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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Gulfport Energy Corp. (GPOR) on Tuesday reported a first-quarter loss of $492 million, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.
The Oklahoma City-based company said it had a loss of $23.23 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were $6.15 per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $5.41 per share.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on GPOR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/GPOR | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Gulfport-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17145801.php | 2022-05-03T23:49:36Z | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Gulfport-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17145801.php | false |
Where are the Baylor coaches?
It's the May evaluation period. We keep you up to date on where the Baylor coaches have been and where they could be going.
It's the May evaluation period. We keep you up to date on where the Baylor coaches have been and where they could be going. | https://baylor.rivals.com/news/where-are-the-baylor-coaches--5 | 2022-05-03T23:50:15Z | https://baylor.rivals.com/news/where-are-the-baylor-coaches--5 | false |
- Earnings per share ("EPS")* was $2.08 for the first quarter of 2022, an increase of $0.12, or 6.1 percent, compared to $1.96 for the first quarter of 2021
- Quarter-over-quarter growth driven primarily by the acquisition of Diversified Energy, pipeline expansions, natural gas organic growth, regulatory initiatives and higher earnings in the Company's unregulated businesses
- Continued investment in low carbon energy sources including the successful testing of blended hydrogen with natural gas power at the Company's Combined Heat and Power ("CHP") plant and completion of our first compressed natural gas ("CNG") fueling station near the Port of Savannah, capable of distributing renewable natural gas ("RNG") for fleet vehicles
- Issued $50 million of 2.95 percent Senior Notes in support of the Company's long-term financing strategy
- Continued focus on organic growth and expansion projects as well as ESG initiatives, including renewable energy opportunities to further enhance sustainability in our local communities
DOVER, Del., May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) ("Chesapeake Utilities" or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2022.
The Company's net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 was $36.9 million, a 7.2 percent increase over the $34.5 million reported in the same quarter of 2021. Diluted EPS in the quarter was $2.08, a 6.1 percent increase compared to $1.96 reported in the same prior-year period.
Higher first quarter earnings were driven by the 2021 acquisitions of Diversified Energy Company ("Diversified Energy") and the natural gas metering station located in Escambia County, Florida (the "Escambia Meter Station") natural gas distribution and transmission pipeline expansions, regulated infrastructure programs, organic growth in the Company's natural gas businesses, as well as improved profitability in the Company's propane distribution business. Partially offsetting growth was lower propane customer consumption in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
"Despite headwinds brought on by the current inflationary environment and inconsistent weather impacts across our footprint within the quarter, Chesapeake Utilities began the year with solid earnings growth," commented Jeff Householder, president and CEO. "Our team continues to deliver positive results through our business growth and transformation initiatives, which led to higher margins and earnings in the quarter.
"We remain focused on executing our mission and providing our customers with safe, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy delivery solutions. We continue to capitalize on our organic growth initiatives, which led to year-over-year customer growth of 5.3 percent and 4.0 percent in our Delmarva and Florida service territories, respectively. Supporting that customer growth, we continue to make prudent investments in our utility systems and other projects that drive shareholder value – exemplified by this quarter's contributions from Diversified Energy, which we acquired in late 2021. Finally, we remain on track with the expansion of our renewable energy investments, with successful completion in the first quarter of our first hydrogen test and CNG fueling station which is also capable of distributing RNG for fleet vehicles. These investments, the steps we have taken to further strengthen our financial position and the unrelenting dedication of our talented employees continue to firmly position Chesapeake Utilities for long-term, sustainable success," concluded Householder.
COVID-19 Update
In March 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") declared a national emergency due to the rapidly growing outbreak of COVID-19. In response to this declaration and the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the United States, federal, state and local governments throughout the country imposed varying degrees of restrictions on social and commercial activity to promote social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. These restrictions significantly impacted economic conditions in the United States beginning in 2020 and persisted, to a lesser extent throughout 2021. Chesapeake Utilities is considered an "essential business," which allowed the Company to continue operational activities and construction projects while social distancing restrictions were in place. Previously existing states of emergency in all of the Company's service territories expired during the second and third quarters of 2021 eliminating a majority of restrictions initially implemented to slow the spread of the virus. The expiration of the states of emergency along with the settlement of the Company's limited proceeding in Florida, has concluded its ability to defer incremental pandemic related costs for consideration through the applicable regulatory process. At this time, the Company has adjusted its operating practices accordingly to ensure the safety of its operations and will take the necessary actions to comply with the CDC, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as new developments occur.
Capital Expenditures Forecast and Earnings Guidance Update
The Company reiterates its long-term capital expenditures and EPS guidance ranges. These include capital expenditures in the range of $750 million to $1 billion in 2021 through 2025 and an EPS guidance range of $6.05 to $6.25 for 2025. Additionally, the Company reiterates its capital expenditures guidance range of $175 million to $200 million for 2022. The Company continues to review its projections and remains supportive of this guidance.
*Unless otherwise noted, EPS information is presented on a diluted basis.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
**This press release including the tables herein, include references to non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") financial measures, including adjusted gross margin. A "non-GAAP financial measure" is generally defined as a numerical measure of a company's historical or future performance that includes or excludes amounts, or that is subject to adjustments, so as to be different from the most directly comparable measure calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes certain non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with GAAP financial measures, provide information that is useful to investors in understanding period-over-period operating results separate and apart from items that may, or could, have a disproportionately positive or negative impact on results in any particular period.
The Company calculates Adjusted Gross Margin by deducting the purchased cost of natural gas, propane and electricity and the cost of labor spent on direct revenue-producing activities from operating revenues. The costs included in Adjusted Gross Margin exclude depreciation and amortization and certain costs presented in operations and maintenance expenses in accordance with regulatory requirements. Adjusted Gross Margin should not be considered an alternative to Gross Margin under US GAAP which is defined as the excess of sales over cost of goods sold. The Company believes that Adjusted Gross Margin, although a non-GAAP measure, is useful and meaningful to investors as a basis for making investment decisions. It provides investors with information that demonstrates the profitability achieved by the Company under the Company's allowed rates for regulated energy operations and under the Company's competitive pricing structures for unregulated energy operations. The Company's management uses Adjusted Gross Margin as one of the financial measures in assessing a business unit's performance. Other companies may calculate Adjusted Gross Margin in a different manner.
Operating income during the first quarter of 2022 was $54.9 million, an increase of $3.3 million, or 6.3 percent, compared to the same period in 2021. Higher performance in the first quarter of 2022 was generated from propane and natural gas acquisitions completed in 2021, continued pipeline expansion projects, organic growth in our natural gas distribution businesses, incremental contributions associated with regulated infrastructure programs and increased propane margins per gallon and fees. The increase in operating income was partially offset by reduced propane consumption in the first quarter. The Company recorded higher depreciation, amortization and property taxes related to recent capital investments and operating expenses associated primarily with growth initiatives, including payroll, benefits and other employee-related expenses as well as increased vehicle expenses due to higher fuel costs.
Operating income for the Regulated Energy segment for the first quarter of 2022 was $34.7 million, an increase of $2.0 million, or 6.3 percent, over the same period in 2021. Higher operating income reflects continued pipeline expansions by Eastern Shore and Peninsula Pipeline, organic growth in the Company's natural gas distribution businesses, incremental contributions from regulated infrastructure programs, and operating results from the Escambia Meter Station acquisition completed in 2021. Operating expenses increased by $2.3 million compared to the prior year quarter primarily due to a higher level of depreciation, amortization and property taxes as well as a greater amount of costs related to payroll, benefits and other employee related expenses.
The key components of the increase in adjusted gross margin** are shown below:
The major components of the increase in other operating expenses are as follows:
Operating results for the Unregulated Energy segment for the first quarter of 2022 increased by $1.1 million, or 5.6 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
Higher operating results during the first quarter were driven by contributions from the Company's acquisition of Diversified Energy, increased propane margins including higher service fees and margin improvement from Aspire Energy of Ohio ("Aspire Energy"). These increases were partially offset by reduced consumption in our propane operations. Additionally, the Company experienced increased operating expenses associated with the acquisition of Diversified Energy as well as increased payroll, benefits and employee related expenses, depreciation, amortization and property taxes, and increased vehicle expenses due to rising fuel costs.
The major components contributing to the change in adjusted gross margin** are shown below:
The major components of the increase in other operating expenses are as follows:
Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") Initiatives
ESG initiatives are at the core of Chesapeake Utilities' well-established culture, guiding the Company's strategy and informing its ongoing business decisions. In February 2022, Chesapeake Utilities published its inaugural sustainability report. In the report, the Company outlines its ESG commitments:
- Chesapeake Utilities will be a leader in the transition to a lower carbon future.
- The Company will continue to promote a diverse and inclusive workplace and further the sustainability of the communities we serve.
- The Company's businesses will be operated with integrity and the highest ethical standards.
These commitments guide the Company's mission to deliver energy that makes life better for the people and communities it serves. They impact every aspect of the Company and the relationships it has with its stakeholders. The Company encourages its investors to review the report and welcomes feedback as it continues to enhance its ESG disclosures.
During the first quarter, some of the Company's most recent ESG advancements included:
Environmental:
- Successfully completed first test of hydrogen and natural gas blend to fuel the Company's Eight Flags CHP facility
- Opened the Company's first CNG fueling station near the Port of Savannah, capable of distributing RNG for fleet vehicles
Social:
- Named a 2022 Top Workplaces USA award recipient for mid-sized companies for the second consecutive year
- Initiated two new Employee Resource Groups within the Company
Governance:
- Increased transparency with the enhancement of our director skills matrix in the Proxy Statement distributed to shareholders in March 2022
- In April 2022, we joined governance leaders as a member of the Advisory Board for the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance
Additionally, the Company established its Environmental Sustainability Office ("ESO") and ESG Committee ("ESGC") during the first quarter of 2022. The ESO was established to identify and manage emission-reducing projects both internally, as well as and those that support the Company's customers' sustainability goals. The ESGC was established to bring together a cross-functional team of leaders across the organization to identify, assess, execute and advance the Company's strategic ESG initiatives. The Company looks forward to highlighting the progress of these initiatives in future sustainability reports.
Forward-Looking Statements
Matters included in this release may include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements in the Company's 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2022, for further information on the risks and uncertainties related to the Company's forward-looking statements.
Conference Call
Chesapeake Utilities will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022. To participate in this call, dial 877.224.1468 and reference Chesapeake Utilities' 2022 First Quarter Results Conference Call. To access the replay recording of this call, the accompanying transcript, and other pertinent quarterly information, use the link CPK - Conference Call Audio Replay, or visit the Investors/Events and Presentations section of the Company's website at www.chpk.com.
About Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy delivery company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation offer sustainable energy solutions through its natural gas transmission and distribution, electricity generation and distribution, propane gas distribution, mobile compressed natural gas utility services and solutions, and other businesses. For more information, visit www.chpk.com.
Please note that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is not affiliated with Chesapeake Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
For more information, contact:
Beth W. Cooper
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Corporate Secretary
302.734.6799
Michael Galtman
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
302.217.7036
Alex Whitelam
Head of Investor Relations
215.872.2507
Recently Completed and Ongoing Major Projects and Initiatives
The Company constantly pursues and develops additional projects and initiatives to serve existing and new customers, and to further grow its businesses and earnings, with the intention to increase shareholder value. The following table includes the major projects/initiatives recently completed and currently underway. Major projects and initiatives that have generated consistent year-over-year margin contributions are removed from the table. In the future, the Company will add new projects and initiatives to this table once negotiations are substantially final and the associated earnings can be estimated.
Detailed Discussion of Major Projects and Initiatives
Pipeline Expansions
West Palm Beach County, Florida Expansion
Peninsula Pipeline is constructing four transmission lines to bring additional natural gas to our distribution system in West Palm Beach, Florida. The first phase of this project was placed into service in December 2018 with multiple phases placed into service leading up to the project's final completion in the fourth quarter of 2021. The project generated incremental adjusted gross margin of $0.1 million during the first quarter 2022 compared to the first quarter 2021. The Company estimates that the project will generate annual adjusted gross margin of $5.2 million in 2022 and beyond.
Del-Mar Energy Pathway
In December 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued an order approving the construction of the Del-Mar Energy Pathway project. The project was placed into service in the fourth quarter of 2021. The new facilities: (i) include an additional 14,300 Dts/d of firm service to four customers, (ii) provide additional natural gas transmission pipeline infrastructure in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, and (iii) represent the first extension of Eastern Shore's pipeline system into Somerset County, Maryland. Including interim services in advance of completion, the project generated additional adjusted gross margin of $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The estimated annual adjusted gross margin from this project, including natural gas distribution service in Somerset County, Maryland, is approximately $7.0 million in 2022 and growing each year thereafter, as the distribution system serving Somerset County further expands to meet demand.
Guernsey Power Station
The Company's subsidiary, Aspire Energy Express, LLC ("Aspire Energy Express") and unrelated party Guernsey Power Station, LLC ("Guernsey Power Station"), entered into a precedent agreement for firm transportation capacity whereby Guernsey Power Station will construct a power generation facility and Aspire Energy Express will provide firm natural gas transportation service to this facility. Guernsey Power Station commenced construction of the project in October 2019. Aspire Energy Express completed construction of the gas transmission facilities in the fourth quarter of 2021. This project added $0.2 million of adjusted gross margin in the first quarter and is expected to produce adjusted gross margin of approximately $1.4 million in 2022 and $1.5 million in 2023 and beyond.
Southern Expansion
Pending FERC authorization, Eastern Shore plans to install a new natural gas driven compressor skid unit at its existing Bridgeville, Delaware compressor station that will provide 7,300 Dts of incremental firm transportation pipeline capacity. The project is currently estimated to go into service in the fourth quarter of 2022. Eastern Shore expects the Southern Expansion project to generate annual adjusted gross margin of $0.4 million in 2022 and $2.3 million in 2023 and thereafter.
Winter Haven Expansion
In May 2021, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with our Central Florida Gas Division ("CFG") for an incremental 6,800 Dts/d of firm service in the Winter Haven, Florida area. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline will construct a new interconnect with FGT and a new regulator station for CFG. The additional firm service will be used to support new incremental load due to growth in the area, including providing service, most immediately, to a new can manufacturing facility, as well as reliability and operational benefits to CFG's existing distribution system in the area. In connection with Peninsula Pipeline's new regulator station, CFG is also extending its distribution system to connect to the new station. The Company expects this expansion to generate additional adjusted gross margin of $0.4 million in 2022 and $1.0 million in 2023 and thereafter.
Beachside Pipeline Extension
In June 2021, Peninsula Pipeline and Florida City Gas entered into a Transportation Service Agreement for an incremental 10,176 Dts/d of firm service in Indian River County, Florida, to support Florida City Gas' growth along the Indian River's barrier island. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline will construct approximately 11.3 miles of pipeline from its existing pipeline in the Sebastian, Florida, area east under the Intercoastal Waterway and southward on the barrier island. The Company expects this extension to generate additional annual adjusted gross margin of $1.8 million in 2023 and $2.5 million thereafter.
North Ocean City Connector
Pending receipt of the remaining permits, the Company expects to begin construction in the second quarter of 2022 of an extension of service into North Ocean City, Maryland. The Company's Delaware Division and Sandpiper Energy plan to install approximately 5.7 miles of pipeline across southern Sussex County, Delaware to Fenwick Island, Delaware and Worcester County, Maryland. The project will produce additional capacity to serve new customers and reinforce our existing system in Ocean City, Maryland. The Company expects this expansion to generate additional annual adjusted gross margin of $0.4 million in 2023 and beyond.
Virtual Pipeline Solutions (CNG, RNG & LNG)
Marlin Gas Services provides CNG RNG and liquefied natural gas ("LNG") temporary hold services, contracted pipeline integrity services, emergency services for damaged pipelines and specialized gas services for customers who have unique requirements. For the quarter ended March 31, 2022, Marlin Gas Services generated additional adjusted gross margin of $0.1 million compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2021. The Company estimates that Marlin Gas Services will generate annual adjusted gross margin of approximately $8.5 million in 2022, and $9.5 million in 2023, with potential for additional growth in future years. Marlin Gas Services continues to actively expand the territories it serves, as well as leverage its patented technology to serve other markets, including pursuing liquefied natural gas transportation opportunities and renewable natural gas transportation opportunities from diverse supply sources to various pipeline interconnection points, as further outlined below.
RNG Infrastructure
Noble Road Landfill RNG Project
In October 2021, Aspire Energy completed construction of its Noble Road Landfill RNG pipeline project, a 33.1-mile pipeline, which transports RNG generated from the Noble Road landfill to Aspire Energy's pipeline system, displacing conventionally produced natural gas. In conjunction with this expansion, Aspire Energy also upgraded an existing compressor station and installed two new metering and regulation sites. The RNG volume is expected to represent nearly 10 percent of Aspire Energy's gas gathering volumes.
Bioenergy DevCo
In June 2020, the Company's Delmarva natural gas operations and Bioenergy DevCo ("BDC"), a developer of anaerobic digestion facilities that create renewable energy and healthy soil products from organic material, entered into an agreement related to a project to extract RNG from poultry production waste. BDC and the Company's affiliates are collaborating on this project in addition to several other project sites where organic waste can be converted into a carbon-negative energy source.
Marlin Gas Services will transport the RNG source created from the organic waste from the BDC facility to an Eastern Shore interconnection, where the sustainable fuel will be introduced into the Company's transmission system and ultimately distributed to its natural gas customers.
CleanBay Project
In July 2020, the Company and CleanBay Renewables Inc. ("CleanBay") announced a new partnership to bring RNG to the Company's Delmarva natural gas operations. As part of this partnership, the Company will transport the RNG produced at CleanBay's planned Westover, Maryland bio-refinery, to the Company's natural gas infrastructure in the Delmarva Peninsula region. Eastern Shore and Marlin Gas Services, will transport the RNG from CleanBay to the Company's Delmarva natural gas distribution system where it is ultimately delivered to the Delmarva natural gas distribution end use customers.
At the present time, the Company expects to generate adjusted gross margin of $1.0 million in 2022 and beyond from renewable natural gas transportation. As the Company continues to finalize contract terms associated with some of these projects, additional information will be provided regarding incremental margin at a future time.
Acquisitions
Diversified Energy
On December 15, 2021, the Company's subsidiary, Sharp Energy, Inc. ("Sharp Energy") acquired the propane operating assets of Diversified Energy for approximately $37.5 million net of cash acquired. There are multiple strategic benefits to this acquisition including it: (i) expands the Company's propane territory into North Carolina and South Carolina while also expanding our existing footprint in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and (ii) includes an established customer base with opportunities for future growth. Through this acquisition, the Company added approximately 19,000 residential, commercial and agricultural customers, along with distribution of approximately 10.0 million gallons of propane annually. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, Diversified Energy contributed $4.0 million in adjusted gross margin and is expected to generate $11.3 million of additional adjusted gross margin in 2022 and $12.0 million in 2023.
Escambia Meter Station
In June 2021, Peninsula Pipeline purchased the Escambia Meter Station from Florida Power and Light and entered into a Transportation Service Agreement with Gulf Power Company to provide up to 530,000 Dts/d of firm service from an interconnect with FGT to Florida Power & Light's Crist Lateral pipeline. The Florida Power & Light Crist Lateral provides gas supply to their natural gas fired power plant owned by Florida Power & Light in Pensacola, Florida. The Company generated $0.3 million in additional adjusted gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and estimates that this acquisition will generate adjusted gross margin of approximately $1.0 million in 2022 and beyond.
Regulatory Initiatives
Florida Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program ("GRIP")
Florida GRIP is a natural gas pipe replacement program approved by the Florida PSC that allows automatic recovery, through rates, of costs associated with the replacement of mains and services. Since the program's inception in August 2012, the Company has invested $189.5 million of capital expenditures to replace 348 miles of qualifying distribution mains, including $23.6 million of new pipes during 2021. GRIP generated additional gross margin of $0.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to March 31, 2021. The Company is currently projecting to complete this program in 2022 and expects to generate adjusted gross margin of $18.8 million and $19.5 million in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The adjusted gross margin on GRIP investments will continue until the Company requests the remaining net GRIP investment, and the associated expenses, be included in its next base rate proceeding.
Capital Cost Surcharge Programs
In December 2019, the FERC approved Eastern Shore's capital cost surcharge to become effective January 1, 2020. The surcharge, an approved item in the settlement of Eastern Shore's last general rate case, allows Eastern Shore to recover capital costs associated with mandated highway or railroad relocation projects that required the replacement of existing Eastern Shore facilities. For the first quarter of 2022 there was $0.5 million of adjusted gross margin generated pursuant to the program. Eastern Shore expects to produce adjusted gross margin of approximately $2.0 million in 2022 and 2023 from relocation projects, which is ultimately dependent upon the timing of filings and the completion of construction.
Elkton Gas Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement ("STRIDE") Plan
In June 2021, the Company reached a settlement with the Maryland PSC Staff and the Maryland Office of the Peoples Counsel regarding a five-year plan to replace Aldyl-A pipelines and recover the associated costs of those replacements through a fixed charge rider. The STRIDE plan went into service in September 2021 and is expected to generate $0.2 million of adjusted gross margin in 2022 and $0.4 million annually thereafter.
COVID-19 Regulatory Proceeding
In October 2020, the Florida PSC approved a joint petition of the Company's natural gas and electric distribution utilities in Florida to establish a regulatory asset to record incremental expenses incurred due to COVID-19. The regulatory asset will allow the Company to seek recovery of these costs in the next base rate proceedings. In November 2020, the Office of Public Counsel filed a protest to the order approving the establishment of this regulatory asset treatment, contending that the order should be reversed or modified and to request a hearing on the protest. The Company's Florida regulated business units reached a settlement with the Office of Public Counsel in June 2021. The settlement allowed the business units to establish a regulatory asset of $2.1 million. This amount includes COVID-19 related incremental expenses for bad debt write-offs, personnel protective equipment, cleaning and business information services for remote work. The Company's Florida regulated business units will amortize the amount over two years beginning January 1, 2022 and recover the regulatory asset through the Purchased Gas Adjustment and Swing Service mechanisms for the natural gas business units and through the Fuel Purchased Power Cost Recovery clause for the electric division. This results in annual additional adjusted gross margin of $1.0 million that will be offset by a corresponding amortization of regulatory asset expense for both 2022 and 2023.
Florida Natural Gas Base Rate Proceeding
On March 24, 2022, the Florida natural gas distribution business units of the Company, Florida Public Utilities Company, the Florida Division of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, Florida Public Utilities Company – Indiantown Division, and Florida Public Utilities Company – Fort Meade (jointly, "the Florida Natural Gas Companies"), filed a joint notification with the Florida PSC, stating their intent to file a consolidated natural gas base rate proceeding and request consolidation of the Florida distribution operations under Florida Public Utilities Company for all Florida regulatory purposes. The Florida Natural Gas Companies anticipate filing the consolidated base rate case as soon as practicable after the expiration of the notification period, but not before May 24, 2022.
The Florida Natural Gas Companies estimate that an increase in the revenue requirement of $18 million to $21 million is necessary to produce sufficient revenues to allow the Florida Natural Gas Companies, once consolidated, to continue to provide the safe and reliable natural gas service the Company's customers deserve and have come to expect, while continuing to invest in the safety of the Company's employees, customers, and communities, as well as the natural gas distribution system itself. The Florida Natural Gas Companies' request will seek an effective date for new rates of January 1, 2023. The Florida Natural Gas Companies will also be requesting interim rate relief, subject to refund, in accordance with the applicable statute using the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, as the test period. The Company currently cannot estimate the ultimate outcome of the consolidated base rate proceeding.
Other major factors influencing adjusted gross margin
Weather Impact
For the three months ended March 31, 2022, weather conditions accounted for $0.4 million of decreased adjusted gross margin compared to the same period in 2021. Assuming normal temperatures, as detailed below, adjusted gross margin would have been higher by $0.9 million. The following table summarizes HDD and CDD variances from the 10-year average HDD/CDD ("Normal") for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.
Natural Gas Distribution Adjusted Margin Growth
Customer growth for the Company's natural gas distribution operations, as a result of the addition of new customers (excluding acquisitions) and the conversion of customers from alternative fuel sources to natural gas service, generated $1.2 million of additional adjusted gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The average number of residential customers served on the Delmarva Peninsula increased 5.3 percent for the three months ended March 31, 2022, while Florida customers increased by 4.0 percent, for the same period. A larger percentage of the adjusted gross margin growth was generated from residential growth given the expansion of natural gas into new housing communities and conversions to natural gas as the Company's distribution infrastructure continues to build out. The Company anticipates continued customer growth as new communities continue to build out due to population growth and infrastructure is added to support the growth, there is also increased load from new commercial and industrial customers. Details are provided in the following table:
Capital Investment Growth and Associated Financing Plans
The Company's capital expenditures were $25.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The following table shows a range of the forecasted 2022 capital expenditures by segment and by business line:
The capital expenditure projection is subject to continuous review and modification. Actual capital requirements may vary from the above estimates due to a number of factors, including changing economic conditions, capital delays that are greater than currently anticipated, customer growth in existing areas, regulation, new growth or acquisition opportunities and availability of capital. Historically, actual capital expenditures have typically lagged behind the forecasted amounts.
The Company's target ratio of equity to total capitalization, including short-term borrowings, is between 50 and 60 percent. The Company's equity to total capitalization ratio, including short-term borrowings, was 52 percent as of March 31, 2022.
The Company may utilize more temporary short-term debt, when the financing cost is attractive, as a bridge to permanent long-term financing, or if the equity markets are more volatile. The Company currently maintains a multi-tranche $400.0 million syndicated revolving line of credit (the "Revolver"), with multiple participating lenders to meet its short-term borrowing needs. The two tranches of the facility consist of a $200.0 million 364-day short-term debt tranche and a $200.0 million five-year tranche, both of which have three (3) one-year extension options which can be authorized by our Chief Financial Officer. The Company is eligible to establish the repayment term for individual borrowings under the five year tranche of the facility and to the extent that an individual loan under the revolver exceeded 12 months, the outstanding balance would be classified as a component of long-term debt.
The 364-day tranche of the Revolver expires in August 2022 and the five-year tranche expires in August 2026; both tranches are available to provide funds for the Company's short-term cash needs to meet seasonal working capital requirements and to temporarily fund portions of the Company's capital expenditures. As of March 31, 2022, the pricing under the 364-day tranche of the Revolver does not include an unused commitment fee and maintains an interest rate of 0.70 percent over LIBOR. As of March 31, 2022, the pricing under the five-year tranche of the Revolver included an unused commitment fee of 0.09 percent and an interest rate of 0.95 percent over LIBOR. The Company's total available credit under the Revolver at March 31, 2022 was $256.3 million.
The Company issued $50 million of 2.95 percent Senior Notes on March 15, 2022 under a private placement agreement with MetLife Investment Advisors. The Company used the proceeds received from the issuances of the Senior Notes to reduce short-term borrowings under its revolving credit facility and to fund capital expenditures. These Senior Notes have similar covenants and default provisions as the existing senior notes, and have an annual principal payment beginning in the eleventh year after the issuance.
In terms of equity capital, the Company maintains an effective shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the issuance of shares under its Dividend Reinvestment and Direct Stock Purchase Plan (the "DRIP"). In June 2020, the Company also filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which provides for the issuance of shares of its common stock via a variety of offering types. In August 2020, the Company filed a prospectus supplement under the shelf registration statement for an At-the-Market ("ATM") program under which the Company may issue and sell shares of common stock up to an aggregate offering price of $75.0 million under which $62.5 million has been issued.
During the first quarter of 2022, the Company issued less than 0.1 million shares of common stock through its DRIP program and received net proceeds of approximately $3.2 million which were added to the Company's general funds.
Depending on the Company's capital needs and subject to market conditions, in addition to other debt and equity offerings, the Company may consider, as necessary in the future, issuing additional shares under the direct stock purchase component of the DRIP, the ATM program, or pursuant to its shelf registration statement. More information about financing activities is included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the Company's First Quarter 2022 Form 10-Q.
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SOURCE Chesapeake Utilities Corporation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/chesapeake-utilities-corporation-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-05-04T00:04:53Z | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/chesapeake-utilities-corporation-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | false |
Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate Joins Title Insurance Underwriting JV with Centerbridge and Realogy
DALLAS, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Title Resources Group ("TRG" and the "JV"), one of the nation's leading title insurance underwriters, today announced that HomeServices of America ("HomeServices") is acquiring a minority stake in TRG. Financial terms were not disclosed. HomeServices, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway, is the nation's largest residential real estate company, based on closed transactions.
HomeServices is joining TRG's other major shareholders, Centerbridge Partners, L.P. and Realogy Holdings Corp., in participating in the JV. The expanded roster of joint venture partners will be instrumental in accelerating TRG's mission and growth as the title underwriter built for the real estate industry.
"HomeServices of America is a long-time, valued customer of TRG, and we're thrilled to welcome them as a significant shareholder to our joint venture. We look forward to working with their team to expand our collaboration in the months and years ahead, further accelerating our growth," said Scott McCall, president and CEO, Title Resources Group.
"Our strengthened partnership with Title Resources Group further enhances the ability of HomeServices' sales associates to provide clients with a one-stop shopping approach to delivering the American dream of homeownership," said Gino Blefari, CEO, HomeServices. "We're excited to be a part of this joint venture with Scott McCall and his team, as well as our other partners at Centerbridge and Realogy."
"We are pleased to partner with HomeServices of America on this compelling JV," said Kevin Mahony, managing director at Centerbridge. "The investment in TRG by its long-time customer validates the bright prospects for the business, and we are excited about the strategic benefits of expanding the relationship. HomeServices' perspective and track record of success will be invaluable as we shape and execute TRG's growth and value creation plan together."
"The continued investment in TRG's future is a powerful endorsement of Realogy's strategy to unleash the underwriter's growth potential and reinforces our confidence in the exciting opportunity of this business," said Ryan Schneider, CEO and President, Realogy.
About Title Resources Group (TRG)
Title Resources Group – the underwriter built for the real estate industry – is one of the nation's largest title insurance underwriters, according to the American Land Title Association's 2021 market share data. A joint venture with Centerbridge Partners, L.P. and Realogy Holdings Corp., TRG serves title insurance agents in 37 states and the District of Columbia. With $163 million in liquid assets at year-end 2021, its financial strength and stability are rated A' (Unsurpassed) by Demotech, Inc., and B++ (Good) by AM Best Rating Services, and since its inception, the company has consistently operated profitably without a net operating loss in any fiscal year. With a mission to provide knowledgeable and responsive underwriting solutions, TRG is dedicated to growing lifelong relationships and maintaining quality through integrity and financial stability. For more information, please visit www.titleresources.com.
About HomeServices of America
HomeServices of America, Inc., through its operating companies, is the nation's largest residential real estate company based on closed transactions and is a premier provider of homeownership services, including brokerage, mortgage, franchising, settlement, property and casualty insurance, relocation services and more. HomeServices of America is the owner of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living Real Estate residential real estate franchise networks. HomeServices is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a consolidated subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. For more information visit www.homeservices.com.
About Centerbridge Partners, L.P.
Centerbridge Partners, L.P. is a private investment management firm employing a flexible approach across investment disciplines — private equity, credit and real estate — in an effort to develop the most attractive opportunities for our investors. The Firm was founded in 2005 and as of February 28, 2022 has approximately $33 billion in capital under management with offices in New York and London. Centerbridge is dedicated to partnering with world-class management teams across targeted industry sectors and geographies. For more information, please visit www.centerbridge.com.
About Realogy Holdings Corp.
Realogy (NYSE: RLGY) is moving the real estate industry to what's next. As the leading and most integrated provider of U.S. residential real estate services encompassing franchise, brokerage, relocation, and title and settlement businesses as well as a mortgage joint venture, Realogy supported approximately 1.5 million home transactions in 2021. The company's diverse brand portfolio includes some of the most recognized names in real estate: Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Coldwell Banker Commercial®, Corcoran®, ERA®, and Sotheby's International Realty®. Using innovative technology, data and marketing products, high-quality lead generation programs, and best-in-class learning and support services, Realogy fuels the productivity of its approximately 196,700 independent sales agents in the U.S. and approximately 136,700 independent sales agents in 118 other countries and territories, helping them build stronger businesses and best serve today's consumers. Recognized for eleven consecutive years as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies, Realogy has also been designated a Great Place to Work four years in a row, named one of LinkedIn's 2022 Top Companies in the U.S., and honored on the Forbes list of World's Best Employers 2021. For more information, please visit www.realogy.com.
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By JILL COLVIN and JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Republicans were casting their ballots Tuesday in one of the most contentious and closely watched Senate primaries in the U.S., deciding a race that is seen as an early referendum on former President Donald Trump’s hold on the GOP as the midterm primary season kicks into high gear.
Meanwhile, polls were closing in parts of Indiana, where more than a dozen state House members are trying to hold off Republican primary challengers who want to push the Legislature further to the right.
In Ohio, author and venture capitalist JD Vance is seen as the frontrunner in the Republican race to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman after receiving Trump’s late-stage support, capping a bitter and expensive contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. The winner is likely to face 10-term Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who has distanced himself from the progressive wing of his party ahead of what is expected to be a difficult year for Democrats seeking to hold their congressional majorities.
Incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine appears on track to secure his party’s nomination for another term, despite backlash from conservatives over COVID-19 shutdowns and mandates.
Tuesday marks the first multistate contest of the 2022 campaign and comes the day after the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that suggests the court could be poised to overturn the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Such a decision could have a dramatic impact on the course of the midterms, when control of Congress, governors’ mansions and key elections offices are at stake.
The primaries also serve as a clarifying test of Trump’s influence in his party. A Vance victory will likely embolden Trump to keep asserting himself in primary campaigns ahead of another potential presidential run. A setback, however, would raise questions about whether GOP voters are seeking a new direction, especially in a state he won twice by margins of 8 percentage points.
At the Strongsville library in suburban Cleveland, 84-year-old George Clark said he voted for Vance based on Trump’s endorsement.
“I know he’s had some bad press, but I know he’s a conservative and I always vote for conservatives.” Clark said.
