen. They are scary," she said.
Palazzolo believes people will make the mistake of paying fraudsters thousands in situations like this because she was almost one of them.
”I fell for it for a few minutes. I was dragged in and I’m embarrassed to say that because I think I’m pretty smart, but he really actually just suckered me in,” said Palazzolo.
If you get one of these imposter sweepstakes calls, there are red flags that can help you hang up fast.
According to Publishers Clearing House:
- It will never call, email, or text to say you are a winner as contacts are made in person
- Winning is always free. It will never ask you for payments of any kind upfront
- It will never send you a check and ask you to send back some of the money
Publishers Clearing House partners with the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Postal Service and law enforcement to try to stop these fraudsters.
This article was written by Patrick Nelson for KOAA. | https://www.wtxl.com/money/consumer/bogus-cash-prize-wins-used-by-fraudsters-to-trick-people-into-paying-them | 2022-09-13T17:10:02Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/money/consumer/bogus-cash-prize-wins-used-by-fraudsters-to-trick-people-into-paying-them | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WALLED LAKE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Rebecca Lanis, 21, said her grandmother called her Sunday morning and asked if she was in the hospital.
Unaware of the tragedy that unfolded at her home in Walled Lake, Rebecca said she found that to be a strange question. She said she was at a friend's sleepover.
Rebecca soon learned her father shot her sister and mother. Her sister was critically injured. Her mother was killed.
“I had a really close bond with my mom, and I can’t believe she’s not here," Rebecca said.
The Oakland County sheriff said when officers responded to the home, 52-year-old Igor Lanis opened fire on them. A Walled Lake police officer and an Oakland County sheriff's deputy returned fire and killed him.
The sheriff's department said Igor had also killed the family dog.
Rebecca said her father had never been physically violent, but his behavior started spiraling about two years ago.
“He became a different person after 2020 when Trump lost," Rebecca said.
She said he started getting more agitated at normal things and that he often found a way to bring up conspiracies about the vaccine, 5G and electromagnetic fields.
Rebecca also said her father turned to extremism like QAnon, a political conspiracy theory and political movement. It centers around baseless claims that former President Donald Trump was fighting enemies within a so-called "deep state" and a sex-trafficking ring run by satanic cannibals.
Rebecca said her family's tragedy is a warning for people to pay attention to their loved ones who may need help.
"I think that people need to focus more on radicalization, Qanon. And if they have relatives with guns who are like this, you need to get them help and they need to get checked into a mental institution, even if you think they're not dangerous," she advised.
This story was originally reported by Darren Cunningham and Brian Schwartz on wxyz.com. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/daughter-blames-qanon-after-father-shot-family | 2022-09-13T17:10:22Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/daughter-blames-qanon-after-father-shot-family | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DETROIT — Michigan Republican Party co-chair Meshawn Maddock is under fire after sending out a homophobic tweet about U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
On Sunday, Maddock called Buttigieg, who is gay, a "weak little girl" and referenced his move to Michigan.
Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, recently moved to Traverse City with his husband, Chasten, who grew up there.
Buttigieg also served in the U.S. Navy Reserve for eight years and was deployed to Afghanistan for seven months in 2014.
Maddock's tweet was in reference to California's ban on new gas cars starting in 2035.
"We’re so blessed this weak little girl moved to Michigan! Looks like he’s bringing all his California Dreaming here with him," Maddock wrote.
Democrats blasted Maddock for her tweet, with State Rep. Samantha Steckloff, from Farmington Hills, tweeting in part, "The @migop chair chose today to raise homophobic and bigoted attacks against Michiganders...the bigotry, homophobia, and antisemitism is so ramped in their chosen leaders."
The @migop chair chose today to raise homophobic and bigoted attacks against Michiganders. First they were ok with @deperno4mi tweet using the white supremacy stumble Pepe the Frog, and now this. The bigotry, homophobia, and anti semitism is so ramped in their chosen leaders.
— Samantha Steckloff (@SamSteckloff) September 12, 2022
We reached out to the Michigan Republican Party for a statement on the tweet, but they declined to comment.
This isn't the first time Maddock has come under fire for a tweet.
In January, she called Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist a "scary masked man" when he tweeted a video after testing positive for COVID-19.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes released a statement at the time saying in part, "Is it still accurate to call something a dog whistle as it’s actively shattering your eardrums? Meshawn Maddock’s racism was on full display with this horrendous comment about Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, and it adds to the already miles-long list of her actions that the MIGOP and Republican elected officials and candidates continue to endorse with their silence."
According to The Detroit News, Maddock said she called him scary because children were going "to be scared by government agents forcing mandates on them that make it harder for them to learn."
Also, in January, Maddock claimed President Donald Trump's campaign encouraged efforts to give him the state's electoral votes, according to audio obtained from CNN.
The 16 people in December of 2020, including Maddock, tried to enter the State Capitol and pose as official electors to certify the election for Trump.
They signed documents and sent them to Washington to try to sway the certification.
"We fought to seat the electors. Um, the Trump campaign asked us to do that. Under a lot of scrutiny for that today," Maddock said.
They were turned away at the door by state police.
President Joe Biden was certified in Michigan after winning the election by 154,000 votes. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/michigan-gop-co-chair-under-fire-for-homophobic-tweet-about-pete-buttigieg | 2022-09-13T17:10:29Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/michigan-gop-co-chair-under-fire-for-homophobic-tweet-about-pete-buttigieg | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert for packages of ground beef included in HelloFresh meal kits in July.
Officials expressed concern that the ground beef was tainted with E. coli.
The packages were sent to consumers from July 2-21, 2022. The packets have codes “EST#46841 L1 22 155” or “EST#46841 L5 22 155” on the side of the packaging.
The USDA said it has traced some cases of E. coli illnesses to the ground beef. The agency said it is concerned some consumers may still have the products in their freezers.
The USDA urged consumers to throw away the ground beef packages.
A recall order was not issued as the products were no longer for sale.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said cooking ground beef to 160 degrees will generally kill off E. coli germs. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/public-health-alert-issued-for-hellofresh-ground-beef | 2022-09-13T17:10:41Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/public-health-alert-issued-for-hellofresh-ground-beef | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former security chief at Twitter told Congress on Tuesday that the social platform is plagued by weak cyber defenses, privacy threats and the inability to control millions of fake accounts. Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, a respected cybersecurity expert, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to lay out his allegations.
“Twitter's misleading the public, lawmakers” and regulators, Zatko said as he began his sworn testimony.
“They don’t know what data they have, where it lives and where it came from and so, unsurprisingly, they can’t protect it,” Zatko said. “It doesn’t matter who has keys if there are no locks."
Zatko said “Twitter leadership ignored its engineers,” in part because “their executive incentives led them to prioritize profit over security.” His message echoed one brought to Congress against another social media giant last year, but unlike that Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, Zatko hasn't brought troves of internal documents to back up his claims.
Zatko was the head of security for the influential platform until he was fired early this year. He filed a whistleblower complaint in July with Congress, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.
Senators are clearly alarmed.
Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who heads the Judiciary Committee, said Zatko has detailed flaws “that may pose a direct threat to Twitter’s hundreds of millions of users as well as to American democracy.”
“Twitter is an immensely powerful platform and can’t afford gaping vulnerabilities,” he said.
Zatko's claims could also affect Tesla billionaire Elon Musk's attempt to back out of his $44 billion deal to acquire the social platform. Musk claims that Twitter has long underreported spam bots on its platform and cites that as a reason to nix the deal he struck in April.
Many of Zatko’s claims are uncorroborated and appear to have little documentary support. Twitter has called Zatko’s description of events “a false narrative ... riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies” and lacking important context.
Zatko also accuses the company of deception in its handling of automated “spam bots,” or fake accounts. That allegation is at the core of billionaire tycoon Elon Musk’s attempt to back out of his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. Musk and Twitter are locked in a bitter legal battle, with Twitter having sued Musk to force him to complete the deal. The Delaware judge overseeing the case ruled last week that Musk can include new evidence related to Zatko's allegations in the high-stakes trial, which is set to start Oct. 17.
Sen. Charles Grassley, the committee's ranking Republican, said Tuesday that Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal declined to testify at the hearing, citing the ongoing legal proceedings with Musk. But the hearing is “more important that Twitter’s civil litigation in Delaware," Grassley said.
In his complaint, Zatko accused Agrawal as well as other senior executives and board members of numerous violations, including making “false and misleading statements to users and the FTC about the Twitter platform’s security, privacy and integrity.”
Zatko, 51, first gained prominence in the 1990s as an ethical hacker and later worked in senior positions at an elite Defense Department research unit and at Google. He joined Twitter in late 2020 at the urging of then-CEO Jack Dorsey. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/twitter-whistleblower-brings-his-critiques-to-congress | 2022-09-13T17:10:59Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/twitter-whistleblower-brings-his-critiques-to-congress | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Sometimes a bye week, comes at the perfect time, and even though Florida State has only played two games this season, head coach Mike Norvell loves their schedule.
"I talked a lot about the toughness that our guys put on display and being able to prepare themselves for the last game, so it was good to have a little bit of time for them to heal up, and it was good," he said.
The Seminoles had the weekend off. Coach said it may be early in the season, but remember, before those two games came four weeks of a tough fall camp.
It's kind of a weird week for Florida State, as they play Friday night at Louisville, and after taking a few days off, the Seminoles are reset and ready to get after it.
"It's critical that we take those massive steps forward through all the game experience that we've had and the things we've learned over the first six weeks of camp and the first two games, now we have to get better," he said. "That's been a big thing we've been pushing the players with and they embrace that and they understand. They'll be times later in the season, the second bye will probably be a little bit less physicality, but we have to continue to build that mindset."
Florida State's match-up at Louisville is set for a 7:30 kick of Friday night. | https://www.wtxl.com/sports/college-sports/fsu/florida-state-football-rested-and-ready-after-bye-week | 2022-09-13T17:11:24Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/sports/college-sports/fsu/florida-state-football-rested-and-ready-after-bye-week | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The BeachLife Festival is going country this weekend as cowboy hats and boots meet the sand at the inaugural BeachLife Ranch country and Americana festival happening Sept. 16-18 in Redondo Beach.
A Southern California punk music legend and a noted surfing musician who are behind the lineup of more than 30 country acts say a little bit of hillbilly spirit is a natural fit for the beach.
“I mean putting cowboy boots on the sand is exciting,” said pro surfer turned musician Donavon Frankenreiter, who along with Pennywise frontman Jim Lindberg, as well as Redondo Beach entrepreneurs Allen Sanford and Rob Lissner, put together the alt-country festival. “Everyone loves a little bit of country every once in a while here on the coast.”
“We just wanted to celebrate this whole different side of California,” Lindberg added. “We wanted to get into that Central California landscape and bring that down to Southern California a little bit. Even though this is Los Angeles, this is still the wild west.”
While the BeachLife Festival — which took place at Redondo Beach’s Seaside Lagoon in May and featured performances by acts like Smashing Pumpkins, 311, Sheryl Crow, The Aggrolites and Weezer — is more modern rock and reggae-focused, the Ranch alt-country version will include sets by acts like Brandi Carlile, Dierks Bentley, Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real, Greensky Bluegrass and Songs of Waylon Jennings, featuring Shooter Jennings and other musicians performing songs by his late father.
“I think we really managed to put together a good, eclectic lineup of people that are from the whole country and Americana world,” Lindberg said.
There are other non-country acts on the bill as well, including folk rock band The Lumineers, alternative rock band Wilco and day one headliners, soul-pop stars Daryl Hall & John Oates. The addition of Hall & Oates was a no-brainer for Lindberg.
“Hall & Oates is a band we would have at any BeachLife entity,” he said. “They cover so much ground and that was one where we wanted them to come down anytime.”
Roots of the Ranch
Well before before the third installment of the BeachLife Festival took place earlier this year, Lindberg, who was a music curator for the original event, and Sanford spoke about doing a follow up festival.
“Once we saw how successful it was and people were loving the festival, we decided it might be a good idea to branch out into something different and kind of tweak the formula a little bit,” he said.
At first, they talked about hosting a reggae festival since it seemed like a natural fit for the beach. However, they remembered the success of a headlining performance by country music icon Willie Nelson during the first BeachLife in 2019 and decided that country was the way to go.
“Allen came up with the idea of country and I told him I love real roots country,” Lindberg said of Sanford’s vision. “I love Waylon Jennings and when Willie Nelson performed, it was huge to see so many people on the beach who really loved him. With that whole show happening in the beautiful California sunset, I could kind of see it and thought it was different and to give it a shot.”
Frankenreiter, who performed at that 2019 festival as well, had previously told Lindberg and Sanford that he wanted to be involved as more than just a performer.
“And they called me and said we want to do BeachLife Ranch and I thought it was an amazing idea,” Frankenreiter said.
“There’s a lot of Americana and country music in both mine and Jim’s music, especially the roots of it and we really love that type of music,” he added.
Setting the scene
The layout for BeachLife Ranch will be pretty much identical to the original BeachLife Festival, expect the music will take place on three stages instead of four. The Hither Stage will be set up in front of green turf for main acts like Hall & Oats Friday night, Dierks Bentley on Saturday and Brandi Carlile closing out the fest on Sunday.
The Yonder Stage will be located on the sand and situated alongside the ocean. On that stage, The Lumineers perform on Friday, Songs of Waylon Jennings takes over Saturday and Wilco closes it out on Sunday evening.
The Speakeasy Stage, which is where artists perform acoustic versions of their songs, will also be resurrected for the BeachLife Ranch Festival and acts like country trio Temecula Road and others will strip down their music in the more intimate performance space.
Fans are encouraged to bring their dance boots because there’s also going to be a hootenanny in a line dancing barn located near the main entrance, where instructors will teach guests how to get down like true country fans.
“I think when you walk by that area you’re going to be drawn in there seeing how much fun people are having cutting up a rug,” Lindberg said.
BeachLife Ranch
When: 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sept. 16; 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sept. 17; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 18
Where: BeachLife Ranch, 137 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach
Tickets: $159-$179 for single-day general admission; $299-$379 for three-day general admission; $339 for single-day VIP; $699 three-day VIP; Outlaw and Admiral VIP passes are $1,250-$2,999. All passes are available at beachliferanch.com.
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The life of Queen Elizabeth II, who died last week at the age of 96, illustrated the extraordinary skill, effort and integrity needed to unify a nation.
At the age of 14, she gave a radio address together with her sister to calm and reassure children who were evacuated during the dark days of World War II. Many decades later she was equally calm and reassuring in a public address during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Together we are tackling this disease,” she said on April 5, 2020, “and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it. I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge, and those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any, that the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet, good-humored resolve, and of fellow feeling still characterize this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.”
By law, Britain’s monarch is above politics, and no incumbent American president could be exactly the same kind of unifying force, even if gifted with Queen Elizabeth’s hard-earned wisdom and judgment.
However, other American presidents have been a lot better at it than Joe Biden, who seems to have decided to wage war on half the population of the United States.
In a prime-time address to the nation from historic Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Biden declared, “the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans. And that is a threat to this country.”
To be clear, what he means by “dominated” is that many Americans are choosing to vote for Republicans endorsed by the former president, creating a certain wariness among incumbent Republicans who are considering their own positions in relation to a potential Trump candidacy in 2024.
Biden portrayed himself as the defender of “democracy,” but his clear implication was that voters’ choices are both illegitimate and a threat to the country unless they align with his own choices.
“Too much of what’s happening in our country today is not normal,” Biden asserted. “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic.”
It didn’t help that the White House team had chosen to bathe Independence Hall in solid red light and frame the president with two U.S. Marines, as if he was threatening disobedient voters with military force.
“MAGA Republicans are destroying American democracy,” Biden declared. He didn’t define “MAGA Republicans” other than to imply that it includes anyone who supports former President Trump. Given that more than 74 million Americans voted for Trump in 2020, Biden is accusing roughly half the voters in America of threatening the Republic.
While an American president cannot duplicate the “above politics” aura of the British monarch, there are occasions of national unity at which presidents have risen above the fray to speak for all Americans. Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be one such occasion. If President Biden invites former presidents to join him in the official U.S. delegation, he would be wise to invite former President Trump. To exclude him would be a particularly small and divisive gesture, even more so in the shadow of the queen’s memory.
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St. Francis football coach Dean Herrington can’t remember a four-game stretch like this.
The Golden Knights have allowed 47 or more points in all four of their games this season, allowing an average of 52 points.
During Herrington’s first season with the Golden Knights last season, they never gave up 47 or more points, finished 13-3 and marched straight to the CIF Southern Section Division 4 final, where they lost to Long Beach Poly 38-7.
St. Francis is 1-3 after its 47-22 loss to St. Pius X-St. Matthias last week, and it’s hoping it can turn things around when it hosts Muir (1-3) on Friday at 7 p.m.
“Never seen anything like this in all my years of coaching,” said Herrington, who has been coaching more than 25 years and had successful stints at Alemany and Paraclete. “We’re pulling our hair out a little bit. A lot of times we feel like we’re playing well and then we get beat on a deep ball. It’s happened over and over, but we feel like they’re correctable mistakes. We’re not panicking.”
St. Francis opened the season with a 61-41 loss to West Ranch followed by a 52-48 win over Mira Costa. Its other loss was a 54-28 thrashing to Long Beach Millikan.
“In the West Ranch loss, they had five one-play drives for touchdowns,” Herrington said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Just getting beat, big plays. We’re facing teams that are more athletic than us, but a lot of teams are more athletic than us. We just have to figure it out and get better.”
There are a few factors contributing to the Golden Knights’ rough start.
They have played teams with a combined record of 13-2. There’s also the injury to senior running back Devyn Turner, a transfer to St. Francis from Allen High in Texas. Turner was expected to be a big contributor, but he injured his ankle in the season-opening loss to West Ranch after carrying the ball five times for 39 yards.
Turner hasn’t played since, and he is likely out this week, too.
Junior John Calmette has replaced him in the backfield and has done well for a Golden Knights offense that has played well. They are averaging 35 points.
But Calmette is normally a starting outside linebacker, and they miss him on defense due to his running back duties.
“That’s part of it (defensive struggles), and hopefully we will have Turner back when (Angelus) league begins,” Herrington said. “We’re also really young on defense. We have eight new players that had never played a varsity game before the season. We have three sophomores going through growing pains and we’ve played some pretty good offenses.