But Joanne Mondak, 71, said she voted for state Sen. Matt Dolan, the only major candidate who did not aggressively court Trump. The rest of the field, she said, are “nutcakes” who are “too much Trump.”
Trump reminded Ohio voters Tuesday his stake in the race.
Calling into a Columbus radio show, Trump praised all the candidates seeking the GOP nomination, but said he chose to endorse Vance despite his past Trump criticism because he believes he is best positioned to win the seat in November.
Vance had been trailing in the polls until the former president backed the “Hillbilly Elegy” author and one-time Trump critic in a contest that revolved largely around him. While the timing of Trump’s endorsement — less than three weeks before Election Day and as early voting was already underway — may have dulled its impact, it was a major blow to former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, Cleveland investment banker Mike Gibbons and former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, who had all gone to elaborate lengths to court Trump and his voters.
The race will also go down as the most expensive in state history, with more than $66 million in TV and radio spending alone, according to the Columbus-based Medium Buying firm.
Ohio, once a bellwether state, is now decidedly Republican, posing a challenge for Ryan, who is heavily favored to win his three-way Democratic primary against progressive Morgan Harper, a former consumer protection attorney, and Columbus activist and tech exec Traci Johnson. The longtime congressman and 2020 presidential candidate has fashioned himself as a blue-collar crusader fighting for working families as he has campaigned dressed in sweatshirts and baseball caps.
Buoyed by historical trends and Democratic President Joe Biden’s deep unpopularity, Republicans are optimistic about retaking the House and Senate come November. A new president’s party almost always loses in seats in subsequent midterm elections and Republicans hope soaring inflation, high energy prices and lingering frustrations over the country’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will further boost their prospects.
Democrats, meanwhile, are banking the GOP — with Trump’s help — will elect candidates so extreme they prove unelectable come November. A Supreme Court decision on abortion could also galvanize traditional Democratic voters.
“By all rights, history tells us that the Democrats are going to lose control of the House,” said Dale Butland, a Democratic strategist in Ohio. “By all rights, we should lose control of the Senate, too. However, the only thing that could save us is if the Republicans nominate a bunch of far-right crazies that are unacceptable in a general election.”
While DeWine is strongly positioned to win a second term, he is expected to face considerable conservative backlash for the aggressive COVID-19 mandates he imposed during the first year of the pandemic.
On the Democratic side, Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, is vying to become Ohio’s first woman elected governor in her race against ex-Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. Whaley has the support of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a popular household name and the state’s top Democrat. Cranley has the backing of feminist icon Gloria Steinem.
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Colvin reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Patrick Orsagas in Columbus, Steve Peoples in New York and Mark Gillispie in Strongsville, Ohio, contributed to this report.
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Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/election-2022-voters-to-decide-ohios-heated-senate-primary-4/ | 2022-05-04T00:09:03Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/election-2022-voters-to-decide-ohios-heated-senate-primary-4/ | false |
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Furious Senate Democrats are vowing to vote on legislation to protect abortion access for millions of Americans.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday angrily denounced the Supreme Court’s leaked draft decision that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, is holding firm to his refusal to end the filibuster, saying Tuesday that “The filibuster is the only protection we have for democracy.”
So without Republican support, Congress is essentially powerless to prevent the unraveling of the abortion access.
Schumer stopped short of promising to change Senate filibuster rules to overcome Republican obstruction to salvage the abortion law.
Key Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said if the draft holds, “it rocks my confidence in the court.”
Democrats signaled they will fight it out on the campaign trail this fall.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ABORTION STORY:
— Biden says if Roe v. Wade is overturned, other rights could be next
— Chief Justice John Roberts launches an investigation into the leak
— Several state abortion bans would kick in if Roe is overturned
— The leak of the draft opinion came as a shock to Supreme Court watchers
— California voters might get to add abortion protections to the state’s constitution this fall
Find all AP stories on abortion: https://apnews.com/hub/abortion
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who signed a law last year that overturned the state’s long-dormant ban on most abortion procedures, took to Twitter on Tuesday and promised to safeguard local access to abortion services.
Grisham, a Democrat who signed that law in anticipation of a new approach from the U.S. Supreme Court, wrote that “The moment so many of us feared is upon us.”
New Mexico voters in 2020 ousted several socially conservative Democratic legislators who were supportive of the state’s 1969 ban.
New Mexico already receives many patients from neighboring states such as Texas that have tightened restrictions on abortion procedures. Albuquerque is home to one of only a few independent clinics in the country that perform abortions in the third trimester.
Republicans in the legislative minority vowed to revisit the state’s abortion laws, while Democratic activists scheduled an evening women’s march in support of abortion rights outside a federal courthouse in the state capital, Santa Fe.
Democratic state House Speaker Brian Egolf said Tuesday on Twitter that “the trend in this country is dangerous. Today, it’s loss of access to care; next it’s contraception.”
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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said her organization has already had a glimpse of what a post-Roe v. Wade landscape would look like.
Texas’ ban on abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy took effect in September, resulting in a 2500% increase in the number of patients from Texas at her group’s clinics in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
“Since that day, my colleagues and I have regularly treated patients who are fleeing their communities to seek care,” Alsaden, who is based in Overland Park, Kansas, told reporters during a conference call on Tuesday.
She said many of these patients are forced to drive hours to make appointments on time and to scramble to make travel and childcare arrangements.
“They’re taking time off of work, taking time out of school and taking time away from their family responsibilities to get the care that until September 2021 they were able to get safely and readily in their communities,” Alsaden said.
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California voters could get a chance to add abortion protections to the state’s constitution this fall.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and top legislative leaders committed Monday to putting an amendment on the November ballot that would “enshrine the right to choose.”
Newsom has pledged to make California a sanctuary for people having abortions. State legislative leaders have endorsed 13 bills to fulfill that pledge, including proposals that could use taxpayer money to pay for people from other states to visit California for abortions.
Monday night, Newsom and legislative leaders added another proposal to their list: an amendment to the state constitution. They provided no further details, other than saying it would preserve the right to choose.
Newsom’s office says its goal is to put the amendment on the ballot this November.
It takes a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. Democrats control so many seats they could muster the necessary votes without relying on Republicans.
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FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota’s only abortion clinic is reassuring patients that their appointments will stand, for now.
Tammi Kromenaker, who owns and operates the Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo, said Tuesday that she posted a notice on the clinic’s website letting women know that abortion is still legal and that their appointments at the clinic are safe.
Politico published a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion late Monday showing that a majority of the court is prepared to overrule the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide.
Kromenaker says she also talked to staff about the draft opinion, emphasizing that this is not yet the final ruling. It’s a message she’s seen from abortion providers across the country.
She says she already had a plan to open a clinic just across the river in Minnesota if a 2007 North Dakota law outlawing abortion was triggered by any Supreme Court decision, and the leak just made that move all the more urgent.
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AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas Republican who authored the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S. says he looks forward to Roe v. Wade ending up on “the ash heap of history.”
State Sen. Bryan Hughes carried Senate Bill 8, which bans abortions in Texas after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The law is enforced solely through private lawsuits and the guarantee of at least $10,000 for successfully suing a doctor or anyone else who helps a woman obtain an abortion.
State data shows abortions in Texas’ roughly two dozen clinics plummeted by about 50% in the three months after the law took effect in September, compared to a year earlier.
Hughes told the Associated Press in a text message: “When the travesty of Roe v. Wade is finally on the ash heap of history, more little lives can be saved, and more mothers can be helped.”
Amy Hagstrom Miller, president of Whole Woman’s Health, says her four clinics in Texas have spent months preparing for Roe to be overturned. She says her staff is telling patients and callers that abortion is still legal, for now.
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People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting that this summer the Supreme Court would reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide.
On Monday night, a leaked draft opinion written in February that would overturn Roe began reverberating around the world. Even those anticipating the undoing of Roe said it was still staggering to see the words in print, forcing them to reckon with the likely reality the nation will soon enter.
The draft opinion doesn’t represent the court’s final word, and the language could change before the court issues its ruling. But if the heart of the draft remains the same, it would give states the power to decide the legality of abortion. More than half are likely to quickly ban abortion.
“I can’t stop crying,” said an elated Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie, who sponsored the 2018 law that is the basis for the Supreme Court case. “I am not quite sure I have the words to express how I feel right now, but God has had his hands on that bill since the beginning.”
The leaked draft, published late Monday by Politico, is a 98-page majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which challenged the constitutionality of Currie’s bill that banned abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Dalton Johnson, the owner of an Alabama abortion clinic, said that as he read the leaked draft, he was struck by the harshness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, shuttering clinics in about half of the states, including his.
“I’m still in shock,” Johnson said Tuesday.
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WASHINGTON — Police have erected a low metal fence outside of the Supreme Court blocking access to all but the lowest level of the building’s steps and separating demonstrators into separate pens.
Anti-abortion rights protestors carried signs Tuesday that said “Ignore Roe” and “In God We Trust,” while their pro-abortion-rights counterparts held placards declaring “Bans off our Bodies” and “Impeach Kavanaugh” — a reference to Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
One man with a bullhorn shouted, “Before the United States, before the constitution, there was God’s law.”
The crowds were expected to build throughout the day as people finished work. Multiple pro-rights groups called for a mobilization and mass gathering at the court at 5 p.m.
Politico published a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion late Monday showing that a majority of the court is prepared to overrule the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. Chief Justice John Roberts verified Tuesday that the leaked draft is authentic but cautioned that it doesn’t represent any justice’s final opinion.
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JACKSON, Miss. — Abortion rights opponent Barbara Beavers stood outside Mississippi’s only abortion clinic Tuesday next to two signs with the slogans: “Ask me about free pregnancy tests & ultrasounds” and “You don’t have to do this today.”
Beavers, who retired from a crisis pregnancy center, which tries to persuade women not to have abortions, prayed and tried to talk to people as they got out of cars to go inside.
“I’m offering help and alternatives to abortion,” said Beavers, who lives in Jackson. “Abortion hurts women as well as unborn children, and so I want to offer them kind of a last — before they go in — place of respite, help and hope.”
Asked if she thought she would ever see Roe v. Wade overturned, Beavers said: “Dred Scott was overturned. It was a bad law. Roe v. Wade’s bad law. We need to be defending our children, unborn or born. We need to be defending them. We need to be supporting them. We don’t need to be killing them.”
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday blasted as “radical” the draft Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that protected abortion rights.
“It concerns me a great deal that after 50 years we’re going to decide that a woman doesn’t have the right to choose,” Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One for a trip to Alabama.
If the decision is issued, he said, “a whole range of rights” that are based on the presumption of privacy will be in question, including access to contraception and same sex marriage.
“It’s a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence,” Biden said.
Biden said he wanted Congress to pass legislation codifying Roe v. Wade, but he wasn’t prepared to say whether the Senate should sidestep the filibuster to do so.
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WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court may be be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide.
Roberts also ordered an investigation into what he called an “egregious breach of trust.”
In the high court’s first public comment since the draft was published late Monday, Roberts said, “Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.”
“To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed,” he said in a written statement.
He added: “I have directed the Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.”
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If the U.S. Supreme Court follows through on overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, it would immediately split the country into states with abortion access and those that outlaw it.
Some states had already been preparing for the potential that the high court could weaken or overturn Roe, but the bombshell leak of the draft opinion appeared to accelerate that drive Tuesday, setting the country on course for an even more jumbled landscape of abortion rights even before the court actually issues its ruling.
Almost immediately after Politico released the draft Monday night, Republicans who had fostered a decades-long push to end abortion rights cheered the prospect while Democrats vowed to fight the possible overturning of a constitutional right that has been in place for nearly a half-century.
In California, Democrats who wield control of the state Legislature and the governor’s office issued a joint statement late Monday announcing they would seek to amend the state’s constitution to enshrine abortion rights.
About half of U.S. states are already expected to ban abortion if Roe falls, according to the abortion-rights think tank Guttmacher Institute. Twenty-two states, largely in the South and Midwest, already have total or near-total bans on the books. Aside from Texas, all are now blocked in court because of Roe.
Thirteen states have so-called trigger laws that would immediately ban abortion if Roe is overturned and would presumably go into effect if the Supreme Court majority votes for the draft in late June or early July.
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The Supreme Court is known for keeping secrets. Year after year, in major case after major case, there’s little beyond what the justices say during oral arguments that suggests how they will rule.
That’s what makes the leak of an apparent draft of an opinion in a major abortion case a shock to court watchers.
The draft published by Politico says that a majority of the court is prepared to overrule the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide.
There have been leaks before, but not of such magnitude. Only a handful of people have access to decisions before they’re published.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/live-updates-senate-democrats-fume-over-abortion-draft/ | 2022-05-04T00:09:47Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/live-updates-senate-democrats-fume-over-abortion-draft/ | true |
Resilience and agility enable Yum China to serve communities in need
Grew Total Revenues and sustained Operating Profit despite significant challenges from the COVID-19 outbreak
Remains focused on long-term opportunities: Total stores exceeded 12,000, in Q1 opened 329 net new stores
SHANGHAI, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (the "Company" or "Yum China") (NYSE: YUMC and HKEX: 9987) today reported unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022.
Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak and Mitigation Efforts
The highly transmissible Omicron variant caused significant volatility in our business operations in the first quarter, and continues to have a severe impact in the second quarter. The COVID-19 situation was relatively stable in January and February. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated in March, resulting in the largest outbreak since COVID-19 first emerged in early 2020. This latest outbreak and the challenges we face are unprecedented. Compared to first quarter 2020, the case counts, duration, geographical coverage and restrictive measures experienced in the first quarter 2022 are much more severe:
- COVID-19 case counts have reached new records. In March, case counts (including asymptomatic cases) surpassed 2020 and 2021 combined. Cases in April further increased to nearly 600,000, which is approximately six times higher than that of March.
- Many cities across large swaths of China have been fully or partially locked down for weeks or even months, including economically important regions such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Jilin, Suzhou, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
- Eastern China, the most vibrant economic region and most important market for us, accounting for 30-40% of our stores and sales, has been the most affected in this wave.
- Drastic public health measures are being stepped up nationwide in line with the strict enforcement of dynamic zero-COVID policy, resulting in further reductions of social activities, travel and consumption.
Stores temporarily closed or that offered only takeaway and delivery services significantly increased in March and April:
- January and February – Around 300 stores on average. Over 500 stores at the peak in January.
- March – Over 1,700 stores on average, of which approximately 40% of stores were temporarily closed.
- April – Around 3,000 stores, on average, of which approximately 50% of stores were temporarily closed.
- Temporary store closures are excluded from our same-store sales calculation.
- System sales are impacted by temporary store closures and same-store sales.
Same-store sales declined sharply in March and April:
- January and February combined – Decreased approximately 4% year over year, reflecting a sequential improvement from the fourth quarter.
- March – Decreased by more than 20% year over year, as the COVID-19 situation rapidly deteriorated.
- April (preliminary) – Decreased by more than 20% year over year, as the outbreak persisted.
We have responded quickly and taken measures intending to lessen the impact of these unprecedented headwinds.
- We designed alternative routes, set up temporary drop-off and pick-up sites and optimized sourcing to fulfill the demand of our store network. Our resilient supply chain management has enabled us to lessen disruptions from supply complexities and mobility restrictions.
- Nationwide, we have adjusted marketing campaigns, simplified menus and promoted off-premise services. Our digital capabilities have enabled us to engage customers directly and nimbly. Our hybrid delivery model has allowed us to maintain adequate rider capacity and continue operations in most places.
- In heavily impacted regions like Shanghai, to serve our community, we have quickly launched community purchasing (a new way of group ordering) across all our brands, promoted new retail packaged food, significantly cut down on menu offerings and shortened operating hours.
As a result of our tremendous efforts, first quarter operating profit of $191 million was in line with expectations indicated in the March business update. However, we were only able to partially mitigate COVID-19 impacts and incurred an operating loss in March. Unless conditions significantly improve in May and June, we expect to incur an operating loss in the second quarter, due to (1) the significant sales decline driven by the worsening COVID-19 situation, (2) a more pronounced sales deleveraging impact as the second quarter is seasonally a lower quarter for sales and profit margins and (3) increases in commodity prices, wages, and utility prices. In light of this, we are pulling back on advertising and promotional activities, temporarily postponing store remodels, negotiating rent relief, implementing austerity measures to reduce G&A, and optimizing our raw material cost structure.
First Quarter Highlights
- Total revenues increased 4% year over year to $2.67 billion from $2.56 billion (a 2% increase excluding foreign currency translation ("F/X")).
- Total system sales decreased 4% year over year, with decreases of 4% at KFC and 1% at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X.
- Same-store sales decreased 8% year over year, with decreases of 9% at KFC and 5% at Pizza Hut, excluding F/X.
- Opened 329 net new stores during the quarter; total store count reached 12,117 as of March 31, 2022.
- Restaurant margin was 13.8%, compared with 18.7% in the prior year period, primarily due to sales deleveraging as a result of the worsened COVID-19 situation.
- Operating Profit decreased 44% year over year to $191 million from $342 million (a 45% decrease excluding F/X).
- Adjusted Operating Profit decreased 44% year over year to $193 million from $345 million (a 45% decrease excluding F/X).
- Effective tax rate was 33.1%.
- Net Income decreased 57% to $100 million from $230 million in the prior year period, primarily due to the decrease in Operating Profit and the loss from our mark-to-market investment in Meituan Dianping.
- Adjusted Net Income decreased 56% to $102 million from $233 million in the prior year period (a 47% decrease excluding the net losses of $30 million and $16 million in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively, from our mark-to-market equity investments; a 48% decrease if further excluding F/X).
- Diluted EPS decreased 57% to $0.23 from $0.53 in the prior year period.
- Adjusted Diluted EPS decreased 56% to $0.24 from $0.54 in the prior year period (a 46% decrease excluding the net losses from our mark-to-market equity investments in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021; a 47% decrease if further excluding F/X).
- Results for the current year period include the consolidation of Hangzhou KFC.
Key Financial Results
Percentages may not recompute due to rounding.
System sales and same-store sales percentages exclude the impact of F/X. Effective January 1, 2018, temporary store closures are normalized in the same-store sales calculation by excluding the period during which stores are temporarily closed.
CEO and CFO Comments
Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China, commented, "Foremost, I want to thank frontline workers and volunteers for their selfless and noble efforts. The country and our company are facing the toughest challenges yet in the battle against COVID-19. Frontline employees in our stores and supply chain are once again rising to the occasion. Our teams worked together across the brands and functions, and quickly developed ways to address the fast-changing conditions. In the cities on lockdown, where most business activities have halted, we are one of the first authorized essential food suppliers serving communities in need. We have also been prioritizing meals to the frontline workers fighting the crisis and to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. I hope we have been able to bring some joy to people in need during this difficult time."
Wat continued, "Our ability to quickly adapt to this ever-changing operating environment is at the core of our resilience. Nationwide, we swiftly designed detour routes and optimized supply sourcing to lessen the impact of supply chain disruptions. In Shanghai, when less than 10% of our restaurants were open and operating with limited capacity, we launched community purchasing across all brands in a matter of days. This breakthrough allowed us to efficiently deploy limited resources to serve more customers. We seized at-home demand with our ready-to-eat products which are easy to store during the lockdown. We believe our solid business fundamentals and agility will continue to help us navigate the near-term challenges. Despite the current COVID-19 situation, we will remain focused on executing our RGM strategic framework to fortify resilience, accelerate growth and widen our strategic moat to drive long-term and sustainable growth."
Andy Yeung, CFO of Yum China, added, "First quarter operational performance was significantly impacted by the surge of Omicron variant in March. The case counts, duration, coverage, and severity of restrictive measures are far more extensive than previous outbreaks. Our quick response to sustain operations in areas on lockdown, drive off-premise sales and proactively manage costs partially mitigated the impact. While we generated operating profit in the first quarter, we experienced a loss for the month of March. Unless the COVID-19 situation improves significantly in May and June, we expect to incur an operating loss in the second quarter. During this enormously difficult time, our priority is to operate our restaurants safely in order to serve customers and communities in need."
Yeung continued, "We continue to employ a disciplined and balanced capital allocation strategy, ensuring that we have sufficient cash to sustain operations and deal with potential contingencies. While the pace of store remodeling and expansion may be temporarily impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, our new unit development pipeline remains robust, powered by healthy unit economics. We will continue to make significant capex investments in digital, supply chain infrastructure and our store network expansion. We remain confident these investments will widen our strategic moat, drive sustainable growth and capture attractive long-term opportunities in China."
Share Repurchases and Dividends
- In March 2022, the Board of Directors (the "Board") increased the Company's share repurchase authorization by $1 billion to an aggregate of $2.4 billion.
- During the first quarter, we repurchased approximately 5.0 million shares of Yum China common stock for $232 million at an average price of $46.57 per share. As of March 31, 2022, approximately $1.4 billion remained available for future share repurchases under the current authorization.
- The Board declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share on Yum China's common stock, payable on June 21, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 31, 2022.
Digital and Delivery
- The KFC and Pizza Hut loyalty programs exceeded 370 million members combined, as of quarter-end. Member sales accounted for approximately 62% of system sales in the first quarter of 2022.
- Delivery contributed approximately 36% of KFC and Pizza Hut's Company sales in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of approximately five percentage points from the prior year period due to more severe outbreaks.
- Digital orders, including delivery, mobile orders and kiosk orders, accounted for approximately 88% of KFC and Pizza Hut's Company sales in the first quarter of 2022.
New-Unit Development and Asset Upgrade
- The Company opened 522 gross new stores, or 329 net new stores in the first quarter of 2022, mainly driven by development of the KFC and Pizza Hut brands. The net reduction in others was mainly due to closures in the Huang Ji Huang and Little Sheep brands.
- The Company remodeled 96 stores in the first quarter of 2022.
2 Others include Taco Bell, Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang, East Dawning, COFFii & JOY and Lavazza.
Restaurant Margin
- Restaurant margin was 13.8% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 18.7% in the prior year period, primarily attributable to sales deleveraging, higher inflation in commodity, wage and utility costs, as well as increased rider cost associated with rising delivery volume.
2022 Outlook
Yum China remains focused on capturing long-term opportunities in China. The Company's fiscal year 2022 targets are unchanged:
- To open approximately 1,000 to 1,200 net new stores.
- To make capital expenditures in the range of approximately $800 million to $1 billion.
Other Updates
- On April 15, 2022, the Company and Yum! Brands entered into an amendment to the Master License Agreement to amend the development milestones for the Taco Bell brand. The Company has committed to expanding the Taco Bell store network to at least 100 stores by the end of 2022 and at least 225 stores by the end of 2025, with certain investment support from Yum! Brands. Subject to achieving these milestones, the Company will have the exclusive right to operate and sublicense the Taco Bell brand in China for 50 years.
- On April 19, 2022, the Company announced the appointments of Johnson Huang, General Manager, KFC, to the position of Chief Customer Officer of the Company and Warton Wang, Chief Development Officer, as General Manager, KFC, effective May 1, 2022.
Note on Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures
Reported GAAP results include Special Items, which are excluded from non-GAAP adjusted measures. Special Items are not allocated to any segment and therefore only impact reported GAAP results of Yum China. See "Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures" within this release.
Conference Call
Yum China's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 (8:00 a.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Wednesday, May 4, 2022).
Operator-assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. Please register in advance of the conference through the link provided below. Upon registering, you will be provided with participant dial-in numbers, a passcode and a unique registrant ID.
Pre-registration Link: http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/3380199
Conference ID: 3380199
A live webcast of the call may also be accessed at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/p4o65n8v.
A replay of the conference call will be available two hours after the call ends until 9:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 (9:00 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on Wednesday, May 11, 2022) and may be accessed by phone at the following numbers:
U.S.: 1 855 452 5696
Mainland China: 400 820 9035 or 800 988 0552
Hong Kong: +852 3051 2780
U.K.: 0808 234 0072
International: +61 2 9003 4211
Replay access code: 3380199
Additionally, this earnings release, the accompanying slides, a live webcast and an archived webcast of this conference call will be available at Yum China's Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com.
For important news and information regarding Yum China, including our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, visit Yum China's Investor Relations website at http://ir.yumchina.com. Yum China uses this website as a primary channel for disclosing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including under "2022 Outlook." We intend all forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "expect," "expectation," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "plan," "estimate," "target," "predict," "project," "likely," "will," "continue," "should," "forecast," "outlook", "commit" or similar terminology. These statements are based on current estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances, but there can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future strategies, growth, business plans, investment, dividend and share repurchase plans, earnings, performance and returns of Yum China, anticipated effects of population and macroeconomic trends, the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the anticipated effects of our innovation, digital and delivery capabilities and investments on growth and beliefs regarding the long-term drivers of Yum China's business. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. We cannot assure you that any of our expectations, estimates or assumptions will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and we disclaim any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Numerous factors could cause our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: whether we are able to achieve development goals at the times and in the amounts currently anticipated, if at all, the success of our marketing campaigns and product innovation, our ability to maintain food safety and quality control systems, changes in public health conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic and regional outbreaks caused by existing or new COVID-19 variants, our ability to control costs and expenses, including tax costs, as well as changes in political, economic and regulatory conditions in China. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. You should consult our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the information set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q) for additional detail about factors that could affect our financial and other results.
About Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Yum China Holdings, Inc. is a licensee of Yum! Brands in mainland China. It has exclusive rights in mainland China to KFC, China's leading quick-service restaurant brand, Pizza Hut, the leading casual dining restaurant brand in China, and Taco Bell, a California-based restaurant chain serving innovative Mexican-inspired food. Yum China also owns the Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang and COFFii & JOY concepts outright. In addition, Yum China has partnered with Lavazza to explore and develop the Lavazza coffee shop concept in China. The Company had 12,117 restaurants in over 1,700 cities at the end of March 2022.
In 2021, Yum China ranked # 363 on the Fortune 500 list and was named to TIME100 Most Influential Companies list. Yum China has also been selected as member of both Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI): World Index and Emerging Market Index. In 2022, the Company was named to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and was certified as a Top Employer 2022 in China by the Top Employers Institute, both for the fourth consecutive year. For more information, please visit http://ir.yumchina.com.
Percentages may not recompute due to rounding. NM refers to not meaningful.
Percentages may not recompute due to rounding. NM refers to not meaningful.
Percentages may not recompute due to rounding. NM refers to not meaningful.
In this press release:
- The Company provides certain percentage changes excluding the impact of foreign currency translation ("F/X"). These amounts are derived by translating current year results at prior year average exchange rates. We believe the elimination of the F/X impact provides better year-to-year comparability without the distortion of foreign currency fluctuations.
- System sales growth reflects the results of all restaurants regardless of ownership, including Company-owned, franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants that operate our restaurant concepts, except for non-Company-owned restaurants for which we do not receive a sales-based royalty. Sales of franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurants typically generate ongoing franchise fees for the Company at an average rate of approximately 6% of system sales. Franchise and unconsolidated affiliate restaurant sales are not included in Company sales in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income; however, the franchise fees are included in the Company's revenues. We believe system sales growth is useful to investors as a significant indicator of the overall strength of our business as it incorporates all of our revenue drivers, Company and franchise same-store sales as well as net unit growth.
- Effective January 1, 2018, the Company revised its definition of same-store sales growth to represent the estimated percentage change in sales of food of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open prior to the first day of our prior fiscal year, excluding the period during which stores are temporarily closed. We refer to these as our "base" stores. Previously, same-store sales growth represented the estimated percentage change in sales of all restaurants in the Company system that have been open for one year or more, including stores temporarily closed, and the base stores changed on a rolling basis from month to month. This revision was made to align with how management measures performance internally and focuses on trends of a more stable base of stores.
- Company sales represent revenues from Company-owned restaurants. Company Restaurant profit ("Restaurant profit") is defined as Company sales less expenses incurred directly by our Company-owned restaurants in generating Company sales. Company restaurant margin percentage is defined as Restaurant profit divided by Company sales.
Reconciliation of Reported GAAP Results to Non-GAAP Adjusted Measures
(in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)
In addition to the results provided in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") in this press release, the Company provides non-GAAP measures adjusted for Special Items, which include Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share ("EPS"), Adjusted Effective Tax Rate and Adjusted EBITDA, which we define as net income including noncontrolling interests adjusted for equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, certain non-cash expenses, consisting of depreciation and amortization as well as store impairment charges, and Special Items.
The following table set forth the reconciliation of the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP adjusted financial measures.
Net income, along with the reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA, is presented below:
Details of Special Items are presented below:
(1) In February 2020, the Company granted Partner PSU Awards to select employees who were deemed critical to the Company's execution of its strategic operating plan. These PSU awards will only vest if threshold performance goals are achieved over a four-year performance period, with the payout ranging from 0% to 200% of the target number of shares subject to the PSU awards. Partner PSU Awards were granted to address increased competition for executive talent, motivate transformational performance and encourage management retention. Given the unique nature of these grants, the Compensation Committee does not intend to grant similar, special grants to the same employees during the performance period. The impact from these special awards is excluded from metrics that management uses to assess the Company's performance. The Company recognized share-based compensation expense of $2 million and $3 million associated with the Partner PSU Awards for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
(2) The tax expense was determined based upon the nature, as well as the jurisdiction, of each Special Item at the applicable tax rate.
The Company excludes impact from Special Items for the purpose of evaluating performance internally. Special Items are not included in any of our segment results. In addition, the Company provides Adjusted EBITDA because we believe that investors and analysts may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to items such as equity in net earnings (losses) from equity method investments, income tax, interest income, net, investment gain or loss, depreciation and amortization, store impairment charges, and Special Items. Store impairment charges included as an adjustment item in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from our semi-annual impairment evaluation of long-lived assets of individual restaurants, and additional impairment evaluation whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. If these restaurant-level assets were not impaired, depreciation of the assets would have been recorded and included in EBITDA. Therefore, store impairment charges were a non-cash item similar to depreciation and amortization of our long-lived assets of restaurants. The Company believes that investors and analyst may find it useful in measuring operating performance without regard to such non-cash item.
These adjusted measures are not intended to replace the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP. Rather, the Company believes that the presentation of these adjusted measures provides additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of past and present results, excluding those items that the Company does not believe are indicative of our ongoing operations due to their nature.
Unit Count by Brand
KFC
Pizza Hut
Others
The above tables reconcile segment information, which is based on management responsibility, with our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
(1) Amounts have not been allocated to any segment for purpose of making operating decision or assessing financial performance as the transactions are deemed corporate revenues and expenses in nature.
(2) Primarily includes revenues and associated expenses of transactions with franchisees and unconsolidated affiliates derived from the Company's central procurement model whereby the Company centrally purchases substantially all food and paper products from suppliers and then sells and delivers to KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants, including franchisees and unconsolidated affiliates that operate our concepts.
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SOURCE Yum China Holdings, Inc. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/yum-china-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-05-04T00:10:48Z | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/yum-china-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | false |
By SEAN MURPHY
Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a Texas-style abortion ban on Tuesday that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, part of a nationwide push in GOP-led states hopeful that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court will uphold new restrictions.
Stitt’s signing of the bill comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from the nation’s high court that it is considering weakening or overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nearly 50 years ago.
The bill Stitt signed takes effect immediately with his signature, but abortion rights advocates already have challenged the new law in court. It’s not clear when the Oklahoma Supreme Court might issue a ruling in the case, but abortion providers say once the new law is in place, they will immediately stop providing services unless the court intervenes.
“There will be people who lose access, even if the halt in services is only brief,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates abortion clinics in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
The new law prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo, which experts say is roughly six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. A similar bill approved in Texas last year led to a dramatic reduction in the number of abortions performed in that state, with many women going to Oklahoma and other surrounding states for the procedure.
Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said Texas’ law that took effect in September has given their employees an idea of what a post-Roe country might look like.
“Since that day, my colleagues and I have regularly treated patients who are fleeing their communities to seek care,” Alsaden said. “They’re taking time off of work, taking time out of school and taking time away from their family responsibilities to get the care that until September 2021 they were able to get safely and readily in their communities.”
The bill authorizes abortions if performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.
Like the Texas law, the Oklahoma bill would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000. After the U.S. Supreme Court allowed that mechanism to remain in place, other Republican-led states sought to copy Texas’ ban. Idaho’s governor signed the first copycat measure in March, although it has been temporarily blocked by the state’s Supreme Court.
Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an abortion a felony crime in Oklahoma, but that measure is not set to take effect until this summer, and legal experts say it’s likely to be blocked because the Roe v. Wade decision still remains the law of the land.
The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma were women from Texas.
Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 Texas women in September and 243 in October.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/oklahoma-governor-signs-texas-style-ban-on-most-abortions/ | 2022-05-04T00:10:57Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/oklahoma-governor-signs-texas-style-ban-on-most-abortions/ | true |
White supremacist gang members convicted of murder, kidnapping, Justice Dept. reports
WASHINGTON (Gray News) - Five members and associates of a violent white supremacist gang, the 1488s, were convicted on Monday in Alaska.
The Department of Justice reports a federal jury convicted the group of conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping and assault.
Authorities said the trial presented evidence that the 1488s were a violent prison-based gang operating inside and outside of state prisons throughout Alaska.
The Justice Department said the 1488s used Nazi-derived symbols to identify themselves and their affiliation with the gang, including a 1488 “patch” tattoo that depicts an Iron Cross superimposed over a swastika. The tattoo can only be worn by “made” members who generally gained full membership by committing acts of violence on behalf of the gang.
According to the DOJ, the gang has written rules and a code of conduct, including the creed that “the only currency we recognize is violence and unquestionable loyalty.”
Authorities said evidence showed that Filthy Fuhrer, 45, formerly known as Timothy Lobdell, founded and led the 1488 gang from inside Alaska’s maximum-security prison. He was serving a 19-year sentence for the attempted murder of an Alaska State Trooper. Fuhrer ordered gang members to commit violent kidnappings and assaults in the “free world” outside of prison.
The DOJ reports Fuhrer believed that some members were defying the 1488 code of conduct and diminishing the power and influence of the gang. Fuhrer sent out a trusted lieutenant with a list of directives; these directives culminated in the kidnapping and assault of two low-level gang members in April 2017 and July 2017 and the kidnapping, assault and murder of Michael Staton in August 2017.
Trial evidence showed 1488 members Roy Naughton, 43, Glen Baldwin, 40, and Colter O’Dell, 29, worked with Craig King, 56, who was a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, to kidnap and murder one of the victims, who had previously stolen from the group.
Authorities said King lined a room with plastic, where he and the 1488 defendants beat and tortured the victim. Baldwin and O’Dell then took the victim out to the woods, shot him, and burned his body. O’Dell earned his membership patch into the 1488s by murdering Staton.
“Violent gangs, especially those based upon racial hatred, are a plague to our society. As this case demonstrates, the crimes of organized prison gangs often go beyond the prison walls bringing violence into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska.
The Justice Department reports Fuhrer was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, three counts of kidnapping conspiracy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault in aid of racketeering.
Authorities said Naughton was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, three counts of kidnapping conspiracy, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of assault in aid of racketeering.
Baldwin, O’Dell, and King were convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping conspiracy, according to the DOJ.
“The guilty verdicts today strike a significant blow to the highest levels of the 1488 gang,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners remain committed to combating and dismantling violent white supremacist gangs.”
Authorities said all five defendants face a mandatory life sentence in prison without parole.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wymt.com/2022/05/03/white-supremacist-gang-members-convicted-murder-kidnapping-justice-dept-reports/ | 2022-05-04T00:12:43Z | https://www.wymt.com/2022/05/03/white-supremacist-gang-members-convicted-murder-kidnapping-justice-dept-reports/ | true |
Travel News Hotels You Can Now Spend the Night in Moulin Rouge's Iconic Windmill The Airbnb listing will cost you just $1 for a night By Sherri Gardner Sherri Gardner Associate Editor Instagram LinkedIn Sherri Gardner is the Assistant Editor for TripSavvy and has been with the company since May 2018. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Published on 05/03/22 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Instagram Emerson College Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist and fact-checker. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes. TripSavvy's fact-checking Share Pin Email Daniel Alexander Harris / Airbnb Looking for a romantic night for two in Paris? Consider the Moulin Rouge windmill. Yes, that iconic red windmill, a nod to Montmartre’s pastoral past, has a secret room that is now Airbnb’s newest listing. Even better—a stay in this landmark will cost you just $1 for the night. First built in 1889 and entirely reconstructed 30 years after a fire, the windmill has never been open to the public before. Now welcoming guests for just three nights in June, to say this is a once-in-a-lifetime stay is a bit of an understatement. Guests will get unprecedented access to the landmark, but the one-night stay includes tickets to a show, a backstage pass, and a three-course meal. Daniel Alexander Harris / Airbnb The windmill’s interior was painstakingly restored to its Belle Epoque glory days with the guidance of 19th-century French historian Jean-Claude Yon to ensure period accuracy. The richly decorated room is covered in dramatic floral arrangements, and the dressing area includes vintage costumes, perfumes, and love letters. There’s even a rooftop terrace covered with lanterns and 19th-century garden furniture. During the stay, you’ll get a private tour of the Moulin Rouge, including peeks backstage; a dressing room meet and greet with Claudine Van Den Bergh, a lead dancer and Airbnb host; incredible seats to Féerie; an aperitif on the rooftop terrace followed by a three-course dinner by Moulin Rouge resident chef Arnaud Demerville; and a French breakfast before check-out. Guests can request to book the three individual one-night stays on June 13, 20, and 27 starting Tuesday, May 17, at 1 p.m. EST, at airbnb.com/moulinrouge. Article Sources TripSavvy uses only high-quality, trusted sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy. Airbnb. "The Iconic Moulin Rouge Windmill Reveals a Secret Room For An Overnight Stay with Airbnb." May 1, 2022. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit | https://www.tripsavvy.com/moulin-rouge-airbnb-stay-5270700 | 2022-05-04T00:16:50Z | https://www.tripsavvy.com/moulin-rouge-airbnb-stay-5270700 | false |
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2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The pilot killed in the crash of a small plane along a Los Angeles freeway last month had reported a problem with his landing gear, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The pilot, who was not identified, was the only person on board the twin-engine Cessna 337 Skymaster when it crashed around 12:30 p.m. on April 20.
Wreckage came to rest among trees on an embankment along Interstate 210 in the Sylmar area of the northern San Fernando Valley.
Shortly after takeoff from nearby Whiteman Airport, the pilot radioed that his landing gear had not fully retracted, the NTSB said.
The pilot said he intended to climb to 2500 feet (762 meters) and circle the airport.
“Tower personnel approved his request. There were no further radio transmissions from the pilot,” the preliminary report released Monday said.
The plane's left wing struck a fence before the aircraft hit the ground, investigators found.
The Supreme Court is set to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights, according to a leaked draft opinion that Politico published. Track live updates as the news reverberates across the... | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Report-pilot-reported-landing-gear-problem-17145867.php | 2022-05-04T00:21:55Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Report-pilot-reported-landing-gear-problem-17145867.php | true |
TORONTO (AP) _ Iamgold Corp. (IAG) on Tuesday reported first-quarter earnings of $23.8 million.
The Toronto-based company said it had profit of 5 cents per share.
The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 1 cent per share.
The gold and niobium mining company posted revenue of $356.6 million in the period.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on IAG at https://www.zacks.com/ap/IAG | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Iamgold-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17145822.php | 2022-05-04T00:23:41Z | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Iamgold-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17145822.php | true |
BRAINTREE, Mass. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Massachusetts Lottery's "Numbers Evening" game were:
0-6-4-5
(zero, six, four, five)
BRAINTREE, Mass. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Massachusetts Lottery's "Numbers Evening" game were:
0-6-4-5
(zero, six, four, five) | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Numbers-Evening-game-17145948.php | 2022-05-04T00:24:37Z | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Numbers-Evening-game-17145948.php | true |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Andre Carson wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Indiana's 7th Congressional District.
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Biden asked Congress to loosen visa restrictions on highly educated Russians
By Natasha Bertrand, CNN
President Joe Biden has asked Congress to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to make it easier for highly educated Russians to obtain visas to work in the United States, according to a section of the White House’s Ukraine supplemental budget request submitted to lawmakers last week and reviewed by CNN.
The request, if enacted, would allow Russians with a masters or doctoral degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering or math to apply for a visa without first obtaining an employer sponsor in the US.
The amendment would also require the Department of Homeland Security “to expedite consideration of such applications,” the document says, “as appropriate” and with the necessary vetting.
The administration explained in the document that the authority “would help the US attract and retain Russian STEM talent and undercut Russia’s innovative potential, benefiting US national security.” The authority would expire four years after the date that it is enacted, according to the document.
“We want to seize on this opportunity to provide top Russian scientists with a clear pathway to leave Russia for good and come to the United States, robbing Putin of his best innovators and his best brains,” a White House official told CNN. “We believe this will advance our own national security and bolster our economy by adding highly skilled individuals to our workforce, and that it will also weaken Russia’s innovation base while simultaneously strengthening our own.”
The official noted that there is precedent for this request, most recently the Soviet Scientists Immigration Act of 1992 that also provided top Soviet scientists with a pathway to immigrate to the United States without a sponsoring employer. That proposal allowed about 450 Russian scientists to emigrate to the US, the official said, and the administration believes the number this time around will be “much higher given the current political climate.”
Tens of thousands of highly educated Russians have reportedly fled Russia since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine just over two months ago. The Biden administration is hoping to take advantage of that brain drain and lure some of those workers to the US, officials said.
The document says the visa changes would apply to Russians with degrees in fields including, but not limited to: hypersonics, advanced nuclear energy technologies, advanced missile propulsion technologies, directed energy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and space technologies and systems.
The US has already sought to curtail Russia’s ability to remain technologically competitive by imposing severe export restrictions on materials like semiconductors that are found in thousands of electronic products.
Bloomberg first reported that the administration was weighing loosening the visa restrictions.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2022/05/03/biden-asked-congress-to-loosen-visa-restrictions-on-highly-educated-russians/ | 2022-05-04T00:32:21Z | https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2022/05/03/biden-asked-congress-to-loosen-visa-restrictions-on-highly-educated-russians/ | true |
Reds put slumping Votto on COVID-19 injured list
By TOM KERTSCHER
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds have put slumping first baseman Joey Votto on the COVID-19 injured list. Manager David Bell said Votto hasn’t tested positive for the virus. Votto was in the original starting lineup to face the Brewers, but showed symptoms. The six-time All-Star is hitting just .122 with no home runs and three RBIs, and had played in all 22 Cincinnati games this season. He has struck out 29 times in 74 at-bats. Cincinnati is struggling with the worst record in the major leagues at 3-19. The Reds had lost six in a row and 17 of 18 going into the series opener against the Brewers. The 38-year-old Votto tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2021. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/03/reds-put-slumping-votto-on-covid-19-injured-list/ | 2022-05-04T00:33:58Z | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/03/reds-put-slumping-votto-on-covid-19-injured-list/ | false |
WASHINGTON — When the Sandy Hook school shooting rocked the country, Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey changed his longtime stance on the Second Amendment, becoming a fierce advocate for stricter gun laws.
When a Supreme Court decision neared that would make same-sex marriage legal nationwide, Casey embraced the shift, abandoning his previous objections.
And when President Joe Biden took office early last year, Casey softened his stand on the Senate filibuster, suggesting he’d be open to changing the rule if it helped Democrats turn big, progressive ambitions into reality.
But as Casey has followed his party’s leftward trajectory over the past decade, one key issue still set him apart from most Democrats: abortion. Casey is one of the few major Democrats left who describes himself as “pro-life.”
On Tuesday, that rare break from his party put a glaring spotlight on Casey, as a draft Supreme Court opinion signals the end of nationwide abortion access, and pointed toward a future of fierce legislative conflict to reset the terms of one of the country’s most divisive issues.
That fight could quickly put Casey in an awkward position. As most of his party reacted with fury, fellow Democrats urged a vote to codify Roe v. Wade, the abortion-rights decision the Supreme Court appears poised to overturn, while conservatives considered forcing a vote on nationwide abortion restrictions if they take control of the chamber.
Either could force Casey to take a clear, unambiguous stand that could shape one of the country’s most significant debates. His balancing act was starkly illustrated by his relative silence Tuesday as news of the impending decision rocked the Capitol and sparked protests across the street at the Supreme Court.
The normally amiable senator arrived to Senate votes, and left, with his cell phone pressed to his ear, twice refusing to acknowledge reporters who tried to ask his thoughts on the decision. When nearly all of his Democratic colleagues took to the Capitol steps to denounce the potential ruling, Casey was one of the few absent.
He instead issued a statement that raised concerns about the pending decision, without addressing the question over whether to write abortion rights into law, or to institute sharp nationwide restrictions.
“If this draft opinion becomes the final opinion of the Court, I have serious concerns about what overturning almost 50 years of legal precedent will mean for women in states passing near or total bans on abortion,” Casey said. “Congress should be working to reduce the number of abortions and unintended pregnancies and doing much more to support women and families.”
» READ MORE: Bob Casey wants Biden and Democrats to swing for the fences: ‘Go big or go home’
Casey’s name is inextricably linked with the country’s abortion fights.
His namesake father, former Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey Sr., signed the abortion restrictions that were upheld in the landmark Planned Parenthood vs. Casey Supreme Court decision in 1992. In large part because of that fight, the Casey name still conjures up sepia-toned visions of moderate Democratic politics for some.
And as the younger Casey became more and more aligned with his party on other flashpoints, his stand on abortion provided a distinguishing characteristic that, on one issue at least, set him apart from other Democrats in a competitive swing state.
But he has long walked a fine line on abortion. At times he has voted in favor of restrictions, such as a proposed ban after 20 weeks in 2018, but he has also supported funding for Planned Parenthood and other steps that, he argues, provide crucial health care and planning that can reduce the need for abortions.
He has opposed more drastic steps, like a near-total ban passed in Alabama in 2019, and has earned mostly positive marks from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America, the latter of which gave him a 72% rating in 2020.
In February, Casey voted to allow formal Senate debate on the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill to codify abortion rights law. That put him in line with fellow Democrats, but it was a procedural step, and his statement at the time left it unclear if he supported the underlying goal.
“I think it’s clear to most people that the description of pro-life Democrat is accurate. I’ve been very consistent,” Casey told Politico in 2018. “I try to support policies that help women and children both before and after birth. Part of that is making sure you are honest about differences but also at the same time trying to focus on ways to reduce both the number of abortions and the number of unwanted pregnancies, and I think my record reflects that.”
Often, however, his votes on abortion proposals have been on symbolic steps that had little chance of becoming law, decreasing the attention and passion they drew. The underlying support for abortion, Roe v. Wade, was still in place.
Now, the country is preparing for a drastic rewrite of laws that have stood for decades, and sharp new restrictions on abortion rights in many states. And while it’s still likely that neither party will have the 60 votes required to immediately advance their abortion plans through the Senate, the new votes are likely to carry more weight as drastic state restrictions — and potentially outright bans — become reality.
One of the states that could see such rollbacks is Pennsylvania, should Republicans win the governor’s office this fall and keep hold of the Legislature.
“It’s certainly complicated for Casey. It always has been, given his position on abortion, given his family history, given his dad’s prominent role in the history of Roe v. Wade,” said Chris Borick, a pollster at Muhlenberg College. “He’s had to find a fairly delicate position.”
But the fact that he didn’t take absolutist stands in either direction, Borick said, likely muted the blowback he received from either the left or the right.
» READ MORE: Bob Casey: Senator. Wonk. Attack dog?
Already on Tuesday, cracks were showing in that dynamic as the stakes increased. Some progressives saw Casey’s muted reaction as insufficient.
While praising Casey on reproductive rights, Kadida Kenner, executive director of the New Pennsylvania Project and co-chair of Why Courts Matter PA, said the senator needs to cast aside his personal views and focus on upholding a popular law that most Pennsylvanians support.
”We all have our personal Constitutions,” Kenner said, “but I also believe that Senator Casey can see this from the legal standpoint. [Roe] has been the law of the land for 50 years … and he needs to continue to honor the will of his constituency.”
But Casey’s nuanced argument that backing funding for groups like Planned Parenthood are, in fact, anti-abortion positions has earned him little love from conservative groups.
The Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania labeled the senator “duplicitous.”
“His pattern has been, when he voted pro-life, his vote didn’t matter. But when his vote did matter, he marched to the pro-abortion side,” said Mike McMonagle, the group’s director.
He predicted that Casey would continue that march when it comes to the Roe decision.
”It would be harder for him to go any further,” he said. | https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/sen-bob-casey-abortion-supreme-court-decision-20220503.html | 2022-05-04T00:43:06Z | https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/sen-bob-casey-abortion-supreme-court-decision-20220503.html | true |
Biden admin restores police escorts for veterans visiting DC with Honor Flight
Texas Rep. Chip Roy and dozens of other Republicans pressured the Biden administration to resume honoring veterans with Honor Flight
Police escorts for veterans visiting Washington, D.C., on Honor Flight trips will resume after Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and a host of officials called on the National Park Service to ensure that visiting servicemen receive "full experience they have earned."
U.S. Park Police announced Monday it would resume the escorts veterans taking part in excursions with Honor Flight, which organizes trips for veterans, often wounded or elderly, to tour national war monuments and other sites in the nation's capital.
"Having witnessed many first hand, these escorts are one of the few good things that the federal government facilitates; we shouldn't screw it up," Roy told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. Roy spearheaded a congressional effort in April with 75 members of Congress calling on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to resume the escorts.
"I'm happy that the administration has finally come to its senses and realized that as well. Bottom line, veterans put their lives on the line to keep this republic free, and they deserve to be treated accordingly when they visit our nation's capital," Roy said.
"It is imperative that veterans — particularly those with physical disabilities — have the necessary parking access to ensure ease of entry to each war memorial to get the full experience they have earned," Roy's letter stated.
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., led a letter with a bipartisan group of the Florida congressional delegation in March urging DOI to resume the police escorts.
The Honor Flight Network has led more than 240,000 veterans of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, on all-expenses-paid trips around Washington, D.C. Many of the veterans on the trips are terminally ill or disabled.
MORE THAN 100 SENIOR VETERANS FLY TO WASHINGTON, DC TO VISIT MEMORIALS BUILT IN THEIR HONOR
"It is an honor of the highest order for the National Park Service and Honor Flight Network to serve our nation’s veterans in this way, and we look forward to continuing our long partnership that recognizes their service and sacrifice," the Interior Department and Honor Flight said in a joint press release Monday announcing the new agreement.
The Interior Department said park police will resume the escorts June 1 for Honor Flight trips to the capital, but will no longer provide some services. The more than 300 Honor Flight trips each year were making it "increasingly difficult" to provide full escort services, according to the press release said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Prior to the suspension of the police escort services in 2020, U.S. Park Police escorted traveling veterans from the three major airports around Washington into the district, which "is now recognized to be inappropriate in non-emergency situations and inconsistent with modern law enforcement best practices."
The department will focus instead on guiding veterans around the memorials, including a traffic escort across to cross the bridge from the Lincoln Memorial and into Arlington National Cemetery. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/honor-flight-police-escort-chip-roy | 2022-05-04T00:59:20Z | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/honor-flight-police-escort-chip-roy | false |
Court won’t pause Trump’s $10K-a-day fine while he appeals
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appellate court judge on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump’s bid to halt his $10,000-a-day fine, keeping the former president’s meter running for now as he fights a lower-court decision penalizing him for failing to turn over documents in a state civil investigation.
Judge Tanya Kennedy, of the appellate division of the state’s trial court, denied Trump’s interim application to pause the fine pending his appeal. The court’s full bench will weigh in on Trump’s motion to stay the fine later this month, Kennedy said.
Trump’s attorney Alina Habba requested the stay Monday, a week after Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron fined Trump for failing to comply with a subpoena issued in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ probe of his business dealings.
Habba wrote in a court filing that Engoron’s ruling was “unconscionable and indefensible.” The judge found that Trump, who is appealing the ruling, and his lawyers had failed to show they conducted a proper search for subpoenaed records.
In asking the appellate court to pause his fine, Trump sought to stop it from accruing while he seeks to overturn Engoron’s ruling — potentially saving him hundreds of thousands of dollars if the appellate court ultimately upholds the contempt finding.
Trump is also appealing Engoron’s Feb. 17 ruling requiring him to answer questions under oath. Oral arguments in that appeal are scheduled for May 11. No arguments have been scheduled in Trump’s contempt challenge.
In a written statement Tuesday, Trump, a Republican, lashed out at James and the state’s court system. He called the attorney general, who is a Black Democrat, “racist,” said the courts were “biased, unyielding, and totally unfair” and claimed to have turned over “millions of pages of documents, perhaps more than any person or entity has ever given before.”
“This is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in history, and it should not be allowed to continue,” Trump said. “The good news is, I have done nothing wrong!”
A message seeking comment was left with Habba.
James, a Democrat, asked Engoron to hold Trump in contempt after he failed to produce any documents to satisfy a March 31 deadline to meet the terms of the subpoena. She has said her investigation has found evidence that Trump may have misstated the value of assets like skyscrapers and golf courses on financial statements for over a decade.
Habba told Engoron that she met with Trump to ensure he had no records and there were none to be found. On Friday, she submitted additional documents explaining the document search, including an affidavit in which Trump claimed he has no documents. Engoron criticized the affidavit as lacking in detail.
In seeking to halt the fine, Habba said Trump and his representatives had performed a “diligent, thorough and comprehensive search” for everything sought in the subpoena and provided complete and accurate responses to the attorney general. She said the additional submissions last week amounted to “extraordinary efforts to comply.”
“Given these circumstances, it is unconscionable and indefensible for Appellant to be held in contempt in any manner, much less at the inordinate expense of $10,000 per day,” she said.
___
Associated Press reporter Larry Neumeister contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/05/03/court-wont-pause-trumps-10k-a-day-fine-while-he-appeals/ | 2022-05-04T01:08:33Z | https://www.wnem.com/2022/05/03/court-wont-pause-trumps-10k-a-day-fine-while-he-appeals/ | false |
AUBREY, Texas — Watch the full story tonight on WFAA News 8 at 10!
Tom McCutcheon didn’t have to do much -- and that was the point.
He was sitting atop a brown horse worth more than a sports car when he lifted the rein in his left hand. Instinctively, the horse followed McCutcheon’s lead, beginning a slow turn to the left.
As McCutcheon kept inching his hand left, the horse sped up. And, after one full rotation, it was spinning like a top.
Then, swiftly and subtly as the movement began, McCutcheon clicked his tongue and brought the horse to a full stop.
“It's simple," McCutcheon said.
That 20-second display summed up a lifetime of work for McCutcheon and his family, which boasts some of the premier horse trainers and riders in the world.
The McCutcheons' specialty is a western discipline known as "reining," in which competitors perform a series of spins, stops and slides on their horses, and earn scores from judges based on their performances.
The less noticeable a rider's cues to their horse, the better the score.
Even in cowboy-loving Texas, many people don’t know much about the sport. Or, well, they didn’t. Not until the last few years, anyway, as reining -- and the McCutcheons -- ended up on one of the most-watched shows on television.
When "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan needed a few real-life cowboys to shoot a reining scene in Montana for the show's second season, he knew just who to call: The McCutcheons -- Tom, his wife Mandy and their kids Cade and Carlee.
Sheridan, a Texas native and longtime fan of reining, knows the McCutcheons well. He even keeps a few horses at the their ranch in Aubrey.
So, in the "Yellowstone" scene, he had Cade McCutcheon show a character named Jimmy how a professional gets his horse to slide. Then Mandy gets a slide in, too.
It's not the only time Sheridan has showcased the McCutcheons, either. His Paramount Network and CMT reality competition series "The Last Cowboy" chronicles the elite riding competition of horse reining and follows the McCutcheons and others as they work to grow the sport.
Sheridan also created the event The Run for a Million. Hosted in Las Vegas, it also aims to bolster the sport, featuring nine of the industry's most successful reining professionals, along with three wild card professionals, competing for a total purse of $1,000,000. In addition, there's a $100,000 shoot-out open to all reiners and their horses.
"Taylor has taken us to the masses," Tom McCutcheon said. "And there's a lot of people that have filtered into our business by seeing that and saying, "Hey, that looks fun!'"
But reining is far from a hobby for the McCutcheons. It's a sport, a business and a way of life, all wrapped into one.
And the McCutcheons are good at all three.
"This is what God gave us"
Spread out across 170 acres near Aubrey, north of Denton, the heart of the McCutcheon ranch is a sprawling covered arena where six-figure horses spin and slide across the dirt.
On one side sits an office and lobby, where the walls are decorated with dozens of ribbons and trophies, as well as framed pictures from championship celebrations.
"I mean, I’d much rather be an NBA player," Cade McCutcheon joked. "[But] this is what God gave us. Here we are."
And where they are -- where they’ve been -- is at the top of their sport.
Tom, Mandy, and Cade have all won world championships in National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) events. And Carlee has also had a fine start to her career in reining events, winning more than $75,000 last year.
Their career winnings as a family, meanwhile, total more than $5 million.
Recent results showed how lucrative the sport can be. When Cade McCutcheon won his world title in 2019, he finished with $569,595.74 in winnings. That same year, 14 other competitors earned more than $100,000 on the NRHA pro circuit.
In 2021 alone, Mandy McCutcheon won $190,881.63, leading all non-pros. And Carlee won $75,903.10, finishing eighth for the season.
On the professional side last year, Cade won $100,424.72, finishing inside the top 20.
And in the owners’ standings? Tom and Mandy finished in second place for the 2021 season, winning $237,003.34.
Combined, Tom and Mandy have earned some $5 million for their ranch.
And that's before even taking into account how the horses that the McCutcheons win with produce insane breeding earnings that are also remarkably lucrative to owners and the ranch.
The horse Tom won the World Equestrian Games on in 2010 has produced offspring that have won at least $4 million in competitive earnings.
What is reining?
But what is this sport? And what makes the McCutcheons so good at it?
They’ve mastered the skill -- the art -- of training their horses to do exactly what they need them to do, exactly when they need them to do it.
When done right, the cues to the horses are as subtle as possible.
"You just want to be able to do as much as possible without anybody knowing you're doing anything to them," Cade McCutcheon said. "That’s kind of my goal -- to make it look easy."
Reining, as a competition, is judged on each competitor and their horse doing a routine of spins, circles, stops and slides.
The spins are marked by the crispness in the turns and the sharpness in the stops. The slides are a wonder of speed and precision: A horse will run at full tilt, then suddenly drop into a slide, kicking up a cloud of dirt.
Part of these horses' training includes running toward an arena wall and stopping just in time, with only a few inches to spare.
So, what’s it like when the horse does exactly as it’s trained?
Tom compared it to a striping a golf ball 300 yards down the center of the fairway.
Mandy said it was like sinking a three-point shot in basketball.
"The rush of seeing a great horse with a great maneuver is what keeps everybody going," Mandy said.
Tom and Mandy McCutcheon have competed in reining for more than 30 years, going back to when they were both growing up in the Midwest. They've since married and moved to Texas, and now their kids are as involved in the industry as they are.
And none of the McCutcheons have any plans on slowing down any time soon.
"We feel very fortunate, very blessed, that both of the kids have the same passion for the horse business that we do," Tom said.
It's a business that’s booming -- thanks, in part, to a jolt of attention from "Yellowstone."
But, with or without a TV show, the McCutcheons would have kept their routine.
Train, win, repeat.
Said Mandy McCutcheon: "I don't think any of us could just walk away from it." | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/yellowstone-taylor-sheridan-reining-horses-mccutcheon-tom-mandy-aubrey-texas/287-7363f487-1e3a-405e-9d46-76e371e5af80 | 2022-05-04T01:16:10Z | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/yellowstone-taylor-sheridan-reining-horses-mccutcheon-tom-mandy-aubrey-texas/287-7363f487-1e3a-405e-9d46-76e371e5af80 | false |
‘You’re more beautiful in person’: Woman meets her birth mother for the first time in over 50 years
MONROVIA, Calif. (KCAL/KCBS) – A Colorado mother had a tearful reunion with her own mother, someone she has never met.
Sarah Kleinhans was put up for adoption in South Korea when she was just 14 months old.
Her mother now lives in California, and with the help of some DNA analysis, Kelinhans was able to track her down.
Kleinhans was waiting with excitement to meet her half sister, Linda, and birth mom, who they call Oma.
She anxiously awaited the two at a friend’s house in Monrovia, California, after flying into the state from Colorado with her two kids for this reunion that’s been decades in the making.
When she was given up for adoption, Kleinhans was adopted by a family in New Hampshire along with her half brother.
They each had a locket with their mother’s picture and their baby picture in it.
She had been wanting to reconnect with her birth mom for her whole life.
“Every year on my birthday, I think of you,” Kleinhans said. “Every single year and I look out and I go, ‘Are you alive? Are you wondering, are you thinking about me?’”
They just spoke on the phone two weeks before the big moment.
There were hugs and tears when the two embraced for the first time after 53 years apart.
“I’m so happy,” Kleinhans said to her mother. “I’m so grateful to you. I’m here. You’re more beautiful in person.”
She showed her mother the locket she had kept all of those years.
“Look what I have,” Kleinhans said. “I found you.”
Linda, Kleinhans half sister, had been looking for her for 15 years. Kleinhans did not even know Linda existed.
Kleinhans used the genetic testing company 23andMe to begin her family search.
Linda finally found Kleinhans through Facebook and sent her a message.
Kleinhans also found what she believes is a picture of her biological father, who died in 2015. He was a sergeant in Seoul when he met Kleinhans’s mother
Kleinhans had toured as a dancer and model, and now is a single mom. Her son, Addison, survived leukemia as a young boy.
While Kleinmans said she can’t imagine ever leaving her children, she admires what her own mother had to do.
“How selfless do you have to be to know that your child is going to have a better life,” she said. “And so, as a mixed baby, it’s a kind of hard time and it was the late 60s.”
Now, the two are faced with the delicate and slow process of getting to know each other and enjoying the little moments together, like talking about their favorite dish, kimchi.
Kleinshans and her family are in California until Thursday, where they will be catching up on all of the time they missed out on. She said they plan to have her birth mother visit them in Colorado.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wkyt.com/2022/05/03/youre-more-beautiful-person-woman-meets-her-birth-mother-first-time-over-50-years/ | 2022-05-04T01:20:48Z | https://www.wkyt.com/2022/05/03/youre-more-beautiful-person-woman-meets-her-birth-mother-first-time-over-50-years/ | false |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nan Whaley wins Democratic nomination for governor in Ohio primary election.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Big plans are brewing at St. Luke's Mission of Mercy, and on Tuesday the organization announced who will be heading it all.
Buffalo City Mission CEO and Executive Director Stuart Harper is leaving the organization to be the president of "Build Promise."
He says he's excited about the challenge and that the site is crucial.
"Not only a shelter for men, because the shelter space in Buffalo is pretty much full every night, and there's still a lot of men that are living in warehouses or living in their cars or in other inappropriate places to live. So by having a hundred plus beds here in our emergency shelter will be a real game changer, " Harper said.
St. Luke's wants to build a new emergency shelter and care center for those facing poverty and addiction. It's planned to go up on Sycamore Street, right across from the Mission's main building on Buffalo's East Side.
The 21,000 square foot building will feature an industrial-sized kitchen to serve over 600 people a day.
They hope to open in 2023. | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/st-lukes-appoints-president-ahead-of-new-big-plans-stuart-harper-build-promise/71-c215a89b-2568-4aab-87ca-0c438b74e4c4 | 2022-05-04T01:27:02Z | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/st-lukes-appoints-president-ahead-of-new-big-plans-stuart-harper-build-promise/71-c215a89b-2568-4aab-87ca-0c438b74e4c4 | false |
INDIANAPOLIS — On Monday, political publication Politico released an obtained Supreme Court draft opinion suggesting Roe v. Wade could be overturned.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court confirmed the authenticity of that document.
There are already restrictions on abortion in the state of Indiana. Currently, Indiana allows abortions to be performed for up to 22 weeks.
However, experts say people typically can’t get an abortion in the state after the first trimester.
If Roe Vs. Wade is overturned, the state of Indiana could restrict abortion further or ban it altogether.
"While Roe Vs. Wade is the law of the land and they can't outright deny abortion,” said Laura Wilson, an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Indianapolis. “There are things states can do to signify their dissatisfaction with the policy, and certainly in Indiana, we have seen that for many years beforehand.
Constitutional experts say the leaked Supreme Court draft isn't surprising with the conservative majority on the bench.
"Public opinion on this issue among Americans has been remarkably stable for over 40 years,” said Steve Sanders, a Constitutional Law Expert, and professor at IU Bloomington. “(The) Majority of Americans want abortion to be available. They don't want it to be available under all circumstances though. They believe reasonable restrictions are appropriate.”
The Indiana Republican Party has indicated that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, they are urging the governor to hold a special session.
“The vast majority of House Republicans, including myself, have been abundantly clear that we want to take action to further protect life should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn, in full or in part, Roe. We will continue to await the court's final decision," Indiana Speaker of the House Todd Houston said in a statement.
According to a 2019 Ball State poll, only 17 percent of Hoosiers support the criminalization of abortions even in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother.
"It's hard to say whether there would be a special session because Governor Holcomb has already said he is waiting for an actual decision,” Wilson said. “Right now, all we have is the leak that gives us strong indications. Our state legislature also tends to move a little bit slower. "
Governor Eric Holcomb did address the leak on Tuesday.
“Before further commenting on a leaked draft document out of the Supreme Court, like the rest of the country, I’ll wait to review the official and final decision they release on the matter in the few weeks and months ahead," Holcomb said in a statement.
There are currently 13 states that have trigger laws that stipulate if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, abortions would be restricted either automatically or within 30 days of the ruling.
Indiana is not one of those states.
For resources and details surrounding abortion in the state of Indiana click here. | https://www.wrtv.com/news/politics/here-is-what-overturning-roe-v-wade-could-mean-for-hoosiers | 2022-05-04T01:34:06Z | https://www.wrtv.com/news/politics/here-is-what-overturning-roe-v-wade-could-mean-for-hoosiers | true |
Nearly 10 weeks into the war and with its troops making only marginal gains in Ukraine’s east, Russia is focused on cementing both military and political control over the territory it has taken so far.
The Kremlin is installing occupation governments, ordering locals to use rubles for transactions and, according to three people involved in the efforts, planning hastily organized referendums in some areas to open the way for full annexation. The people spoke on condition of anonymity given the risk of retribution discussing sensitive information. The Kremlin did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Though far short of President Vladimir Putin’s original aims of ousting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and installing a pro-Russian regime in most of Ukraine, the latest efforts pose a new obstacle for already-stalled peace talks, in which Kyiv has insisted Russia give up the ground it has taken since invading on Feb. 24. Zelenskyy’s military, backed by infusions of heavy weapons from the U.S. and its allies, plans a push to retake territory.
Kremlin officials, in public and private, are still confident their advance will pick up speed and Russian forces will at least conquer the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Moscow is also seeking to tighten its grip in the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, parts of which it has seized. That would leave about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and most of its coast under Russia’s control — and create a land link to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
In recent days, Russian officials have started talking down public expectations for a major battlefield breakthrough by May 9, the World War II Victory Day holiday and military parade that have become a touchstone of the Kremlin’s campaign to whip up public support for the invasion.
Still, in a sign of its ambitions for Donetsk and Luhansk, the Kremlin has turned responsibility for them over to its domestic politics division from the one that was responsible for neighboring countries, according to people familiar with the situation. Sergei Kiriyenko, the deputy chief of staff responsible for domestic politics, visited the region late last month to lay out his plans with officials there.
Russia’s recognition of the breakaway republics in late February — including swathes of territory it does not control — paved the way for the invasion.
While a U.S. official said Monday that votes on becoming part of Russia could be held in Donetsk and Luhansk as early as mid-May, people familiar with the planning in Moscow said they’re likely to be put off until Russian forces extend control at least to the administrative boundaries of the regions. That could take weeks or months.
Formal annexation of those two territories would make them irrevocably part of Russia, in the Kremlin’s view, permanently fracturing Ukraine as other occupied areas moved to secede.