“But it is what it is, we know that. But thankfully, the kids are good, their spirit is good and we just have to wear it. You never want to lose and give up points like this, but again, it’s correctable and we’ll get better.”
Muir will be an intriguing challenge for St. Francis. The Mustangs won their first game, beating St. Margaret’s 21-2 last week. The Mustangs also have a loss to St. Pius X-St. Matthias.
“They’re a much better team than last year,” Herrington said of Muir. “The (St. Margaret’s) team they beat went to the CIF finals last year. I think their coach (Lance Mitchell) is doing a good job and they seem more organized. And again, they will be faster than us, so we have to be better in the secondary.”
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HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Since the school year has begun, after-school programs across western Massachusetts are amplifying student knowledge and social interactions.
After an afterschool and out-of-school time state-competitive grant was released from the state, the criteria of programs are improved based on certain guidelines from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The Holyoke and South Hadley YMCA has begun its after-school program, in partnership with Holyoke Public Schools, Mater Dolorosa Catholic School, and South Hadley Public Schools. 22News spoke to Holyoke YMCA School Age Director, Gabriel Maldonado on what is being done to better their criteria and enhance student academic success.
A literacy specialist, Jenny McGovern has been brought in to do arts and crafts activities. One activity enabled students to scrap pictures and piece together a story. The program also provides help with homework.
Relationship building has also been acknowledged. “Starts with our staff, they teach the kids about trust and it turns into relationships with peers, and hopefully we can enhance that relationship where they can take it further,” expressed Maldonado. “Social support has become a huge contribution to a student’s academic success.”
In addition to bettering students’ academic lives, their health is also being improved. Kenneth Rivera, coordinator of team programming has introduced catch training that engages large groups in more active activities. “We really want to just get them moving, their heart pumping, and get them active,” said Rivera. He also mentioned that nutrition facts are also shared during snack times and cooking activities. Through gym games, students are also taught why it is important to be active.
22News spoke with a parent who has been actively involved with the after-school program. Jessica Ojeda of South Hadley has two six-year-old twins, Julius and Juliana who attend Plain School in South Hadley. “They are loving it. We are so happy that the Holyoke YMCA provides these programs, my son is autistic and has been learning so much and interacting with other kids in the program,” said Ojeda. The Holyoke YMCA location has been growing individual growth, self-discipline, independence, and self-confidence for children with autism.
Maldonado has an autistic child himself and finds it important to create a routine and space, where they are trying new things, but also pulling themselves away when they need a safe space. He finds it important to keep a partnership with not only the schools but the families as well.
The program has benefited her son Julius, who receives Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy at home during summer school vacation. When Ojeda asked a YMCA staff member if his ABA therapist can make some visits to the camp they subtly agreed to it and will allow him to attend field trips. “I was very happy that the program can accommodate that,” Ojeda said. When Julius’ therapist visited just to see how he was doing, they told Ojeda that he was interacting well with the kids.
Ojeda told 22News how she found this program. “During my search for an after-school program, I learn that the Holyoke YMCA was running a program out of the South Hadley plain school, that offered what I was searching for my twins. I quickly jumped on the opportunity to enroll my kids in the program,” Ojeda expressed. “The staff at the YMCA made it so easy and answered all my questions, especially making me feel great about having my son that is autistic in the program so far all is going great, keeping my kids active.”
If a student makes mistakes along the way, Maldonado says, “I think the most important thing is teaching them that failure is ok, it’s how you bounce back from it.” Maldonado adds how core values help to shape YMCA’s after-school program like caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. Programs like these are to support the idea of inclusion and furthering a child’s education. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/ymca-holyoke-after-school-programs-are-improving-student-academics/ | 2022-09-13T17:17:49Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/ymca-holyoke-after-school-programs-are-improving-student-academics/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno celebrated the Springfield Thunderbirds Tuesday morning.
The mayor joined team President Nathan Costa to thank their employees and staff as they prepare for the upcoming season. The Thunderbirds made it all the way to the Calder Cup Finals last season for the first time in franchise history before losing to the Chicago Wolves.
The mayor congratulated the team on winning the AHL Eastern Conference Championship and recognized the hard work of everyone behind the scenes. “I want to let each and every one of you know, that you’re very successful, on-ice. But what each and every one of you do is extremely important, you’re very successful off the ice.”
Mayor Sarno told the team he renewed his season tickets and would be wearing his “T-Birds bling chain” for the season opener on Friday, October 15th vs the Bridgeport Islanders.
Mayor Sarno states, “I am excited to join with Springfield Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa and the dedicated staff and employees of our beloved T-Birds as they get ready to defend their Eastern Conference Championship for the upcoming season. I want to thank them for all that they do to make the experience of our AHL T-Birds hockey an exciting time for all ages to enjoy. I am renewing my season tickets and cannot wait for the season opener – I’ll be wearing my T-Birds bling chain too! Go T-Birds!” | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/springfield-thunderbirds/mayor-sarno-thanks-employees-of-springfield-thunderbirds-as-they-prepare-for-upcoming-season/ | 2022-09-13T17:17:56Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/sports/springfield-thunderbirds/mayor-sarno-thanks-employees-of-springfield-thunderbirds-as-they-prepare-for-upcoming-season/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
220912-N-IW125-1074 KEY WEST, Fla. (Sep 12, 2022) U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Selectees and Naval Air Station Key West Fire Department host a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at NAS Key West’s Boca Chica Field Sep. 12, 2022. Naval Air Station Key West is the state-of-the-art facility for combat fighter aircraft of all military services, provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels, and is the premier training center for surface and subsurface military operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas V. Huynh)
This work, 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony Naval Air Station Key West [Image 5 of 5], by PO2 Nicholas Huynh, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7414573/9-11-remembrance-ceremony-naval-air-station-key-west | 2022-09-13T17:25:17Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7414573/9-11-remembrance-ceremony-naval-air-station-key-west | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Exclusive: Bloomberg Media's D.C. offensive
Bloomberg Media is ramping up its D.C. coverage plans ahead of the midterms with a slew of new products, hires and events.
Why it matters: The D.C. media market has proven particularly lucrative for publishers looking to capitalize on a growing pool of political and issue ad dollars.
Details: This fall, Bloomberg will debut “DC Policy Forward,” a new annual summit that will host more than 300 policymakers and Washington opinion leaders.
- It will also launch a ticketed policy debate series called “Bloomberg Counterpoint,” a spokesperson told Axios.
- There are currently 150 Bloomberg journalists and analysts based in Washington, D.C., with 13 that have joined so far in 2022.
Next year, ahead of the 2024 election, Bloomberg will launch a yet-to-be-named weekly politics show as a livelier alternative to the traditional Sunday shows, from a redesigned D.C. studio.
- It also plans to debut a new podcast hosted by Bloomberg senior Washington correspondent Saleha Mohsin, as well as a new Washington-based newsletter focused on economics and politics.
Between the lines: To capitalize on those opportunities, Bloomberg has hired a new director for Washington sales, Cliff McKinney.
- He will work alongside Bloomberg's new Washington editorial leaders, bureau chief Peggy Collins and executive editor for U.S. government news Mike Shepard. | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/13/bloomberg-media-washington-dc-midterms | 2022-09-13T17:25:42Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/13/bloomberg-media-washington-dc-midterms | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Starbucks says it has been "immune" from inflation as CPI rises
Inflation went up again in August — especially for food items — but Starbucks has seen record demand, interim CEO Howard Schultz said Tuesday.
Why it matters: “We have been immune from any recognition whatsoever that there is a downturn in customer traffic, a downturn in ticket,” Schultz said kicking off the company’s investor day in Seattle.
Driving the news: Overall consumer prices rose 0.1% last month — after dropping to zero in July — and are up 8.3% over the past year, the Labor Department said on Tuesday, which bucks expectations that inflation would fall slightly, Axios’ Courtenay Brown reports.
- The August Consumer Price Index compares to the 8.5% year-over-year figure reported in July.
By the numbers: Schultz said the business has changed dramatically with 50% now drive-thru.
- Cold beverages also now make up 70% of sales, a major shift from Starbucks’ early years when it didn’t have a cold drink.
- Starbucks Rewards has 60 million loyalty members around the world with 30 million in the U.S.
Meanwhile, Starbucks had its highest sales week in its history two weeks ago when the company launched its fall menu, including the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Schultz said.
More from Axios: | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/13/inflation-numbers-starbucks-record-demand | 2022-09-13T17:25:54Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/2022/09/13/inflation-numbers-starbucks-record-demand | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Scoop: Empower Pharmacy seeks financial partner
Empower Pharmacy, a Houston-based compounding pharmacy targeting integrated health and wellness, is seeking an investment, sources tell Axios.
Why it matters: Private equity has a reputation for being acquisitive in compounding pharmacy — and Empower's growth profile and attractive end-markets suggest the asset will likely draw strong interest.
Driving the news: The founder-run company has mandated Cantor Fitzgerald for financial advice, with outreach to financial sponsors kicking off early this week, sources say.
- The process could produce either a minority investment or majority recapitalization, sources add.
By the numbers: The company, growing at a more than 30% clip over the last three years, is marketing close to $160 million of run-rate revenue off of EBITDA in the low $30 million range, sources say.
- Revenue and EBITDA are projected to climb to about $200 million and $50 million in 2023, respectively, they say.
Details: Empower is seeking capital to fund the development of a new 503B facility that will substantially increase its growth trajectory and capacity over the next decade, one source says.
- It already has an advanced FDA-registered 503A compounding facility.
How it works: Empower, founded in 2009 by CEO Shaun Noorian, provides compounding pharmacy solutions for various health and wellness end-markets.
- Empower offers customizable medications across women's health, men's health, fertility, hormone replacement, weight management, dermatology, and IV therapy (nutritional, vitamin B-12, etc.).
- The company delivers to patients and providers in all 50 states with a 24-hour average turnaround time, per its website.
- Empower compounds more than 2,000 custom-made medications, per a mid-2021 news release.
State of play: Empower is unique in its end-market focus areas, but private equity participation in the compounding pharmacy arena isn't new. In notable activity...
- Vistria Group and Excellere Partners in January 2021 invested in SCA Pharmaceuticals, an FDA-registered compounding pharmacy. The deal provided an exit for Enhanced Healthcare Partners.
- Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe in November 2021 acquired a majority stake in Leiters, an FDA-regulated 503B outsourced pharmaceutical compounding company, from investors including Kaiser Permanente Ventures and Frazier Healthcare Partners.
- Bain in 2015 acquired QuVa Pharma, a 503B manufacturer of compounded, ready-to-administer injectables, from Helix. Goldman Sachs Private Credit and Owl Rock Capital Partners injected $275 million in debt financing into the business in May 2021.
💭 Our thought bubble: Considering Bain's seven-year plus hold, QuVa also looks ripe for potential picking.
Empower did not immediately return a request for comment, while Cantor declined to comment. | https://www.axios.com/pro/health-tech-deals/2022/09/13/empower-health-wellness-compouding-pharmacy-seeks-financing | 2022-09-13T17:26:07Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/pro/health-tech-deals/2022/09/13/empower-health-wellness-compouding-pharmacy-seeks-financing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP) — Trevor Milton, the founder of the automaker Nikola Corp., went on trial Monday on charges that he whipped up an investor frenzy for the startup company with false claims about its ability to produce trucks that run on electricity or hydrogen fuel cells.
Nikola’s stock price crashed and many investors suffered heavy losses in 2020 after reports emerged questioning Milton’s rosy claims about the company’s ability to produce cutting-edge vehicles.
In one example, the company put out a video that appeared to show a prototype truck driving down a desert highway. Prosecutors said that in reality, the truck wasn’t operational and had been rolled down a hill for the commercial.
The company’s promotional campaign won over many smaller investors. Nikola shares reached a price of close to $66 in June of 2020, briefly giving the company a market valuation that exceeded some major, established automakers. The stock now trades at under $5.50 per share.
Milton, who lives in Oakley, Utah, was indicted last year on charges of securities fraud and wire fraud. Jury selection began Monday at a federal court in New York.
He pleaded not guilty, and has been free on $100 million bail.
Milton’s lawyers have said they intend to argue at trial that he had no intention of deceiving anyone about the company’s products or technology.
Milton started Nikola in 2015 and announced that its stock would be publicly listed in 2020. He resigned in September of that year after the company had signed a $2 billion agreement with General Motors but following a report making allegations of fraud.
At that time, Nikola said the report was filled with misleading statements and accusations.
The company paid $125 million last year to settle a civil case against it by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nikola didn’t admit to any wrongdoing in making that agreement.
The company continues to operate from a headquarters in Arizona. It has begun delivering some vehicles to customers and says it has been ramping up toward a capacity of making thousands of trucks per year. | https://www.wspa.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-jury-selection-starts-in-nikola-founder-miltons-fraud-trial/ | 2022-09-13T17:40:46Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-jury-selection-starts-in-nikola-founder-miltons-fraud-trial/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, the Twitter whistleblower who is warning of security flaws, privacy threats and lax controls at the social platform, will take his case to Congress on Tuesday.
Senators who will hear Zatko’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee are alarmed by his Twitter allegations at a time of heightened concern over the safety of powerful tech platforms.
It’s Zatko’s second Capitol Hill appearance, and in some ways a 21st-century echo of his first. In 1998, he testified before a Senate panel along with fellow members of a hacker collective who warned about the security dangers of the then-emerging internet age.
Zatko, a respected cybersecurity expert, was Twitter’s head of security until he was fired early this year. He has brought the stunning allegations to Congress and federal regulators, asserting that the influential social platform misled regulators about its cyber defenses and efforts to control millions of “spam” or fake accounts.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the panel, called Zatko’s allegations “serious business.”
“If it’s anywhere along the lines that (he) suggested, I think it’s a matter of grave personal-privacy concern,” Durbin told reporters Monday. “The question is whether information gathered by Twitter has been used for purposes which we’re not aware of.”
Zatko’s accusations are also playing into billionaire tycoon Elon Musk’s battle with Twitter. The Tesla CEO is trying to get out of his $44 billion bid to buy the company; Twitter has sued to force him to complete the deal. The Delaware judge overseeing that case ruled last week that Musk can include new evidence related to Zatko’s allegations in the high-stakes trial set to start Oct. 17.
The allegation that Twitter engaged in deception in its handling of automated “spam bot” accounts is at the core of Musk’s attempt to back out of the Twitter deal.
At the same time, many of Zatko’s claims are uncorroborated and appear to have little documentary support. In a statement, Twitter has called Zatko’s description of events “a false narrative.”
Also on Tuesday, Twitter’s shareholders are scheduled to vote on the company’s pending buyout by Musk. The vote is something of a formality given that the deal is on hold while the court case plays out. But if the measure passes as expected, it would also pave the way for a Musk takeover should Twitter prevail in court.
Zatko also filed complaints with the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.
The SEC is questioning Twitter about how it counts fake accounts on its platform. Twitter uses counts of its presumably real users to attract advertisers, whose payments make up about 90% of its revenue. The “spam bots” have no value to advertisers because there’s no person behind them.
San Francisco-based Twitter has an estimated 238 million daily active users worldwide. The company says it removes 1 million spam accounts daily.
Zatko’s 84-page complaint alleges that he found “extreme, egregious deficiencies” on the platform, including issues with “user privacy, digital and physical security, and platform integrity/content moderation.”
It accuses CEO Parag Agrawal and other senior executives and board members of making “false and misleading statements to users and the FTC” about these issues. Twitter denies those claims and said that Zatko was fired in January for “ineffective leadership and poor performance.” Zatko’s attorneys say the performance claim is false.
Twitter also hinted that Zatko’s complaint might be designed to bolster Musk’s legal fight with the company. Twitter called Zatko’s complaint “a false narrative” that is “riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies, and lacks important context.”
News of Zatko’s complaint surfaced on Aug. 23, almost two months before the Twitter-Musk trial is scheduled to begin. One of Zatko’s attorneys has said “he’s never met Elon Musk. Doesn’t know Elon Musk. They know people in common.”
The company also says it has significantly tightened security since 2020.
Among Zatko’s specific allegations:
— The company had such poor cybersecurity that it easily could have been exposed to outside attacks or attempts to siphon off its internal data.
—The company lacked effective leadership, with its top executives practicing “deliberate ignorance” of pressing problems. Zatko described former CEO Jack Dorsey as “extremely disengaged” during the last months of his tenure, to the point where he wouldn’t even speak during meetings on complex issues. Dorsey stepped down in November 2021.
—That Twitter knowingly allowed the government of India to place its agents on the company payroll, where they had “direct unsupervised access” to highly sensitive data on users. It makes a parallel but less detailed accusation that Twitter took funding from unidentified Chinese entities who may have been enabled to access the identities and sensitive data of Chinese users who secretly use Twitter, which is officially banned in China.
The 51-year-old Zatko, better known by his hacker handle “Mudge,” first gained prominence in the 1990s. He was the best-known member of the Boston-based collective L0pht, which pioneered ethical hacking, embarrassing companies including Microsoft for poor security. His work raised awareness in the computing world that forced such major companies to take security seriously. He co-founded the consultancy @Stake, which was later acquired by Symantec.
Zatko later worked in senior positions at the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Google. He joined Twitter at Dorsey’s urging in late 2020, the same year the company suffered an embarrassing security breach involving hackers who broke into the Twitter accounts of world leaders, celebrities and tech moguls, including Musk, in an attempt to scam their followers out of bitcoin.
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AP technology writers Frank Bajak in Boston and Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.
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Follow Marcy Gordon at https://twitter.com/mgordonap | https://www.wspa.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-twitter-whistleblower-bringing-security-warnings-to-congress/ | 2022-09-13T17:41:07Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-twitter-whistleblower-bringing-security-warnings-to-congress/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arixa Capital is pleased to announce that the Company has now funded more than $1 billion of loans to real estate investors and developers in the last twelve months and $3 billion since inception of its first lending fund in 2010.
"We have accelerated our origination growth this past year by successfully expanding into new markets such as Phoenix – deepening our penetration into the multifamily bridge and construction space and attracting many new talented borrowers to work with us," said Greg Hebner, Managing Director of Arixa Capital. "Our entire team is excited to reach this milestone and we know our success is only possible with the ongoing support of our clients and industry colleagues."