In the interim, Moscow is replacing local officials loyal to the government in Kyiv, rerouting the occupied regions’ internet connections through Russian servers and censors and mandating the use of the ruble instead of Ukraine’s hryvnia. Kyiv has accused Russia of stealing 400,000 tons of grain from the areas it controls.
“We’ll absorb Ukraine region by region,” Konstantin Malofeev, a wealthy backer of Putin who’s helping fund the war effort including by sponsoring an army of volunteer soldiers, said in an interview.
He conceded that the scale of military aid to Kyiv from the U.S. and its allies “has been far greater than anticipated.” Together with determined Ukrainian resistance, that means a grinding war that “will drag on at a slow pace” for at least months to come, he said.
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment against Malofeev in April for violating sanctions first imposed on him for his role in Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. At the time, the Treasury Department said he was “one of the main sources of financing for Russians promoting separatism in Crimea.”
While Russia since Feb. 24 has increased its grip on Donetsk and Luhansk from 30% to 75% of the territory of the two Ukrainian regions prior to 2014, according to London-based defense research group Janes, the offensive is currently making relatively little progress.
Russian troops are still fighting to complete the takeover of the port city of Mariupol, where a pocket of Ukrainian resistance is holed up in a giant steel plant after a brutal weekslong siege that leveled much of the city to ruins.
The Kremlin is preparing for a long, grinding campaign, according to people close to the leadership. With the U.S. and its allies steadily increasing sanctions — reaching the Russian oil and gas exports that had long been thought too vital to touch — Moscow sees little reason to compromise. A Russian general said in late April that Moscow’s goals are now to take over the south as well as the east of Ukraine, which would cut off the country from the sea and its main export routes. No senior official has publicly endorsed that ambition, however.
Privately, some Russian officials concede the situation on the ground in the occupied territories is chaotic and they haven’t yet been able to assert control and impose order.
Kherson, where a military-civilian administration headed by a former mayor of the region’s main city was appointed by Russia on April 26, will follow Luhansk and Donetsk in joining Russia, Malofeev said. At a minimum, the Kremlin should incorporate the entire southeast of Ukraine, a chunk of territory historically known as Novorossiya (New Russia) that Czarist Russia captured from the declining Ottoman Empire in the 18th century, he said.
Without its ports and main export routes for wheat, coal and metals, “Ukraine will lose any economic independence,” Malofeev said.
He’s boosting propaganda and dispensing largesse. His pro-Kremlin channel, Tsargrad, has correspondents fanning out across newly-occupied areas including Mariupol and Kherson, and he’s donated a billion rubles ($15 million) to buy generators, medicines, minivans and other supplies. The Russian government is also preparing to fund reconstruction, he said.
Alexander Borodai, a Russian legislator who briefly served as head of the Donetsk People’s Republic and leads the “volunteer” force set up by Malofeev fighting alongside Russian troops, said the Ukrainian state should be “dismantled and disappear from the face of the Earth.”
At least for now, it’s not clear that Russia is capable of exerting full control of Donetsk and Luhansk. In the south, Odesa, the biggest Ukrainian port, remains firmly in Ukrainian hands. Kharkiv, the major northeastern city, is also holding out.
Zelenskyy has urged Ukrainians in occupied territories not to cooperate with Russian authorities.
Even in Kherson, which fell with little fighting in March, Russian forces still don’t have total authority. Russia has set up filtration camps targeting men of military age or who served in the country’s security forces, Ukrainian officials said.
The city has seen protests with participants holding up Ukrainian flags. The region’s Kyiv-loyal governor, Hennadiy Laguta, in mid-April visited an area freed by Ukraine’s army and oversaw the restoration of electricity, police patrols and health services. Schoolchildren in the Kherson region are continuing to study in Ukrainian schools online. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/russia-seeks-to-annex-occupied-ukraine-as-invasion-goals-shift/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_world | 2022-05-04T01:35:07Z | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/russia-seeks-to-annex-occupied-ukraine-as-invasion-goals-shift/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_world | false |
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has long been outspoken about defending abortion rights, publicly disclosed Tuesday that she had an abortion herself almost two decades ago.
Pregnant as a newly elected New York City Council member, “I chose to have an abortion,” James told protesters who gathered in Manhattan to decry a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the constitutional right to an abortion nationwide.
James, a Democrat, said she makes “no apologies” for her decision.
James, 63, won a City Council race in 2003 to begin her political career, going on to serve as the city's elected ombudsman, called the public advocate, and then as attorney general since 2018. Last year, she briefly entered the 2022 race for governor before dropping out; she's now seeking reelection in November.
James has proposed a New York fund to help provide abortions to women who can't access the procedures in their own states, and she has filed or joined other attorneys general in filing friend-of-the-court briefs arguing against some abortion restrictions in other states.
“We will not go backward,” she told the protesters Tuesday. “No judge of the Supreme Court can dictate to me or to you how to use your body.” | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/NY-attorney-general-I-chose-to-have-an-17145960.php | 2022-05-04T01:40:18Z | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/NY-attorney-general-I-chose-to-have-an-17145960.php | false |
NANCY SIAME, Lusaka
THE process of selecting 30,000 teachers for recruitment will be completed this Friday albeit some people having applied for positions like drivers and general workers, which were not advertised. Teaching Service Commission chairperson Daphane Chimuka said in an interview yesterday that the commission received over 100,000 applications countrywide. Ms Chimuka said the selection process started last Wednesday at district level and the recruitment teams are working round the clock so that they can meet the deadline. “The actual work started on Thursday last week because on Wednesday, the applications were being sorted. Some [selection teams] have been working on weekends to ensure that the process is completed quickly,” she said. Ms Chimuka said selection of candidates is being done at schools, colleges and councils, depending on where space is found. And as it stands, the commission has not detected any duplication because such CLICK TO READ MORE | https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/selection-of-30000-teachers-to-be-completed-on-friday/ | 2022-05-04T01:44:58Z | https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/selection-of-30000-teachers-to-be-completed-on-friday/ | false |
World + 1 more
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, Opening Remarks at Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW), 3 May 2022
Attachments
Virtual, 3 May 2022, 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM (NY)
Edited for clarity and length
Good afternoon, good evening.
And a warm welcome to this 2022 Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks. It’s my first.
My thanks, as always, go to the Government of Switzerland and our good friend Manuel Bessler for their sponsorship and support for this really truly exceptional few weeks of learning and networking, engaging, understanding and making progress.
It’s a unique event. [Moderator] Kyoko Ono just reminded me that 7,000 participants registered last year – an astonishing number of practitioners from all over the world for constructive, lively, uninhibited discussions.
It’s the largest event of its kind and a mainstay of the humanitarian calendar.
We’ve seen participation grow from eight networks in 2015 to 53 networks now, and from 400 participants to the big numbers mentioned.
It’s a gathering that showcases the rich diversity of the humanitarian community: the inventors, the activists, the dreamers and the analysts. The diplomats and some of us UN people as well.
The events, panels, presentations and exhibits of the coming three weeks are free and show an amazing array of specializations and problem-solving. A wealth which is so unique to the humanitarian enterprise.
And it shows that the humanitarian tent is big and open to all. It’s not the monopoly of the few. It’s an obligation of the many.
It’s a global, collective birthright. It’s an honour.
Whether you’re from civil society, academia, Government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or our own UN agencies, we all have a role to play.
I really hope these three weeks offer you an opportunity to forge new links, spark fresh alliances and – here, I am reading a phrase I can’t believe I am going to say – renew our professional mojo.
It’s not so much a conference as a festival.
It’s more inclusive than ever.
It’s a hybrid format that allows people all over the world to connect more easily. And it has a place for face-to-face networking, here in Geneva.
I don’t need to remind anyone here what I have the obligation to tell so many other audiences.
You know how difficult things are for millions of people around the world in need of humanitarian assistance. 2022 was already going to be very difficult.
Humanitarian needs and funding requests have hit new highs.
We all know what we’re up against: conflict, disasters, hunger, forced migration, the climate crisis, economic and political upheavals, COVID, you name it. There is no end to this litany of man-made causes of the misery that we have the privilege to address.
And then, on top of all that, the Ukraine war happened. Many of us have been involved in this particular crisis: the violence, the cruelty, the pain, the destruction, all of which we see in many parts of the world.
The shockwaves from Ukraine have rocked the entire world and that’s what makes it a consummate crisis for us.
It’s also been a reminder of how desperately needed the work you do is. And how celebrated it is when those occasional moments of success poke through the stories of suffering and misery: The enduring promise of humanitarian action.
Amongst the inhumanity which we see all around us, you all, we all, keep going.
From the tiniest volunteer group – and I started in the humanitarian world as a volunteer – to the great economists of the World Bank, humanitarians work together, shoulder to shoulder.
One of the great advances I have seen in the many years that I have watched the humanitarian enterprise is the degree to which we work more and more closely together.
I was struck by Kyoko’s examples of how the networking and discussions we will have in these next three weeks will have a direct impact in the field and in the efforts that she makes to help the Rakhine.
Many say the media and international public have short memories and a selective attention span. That they care more about this crisis. They’ll forget about it. And they move on.
They may do that. It may be true. It’s partly true.
But we don’t. We shouldn’t. We can’t.
So, while we may be scaling up in Dnipro or Lviv or even in Kyiv, we’re staying and pushing on in so many other places around the world. And we shine the light on those many other places and those many other people.
The themes for you this year cover not just what we do but how we do it.
I spend a lot of time on the crises of the moment. But it’s incumbent on me, as it is I think on everybody else, to hold on to a longer view and a bigger question, which is: How can we do better?
How can we be more accountable to affected people?
How can we preserve basic services?
How can we remove the way in which humanitarian assistance sometimes dislodges the structures of the State and its response to people?
How can we be diverse?
How can we be culturally inclusive?
All of these things that are true for many other professional communities across the world are really true for us.
The agenda this year is ambitious. Nine areas to look at – and I have just mentioned some of them – Accountability to Affected People, Climate, Localization, the Nexus, Anticipatory Action, Security, Inclusion, Culture, and Pandemics.
It’s a broad canvas and it would be difficult to exclude any of those issues. And in addressing them we do so not out of interest but with the need to be more effective in our action.
So, we need to deepen and broaden our rich community.
And that’s what this three-week process tells us.
It’s the depth and breadth of the humanitarian community.
The range of different backgrounds.
The extraordinary inclusion of different cultures, but all held together by a belief in certain values and a commitment to a certain kind of world and a certain kind of way of life.
It’s bound up in the need to respect the individual and to provide each individual with a prospect for a future and for safety.
Thank you.
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/. | https://reliefweb.int/report/world/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-martin-8 | 2022-05-04T01:47:44Z | https://reliefweb.int/report/world/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-martin-8 | true |
Airbnb’s business is booming — and rates are rising
By Sara Ashley O’Brien, CNN Business
Airbnb reported more than 100 million bookings during the first quarter of this year, a record for the company that underscores the turnaround from when its business was decimated in the early months of the pandemic. The resurgence in demand has sent the company’s rental rates to new heights as well.
The home-sharing platform posted revenue of $1.5 billion, up 70% compared to the year prior and exceeding the $1.45 billion expected by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv. The revenue also marks an 80% increase from the same quarter in 2019, the last quarter before its business was hit by the pandemic. Airbnb posted a net loss of $19 million, down from a loss of $1.2 billion the same quarter in 2021.
Airbnb said in a letter to shareholders that the revenue growth was driven by increased bookings, as well as “continued strength” in average daily rates. Airbnb said the average daily rates in the first quarter were $168, a 37% increase compared to the same quarter in 2019, pre-pandemic, and 5% compared to the first quarter of 2021.
Shares in Airbnb rose more than 5% in after-hours trading, after dropping 5% during normal hours.
Airbnb attributed the growth in rates compared to the pre-pandemic period partly to more bookings in “North America entire homes, and non-urban destinations,” which tend to have higher rates. It said the increase from last year “was entirely driven by price appreciation.”
On a call Tuesday to discuss the earnings, CEO Brian Chesky noted that the platform has offerings “at all price points,” and CFO Dave Stephenson added that Airbnb is “just not seeing price appreciation impact our business negatively,” and similarly cited the “diversity” of its offerings.
The company said the gains in its business come “despite the ongoing pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and macroeconomic headwinds.” Airbnb noted in its shareholder letter that more than 34,000 people have signed up to offer homes to refugees fleeing Ukraine through the company’s philanthropic arm, Airbnb.org. The company announced in late February that it would offer free, temporary housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
When Airbnb made its Wall Street debut in December 2020, it was the beginning of a remarkable comeback following the pandemic’s initial devastation to its business, which led it to cut a quarter of its workforce. The company’s revenue grew 25% in 2021 compared to the year before the pandemic. In its letter to shareholders, Airbnb said it expects to post revenue upwards of $2 billion in the second quarter, which includes the start of the summer travel season.
On Tuesday’s call, Chesky said that while last year was “probably the travel rebound of the century … I think this year is going to be even bigger,” citing the emergence of new strains of the coronavirus towards the later part of 2021 that affected demand.
Chesky said he’s focused on capturing “as much market share as possible,” including getting people who haven’t traveled since the start of the pandemic to book with Airbnb.
The company has also teased changes to its product that it will announce at an event next Wednesday.
In January, Chesky said he’d thought the biggest travel trend in 2022 will be “people spreading out to thousands of towns and cities, staying for weeks, months, or even entire seasons at a time.” The company said Tuesday that long-term stays of 28 days or more continued to be its fastest-growing category when compared to 2019 (however, such stays were down 24% compared to the first quarter of last year). Airbnb said that nearly half of all bookings were for at least seven nights.
Last week, Chesky informed staffers that they won’t be required to return to the office -— ever — if they chose not to, freeing them up to live a more nomadic lifestyle. Chesky said on the earnings call that he thinks “flexibility is here to stay,” a trend he no doubt sees as beneficial to Airbnb.
Chesky said he believes that, after compensation, flexibility is one of the most important ways companies will be able to attract talent.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/cnn-social-media-technology/2022/05/03/airbnbs-business-is-booming-and-rates-are-rising/ | 2022-05-04T01:50:14Z | https://kion546.com/cnn-social-media-technology/2022/05/03/airbnbs-business-is-booming-and-rates-are-rising/ | false |
CONCOURSE, the Bronx (PIX11) — An attacker knocked a 77-year-old man to the ground, then kicked him in the face in a caught-on-camera assault, police said Tuesday.
The victim was involved in a dispute of some kind with the attacker on Grand Concourse near East Clarke Place on Monday, police said. It escalated and became violent.
Video shows the attacker punch the man in the face, knocking him to the ground. While the victim was on the ground, the suspect threw liquid from a cup onto the man, then kicked him in the face.
The victim said the man tried to rob him. Police said no property was taken.
Police asked for help identifying the attacker. He fled the scene on foot. | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/bronx/77-year-old-man-knocked-to-the-ground-kicked-in-bronx-attempted-robbery/ | 2022-05-04T02:05:40Z | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/bronx/77-year-old-man-knocked-to-the-ground-kicked-in-bronx-attempted-robbery/ | false |
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We've placed cookies on your device to improve your browsing experience. They're safe and don't contain sensitive information. | https://tj.news/telegraph-journal/101862750 | 2022-05-04T02:10:51Z | https://tj.news/telegraph-journal/101862750 | false |
KCC Q1 net profit up 5.8 pct to 32.2 bln won
09:59 May 04, 2022
SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- KCC Corp. on Wednesday reported its first-quarter net income of 32.2 billion won (US$25.6 million), up 5.8 percent from a year earlier.
The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 149.4 billion won in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 77.4 billion won a year ago. Sales rose 20.2 percent to 1.63 trillion won.
(END) | https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220504002600320 | 2022-05-04T02:11:54Z | https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220504002600320 | true |
Which cookie press gun is best?
If you are a die-hard baker who routinely turns out tray after tray of intricately-designed cookies, you already know how challenging it is to make your baked treats uniform every time. Even for the occasional cookie baker, a cookie press turns a frustrating chore — rolling and shaping cookies — into a peaceful ritual.
The best cookie press gun is easy to use and clean, produces consistent results and is made by a trusted brand. The Oxo Good Grips 14-Piece Cookie Press Set ticks all the boxes and is a great choice for bakers.
What to know before you buy a cookie press gun
Manual vs. electric cookie press guns
Cookie presses can be operated manually or by plugging in. Manual presses can be operated anywhere, but some people with hand pain find them difficult after a dozen or more cookies. Manual presses use one of the following systems to press cookies:
- Trigger system: Like a gun.
- Compression: Uses pressure from the whole hand.
- Turn: Easier on arthritic hands.
On the other hand, electric cookie press guns are easy to operate and can be used by the youngest and oldest bakers, but they require a power source and are more expensive.
Capacity
If you plan on making large amounts of cookies, you want a cookie press with a high capacity for dough. This means you won’t need to stop and refill every dozen. Commercial presses hold two cups or more.
Material
Cookie press guns come in two main materials: plastic and metal.
- Plastic: A plastic cookie press is lightweight and easy to use. The plastic should be BPA-free. These are usually more affordable and dishwasher-safe.
- Metal: Metal cookie presses are more expensive but are the choice of professionals for their durability. They are usually not dishwasher-safe and must be dried completely before storing to prevent rust.
What to look for in a quality cookie press gun
Extra discs
The more discs that are included with your cookie press gun, the more options you’ll have in terms of cookie designs. Spritz cookies are most common, but with additional discs, you can press seasonal designs that are ready for decorations in no time.
Piping tips
Tips expand the use of your cookie press gun into the decorative arts. Use these to create intricate frosting designs.
Clear barrel
A clear plastic barrel lets you plan ahead. It’s easy to see how much dough is left for pressing.
How to use a cookie press gun
Creating perfect cookies takes some practice. Here are a few tips to make it easier.
- Instead of simply packing the dough into the barrel of the press, roll it into a log first.
- Refrigerate the dough for best results. It doesn’t need to be completely cold. If it is, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- As you add dough to the barrel, press down to remove air.
- Do not add nuts, dried fruit or chips to your cookie dough. This makes dough impossible to press.
- If you press a cookie and it doesn’t come out quite right, scrape it off and try again.
How much you can expect to spend on a cookie press gun
The price will vary depending on the material of the press, whether it’s electric or manual and what’s included in the set. In general, expect to spend $20-$100 on a set with a gun and at least 10 discs.
Cookie press gun FAQ
Can children use a cookie press?
A. One of the best ways to spend a rainy afternoon is baking with your children. Unfortunately, some cookie presses are not designed for small hands. If you plan to bake with your children frequently, invest in a cookie press that is slightly smaller to fit tiny hands.
Additionally, look for an ergonomically designed trigger or compression function that slides easily. You may also consider investing in an electric cookie press.
How do you care for a cookie press?
A. Each press will be different, so check with the manufacturer’s directions before cleaning.
In general, plastic presses are often dishwasher-safe. Disassemble them as much as possible, placing the smaller parts in the silverware basket and the clear tube in the upper rack. Once they are clean, make sure they are completely dry before storing.
Metal cookie presses should be washed by hand with hot, soapy water. Do not use harsh detergents or abrasive scrubbers. Rinse the soap off completely, and dry the press thoroughly to prevent rust before storing.
What’s the best cookie press gun to buy?
Top cookie press gun
Oxo Good Grips 14-Piece Cookie Press Set
What you need to know: Oxo is a trusted brand, and this press is inexpensive and easy to use.
What you’ll love: It comes with 12 steel discs for different cookies. The clear plastic tube is sturdy and allows you to see how much dough is left. It’s easy to change the discs and clean once you’re done.
What you should consider: This is best for occasional use only. It’s not as durable as other models.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top cookie press gun for the money
Ourokhome Cookie Press Gun Kit
What you need to know: Beginners will find this press simple to operate.
What you’ll love: The plastic barrel is BPA-free. The included 16 discs and six different nozzles expand your baking repertoire. It is also great for frosting cookies, cakes and cupcakes.
What you should consider: The trigger requires more effort to dispense, causing hand fatigue or pain.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Marcato Design Atlas Deluxe Cookie Press
What you need to know: For busy bakers who often use a cookie press, this is a sturdy choice.
What you’ll love: The construction is durable anodized aluminum and steel. It includes 20 different discs for variety in pressing, and it comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. The grip is ergonomic, and the press itself is easy to clean. It comes in seven fun colors.
What you should consider: It’s the most expensive choice.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kron4.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/bakeware-baking-tools-br/best-cookie-press-gun/ | 2022-05-04T02:14:15Z | https://www.kron4.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/bakeware-baking-tools-br/best-cookie-press-gun/ | false |
- Earnings per share ("EPS")* was $2.08 for the first quarter of 2022, an increase of $0.12, or 6.1 percent, compared to $1.96 for the first quarter of 2021
- Quarter-over-quarter growth driven primarily by the acquisition of Diversified Energy, pipeline expansions, natural gas organic growth, regulatory initiatives and higher earnings in the Company's unregulated businesses
- Continued investment in low carbon energy sources including the successful testing of blended hydrogen with natural gas power at the Company's Combined Heat and Power ("CHP") plant and completion of our first compressed natural gas ("CNG") fueling station near the Port of Savannah, capable of distributing renewable natural gas ("RNG") for fleet vehicles
- Issued $50 million of 2.95 percent Senior Notes in support of the Company's long-term financing strategy
- Continued focus on organic growth and expansion projects as well as ESG initiatives, including renewable energy opportunities to further enhance sustainability in our local communities
DOVER, Del., May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) ("Chesapeake Utilities" or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2022.
The Company's net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 was $36.9 million, a 7.2 percent increase over the $34.5 million reported in the same quarter of 2021. Diluted EPS in the quarter was $2.08, a 6.1 percent increase compared to $1.96 reported in the same prior-year period.
Higher first quarter earnings were driven by the 2021 acquisitions of Diversified Energy Company ("Diversified Energy") and the natural gas metering station located in Escambia County, Florida (the "Escambia Meter Station") natural gas distribution and transmission pipeline expansions, regulated infrastructure programs, organic growth in the Company's natural gas businesses, as well as improved profitability in the Company's propane distribution business. Partially offsetting growth was lower propane customer consumption in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
"Despite headwinds brought on by the current inflationary environment and inconsistent weather impacts across our footprint within the quarter, Chesapeake Utilities began the year with solid earnings growth," commented Jeff Householder, president and CEO. "Our team continues to deliver positive results through our business growth and transformation initiatives, which led to higher margins and earnings in the quarter.
"We remain focused on executing our mission and providing our customers with safe, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy delivery solutions. We continue to capitalize on our organic growth initiatives, which led to year-over-year customer growth of 5.3 percent and 4.0 percent in our Delmarva and Florida service territories, respectively. Supporting that customer growth, we continue to make prudent investments in our utility systems and other projects that drive shareholder value – exemplified by this quarter's contributions from Diversified Energy, which we acquired in late 2021. Finally, we remain on track with the expansion of our renewable energy investments, with successful completion in the first quarter of our first hydrogen test and CNG fueling station which is also capable of distributing RNG for fleet vehicles. These investments, the steps we have taken to further strengthen our financial position and the unrelenting dedication of our talented employees continue to firmly position Chesapeake Utilities for long-term, sustainable success," concluded Householder.
COVID-19 Update
In March 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") declared a national emergency due to the rapidly growing outbreak of COVID-19. In response to this declaration and the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the United States, federal, state and local governments throughout the country imposed varying degrees of restrictions on social and commercial activity to promote social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. These restrictions significantly impacted economic conditions in the United States beginning in 2020 and persisted, to a lesser extent throughout 2021. Chesapeake Utilities is considered an "essential business," which allowed the Company to continue operational activities and construction projects while social distancing restrictions were in place. Previously existing states of emergency in all of the Company's service territories expired during the second and third quarters of 2021 eliminating a majority of restrictions initially implemented to slow the spread of the virus. The expiration of the states of emergency along with the settlement of the Company's limited proceeding in Florida, has concluded its ability to defer incremental pandemic related costs for consideration through the applicable regulatory process. At this time, the Company has adjusted its operating practices accordingly to ensure the safety of its operations and will take the necessary actions to comply with the CDC, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as new developments occur.
Capital Expenditures Forecast and Earnings Guidance Update
The Company reiterates its long-term capital expenditures and EPS guidance ranges. These include capital expenditures in the range of $750 million to $1 billion in 2021 through 2025 and an EPS guidance range of $6.05 to $6.25 for 2025. Additionally, the Company reiterates its capital expenditures guidance range of $175 million to $200 million for 2022. The Company continues to review its projections and remains supportive of this guidance.
*Unless otherwise noted, EPS information is presented on a diluted basis.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
**This press release including the tables herein, include references to non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") financial measures, including adjusted gross margin. A "non-GAAP financial measure" is generally defined as a numerical measure of a company's historical or future performance that includes or excludes amounts, or that is subject to adjustments, so as to be different from the most directly comparable measure calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. Our management believes certain non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with GAAP financial measures, provide information that is useful to investors in understanding period-over-period operating results separate and apart from items that may, or could, have a disproportionately positive or negative impact on results in any particular period.
The Company calculates Adjusted Gross Margin by deducting the purchased cost of natural gas, propane and electricity and the cost of labor spent on direct revenue-producing activities from operating revenues. The costs included in Adjusted Gross Margin exclude depreciation and amortization and certain costs presented in operations and maintenance expenses in accordance with regulatory requirements. Adjusted Gross Margin should not be considered an alternative to Gross Margin under US GAAP which is defined as the excess of sales over cost of goods sold. The Company believes that Adjusted Gross Margin, although a non-GAAP measure, is useful and meaningful to investors as a basis for making investment decisions. It provides investors with information that demonstrates the profitability achieved by the Company under the Company's allowed rates for regulated energy operations and under the Company's competitive pricing structures for unregulated energy operations. The Company's management uses Adjusted Gross Margin as one of the financial measures in assessing a business unit's performance. Other companies may calculate Adjusted Gross Margin in a different manner.
Operating income during the first quarter of 2022 was $54.9 million, an increase of $3.3 million, or 6.3 percent, compared to the same period in 2021. Higher performance in the first quarter of 2022 was generated from propane and natural gas acquisitions completed in 2021, continued pipeline expansion projects, organic growth in our natural gas distribution businesses, incremental contributions associated with regulated infrastructure programs and increased propane margins per gallon and fees. The increase in operating income was partially offset by reduced propane consumption in the first quarter. The Company recorded higher depreciation, amortization and property taxes related to recent capital investments and operating expenses associated primarily with growth initiatives, including payroll, benefits and other employee-related expenses as well as increased vehicle expenses due to higher fuel costs.
Operating income for the Regulated Energy segment for the first quarter of 2022 was $34.7 million, an increase of $2.0 million, or 6.3 percent, over the same period in 2021. Higher operating income reflects continued pipeline expansions by Eastern Shore and Peninsula Pipeline, organic growth in the Company's natural gas distribution businesses, incremental contributions from regulated infrastructure programs, and operating results from the Escambia Meter Station acquisition completed in 2021. Operating expenses increased by $2.3 million compared to the prior year quarter primarily due to a higher level of depreciation, amortization and property taxes as well as a greater amount of costs related to payroll, benefits and other employee related expenses.
The key components of the increase in adjusted gross margin** are shown below:
The major components of the increase in other operating expenses are as follows:
Operating results for the Unregulated Energy segment for the first quarter of 2022 increased by $1.1 million, or 5.6 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
Higher operating results during the first quarter were driven by contributions from the Company's acquisition of Diversified Energy, increased propane margins including higher service fees and margin improvement from Aspire Energy of Ohio ("Aspire Energy"). These increases were partially offset by reduced consumption in our propane operations. Additionally, the Company experienced increased operating expenses associated with the acquisition of Diversified Energy as well as increased payroll, benefits and employee related expenses, depreciation, amortization and property taxes, and increased vehicle expenses due to rising fuel costs.
The major components contributing to the change in adjusted gross margin** are shown below:
The major components of the increase in other operating expenses are as follows:
Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") Initiatives
ESG initiatives are at the core of Chesapeake Utilities' well-established culture, guiding the Company's strategy and informing its ongoing business decisions. In February 2022, Chesapeake Utilities published its inaugural sustainability report. In the report, the Company outlines its ESG commitments:
- Chesapeake Utilities will be a leader in the transition to a lower carbon future.
- The Company will continue to promote a diverse and inclusive workplace and further the sustainability of the communities we serve.
- The Company's businesses will be operated with integrity and the highest ethical standards.
These commitments guide the Company's mission to deliver energy that makes life better for the people and communities it serves. They impact every aspect of the Company and the relationships it has with its stakeholders. The Company encourages its investors to review the report and welcomes feedback as it continues to enhance its ESG disclosures.
During the first quarter, some of the Company's most recent ESG advancements included:
Environmental:
- Successfully completed first test of hydrogen and natural gas blend to fuel the Company's Eight Flags CHP facility
- Opened the Company's first CNG fueling station near the Port of Savannah, capable of distributing RNG for fleet vehicles
Social:
- Named a 2022 Top Workplaces USA award recipient for mid-sized companies for the second consecutive year
- Initiated two new Employee Resource Groups within the Company
Governance:
- Increased transparency with the enhancement of our director skills matrix in the Proxy Statement distributed to shareholders in March 2022
- In April 2022, we joined governance leaders as a member of the Advisory Board for the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance
Additionally, the Company established its Environmental Sustainability Office ("ESO") and ESG Committee ("ESGC") during the first quarter of 2022. The ESO was established to identify and manage emission-reducing projects both internally, as well as and those that support the Company's customers' sustainability goals. The ESGC was established to bring together a cross-functional team of leaders across the organization to identify, assess, execute and advance the Company's strategic ESG initiatives. The Company looks forward to highlighting the progress of these initiatives in future sustainability reports.
Forward-Looking Statements
Matters included in this release may include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements in the Company's 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2022, for further information on the risks and uncertainties related to the Company's forward-looking statements.
Conference Call
Chesapeake Utilities will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022. To participate in this call, dial 877.224.1468 and reference Chesapeake Utilities' 2022 First Quarter Results Conference Call. To access the replay recording of this call, the accompanying transcript, and other pertinent quarterly information, use the link CPK - Conference Call Audio Replay, or visit the Investors/Events and Presentations section of the Company's website at www.chpk.com.
About Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy delivery company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation offer sustainable energy solutions through its natural gas transmission and distribution, electricity generation and distribution, propane gas distribution, mobile compressed natural gas utility services and solutions, and other businesses. For more information, visit www.chpk.com.
Please note that Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is not affiliated with Chesapeake Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
For more information, contact:
Beth W. Cooper
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Assistant Corporate Secretary
302.734.6799
Michael Galtman
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
302.217.7036
Alex Whitelam
Head of Investor Relations
215.872.2507
Recently Completed and Ongoing Major Projects and Initiatives
The Company constantly pursues and develops additional projects and initiatives to serve existing and new customers, and to further grow its businesses and earnings, with the intention to increase shareholder value. The following table includes the major projects/initiatives recently completed and currently underway. Major projects and initiatives that have generated consistent year-over-year margin contributions are removed from the table. In the future, the Company will add new projects and initiatives to this table once negotiations are substantially final and the associated earnings can be estimated.
Detailed Discussion of Major Projects and Initiatives
Pipeline Expansions
West Palm Beach County, Florida Expansion
Peninsula Pipeline is constructing four transmission lines to bring additional natural gas to our distribution system in West Palm Beach, Florida. The first phase of this project was placed into service in December 2018 with multiple phases placed into service leading up to the project's final completion in the fourth quarter of 2021. The project generated incremental adjusted gross margin of $0.1 million during the first quarter 2022 compared to the first quarter 2021. The Company estimates that the project will generate annual adjusted gross margin of $5.2 million in 2022 and beyond.
Del-Mar Energy Pathway
In December 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued an order approving the construction of the Del-Mar Energy Pathway project. The project was placed into service in the fourth quarter of 2021. The new facilities: (i) include an additional 14,300 Dts/d of firm service to four customers, (ii) provide additional natural gas transmission pipeline infrastructure in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, and (iii) represent the first extension of Eastern Shore's pipeline system into Somerset County, Maryland. Including interim services in advance of completion, the project generated additional adjusted gross margin of $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The estimated annual adjusted gross margin from this project, including natural gas distribution service in Somerset County, Maryland, is approximately $7.0 million in 2022 and growing each year thereafter, as the distribution system serving Somerset County further expands to meet demand.
Guernsey Power Station
The Company's subsidiary, Aspire Energy Express, LLC ("Aspire Energy Express") and unrelated party Guernsey Power Station, LLC ("Guernsey Power Station"), entered into a precedent agreement for firm transportation capacity whereby Guernsey Power Station will construct a power generation facility and Aspire Energy Express will provide firm natural gas transportation service to this facility. Guernsey Power Station commenced construction of the project in October 2019. Aspire Energy Express completed construction of the gas transmission facilities in the fourth quarter of 2021. This project added $0.2 million of adjusted gross margin in the first quarter and is expected to produce adjusted gross margin of approximately $1.4 million in 2022 and $1.5 million in 2023 and beyond.
Southern Expansion
Pending FERC authorization, Eastern Shore plans to install a new natural gas driven compressor skid unit at its existing Bridgeville, Delaware compressor station that will provide 7,300 Dts of incremental firm transportation pipeline capacity. The project is currently estimated to go into service in the fourth quarter of 2022. Eastern Shore expects the Southern Expansion project to generate annual adjusted gross margin of $0.4 million in 2022 and $2.3 million in 2023 and thereafter.
Winter Haven Expansion
In May 2021, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with our Central Florida Gas Division ("CFG") for an incremental 6,800 Dts/d of firm service in the Winter Haven, Florida area. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline will construct a new interconnect with FGT and a new regulator station for CFG. The additional firm service will be used to support new incremental load due to growth in the area, including providing service, most immediately, to a new can manufacturing facility, as well as reliability and operational benefits to CFG's existing distribution system in the area. In connection with Peninsula Pipeline's new regulator station, CFG is also extending its distribution system to connect to the new station. The Company expects this expansion to generate additional adjusted gross margin of $0.4 million in 2022 and $1.0 million in 2023 and thereafter.
Beachside Pipeline Extension
In June 2021, Peninsula Pipeline and Florida City Gas entered into a Transportation Service Agreement for an incremental 10,176 Dts/d of firm service in Indian River County, Florida, to support Florida City Gas' growth along the Indian River's barrier island. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline will construct approximately 11.3 miles of pipeline from its existing pipeline in the Sebastian, Florida, area east under the Intercoastal Waterway and southward on the barrier island. The Company expects this extension to generate additional annual adjusted gross margin of $1.8 million in 2023 and $2.5 million thereafter.
North Ocean City Connector
Pending receipt of the remaining permits, the Company expects to begin construction in the second quarter of 2022 of an extension of service into North Ocean City, Maryland. The Company's Delaware Division and Sandpiper Energy plan to install approximately 5.7 miles of pipeline across southern Sussex County, Delaware to Fenwick Island, Delaware and Worcester County, Maryland. The project will produce additional capacity to serve new customers and reinforce our existing system in Ocean City, Maryland. The Company expects this expansion to generate additional annual adjusted gross margin of $0.4 million in 2023 and beyond.
Virtual Pipeline Solutions (CNG, RNG & LNG)
Marlin Gas Services provides CNG RNG and liquefied natural gas ("LNG") temporary hold services, contracted pipeline integrity services, emergency services for damaged pipelines and specialized gas services for customers who have unique requirements. For the quarter ended March 31, 2022, Marlin Gas Services generated additional adjusted gross margin of $0.1 million compared to the quarter ended March 31, 2021. The Company estimates that Marlin Gas Services will generate annual adjusted gross margin of approximately $8.5 million in 2022, and $9.5 million in 2023, with potential for additional growth in future years. Marlin Gas Services continues to actively expand the territories it serves, as well as leverage its patented technology to serve other markets, including pursuing liquefied natural gas transportation opportunities and renewable natural gas transportation opportunities from diverse supply sources to various pipeline interconnection points, as further outlined below.
RNG Infrastructure
Noble Road Landfill RNG Project
In October 2021, Aspire Energy completed construction of its Noble Road Landfill RNG pipeline project, a 33.1-mile pipeline, which transports RNG generated from the Noble Road landfill to Aspire Energy's pipeline system, displacing conventionally produced natural gas. In conjunction with this expansion, Aspire Energy also upgraded an existing compressor station and installed two new metering and regulation sites. The RNG volume is expected to represent nearly 10 percent of Aspire Energy's gas gathering volumes.
Bioenergy DevCo
In June 2020, the Company's Delmarva natural gas operations and Bioenergy DevCo ("BDC"), a developer of anaerobic digestion facilities that create renewable energy and healthy soil products from organic material, entered into an agreement related to a project to extract RNG from poultry production waste. BDC and the Company's affiliates are collaborating on this project in addition to several other project sites where organic waste can be converted into a carbon-negative energy source.
Marlin Gas Services will transport the RNG source created from the organic waste from the BDC facility to an Eastern Shore interconnection, where the sustainable fuel will be introduced into the Company's transmission system and ultimately distributed to its natural gas customers.
CleanBay Project
In July 2020, the Company and CleanBay Renewables Inc. ("CleanBay") announced a new partnership to bring RNG to the Company's Delmarva natural gas operations. As part of this partnership, the Company will transport the RNG produced at CleanBay's planned Westover, Maryland bio-refinery, to the Company's natural gas infrastructure in the Delmarva Peninsula region. Eastern Shore and Marlin Gas Services, will transport the RNG from CleanBay to the Company's Delmarva natural gas distribution system where it is ultimately delivered to the Delmarva natural gas distribution end use customers.
At the present time, the Company expects to generate adjusted gross margin of $1.0 million in 2022 and beyond from renewable natural gas transportation. As the Company continues to finalize contract terms associated with some of these projects, additional information will be provided regarding incremental margin at a future time.
Acquisitions
Diversified Energy
On December 15, 2021, the Company's subsidiary, Sharp Energy, Inc. ("Sharp Energy") acquired the propane operating assets of Diversified Energy for approximately $37.5 million net of cash acquired. There are multiple strategic benefits to this acquisition including it: (i) expands the Company's propane territory into North Carolina and South Carolina while also expanding our existing footprint in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and (ii) includes an established customer base with opportunities for future growth. Through this acquisition, the Company added approximately 19,000 residential, commercial and agricultural customers, along with distribution of approximately 10.0 million gallons of propane annually. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, Diversified Energy contributed $4.0 million in adjusted gross margin and is expected to generate $11.3 million of additional adjusted gross margin in 2022 and $12.0 million in 2023.
Escambia Meter Station
In June 2021, Peninsula Pipeline purchased the Escambia Meter Station from Florida Power and Light and entered into a Transportation Service Agreement with Gulf Power Company to provide up to 530,000 Dts/d of firm service from an interconnect with FGT to Florida Power & Light's Crist Lateral pipeline. The Florida Power & Light Crist Lateral provides gas supply to their natural gas fired power plant owned by Florida Power & Light in Pensacola, Florida. The Company generated $0.3 million in additional adjusted gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and estimates that this acquisition will generate adjusted gross margin of approximately $1.0 million in 2022 and beyond.
Regulatory Initiatives
Florida Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program ("GRIP")
Florida GRIP is a natural gas pipe replacement program approved by the Florida PSC that allows automatic recovery, through rates, of costs associated with the replacement of mains and services. Since the program's inception in August 2012, the Company has invested $189.5 million of capital expenditures to replace 348 miles of qualifying distribution mains, including $23.6 million of new pipes during 2021. GRIP generated additional gross margin of $0.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to March 31, 2021. The Company is currently projecting to complete this program in 2022 and expects to generate adjusted gross margin of $18.8 million and $19.5 million in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The adjusted gross margin on GRIP investments will continue until the Company requests the remaining net GRIP investment, and the associated expenses, be included in its next base rate proceeding.
Capital Cost Surcharge Programs
In December 2019, the FERC approved Eastern Shore's capital cost surcharge to become effective January 1, 2020. The surcharge, an approved item in the settlement of Eastern Shore's last general rate case, allows Eastern Shore to recover capital costs associated with mandated highway or railroad relocation projects that required the replacement of existing Eastern Shore facilities. For the first quarter of 2022 there was $0.5 million of adjusted gross margin generated pursuant to the program. Eastern Shore expects to produce adjusted gross margin of approximately $2.0 million in 2022 and 2023 from relocation projects, which is ultimately dependent upon the timing of filings and the completion of construction.
Elkton Gas Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement ("STRIDE") Plan
In June 2021, the Company reached a settlement with the Maryland PSC Staff and the Maryland Office of the Peoples Counsel regarding a five-year plan to replace Aldyl-A pipelines and recover the associated costs of those replacements through a fixed charge rider. The STRIDE plan went into service in September 2021 and is expected to generate $0.2 million of adjusted gross margin in 2022 and $0.4 million annually thereafter.
COVID-19 Regulatory Proceeding
In October 2020, the Florida PSC approved a joint petition of the Company's natural gas and electric distribution utilities in Florida to establish a regulatory asset to record incremental expenses incurred due to COVID-19. The regulatory asset will allow the Company to seek recovery of these costs in the next base rate proceedings. In November 2020, the Office of Public Counsel filed a protest to the order approving the establishment of this regulatory asset treatment, contending that the order should be reversed or modified and to request a hearing on the protest. The Company's Florida regulated business units reached a settlement with the Office of Public Counsel in June 2021. The settlement allowed the business units to establish a regulatory asset of $2.1 million. This amount includes COVID-19 related incremental expenses for bad debt write-offs, personnel protective equipment, cleaning and business information services for remote work. The Company's Florida regulated business units will amortize the amount over two years beginning January 1, 2022 and recover the regulatory asset through the Purchased Gas Adjustment and Swing Service mechanisms for the natural gas business units and through the Fuel Purchased Power Cost Recovery clause for the electric division. This results in annual additional adjusted gross margin of $1.0 million that will be offset by a corresponding amortization of regulatory asset expense for both 2022 and 2023.
Florida Natural Gas Base Rate Proceeding
On March 24, 2022, the Florida natural gas distribution business units of the Company, Florida Public Utilities Company, the Florida Division of Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, Florida Public Utilities Company – Indiantown Division, and Florida Public Utilities Company – Fort Meade (jointly, "the Florida Natural Gas Companies"), filed a joint notification with the Florida PSC, stating their intent to file a consolidated natural gas base rate proceeding and request consolidation of the Florida distribution operations under Florida Public Utilities Company for all Florida regulatory purposes. The Florida Natural Gas Companies anticipate filing the consolidated base rate case as soon as practicable after the expiration of the notification period, but not before May 24, 2022.
The Florida Natural Gas Companies estimate that an increase in the revenue requirement of $18 million to $21 million is necessary to produce sufficient revenues to allow the Florida Natural Gas Companies, once consolidated, to continue to provide the safe and reliable natural gas service the Company's customers deserve and have come to expect, while continuing to invest in the safety of the Company's employees, customers, and communities, as well as the natural gas distribution system itself. The Florida Natural Gas Companies' request will seek an effective date for new rates of January 1, 2023. The Florida Natural Gas Companies will also be requesting interim rate relief, subject to refund, in accordance with the applicable statute using the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, as the test period. The Company currently cannot estimate the ultimate outcome of the consolidated base rate proceeding.
Other major factors influencing adjusted gross margin
Weather Impact
For the three months ended March 31, 2022, weather conditions accounted for $0.4 million of decreased adjusted gross margin compared to the same period in 2021. Assuming normal temperatures, as detailed below, adjusted gross margin would have been higher by $0.9 million. The following table summarizes HDD and CDD variances from the 10-year average HDD/CDD ("Normal") for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.
Natural Gas Distribution Adjusted Margin Growth
Customer growth for the Company's natural gas distribution operations, as a result of the addition of new customers (excluding acquisitions) and the conversion of customers from alternative fuel sources to natural gas service, generated $1.2 million of additional adjusted gross margin for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The average number of residential customers served on the Delmarva Peninsula increased 5.3 percent for the three months ended March 31, 2022, while Florida customers increased by 4.0 percent, for the same period. A larger percentage of the adjusted gross margin growth was generated from residential growth given the expansion of natural gas into new housing communities and conversions to natural gas as the Company's distribution infrastructure continues to build out. The Company anticipates continued customer growth as new communities continue to build out due to population growth and infrastructure is added to support the growth, there is also increased load from new commercial and industrial customers. Details are provided in the following table:
Capital Investment Growth and Associated Financing Plans
The Company's capital expenditures were $25.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The following table shows a range of the forecasted 2022 capital expenditures by segment and by business line:
The capital expenditure projection is subject to continuous review and modification. Actual capital requirements may vary from the above estimates due to a number of factors, including changing economic conditions, capital delays that are greater than currently anticipated, customer growth in existing areas, regulation, new growth or acquisition opportunities and availability of capital. Historically, actual capital expenditures have typically lagged behind the forecasted amounts.
The Company's target ratio of equity to total capitalization, including short-term borrowings, is between 50 and 60 percent. The Company's equity to total capitalization ratio, including short-term borrowings, was 52 percent as of March 31, 2022.
The Company may utilize more temporary short-term debt, when the financing cost is attractive, as a bridge to permanent long-term financing, or if the equity markets are more volatile. The Company currently maintains a multi-tranche $400.0 million syndicated revolving line of credit (the "Revolver"), with multiple participating lenders to meet its short-term borrowing needs. The two tranches of the facility consist of a $200.0 million 364-day short-term debt tranche and a $200.0 million five-year tranche, both of which have three (3) one-year extension options which can be authorized by our Chief Financial Officer. The Company is eligible to establish the repayment term for individual borrowings under the five year tranche of the facility and to the extent that an individual loan under the revolver exceeded 12 months, the outstanding balance would be classified as a component of long-term debt.
The 364-day tranche of the Revolver expires in August 2022 and the five-year tranche expires in August 2026; both tranches are available to provide funds for the Company's short-term cash needs to meet seasonal working capital requirements and to temporarily fund portions of the Company's capital expenditures. As of March 31, 2022, the pricing under the 364-day tranche of the Revolver does not include an unused commitment fee and maintains an interest rate of 0.70 percent over LIBOR. As of March 31, 2022, the pricing under the five-year tranche of the Revolver included an unused commitment fee of 0.09 percent and an interest rate of 0.95 percent over LIBOR. The Company's total available credit under the Revolver at March 31, 2022 was $256.3 million.
The Company issued $50 million of 2.95 percent Senior Notes on March 15, 2022 under a private placement agreement with MetLife Investment Advisors. The Company used the proceeds received from the issuances of the Senior Notes to reduce short-term borrowings under its revolving credit facility and to fund capital expenditures. These Senior Notes have similar covenants and default provisions as the existing senior notes, and have an annual principal payment beginning in the eleventh year after the issuance.
In terms of equity capital, the Company maintains an effective shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the issuance of shares under its Dividend Reinvestment and Direct Stock Purchase Plan (the "DRIP"). In June 2020, the Company also filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which provides for the issuance of shares of its common stock via a variety of offering types. In August 2020, the Company filed a prospectus supplement under the shelf registration statement for an At-the-Market ("ATM") program under which the Company may issue and sell shares of common stock up to an aggregate offering price of $75.0 million under which $62.5 million has been issued.
During the first quarter of 2022, the Company issued less than 0.1 million shares of common stock through its DRIP program and received net proceeds of approximately $3.2 million which were added to the Company's general funds.
Depending on the Company's capital needs and subject to market conditions, in addition to other debt and equity offerings, the Company may consider, as necessary in the future, issuing additional shares under the direct stock purchase component of the DRIP, the ATM program, or pursuant to its shelf registration statement. More information about financing activities is included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and the Company's First Quarter 2022 Form 10-Q.
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SOURCE Chesapeake Utilities Corporation | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/chesapeake-utilities-corporation-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-05-04T02:26:43Z | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/chesapeake-utilities-corporation-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/ | false |
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: HTA), announced today that on Thursday, May 5, 2022, after the market closes, HTA will report its financial results for the three months ending March 31, 2022.
HTA will not host a conference call or webcast in connection with its financial performance and operating results for the three months ending March 31, 2022.
About HTA
Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of medical office buildings in the United States, with assets comprising approximately 26.1 million square feet of GLA, with $7.8 billion invested primarily in medical office buildings as of December 31, 2021. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which translates to superior demographics, high-quality graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. We believe this drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level.
Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index. More information about HTA can be found on the Company's Website (www.htareit.com), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
Forward-Looking Language
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs, including expectations, plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs about HTA, stockholder value and earnings growth.
The forward-looking statements included in this press release are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond HTA's control. Although HTA believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, HTA's actual results and performance could differ materially and in adverse ways from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on HTA's operations and future prospects include, but are not limited to:
- the Company's ability to effectively deploy proceeds of offerings of securities;
- changes in economic conditions affecting the healthcare property sector, the commercial real estate market and the credit market;
- competition for acquisition and development of medical office buildings and other facilities that serve the healthcare industry;
- the Company's ability to acquire or develop real properties, and to successfully operate those properties once acquired or developed;
- pandemics and other health concerns, and the measures intended to prevent their spread, including the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;
- economic fluctuations in certain states in which the Company's investments are geographically concentrated;
- financial stability and solvency of the Company's tenants, including the ability and willingness of the Company's tenants or borrowers to satisfy obligations under their respective contractual arrangements with the Company and the potential inability of the Company to enforce its rights under its leases during the pendency of any pandemic;
- the ability and willingness of the Company's tenants to renew their leases with the Company upon expiration of the leases or the Company's ability to reposition its properties on the same or better terms in the event of a nonrenewal or in the event the Company exercises its right to replace an existing tenant;
- fluctuations in reimbursements from third party payors such as Medicare and Medicaid;
- supply and demand for operating properties in the market areas in which the Company operates;
- changes in operating expenses of the Company's properties including, but not limited to, expenditures for property taxes, property and liability insurance premiums, and utility rates;
- the Company's ability and the ability of its tenants to obtain and maintain adequate property, liability and other insurance from reputable, financial stable providers;
- restrictive covenants on certain of the Company's properties subject to ground leases that may restrict or limit the uses of its properties and the types of tenants the Company is able to lease to, and the Company's ability to attract new tenants;
- the impact from damage to the Company's properties from, or increased operating costs associated with, catastrophic weather and other natural events and the physical effect of climate change;
- retention of the Company's senior management team and its ability to attract and retain qualified key personnel;
- legislative and regulatory changes, including changes to laws governing the taxation of real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and changes to laws governing the healthcare industry;
- changes in interest rates, including changes as a result of the phasing out of the London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") effective June 30, 2023;
- the availability of capital and financing;
- restrictive covenants in the Company's credit facilities;
- changes in the Company's credit ratings;
- HTA's ability to remain qualified as a REIT;
- changes in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, policies and guidelines applicable to REITs; and
- the risk factors set forth in HTA's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in HTA's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, HTA undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect the events or circumstances arising after the date as of which they are made. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements included in this press release or that may be made elsewhere from time to time by, or on behalf of, HTA.
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SOURCE Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/healthcare-trust-america-inc-sets-dates-report-2022-first-quarter-financial-results/ | 2022-05-04T02:27:46Z | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/05/03/healthcare-trust-america-inc-sets-dates-report-2022-first-quarter-financial-results/ | false |
Carman Deck, who was condemned to death following a double murder conviction and three trials, was executed Tuesday evening in Bonne Terre, Missouri, by lethal injection.
Deck was accused of fatally shooting James and Zelma Long in the back of the head and robbing them in 1996, when he was 30 years old. Police said he confessed to the killings, but Deck's defense argued at trial it was a false confession.
Deck's first conviction was overturned on appeal due to an error in jury instructions. He was sentenced to death a second time, but it was overturned by the US Supreme Court, which said Deck being shackled in court during the sentencing phase may have influenced the jury.
A third jury returned death verdicts in 2008, but a federal judge vacated the sentence, agreeing with Deck's defense there was not enough evidence in the third penalty phase to warrant a death sentence.
In 2020, a federal appeals court ruled the judge's decision to be in error and reinstated the death sentence. Further appeals to the US Supreme Court were denied.
"Tonight, justice was served," said Anne Precythe, director of the Missouri Department of Corrections. Deck was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. CT.
Elizabeth Carlyle, an attorney for Deck, called his execution "unjust and immoral," saying Deck "endured a pattern of abuse, neglect and abandonment, which was mitigating evidence the Missouri Supreme Court called 'substantial.' "
Close family members taught him to steal, the attorney said, leading to a prison sentence which "transformed him from a nonviolent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders," the attorney said in a statement.
The third jury did not hear from anyone who could testify to his "horrific childhood," she wrote.
"Due to the passage of time caused by the State of Missouri, the jury did not hear from a single live witness who knew Carman before the crime," Carlyle said. "This botched process simply provides insufficient guardrails to support taking Carman's life. Life imprisonment without parole would have been a just and adequate punishment for him."
Members of the Long family witnessed the execution, but no members of Deck's family were present, according to a corrections department spokesperson.
Deck's execution was the fifth this year in the United States, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kimt.com/news/missouri-executes-man-convicted-of-murdering-and-robbing-an-elderly-couple-in-1996/article_e4effd6c-6aa6-5aa0-97bf-7466219247a9.html | 2022-05-04T02:31:47Z | https://www.kimt.com/news/missouri-executes-man-convicted-of-murdering-and-robbing-an-elderly-couple-in-1996/article_e4effd6c-6aa6-5aa0-97bf-7466219247a9.html | false |
'I was numb': Activists rally in Eugene to protest Supreme Court plan to overturn Roe v. Wade
This story will be updated as the rally begins. Check back for the latest. (The original story is below.)
7:14 p.m.: 'It is right to rebel'
6:58 p.m.: A 'primal scream'
6:44 p.m.: A shoutout to male supporters
6:36 p.m.: An aerial view of the march
6:34 p.m.: 'They don't care if women die'
6:19 p.m.: Marching toward the Park Blocks
5:53 p.m.: Honking in support
5:41 p.m.: Workers' rights
5:24 p.m.: More protest signs
5:20 p.m.: Abortion-rights signs galore
5 p.m.: Hundreds gather for protest
Original story: Eugene protesters rally against possible end of Roe v. Wade
Lane County residents plan to rally Tuesday afternoon in response to leaks revealing the U.S. Supreme Court's intention to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision protecting abortion rights in the U.S.
The rally is set for 5 p.m. outside the federal courthouse in Eugene at 405 E. Eighth Ave., and is listed on Facebook as "Rally for Womb Rights: We Will Never go Back."
Gwendolyn Iris, who created the Facebook Event and lives outside of Eugene, said she couldn't sleep and felt "numb" after hearing the leaked news Monday that the Supreme Court was planning to strike down the landmark decision in a draft opinion by Associate Justice Samuel Alito. The leaked document was first reported by Politico. A mother of two, Iris said she had an abortion at a time when she was too poor to provide for another child.
"I was numb last night. The idea that could be taken away from anyone, anywhere in this country, it’s just very scary and upsetting and shocking," Iris, 40, told The Register-Guard.
Oregon's Planned Parenthood leaders said there was a "flood" of of emails with people concerned and offers of assistance to the organization in a Zoom news conference Tuesday.
"A lot of patients coming in today have been uncomfortable, and we've made a point of reassuring our staff to make sure they have talking points," said Lisa Gardner, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon. "Everyone is feeling this, and the shockwaves are going to continue for a while."
While Oregon has state-level protection for the procedure, a reversal of Roe v. Wade could lead to a significant increase in abortions in the state, considering that nearby states such as Idaho have trigger laws that would ban abortions following that decision.
The Guttmacher Institute, an abortion-rights research organization, estimated there could be a 234% increase in abortions in Oregon and southwest Washington if Roe v. Wade were overturned, said An Do, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. The decision also could impact residents in Eastern Oregon who rely on Idaho cities for health care, since they would have to drive much further to reach a facility offering abortions.
"This leak makes it very clear that our deepest fears are coming true, we are at a crisis moment for abortion access," Gardner said.
A total of 287 Lane County residents had induced abortions in 2021, and 632 out-of-state residents came to Oregon for their abortion last year, according to preliminary data from the Oregon Health Authority.
Read more about the case and what comes next
- Oregon GOP, Democratic 2022 gubernatorial candidates share thoughts on abortion
- Why Oregon is mostly insulated from looming US Supreme Court abortion decision
- 'Whole range of rights could now be at risk' if Roe v. Wade is overturned, Biden says: Live updates
- Leak of abortion opinion creates existential crisis for Supreme Court as trust in government plummets
- What happens if Roe v. Wade is overturned? What we know about Supreme Court's leaked draft
- Abortion draft opinion fallout: Could rights to same-sex marriage, contraception be next?
- The leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade not illegal, experts say
- Anti-abortion groups could win a 50-year fight to end Roe. They aren't stopping there.
Louis Krauss covers breaking news for The Register-Guard. Contact him at lkrauss@registerguard.com, and follow him on Twitter @LouisKraussNews. | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2022/05/03/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-decision-protest-rally-eugene-oregon/65353581007/ | 2022-05-04T02:33:18Z | https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2022/05/03/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-decision-protest-rally-eugene-oregon/65353581007/ | true |
CHICAGO, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church) and the Alzheimer's Association recently announced it is renewing their nationwide partnership, aimed at educating and engaging more than 2 million U.S.-based AME Church members in the fight against Alzheimer's, for five more years.
Since the partnership began in 2019, more than 1,600 AME Church members have attended dementia education programs. In addition, more than 5,000 AME Church members have participated in Connectional Purple Sunday events, which provide AME members with disease-related information and care and support resources available through the Alzheimer's Association.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to the pursuit of our mission," said Dr. Carl V. Hill, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Alzheimer's Association. "Our work with the AME Church and other organizations that represent and advocate for underserved communities enables us to expand our outreach, providing more people with resources and support to address the Alzheimer's and other dementia crises."
According to the Alzheimer's Association, older Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than White Americans. Black Americans are also less likely to receive a timely diagnosis, with many receiving a diagnosis much later in the disease, when their medical needs are greater.
"It is our desire to create forums that educate while shining a light on the abundance of AME professionals who are trained and qualified to lead, guide and direct us on a wide variety of (holistic) health topics," said Dr. Miriam Burnett, Medical Director, AME Church International Health Commission. "We are grateful that we are positioned and excel in providing health education and promotion activities as well as potential services. As a result of this collaboration there would be expanded community outreach efforts; expanded awareness of support services for families affected by Alzheimer's; expanded opportunities to promote and influence dementia related public policy; expanded awareness to increase knowledge of Alzheimer's risks and symptoms; and expanded support for Alzheimer's programming and research."
About the Alzheimer's Association®
The Alzheimer's Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia – by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia. Visit alz.org or call (800) 272-3900.
About the African Methodist Episcopal Church
The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is the oldest and one of the largest historically African-American denominations in the country. The church has more than 2.5 million members across five continents in 39 countries located in 20 Episcopal districts. More than 2 million members reside in the US across 13 Episcopal districts. It remains one of the largest Methodist denominations in the world. The AME church has consistently advocated for the civil and human rights affecting individuals of African descent through social improvement, religious autonomy, and political engagement. Visit www.amechealth.org/alz.
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SOURCE Alzheimer’s Association | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/african-methodist-church-alzheimers-association-renew-strategic-partnership-raise-awareness-alzheimers-disease-black-american-communities/ | 2022-05-04T02:35:33Z | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/african-methodist-church-alzheimers-association-renew-strategic-partnership-raise-awareness-alzheimers-disease-black-american-communities/ | false |
Barring a miracle, Mariupol, the beleaguered industrial center in eastern Ukraine, may henceforth be known only as the city that bore the brunt of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked assault on Ukraine’s independence and its people.
But the city also has a rich and often tragic Jewish history, shaped by conflict and the efforts of previous generations to preserve their lives, faith and culture in the face of brutality.
One such story starts at the beginning of the 20th century, not in Ukraine but in Lithuania.
Perched on the western edge of the Russian Empire, the Lithuanian town of Panevezys (pronounced Ponevezh or Ponevich) was home to some 7,000 Jews, roughly half the total population. The town boasted few amenities, but chief among them was the yeshiva established in 1909 by Liba Miriam Gavronskii, widowed daughter of the wealthy tea magnate Kalonymus Wissotsky. Rabbi Yitshak Yaakov Rabinovich (known as Reb Itsele Ponevezher, 1854-1919) was its first head, or rosh yeshiva.
The yeshiva flourished, but it faced an early threat to its existence with the outbreak of World War I. Seeking to undermine the Russian war effort, the Germans directed a Yiddish-language proclamation to the Jews of the Russian Empire, promising them full emancipation and equal rights once the Romanov dynasty was toppled. Already distrustful of his large Jewish population, the notoriously antisemitic Tsar Nicholas II ordered a brutal expulsion of Jews from the borderlands region to the interior of the Russian Empire.
The Yeshiva of Ponevezh was forced to relocate, first to Ludza in nearby Latvia, and then once again to Mariupol. Before returning to reestablish itself in independent Lithuania in 1919, the yeshiva would spend the remainder of the war years in Mariupol.
Why Mariupol? The great distance from the front lines certainly factored in the thinking of the rosh yeshiva, but Mariupol had developed a reputation as a haven for Jewish settlement. In 1791, the port city was added to the Pale of Settlement, the region of the Russian Empire designated for Jews. By 1847 just over a hundred Jews had established homes in Mariupol, participating in the Black Sea trade. It became a destination for Jews looking for economic opportunity and those fleeing the overcrowded regions of Lithuania and Belarus. By the end of the 19th century, the city was home to over 5,000 Jews, constituting 16% of the population; the 1926 census records 7,332 Jews in Mariupol, or 18% of the city.
The expanding, dynamic Jewish community of Mariupol — disturbed only by riots associated with the 1905 revolution — came to an abrupt end with the Nazi invasion. Mariupol’s Jews were rounded up and shot by Einsatzgruppen on a single dark day — Oct. 18, 1941 — as part of the horrific “Holocaust by Bullets.”
As for the Lithuanian yeshiva that was sheltered by Mariupol in World War I, it went on to establish itself as one of the greatest institutions of Talmudic study during the interwar years. In 1939, however, war came to Panevezys again, with both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany invading Lithuania. Under the leadership of Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman (1888-1969), the yeshiva continued to function under Communist rule despite the fact that he was trapped outside the country, with students moving from one synagogue to another until the Nazis took over in June 1941 and murdered them all, together with most of Rabbi Kahaneman’s family.
In 1944, Rabbi Kahaneman reestablished the Ponevezh Yeshiva once again — this time in B’nai Brak, in what would become Israel — with seven students. Amazingly, it has grown to reclaim its reputation among the most prominent institutions of higher Talmudic education in the world; at 98, its current rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, is regarded by many as the spiritual leader of the “Lithuanian” non-Hasidic stream of haredi Orthodoxy.
After the Holocaust, Jews slowly trickled back into Mariupol, which in 1948 was renamed Zhdanov by the Soviets after the sudden death of Andrei Zhdanov (1896-1948), long rumored to be Joseph Stalin’s presumed successor (his son also married the Soviet dictator’s daughter). By 1959 over 2,000 Jews lived in the city, but only constituted about 1% of the total population.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the city reclaimed its original name of Mariupol in 1989, and became part of newly independent Ukraine shortly thereafter. The heroic presence of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in Mariupol, as in many formerly Soviet communities, supported the tiny Jewish population that remained after most of them emigrated to Israel in Operation Exodus — when Jews escaped the crumbling Soviet Union more than three decades ago — and continued to serve even through the Russian invasions of 2014 and 2018. Now, in the midst of the invasion of 2022, Chabad and others are working to evacuate as many of them as possible. JN
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media. | https://www.jewishaz.com/opinion/mariupol-one-of-putin-s-main-targets-in-ukraine-once-sheltered-a-great-yeshiva/article_447b77ee-cb25-11ec-bf4a-033085518925.html | 2022-05-04T02:38:22Z | https://www.jewishaz.com/opinion/mariupol-one-of-putin-s-main-targets-in-ukraine-once-sheltered-a-great-yeshiva/article_447b77ee-cb25-11ec-bf4a-033085518925.html | false |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP/WISH) — Former state Sen. Erin Houchin has won the crowded Republican primary for an open congressional seat from a solidly GOP district in southern Indiana.
Houchin emerged Tuesday from a nine-candidate Republican field for the 9th Congressional District seat that opened up when current GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth unexpectedly announced in January he wouldn’t seek reelection after three terms.
The 45-year-old Houchin finished second to Hollingsworth in the 2016 GOP primary race. This time, she was able to overcome a self-funded campaign by wealthy trucking company owner Mike Sodrel, who attempted a political comeback for the seat he held for a single term after a 2004 election win.
Houchin resigned her state Senate seat in February after seven years to focus on the congressional race. Houchin was the only woman among the Republican candidates, and she also drew on her ties to GOP activists from her previous stints as former U.S. Sen. Dan Coats’ southeastern Indiana director and the 9th District’s Republican chair.
Houchin lives in Salem with her husband, Dustin, and their three children
““I am honored that Hoosier Republicans across Southern Indiana have entrusted me with their vote,” said Houchin. “I’ve spent my life in the Ninth District, and look forward to carrying our momentum through November and being the proven conservative fighter we need in Washington. It’s time to push back against the radical Biden-Pelosi agenda and take our country back.”
Statement from Erin Houchin | https://www.wishtv.com/news/election/houchin-wins-gop-primary-for-indiana-9th-congressional-district-seat/ | 2022-05-04T02:38:44Z | https://www.wishtv.com/news/election/houchin-wins-gop-primary-for-indiana-9th-congressional-district-seat/ | true |
Welcome to Episode 28 of the Prep Extra Podcast presented by The Lincoln Journal Star.
NORFOLK — Moments after shot put, his second event of the day, was completed, Sam Cappos walked to the nearby scoring display and set the numbers to 1-8-1-4, and had his dad snap a picture.
On a picture-perfect weather day for throwers — a tad cool, but, hey, no wind! — Cappos uncorked another personal-best mark Tuesday at the Heartland Athletic Conference track and field meet at Norfolk High School.
The Lincoln East senior won the discus title with a throw of 181 feet, 4 inches, and followed by keeping his unbeaten season going in the shot put.
Many of Cappos' previous winning throws in the discus this season — his previous best was 177-8½ — had come throwing into the wind.
On Tuesday, he capitalized on the calm conditions.
"I knew when I was throwing in that weather it was going to translate to once it got warmer," Cappos said. "I've had some really good practices. I have two amazing coaches at East (coach Dave Brown and Shelby Brown). They have really guided me to that big discus run.
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"… 180 feels really good because I've been chasing that mark for a while now," said Cappos, who added he's hoping to go 190 at some point.
Cappos became the fourth thrower to go over 180 feet this year, and he currently ranks fourth in the state and second in Class A behind North Platte's Nic Davis (182-8).
Consistency has been key, Cappos notes. Consistency was on display in the shot put, where Cappos threw 61-4 three times, including on his final two attempts, while setting a stadium record.
"Just being able to do it feels so good, because consistency is the key," the three-sport athlete said. "I didn't PR today in shot put, but is being very consistent.
"That's going to lead me to the next big one."
Cappos threw a state-best 62-8¾ in the shot put at the Harold Scott Invitational nearly two weeks ago, and he'll be among the all-class gold favorites in both of his events at state.
A new 800 contender: More of a mile runner, Thomas Greisen didn't start running the 800-meter run until this year. The Lincoln Pius X senior may be finding his signature event.
Greisen won the boys 800 in 1 minute, 54.45 seconds Tuesday, narrowly edging Fremont's Tyson Baker to set a HAC meet record.
"I was really excited (about HAC) because usually 800s, I don't really have people that push me along like that," Greisen said. "They were right up there with me."
Greisen ran a 1:55.83 last week to shoot up the season charts. After Tuesday, he's second in the state to Elkhorn South's Gabe Hinrichs (1:53.36).
"Honestly, I just kind of started out and try and do the best I can each week," Greisen said. "Just trying to set little goals for myself and accomplish those and hope to get my major goal at state."