Arixa provides transitional business purpose loans on real estate projects ranging from single family homes and urban subdivisions to smaller apartment buildings and mixed use properties, primarily in the Western U.S.. The Company has funded more than 1,600 loans since inception, with most loans ranging in size from $1 million to $15 million.
"Our announcement underscores how lending to real estate investors and developers deserves to be recognized as a whole new asset class. With over $100 billion of such loans outstanding, and growing, Arixa aims to be both a leading provider of non-bank real estate loans, and a leading investment manager specializing in creating portfolios of high-quality, high-yield, short-term real estate loans to be used by high net worth and institutional investors as part of their overall portfolio," shares Jan Brzeski, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer.
"The future has never been brighter for our industry, and we want to continue to be a leader in our markets, serving the most experienced and successful real estate investors, builders and developers," added Hebner.
Arixa prioritizes educating investors of all kinds about real estate debt, publishing a series of resources including white papers and FAQs. Access these resources at www.arixacapital.com/investor-resources.
Arixa Capital is one of the Western U.S. market's premier private real estate lenders and fund managers, providing small balance loan solutions to lower middle-market residential and commercial investors and developers. Since inception, Arixa has originated more than $3 billion in loans and generated attractive risk-adjusted returns for its partners and investors. Visit www.arixacapital.com for more information, or contact us at info@arixacapital.com or (310) 905-3050.
For information on investing in Arixa's funds, please reach out to:
Jan Brzeski
jbrzeski@arixacapital.com
For information on borrowing for a project, please reach out to:
Greg Hebner
ghebner@arixacapital.com
Seth Davis
sdavis@arixacapital.com
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SOURCE Arixa Capital Advisors, LLC | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/arixa-capital-originates-more-than-1-billion-loans-12-months-surpassing-3-billion-since-inception/ | 2022-09-13T17:42:34Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/arixa-capital-originates-more-than-1-billion-loans-12-months-surpassing-3-billion-since-inception/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Shocking photos show President Biden’s border crisis has hit a new peak in El Paso, Texas — where a flood of migrants is being dumped under a bridge because the city has no more housing for them.
Images posted Monday night on Instagram showed a long line of migrants — most of whom appeared to be men in their 20s and 30s — stretching along a fence beneath a highway overpass in El Paso.
Some stood with blankets wrapped around their shoulders and others had backpacks and containers of water on the ground nearby.
Other images showed men and women — most wearing blue face masks — sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on benches in a covered, open-air, makeshift processing facility in north El Paso.
The center was being overseen by Border Patrol agents in green uniforms.
“Over the weekend, an increase in migrant encounters continued in our #ElPaso region,’’ local Border Patrol chief Gloria Chavez wrote — while posting photos of hundreds of migrants under the bridge.
“Since September 1st, El Paso Sector has averaged 1300 encounters per day.”
Chavez praised her agents for their “phenomenal efforts” as they “continue to manage this migration flow.”
The Border Patrol’s El Paso sector saw a staggering 46.9% increase in encounters with migrants from October through July, compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures from US Customs and Border Protection.
In July, authorities tallied 24,916 encounters, an average of about 804 a day, up 21.2% from July 2021, the statistics show.
The migrants processed this past weekend were released onto El Paso’s streets because the city’s shelters and hotels were filled to capacity — a dire situation that El Paso officials previously warned was a worst-case scenario.
The immigrants under the bridge have been waiting there to be processed while the Border Patrol provides water and keeps them cool with giant outdoor fans.
Normal processing could be 72 hours, but with the surge, it’s unclear how long the wait could take.
“The optics are very difficult; communities sort of panic,” El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego has told The Post.
“They feel it’s not safe anymore. El Paso is really developing as a place you want to come to. Tourism is starting to develop. People always comment how you don’t see homeless on the streets. So we’re going to go from that to seeing people sleeping on the streets.”
The local government has been busing immigrants out of town — including to New York City — since late August.
So far, 25 charter buses carrying a total 1,135 immigrants have left El Paso, the sixth-largest city in Texas, for other areas such as Dallas and Atlanta, the city told local FOX affiliate KFOX-TV.
At least one bus has made it to New York City. | https://nypost.com/2022/09/13/el-paso-texas-overrun-with-migrants/ | 2022-09-13T17:42:35Z | nypost.com | control | https://nypost.com/2022/09/13/el-paso-texas-overrun-with-migrants/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles County resident with a compromised immune system has died from monkeypox, local health officials announced Monday. It’s believed to be the first U.S. fatality from the disease.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced the cause of death, and a spokesperson said it was confirmed by an autopsy. The patient was severely immunocompromised and had been hospitalized. No other information on the person was released.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks cases and has not confirmed any U.S. deaths from the disease. LA County officials say they worked with the CDC on their case.
A CDC spokesperson confirmed the cooperation but did not immediately respond when asked if this was the first U.S. death.
Texas public health officials on Aug. 30 reported the death of a person who had been diagnosed with monkeypox. The person was severely immunocompromised and their case is under investigation to determine what role monkeypox may have played in their death.
Monkeypox is spread through close skin-to-skin contact and prolonged exposure to respiratory droplets. It can cause a rash, fever, body aches and chills. Relatively few people require hospitalizations and only a handful of deaths worldwide have been directly linked to the disease.
The CDC recommends the monkeypox vaccine for people who are a close contact of someone who has disease; people who know a sexual partner was diagnosed in the past two weeks; and gay or bisexual men who had multiple sexual partners in the last two weeks in an area with known virus spread. Shots are also recommended for health care workers at high risk of exposure.
The United States has the most cases globally, with 21,985 confirmed, according to the CDC. California has recorded the most cases nationally, with more than 4,300. Black people and Latinos have been disproportionately infected.
A recent decline in cases, combined with an uptick in vaccinations, has encouraged the White House as officials promise to ramp up vaccination offerings at LGBTQ Pride festivals around the country in the coming weeks. | https://www.wspa.com/health-2/ap-health/ap-monkeypox-death-confirmed-by-la-county-health-officials/ | 2022-09-13T17:43:20Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/health-2/ap-health/ap-monkeypox-death-confirmed-by-la-county-health-officials/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — General Motors’ self-driving car company on Monday announced plans to expand a robotaxi service that recently launched in California into new markets in Arizona and Texas before the end of this year.
Cruise, a San Francisco startup that General Motors bought six years ago, told an audience at an investor conference that an autonomous ride-hailing service that began charging San Francisco passengers in June will make its debut in Phoenix and Austin, Texas, within the next 90 days.
As it already has been doing in parts of San Francisco during night-time hours, Cruise’s ride-hailing service will transport passengers in vehicles that won’t have a safety driver in them to take control if the robotic technology malfunctions. Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt didn’t provide additional details about the ride-hailing services in Phoenix and Austin.
When its ride-hailing service enters Phoenix, Cruise will be competing with another robotaxi service run by Waymo, a Google spin-off, that already has been charging passengers there. Waymo is also testing a robotaxi service in San Francisco that hasn’t yet been cleared to charge passengers.
Although Vogt told investors that the driverless ride-hailing service in San Francisco is winning over many loyal customers, Cruise ran into problems the day after receiving its permit from California regulators to begin collecting fares.
In a regulatory disclosure made earlier this month, Cruise revealed that it recalled 80 of its driverless vehicles for a software update after one of the cars was involved in an accident that resulted in minor injuries.
Cruise told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that one of its vehicles was making an unprotected left turn at an intersection when it was hit by an oncoming vehicle. The Cruise vehicle had to be towed away from the scene, according to the regulatory filing. | https://www.wspa.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-gms-cruise-robotaxi-service-to-expand-into-phoenix-austin/ | 2022-09-13T17:43:48Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-gms-cruise-robotaxi-service-to-expand-into-phoenix-austin/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Covanta Holding Corporation ("Covanta" or the "Company") has released its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 and will host an earnings call at 11:00 AM (Eastern) on Thursday, September 22, 2022.
Qualified fixed income investors and securities analysts can register for access to the conference call and related materials on the Debt Investor Information section of Covanta's Investor Relations website.
About Covanta
Covanta is a leader in sustainable materials management providing environmental solutions to businesses and communities across North America. Through its network of facilities and state-of-the-art services, Covanta is a single-source partner in solving today's most complex environmental challenges. For more information, visit covanta.com.
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NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (AP) — Pope Francis begged for an end to Russia’s “senseless and tragic war” in Ukraine as he arrived Tuesday in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan to join faith leaders from around the world in praying for peace.
Francis flew to the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan to meet with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for an official state visit portion of his three-day trip. On Wednesday and Thursday, he participates in a government-sponsored triennial interfaith meeting, which is gathering more than 100 delegations of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Shinto and other faith groups from 50 countries.
The 85-year-old Francis made the trip despite what appeared to be an aggravation of the strained knee ligaments that have greatly reduced his mobility all year. Francis struggled to walk through the aisle of the aircraft during the 6.5-hour flight from Rome, and he appeared tired and in pain as he limped heavily with his cane, ceding to a wheelchair for most events once in town. Doctors have told him that for the time being, any further travel — to Kyiv, for example — is out of the question.
Speaking upon his arrival to government authorities and diplomats gathered at the Qazaq concert hall, Francis praised Kazakhstan’s commitment to diversity and dialogue and its progress from decades of Stalinist repression, when Kazakhstan was the destination of hundreds of thousands of Soviet deportees.
Francis said the country, which borders Russia to the north and China to the east and is home to some 150 ethnic groups and 80 languages, now has a “fundamental role to play” in helping ease conflicts elsewhere.
Recalling that St. John Paul II visited Kazakhstan just days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S., Francis said he was visiting “in the course of the senseless and tragic war that broke out with the invasion of Ukraine.”
“I have come to echo the plea of all those who cry out for peace, which is the essential path to development for our globalized world,” he said.
Directing himself at global superpowers, he said expanding efforts at diplomacy and dialogue were ever more important. “And those who hold greater power in the world have greater responsibility with regard to others, especially those countries most prone to unrest and conflict.”
“Now is the time to stop intensifying rivalries and reinforcing opposing blocs,” he said.
Tokayev didn’t mention Ukraine specifically in his prepared remarks to Francis. But speaking in English, he referred in general terms about humanity being on an “edge of an abyss as geopolitical tensions escalate, global economy suffers, and mushrooming religious and ethnic intolerance becomes the ‘new normal.’”
Kazakhstan has had to walk a thin line with the war. Tokayev has vowed to respect Western sanctions against Russia while trying to maintain close ties with Moscow, an important economic partner and ally. At the same time, Tokayev refused to recognize the Russia-backed separatist “people’s republics” in Ukraine which Moscow recognized days before invading Ukraine.
The most noteworthy aspects of Francis’ visit to Kazakhstan might boil down to the missed opportunities with both Russia and China: Francis was supposed to have met with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church on the sidelines of the conference. But Patriarch Kirill, who has supported the war in Ukraine, canceled his trip last month.
Francis is also going to be in the Kazakh capital at the same time as Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is making his first foreign trip since early in the coronavirus pandemic.
The Vatican and China haven’t had diplomatic relations for a half century and the timing is somewhat tense, with the two sides finalizing the renewal of a controversial deal over the nominations of Catholic bishops in China.
The Vatican has said there were no current plans for any meeting between Xi and Francis while they were both in Kazakhstan and the Kazakh deputy foreign minister, Roman Vassilenko said he didn’t believe there was time in Xi’s schedule to meet with Francis.
Asked about the possibility en route to Nur-Sultan, Francis said: “I don’t have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.”
The interfaith congress, now in its seventh iteration, is a showpiece of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy and a reflection of its own multicultural and multiethnic population that has long been touted as a crossroads between East and West.
When St. John Paul II visited in 2001, 10 years after independence, he highlighted Kazakhstan’s diversity while recalling its dark past under Stalinist repression: Entire villages of ethnic Poles were deported en masse from western Ukraine to Kazakhstan beginning in 1936, and the Soviet government deported hundreds of thousands of ethnic Germans, Chechens and other accused Nazi collaborators to Kazakhstan during World War II. Many of the deportees’ descendants remained and some of them make up the country’s Catholic community, which only numbers about 125,000 in a country of nearly 19 million.
Sophia Gatovskaya, a parishioner at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Cathedral in the capital, said she attended that first papal visit and that it has borne fruits to this day.
“It was actually amazing. And after this visit, we have peace and tolerance in our republic. We have a lot of nationalities in Kazakhstan, and we all live together. And we expect the same from this visit (of Pope Francis) that we will have peace in our republic. And we very much expect that the war in Ukraine will end.”
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-russias-war-in-ukraine-the-backdrop-to-popes-kazakh-visit/ | 2022-09-13T17:45:19Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-russias-war-in-ukraine-the-backdrop-to-popes-kazakh-visit/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CLEVELAND (AP) — Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout homered in his seventh consecutive game Monday night, one shy of the major league record.
The three-time AL MVP hit a two-run drive off Cleveland’s Konnor Pilkington in the fifth inning. Trout’s 35th homer of the season traveled 422 feet to dead center at Progressive Field.
Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly and Dale Long share the major league record of eight straight games with a home run.
Trout can tie the mark Tuesday night when the Angels continue their series with the Guardians.
Trout is the first AL player with a seven-game home run streak since Kendrys Morales of Toronto in 2018. Cincinnati’s Joey Votto homered in seven straight last season from July 24-30.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-star-trout-homers-in-7th-straight-game-1-shy-of-mark/ | 2022-09-13T17:45:26Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-star-trout-homers-in-7th-straight-game-1-shy-of-mark/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MyCarrier Secures Funding from NewRoad Capital Partners to Accelerate SaaS Platform Expansion Beyond LTL/TL for Other Multimodal Shipping Needs
PHOENIX, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MyCarrier, a technology company with a freight shipping platform for small and midsize shippers, announced that it has raised a $22 million Series B round. The round was led by NewRoad Capital Partners, an operator-led, demand driven investment firm focused on high-growth supply chain and logistics technology companies and consumer brands with innovative technologies, products, and services. Existing investors, Greycroft and Lerer Hippeau, also participated. The financing will enable the company to accelerate its platform offerings and expand its product, R&D, and go-to-market teams.
MyCarrier was founded in 2017 by Michael Bookout and Chris Scheid with the goal of becoming the ubiquitous platform that connects small and midsize shippers and carriers instantly, without barriers, to fuel the future of supply chain. MyCarrier's platform generates automated quotes based on the user's shipment characteristics and enables booking execution with electronic bills of lading, enhanced visibility, dynamic insurance, and payments. MyCarrier's platform ease-of-use, data, and distribution model create efficiencies for both shippers and carriers, differentiating it from the competition.
Michael Bookout, MyCarrier CEO and Co-founder, has focused on enhancing shipper and carrier relationships to simplify shipping for both parties.
"From the beginning, our vision and approach were based on strong partnering, working hand-in-hand with carrier partners and customers to streamline the carrier and shipper experience to create exceptional business and customer outcomes," Bookout said. MyCarrier President and Co-founder Chris Scheid added, "By doing so, we've been able to break down technology fears previously seen throughout the SMB market and successfully deliver never-before-offered technology. Today, we are providing small and medium-sized businesses with visibility into their supply chains, once only available to large enterprises. And it's absolutely needed given global supply chain disruptions and chaos."
The latest round of funding, which follows the company's $8 million Series A funding last March, is aimed at expanding the MyCarrier platform beyond less-than-truckload and full-truckload to meet other multimodal shipping needs. Domestic SMB shippers need more visibility across ocean, air, and rail for better insights into incoming freight. In addition to multimodal shipping needs, MyCarrier has its sights on freight audit and pay, broadening its ERP and WMS integrations, and developing a rich set of data intelligence tools for both carriers and shippers. These investments will enable SMB shippers to be more productive, reducing overhead costs.
"Mike and Chris are industry veterans that really understand the challenges in the industry and have built an outstanding team and technology platform that is easy to use and drives major operational efficiencies for both shippers and carriers," said Tracy Black, Partner at NewRoad Capital Partners and former SVP of IT at J.B. Hunt. "We are excited to partner with them in the next stage of growth and applying the same great technology to additional modes and to the freight audit and payment process." Following this round, Tracy Black will join MyCarrier's board of directors.
The company currently serves more than 5,000 shippers, including Lucas Oil, IPC Global, U-Haul and Malouf Home. MyCarrier has platform automation partnerships with 15 top-rated LTL carriers, including ODFL, Saia, Estes, and Averitt, and over 70+ integration carrier partners. These partnerships have unlocked rapid growth in MyCarrier's marketplace, growing platform revenue by 124%, insurance revenue by 150%, and platform shipments by 52% year over year. The platform's active shippers grew by 57% in Q2 to 5,162, contributing to an ARR of $9.4M in August. Platform freight network revenue is forecast to exceed a $1 billion run rate in 2022.
"Carriers need more efficient ways of serving customers, providing innovative data-driven shipping solutions that are easy to implement and use," said Ray Ramu, EVP and Chief Customer Officer at Saia. "MyCarrier has provided just that; a platform that offers our customers transformative digital capabilities that streamline their shipping process. On top of that, the platform provides key insights into our customer needs and trends more effectively, dramatically improving our operational agility."
MyCarrier, a transformative shipping management platform, has partnered with the industry's largest carriers to provide unprecedented efficiencies and value-based visibility. MyCarrierTMS and MyCarrierTMS Pro use innovative API technology to connect shippers directly to their carriers, creating a seamless end-to-end shipping process and providing unrivaled data that leads to easier shipping management, cost savings, and increased efficiencies. To learn more about MyCarrier, visit https://go.mycarrier.io/
NewRoad Capital Partners, LLC ("NewRoad") invests in high-growth supply chain and logistics technology companies and consumer brands with innovative technologies, products, and services. As experienced entrepreneurs and operators, the NewRoad team prides itself on the high level of collaboration it brings to each of its investments. NewRoad's team of investment professionals and operating partners have deep relevant investing and operating expertise, including significant experience leading large divisions of enterprise companies and building businesses of scale from concept to realization. For more information visit: https://newroadcp.com/.