Bolt strikes twice again: Lincoln Pius X's Reece Grosserode continued the sweep theme by winning the boys long and triple jumps.
The junior matched a personal best in the triple jump, winning with a leap of 47-10, which came during the qualifying flight. Earlier in the day, he won the long jump in 22-6.
Grosserode ranks second in the state in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.
Moving fast: Lincoln East junior Malachi Coleman won the 100 in :10.94, going under 11 for the second time this season.
Lincoln High junior Javon Leuty was the HAC champion in the 100 hurdles (:14.75), and Pius X's JP Mattern won the 300s in a personal-best :39.37, which moves him to second on the all-class season charts.
Fremont scored 119 points to win the boys title. Lincoln East scored 88 to take second.
Reach Clark Grell at 402-473-2639 or cgrell@journalstar.com. On Twitter at @LJSSportsGrell. | https://journalstar.com/sports/high-school/track-and-field/hac-boys-track-hitting-new-mark-in-discus-has-easts-sam-cappos-ready-for-the/article_912bd89e-4f8e-5ea8-b516-06c41b7841b0.html | 2022-05-04T02:40:47Z | https://journalstar.com/sports/high-school/track-and-field/hac-boys-track-hitting-new-mark-in-discus-has-easts-sam-cappos-ready-for-the/article_912bd89e-4f8e-5ea8-b516-06c41b7841b0.html | false |
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A mother and grandmother have been charged with murder and felony child abuse after a 3-year-old child was found dead in a North Carolina motel, police said.
The Asheville Police Department said in a news release that Chantarica Nasha Matthews, 29, and Inga Torrence Matthews, 50, also are charged with concealment of death. They're being held in the Buncombe County jail without bond on the murder charge.
Each woman was assigned to the public defender's office, but a specific attorney hadn't been named on Tuesday.
Both women are from Gastonia.
Patrol officers were sent to a motel on Monday afternoon in response to a welfare check, the news release said. When officers entered the motel room, they found a small child lying dead on the floor and two women in the room. Investigators said the child appeared to be extremely malnourished.
Detectives believe the women and child had been living at the hotel sporadically over some time, the news release said.
ALSO ON WCNC: More than $19 million of NC's unclaimed cash is in Union County. How to check if some is yours
Spokesman Bill Davis said police were still working on Tuesday to find next of kin.
"Even though there has been an arrest in this case, investigators encourage others who may have information about the case to contact Asheville Police," Davis said in an email provided to WCNC Charlotte.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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WCNC Charlotte is choosing to show the mugshots of the suspects in this case due to the severity of the crime. | https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/gastonia-mother-grandmother-charged-murder-child-body-found-hotel-room-asheville/275-61f969d7-d1fc-4c4b-bd29-5456d1aeaa00 | 2022-05-04T02:42:13Z | https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/gastonia-mother-grandmother-charged-murder-child-body-found-hotel-room-asheville/275-61f969d7-d1fc-4c4b-bd29-5456d1aeaa00 | false |
Election 2022: JD Vance wins Ohio's GOP Senate primary
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Bestselling author JD Vance has won Ohio’s contentious and hyper-competitive GOP Senate primary, buoyed by Donald Trump’s endorsement in a race widely seen as an early test of the former president’s hold on his party. Vance’s win ends an exceptionally bitter and expensive primary contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. And it marks a major victory for Trump, who has staked his reputation as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to pull his chosen candidates across the finish line. Democrat Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, will take on incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in the general election after both secured their parties' nominations.
'Still in shock.' Abortion defenders, foes stunned by leak
People on both sides of the abortion divide have been anticipating that the Supreme Court this summer would reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Monday night, a leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe began ricocheting around the world. Even those preparing for the undoing of Roe said it was still staggering to see the blunt words of Justice Samuel Alito in print, forcing them to reckon with the likely reality the nation will enter soon. The owner of an Alabama abortion clinic, whose phones were ringing off the hook on Tuesday, said he was “still in shock.”
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Biden blasts 'radical' Roe draft, warns other rights at risk
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is blasting what he calls a “radical” leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. On Tuesday, Biden warned that a “whole range of rights” are in jeopardy if it holds. The court cautioned that the draft was not final, and Chief Justice John Roberts said he had ordered an investigation into what he called an “egregious breach of trust.” Biden said he would work with Congress to legislate the right to abortion into federal law. But such efforts have failed in the past.
Russia storms Mariupol plant as some evacuees reach safety
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian fighters say Russian forces have begun storming a sprawling steel plant in the besieged port city of Mariupol. Tuesday's onslaught came as scores of civilians who had been evacuated from the plant reached safer territory. The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine says 101 women, men, children, and older persons left the Azovstal steelworks. Elsewhere, Russian troops shelled a chemical plant in the eastern city of Avdiivka, killing at least 10 people. And explosions were heard in the western city of Lviv, which has been a haven for those fleeing fighting in the east.
Sudden abortion focus shakes midterm election landscape
WASHINGTON (AP) — For decades, Democrats have tried to motivate their voters by warning of the conservative fight to outlaw abortion. The threat may no longer be theoretical. A leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade has rocked the political landscape on the eve of the midterm elections. Suddenly, Democrats may have a powerful new tool to help animate their base. Leading Democratic strategists suggest that a Roe reversal could help motivate key segments of President Joe Biden’s coalition — young people, voters of color and suburban women, in particular. But they warn that it may not be enough to overcome other political challenges come November.
Ohio Republican Gov. DeWine will face Nan Whaley this fall
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Former Dayton, Ohio, Mayor Nan Whaley has won the Democratic nomination for Ohio governor and will face incumbent Republican Mike DeWine this fall. Whaley is the first woman in the state’s history to receive a major party’s backing for the top office. She bested ex-Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley on Tuesday. Whaley figures to be an underdog in November against DeWine in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat governor since 2006. DeWine topped three far-right opponents, including ex-U.S. Rep Jim Renacci, by relying on a huge fundraising advantage and a big network of supporters.
Oklahoma governor signs Texas-style ban on most abortions
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. The bill signed Tuesday takes effect immediately with the governor’s signature, effectively ending abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. The Oklahoma Supreme Court denied an emergency request that the new law be temporarily halted. But abortion rights advocates who sued say they're still optimistic the court will grant them relief. The measure prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo. Experts say that’s typically about six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women even know they are pregnant.
New Mexico governor seeking US disaster status for wildfire
LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking President Joe Biden to declare a disaster as firefighters scramble to clear brush, build fire lines and spray water to keep the largest blaze burning in the U.S. from destroying more homes. The governor signed a request for a presidential disaster declaration Tuesday, while fire managers predicted the battle to protect towns in the state's northeast pine forests and mountains would become more intense later in the week. The fire is the result of two blazes that merged, one of which was a prescribed fire that jumped containment lines. About 6,000 homes have been evacuated and around 170 homes have been destroyed, but officials expect that number to grow.
Depp trial: Psychologist testifies actor assaulted Heard
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A a psychologist has testified that actor Amber Heard suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from violence, including sexual violence, she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband Johnny Depp. The psychologist told jurors Tuesday at Depp’s libel trial that there is corroboration of many of the instances of abuse, including apologies and admissions made by Depp to Heard. Hughes is the first witness to take the stand on Heard's behalf in the four-week trial after Depp rested his case earlier in the day. Depp sued for libel after Heard wrote a newspaper op-ed piece on her experience with domestic violence.
Cops: Body in barrel in Lake Mead was man who had been shot
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police believe a body found inside a barrel on the newly exposed bottom of Lake Mead is that of a man who had been shot. Homicide Lt. Ray Spencer also said Tuesday that shoes worn by the man were manufactured in the middle and late 1970s, indicating that the killing likely occurred between the middle 1970s and early 1980s. Police previously said the remains spotted Sunday by boaters probably dated from the 1980s. Drought has dropped the water level of Lake Mead on the Colorado River in southern Nevada and northern Arizona so much that the uppermost water intake at drought-stricken Lake Mead became visible last week.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/national/ap-news-summary-at-10-20-p-m-edt/article_e184bcdd-d3a1-5c8a-884c-a0be81fb0376.html | 2022-05-04T02:45:23Z | https://wcfcourier.com/news/national/ap-news-summary-at-10-20-p-m-edt/article_e184bcdd-d3a1-5c8a-884c-a0be81fb0376.html | false |
WASHINGTON — Editor's note: The above video is from April 2022
Staff at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute say more than two dozen American flamingos and one Northern pintail duck were killed by a wild fox on Monday.
Zoo staff says three other flamingos were injured when a wild fox got into the outdoor flamingo habitat in the early hours of May 2. Staff arrived to find deceased flamingos in the yard. Staff saw the fox in the yard, but the fox escaped, according to zoo officials.
The flock originally had 74 flamingos. The remaining flamingos were moved indoors to their barn and the ducks to a covered, secure outdoor space.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for us and everyone who cares about our animals,” said Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars Director, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “The barrier we used passed inspection and is used by other accredited zoos across the country. Our focus now is on the well-being of the remaining flock and fortifying our habitats.”
The Zoo is actively investigating the incident and has taken the following immediate actions:
- Metal mesh surrounding the flamingo yard has been reinforced. It was last replaced in 2017 and passed an accreditation inspection by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
- Live traps have been set around the outdoor yard to catch any predators.
- Digital camera traps with an infrared sensor triggered by movement have been set up to photograph overnight activity.
The Zoo’s Bird House and surrounding plateau are undergoing a major renovation and are closed to the public. The Zoo’s flamingo flock lives primarily outdoors in a 9,750-square-foot yard with a heated pool and barn. The flamingo exhibit has been at the Zoo since the 1970s as currently designed and this is the first predator mesh breach, the zoo said.
While flamingos are an abundant bird species, they are threatened by habitat loss due to mineral mining and human disturbance. About 80,000–90,000 American flamingos, concentrated in four major breeding colonies, remain in the wild. | https://www.wfaa.com/article/life/animals/25-flamingos-killed-by-fox-at-national-zoo/65-6a012295-a18d-43ee-8fc5-2210e09d729c | 2022-05-04T02:48:18Z | https://www.wfaa.com/article/life/animals/25-flamingos-killed-by-fox-at-national-zoo/65-6a012295-a18d-43ee-8fc5-2210e09d729c | true |
NEW YORK, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atento S.A. (NYSE: ATTO) ("Atento" or the "Company"), one of the five largest providers of Customer Relationship Management and Business Process Outsourcing (CRM / BPO) services worldwide and sector leader in Latin America, announced today that its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is available at http://www.sec.gov or on Atento's Investor Relations website at http://investors.atento.com.
About Atento
Atento is one of the five largest global providers for client relationship management and business process outsourcing services nearshoring for companies that carry out their activities in the United States. Since 1999, the company has developed its business model in 13 countries with a workforce of 150,000 employees. Atento has over 400 clients for which it provides a wide range of CRM/BPO services through multiple channels. Its clients are leading multinational companies in the technology, digital, telecommunications, finance, health, consumer and public administration sectors, amongst others. Atento trades under ATTO on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2019 Atento was recognized by Great Place to Work® as one of the 25 World's Best Multinational Workplaces and as one of the Best Places to Work in Latin America. For more information www.atento.com
Media Relations
Investor and analyst inquiries
Hernan van Waveren
+1 979-633-9539
hernan.vanwaveren@atento.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "intends," "continue" or similar terminology. These statements reflect only Atento's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic, and governments' extraordinary measures to limit the spread of the virus, are disrupting the global economy and Atento's industry, and consequently adversely affecting the Company's business, results of operation and cash flows and, as conditions are recent, uncertain and changing rapidly, it is difficult to predict the full extent of the impact that the pandemic will have. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, competition in Atento's highly competitive industries; increases in the cost of voice and data services or significant interruptions in these services; Atento's ability to keep pace with its clients' needs for rapid technological change and systems availability; the continued deployment and adoption of emerging technologies; the loss, financial difficulties or bankruptcy of any key clients; the effects of global economic trends on the businesses of Atento's clients; the non-exclusive nature of Atento's client contracts and the absence of revenue commitments; security and privacy breaches of the systems Atento uses to protect personal data; the cost of pending and future litigation; the cost of defending Atento against intellectual property infringement claims; extensive regulation affecting many of Atento's businesses; Atento's ability to protect its proprietary information or technology; service interruptions to Atento's data and operation centers; Atento's ability to retain key personnel and attract a sufficient number of qualified employees; increases in labor costs and turnover rates; the political, economic and other conditions in the countries where Atento operates; changes in foreign exchange rates; Atento's ability to complete future acquisitions and integrate or achieve the objectives of its recent and future acquisitions; future impairments of our substantial goodwill, intangible assets, or other long-lived assets; and Atento's ability to recover consumer receivables on behalf of its clients. In addition, Atento is subject to risks related to its level of indebtedness. Such risks include Atento's ability to generate sufficient cash to service its indebtedness and fund its other liquidity needs; Atento's ability to comply with covenants contained in its debt instruments; the ability to obtain additional financing; the incurrence of significant additional indebtedness by Atento and its subsidiaries; and the ability of Atento's lenders to fulfill their lending commitments. Atento is also subject to other risk factors described in documents filed by the comp any with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. Atento undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Atento S.A. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/atento-files-annual-report-form-20-f-fiscal-year-2021/ | 2022-05-04T02:54:54Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/atento-files-annual-report-form-20-f-fiscal-year-2021/ | true |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Erin Houchin wins Republican nomination for U.S. House in Indiana's 9th Congressional District.
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- Amazon workers in NYC reject union in a reversal of fortune | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Alert-Erin-Houchin-wins-Republican-nomination-17146080.php | 2022-05-04T02:55:30Z | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Alert-Erin-Houchin-wins-Republican-nomination-17146080.php | false |
Former MIT professor accused of sexual harassment withdraws from NYU hiring consideration
Posted/updated on: May 3, 2022 at 8:06 pm(NEW YORK) -- A former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor accused of sexual harassment withdrew his candidacy for a position at New York University Langone Health, after news of his potential hiring received backlash from the NYU community.
Dr. David Sabatini, a biologist, resigned from MIT last month after a review found he violated its workplace policy on consensual relationships and recommended his tenure be revoked. Sabatini allegedly failed to disclose a sexual relationship he had with "a person over whom he held a career-influencing role" and didn't take any steps to "relinquish his mentoring and career-influencing roles," according to a letter by MIT President L. Rafael Reif.
The committee conducting the review also had "significant concerns regarding his unprofessional behavior toward some lab members," the letter added.
Sabatini has denied allegations of sexual harassment and has said the relationship at the center of the investigation was consensual. He has sued his accuser, as well as others, for defamation. His accuser has also countersued.
Sabatini said he was withdrawing his name from consideration, but maintained that he will "eventually be vindicated."
"False, distorted, and preposterous allegations about me have intensified in the press and on social media in the wake of reports last week that New York University Langone Health was considering hiring me. I understand the enormous pressure this has placed on NYU Langone Health and do not want to distract from its important mission. I have therefore decided to withdraw my name from consideration for a faculty position there," Sabatini said in a statement to ABC News on Tuesday.
He added, "I deeply respect NYU Langone Health’s mission and appreciate the support from individuals who took the time to learn the facts. I remain steadfast in believing that the truth will ultimately emerge and that I will eventually be vindicated and able to return to my research."
NYU Langone Health, the university's academic medical center that includes the school of medicine, said in a statement Tuesday that both Sabatini and the NYU Grossman School of Medicine "reached the conclusion that it will not be possible for him to become a member of our faculty."
"Our overarching mission at NYU Grossman School of Medicine is advancing science and medicine to save lives. That is what compelled us to give careful reflection to hiring Dr. Sabatini after he initially reached out to us," NYU Langone Health said.
It added, "In the course of our due diligence, we heard voices of support from many dozens of Dr. Sabatini's colleagues, lab alumni, and peers who described their first-hand experiences working with him. But we also heard clearly the deep concern from our own faculty, staff, and trainees. Our thorough review and deliberate approach was essential for us to make an independent evaluation consistent with our institutional priorities."
News that Sabatini may be hired by NYU was first reported on science.org, which also reports that Sabatini has been forced out of or fired from three leading institutions for sexual harassment or for violating workplace or consensual sexual relationship policies.
Members of the NYU community, including its union for graduate workers, a group for women in STEM and a group of STEM researchers planning on forming a union, organized a protest against Sabatini's hiring last week.
A petition against Sabatini's hiring had gathered more than 400 signatures as of Tuesday. As long as Sabatini was being considered for a position, signatories pledged to not give or attend any talks, seminars, conferences or symposia hosted by NYU Langone Health. They also vowed not to teach any courses at NYU Langone or collaborate with any labs at NYU Langone.
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. | https://ktbb.com/post/?p=1122630 | 2022-05-04T02:56:39Z | https://ktbb.com/post/?p=1122630 | false |
Guinness World Records: 100-year-old man has longest career of 84 years at same company
(Gray News) - A man in Brazil is setting records for staying at the same company for over eight decades.
Last month, Walter Orthmann turned 100 years old and celebrated with his co-workers, friends, and family. He also celebrated being honored as one of the latest Guinness World Record holders.
Officials with the Guinness World Records said Orthmann has set the record for working at the same company for 84 years and nine days, as the team verified back on Jan 6.
He started working as a shipping assistant when he was fifteen years old in January 1938 at a textile company in Santa Catarina, Brazil, called Industrias Renaux S.A. The company is now known as ReneauxView.
Due to financial problems at home, Orthmann told officials he began to work to help his family. He went with his mom to apply for a job, and because of his strong proficiency in German, he was hired. And the new record holder has worked at the same company ever since.
“Back in 1938, kids were expected to work to help support the family. As the oldest son of five, my mother took me to find a job at the age of 14,” Orthmann said.
Officials said after getting his first position as a shipping assistant, Orthmann showed outstanding skills and a willingness to learn. So, he was promoted to a position in sales and became a successful sales manager.
“I was given the opportunity to work as a salesperson. I traveled to Sao Paulo, and in less than one week, I filled the production with orders equivalent to three months of work,” Orthmann said.
The 100-year-old said he believes that the best part about having a job is that it gives you a sense of purpose, commitment and a routine.
Throughout his 84 years of work, Orthmann said he has seen many things. He said one of the most important parts of the business is constantly being up-to-date and adapting to different contexts.
Officials said he is in good health, with excellent mental clarity and memory. Orthmann enjoys a calm life and exercises every day. As a result, he has maintained enough vitality and energy to drive to his favorite place every day, the office.
“You need to get busy with the present, not the past or the future. Here and now is what counts. So, let’s go to work!” Orthmann said.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/04/guinness-world-records-100-year-old-man-has-longest-career-84-years-same-company/ | 2022-05-04T02:59:41Z | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2022/05/04/guinness-world-records-100-year-old-man-has-longest-career-84-years-same-company/ | false |
- Award Announced at CommsDay Summit 2022 in Sydney
- CommsDay, leading Australia IT and Service Provider Technology Publication
- CommsDay Summit Premier Service Provider Event in Australia
- Award recognises Dubber's global platform which drives previously untapped value within content across the network for service providers and their customers
MELBOURNE, Australia, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dubber Corporation Limited (ASX: DUB) (Dubber) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded "Cloud Technology Supplier of the Year" by CommsDay, at the CommsDay Summit in Sydney today.
The CommsDay Summit is Australia's peak service provider event, drawing over 300 delegates and speakers from the service provider industry and government. The summit returned to an in person event this year after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Keynote speakers focussed largely on dynamic industry transition and presentations were provided by Dubber CEO Steve McGovern along with Federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher, Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey, TPG Telecom CEO Inaki Berroeta, Vocus CEO Kevin Russell and other key industry executives.
Steve McGovern, CEO, Dubber: "We are delighted to have been selected as the Best Cloud Technology Supplier by CommsDay's Edison Awards. This award is further recognition of Dubber's role as a truly global platform that is helping service providers and cloud communications platforms transform the way they think about, and deliver, their services. With leading service providers globally utilizing the Dubber platform, we believe we are uniquely placed to be able to help carriers add value to their network offerings in a completely new way, by taking advantage of the content and conversations that are traversing their networks."
Dubber's cloud-native recording and intelligence solution is built to be embedded in telecommunications networks and unified communications solutions globally, unlocking the potential in every conversation with AI-enriched conversational data. The Dubber platform has been adopted by over 170 service providers globally including Telstra, Optus, AT&T and BT.
Grahame Lynch, CommsDay Founder: "Dubber has emerged as a truly underappreciated national treasure: developing an Australian designed call recording cloud solution and successfully exporting that to 170 service providers across the entire world. They are an amazing success story."
About Dubber:
Dubber is unlocking the potential of voice data from any call or conversation directly from the network. Dubber is the world's most scalable Unified Call Recording service and Voice Intelligence Cloud adopted as core network infrastructure by multiple global leading telecommunications carriers in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Dubber allows service providers to offer recording from virtually any source - turning them into AI-enriched insights for compliance, revenue, customer and people intelligence. Dubber is a disruptive innovator in the multi-billion-dollar call recording industry. Its Software as a Service offering removes the need for on-premise hardware, applications or costly and limited storage.
For more information, please contact:
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SOURCE Dubber | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/dubber-wins-best-cloud-technology-supplier-award/ | 2022-05-04T03:00:30Z | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/05/04/dubber-wins-best-cloud-technology-supplier-award/ | true |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Ryan Jeffers hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the surging Minnesota Twins defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.
The Twins have won 12 of 13 to move six games over .500 (15-9) and into first place in the AL Central, which does not have another team with a winning record. Minnesota has outscored the opposition 63-25 during its 13-game run, including 25-7 during its current four-game win streak.
This game was tied at 2 before the Twins took control in the sixth. Gary Sanchez hit a one-out double off Joey Krehbiel (1-3), Trevor Larnich walked and Jeffers followed with a drive over the center-field wall. He has three home runs this season, all in his last seven games.
Minnesota pulled away with a two-run ninth that featured an RBI double by Byron Buxton.
Twins starter Joe Ryan gave up two runs in 4 2/3 innings. He was followed by Caleb Thielbar (1-0), the first of three Minnesota relievers.
Trey Mancini had two hits and an RBI for the last-place Orioles, who have dropped seven of nine. Bruce Zimmermann worked five innings for Baltimore, allowing two runs and four hits.
Minnesota went up 1-0 in the fourth inning when Zimmermann issued a two-out walk and José Miranda followed with a double to center, his first major league hit and RBI.
Miranda, a cousin of “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, is a 23-year-old infielder and the team's minor league player of the year in 2021. He was 0 for 4 in his debut Monday.
Ryan entered the bottom half with a chance to extend his run of consecutive scoreless innings to 21, a Twins record for a rookie starter. But Austin Hays led off with an infield hit, took third on a double by Rougned Odor and scored when shortstop Carlos Correa mishandled a grounder.
Jorge Polanco hit an RBI single in top of the fifth, and Trey Mancini did the same in the Orioles' half.
GOOD SEATS AVAILABLE
Attendance was announced at 6,678 after Monday night's series opener drew a meager crowd of 7,427. This, despite the promotion offering tickets at 1992 prices to mark the 30-year anniversary of the opening of Camden Yards.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: INF Miguel Sanó will undergo surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. The procedure will take place later this week, and manager Rocco Baldelli says there is no timetable for his return. The injury while Sanó was celebrating with teammates after a win over Detroit. ... RHP Sonny Gray (hamstring) will make at least one more rehab start before the team decides if he's ready to return. He went on the IL on April 17.
Orioles: 3B Tyler Nevin left in the sixth inning with right groin soreness. ... Mancini (bruised ribs) returned from a three-day absence.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Dylan Bundy (3-1, 2.95 ERA) faces his former team Wednesday night for the second time since being traded to the Angels in December 2019. He gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings at Camden Yards with LA in August 2021.
Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish (0-1, 3.00) makes his second major league appearance. In his debut, he allowed two earned runs over six innings against the Red Sox on Friday night.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Jeffers-HR-carries-streaking-Twins-past-Orioles-17146165.php | 2022-05-04T03:05:13Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Jeffers-HR-carries-streaking-Twins-past-Orioles-17146165.php | true |
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TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge homered and drove in three runs, Jameson Taillon allowed one run in six innings, and the New York Yankees extended their winning streak to 11 games by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 9-1 on Tuesday night.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run home run in the ninth, his fifth of the season. New York leads the MLB with 34 home runs this season, including 23 in the past 11 games.
Judge’s homer was his ninth, tying teammate Anthony Rizzo for the big-league lead. Judge has 13 RBIs in his past five games after getting a two-run double in New York’s six-run seventh inning.
Taillon (2-1) allowed five hits, walked none, and struck out four to win his second straight decision.
Josh Donaldson and Marwin Gonzalez each had RBI doubles and Aaron Hicks reached base four times as the Yankees improved to 18-6. It’s the seventh time in franchise history that New York has won 18 of its first 24 games.
New York’s winning streak also is the longest in the majors this season (the Yankees won 13 straight games from Aug. 14 to 27, last year).
Toronto, meanwhile, snapped a streak of 32 games without consecutive losses, dating back to Sept. 24, 2021. The Blue Jays also lost a series for the first time this season.
One of New York’s runs in the seventh came when home plate umpire Ron Kulpa ruled Gonzalez had evaded a tag from Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a rundown between third and home. Replays appeared to show Guerrero did tag Gonzalez, but Toronto had already lost its challenge earlier in the inning.
After two of the first three batters reached against him, Blue Jays right-hander Alex Manoah retired 15 straight batters, striking out six.
Hicks got a one-out single in the sixth, but Hicks was thrown out trying to steal second with Judge at the place. Two pitches later, Judge hit a game-tying, 427-foot homer into the second deck in left.
Adam Cimber (4-1) replaced Manoah in the sixth and gave up RBI doubles to Donaldson and Gonzalez.
Julian Merryweather replaced Cimber but didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced. After Gonzalez scored on Jose Trevino’s fielder’s choice, Hicks hit an RBI single and Judge followed with a two-run double.
TWO TIMING
Stanton was on base twice in the seventh but didn’t collect a hit. Stanton reached on Bo Bichette’s throwing error to start the frame and later walked.
BAWLING FOR A BALL
A man in a Blue Jays cap picked up Judge’s home run ball and briefly held his arms aloft in celebration, then handed it over to a young boy in a Yankees cap and Judge T-shirt one row behind. Overcome with emotion, the boy started crying and gave the man a hug.
FAREWELL, FOWLER
Veteran OF Dexter Fowler asked for and was granted his release from Toronto’s Triple-A team, the Buffalo Bisons. Fowler, who signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays on March 31, is now a free agent. He went 5 for 12 with three RBI in three games with the Bisons.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: OF Joey Gallo (tight left groin) sat for the third straight day. Gallo left Saturday’s game at Kansas City in the fifth inning.
Blue Jays: OF Teoscar Hernández (strained left oblique) homered on the second pitch he saw in his first rehab game at Class-A Dunedin. Hernández added a double and finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
UP NEXT
Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (1-0, 1.31) starts Wednesday’s series finale against Blue Jays LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 5.52).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Judge-HRs-as-Yankees-beat-Jays-9-1-for-11th-17146113.php | 2022-05-04T03:05:19Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Judge-HRs-as-Yankees-beat-Jays-9-1-for-11th-17146113.php | false |
Guinness World Records: 100-year-old man has longest career of 84 years at same company
(Gray News) - A man in Brazil is setting records for staying at the same company for over eight decades.
Last month, Walter Orthmann turned 100 years old and celebrated with his co-workers, friends, and family. He also celebrated being honored as one of the latest Guinness World Record holders.
Officials with the Guinness World Records said Orthmann has set the record for working at the same company for 84 years and nine days, as the team verified back on Jan 6.
He started working as a shipping assistant when he was fifteen years old in January 1938 at a textile company in Santa Catarina, Brazil, called Industrias Renaux S.A. The company is now known as ReneauxView.
Due to financial problems at home, Orthmann told officials he began to work to help his family. He went with his mom to apply for a job, and because of his strong proficiency in German, he was hired. And the new record holder has worked at the same company ever since.
“Back in 1938, kids were expected to work to help support the family. As the oldest son of five, my mother took me to find a job at the age of 14,” Orthmann said.
Officials said after getting his first position as a shipping assistant, Orthmann showed outstanding skills and a willingness to learn. So, he was promoted to a position in sales and became a successful sales manager.
“I was given the opportunity to work as a salesperson. I traveled to Sao Paulo, and in less than one week, I filled the production with orders equivalent to three months of work,” Orthmann said.
The 100-year-old said he believes that the best part about having a job is that it gives you a sense of purpose, commitment and a routine.
Throughout his 84 years of work, Orthmann said he has seen many things. He said one of the most important parts of the business is constantly being up-to-date and adapting to different contexts.
Officials said he is in good health, with excellent mental clarity and memory. Orthmann enjoys a calm life and exercises every day. As a result, he has maintained enough vitality and energy to drive to his favorite place every day, the office.
“You need to get busy with the present, not the past or the future. Here and now is what counts. So, let’s go to work!” Orthmann said.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2022/05/04/guinness-world-records-100-year-old-man-has-longest-career-84-years-same-company/ | 2022-05-04T03:07:42Z | https://www.kswo.com/2022/05/04/guinness-world-records-100-year-old-man-has-longest-career-84-years-same-company/ | true |
Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance has won the Ohio primary election and will head to the general election to face off against Democrat Tim Ryan for Rob Portman's Senate seat in November.
The bestselling author won the contentious and hyper-competitive GOP Senate primary, buoyed by Donald Trump’s endorsement in a race widely seen as an early test of the former president’s hold on his party. Vance’s win ends an exceptionally bitter and expensive primary contest that, at one point, saw two candidates nearly come to blows on a debate stage. And it marks a major victory for Trump, who has staked his reputation as a GOP kingmaker on his ability to pull his chosen candidates across the finish line.
Democrat Nan Whaley, the former mayor of Dayton, will take on incumbent Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in the general election after both secured their parties' nominations.
Vance has billed himself as a "conservative outsider," and nabbed former President Donald Trump's endorsement less than three weeks before the primary on Tuesday. He was seen going into the election as the GOP frontrunner.
Vance is a Marine Corps veteran and came to prominence to a wider audience after he released his book, Hillbilly Elegy, which Netflix turned into a movie in 2020.
Vance ran on a platform that promised to restore America's manufacturing base, raise taxes on companies that send jobs overseas, breaking up big tech monopolies and addressing inflation.
This story was originally published by Felicia Jordan of WCPO in Cincinnati, Ohio, with additional reporting from the Associated Press and Scripps National. | https://www.3newsnow.com/news/national/trump-backed-jd-vance-wins-gop-primary-for-u-s-senate-race-in-ohio | 2022-05-04T03:09:32Z | https://www.3newsnow.com/news/national/trump-backed-jd-vance-wins-gop-primary-for-u-s-senate-race-in-ohio | false |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the "Pick Four-Evening" game were:
3-6-2-1, Fireball: 1
(three, six, two, one; Fireball: one)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the "Pick Four-Evening" game were:
3-6-2-1, Fireball: 1
(three, six, two, one; Fireball: one) | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Four-Evening-game-17146158.php | 2022-05-04T03:14:12Z | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Four-Evening-game-17146158.php | false |
Order up! Logie-winning actress Jessica Marais cleans tables and serves drinks while waitressing at a Sydney café
Jessica Marais has been pictured working as a waitress for the first time.
The Logie-winning actress, who stepped away from acting in 2018 to focus on her mental health, was seen serving drinks and cleaning tables at Gordons Cafe in Clovelly, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on Wednesday.
Sporting a black dress and matching apron, the former Packed to the Rafters star, 37, kept busy as she greeted guests and took their orders.
Order up! Logie-winning actress Jessica Marais was pictured cleaning tables and serving drinks while waitressing at Gordons Cafe in Clovelly, Sydney, on Wednesday
Jessica dressed sensibly for a day on her feet, sporting a pair of white Converse sneakers, and slicked her curly blonde hair into a no-fuss ponytail.
She wore minimal makeup and eschewed jewellery for her shift.
Proving herself to be a woman of many talents, Jessica effortlessly balanced multiple cups, bottles and plates as she waltzed around the café.
Busy: Sporting a black dress and matching apron, the former Packed to the Rafters star, 37, kept busy as she greeted guests and took their orders
Practical: Jessica dressed sensibly for a day on her feet, sporting a pair of white Converse sneakers, and slicked her curly blonde hair into a no-fuss ponytail
At one stage, she was seen wiping down a table with a cloth.
Elsewhere, the Love Child star was spotted smiling at customers while carrying a tray with two cappuccinos.
Several customers appeared to recognise their waitress as one of Australia's most famous TV stars.
She's a natural! Proving herself to be a woman of many talents, Jessica effortlessly balanced multiple cups, bottles and plates as she waltzed around the café
Is that really you? Several customers appeared to recognise their waitress as one of Australia's most famous TV stars
Gordons Cafe, on the corner of Beach Street and Clovelly Road, is just a stone's throw away from Jessica's home.
It is also close to her favourite swimming spot, Gordons Bay.
Jessica is said to be enjoying her new job, with a customer telling this week's New Idea she was 'friendly' and looked 'really happy' during a recent visit.
Working hard: At one stage, she was seen wiping down a table with a cloth
Local: Gordons Cafe, on the corner of Beach Street and Clovelly Road, is just a stone's throw away from Jessica's home
Jessica stepped away from acting in late 2018 but looked set to make a comeback in 2020 when she joined the cast of Back to the Rafters, the Amazon Prime Video reboot of beloved Channel Seven drama Packed to the Rafters.
She was due to reprise her role as Rachel Rafter, the character she had played from 2008 until 2013 in the original Seven series, but pulled out at the last minute.
Her former co-star Angus McLaren, who played Nathan Rafter, told Daily Mail Australia earlier this year she was 'doing well'.
Thriving: The sighting comes amid reports Jessica is enjoying in her new job, with a customer telling this week's New Idea she was 'friendly' and looked 'really happy' during a recent visit
'Yeah we definitely missed her on set, but the good thing about Jess is she lived quite close to me when I was in Sydney,' he said.
'So I actually got to see her. I really have a lot of love for Jess.
'It would've been great to work with her. She's certainly one of those people who brings a good vibe to the set.'
Shock news: Jessica stepped away from acting in late 2018 but looked set to make a comeback in 2020 when she joined the cast of the Packed to the Rafters reboot. However, she shocked fans when she pulled out at the last minute
Worrying: Just months after pulling out of Back to the Rafters, Jessica sparked concern when emergency crews were called to her home in Sydney's east for a welfare check in May 2020
Jessica has had a difficult few years.
The mother of one, who suffers from bipolar disorder, was unable to attend the Logie Awards in July 2018 because she was receiving treatment for 'urgent' issues at The Health Clinic, a mental health facility in Bronte.
While in treatment, she attended daily counselling sessions and had access to nurses, psychiatrists and psychologists.
Scare: She was walked to an ambulance where she was put on a gurney and taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick
Jessica reportedly followed a detox and inner health program, with inpatient programs averaging $25,000 for a month.
In September 2018, the South African-born star announced she was pulling out of Channel Nine show Bad Mothers a month before it was scheduled to begin filming.
'Jessica has decided to step away from acting for the remainder of 2018 to focus on her health and spend time with her family,' her manager said at the time.
Recovery: Fortunately, she appeared happy and healthy several weeks later as she spent time with her Packed to the Rafters co-star Hugh Sheridan and other supportive friends
Another tragedy: Months after her worrying episode at home, her mother Karen passed away
In July 2019, it was announced that Jessica would return to screens in Halifax: Retribution, a reboot of '90s drama Halifax f.p., starring alongside Rebecca Gibney and Anthony LaPaglia.
However, two months later reports claimed she had pulled out of the series.
Then in February 2020, Jessica shocked fans by announcing she would be stepping away from the highly anticipated Back to the Rafters for 'personal reasons'.
Award-winner: Jessica is pictured posing with her trophy at the 2017 TV Week Logie Awards
'She thanks everyone involved on the show for their ongoing support and love, especially her Rafter's family, and sends them her very best wishes for the production,' a statement read.
Just months after pulling out of Back to the Rafters, Jessica sparked concern when emergency crews were called to her home in Sydney's east for a welfare check.
She was walked to an ambulance where she was put on a gurney and taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick.
Co-parents: Jessica shares a 10-year-old daughter, Scout (centre), with her ex-fiancé, Home and Away star James Stewart (left)
A witness told Daily Mail Australia she was not wearing any shoes, her hair was a 'dishevelled mess' and she was in a 'visibly distressed state'.
Fortunately, she appeared happy and healthy several weeks later as she spent time with her Packed to the Rafters co-star Hugh Sheridan and other supportive friends.
Months later, her mother Karen passed away.
Jessica shares a 10-year-old daughter, Scout, with her ex-fiancé, Home and Away star James Stewart.
If you or someone you know needs support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10780525/Jessica-Marais-cleans-tables-serves-drinks-waitressing.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-05-04T03:19:43Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10780525/Jessica-Marais-cleans-tables-serves-drinks-waitressing.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
Sir Alex Ferguson managed a near-endless list of remarkable players during his 27 years as Manchester United manager but out of all of them, Denis Irwin is the first name in his dream XI.
Narrowing down all the brilliant players he helped nurture and win plenty of silverware with into a single team is a difficult task and one Ferguson has always struggled with. However, there was no hesitation in putting United great Irwin straight into the side.
The left-back arrived at Old Trafford from neighbours Oldham Athletic for £625,000 in 1990 and it turned out to be a bargain. Irwin went on to serve the club for 12 years and make 468 appearances, going down as a fan hero and one of Ferguson's favourite players.
ALSO READ: Ralf Rangnick suggests Manchester United must sign three strikers
"Honestly, I would say Denis Irwin would be the one certainty to get in the team. I called him an eight out of ten," he told the Sunday World in 2013.
"At Highbury in one game, he had a bad pass back in the last minute and [Dennis] Bergkamp came in and scored. After the game the press said: 'You must be disappointed in that pass back.' I said: 'Well, one mistake in 10 years isn't bad.' He was an unbelievable player."
On trying to select a dream XI out of all of the players he managed at United, Ferguson added: "People ask you: 'Who is your best Man United team?' and it's absolutely impossible.
"It is absolutely impossible. You look at the strikers I had, going back to [Brian] McClair, [Mark] Hughes, [Andy] Cole, Cantona, [Ruud] van Nistelrooy, [Louis] Saha, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, [Dwight] Yorke, Teddy Sheringham.
"Then to the present players - Wayne Rooney, [Robin] van Persie, Chicharito [Javier Hernandez]. How do you pick out of that? Cantona and somebody else maybe?
"The midfield was probably a bit easier because you have [Roy] Keane, [Bryan] Robson and Scholes - they were fantastic players - and [David] Beckham, Ronaldo and Giggs."
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Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season. | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-news-alex-ferguson-23844847 | 2022-05-04T03:19:58Z | https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-news-alex-ferguson-23844847 | false |
Austin Utilities recognized for reliable electric service to the community
Published 6:11 pm Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Austin Utilities has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2021.
The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.
APPA helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data through its subscription-based eReliability Tracker service. Once per year, APPA’s Reliability Team compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.
“Once again, public power utilities have demonstrated their commitment to providing highly reliable power to their customers.” said Alex Hofmann, APPA’s Vice President of Technical and Operations Services. “We commend these utilities for their hard work when it comes to keeping the lights on in their communities.”
Nationwide, the average public power customer has their lights out for less than half the amount of time that customers of other types of utilities do.
“We are proud to receive this recognition. It is a testament to the hard work of all our staff to ensure that we keep Austin powered,” said Bill Bumgarner, electric supervisor at Austin Utilities, “Keeping the power on is the most important thing we do every day.”
A focus on undergrounding hard to reach areas and locations with heavy tree growth, practicing prompt maintenance of our overhead system before it becomes a problem, and adding redundancy in critical areas of our system are all part of our work to minimize outages. | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/05/austin-utilities-recognized-for-reliable-electric-service-to-the-community/ | 2022-05-04T03:21:09Z | https://www.austindailyherald.com/2022/05/austin-utilities-recognized-for-reliable-electric-service-to-the-community/ | true |
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BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half, and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-86 on Tuesday night to even their second-round playoff at one game apiece.
Brown shook off a dismal shooting night in Game 1, going 9 for 10 in the first half, including 5 for 5 from the 3-point line. Jayson Tatum added 19 points and eight assists. Al Horford had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The series doesn't resume until Game 3 on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Boston finished 20 of 43 from beyond the arc. The Celtics played without point guard Marcus Smart after he was ruled out before the game with a bruised right thigh he sustained in Game 1. Derrick White took his place in the starting lineup, making his first start in a playoff game since 2019 when he was with San Antonio.
The Celtics clamped down on Giannis Antetokounmpo after his triple-double in the series opener, limiting him to 28 points — mostly in the third quarter — nine rebounds and seven assists. Jrue Holiday added 19 points and seven assists. Bobby Portis chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Bucks cut into what had been a 26-point Celtics lead in the third quarter. Antetokounmpo keyed the charge with 18 points in the period. A 10-0 Milwaukee run, aided by a more than five-minute Celtics scoring drought, trimmed Boston’s lead to 72-56 late in the third quarter.
But Boston outscored the Bucks 11-10 the rest of the period to take an 83-66 advantage into the fourth.
Milwaukee kept nibbling away and got it down it to 94-82 on a pair of free throws by Antetokounmpo, followed by a 3 by Tatum.
The lead was back up to 101-86 when Antetokounmpo was stripped underneath the basket, leading to another 3 from Tatum.
Holiday missed a 3 on the other end and Grant Williams dropped his own on the ensuing fast break to make it 107-86 with 1:52 left.
With Smart looking in street clothes from the bench, the Celtics scored the game’s first seven points on their way to taking an 18-3 lead and forcing a quick timeout by the Bucks.
Boston scored from a variety of different spots on the court during the run – attacking both at the rim and inside the paint. It also included 12 points from the 3-point line, where the Celtics struggled for most of Game 1.
Antetokounmpo missed his first six shots of the night before finally getting on the scoreboard via a dunk with less than a minute left in the opening period.
It didn’t stop Boston from banking a 32-21 lead heading into the second quarter, boosted by 17 points from Brown –a career playoff-high for a quarter.
The Celtics continued to share and kept Milwaukee’s defense in chase mode, eventually taking a 65-40 edge into the half.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Unsuccessfully challenged a loose ball foul on Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter. … Portis was called for a flagrant 1 foul on Horford in the third quarter. … Antetokounmpo was 2 for 12 from the field in the first half. … Milwaukee had nine turnovers in the first half.
Celtics: Tatum was whistled for a technical for arguing a call in the fourth quarter. … Finished 13 of 20 from 3 in the first half... Were unsuccessful in challenging blocking foul called on White in the second quarter, his third foul. … Boston scored 15 points off Milwaukee’s turnovers in the opening 24 minutes.
SMART’S STATUS
Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Smart experienced some swelling, pain and restricted movement over the past two days. But the expectation is for him to be ready in time for Game 3.
“I don’t think it’s long-term,” Udoka said. “With three days off we’re assuming he’ll be OK.”
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.darientimes.com/sports/article/Brown-scores-30-Celtics-beat-Bucks-109-86-to-17146065.php | 2022-05-04T03:23:10Z | https://www.darientimes.com/sports/article/Brown-scores-30-Celtics-beat-Bucks-109-86-to-17146065.php | false |
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HUNTINGTON — The Cabell County Board of Education has approved a $257 million budget for the upcoming school year.
Board members approved the budget 3-1 on Tuesday, with one board member saying she voted no because of “frivolous” costs that could be spent elsewhere.
The proposed budget outlines the spending of an estimated $257,243,013, and board member Alyssa Bond opposed the budget due to concerns regarding potential spending that could be used for other projects, she said.
“There are things within the details of that budget that I do not agree with, and to my knowledge those things have not changed,” Bond said.
Board members Mary Neely, Charles Shaw and Rhonda Smalley approved the budget.
The board approved a general budget estimating costs that would fall under general, stimulus, special revenue, permanent improvement, capital projects and debt service funds.
Bond said she agreed with the overall predictions but was concerned that large costs for items such as vehicles, property and extra signage would not be brought to the board individually for approval. She also expressed concern for costs and said she would rather use the funding to improve programs in schools and hire more staff.
Superintendent Ryan Saxe told board members that any expense over $100,000 would be brought to the board for approval, and besides the roughly 83% of the budget used to pay salaries, all other expenses are tentative and based on potential needs.
“Eighty-three percent of our budget is in salaries, so the rest of it is what do we need to do to keep our buildings in tip-top shape? Maybe capital improvements; are there any equipment purchases that we have to have; and so on,” Saxe said.
Bond also opposed the approval of the purchase of land at 627 McClung Ave. in Barboursville, which is located next to the Village of Barboursville Elementary School, at $70,000 and closing costs.
The board approved the purchase 3-1, but Bond said she could not vote to approve the purchase because she believes the money could be used for programs and other potentially timely expenses.
“After a great deal of consideration, it is my opinion that the board should not purchase this property. It is my opinion that purchasing this property may be financially irresponsible at this time,” she said.
The property is expected to be used to create a pickup and drop-off loop for students. Bond said the board has approved redistricting and building a new Davis Creek Elementary School to help relieve the overpopulation of students at Village of Barboursville Elementary and alleviate traffic near the school.
While the agenda outlined $70,000 and closing costs, Bond said with demolition, construction and other potential expenses, the cost could increase to over $200,000.
Saxe said there is no set contract for the property yet, but the Board of Education can work with Barboursville Mayor Chris Tatum and other village officials to split costs and responsibilities to complete the project.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will take place at 4:30 p.m. May 17 at the Central Office at 2850 5th Ave. in Huntington. | https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/cabell-county-boe-approves-257-million-budget/article_a38a7f96-0fb1-5af1-bfb0-836d91ccb388.html | 2022-05-04T03:25:54Z | https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/cabell-county-boe-approves-257-million-budget/article_a38a7f96-0fb1-5af1-bfb0-836d91ccb388.html | false |
The leaked draft of a Supreme Court abortion opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision is shaking the U.S. political landscape in what has been expected to be a difficult election year for Democrats.
While the Democrats decried the draft, they suddenly have a clear, unifying message. The real possibility that abortion could be outlawed in dozens of states in the coming months could animate their dejected base — especially young voters, people of color and suburban women, who are unhappy with the pace of progress under Democratic leadership in Washington.
Republicans, meanwhile, are struggling to contain their excitement at the prospect of winning a decades-long fight, even as they suggest Democrats are exaggerating the likely real-world impact of a Roe reversal.
The draft opinion surfaced just as the most competitive phase of the primary season was beginning, with races unfolding Tuesday in Ohio and Indiana. While the political fallout will take months to settle, this much is clear: Rarely in the modern era has a Supreme Court case had the potential to so dramatically reshape American life and politics.
“I hope that women across this country are going to rise up and realize this isn’t theoretical anymore," warned Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
Republicans have been fighting to ban abortion since before the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe ruling, but on Tuesday many offered only modest estimates of the political impact of a decision eliminating the legal guarantee of the right.
The draft ruling, which the court emphasized was not final, would become the law of the land only after a formal announcement, which is expected in late June or early July. And privately, GOP strategists have worried that overturning Roe ahead of the election could trigger an anti-Republican backlash.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham acknowledged that a sweeping change in the nation’s abortion laws might help Democrats in November, but he suggested the election would depend more on the state of the economy than the explosive social issue.
“They will have an issue to talk about. We will have an issue to talk about,” Graham said of Roe being overturned. “I think it will be a new issue, particularly at the state level, but I think most people, quite honestly are not single-issue voters.”
Voters in some states would be affected more than others.
Twenty-two states in all, largely across the South, West and Midwest, already have total or near-total bans on their books — almost all now blocked in court because of Roe. They include deep-red states with elections this fall including Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota and Utah. But they also include high-profile swing states including Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Roe v. Wade Coverage:
A White House adviser said a Roe reversal would serve as a galvanizing force for key segments of President Joe Biden's coalition, giving Democrats a clear message to link to the midterm elections. At the same time, the adviser, who requested anonymity to discuss internal strategies, acknowledged that an abortion change might not be enough on its own to overcome political headwinds come November.
Biden's popularity remains weak amid increasing concerns about inflation and the direction of the country. History also suggests that the party that controls the White House almost always suffers losses in the first congressional elections of a new presidency.
In one ominous sign, grassroots Democratic fundraising, usually a mark of enthusiasm, was noticeably sluggish in the hours after the draft decision was leaked.
The Democratic fundraising platform, ActBlue, drew less than $3 million in donations between 6:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday. By contrast, the platform took in $71 million in the 24 hours after former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death.
As Democratic officials across the nation tried to sound the alarm, Republicans were quietly confident.
“There are now three things in life you can count on: death, taxes and Dems overplaying any hand,” said Republican strategist Chris Wilson, who is involved in several top elections this year. He noted that Democrats in states like New York and California wouldn't be affected by abortion bans in Republican-led states.
For most Democrats, Wilson said, “life goes on exactly as usual.”
But there are several swing states with Republican-controlled legislatures where November elections for governor may ultimately decide a woman's right to abortion, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, among them.
Even in states unlikely to outlaw abortions in the short term, Democrats are hopeful that a renewed focus on the issue will help their candidates overcome the party's other political challenges.
New Jersey Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski, a top target of Republicans, cast this year’s election as centering on abortion rights, arguing that a GOP majority in Congress could pursue a nationwide ban that would overrule New Jersey’s law on the right.
“That’s the stake in this election in November that all of us have to remember," Malinowski said in an interview. "Are we going to preserve a majority in the House of Representatives, in the Senate that will protect 50 years of settled law in this country, that will protect a woman’s right to choose?”
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan, among the nation's most vulnerable Democrats this fall, also seized on the issue as critical in their upcoming elections.
“Do not underestimate what this decision would mean for women in Nevada and across the country,” Cortez Masto said in an interview. “If this court issues a ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade, it will enrage women across the country who have lived for the last almost 50 years the right to choose."
From New Hampshire, Hassan said the leaked opinion clarifies the stakes this fall for voters in her state and beyond. She called a potential Roe reversal "devastating to women all across New Hampshire, all across the country and for all people who really believe in our individual freedoms.”
An abortion focus would also offer a sharp contrast with her Republican opponents, whom she described as “extremists” on abortion.
“This is really a difficult day for Granite State women, American women,” Hassan said.
Some Republicans welcomed the fight.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, who leads the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, said her group's fundraising has surged all year in line with excitement over a potential Roe reversal. Social conservatives have been waiting for this moment for decades, she said.
“It’s a potential cultural, political sea change,” she said.
Sen. Rick Scott, chairman of the Republican Senate campaign arm, was more cautious.
“I think this is an important issue to many people, but so is inflation, so is crime, so is the border,” Scott said.
___
Peoples reported from New York. AP writers Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa; Brian Slodysko and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Mike Catalini in Lambertville, New Jersey, contributed. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/sudden-abortion-focus-shakes-us-midterm-election-landscape/3673403/ | 2022-05-04T03:26:37Z | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/sudden-abortion-focus-shakes-us-midterm-election-landscape/3673403/ | false |
Court of Appeal to review Wayne Couzens and other killers´ sentences
Wayne Couzens and the killers of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes are to have their prison sentences reviewed together at the Court of Appeal.
On Wednesday, senior judges will hear challenges or appeals to the prison sentences of five killers, including the whole-life terms of disgraced former police officer Couzens and double murderer Ian Stewart.
The special court of five judges will consider how whole-life orders are imposed.
Ex-Pc Couzens was handed a whole-life term last year for the rape and murder of 33-year-old Sarah Everard after he abducted her in south London on March 3 2021.
Sentencing Couzens, Lord Justice Fulford said the circumstances of the case were “devastating, tragic and wholly brutal” and were so exceptional that it warranted a whole-life order.
It was the first time the sentence had been imposed for a single murder of an adult not committed in the course of a terror attack.
Emma Tustin and Thomas Hughes, who killed six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, are also expected to have their sentences reviewed.
Arthur suffered an unsurvivable brain injury while in the sole care of Tustin, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years after assaulting the child on June 16 2020.
Arthur, whose body was also covered in 130 bruises, died in hospital the next day.
His father, Hughes, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison for manslaughter, is due to appeal against his sentence.
Both sentences will be also challenged by Attorney General Suella Braverman under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
The minimum 40-year term handed to Jordan Monaghan after he murdered two of his children and his new partner will also be reviewed by the judges.
In December 2021 Monaghan was jailed after smothering his 24-day-old daughter Ruby as she slept in a Moses basket on New Year’s Day 2013.
Eight months later he smothered his 21-month-old son Logan, and six years after that he murdered his new partner, Evie Adams, with a drugs overdose.
Double murderer Ian Stewart, who was convicted of murdering his first wife six years before he went on to murder his fiancee, is also due to appeal against his whole-life order.
Stewart killed 51-year-old children’s book author Helen Bailey in 2016, and dumped her body in the cesspit of the £1.5 million home they shared in Royston in Hertfordshire.
A trial previously heard it was most likely she was suffocated while sedated by drugs, and Stewart was found guilty of her murder in 2017.
After this conviction, police investigated the 2010 death of Stewart’s first wife, Diane Stewart, 47.
The cause of her death was recorded at the time as sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, but in February Stewart was found guilty of her murder.
Couzens, 49, formerly of Deal, Kent, and Stewart, 61, previously of Royston, Hertfordshire, will attempt to appeal their whole-life orders.
Tustin, 32, previously of Cranmore Road, Solihull, and Monaghan, aged 30 at sentence and previously of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, will have their sentences challenged by the Attorney General’s Office as unduly lenient.
Hughes, 29, will attempt to appeal his sentence which is also being challenged by the Attorney General’s Office.
The hearing before the Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Holroyde, Mr Justice Sweeney and Mr Justice Johnson is due to start on Wednesday at 10.30am.
The five judges are expected to give their decisions at a later date. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-10780517/Court-Appeal-review-Wayne-Couzens-killers-sentences.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-05-04T03:27:24Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-10780517/Court-Appeal-review-Wayne-Couzens-killers-sentences.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
'On death's door:' Child narrowly survived alleged neglect, prosecutor said
A child said to have been neglected by his mother could not eat or breathe on his own when he was hospitalized, a prosecutor said.
When 3-year-old Kameron White of Gastonia was taken to a Charlotte hospital March 5, "he was on death's door," Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Hamlin said in Gaston County Superior Court on Tuesday.
He was unable to move, breathe or eat on his own, and a doctor said that he had been "intentionally starved," Hamlin said.
The child's mother, 30-year-old Shameka White, is charged with felony intentional child abuse.
Kameron was found to have had acute liver failure, respiratory failure, brain atrophy, among other problems, according to court records. He weighed less when he was hospitalized than he did when he was 6 months old, Hamlin said. He also had MRSA, a methicillin-resistant staph infection, and developed sepsis, a life-threatening complication caused by the body’s response to infection, she said.
After two months in the hospital, Hamlin said, Kameron could swallow his food, but he is still not out of the woods.
White's attorney, Richard Beam, asked Judge David Phillips to reduce White's bond from $500,000 to no more than $100,000. He said that if she gets out of jail, she will live with her mother in Gastonia. White has no criminal record and has three other children, Beam said.
Phillips denied Beam's request.
Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing here. | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/2022/05/04/gastonia-child-narrowly-survived-alleged-neglect-prosecutor-said/9628305002/ | 2022-05-04T03:29:48Z | https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/2022/05/04/gastonia-child-narrowly-survived-alleged-neglect-prosecutor-said/9628305002/ | false |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Angela Grabovsky wins Republican nomination for U.S. House in Indiana's 7th Congressional District.
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Grizzlies’ top defender Dillon Brooks ejected for Flagrant 2
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis forward Dillon Brooks has been ejected for a hard foul on Warriors guard Gary Payton in the opening minutes of Game 2 in their Western Conference semifinal. Brooks started Tuesday night’s game missing his first three shots after going 3 of 13 in Game 1. Brooks said after shootaround earlier Tuesday that he knew Memphis likely would’ve won the opener if he shot better. He chased down Payton as the guard went for a layup and caught him with his arm. Payton went down and immediately grabbed at his left arm. Officials reviewed the play and quickly ruled it a Flagrant 2 | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/03/grizzlies-top-defender-dillon-brooks-ejected-for-flagrant-2/ | 2022-05-04T03:33:59Z | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/03/grizzlies-top-defender-dillon-brooks-ejected-for-flagrant-2/ | true |
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TORONTO (AP) — Aaron Judge homered and drove in three runs, Jameson Taillon allowed one run in six innings, and the New York Yankees extended their winning streak to 11 games by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 9-1 on Tuesday night.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run home run in the ninth, his fifth of the season. New York leads the MLB with 34 home runs this season, including 23 in the past 11 games.
Judge’s homer was his ninth, tying teammate Anthony Rizzo for the big-league lead. Judge has 13 RBIs in his past five games after getting a two-run double in New York’s six-run seventh inning.
Taillon (2-1) allowed five hits, walked none, and struck out four to win his second straight decision.
Josh Donaldson and Marwin Gonzalez each had RBI doubles and Aaron Hicks reached base four times as the Yankees improved to 18-6. It’s the seventh time in franchise history that New York has won 18 of its first 24 games.
New York’s winning streak also is the longest in the majors this season (the Yankees won 13 straight games from Aug. 14 to 27, last year).
Toronto, meanwhile, snapped a streak of 32 games without consecutive losses, dating back to Sept. 24, 2021. The Blue Jays also lost a series for the first time this season.
One of New York’s runs in the seventh came when home plate umpire Ron Kulpa ruled Gonzalez had evaded a tag from Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a rundown between third and home. Replays appeared to show Guerrero did tag Gonzalez, but Toronto had already lost its challenge earlier in the inning.
After two of the first three batters reached against him, Blue Jays right-hander Alex Manoah retired 15 straight batters, striking out six.
Hicks got a one-out single in the sixth, but Hicks was thrown out trying to steal second with Judge at the place. Two pitches later, Judge hit a game-tying, 427-foot homer into the second deck in left.
Adam Cimber (4-1) replaced Manoah in the sixth and gave up RBI doubles to Donaldson and Gonzalez.
Julian Merryweather replaced Cimber but didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced. After Gonzalez scored on Jose Trevino’s fielder’s choice, Hicks hit an RBI single and Judge followed with a two-run double.
TWO TIMING
Stanton was on base twice in the seventh but didn’t collect a hit. Stanton reached on Bo Bichette’s throwing error to start the frame and later walked.
BAWLING FOR A BALL
A man in a Blue Jays cap picked up Judge’s home run ball and briefly held his arms aloft in celebration, then handed it over to a young boy in a Yankees cap and Judge T-shirt one row behind. Overcome with emotion, the boy started crying and gave the man a hug.
FAREWELL, FOWLER
Veteran OF Dexter Fowler asked for and was granted his release from Toronto’s Triple-A team, the Buffalo Bisons. Fowler, who signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays on March 31, is now a free agent. He went 5 for 12 with three RBI in three games with the Bisons.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: OF Joey Gallo (tight left groin) sat for the third straight day. Gallo left Saturday’s game at Kansas City in the fifth inning.
Blue Jays: OF Teoscar Hernández (strained left oblique) homered on the second pitch he saw in his first rehab game at Class-A Dunedin. Hernández added a double and finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
UP NEXT
Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (1-0, 1.31) starts Wednesday’s series finale against Blue Jays LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 5.52).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Judge-HRs-as-Yankees-beat-Jays-9-1-for-11th-17146113.php | 2022-05-04T03:36:05Z | https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Judge-HRs-as-Yankees-beat-Jays-9-1-for-11th-17146113.php | false |
Royals second. Ryan O'Hearn grounds out to shallow infield, Dakota Hudson to Paul Goldschmidt. Whit Merrifield strikes out swinging. Bobby Witt Jr. homers to center field. MJ Melendez grounds out to first base to Paul Goldschmidt.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Royals 1, Cardinals 0.
Royals fourth. Ryan O'Hearn singles to right center field. Whit Merrifield singles to right field. Ryan O'Hearn to third. Bobby Witt Jr. grounds out to shallow infield. Whit Merrifield out at second. Ryan O'Hearn scores. MJ Melendez flies out to deep left field to Tyler O'Neill.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Royals 2, Cardinals 0.
Royals seventh. Nicky Lopez walks. Edward Olivares doubles to left field. Nicky Lopez scores. Andrew Benintendi singles to right field. Edward Olivares scores. Salvador Perez called out on strikes. Hunter Dozier pinch-hitting for Ryan O'Hearn. Hunter Dozier doubles to right field. Andrew Benintendi to third. Whit Merrifield out on a sacrifice fly to deep center field to Harrison Bader. Hunter Dozier to third. Andrew Benintendi scores. Bobby Witt Jr. singles to shallow left field. Hunter Dozier scores. MJ Melendez walks. Michael A. Taylor singles to right field. MJ Melendez to second. Bobby Witt Jr. scores. Nicky Lopez pops out to shortstop to Paul DeJong.
5 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Royals 7, Cardinals 0.
Cardinals eighth. Dylan Carlson flies out to shallow center field to Nicky Lopez. Tommy Edman singles to shortstop. Paul Goldschmidt walks. Tommy Edman to second. Tyler O'Neill singles to left field. Paul Goldschmidt to second. Tommy Edman scores. Nolan Arenado grounds out to shortstop. Tyler O'Neill out at second.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Royals 7, Cardinals 1. | https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/St-Louis-Kansas-City-Runs-17146205.php | 2022-05-04T03:36:36Z | https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/St-Louis-Kansas-City-Runs-17146205.php | false |
NEW YORK (PIX11) — Travis Mills is unquestionably a profile in courage. His courage, strength and determination to live should inspire us all. An Army Staff Sergeant in Afghanistan a decade ago, he stood at death’s door, but miraculously reclaimed his life and his sense of humor as he celebrated what he calls his tenth “Alive Day.”
“Unfortunately I had a bad day at work,” he told a crowd about that day in April 2012 when he placed a heavy backpack on the ground which concealed an improvised explosive device. He lost both his arms and legs in the blast. A staff sergeant with the 82nd Airborne Infantry, Mills was on his third tour in Afghanistan. His condition was so severe, he became one of only five servicemen ever to survive such catastrophic injuries.
“Though it was the day I was supposed to die, I didn’t die. It’s my Alive Day,” he told a group of dignitaries who turned out to help him celebrate his special anniversary at the crossroads of the world — Times Square. And he didn’t need a Hallmark card to remind him how special each anniversary is. “How fortunate am I going from having nothing, no arms, no legs to having good fortune, I can feed myself, drive, walk, to be with my family,” Mills said.
It was Mills’ family that infused in him the will to live, undergoing years of excruciating physical therapy to learn to live with the prosthetics. His wife and 6-month-old daughter were there to cheer him on. With a gleam in his eye, Mills beamed, “My daughter was there as we learned how to walk together, and going around in the wheelchair.”
Fresh out of high school, it was the terror attacks of 9/11 that inspired Mills to join the Army. During the observance of his Alive Day, he visited Ground Zero, placing flags at the markers of two first responders, brothers John Vigiano II and Joseph Vigiano. There was a reverence, Mills told PIX11 News, as he visited the 9/11 Museum, a humble and reflective moment. “You go through there you feel people are still alive, the spirit of them lives on, and what is here shows how the country came together,” Mills said.
Fate did not deal Mills an easy hand, but he doesn’t dwell on it. After all, he beat the odds after being blown up. “I’m not bitter,” he said,” it is what it is. I have a very good life.”
Mills said surviving the almost unsurvivable has taught him an important lesson. “Small things in life I don’t worry about. I just appreciate every day I get to understand the importance and meaning of life. I’m here to watch my daughter grow, my son grow up. That means the world to me. I’m grateful to still be alive,” he said.
These days Mills spends a good deal of his time as a motivational speaker. He is the founder of the Travis Mills Foundation which provides comfort and support for wounded veterans. He truly is a profile in courage who is the embodiment of his own credo: “Never give up. Never quit!” | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/veteran-defies-death-celebrates-alive-day/ | 2022-05-04T03:37:10Z | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/veteran-defies-death-celebrates-alive-day/ | true |
# Strobiltelia\nphyllopiscus\nB. PERFORATA – MONOPTEROS. GRIEF = LUCIOUS: a \"grieflupe,\" according to Koehbeyl and Nixon (see Griefling below ). One of our illustratiin for K., Fig 4 a; R1 of the E ]. Mouth small for a phalangippe fish with large gape-wheel Finding an expert in property appellt can come very important that are important because they are key contributing persons in finding what exactly your landlord is asking them or rather wanting the tenate of pay for in time even. And that might help you understand, whether all such demands that they actually pay by is necessary one. And most common is to actually the people who just the have left or moved at the space which makes the renting tenure be able you’re not NEW YORK — A New York appellate court judge on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump’s bid to halt his $10,000-a-day fine, keeping the former president’s meter running for now as he fights a lower-court decision penalizing him for failing to turn over documents in a state civil investigation.
Judge Tanya Kennedy, of the appellate division of the state’s trial court, denied Trump’s interim application to pause the fine pending his appeal. The court’s full bench will weigh in on Trump’s motion to stay the fine later this month, Kennedy said.
Trump’s attorney Alina Habba requested the stay Monday, a week after Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron fined Trump for failing to comply with a subpoena issued in New York Attorney General Letitia James' probe of his business dealings.
Habba wrote in a court filing that Engoron's ruling was “unconscionable and indefensible.” The judge found that Trump, who is appealing the ruling, and his lawyers had failed to show they conducted a proper search for subpoenaed records.
In asking the appellate court to pause his fine, Trump sought to stop it from accruing while he seeks to overturn Engoron’s ruling — potentially saving him hundreds of thousands of dollars if the appellate court ultimately upholds the contempt finding.
Trump is also appealing Engoron’s Feb. 17 ruling requiring him to answer questions under oath. Oral arguments in that appeal are scheduled for May 11. No arguments have been scheduled in Trump’s contempt challenge.
In a written statement Tuesday, Trump, a Republican, lashed out at James and the state’s court system. He called the attorney general, who is a Black Democrat, “racist,” said the courts were “biased, unyielding, and totally unfair” and claimed to have turned over “millions of pages of documents, perhaps more than any person or entity has ever given before.”
“This is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in history, and it should not be allowed to continue,” Trump said. “The good news is, I have done nothing wrong!”
A message seeking comment was left with Habba.
James, a Democrat, asked Engoron to hold Trump in contempt after he failed to produce any documents to satisfy a March 31 deadline to meet the terms of the subpoena. She has said her investigation has found evidence that Trump may have misstated the value of assets like skyscrapers and golf courses on financial statements for over a decade.
Habba told Engoron that she met with Trump to ensure he had no records and there were none to be found. On Friday, she submitted additional documents explaining the document search, including an affidavit in which Trump claimed he has no documents. Engoron criticized the affidavit as lacking in detail.
In seeking to halt the fine, Habba said Trump and his representatives had performed a “diligent, thorough and comprehensive search” for everything sought in the subpoena and provided complete and accurate responses to the attorney general. She said the additional submissions last week amounted to “extraordinary efforts to comply.”
“Given these circumstances, it is unconscionable and indefensible for Appellant to be held in contempt in any manner, must less at the inordinate expense of $10,000 per day,” she said.
Associated Press reporter Larry Neumeister contributed to this report. | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-appeals-10000-fine/507-04dfc5d4-544d-41d3-a24d-c782950d2e31 | 2022-05-04T03:40:53Z | https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-appeals-10000-fine/507-04dfc5d4-544d-41d3-a24d-c782950d2e31 | true |
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown beat former state Sen. Nina Turner for the second time since last summer, easily prevailing Tuesday in an Ohio primary billed nationally as a key showdown between the party’s more moderate establishment and its activist progressive wing.
Brown, who had campaigned with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress, and as a strong ally to President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda, had topped Turner in July’s special election primary — and did so again.