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Company Adds Experienced Telecom Executive to Growing Platform
BOSTON, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fort Point Capital, a Boston-based lower middle market private equity firm focused on growing business services companies, announced today that its portfolio company, CellSite Solutions ("CellSite" or the "Company"), an industry leading provider of telecom infrastructure asset refurbishment and related services, has hired Nick Shanker as the Company's Chief Executive Officer. Shanker has a long history of transformative leadership positions in the telecom industry and takes the reigns of CellSite as the Company accelerates its growth trajectory.
Paul Lipson, Partner at Fort Point Capital, commented, "We're excited to have Nick lead the next phase of CellSite's growth. His relevant expertise in the telecom sector, strategic execution capabilities, and dynamic leadership experience will play a critical role in helping the company achieve its expansion goals."
Shanker most recently served as President of KMM Telecommunications, a provider of supply chain solutions and network services focusing on telecommunications materials management, logistics, construction, and integration services. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Huawaei Technologies, where he was instrumental in formulating and deploying management and sales strategies for new services at Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen, China.
"I am honored to be joining such a high quality telecom infrastructure service provider with long-term customer relationships and a sterling reputation," commented Shanker. "With continued investment in new technologies and aging telecom infrastructure, CellSite has tremendous growth potential ahead and I am thrilled to be a part of it."
Shanker earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Houston.
CellSite Solutions is a leading provider of telecom infrastructure asset refurbishment and related services. The Company's offerings include custom modification and refurbishment of telecom shelters, equipment installation, site planning and design, as well as other maintenance and repair services. To learn more, visit https://cellsitesolutions.com.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Fort Point Capital is a private equity firm that invests in lower middle market, business services companies in partnership with strong management teams. Fort Point Capital is currently investing from FPC Small Cap Fund II. To learn more, please visit fortpointcapital.com.
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- All customers are eligible for unlimited Home Internet
- $49.99* / month
- 5G mmWave service expanding to more households and communities
CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To help customers have the reliable internet access they need, UScellular has enhanced its Home Internet service by introducing unlimited data availability for $49.99 per month to all Home Internet customers. Additionally, UScellular has expanded access to the company's 5G mmWave network.
Now, more than 12.2 million households have access to unlimited 4G, 5G or 5G mmWave in-home connectivity with UScellular's Home Internet service. The wireless carrier provides high-speed internet wirelessly to homes or businesses and can deliver speeds up to 300 Mbps depending on the network technology available in the area.
"We want to make it easier for our customers to get reliable, high-speed internet access at their home or business, whether they live in an urban, suburban or rural area," said Eric Jagher, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for UScellular. "We're excited to offer unlimited Home Internet to all customers and we will continue to invest to ensure our customers can stay connected to the people and places that matter most."
Earlier this year, the company introduced its 5G mmWave Home Internet service to parts of ten cities, and it has now expanded this service to cover more than 125,000 households and 30 cities. Currently, mmWave is available in additional communities including Medford, Ore., Tulsa, Okla., Des Moines, Iowa, Madison, Wis., and Knoxville, Tenn. In the coming weeks, the company's 5G mmWave service will be available to 170,000 households in parts of 50 communities.
For a limited time, customers who add new unlimited Home Internet service will receive free equipment and free professional home installation (where applicable). Customers who bundle Home Internet service with a new line of mobile service will also get $20 off their monthly bill.*
UScellular participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Lifeline Program to help eligible households pay for internet and wireless service.
For more information on UScellular's home internet options, customers can visit a UScellular store or go to www.uscellular.com/homeinternet. Learn more about UScellular's approach to bridging the digital divide here.
* Requires autopay/paperless billing, a new line of mobile service with an Unlimited postpaid plan, either new 4G Home Internet service with an Everywhere plan or 5G Home Internet service with an Even Better plan and Home Internet equipment purchase via 36-month installment contract. Plan offer paid via a $10/month autopay/paperless billing discount and a $20 service credit that expires after 18 months. Equipment offer paid via a credit over 36 months. Taxes, fees and add. terms apply.
UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to help customers stay connected to the things that matter most. The Chicago-based carrier provides a strong, reliable network supported by the latest technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers' lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. Through its After School Access Project, the company has pledged to provide hotspots and service to help up to 50,000 youth connect to reliable internet. Additionally, UScellular has price protected all of its plans, promising not to increase prices through at least the end of 2023. To learn more about UScellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, visit newsroom.uscellular.com.
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Performances of the critically acclaimed improv comedy sensation begin Nov. 10
Tickets on sale Sept. 14
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Before "Hamilton" . . . Before "In the Heights" . . . there was FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME. From producer Lin-Manuel Miranda and fresh from Broadway, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME brings hip-hop improv to The Summit Showroom inside The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas on Nov. 10. Recipient of a 2020 Special Tony Award®, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME, directed by Thomas Kail, is a non-stop blend of hip-hop, improvisational comedy, music, and vocal stylings.
"Freestyle Love Supreme is an exciting addition to our entertainment lineup and furthers our commitment to providing new and unmatched offerings for our guests," said Patrick Nichols, president and chief operating officer of the Venetian Resort Las Vegas. "The show is completely driven by audience interaction, which provides an unexpected element and a new experience every night."
Taking the stage in The Summit Showroom for FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME at The Venetian Resort will be Simone Acosta AKA "Sims;" Andrew Bancroft AKA "Jelly Donut;" Richard Baskin, Jr. AKA "Rich Midway;" Jay C. Ellis AKA "Jellis J;" Kaila Mullady AKA "Kaiser Rözé;" Morgan Reilly AKA "Hummingbird;" and Dizzy Senze AKA "Dizzy." In addition, the cast will have a rotating roster of special guests at select performances.
This cast of talented performers will provide non-stop action throughout the 90-minute show, spinning suggestions from the audience into humorous bits, instantaneous songs and riffs, and fully realized musical numbers. No two shows are ever the same.
"Some of my most fulfilling creative moments have come from working on Freestyle Love Supreme and I'm excited to see its next chapter unfold on the Las Vegas Strip at The Venetian Resort," said Lin-Manuel Miranda. "This show consistently surprises the performers and the audience and I'm certain the Las Vegas crowd will bring an added element of excitement that we haven't seen before."
The electrifying vocals of the performers – from singing to rapping to beat-boxing with harmonies and freestyle flow – are backed by tight tunes from keyboards and human percussion. Conceived by Anthony Veneziale and created by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME pays homage to John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," with a nod to musical roots in jazz, soul, blues and hip-hop.
Performances will run Wednesdays – Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., and Sundays at 7 p.m. Grazie® Rewards members receive access to a special pre-sale beginning Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m. PDT. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 10 a.m. PDT. Tickets start at $57.45 and can be purchased at venetianlasvegas.com, any box office at The Venetian Resort, or by calling 702.414.9000 or 866.641.7469.
Media Contact
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
Elaine Chaivarlis
Elaine.Chaivarlis@venetianlasvegas.com
702-607-4644
Kirvin Doak Communications
Terri Maruca | Emily Clayton
FLSVenetian@kirvindoak.com
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is comprised of three all-suite towers: The Venetian, The Palazzo, and Venezia. The iconic resort experience is marked by a commitment to sophisticated play and light-hearted luxury, with world-class restaurants from celebrated chefs; the rejuvenating Canyon Ranch spa + fitness; a five-acre pool and garden deck inspired by the Italian Riviera including TAO Beach Dayclub, a Balinese-inspired tropical oasis; two landmark casinos and a poker room; TAO Nightclub; and unparalleled retail experiences at Grand Canal Shoppes. A premier events and conference center, the resort is home to more than 2.25 million square feet of meeting, exposition, and convention space. The Venetian Resort offers Grazie® Rewards, a resort-wide loyalty program that provides guests with access and benefits based on their activities throughout the resort and casinos, including slots, table games, hotel, food and beverage outlets, and retail.
The Venetian® and other trademarks are used under license. The names and brands mentioned above are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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SOURCE The Venetian Resort Las Vegas | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/venetian-resort-las-vegas-presents-freestyle-love-supreme-producer-lin-manuel-miranda-creator-hamilton/ | 2022-09-13T17:49:31Z | wave3.com | control | https://www.wave3.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/venetian-resort-las-vegas-presents-freestyle-love-supreme-producer-lin-manuel-miranda-creator-hamilton/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder three-row SUV costs $36,295, including a $1,295 destination fee, Nissan announced Monday. Nothing is new for the carryover model except for a Rock Creek off-road edition and inflationary price hikes.
The new price represents a $1,735 increase over the redesigned 2022 Pathfinder, including a hike of $145 on the destination and delivery fee.
Aside from the price hike, the big news for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is the return of the Rock Creek edition. The outdoorsy trim comes standard with an all-wheel-drive system that routes half of the torque to the rear axle, and a limited-slip differential that allocates power to the rear wheel with the most grip. Nissan also revised the fuel mapping of the Rock Creek’s 3.5-liter V-6 to boost output to 295 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque (from 284 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque in the other grades). The boost requires premium fuel.
First launched on the 2020 Pathfinder, the Rock Creek model adds an off-road suspension with a 5/8-inch lift that raises the ground clearance to about 7.7 inches. The 18-inch wheels pretend to be beadlock-capable, but the all-terrain tires are real, and a roof rack that’s totally tubular can hold 220 lb. The exterior gets black trim elements, and the interior flashes black synthetic leather upholstery with orange contrast stitching. A surround-view camera system comes standard, as do a tow hitch and wiring harness, second-row captain’s chairs, and LED fog lights.
Like other AWD Pathfinders, the Rock Creek can tow up to 6,000 lb and has seven different drive modes. In our initial testing on a rain-soaked off-road course, the Pathfinder Rock Creek proved that it’s more than just a cosmetic package, and adds more capability to venture off the beaten path. It costs $44,115.
Otherwise, the 2023 Pathfinder comes in S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive costs $1,900 more across the board. The base S starts at $36,295 and comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry, and satellite radio.
Standard driver-assist features include front and rear automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, lane-departure warnings, and automatic high beams.
The SV grade costs $39,115, which is only $505 more than last year’s SV, with the higher delivery fee factored in. That makes it the best value for 2023 Pathfinders, and it adds the ProPilot Assist adaptive cruise control driving system.
Slotting above the Rock Creek, the SL costs $42,715, which is nearly $2,000 more than last year. It comes with the larger 9.0-inch touchscreen so you don’t need your cheaters, wireless Apple CarPlay so you don’t need your cord, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a surround-view camera system that’s key for towing.
The $49,265 Platinum sits at the top of the Pathfinder hill, and it comes in front-wheel drive this year for about the same price as last year’s Platinum AWD. It adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.8-inch head-up display, navigation, a tow hitch and harness, 20-inch dark alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, second-row captain’s chairs, heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, and a Bose 13-speaker sound system.
The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is on sale now.
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- 2023 Infiniti QX60 SUV price hiked by $1,350 | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-nissan-pathfinder-suv-price-increases-1735-rock-creek-crests-44000/ | 2022-09-13T17:50:12Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/2023-nissan-pathfinder-suv-price-increases-1735-rock-creek-crests-44000/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Azerbaijani forces shelled Armenia’s territory Tuesday and killed at least 49 Armenian soldiers, Armenia’s prime minister said, a large-scale attack that fueled fears of broader hostilities breaking out between the longtime adversaries.
The hostilities erupted minutes after midnight, with Azerbaijani forces unleashing an artillery barrage and drone attacks in many sections of Armenian territory, according to the Armenian Defense Ministry.
The ministry said fighting continued during the day despite Russia’s attempt to broker a quick cease-fire. It noted that the shelling grew less intense but said Azerbaijani troops still were trying to advance into Armenian territory.
The ministry added that the Azerbaijani shelling damaged civilian infrastructure and also wounded an unspecified number of people.
Azerbaijan charged that its forces returned fire in response to “large-scale provocations” by the Armenian military, claiming that the Armenian troops planted mines and repeatedly fired on Azerbaijani military positions, resulting in unspecified casualties and damage to military infrastructure.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.
Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh in a six-week war in 2020 that killed more than 6,600 people and ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow, which deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal, has sought to maintain friendly ties with both ex-Soviet nations.
Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, held a meeting with military officials to discuss the situation. “It was noted that the responsibility for the current tension rests squarely with the political leadership of Armenia,” his office said.
Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, also placed the blame for the violence on Armenia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for Yerevan to halt its “provocations,” and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar condemned “Armenia’s aggressive attitude and provocative actions.”
Speaking in parliament early Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Azerbaijani shelling killed at least 49 Armenian soldiers. He squarely rejected the Azerbaijani claim that it was responding to Armenian provocations.
The governor of Gegharkunik province, one of the regions that came under Azerbaijani shelling, said there was a 40-minute lull in the fighting, apparently reflecting Moscow’s attempt to negotiate a truce, before it later resumed.
The governor, Karen Sarkisyan, said that four Armenian troops in his region were killed and another 43 were wounded by the shelling.
As the fighting raged overnight, Pashinyan quickly called Russian President Vladimir Putin and later also had phone calls with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Charles Michel, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the hostilities.
Speaking in parliament, Pashinyan noted that the Azerbaijani action followed his recent European Union-brokered talks with Aliyev in Brussels that revealed what he described as Azerbaijan’s uncompromising stand.
The Armenian government said it would officially ask Russia for assistance under a friendship treaty between the countries and also appeal to the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security alliance of ex-Soviet nations that includes Armenia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from comment on Armenia’s request but added during a conference call with reporters that Putin was “taking every effort to help de-escalate tensions.”
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said top officials from the security grouping held a meeting to discuss the fighting. Armenia’s representative at the grouping emphasized during the meeting that Yerevan expects its allies to take “efficient collective steps to ensure security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry urged both parties “to refrain from further escalation and show restraint.”
Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act, maintaining strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, while also developing close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.
___
Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-armenia-says-49-soldiers-killed-in-attacks-by-azerbaijan/ | 2022-09-13T17:52:01Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-armenia-says-49-soldiers-killed-in-attacks-by-azerbaijan/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya’s president on Tuesday after narrowly winning the Aug. 9 election in East Africa’s most stable democracy, and quickly signaled that his leadership will be a strongly Christian one.
The Supreme Court last week rejected a challenge by losing candidate and longtime opposition figure Raila Odinga of the official results, completing a markedly peaceful election in a country with a history of troubled ones.
The 55-year-old Ruto had been the deputy to outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta but had a bitter split that left the two not speaking for months at a time. On Tuesday, the audience cheered as the two shook hands, and again as Kenyatta handed over the instruments of power.
Ruto, who had dropped to his knees in tears and prayer when the court upheld his win, knelt on the stage minutes after his swearing-in during an extended sermon.
“A chicken seller to a president,” intoned the pastor, highlighting Ruto’s humble youth. “A village boy has become the president of Kenya,” Ruto said in his speech.
In his first tweet as president, the evangelical Christian quoted Psalms: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” His speech praised both the church and Islamic leadership, and he vowed that “we will enhance our partnership, build on our collaboration and enhance our support to them.”
The event began with some chaos. Scores of people were crushed and injured as they forced their way into the packed stadium. Medic Peter Muiruri said a fence fell as people pushed it and about 60 were injured, though the number may rise.
People tried to dodge baton-wielding security forces. Some failed. “I was beaten by the police after trying to get inside,” said a witness, Benson Kimutai.
Ruto takes power in a country heavily burdened by debt that will challenge his efforts to fulfill sweeping campaign promises made to Kenya’s poor, whom he has described as getting by on “stubborn hope.” In his speech, he acknowledged that “clearly, we are living beyond our means.”
He promised cheaper fertilizer as food prices rise and more affordable credit. He also vowed more money for the judiciary, financial independence for the national police from the presidency and efforts to fight a drought in Kenya’s north that brings the threat of famine.
Ruto also asked Kenyatta to continue “chairing discussions” on the regional crises in neighboring Ethiopia, where the government is fighting Tigray forces, and in eastern Congo, where tensions exist with Rwanda. Kenyatta has accepted, the new president said.
“Will come as a big relief to diplomats who worried Nairobi would back out of the two initiatives,” tweeted Murithi Mutiga, Africa director with the International Crisis Group.
But Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed didn’t shake hands with other African leaders afterward, even rejecting his Kenyan Foreign Ministry escort, and went straight to his car.
With the transition, Kenya’s presidency moves from one leader indicted by the International Criminal Court to another. Both Kenyatta and Ruto were indicted over their roles in deadly 2007 post-election violence, but the cases were later closed amid allegations of witness intimidation.
The August election was calm in a country with a history of political violence. Chaos erupted only in the final minutes when the electoral commission publicly split and prominent Odinga supporters tried to physically stop the declaration of Ruto as the winner.
Ruto’s campaign portrayed him as a “hustler” with a humble background of going barefoot and selling chickens by the roadside, a counterpoint to the political dynasties represented by Kenyatta and Odinga. His presidential flag features a wheelbarrow, the symbol of his campaign.
But Ruto received powerful political mentoring as a young man from former President Daniel arap Moi, who oversaw a one-party state for years before Kenyans successfully pushed for multiparty elections.
Ruto now speaks of democracy and has vowed there will be no retaliation against dissenting voices. “I will work with all Kenyans irrespective of who they voted for,” he said in his speech.
But in a warning sign for media, local broadcasters that were accused by Ruto of bias in the past were restricted in their coverage of the inauguration, forced to use a feed from a South African broadcaster in which Kenya’s national broadcaster has a share.
The losing candidate, 77-year-old Odinga, is setting himself up to be a prominent opposition voice once again after former rival Kenyatta backed him in the election. In a statement on Monday, Odinga said he would skip the inauguration and later “announce next steps as we seek to deepen and strengthen our democracy.”
Though Odinga also asserted that “the outcome of the election remains indeterminate,” a spokesperson told The Associated Press it was “highly unlikely” he would seek to declare himself the “people’s president” as he did after losing the 2017 election.
___
Moses Ndungu contributed to this report. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-injuries-in-crush-at-stadium-as-kenya-inaugurates-president/ | 2022-09-13T17:52:36Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/ap-injuries-in-crush-at-stadium-as-kenya-inaugurates-president/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — King Charles III was flying to Northern Ireland Tuesday on the latest leg of his tour of the nations that make up the United Kingdom, as thousands of people lined up through the night to pay their last respects to his mother’s coffin in Edinburgh.
On Monday night, Charles and his siblings, Anne, Andrew and Edward, their heads bowed, briefly stood vigil around their mother’s flag-draped coffin in St. Giles’ Cathedral as members of the public filed past.
Early Tuesday, a man wearing a suit adorned with medals stood silently, bowed his head and moved on. A woman dabbed away tears with a handkerchief. Another woman with two young children in their school uniforms walked slowly past the coffin.
Some people even paid their respects and then rejoined the end of the line to get a second view of the coffin of the only monarch most people in the United Kingdom have ever known.
In the line of mourners outside St. Giles’ Cathedral in the historic heart of Edinburgh, Sheila McLeay called the queen “a wonderful ambassador for our country.”
“She was such an example for every single one of us. She was dignified. She was just, she was beautiful inside and out. And I have known her all of my life. And I miss her very much,” she added.
Scotland, where the queen died Thursday at her beloved Balmoral estate in the Highlands after a 70-year reign, has been almost universal in its praise for the queen.
The British monarchy draws more mixed emotions in Northern Ireland, where there are two main communities: mostly Protestant unionists who consider themselves British and largely Roman Catholic nationalists who see themselves as Irish.
That split fueled three decades of violence known as “the Troubles” involving paramilitary groups on both sides and U.K. security forces, in which 3,600 people died. The royal family was touched personally by the violence: Lord Louis Mountbatten, a cousin of the queen and a much-loved mentor to Charles, was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb in 1979.
A deep sectarian divide remains, a quarter century after Northern Ireland’s 1998 peace agreement.
But in a sign of how far Northern Ireland has come on the road to peace, representatives of Sinn Fein — the main Irish nationalist party, linked during the Troubles to the IRA — are attending commemorative events for the queen and meeting the king on Tuesday.
Sinn Fein’s president, Mary Lou McDonald, paid tribute to the 96-year-old monarch following her death last Thursday, calling her “a powerful advocate and ally of those who believe in peace and reconciliation.”
The president and prime minister of the neighboring Republic of Ireland are also due to attend the memorial service in Belfast, despite tense relations between Dublin and London over Brexit. Since Britain left the European Union in 2020, the U.K. and the EU have been wrangling over trade rules for Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. that shares a border with a member of the bloc.
After lying in the cathedral through most of Tuesday, the queen’s coffin will be flown back to London and driven to her official London home, Buckingham Palace.
The Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster plane that will carry the coffin has in the past been used to evacuate people from Afghanistan and to take humanitarian aid and weapons to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
In the early hours of Tuesday, scores of workers were seen cleaning litter and weeds from the road between the air force base where the plane carrying the queen’s coffin will land and central London. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/king-charles-flies-to-belfast-queens-coffin-to-return-to-london/ | 2022-09-13T17:53:23Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/king-charles-flies-to-belfast-queens-coffin-to-return-to-london/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SEATTLE (AP)Hearing his name chanted as he left the field as a winner for the Seattle Seahawks wasn’t validation for Geno Smith.
It was gratification that eight years after he last was a starting quarterback on the opening weekend of the NFL season he again had the opportunity.
”As far as worrying about naysayers, anything like that, I don’t get into that type of stuff,” Smith said. ”People can write you off, but life is about what you make it and so I’ve just been blessed enough to be in the NFL for 10 years, and been working my butt off, and it’s a team game and we got to win tonight as a team.”
With most of the attention on Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle on the other side of the field, it was Smith and the Seahawks celebrating a 17-16 win on Monday night.
Wilson had the more memorable evening, from the boos that cascaded down on him from Seattle fans, to Denver’s decision not to go for it on fourth-and-5 and instead attempt a 64-yard field goal in the closing seconds.
But it was Smith that was in the celebratory locker room afterward, the one that Wilson called home for a decade.
”He’s had it in his whole time. He just hasn’t had the perfect opportunity for him to go out there and showcase what he really is able to do when he’s in full control of a football team or of an offense,” Seattle wide receiver DK Metcalf said.
Smith was spectacular in the first half and perhaps more of what was expected in the second half as Seattle was shut out. He finished 23 of 28 for 195 yards, but was 17 of 18 for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.
Smith threw a 38-yard touchdown to Will Dissly on Seattle’s first possession of the season. He added a 25-yard strike to Colby Parkinson in the second quarter that gave Seattle a 17-7 lead at the time. He jogged off the field at halftime to chants of ”Geno, Geno.”
That big half proved to be enough, but barely.
”He was so poised and so calm in this game. It was just fun playing with him,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. ”And we’re talking as the game is going on, he’s having fun and laughing and enjoying it. The moment came to him and he was ready for it.”
Smith’s second season in the NFL, in 2014, was the last time he started on the opening weekend of the season. It was the first time since 1971 there had been that large of a time gap for a quarterback between opening week starts.
Smith appeared to relish his opportunity. He played fearless and the Seattle crowd – already amped by Wilson’s return – roared its approval. When Smith lowered his shoulder on a 14-yard scramble late in the third quarter rather than sliding, the Seahawks fans followed with more chants of his name.
For all Smith did right, Seattle’s offense was inefficient in the second half. The Seahawks had just 34 total yards and five first downs after halftime. Seattle had less than 10 minutes time of possession in the third and fourth quarters.
It made for a nervy final few moments for Smith as he watched Denver try to rally. It created flashbacks to the past three seasons serving as Wilson’s backup and watching him lead the Seahawks in games and practices down the field in those late-game situations.
”For so long, I watched Russ go down and win those games,” Smith said. ”It was a surreal moment seeing him on the other side, up against our defense, going for one of his vintage comeback wins, and we stood up tonight and I was happy about that.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/geno-smith-hears-chants-relishes-seahawks-opening-victory/ | 2022-09-13T17:53:50Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/geno-smith-hears-chants-relishes-seahawks-opening-victory/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NEW YORK (AP)The texts started flooding D.J. Reed’s phone moments before he was about to take the field for pregame introductions.
”Condolences to your dad,” read one from the New York Jets cornerback’s cousin.
”Your dad passed away,” said another from his uncle. ”Rest in peace.”
His heart sank. Dennis Reed Sr. – his father, idol and hero- was gone.
Reed gathered himself after a few moments, jogged onto the MetLife Stadium field to join his teammates on the sideline Sunday for the season opener on the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks – and broke down.
”The national anthem was playing and I just was crying and stuff,” Reed recalled Monday. ”Yeah, it was emotional, man.”
After an 18-year battle with multiple sclerosis, Reed’s father died Sunday back home in Waterloo, Iowa. He was placed on life support last week and was breathing through a tube – but later told doctors he wanted it removed.
”He was tired of fighting,” D.J. Reed said.
Reed’s mother Linda called him last Wednesday to tell him his father wasn’t going to survive much longer. So he spoke to his father – Dennis Reed couldn’t speak, so he listened to his son one final time.
”I said, `I love you,”’ Reed recalled, ”and, `You fought a good fight. … Thank you for everything.”’
Dennis Reed breathed on his own two more days before taking a turn and dying Sunday morning.
”He fought it,” D.J. Reed said. ”The thing that I loved about my dad is, in front of me and talking on the phone with him, he always had a sense of humor. He was always smiling, chuckling, joking, cracking jokes, just trying to make light of things.
”I learned a lot from his personality and doing that during tough times.”
The 25-year-old Reed’s love for sports developed from his dad, who got him into football, wrestling, soccer, basketball and tennis, among others.
”When he was healthy, he was active very well in my life, like a great father and all that,” Reed said. ”And he got sick and it kind of deteriorated his body and stuff, so he couldn’t be there like he wanted to be there.”
But his influence was always present.
Like when Reed was at Independence High School in Bakersfield, California, and became the first athlete in school history to be selected team MVP in both football and basketball. And in college stops at Fresno State, Cerritos College and finally Kansas State, where he developed into a fifth-round draft pick by San Francisco in 2018.
After two seasons with the 49ers, Reed broke out in Seattle after being claimed on waivers. A big payday came in March, when he signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Jets to be their No. 1 cornerback.
But before he made his regular-season debut with his new team came the news about his father.
”Yeah, it was hard,” Reed said. ”It was basically just controlling my energy, really, because my emotions were everywhere. But I believe in God, and I just thought for him to pass away right before the game there was a reason for that because he could have passed during that whole week. And he passed away right before the game started.
”So I just said, ‘OK, I know he’s watching, so I’m going to put on a show for him.”’
That’s exactly what Reed did in a terrific debut for the Jets, allowing no catches in the 24-9 loss, forcing a fumble and intercepting Lamar Jackson late in the fourth quarter.
After coming down with the ball, Reed ran to midfield, knelt on the NFL logo and raised his arms – with the football in his right hand.
Some assumed it was ill-timed showboating. It was actually Reed honoring his late father.
”It was just deeper than football when I got the interception,” he said. ”I already knew what I was going to do and that’s what I did.”
Some of his coaches and teammates were unaware of what Reed was dealing with until seeing his Twitter post on the ride home.
”Obviously a very, very tough day for D.J.,” said coach Robert Saleh, who was told before the game. ”Heart goes out to him and his family. D.J. is a pro’s pro, a man’s man.”
Reed is unsure if he’ll attend his father’s funeral in Iowa, saying the two ”already chopped it up” in their numerous conversations over the last several months. Being around his teammates, Reed said, and not dwelling on his loss might be best.
He and his girlfriend are expecting a baby girl in two months, and Reed is disappointed his father won’t get to meet her during the offseason.
”That’s what really had me emotional,” Reed said. ”Definitely that was like one of the first things to do is go take my daughter to go see her grandfather. So for that not to happen, it was tough.”
But he knows his father will always be with him. Still watching and rooting for him.
”I’m paying tribute to my dad this year, for sure, the whole year,” Reed said. ”That’s what I told myself: This season’s for my dad.”
—
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/jets-reed-plays-with-heavy-heart-dedicates-season-to-dad/ | 2022-09-13T17:53:57Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/jets-reed-plays-with-heavy-heart-dedicates-season-to-dad/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
President Biden to tout “electric vehicle manufacturing boom” at Detroit Auto Show
The White House says “the private sector has invested over $100 billion to make more electric cars and their parts in America.”
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Joe Biden will be in Detroit Wednesday for the start of the North American International Auto Show in Michigan.
When the event kicks off, Biden is scheduled to highlight how his economic plan is driving what the White House calls “an electric vehicle manufacturing boom.”
“Under President Biden, the private sector has invested over $100 billion to make more electric cars and their parts in America, create jobs for our autoworkers, and strengthen our domestic supply chains,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The president’s visit to Detroit comes on the heels of the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act into law last month.
A law which Republicans criticize. Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has repeatedly criticized the tax credits intended to fuel purchases of electric vehicles.
In his Senate floor remarks on July 28th, McConnell, said “Democrats want to subsidize rich people buying electric cars that cost more than the median American household earns in an entire year.”
The White House says the policies are about more than tax cuts. The legislation has key investments for reducing carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030.
”Major companies have already announced billions of additional dollars in new investments to boost American clean energy manufacturing and create good-paying jobs,” said Jean-Pierre.
These investments are in addition to General Motors’ announcement back in January to spend more than $7 billion and create 4,000 new jobs to boost electric vehicle manufacturing.
When President Biden visited Detroit in November to tout the bipartisan infrastructure law, it was at a General Motors factory.
During his speech, he thanked the Michigan congressional delegation specifically Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Representative Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) for proposing the additional tax credit of $4,500 for union-made vehicles.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.witn.com/2022/09/13/president-biden-tout-electric-vehicle-manufacturing-boom-detroit-auto-show/ | 2022-09-13T17:54:40Z | witn.com | control | https://www.witn.com/2022/09/13/president-biden-tout-electric-vehicle-manufacturing-boom-detroit-auto-show/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Nissan Leaf batteries are lasting a long time, according to an executive with the automaker, and that may push mass reuse and recycling further into the future.
“Almost all of the batteries we’ve made are still in cars,” Nissan UK marketing director Nic Thomas said last month in an interview with Forbes (via Charged EVs). Recall that Nissan was among the first automakers to launch a modern electric car, delivering its first Leaf hatchbacks in the U.S. in December 2010.
This follows comments made by Nissan in 2019 when, based on then-current charging and degradation data, the automaker predicted that most battery packs would easily outlast the vehicles—and not just the ones that are crashed.
Nissan doesn’t have a stockpile of batteries to be recycled or converted to other uses, Thomas said in the interview.The automaker has used EV batteries as stationary power sources in a handful of demonstrations, and Thomas said a new UK factory currently under construction will use EV batteries to store power generated by solar panels and wind turbines.
But it seems Nissan EV batteries are mostly still being used for their original purpose. Anecdotally, the same might be true for original Tesla Model S vehicles, which had water-cooled battery packs that arguably kept the cells more thermally protected than early Leaf batteries, although the battery management system (BMS) plays a strong role in the long-term health of the pack as well.
The auto industry continues to weigh whether to reuse or recycle older battery packs. The predicted lifespan of packs in vehicular use is just one of the factors in calculating which approach is better.
Second-life energy-storage uses remain attractive as a way to increase use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar by storing excess power and discharging it whenever peak demand might be. The auto industry’s EV ramp-up, and accompanying concerns about the cost and environmental impact of sourcing battery raw materials, has led to increased interest in recycling.
Over the past several years, large-scale recycling companies—like Redwood Materials—have emerged. Redwood has now partnered with Ford, Volkswagen/Audi, Toyota, and others.
Some are predicting the market for battery recycling won’t heat up until 2030. And by then, solid-state batteries may have been introduced, hopefully with lower resource and materials demands. That means that the Biden administration’s push to develop a local supply chain and a battery-recycling ecosystem might actually be well ahead of the curve.
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- BMW battery shift targets 30% more range, faster charging with cylindrical cells and cell-to-pack tech | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/nissan-leaf-ev-batteries-long-lifetime-is-pushing-recovery-and-recycling-farther-off/ | 2022-09-13T17:54:58Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/automotive/internet-brands/nissan-leaf-ev-batteries-long-lifetime-is-pushing-recovery-and-recycling-farther-off/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music as a genre has always been a melting pot of influences and cultures, often shifting and morphing to reflect popular sounds and trends. BRELAND’s debut full-length album “Cross Country” builds on that history, interpolating and sampling older songs and bringing in his background in gospel, R&B and hip-hop under the expansive umbrella of country music.
“I’ve gone on and on about cross country being the intersection of country and all these other genres,” said the 27-year-old New Jersey native. “But when you zoom out from that definition a little bit, and in practice, in reality, cross country is a movement.”
Since his breakout viral hit, “My Truck,” landed in 2019, BRELAND has quickly immersed himself in Nashville’s songwriting rooms, taking over as the king of country collabs. He’s had songs with Keith Urban, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley, Tennille Townes, Lauren Alaina and Chase Rice, just to name a few. With each co-writing session, he’s building on his brand of a more fluid and inclusive genre.
“We live in a world where there are a lot of different divisions,” said BRELAND. “They pop up everywhere, whether it’s political or not, people don’t really agree on a lot. And music is one of the unifiers that we have. It’s one of the only things that we have that really brings people together.”
The Georgetown University grad grew up in a very musical family, which he jokingly referred to as the Von Trapps. His parents met in a gospel choir and they have continued their musical ministry. After singing in a cappella in college, BRELAND moved to Atlanta to write songs for other artists. But his goal has always been to be a singer, and after seeing positive reaction on social media to a demo for “My Truck,” he took the leap.
He got early support from Urban, a similarly minded country artist who brought him into the studio to work on tracks for Urban’s 2020 record “Speed of Now, Pt. 1.” Since then, BRELAND has been hopping from one collaboration to the next. Those collabs also led to his first CMA nomination for musical event of the year on the Bentley No. 1 song “Beers on Me” with HARDY.
“When I’m in those types of rooms, I’m not really worried about what the outcome is going to be. I just want to try to make the best song possible,” said BRELAND. “I think musically I bring so many different sounds and possibilities on a record that if I’m on a more country-leaning song, I might be the hip-hop element as a feature. If I’m on a more hip hop-leaning song, I might be the country element.”
His album has even more features with other artists: a country trap song anchored by Urban’s banjo and vocals, a poppy duet with Ingrid Andress, a slow jam drinking song with country group Lady A and the title track with Mickey Guyton.
Together with his producers Sam Sumser and Sean Snell, BRELAND also reinterprets samples and interpolations of older country songs to bridge his music to country’s past, most notably songs by female artists. In a homage to Shania Twain, BRELAND’s “Natural” mimics the distinctive guitar riffs from “Man! I Feel Like a Woman,” while the song “County Line” uses the jingly keyboard from the No. 1 crossover hit “Nobody” by Sylvia, which came out in 1982.
Co-written with Hunt and country singer-songwriter Ernest, BRELAND raps about small town characters with tongue-in-cheek lyrics over a beat built over the distinctive ’80s sounding “Nobody” melody. Ernest said that Sumser brought them the sample, and the writers immediately started vibing on its throwback sound.
“Trends come back around,” Ernest said of reworking the song. “I think we’re just all tipping our hat and paying homage to the stuff that had the sauce before us.”
BRELAND said, “Both of those songs can exist under the umbrella of historical country music.”
Given that gospel was his family’s cornerstone, BRELAND said his parents ideally would have wanted him to continue that path of religious music. But he found a different way to preach a unifying message.
“Whether or not it’s a directly religious message, I do think that there is a God message in the music, which is being positive,” said BRELAND. “I want people to feel good. I want people to be positive. I want people to love each other.”
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Online: https://www.brelandmusic.com/
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Follow Kristin M. Hall at https://twitter.com/kmhall
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For more AP music news, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/music | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-breland-king-of-collabs-invents-the-sound-of-cross-country/ | 2022-09-13T17:55:05Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-breland-king-of-collabs-invents-the-sound-of-cross-country/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TORONTO (AP) — Since he was a high school student, Hugh Jackman wanted to play the roguish traveling salesman Professor Harold Hill in “The Music Man” on Broadway. He’s fulfilled that dream — but all things must come to an end.
On the red carpet at the Toronto Film Festival, Jackman told The Associated Press that the revival will play its last performance at the beginning of the new year,
“Jan. 1 is going to be the last show. So we’ve got another three and a half months. So if you haven’t seen it, please come and see,” Jackman said after conferring with his publicist.
Jackman said he had a blast doing the show, which has double Tony Award winner Sutton Foster playing his love interest. “I love it. I love the cast. I love everything about the show. The audiences have been incredible and I’m going to be sad,” he said.
The musical tells the simple story about Harold Hill, a traveling con man who in 1912 convinces a small Iowa town into forming a band and selling them instruments until love changes him. It’s got classic songs like ″Seventy-Six Trombones,” ″Goodnight My Someone,” ″Gary, Indiana” and “Till There Was You.”
The musical revival was delayed several times due to the pandemic, finally opening in February. It has been a box office juggernaut, regularly exceeding $3 million a week, even if it got little love at the Tony Awards.
Jackman was at Toronto for the world premiere of “The Son,” which is the second part of the Florian Zeller trilogy of plays adapted for film. Anthony Hopkins, along with Zeller and Christopher Hampton took home Oscars for “The Father.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-hugh-jackman-eyes-the-end-of-the-the-music-man-on-broadway/ | 2022-09-13T17:55:19Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/entertainment-news/ap-hugh-jackman-eyes-the-end-of-the-the-music-man-on-broadway/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The visiting Tampa Bay Rays hope to cool down surging Bo Bichette when their five-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays resumes Tuesday with a day-night doubleheader.
Bichette had all three RBIs Monday night, including the go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth against Jason Adam, in Toronto’s 3-2 victory in the series opener.
The Blue Jays (79-61) slipped past the Rays (78-61) and into a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the first American League wild-card spot by a half game.
Bichette’s homer was his 24th of the season and his sixth in the past eight games. He has reached base safely in each of the past 11 games, batting .511 (24-for-47) with six doubles, one triple, seven homers and 21 RBIs.
“It’s kind of remarkable,” Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said. “It’s the kind of hitter that he is, that he can be, and I think he is locked in right now and not missing pitches, taking pitches. His plan is great, his execution is better.”
Due to those impressive numbers, Bichette was recently named AL Player of the Week.
“Obviously, he’s swinging the bat well and he got us,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve got to start to get some things going offensively. We’re fully capable of doing that.”
Monday’s victory came in the opener of an eight-game homestand for the Blue Jays, who were returning from an 8-2 road trip.
But tempers also flared in the win.
In the sixth inning, Javy Guerra hit Bichette with a 97 mph sinker that came dangerously close to his head. In the following inning, Toronto starter Jose Berrios hit Francisco Mejia with a pitch and both benches were warned.
The Blue Jays scratched scheduled Game 1 starter Alek Manoah (14-7, 2.42 ERA) after the right-hander woke up with a stomach bug. He was getting rest and treatment and could be ready for the nightcap.
Right-hander Julian Merryweather (0-2, 5.48) replaced Manoah for the opener. He has faced Tampa Bay three times in his career, allowing no runs on one hit across 3 1/3 innings.
The Rays will counter with left-hander Jeffrey Springs (7-4, 2.54) in the opener. Springs is 1-0 with a 3.07 ERA in eight career games (one start) against Toronto.
Neither team has named a starter for Game 2 of the doubleheader.
Rays shortstop Wander Franco did not start Monday, but grounded out as a pinch hitter. Cash said he was being rested.
Jonathan Aranda, who had an RBI single in the second inning Monday, has earned more playing time. He has hit safely in eight of his 12 career major league games, going 10-for-26 (.385).
“Every one of his at-bats that I can recall have been very competitive and he’s had good results,” Cash said. “So we want to see what he can do and try to find a way where we can get him a little bit more consistency.”
Rays left-hander Brooks Raley will not pitch in Toronto because he has not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Rays added Cooper Criswell to the active roster Monday and selected right-handers Guerra and Kevin Herget while optioning right-handers Calvin Faucher and Luis Patino to Triple-A Durham.
Criswell allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings Monday in his second career major league outing.
–Field Level Media | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/rays-attempt-to-limit-bo-bichette-blue-jays-offense-in-doubleheader-3/ | 2022-09-13T17:56:00Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/mlb/rays-attempt-to-limit-bo-bichette-blue-jays-offense-in-doubleheader-3/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — When Don Cox was looking for a reliable place to build a family farm in the 1950s, he settled on California’s Imperial Valley.
The desert region had high priority water rights, meaning its access to water was hard for anyone to take away.
“He had it on his mind that water rights were very, very important,” said his grandson, Thomas Cox, who now farms in the Valley.
He was right. Today the Imperial Valley, which provides many of the nation’s winter vegetables and cattle feed, has one of the strongest grips on water from the Colorado River, a critical but over-tapped supply for farms and cities across the West. In times of shortage, Arizona and Nevada must cut first.
But even California, the nation’s most populous state with 39 million people, may be forced to give something up in the coming years as hotter and drier weather causes the river’s main reservoirs to fall to dangerously low levels. If the river were to become unusable, Southern California would lose a third of its water supply and vast swaths of farmland in the state’s southeastern desert would go unplanted.
“Without it, the Imperial Valley shuts down,” said JB Hamby, a board member for the Imperial Irrigation District, which holds rights to the largest share of Colorado River water.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a collaborative series on the Colorado River as the 100th anniversary of the historic Colorado River Compact approaches. The Associated Press, The Colorado Sun, The Albuquerque Journal, The Salt Lake Tribune, The Arizona Daily Star and The Nevada Independent are working together to explore the pressures on the river in 2022.
A century ago, California and six other states — Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — created a compact that split the water into two basins and set rules for how much water each would get. A series of deals, laws and court cases that followed led California to get the most water and made it the last to lose in times of shortage.
Fear and frustration over California’s use of the river has driven the compact since its early days. In western water law, the first person who taps the source gets the highest right, and California cities and farmers have relied on the river for more than a century.
Other western states worried California would lay claim to all the river’s water before their own populations grew. The compact and the series of deals that followed attempted to find a balance to protect California’s supply while ensuring other states got some too. California, meanwhile, benefitted when the federal government began building the Hoover Dam to help control the river’s flow.
Today, the states are now gearing up for a 2026 deadline to renegotiate some of the terms to better deal with drought and protect two major reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. But before that, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has demanded the states find a way to cut their use by roughly 15% to 30% to stave off a crisis. The states failed to meet a mid-August deadline to reach a deal, but negotiations are continuing and no new date for an agreement has been set.
All eyes are on California and its major water rights holders — namely the Imperial Irrigation District and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California — to see if they will give up some of their share. Both districts say they’re willing to use less water or pay others to do so — especially if cooperating means they can avoid challenges to their senior rights.
But they’re playing coy about what exactly they’re willing to give.
The river is the only water supply for the Imperial Irrigation District, whose farmers grow broccoli, onions, carrots and other winter vegetables as well as alfalfa and other feedstock. The limited water underneath the ground in the region, near California’s border with Arizona and Mexico, is not usable, and it does not have access to state water supplies.
The irrigation district was historically entitled to more water than either Arizona or Nevada, though it’s given some up over the years in exchange for payment from cities like San Diego and Los Angeles. In 2019, its board rejected a drought contingency plan signed by other water users in Arizona, Nevada and California.
This time around, officials say the district would be open to leaving fields unplanted to save water on a temporary, emergency basis. But neither Hamby nor board spokespeople would say how much.
State officials are looking to the $4 billion approved by Congress for the Colorado River as a possible source of money that could be used to pay the district and, in turn, farmers, to use less water.
The farmers aren’t privy to all of the district’s negotiating tactics, but are trying to organize among themselves to avoid having cuts foisted on them, Cox said. Many farmers have already installed drip irrigation lines that use less water, but they would be willing to adopt more conservation tactics if they’d be paid to do so.
Already, Cox said he’s making decisions about whether to plant on all of his vegetable fields this fall because he’s getting less water than normal under a new system adopted by the board.
“With water uncertainty, there’s going to be more uncertainty on food supply,” he said.
And it’s not just farmers who rely on the Imperial Irrigation District’s water. Runoff from the farms feeds the Salton Sea, a massive inland lake created in the early 1900s when the Colorado River flooded. It’s now rapidly drying up, exposing surrounding communities to toxic dust and killing the habitat that birds and fish rely on. The state and federal government are now looking for other ways to support the sea in the absence of river water, and its being eyed as a possible site for lithium extraction.
“We’re talking about a body of water surrounded by communities who have been marginalized for so (long), that don’t have the infrastructure or capacity to protect themselves from climate change, from less availability of water, from more dust,” said Silvia Paz, executive director for Alianza Coachella Valley, an organization fighting to improve the economy and health outcomes in the region.
Behind the irrigation district, the Metropolitan Water District is the state’s second largest user of the river’s water. The Colorado makes up about one-third of the water supply the district uses to provide water for drinking, bathing, landscaping and recreating to roughly half the state’s population. Los Angeles County, the nation’s largest, is one of the many areas in Southern California that relies on the river’s water.
It’s allowed to store some of the water it doesn’t use in Lake Mead, which California officials say has actually helped stave off a river crisis in recent years. But this year, short on other supplies, the district may actually try to pull some of that water out if needed, a move that would likely cause friction with other states in the basin.
The district also gets water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the state’s main source of water supplies. But the Delta is suffering from drought, too, and the state only approved 5% of requested supplies this year. As it looks to stabilize its water supply for the future, the district is spending billions on a water recycling plant and urging people to use less water for their lawns.
Still, ensuring the Colorado River is available in dry years when other supplies aren’t available is the district’s priority, said Bill Hasencamp, the district’s Colorado River manager.
Farm-heavy water districts in the Coachella Valley and Riverside County also get Colorado River water, which they use for crops like citrus, melons and barley. The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation and Colorado River Indian Reservation are among the tribes in California with river rights.
Looking to the future, both climate change and politics are at play as California’s water users debate what it will take to keep the river alive.
“What they really want is reliability and predictability,” said Michael Cohen, a Colorado River expert with the Pacific Institute. “What they don’t want is Arizona screaming that Phoenix and Tucson are dried up and California doesn’t take a drop of reductions.”
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The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-stressed-colorado-river-keeps-california-desert-farms-alive/ | 2022-09-13T17:56:20Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-stressed-colorado-river-keeps-california-desert-farms-alive/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday announced a national debate on end-of-life options that will include exploring the possibility of legalizing assisted suicide.
A 2016 French law provides that doctors can keep terminally ill patients sedated before death but stops short of allowing assisted suicide.
Macron said in a written statement that a panel of citizens would work on the issue in coordination with health care workers over the coming months, while local debates are organized in French regions.
The government plans to hold parallel discussions with lawmakers from all political parties to find the broadest consensus, with the aim of implementing changes next year, the president’s statement said.
Some French patients travel to other European countries to seek further end-of-life options. While campaigning for his successful reelection this year, Macron promised to open the debate in France, suggesting he was personally in favor of legalizing physician-assisted suicide.
Assisted suicide, which involves patients self-administering a lethal dose of drugs, is allowed in Switzerland. Euthanasia, a process in which a medical professional directly gives the drugs, is currently legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain under certain conditions. .
Macron’s announcement came the day the family of French director Jean-Luc Godard said he died by assisted suicide at his home in the Swiss town of Rolle.
French polls in recent years steadily showed a broad majority of people are in favor of legalizing euthanasia.
The current law allows patients to request “deep, continuous sedation altering consciousness until death” but only when their conditions are likely to lead to a quick death.
Doctors are allowed to stop life-sustaining treatments, including artificial hydration and nutrition. Sedation and painkillers are allowed “even if they may shorten the person’s life.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-france-to-open-debate-meant-to-broaden-end-of-life-options/ | 2022-09-13T17:57:15Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/health/ap-france-to-open-debate-meant-to-broaden-end-of-life-options/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Fort Collins' Houska Automotive to celebrate 70th birthday with garage band event
Houska Automotive will celebrate its 70th birthday with a bash featuring regional band The Burroughs.
The free event will be from 5-8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17, at Houska Automotive’s Heavy Duty shop, 1005 Riverside Ave., Fort Collins.
The third generation of Houskas is now running the shop that began in 1952 when Chuck Houska, an airplane mechanic in World War II, opened Houska Repair in Fort Collins.
His son, Dennis, eventually took over managing the business and now LJ Houska, Chuck's grandson, manages the business. But it is a family affair. LJ’s 9-year-old daughter Annie likes to help her mother, Jen, who oversees the parts department, and deliver parts to the technicians when she's not in school.
This picnic-style celebration is free but attendees are asked to bring their own picnic and chairs and a donation for the UCHealth Family Medicine Center food pantry. All items, including monetary donations, are accepted. The most requested food items include: peanut butter, beans and lentils, canned tuna and chicken, rice, pasta, baby food, canned fruit, cereal/oatmeal, nonperishable gluten-free items, and nonperishable vegan and vegetarian items.
The Burroughs, a nine-piece band led by lead singer Johnny Burroughs, plays classic soul music with a modern flair.
For additional information, visit houskaautomotive.com. | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/2022/09/13/houska-automotive-to-host-70th-birthday-bash-with-garage-band-picnic/69492359007/ | 2022-09-13T17:58:21Z | coloradoan.com | control | https://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/2022/09/13/houska-automotive-to-host-70th-birthday-bash-with-garage-band-picnic/69492359007/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LONDON (AP) — In a country famed for irreverence, some worry a new code of silence has taken hold.
Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a handful of people in Britain have been detained by police for expressing — often bluntly — anti-monarchy views.
A woman in Edinburgh holding a sign reading “F—— imperialism, abolish the monarchy” was charged with a breach of the peace. A man faced the same charge after he heckled Prince Andrew as the queen’s hearse traveled through the Scottish capital.
In Oxford, peace activist Symon Hill was put in handcuffs after he shouted his opposition during a ceremonial proclamation of the new king.
Hill said he spontaneously called out “Who elected him?” because he objects to a head of state being imposed on the country.
“I doubt most of the people in the crowd even heard me,” he wrote on his blog. “Two or three people near me told me to shut up.”
Hill said he was put into a police van by officers who told him he was being detained for alleged behavior that could cause “harassment, alarm or distress.” He was later released but could still face questioning.
“The police abused their powers to arrest someone who voiced some mild opposition to a head of state being appointed undemocratically,” he said.
In London, a woman was moved from the gates of Parliament while carrying a “Not my king” sign. Police said she was removed from the spot, where a police officer was stabbed to death by an Islamist attacker in 2017, to allow vehicles in and was not asked to leave the wider area.
Lawyer Paul Powlesland said he was questioned by police outside Parliament on Monday while carrying a blank piece of paper on which he, too, planned to write “Not my king.”
In footage shot by Powlesland, an officer is heard saying “it may offend someone” if he wrote the words.
Powlesland called the police behavior “outrageous.”
The civil rights group Liberty said it was “very worrying to see the police enforcing their broad powers in such a heavy-handed and punitive way to clamp down on free speech and expression.”
Republic, a group that campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy, said it would be complaining to police “in the strongest possible terms,” and would organize protests at the king’s coronation in the coming months.
“Free speech is fundamental to any democracy,” said spokesman Graham Smith. “At a time when the media is saturated with fawning over a king appointed without discussion or consent, it is even more important.”
The arrests come after the government passed a contentious law-and-order bill that toughens police powers to limit disruptive protests. It’s not clear whether any of the arrests involved the new law.
Prime Minister Liz Truss’s spokesman, Max Blain, said that while “this is a period of national mourning, and indeed grief, for the vast majority of the United Kingdom … the right to protest does remain a fundamental principle.”
But he said it is “for the police to decide what is appropriate in individual circumstances.”
The queen's death has triggered one of the biggest security operations in British history. Some 500 royals, heads of state and heads of government from around the world are expected at the late monarch's state funeral on Monday. Before that, hundreds of thousands are expected to line up in a queue snaking through central London to see the queen lying in state at Parliament's Westminster Hall.
Huge crowds have already gathered near Buckingham Palace and other royal residences to leave notes and flowers or simply be part of a moment in history.
London’s Metropolitan Police force said “the overwhelming majority of interactions between officers and public at this time have been positive.”
“The public absolutely have a right of protest and we have been making this clear to all officers involved in the extraordinary policing operation currently in place,” said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy.
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By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
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Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/arrests-of-uk-anti-royal-protesters-spur-free-speech-debate/ | 2022-09-13T17:58:50Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/arrests-of-uk-anti-royal-protesters-spur-free-speech-debate/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MANASSAS, Va. (AP) — In a universe of cloud computing, northern Virginia might be in a perpetual fog.
More of the data centers that feed the cloud are clustered in the region outside the nation's capital than anywhere else in the world.
As cloud computing — which enables data storage and other services to be delivered over the internet — continues its exponential increase, the appetite for new data centers continues to grow. And increasingly, communities that abut the centers are complaining about their new neighbors, mostly about the noise from constantly whirring fans needed to cool the computers and servers warehoused within.
“It's just a constant whir at a frequency that's obnoxious,” said Dale Browne, president of the Great Oak Homeowners Association. Residents there led a protest recently outside a nearby data center in Prince William County, newly built to support Amazon Web Services.
Browne said he preferred the quarry that used to occupy the land over the data center. And he's worried that the noise will only get worse in winter, when a line of trees that provides something of a buffer sheds its leaves.
Speakers at the protest said they fear Prince William County is on the verge of joining its neighbor, Loudoun County, which is known as the data center capital of the world.
“We are the canary in the coal mine,” Browne said.
Northern Virginia has been a tech hub since the formation of the internet, and now hosts more data centers than the next five largest U.S. markets combined, according to the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
Collectively, the northern Virginia data centers demand about 1,900 megawatts of power, said Josh Levi, president of the Data Center Coalition, an industry trade group. That's roughly equivalent to the entire output of Dominion Energy's nuclear reactors at its North Anna power plant.
Browne and his neighbors say noise from the data center regularly exceeds the local limit of 60 decibels for noise — a study by Amazon disputes this — but it's largely a moot point because the county noise ordinance exempts air conditioning units. Activists say the ordinance was written more than 30 years ago and never anticipated the massive cooling systems used in data centers.
Amazon Web Services, for its part, said it's installing acoustical shrouds at the site as part of its noise-reduction efforts.
“Addressing our neighbors' noise concerns in Prince William County is a priority for us," a company spokesman said in a statement.
Noise is not the only issue. Spencer Snakard, president of Protect Fauquier, worries that more data centers will require more high-voltage transmission lines to deliver the massive amounts of electricity they require, destroying views and posing their own potential health risks.
“I see these noisy monstrosities much like computers of the 1960s and 70’s: massive, bulky, ugly, and in their infant stage,” she said.
Not all residents are opposed to the data centers. In the Gainesville area, a group of property owners proposed having their land rezoned from agricultural use to allow them. County staff recommended approving this ahead of a Sept. 14 planning commission vote.
Mary Ann Ghadban of Gainesville, 68, is one of the property owners who would sell if the area is rezoned. A lifelong county resident, she built what she called her “dream barn” on her 55-acre horse farm.
"All my neighbors, we were all long-timers. We were going to live here until we died," she said.
But after the electric company built high-voltage transmission lines through her property in 2008, she said her horses suffered ill health effects, and property values dropped. Housing developers took over nearby tracts, and her rural enclave became something else.
"It breaks our heart, but it's a fact: It's not rural anymore," she said. “We should have had this area open to data centers years ago, because you’ve already ruined the property. You've already ruined people’s lives by adding massive transmission towers, so put the data centers where the power is already.”
There's also opposition from the nearby Manassas National Battlefield Park. Superintendent Brandon Bies likened the threat to Disney's bid 30 years ago to build a theme park near the battlefield — a proposal environmentalists and other activists famously scuttled — and pushed back against the notion that transmission lines have already destroyed the area’s rural character.
“While indeed unsightly, the agricultural and historic nature of the battlefield's western edge is still largely intact,” he wrote in a letter to the county board.
Counties that snub data centers would be turning down a lucrative source of tax revenue.
Data centers now provide for more than 30 percent of the general fund budget of Loudoun County, a suburb of the nation's capital with more than 400,000 residents.
While the windfall has been a boon to Loudoun, Phyllis Randall, chair of the county's Board of Supervisors, has raised concerns about overreliance on the industry.
“I'm not an economist, but even I know that not diversifying your economy to that degree gets a little dangerous,” she said at a February meeting where a board committee considered plans to manage the data centers' growth.
Levi, with the Data Center Coalition, said northern Virginia remains a particularly attractive site for a number of reasons. He points to the region's history as an internet hub for starters — in a business where nanoseconds matter, so does proximity to those hubs, Levi said.
In addition, Virginia was one of the first states to establish tax incentives for data centers.
He acknowledged that community resistance has increased as the industry has expanded. The industry is typically tight-lipped because of its security requirements, and needs to do more to promote its beneficial impacts, along with its advances in designing centers to have less environmental impact, he said.
“I think you’ve seen a lot of continuing innovation and design changes in response to community concerns,” he said.
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By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press
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ROME (AP) — The leader of Italy's center-left campaign alliance on Tuesday cited the gains of a Swedish populist party with neo-Nazi roots as further proof that fear is propelling the far-right’s growth in Europe. He also warned that the outcome of his own country's approaching election could determine Italy's future role in Europe.
"Fears are today a big part of the way in which our societies are living this period,'' former Premier Enrico Letta said, citing the pandemic and its economic woes, the energy crisis of soaring utility bills and Russia's war against Ukraine.
“It's easier for the right, for the extreme right to push, to boost (itself) on these fears,'' Letta, who leads the Democratic Party, told The Associated Press in an interview.
In the Swedish election last weekend, a populist, anti-immigration party, Sweden Democrats, surged in balloting to become the country's second-largest political force. Fears of gang violence dominated Sweden's election campaign.
“It’s a moment in which sentiments of fear are getting a foothold in Europe,″ Letta said.
The elections in Italy on Sept. 25 "are like a Brexit referendum in the U.K,.'' Letta said, referring to the stunning 2016 vote that saw Britain decide to leave the European Union.
“You have just two possible solutions. The solution that the right is raising is a solution of nationalism,'' Letta said. “The other solution is on our side, and our solution means Europe.”
His chief rival in Italy’s election is Giorgia Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, which has roots in neo-fascism. She hopes to become the first woman to hold the Italian premiership.
In opinion polls, Letta’s Democratic Party has been running neck-and-neck with Meloni's party. Voter surveys indicate her party, which has called for a naval blockade of Africa's Mediterranean coast to try to stop migrants from reaching Italy, could garner more than 20% in the upcoming balloting. In the previous election it won only a 4% share.
Because Italy's electoral system rewards parties that join forces in campaign alliances, Meloni holds a big advantage over Letta.
She has forged alliances with the right-wing, anti-migrant League leader Matteo Salvini and former Premier Silvio Berluscon, who heads the center-right Forza Italia party. Letta, meanwhile, has refused to ally with the 5-Star Movement — Italy's biggest populist party in Parliament which helped collapse Premier Mario Draghi's government in July — while his overture for a campaign alliance with two small centrist parties was rebuffed.
Should the right triumph, “it's a danger for the future of Italy,'' said Letta. ”It is a danger because Italy needs European cooperation. And without European cooperation it would be impossible to find solutions to all our problems.''
Letta in the interview ruled out any Draghi-style broad coalition government, like the one the former European Central Bank chief formed in early 2021 to help Italy's pandemic-battered economy recover.
“There won't be any governments of national unity,” he said.
Letta spoke during a break from campaigning across Italy in an electric bus. He chose that vehicle type to highlight a scarcity of charging stations in Italy. “The country isn’t modern,” Letta said.
His Democratic Party views the election outcome as critical for civil rights.
“Italy is years behind” on rights, Letta said. For example, Italy doesn’t allow same-sex marriage or adoption by singles. “The right proposes going backward,” he said.
He reflected on polemics over Peppa Pig, the popular cartoon character. Recently, a candidate from Meloni’s party expressed outrage that the cartoon featured a family with two female polar bears as parents and demanded that Italian state TV, funded by taxpayers, never air such an episode.
Meloni has hailed what she calls “natural” families and has denounced LGBTQ+ lobbies.
The campaign demand to censor a cartoon is “really madness,” said Letta.
“Our model is Europe, our model isn’t the Hungary of (Viktor) Orban or the Poland of (Jaroslaw) Kacynzski," Letta said, referring to the leaders of right-wing political parties whose policies have been hostile to LGBTQ+ communities.
Some Italian women have voiced concern that Meloni might seek to abolish a law that allows abortion in the first 12 weeks, and after that if the women’s health or life is endangered.
“Meloni is very ambiguous on this topic and on this question,″ Letta said. In some regions of Italy, including the central Marche, where Brothers of Italy govern, the shortage of doctors willing to perform abortions in public hospitals has forced women to travel across Italy for the procedure.
Meloni has said that any government she leads wouldn’t change the law. But she says there should be more assistance for those who want to give birth.
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By FRANCES D'EMILIO Associated Press
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BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers have backed a proposal for a law that would ban the sale in the 27-nation bloc of agriculture products linked to the destruction of forests.
MEPs gathered on Tuesday in Strasbourg, France, supported and strengthened a plan from the EU's executive arm with 453 votes to 57, and 123 abstentions.
The EU Parliament will now start negotiations on the final text with EU member states.
Once approved, the law would force companies and producers to give assurances that products are “deforestation-free.” Businesses would be forced to verify that agricultural goods sold in the EU have not been made on “deforested or degraded land anywhere in the world," the Parliament said.
“Acknowledging that the EU is responsible for around 10% of global deforestation, we have no choice but to ramp up our efforts to halt global deforestation," said Christophe Hansen, the lawmaker in charge of the Parliament's report.
In addition, MEPs proposed that banks and financial institutions should be covered by the law to prevent them from investing in projects linked to deforestation.
“This could be the beginning of the end of the money pipeline that is destroying forests around the world – but only if national governments across the EU step up and support this plan to make European banks deforestation-free in negotiations on the final law,” said Giulia Bondi, from Global Witness campaigning group.
Deforestation in South America, Africa and Asia is driven mainly by agricultural expansion.
Quoting data from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the EU Parliament said that some 420 million hectares of forest were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. This is an area larger than the EU.
The European Commission, which proposes EU laws and supervises the way they are enacted, suggested last year that the legislation covered soy, cattle, palm oil, wood, cocoa and coffee.
Under the position adopted Tuesday, lawmakers also want to include pig meat, sheep and goats, poultry, maize and rubber, as well as charcoal and printed paper products.
“MEPs also want companies to verify that goods are produced in accordance with human rights provisions in international law and respect the rights of indigenous people,” the Parliament said.
Environmental group Greenpeace praised the result of the vote.
“Nobody wants to worry that their weekly shop might be linked to death and destruction – the vote today is a big step towards breaking that link," said Greenpeace EU forest campaigner Sini Eräjää.
At the U.N.'s climate conference, COP26, last year, over 100 nations representing more than 85% of the world’s forests pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Among them were several countries with massive forests, including Brazil, China, Colombia, Congo, Indonesia, Russia and the United States.
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By SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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(NewsNation) — A simple blood test can help screen for cancers, in most cases detecting the disease before any clear symptoms develop, according to a new study.
The results of the Pathfinder study from health care company GRAIL show the possibilities of what’s called multi-cancer early detection screening, which finds cancers in early stages.
“The PATHFINDER study is an exciting first step towards fundamental change in the approach to cancer screening. The study demonstrated the feasibility of this paradigm and solid test performance,” said Deb Schrag, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
“Although continued public health efforts to optimize adherence to existing screening strategies that have been proven effective are critical, this study provides a glimpse of what the future may hold — the opportunity for screening using blood tests to detect various types of cancers at their earliest and most treatable stages.”
The study included 6,662 participants aged 50 years or older whose blood was tested to look for what GRAIL calls cancer signals, which were found in 92 participants. Of those, 35 were diagnosed with 36 cancers. Cancer cells send out signals to regulate growth or initiate apoptosis (the death of cells), according to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
“When added to standard-of-care screening, MCED testing more than doubled the number of cancers detected compared to standard screening alone,” said Jeffrey Venstrom, MD, chief medical officer at GRAIL.
Known as the Galleri test, the blood draw has been hailed as a “game changer” by the National Health Service in England, which is conducting a trial of its own.
The blood test can also identify where in the body the cancer is likely to have originated, which can help doctors confirm a diagnosis more quickly. The Pathfinder study was the first time Galleri test results were returned to health care providers to help them with follow-up diagnostic work.
Among the confirmed cancers diagnosed in the study, 71% were cancer types that currently do not have a routine screening test, and nearly half were in either Stage I or Stage II. Less than 1% of study participants received a false positive.
The results of the study were presented this past weekend at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Paris. GRAIL is currently enrolling for its Pathfinder 2 study, which will follow participants over three years.
“This study was a prelude to a larger study. We needed to see how physicians would approach workup, what diagnostic odysseys we’d send patients down, and whether they’d be upset,” Schrag said at the Paris conference, as reported by Cancer Network. “People were a little anxious, but it was manageable, and it was transient. People understood the ramifications of this test, and they were a little anxious, but they managed very well.” | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/study-blood-test-can-id-cancers-without-clear-symptoms/ | 2022-09-13T17:59:02Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/study-blood-test-can-id-cancers-without-clear-symptoms/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(CN) — The Department of Justice said it will support one of the special master candidates proposed by former President Donald Trump in the probe of his document retention that inspired an FBI raid last month.
In a court filing on Monday night, the government told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that it would not be opposed to the former president’s special master candidate Raymond Dearie, a former chief federal judge for the Eastern District of New York who is semi-retired with senior status at the Brooklyn federal court.
“Previous federal judicial experience and engagement in relevant areas of law are important qualifications for this position,” the government said, noting that Dearie has presided over federal criminal and civil cases, including cases involving national security and privilege concerns.
If Judge Cannon agrees with the government and Trump’s proposed candidate, Dearie will serve as a neutral third party tasked with reviewing the thousands of documents seized during the FBI’s Aug. 8 raid on Trump’s estate to make sure personal items and any records protected by attorney-client privilege or executive privilege are returned.
Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee, granted the former president’s motion for judicial oversight last Monday, giving the government and Trump’s legal team until the end of the week to file a list of people with high-level security clearance who could do the job.
The government said Trump’s other candidate, Paul Huck Jr., a former deputy attorney general for Florida who currently runs a private practice there, does not “appear to have similar experience.”
Cannon’s order allows the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to keep using all of the more than 11,000 seized documents for its classification review and national security risk assessment but otherwise blocks the Department of Justice and FBI from using them in its criminal investigation. The department quickly informed the 11th Circuit of its plans to appeal that judgment while also filing a 21-page motion with the Trump-appointed Cannon for a partial stay of her order, requesting to use the roughly 100 documents identified as classified by the government in its criminal investigation while the appeal plays out in court.
Trump's legal team meanwhile said in a supplemental filing on Monday that they oppose the government's two special master candidates: former federal judges Thomas Griffith and Barbara Jones.
Griffith served on the D.C. Circuit from 2005 to 2020, and Jones was a special master in cases involving former Trump attorneys Michael Cohen and Rudy Giuliani.
The former president’s attorneys stopped short of providing any reasoning behind their opposition and asked that, if ordered to provide further explanation, that the filing not be made public.
“It is more respectful to the candidates from either party” that the reasons stay secret, according to the government, because the pleading "is likely to be widely circulated."
"Such information could then be provided in camera or pursuant to whatever procedure the Court deems most efficient and appropriate," Trump’s counsel wrote.
In earlier court filings, Trump's lawyers said that they want the special master to be given three months to review the documents and to split the associated costs with the government. But the government said it wants the special master to finish the review by Oct. 17 and for Trump to foot the bill since he brought the lawsuit.
The government said in a footnote in Monday’s filing that its three candidates, all retired federal judges, all have staff on hand who can help ensure the special master review is completed under its proposed timeline.
Trump is under investigation for removing government records from the White House at the end of his single term as president on Jan. 20, 2021, and storing them at his 12-acre estate in West Palm Beach.
The FBI raided the Mar-a-Lago compound on Aug. 8 and seized 20 boxes of documents, including 11 sets of classified documents, according to records unsealed by the court last month. Among the more than 11,000 seized files were the grant of clemency to the former president's close ally Roger Stone, binders of photos and what is described as “info re: President of France.”
The former president brought the motion for judicial oversight of the government’s review of the seized materials last month.
Cannon, 41, served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Florida before Trump nominated her to the federal bench in 2020. The Senate confirmed her appointment in a 56-21 vote.
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BERLIN (AP) — A man in Germany was convicted of murder and given a life sentence Tuesday for fatally shooting a gas station clerk following a dispute over face masks.
The September 2021 killing in the western town of Idar-Oberstein shocked the country. The defendant also was convicted of illegal weapons possession because he didn’t have a license for the gun used in the killing, German news agency dpa reported.
Authorities have said the 50-year-old man told officers he acted “out of anger” while trying to buy beer at the gas station after the 20-year-old clerk refused to serve him without a mask.
At the time, Germany required mask use in stores to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Police said the suspect, a German citizen identified in local media as Mario N., left the gas station after the dispute but returned a half-hour later and shot the clerk in the head.
He initially fled the scene but turned himself in after police launched a large-scale manhunt.
The state court in Bad Kreuznach found the defendant's radical right-wing stance and his enmity toward the state were the main motives for the killing, dpa reported.
It said the defendant viewed the clerk as a representative of the state and its coronavirus policy, and decided to “make an example” of him after he insisted on the mask mandate.
Defense lawyers in the trial, which lasted six months, had sought a conviction for manslaughter. They argued that there were limits to how far the suspect, who according to an expert was intoxicated when the fatal gunshot was inflicted, could be held criminally responsible for his actions.
Prosecutors had called for the court to find the defendant “seriously culpable,” which would have effectively barred him from early release after 15 years, which is typical for people in Germany given life sentences. Judges didn't do so.
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Democratic lawmakers intent on making sure that unprecedented efforts by the Trump administration to politicize the 2020 census never happen again are moving forward with plans for safeguards they say will help the U.S. head count stay free of future interference.
Democratic House members are preparing this week to send legislation to the House floor that would put in place roadblocks against political meddling in the U.S. census, which determines political power and federal funding.
The House legislation getting a hearing this week in front of the Committee on Rules would require new questions on a census form to be vetted by Congress and mandate that a U.S. Census Bureau director couldn’t be fired without cause. The proposed legislation vests the Census Bureau director with all technical, operational and statistical decisions and says a deputy director has to be a career staffer with experience in demographics, statistics or related fields. If approved by the committee, it will be sent to the House floor for a vote later this week.
The legislation’s goals overlap with recommendations made Tuesday by the Brennan Center for Justice that would limit interference from the executive branch and increase congressional oversight of the census. The think tank, which opposed the Trump administration’s efforts to end the U.S. head count early, recommends making the U.S. Census Bureau more independent.
The once-a-decade census determines how many congressional seats each state gets and the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year. Its results are used for redrawing political districts. The 2020 census was one of the most challenging in recent memory not only because of the attempts at political interference but also because of the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
In the years leading up to the 2020 census, the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to add a citizenship question to the census questionnaire, a move that advocates feared would scare off Hispanics and immigrants from participating, whether they were in the country legally or not. The Supreme Court blocked the question.
The Trump administration also unsuccessfully tried to get the Census Bureau to exclude people in the country illegally from population figures used for divvying up congressional seats among the states, also called the apportionment numbers.
Critics claimed the citizenship question was inspired by a Republican redistricting expert who believed using citizen voting-age population instead of the total population for the purpose of redrawing of congressional and legislative districts could be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.
“Existing law leaves too much room for political actors to override the best statistical science and manipulate the census,” the Brennan Center report said.
The Brennan Center was among several groups and local governments that sued in 2020 to prevent the Trump administration from ending door-knocking operations a month earlier than planned under a revised schedule put out by the Census Bureau in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics feared the Trump administration wanted to end data collection and processing early to make sure President Donald Trump was still in office during the release of apportionment figures. The apportionment numbers were released in April 2021, four months after President Joe Biden took office and Trump left.
The Brennan Center report recommends making the Census Bureau entirely independent of the Commerce Department and giving the Census Bureau director, rather than political appointees at Commerce, final decision-making power over the census. The current director, Robert Santos, was appointed by Biden.
“Pulling the Census Bureau out from under the Commerce Department would be a major first step toward insulating the bureau against executive interference,” the report said.
The Brennan Center also recommends a change that’s not in the House legislation — creating permanent House and Senate committees or subcommittees dedicated to keeping track of the census. The current congressional committees that provide oversight have broad portfolios and can’t dedicate the time needed on the census, according to the report.
Even though many of the Trump administration’s political efforts ultimately failed, some advocates believe they did have an impact, with significantly larger undercounts of most racial and ethnic minorities in the 2020 census compared to the 2010 census.
The Black population in the 2020 census had a net undercount of 3.3%, while it was almost 5% for Hispanics and 5.6% for American Indians and Native Alaskans living on reservations. Those identifying as some other race had a net undercount of 4.3%.
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (CN) — During closing statements on Tuesday, prosecutors asked a special tribunal to hand down a 35-year prison sentence for a former separatist commander accused of torture and murder during the Kosovo War.
Prosecutors at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague argued former Kosovo Liberation Army commander Salih Mustafa deserved the lengthy sentence because of the gravity of the crimes and his lack of remorse.
“They were beaten with hatchets and iron police batons, they were stabbed with knives, they were even electrocuted,” Specialist Prosecutor Jack Smith said of the treatment of prisoners at the Zllash detention compound, an area just south of the country’s capital Pristina. Mustafa commanded the unit operating in the area.
The 50-year-old defendant wore a grey suit while attending the hearing via video link. He has denied the charges against him, calling the court a “Gestapo office” during the opening of the trial in 2021.
According to witnesses, most of whom testified anonymously, Mustafa ordered his men to arrest and torture fellow Kosovar Albanians he suspected of collaborating with Serbian forces. Those detained in the compound's agricultural building were refused food and medical treatment, kept in filthy conditions and beaten.
“You were just waiting for death, when it will come. Today, tomorrow, you were waiting for you to be killed,” one witness said.
The tribunal, established in 2015, is part of Kosovo’s justice system but has an international staff and is located, along with many international courts, in the Netherlands. Many feared the justice system in the southeastern European country was insufficient to try crimes that occurred during the war, in part because Kosovo politics is still dominated by those active in the conflict.
“This is a Kosovo court, created by the will of the Kosovo people,” Smith told the three-judge panel.
The proceedings have been controversial because the Kosovo Liberation Army was repelling invading Serbian forces that wanted Kosovo to remain part of Serbia following the break up of Yugoslavia. Several Serbians were prosecuted at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, a United Nations-backed court to deal with several conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s.
Prosecutors have also indicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli and five others for crimes that include murder, enforced disappearances, persecution and torture.
Mustafa was the first defendant to appear before the court, but the tribunal has already convicted two others for witness tampering and intimidation. Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, two leaders of a war veterans’ association, were the first to be found guilty when they were sentenced in May to 4 1/2 years in prison and fined 100 euros ($102) each. The pair revealed privileged material, including the personal details of protected witnesses in war crimes investigation, during a series of press conferences in 2020 after someone leaked records from the court.
Closing arguments will continue on Wednesday with submissions from the lawyers for the victims and then the defense.
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A judge on Tuesday postponed the arraignment of an elected official accused of killing a Las Vegas investigative reporter who authorities say clawed and fought for his life when he was attacked outside his home.
Robert Telles stood in shackles in a Las Vegas courtroom as his lawyer requested the delay. Prosecutors did not oppose the request, and the judge rescheduled the hearing for Sept. 20.
Outside of court after the hearing, defense attorney Travis Shetler said he wanted more time to prepare.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson noted that Telles would remain jailed without bail.
Telles, whose forearms were bandaged beneath his handcuffs, had been scheduled to be formally charged with murder in the Sept. 2 killing of 69-year-old Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German. Telles did not speak during the brief court appearance.
In a criminal complaint filed Monday, prosecutors accuse Telles of “lying in wait” for German, who was stabbed seven times. His body was found the next morning.
Telles, 45, the Clark County public administrator and a Democrat, was arrested Sept. 7 after police issued a plea for public help to identify a person seen on security video wearing an orange work shirt and a wide-brim straw hat toting a shoulder bag and walking toward German’s home.
Police also released images of a distinctive SUV seen on video near German’s home, driven by a person wearing an orange shirt.
A Review-Journal photographer snapped photos Sept. 6 of Telles washing the same type of vehicle in his driveway.
A prosecutor told a judge last Thursday that Telles left his own cellphone at home and waited in a vehicle outside German’s home until the attack. It was characterized as a planned response to articles that German wrote about “turmoil and internal dissension” in the county office that handles the property of people who die without a will or family contacts.
After articles appeared in May airing claims of administrative bullying, favoritism and Telles’ relationship with a subordinate staffer, Telles lost his bid for reelection in the June primary. County lawmakers also appointed a consultant to address complaints about leadership in the office.
Telles blamed “old-timers” for exaggerating his relationship with a female staffer and falsely claiming that he mistreated them.
German, a 40-year veteran Las Vegas journalist who was widely respected for his tenacity, was working on follow-up reports about Telles and the public administrator’s office when he died, his colleagues said.
“The published articles regarding a public figure, the public administrator’s office, ruined (Telles’) political career, likely his marriage, and this was him lashing out at the cause,” Chief Deputy Clark County District Attorney Richard Scow told a judge last week.
That judge, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Elana Lee Graham, called the police report detailing the attack “chilling.” She spoke of apparent defensive wounds on German’s arms and said DNA believed to be from Telles was found under German’s fingernails.
“He was fighting for his life,” Graham said.
Wolfson has called German’s death “brutal and meaningless” and said a decision whether to seek the death penalty will be made in the coming months.
Police said a search warrant turned up items at Telles’ home including blood-stained shoes and a straw hat that had been cut up. Authorities said they did not immediately find the weapon used to kill German.
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, a Republican running for governor in November, said investigators were attempting to enhance security video that he described as “distorted” but that might show the attack.
German joined the Review-Journal in 2010 after more than two decades at the Las Vegas Sun, where he was a columnist and reporter covering courts, politics, labor, government and organized crime.
Telles was a lawyer who practiced probate and estate law before he was elected public administrator in 2018, replacing a three-term predecessor.
Telles’ term in office expires Dec. 31, but Clark County officials said he is suspended and has been banned from county offices or property pending a review of his position as an elected official. | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/ap-elected-official-facing-murder-charge-in-journalist-slaying/ | 2022-09-13T17:59:21Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national/ap-elected-official-facing-murder-charge-in-journalist-slaying/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MANHATTAN (CN) — The criminal fraud trial of the billionaire founder of electric truck maker Nikola kicked off Tuesday in New York City.
“This is Trevor Milton and he committed fraud,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos told jurors at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse on Tuesday morning.
Milton, the founder of Nikola Corp., was indicted in the Southern District of New York in July 2021 on two counts of securities fraud and two counts of wire fraud, which alleged he stoked an investor frenzy for his startup company with bogus claims about its ability to produce trucks that run on electricity or hydrogen fuel cells.
The 40-year-old faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted of the most serious count.
“He repeatedly lied to investors about his company and he made a billion dollars by doing so,” Roos said during the prosecution’s 21-minute opening summation argument. “He said the trucks worked when they didn’t, he said they were making fuel when they weren’t. He said he had secured millions of dollars in contracts when they hadn’t.”
Nikola shares reached a price of close to $66 when it went public in June of 2020, briefly giving the company a market valuation that exceeded some major, established automakers. The stock now trades at under $5.50 per share.
The company’s stock price later crashed and many Nikola investors suffered heavy losses in 2020 after reports emerged questioning Milton’s rosy claims about the company’s ability to produce cutting-edge vehicles.
New York prosecutors brought their 2021 indictment nearly a year after Hindenburg Research issued a report that said Nikola’s success was “an intricate fraud.” Documenting the "ocean of lies” supporting that narrative, the report pointed to a video Milton released that showed a Nikola prototype of a semi-truck rolling downhill to give the impression it was cruising on a highway. On the side of a vehicle powered by natural gas, the video showed the words “hydrogen electric” stenciled on.
Prosecutors told jurors Tuesday that in reality, the prototype was not operational and had to be towed up a hill, then rolled down for the commercial. “He did it to make his company seem more successful than it was,” Roos said. “He lied to dupe innocent investors into buying his company’s stock. Stock prices go up, all so he could profit big time.”
“On the backs of the innocent investors taken by his lies, he became a billionaire virtually overnight,” Roos told jurors as the trial opened.
In the wake of the Hindenburg Research report, Milton voluntarily stepped down as executive chairman of Nikola and a member of its board in September 2020.
With their first witness on the stand, prosecutors showed jurors the promotional video, which included Milton telling investors: "You're going to see that this a real truck, this is not a pusher."
The witness, Paul Lackey, testified the truck was not operational and, indeed, needed to be pushed.
Milton, who founded Nikola in 2015 pleaded not guilty, and has been free on $100 million bail since his July 2021 arraignment.
When it was their turn, his defense lawyers called the government’s case “a grotesque distortion” of the truth.
The defense team argued that Milton had a good faith belief that he was being truthful and accurate when he made public statements about Nikola, and he had no intention of deceiving anyone about the company’s trucks or technology.
“The truth is that all of the facts were fully and accurately disclosed to anyone that wanted to invest in Nikola,” Marc Mukasey said during the defense’s 28-minute opening. “And the people who bought Nikola stock got exactly what they bargained for.”
Mukasey rebutted prosecutors’ reliance on the video that showed a truck rolling downhill to give the impression it was cruising on a highway, telling jurors that the footage was a promotional video that was made “way before Nikola went public,” and by the time public investors could buy Nikola stock, the company did have a working prototype. “As far as I know, it’s not a federal crime to use special effects in a car commercial,” he added.
Mukasey has also represented former President Donald Trump, accused war criminal Eddie Gallagher, and Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Mukasey is joined on Milton’s defense team by his Mukasey Frenchman colleague Kenneth Caruso and Bradley Bondi of Cahill Gordon & Reindel.
Nikola paid out $125 million last year to settle a civil case against it by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company did not admit to any wrongdoing in reaching that agreement.
The company continues to operate from a headquarters in Arizona. It has begun delivering some vehicles to customers and says it has been ramping up toward a capacity of making thousands of trucks per year.
The jury was sworn in Monday afternoon.
The case is being presided over by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, an Obama appointee.
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/securities-fraud-trial-begins-for-former-nikola-ceo/ | 2022-09-13T17:59:26Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/securities-fraud-trial-begins-for-former-nikola-ceo/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
It's a First Amendment fight for the modern ages: the right to free speech versus the pursuit of justice, and the stakes are often someone's freedom. In courtrooms across the country, prosecutors are going after rappers using the artists' lyrics against them.
While not a recent development in the law, the issue has entered the spotlight with the arrests of rappers Young Thug and Gunna in Georgia on charges of violating the state's RICO Act. Prosecutors allege the high-profile artists directly engaged in criminal activity ranging from drug-related to murder as members of the gang Young Slime Life, and cite some of their rap lyrics as evidence to support the claims.
Where do protections for the right to freedom of speech end under the First Amendment? Why do rap music and Black artists seem to be the target of these prosecutions when artists in other genres tell similar tales of crime and violence? We dive into this and more in our 10th episode in this season of Sidebar.
Special guests:
- Roqy Tyraid, hip-hop artist and member of the ACLU of Arizona’s Board of Directors
- Clay Calvert, law professor at the University of Florida
- Margaret Russell, law professor at Santa Clara University School of Law
- Walter Olson, senior fellow at the Cato Institute
- Charis Kubrin, professor of criminology, law and society at the University of California, Irvine
- Adam Dunbar, professor at the University of Nevada, Reno
- J. Christopher Hamilton, assistant professor at the Newhouse School for Public Communications at Syracuse University
Sidebar tackles the top stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Hillel Aron, Daniel Jackson, Amanda Pampuro and Nina Pullano as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down developments to help you understand how they affect your day-to-day life.
This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Intro music by The Dead Pens. A transcript of this episode is available.
Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross.
For more on rap as evidence:
-- First Amendment advocates slam use of rap lyrics as evidence
-- Maryland appeals court allows rap lyrics to be used in murder trial
-- Experts decry increasing use of rap lyrics in criminal trials
Read the Top 8
Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday. | https://www.courthousenews.com/sidebar-season-two-ep-10-rap-lyrics-criminal-prosecutions-and-the-first-amendment/ | 2022-09-13T17:59:34Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/sidebar-season-two-ep-10-rap-lyrics-criminal-prosecutions-and-the-first-amendment/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sitting on top of more than $115 million across several political committees, Donald Trump has positioned himself as a uniquely indomitable force in the GOP who would almost certainly have the resources to swamp his rivals if he launched another presidential campaign.
But that massive pile of money is also emerging as a potential vulnerability. His chief fundraising vehicle, Save America PAC, is under new legal scrutiny after the Justice Department issued a round of grand jury subpoenas that sought information about the political action committee's fundraising practices.
The scope of the probe is unclear. Grand jury subpoenas and search warrants issued by the Justice Department in recent days were related to numerous topics, including Trump's PAC, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. The subpoenas seek records as well as testimony and ask at least some of the recipients about their knowledge of efforts to engage in election fraud, according to one of the people.
The subpoenas also ask for records of communication with Trump-allied lawyers who supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and plotted to line up fake electors in battleground states. A particular area of focus appears to be on the “Save America Rally” that preceded the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the person said.
The investigation is one of several criminal probes Trump currently faces, including scrutiny of how documents with classified markings wound up at the former president's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Regardless of Save America's ultimate role in the investigations, the flurry of developments has drawn attention to the PAC's management, how it has raised money and where those funds have been directed.
Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich slammed the subpoenas, saying a “weaponized and politicized Justice Department” was “casting a blind net to intimidate and silence Republicans who are fighting for his America First agenda.” Representatives for the Justice Department have declined to comment.
While Trump has more than $115 million held across various committees, the vast majority of it is stored at Save America. The PAC ended July with more than $99 million cash-on-hand, according to fundraising records — more than the Republican and Democratic national campaign committees combined.
Trump has continued to shovel up small-dollar donations in the months since, frustrating other Republicans who have been struggling to raise money ahead of the November midterm elections.
Save America is set up as a “leadership PAC” designed to allow political figures to fundraise for other campaigns. But the groups are often used by would-be candidates to fund political travel, polling and staff as they “test the waters" ahead of potential presidential runs. The accounts can also be used to contribute money to other candidates and party organizations, helping would-be candidates build political capital.
Much of the money Trump has amassed was raised in the days and weeks after the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. That’s when Trump supporters were bombarded with a nonstop stream of emails and texts, many containing all-caps lettering and blatant lies about a stolen 2020 election, soliciting cash for an “election defense fund.”
But no such fund ever existed. Instead, Trump has dedicated the money to other uses. He's financed dozens of rallies, paid staff and used the money to travel as he's teased an expected 2024 presidential run.
Other expenses have been more unusual. There was the $1 million donated last year to the Conservative Partnership Institute, a nonprofit that employs Cleta Mitchell and former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, both of whom encouraged Trump’s failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election. | https://www.courthousenews.com/trumps-pac-faces-scrutiny-amid-intensifying-legal-probes/ | 2022-09-13T17:59:41Z | courthousenews.com | control | https://www.courthousenews.com/trumps-pac-faces-scrutiny-amid-intensifying-legal-probes/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PITTSBURGH (AP)Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt will miss Sunday’s game against New England with a left pectoral injury.
Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday the NFL Defensive Player of the Year won’t play against the Patriots, but indicated the nature of the injury isn’t as bad as initially feared.
Watt sustained the injury late in the fourth quarter of a 23-20 overtime victory over Cincinnati.
There were initial concerns that Watt could be out an extended period. Tomlin said the team is not in a rush to decide whether Watt should be placed on injured reserve and that Watt is getting second and third opinions on the injury.
Watt picked up a sack and had an interception in the opener, picking up right where he left off in 2021 when he tied an NFL record with 22 1/2 sacks.
The Steelers will turn to newcomers Malik Reed and Jamir Jones to fill in. Reed arrived in a trade with Denver on Aug. 31. The Steelers claimed Jones – who played with them briefly in 2021 before being cut – off waivers on Sept. 1.
—
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/steelers-star-tj-watt-out-at-least-1-game-with-pec-injury/ | 2022-09-13T18:00:21Z | siouxlandproud.com | control | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/nfl/steelers-star-tj-watt-out-at-least-1-game-with-pec-injury/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Boy, 14, reported missing from West Lawn
CHICAGO - Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 14-year-old boy who was reported missing from West Lawn on Chicago's South Side.
David Davis, 14, was last seen Sunday in the 6700 block of South Springfield Avenue, according to a CPD missing person alert.
Davis was described as 5-foot-4, 110 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
He may be in need of medical attention, police said.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Area One detectives at (312) 747-8380. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/boy-14-reported-missing-from-west-lawn | 2022-09-13T18:05:05Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/boy-14-reported-missing-from-west-lawn | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Mark David Chapman, John Lennon's killer, denied parole again
ALBANY, N.Y. - The man who shot and killed John Lennon outside his Manhattan apartment building in 1980 has been denied parole for a 12th time, New York corrections officials said Monday.
Mark David Chapman, 67, appeared before a parole board at the end of August, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Chapman shot and killed Lennon on the night of Dec. 8, 1980, as Lennon and Yoko Ono were returning to their Upper West Side apartment. Lennon had signed an autograph for Chapman on a copy of his recently released album, "Double Fantasy," earlier that day.
State officials have yet to make transcripts of Chapman's latest board interview available, but he has repeatedly expressed remorse in previous parole hearings. Chapman called his actions "despicable" during his hearing in 2020, and said he would have "no complaint whatsoever" if they chose to leave him in prison for the rest of his life.
"I assassinated him ... because he was very, very, very famous and that's the only reason and I was very, very, very, very much seeking self-glory. Very selfish," Chapman said then.
Chapman is serving a 20-years-to-life sentence at Green Haven Correctional Facility, north of New York City, according to online state corrections records.
He is next due to appear before the parole board in February 2024. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/john-lennon-killer-mark-david-chapman-denied-parole | 2022-09-13T18:05:29Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/john-lennon-killer-mark-david-chapman-denied-parole | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
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