Primaries in Ohio and the neighboring, Rust Belt state ofIndiana helped kick into high gear a midterm seasonthat will see Democrats attempt to defend their razor-thin congressional majorities this November.
A former Democratic Party county chair, Brown has only been in Congress a matter of months but came into the rematch with the power of incumbency. Turner, a leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, was endorsed by the Vermont senator and top progressive groups, who had hoped for a second-try upset.
The Cleveland district where Brown and Turner squared off is heavily African American and solidly Democratic, making Brown heavily favored to retain her seat in November’s general election. Our Revolution, the activist group that grew out of Sanders’ first presidential run, says it devoted 150 volunteers toward boosting Turner in the race, while the pro-Israeli Democratic political organization DMFI PAC announced spending more than $1 million for Brown.
“During Rep. Brown’s five short months in Congress, she has proven to be a tenacious advocate for the people of her district and a fierce fighter for the Democratic agenda and our party’s values,” DMFI PAC President Mark Mellman said in a statement. “Ohio Democrats sent a clear message that they want candidates who seek to unite the party.”
Turner tweeted a video of her chanting loudly with supporters, “We gon’ be alright.” She told them that was her enduring message to the progressive movement.
Elsewhere, Republican Rep. Warren Davidson turned back a primary challenge from Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, son of the famous doctor known for the anti-choking maneuver. Davidson had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump — whose backing helped author JD Vance win the much-watched GOP primary for Ohio’s open Senate seat on Tuesday — while Heimlich had criticized the former president.
Trump’s support proved valuable in other House primaries in Ohio as well.
Former Trump aide Max Miller locked up the Republican nomination in a new district in the northeastern part of the state despite being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Meanwhile, the Akron-area district where another Trump pick, conservative commentator Madison Gilbert won the Republican nomination, should be one of the likely competitive House seats in November’s general election. She’ll face state Rep. Emilia Sykes, a former Ohio House Democratic leader and a daughter of a powerful political family in the area.
Conservative activist group FreedomWorks for America vowed that Gilbert would get Congress “out from under the thumb of radical Leftists.”
“Gilbert is the real deal, a fact that Ohioans have echoed with their votes tonight,” Noah Wall, FreedomWorks for America executive director, said in a statement. “We are excited to continue mobilizing our grassroots army on Gilbert’s behalf as she heads into the general election.”
Another tough congressional race could be coming to Cincinnati in November, when Republican Rep. Steve Chabot will face Democratic Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman.
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the House, has held her seat since 1983 and was unopposed in her primary on Tuesday. Four Republicans — including two sitting state lawmakers — competed to take her on in the fall, however, in a newly drawn district that hugs Lake Erie and could be a toss-up. The Republican primary there was still too early to call.
In Indiana, former state Sen. Erin Houchin topped eight other Republicans, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel, for the party’s nomination in the state’s only open House seatand will be heavily favored in November. GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth isn’t seeking reelection in his southern Indiana district as he hints at running for governor in 2024.
___
Weissert reported from Washington.
___
Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/in-ohio-us-house-rematch-again-tests-progressive-clout/ | 2022-05-04T03:45:35Z | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/in-ohio-us-house-rematch-again-tests-progressive-clout/ | true |
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — The endangered California condor returned to soar the skies over the state’s far northern coast redwood forests on Tuesday for the first time in more than a century.
Two captive-bred birds were released from a pen in Redwood National Park, about an hour’s drive south of the Oregon border, under a project aimed at restoring the giant vultures to their historic habitat in the Pacific Northwest.
The two male condors were moved into staging area at late morning and a remotely controlled gate was opened. After a few minutes of warily eyeing the opening, the birds stepped one by one through the opening, spread their giant wings and took off.
“They just jumped up and took flight off into the distance,” Tiana Williams-Claussen, wildlife director for the region’s Yurok tribe, said in a webcast.
Condors were last spotted in the park area around 1892, authorities said. The California condor is the largest native North American bird, with a wingspan of nearly 10 feet (3 meters). The scavenger was once widespread but had virtually disappeared by the 1970s because of poaching, lead poisoning from eating animals shot by hunters and destruction of its habitat.
The birds can live for 60 years and fly vast distances in search of carrion, so their range could extend into several states.
Federal and local fish and wildlife agencies are involved in the restoration project headed by the Yurok tribe, which traditionally has considered the California condor a sacred animal and has been working for years to return the species to the tribe’s ancestral territory.
“For countless generations, the Yurok people have upheld a sacred responsibility to maintain balance in the natural world. Condor reintroduction is a real-life manifestation of our cultural commitment to restore and protect the planet for future generations,” tribal Chairman Joseph L. James said in a statement.
Two more condors were set to be released later — after biologists determine that the two birds who took to the skies Tuesday have displayed appropriate behavior, authorities said.
The condors, including one female and three males, are between 2 and 4 years old. Two were hatched at the Oregon Zoo and two at the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Idaho.
In the early 1980s, all 22 condors remaining in the wild were trapped and brought into a captive-breeding program that began releasing the giant vultures into Southern California’s Los Padres National Forest in 1992.
That flock has been expanding its range while other condors now occupy parts of California’s Central Coast, Arizona, Utah and Baja California, Mexico. The total population now numbers more than 500 birds in captivity and in the wild.
Two years ago, California condors were spotted in Sequoia National Park, in California’s Sierra Nevada, for the first time in nearly 50 years.
However, that same year, a dozen adults and two chicks died when a wildfire set by an arsonist ravaged their territory on the Big Sur coast. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/u-s-world/condors-soar-again-over-northern-california-coastal-redwoods/ | 2022-05-04T03:47:30Z | https://www.wowktv.com/news/u-s-world/condors-soar-again-over-northern-california-coastal-redwoods/ | false |
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As the nation grips with the uncertainty of abortion access after a draft ruling from the Supreme Court was leaked, not much changes in Oregon, legally speaking. The reality for health care providers, however, could be drastically different, according to several pro-choice organizations.
On Monday, a leaked draft of a ruling authored by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito showed the court was prepared to fully reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling which struck down government restrictions around women’s access to abortion. Since then, it’s been considered precedent, though Republican State legislatures across the country have passed laws of their own, poking at the decision and eroding its broad scope.
Currently, Oregon and Washington are some of the 16 states that have enshrined the protections laid out in the original Roe v. Wade into state law. Thirteen other states, including neighboring Idaho, have ‘trigger laws’ that would ban or severely restrict access to abortion.
Advocates see a reality of people from more restrictive states seeking care in places like Oregon.
“As the system is put under more stress with additional folks traveling to our state, we need to make sure that the system is working for folks in Oregon, many of whom are not able to receive that access easily,” said Christel Allen, the Executive Director for Pro-Choice Oregon.
Another pro-choice advocate, Kalpana Krishanamurthy who is the Oregon Director for Foward Together, notes with a few clinics in central Oregon, many Oregonians in the rural stretches of the state have to turn to Boise for access to abortion.
Pro-choice advocates say, when it comes to traveling for care, that is a luxury available, often for just the people that can afford to take the time off and cover the cost of making it to a clinic.
“It just does disproportionately impact those folks that have to travel the furthest, that have the fewest resources, that need to arrange childcare for their loves, and for whom, those structural supports are just not available,” Krishnamurthy said.
Washington State Senator John Braun, a Republican representing the southwest area of the state, says he’s pro-life and, regardless of what the Supreme Court does, believes people on both sides of the debate can agree that the goal is to reduce the number of procedures.
In Oregon, there were nearly 15,000 abortions conducted in 2000 and 6,051 in 2021. Braun doesn’t believe a judicial decision has an impact on the number of procedures conducted.
“You reduce the number of abortions as you deal with each situation uniquely, make sure that each person has the services and the options presented to them and they get the support they need and deserve,” Braun said.
The 98-page opinion was authored by a long-time conservative staple on the bench, Justice Samuel Alito. In his reasoning, the draft notes “the constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision…”
Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat representing Washington State in the nation’s capital, plans to introduce laws to protect abortion access across the country next week.
“If [Alito] defines this as the reason that he’s going to overturn Roe v. Wade, and be supported by a majority of Supreme Court justices, it’s not the only right that they intend to take away,” Murray said. | https://www.koin.com/top-stories/how-would-supreme-court-reversal-on-abortion-affect-those-in-the-northwest/ | 2022-05-04T03:50:37Z | https://www.koin.com/top-stories/how-would-supreme-court-reversal-on-abortion-affect-those-in-the-northwest/ | true |
4-year-old shot in head by 9-year-old handling gun, deputies in Texas say
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTVT) - A 4-year-old boy was shot in the head Monday, and authorities said the gun was fired by his 9-year-old brother.
The sheriff’s department is now trying to piece together how that boy got the gun, as the younger child fights for his life in critical condition.
The 9-year-old boy was seen standing with his hands bagged as a shooting investigation swirled around him.
Investigators say the accidental shooting happened around 12:20 p.m. Monday. They believe he got the gun from an uncle.
“An uncle was visiting the residence. He does not normally live there, and he had a gun. The 9-year-old male found the gun and accidentally discharged, striking the 4-year-old in the head,” said Major Susan Cotter of Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
In the immediate aftermath, family members drove the little boy to a nearby hospital, where he was taken via lifeflight to the medical center.
Investigators say because there were seven or eight people at the house during the shooting, a number of people were seen with bags over their hands.
Neighbors who are used to the quietness of suburban life said the proliferation of guns is making them nervous.
“That’s all you hear all the time all day is more shootings. Since the guns, you’ve been able to be free with guns. It’s horrible,” an unidentified neighbor said.
Copyright 2022 KTRK via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/05/03/4-year-old-shot-head-by-9-year-old-handling-gun-deputies-texas-say/ | 2022-05-04T04:05:14Z | https://www.kold.com/2022/05/03/4-year-old-shot-head-by-9-year-old-handling-gun-deputies-texas-say/ | false |
Tennessee governor won’t release records on execution error
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has refused to release records that could illuminate his decision to abruptly halt the execution of Oscar Smith last month, citing attorney-client privilege and the disputed “deliberative process privilege.”
In response to a records request by The Associated Press, the Republican governor’s office released emails containing Lee’s April 21 public statement granting Smith a reprieve. The office also released a series of emails from reporters asking for more details about the problems that led Lee to halt the execution. The reporters were referred to the public statement, which said only that there was an “oversight” in the preparation of the drugs.
On Monday, Lee finally elaborated in a new statement, saying the drugs to be used in Smith’s execution were tested for potency and sterility, but not endotoxins, as required by the state’s execution protocols. Lee placed a temporary moratorium on executions through the end of the year and appointed former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton to review circumstances that led to the failure.
Lee has repeatedly cited deliberative process when declining to release documents. The exemption is not in state law but was described in a 2004 intermediate appeals court decision. In that ruling, the court determined certain documents could remain secret if officials deemed them part of their decision-making process.
Early in his administration, Lee’s office also cited “executive privilege” more than a dozen times as a reason for withholding records, though his team argued they were using the term interchangeably with deliberative process. Tennessee statutes, including the state’s open records laws, do not define executive privilege. The Tennessee Constitution does not mention it.
Lee initially promised to overhaul the state’s public records laws to provide more government transparency when he came into office, but he has yet to significantly change the statutes.
Smith, 72, was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife, Judith Smith, and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett, at their Nashville home on Oct. 1, 1989.
Smith’s execution was to be the first of five scheduled in 2022, the most of any state other than Texas, which also scheduled five executions, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. It was also to be Tennessee’s first execution since the pandemic halted executions in 2020.
___
Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/05/03/tennessee-governor-wont-release-records-execution-error/ | 2022-05-04T04:08:33Z | https://www.kold.com/2022/05/03/tennessee-governor-wont-release-records-execution-error/ | true |
Vehicle crashes into restaurant parking lot at River and Oracle, 1 injured
Published: May. 3, 2022 at 1:04 PM MST|Updated: 8 hours ago
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - One person was hurt Tuesday, May 3, when a vehicle left the roadway and crashed into another vehicle in a parking lot.
According to the Northwest Fire District, one of the vehicles contacted the Denny’s, but did not continue into the building on the northeast corner of River and Oracle roads.
One person was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
No additional information was immediately available.
Copyright 2022 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/05/03/vehicle-crashes-into-restaurant-parking-lot-river-oracle-1-injured/ | 2022-05-04T04:09:24Z | https://www.kold.com/2022/05/03/vehicle-crashes-into-restaurant-parking-lot-river-oracle-1-injured/ | true |
ARCHITECTURE
Abigail Bokman has joined FFA Architecture and Interiors as marketing manager. She leads the firm’s marketing and business development activities, and works directly with market leads to build strategic planning initiatives. Bokman has a bachelor’s degree from Pacific University and many years of marketing experience – the past six within Portland’s building industry.
Please send your announcements for DJC People to djcpeople@djcOregon.com. | https://djcoregon.com/news/2022/05/03/ffa-architecture-and-interiors-adds-bokman/ | 2022-05-04T04:30:03Z | https://djcoregon.com/news/2022/05/03/ffa-architecture-and-interiors-adds-bokman/ | false |
Nationals third. Alcides Escobar singles to shallow center field. Juan Soto strikes out swinging. Josh Bell homers to left field. Cesar Hernandez scores. Alcides Escobar scores. Nelson Cruz strikes out swinging. Yadiel Hernandez grounds out to first base, C.J. Cron to German Marquez.
3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 3, Rockies 0.
Rockies third. Connor Joe walks. Charlie Blackmon singles to right field. Connor Joe to third. Randal Grichuk reaches on a fielder's choice to third base. Charlie Blackmon out at second. Connor Joe scores. C.J. Cron walks. Randal Grichuk to second. Ryan McMahon flies out to center field to Victor Robles. Elias Diaz called out on strikes.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Nationals 3, Rockies 1.
Nationals fourth. Maikel Franco singles to center field. Keibert Ruiz doubles to right center field. Maikel Franco to third. Victor Robles out on a sacrifice fly to center field to Randal Grichuk. Maikel Franco scores. Alcides Escobar singles to shallow right field. Keibert Ruiz to third. Cesar Hernandez grounds out to second base. Alcides Escobar out at second.
1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 4, Rockies 1.
Nationals fifth. Juan Soto homers to left field. Josh Bell strikes out swinging. Nelson Cruz grounds out to shortstop, Jose Iglesias to C.J. Cron. Yadiel Hernandez singles to center field. Maikel Franco doubles. Yadiel Hernandez to third. Keibert Ruiz singles to center field. Maikel Franco scores. Yadiel Hernandez scores. Victor Robles grounds out to shallow infield to C.J. Cron.
3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 7, Rockies 1.
Nationals seventh. Josh Bell singles to center field. Lane Thomas pinch-hitting for Nelson Cruz. Lane Thomas singles to left center field. Josh Bell to second. Yadiel Hernandez doubles to deep center field. Lane Thomas scores. Josh Bell scores. Maikel Franco grounds out to shallow infield, Jose Iglesias to C.J. Cron. Keibert Ruiz lines out to center field to Randal Grichuk. Victor Robles grounds out to shortstop, Jose Iglesias to C.J. Cron.
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Nationals 9, Rockies 1.
Rockies eighth. Charlie Blackmon grounds out to first base, Josh Bell to Erasmo Ramirez. Randal Grichuk lines out to right field to Juan Soto. C.J. Cron homers to left field. Ryan McMahon flies out to left center field to Victor Robles.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 9, Rockies 2.
Nationals ninth. Josh Bell singles to shallow center field. Lane Thomas pops out to Ryan McMahon. Yadiel Hernandez strikes out swinging. Maikel Franco walks. Josh Bell to second. Keibert Ruiz singles to center field. Maikel Franco to second. Josh Bell scores. Victor Robles strikes out swinging.
1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Nationals 10, Rockies 2. | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Washington-Colorado-Runs-17146231.php | 2022-05-04T04:32:42Z | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Washington-Colorado-Runs-17146231.php | true |
Second-ranked Oak Mountain blanked Hewitt-Trussville 4-0 on Tuesday to advance in the Class 7A AHSAA 32nd State Soccer Championships. The Eagles (16-4-5) will travel to Grissom for a second-round game.
Oak Mountain got goals from Aiden Riley, Garrett Murphy, Houston Graham and Caleb Smith.
Nate Joyner had an assist for the Eagles.
Aidan Riley had 2 saves for Oak Mountain.
Hewitt-Trussville finishes the season at 8-12-3.
In other Tuesday action:
BOYS
CLASS 6A
Mountain Brook 7, Pinson Valley 1: Jack Heaps set a Mountain Brook single-season record and Joe Armstrong tied one in the win. Heaps scored a goal to for his 31st this year, tops all-time for the Spartans.
Joe Armstrong, who also scored, tied the school assist record with his 22nd. He shares the record with Houston Smith from the 1997 squad. Smith’s son, Jude, is a freshamn on this year’s team.
Finn Calloway had 2 goals in the win that puts top-ranked Mountain Brook (22-2-2) in the quarterfinals against Homewood on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Mountain Brook. Eliot Walton, John Montgomery and Henry Tabb also scored for the Spartans.
Reid Harradine had 2 saves in goal for Mountain Brook and Turner Holmes had 1.
Zaylen McCray scored for Pinson Valley (9-12-3).
CLASS 4A/5A
Russellville 4, Westminster Christian 1: Russellville advanced to the quarterfinals with the road win. The visitors led 2-0 at the half and got 2 goals from Jonathan Salgado after intermission. Anthony Garcia got an assist on the final goal in the 73rd minute.
Westminster got only 2 shots on goal during the match, but Charles Glasgow’s try in the 43rd minute cut the Russellville lead to 2-1.
Russellville (16-2-1) will play the winner of the West Morgan-St. John Paul II match.
– Jimmy Lay
CLASS 1A/3A
Trinity 1, St. Luke’s 0 (OT): Junior Jackson Champion scored the game-winner, set up by freshmen Bo Stewart and Lawson Roth with an assist from senior Josh Hixon.
Trinity (17-3) will travel to Prattville Christian for the quarterfinals.
GIRLS
CLASS 7A
Spain Park 1, Oak Mountain 0: Fourth-ranked Spain Park knocked off No. 1 Oak Mountain to advance to the second round. The Jaguars will face Bob Jones, a 4-0 winner over Grissom.
Addy Soehn scored the lone goal in the match off an assist from Maddie Davis. The goal came with about 15 minutes left in the game.
Keeper Lillian Gourley had 8 saves in the shutout.
Spain Park is 11-4-4 on the season while Oak Mountain drops to 19-2-1.
Vestavia Hills 5, Hoover 0: Third-ranked Vestavia Hills rolled over rival Hoover to advance to the second round and a match with Huntsville.
Sophomore Teagan McGrew scored a pair of goals for the Rebels. Anna Towry, Amanda McFarlin and Ashley Giles scored a goal each in the win.
Sarah Francis Gilroy had 2 assists.
Vestavia Hills is 15-3-3 while Hoover finishes at 8-8-3.
CLASS 4A/5A
St. James 5, Faith Academy 0: Second-ranked St. James (13-3-1) advanced to the quarterfinals with the shutout win, setting up a showdown with No. 1 Montgomery Academy.
Katie Brightwell scored 4 goals to push her season total to 50 in 17 games and had an assist.
Haley Brightwell scored the other Trojans’ goal.
Mary Grace Hixon had 2 assists and McKenzie Turner had 1.
Katie Irving was in goal for St. James’ ninth shutout of the season.
Faith Academy finishes at 15-4.
St. James plays at Montgomery Academy on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
CLASS 1A/3A
Trinity 3, Cottage Hill 0: Third-ranked Trinity (9-5-1) advanced to the quarterfinals with the shutout win over No. 11 Cottage Hill (12-8).
Ella Wiswall scored 2 goals for the Wildcats and Hastings Avant scored the other. Wiswall also had a pair of assists. Keeper Kaylee Peevy recorded the shutout.
Here are results thus far in AHSAA tournament play:
CLASS 7A BOYS
(First round, May 2-3)
Auburn (14-1-4) 3, Enterprise (10-8-2) 0
Davidson (20-5-3) 6, Fairhope (14-4-3) 1
Dothan (15-2-1) 3, Smiths Station (9-7-3) 1
Daphne (14-2-1) 5, Theodore (8-4-3) 3
Grissom (20-4-3) 5, Austin (15-6) 1
Oak Mountain (16-4-5) 4, Hewitt-Trussville (8-12-3) 0
Huntsville (18-3-3) 1, James Clemens (8-10-5) 0
Vestavia Hills (21-2) 6, Thompson (11-7-4) 3
CLASS 6A BOYS
Helena (16-8-2) 3, McAdory (11-7-2) 1
Pelham (21-3-1) 2, Northridge (10-10-3) 1
McGill-Toolen Catholic (18-8) 7, Opelika (10-8) 0
St. Paul’s Episcopal (14-6-1) 5, Eufaula (5-9-1) 0
Fort Payne (12-7-2) 5, Southside-Gadsden (12-6-2) 1
Randolph (18-5-1) 4, Springville (11-5) 0
Mountain Brook (22-2-2) 7, Pinson Valley (9-12-3) 1
Homewood (18-4-1) 8, Shades Valley (7-11-1) 0
CLASS 4A/5A BOYS
John Carroll Catholic (12-11-2) 7, Pike Road (16-6) 0
Indian Springs (18-2-5) 6, American Christian (14-3-2) 0
Montgomery Academy (22-0-2) 3, St. Michael Catholic (12-6-2) 1
LAMP (15-4-1) 4, Faith Academy (17-6-2) 1
West Morgan (11-7-1) 3, St. John Paul II Catholic (9-8-1) 1
Russellville (16-2-1) 4, Westminster Christian (10-9) 1
Crossville (15-2) 2, Carver-Birmingham (17-2) 1
Leeds (14-7-2) 4, Westbrook Christian (17-3-2) 3
CLASS 1A/3A BOYS
(First Round, May 2-3)
Westminster Oak Mountain (17-5-1) 10, Thomasville (3-14) 0
Bayside Academy (18-2-4) 5, Houston Academy (10-5) 0
Prattville Christian (7-6-1) 3, Tarrant (6-3) 2
Trinity Presbyterian (15-2) 1, St. Luke’s Episcopal (13-12-2) 0
Mars Hill Bible (15-7-1) 4, Danville (11-5-1) 3
Donoho (13-0-2) 2, Susan Moore (12-12-2) 1 (2 OT)
Tharptown (12-5) 4, Tanner (15-6-1) 3
Collinsville (17-6) 8, Faith Christian (9-6) 0
CLASS 7A GIRLS
(First Round, May 2-3)
Auburn (15-1-2) 5, Dothan (6-8-2) 1
Fairhope (19-3-2) 5, Alma Bryant (16-11) 0
Prattville (9-9-1) 1, Smiths Station (10-8) 0
Foley (18-5) 4, Baker (10-7) 1
Bob Jones (14-8) 4, Grissom (13-10) 0
Spain Park (11-4-4) 1, Oak Mountain (19-2-1) 0
Huntsville (17-3-2) 2, James Clemens (11-7-2) 0
Vestavia Hills (15-3-3) 5, Hoover (8-8-3) 0
CLASS 6A GIRLS
Pelham (13-6-1) 1, McAdory (8-8-6) 0
Northridge (9-8-3) 2, Helena (14-7-2) 0
McGill-Toolen Catholic (14-7-1) 3, Opelika (13-4) 2
St. Paul’s Episcopal (8-12) 5, Russell County (5-9) 0
Southside-Gadsden (17-3-2) 3, Randolph (12-8-2) 0
Springville (12-3-1) 3, Fort Payne (12-8-4) 0
Homewood (16-2-2) 10, Pinson Valley (8-3-2) 0
Mountain Brook (13-4-1) 10, Shades Valley (10-4-2) 0
CLASS 4A/5A GIRLS
John Carroll Catholic (10-15) 2, Sylacauga (10-8-1) 0
Indian Springs (15-3-2) 7, American Christian (12-4) 1
Montgomery Academy (15-2-1) 3, St. Michael Catholic (14-5) 0
Saint James (13-3-1) 5, Faith Academy (15-4) 0
East Limestone (17-4) 6, West Morgan (10-10) 3
St. John Paul II Catholic (12-10) 4, Russellville (12-5) 1
Guntersville (14-4) 4, Jacksonville (9-6) 1
Westbrook Christian (18-3) 4, Lincoln (15-10) 1
CLASS 1A/3A GIRLS
Westminster-Oak Mountain (13-5-1) advances with BYE
Bayside Academy (10-8-2) 6, Providence Christian (7-6) 2
Prattville Christian (7-5-1) 7, Childersburg (7-7) 1
Trinity Presbyterian (9-5-1) 3, Cottage Hill Christian (12-8) 0
Whitesburg Christian (11-4-1) 10, JB Pennington (4-5-1) 0
Donoho (16-0) 2, Collinsville (10-12) 0
Mars Hill Bible (11-5) 3, Danville (12-4) 1
Susan Moore (23-3) 1, Weaver (8-9-1) 0 | https://www.al.com/sports/2022/05/ahsaa-soccer-oak-mountain-boys-coast-by-hewitt-girls-upset-by-spain-park.html | 2022-05-04T04:34:06Z | https://www.al.com/sports/2022/05/ahsaa-soccer-oak-mountain-boys-coast-by-hewitt-girls-upset-by-spain-park.html | false |
National Maternity Hospital proposals must face Oireachtas scrutiny before final decision - David Cullinane TD
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD has said that the proposals for the new National Maternity Hospital, which under current plans will not be owned by the state, must come before the Oireachtas to face scrutiny before any final decision is taken.
There is an outstanding Health Committee invitation for next week.
Teachta Cullinane said this substantial investment, likely up to €1 billion, cannot go ahead unless the state’s investment is fully safeguarded, and the rights of patients to access fertility and termination services are absolutely guaranteed.
Teachta Cullinane said:
“The decision to relocate the National Maternity Hospital to Elm Park will be a significant move by the state and will cost possibly in excess of €1 billion when all is said and done.
“The new National Maternity Hospital needs to be built and operational as soon as possible, but expedience cannot be used to dilute rights in any way.
“The full range of legal permissible services, from fertility treatments to termination of pregnancy, whether medical or surgical, must be available in the hospital to any qualifying patient.
“There are disputes and mixed views on whether these services will be fully available and accessible at the new site, which is illustrated quite clearly by the dissent of two members of the HSE Board, the eminent medical law scholar Professor Deirdre Madden and patient advocate Dr Sarah McLoughlin.
“There are many questions to serious concerns yet to be answered and the Minister cannot expect a leap of faith from campaigners or the opposition with scrutiny of the details.
“There must be absolute, cast-iron guarantees, in black and white, that all legally permissible services will be available to those who want them.
“This must go beyond a vague commitment to legal and clinically appropriate services and should be explicit in the services which will be available and the terms on which a patient is entitled to access them.
“That means when a patient wants fertility treatment or a termination of pregnancy, to which they are legally entitled, there will be no obstacle to accessing that healthcare.
“The Oireachtas – the Health Committee, the Dáil, and the Seanad – must have an opportunity to scrutinise the proposals before any agreement is irreversibly made.” | https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/63580 | 2022-05-04T04:36:19Z | https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/63580 | true |
Astros fourth. Alex Bregman grounds out to shallow left field, Eugenio Suarez to Ty France. Yordan Alvarez homers to center field. Yuli Gurriel flies out to right center field to Jarred Kelenic. Kyle Tucker walks. Jeremy Pena pops out to shortstop to J.P. Crawford.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Astros 1, Mariners 0.
Astros sixth. Michael Brantley flies out to deep center field to Julio Rodriguez. Alex Bregman flies out to shallow center field to Abraham Toro. Yordan Alvarez walks. Yuli Gurriel singles to left field. Yordan Alvarez to second. Kyle Tucker walks. Yuli Gurriel to second. Yordan Alvarez to third. Jeremy Pena singles to center field. Kyle Tucker to second. Yuli Gurriel scores. Yordan Alvarez scores. Jose Siri lines out to center field to Julio Rodriguez.
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Astros 3, Mariners 0.
Astros seventh. Martin Maldonado strikes out swinging. Jose Altuve homers to left field. Michael Brantley flies out to center field to Julio Rodriguez. Alex Bregman grounds out to third base, Eugenio Suarez to Ty France.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Astros 4, Mariners 0. | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Seattle-Houston-Runs-17146232.php | 2022-05-04T04:39:27Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Seattle-Houston-Runs-17146232.php | false |
Now fully open, Motorpoint in London Road, Hilsea was officially welcomed to Portsmouth by The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, councillor Frank Jonas, and the Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth, Councillor Joy Maddox.
The mayor and mayoress of Portsmouth spent time looking around the store, browsing a wide range of vehicles from small city cars to SUV’s as well as EV’s and larger family sized ‘people carriers’ and light commercial vans.
They both enjoyed chatting to new staff and finding out about their new roles as well as Motorpoint’s charity and sports sponsorship outreach plans with local Portsmouth clubs and charities.
Cllr Jonas said: ‘It’s brilliant news that Motorpoint has chosen the great waterfront city of Portsmouth as its first store on the south coast.
‘Motorpoint has made a significant investment in the city. They are providing jobs and career opportunities which are great for the local economy and have transformed a derelict site in the heart of Hilsea into a space where people can find high quality used cars which are 100 percent clean air compliant. We are delighted to welcome Motorpoint to Portsmouth.’
Mark Carpenter, Motorpoint CEO, said: ‘We are delighted to have opened our 17th store in Portsmouth – a vibrant city with a strong maritime heritage.
‘We are the UK’s largest independent nearly new car retailer and this new store is an important milestone in our expansion plans across the south of the UK. We are proud to bring our award-winning customer service to the exciting city of Portsmouth.’
Mark added: ‘Providing our customers with unrivalled choice by offering them thousands of cars that suit their lifestyle and budget is at the heart of what we do. Customer surveys show that 93 per cent of our customers agree we are unbeatable on price, something we strive to be every day.
‘We are fully committed to ensuring our customers can find and buy their next vehicle in the way that they prefer – whether that’s at their local store like Portsmouth, buying online or by calling our sales team.’
SEE ALSO: Uber to make new deliveries
Further information go to: www.motorpoint.co.uk | https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/business/motorpoint-retailer-of-nearly-new-cars-and-vans-officially-opens-doors-to-its-new-portsmouth-store-3679130 | 2022-05-04T04:40:10Z | https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/business/motorpoint-retailer-of-nearly-new-cars-and-vans-officially-opens-doors-to-its-new-portsmouth-store-3679130 | true |
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Louisiana Lottery's "Pick 4" game were:
8-9-2-9
(eight, nine, two, nine)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Louisiana Lottery's "Pick 4" game were:
8-9-2-9
(eight, nine, two, nine) | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-4-game-17146262.php | 2022-05-04T04:42:51Z | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-4-game-17146262.php | false |
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Controversy surrounding the bombshell Supreme Court document that was leaked and obtained by Politico suggesting the highest court in the nation could overturn the landmark abortion ruling - Roe v. Wade - has caused a lot of concern and dismay in many communities.
The question of how reversing a decision like this could influence or undermine other precedent setting cases is on many people's minds, including Professor Kari Winter's.
Winter specializes in Global Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University at Buffalo and says, "We are living in a very scary time in American History."
Consider some of the other historic laws and decisions made, many meant to protect human rights and an individual's right, for example: The 19th Amendment, decision in Roe V Wade and Obergefell V Hodges, The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Respectively, these laws were intended to create equality and uphold justice for one and for all.
"I keep going back to the statement from Martin Luther King," Winter said. "Justice is indivisible. A threat to justice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere. Justice depends upon truth and it depends upon a commitment to the rights of every person."
Which is why Winter is among the millions who believe reversing this decision would have catastrophic impact on the progress this country has made and will make in the future.
"This is a turning point. A very important moment," Winter said. "We could lose a lot of what we have gained over the past 150 years in this country."
And speaking of progress, Kelly Craig knows all too well what it feels like to live a life against barriers. Craig is a trans woman of color who also happens to be the Executive Director of The Pride Center of WNY.
"This could really be devastating to people who just want to live their lives as a whole person," Craig expresses. "If these barriers are against someone that you love, and that you care for, and that you want to protect, how would you feel? What does that say for you as a person? Does it say that you want to be understanding? Does it say that you want to be someone who is judgmental or not understanding?"
If you or someone you know is in need of support, there are many resources to turn to - please reach out, you are not alone.
- The Pride Center of WNY - (716) 852-7743
- BestSelf Behavioral Health - (716) 884-0888
- Mental Health Advocates of WNY - (716) 886-1242
- Crisis Services - (716) 834-3131 | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/wny-community-sounds-off-on-concerns-related-to-roe-v-wade-controversy-abortion/71-f3ead122-8b6a-4703-b588-bc067c3f5600 | 2022-05-04T04:42:51Z | https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/wny-community-sounds-off-on-concerns-related-to-roe-v-wade-controversy-abortion/71-f3ead122-8b6a-4703-b588-bc067c3f5600 | false |
Spanning four decades, the career of singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega is a storied one, and she continues to push herself further with each new project. Vega has already appeared as a recording artist, as well as an actress, and most recently, premiered the film version of her one-woman show, Lover, Beloved at South by Southwest in March to critical acclaim. The film is an adaptation of her stage performance, based on the work of southern gothic writer Carson McCullers. On top of all of that, she’ll play Turner Hall Ballroom this weekend, touring behind her 2020 album, An Evening of New York Songs and Stories. Before that, however, she made time to speak to Shepherd Express:
You’ve made the transition from the stage to the screen. Tell us a bit about putting Lover, Beloved together.
It’s a film about the life southern writer Carson McCullers, and I've been fascinated by her life since I was in college. It's a film of the one-woman show that I wrote, based on her life and work, and contains some songs in there as well. I'm really proud of how it came out. We premiered at South by Southwest and I'm hoping to find a way to have it distributed so that the public can see it.
When you’re putting together a piece like this, with a film and music, is there more pressure as the artist to make things feel cohesive, or can you create a little more freely?
Both. It has to be cohesive because it’s another person’s world, and so I’ve made sure that the details are accurate, and that the time periods are accurate, even though I feel that in her heart she was a very modern woman, and that and people could connect to her character now in a way that they would not have say in the 1940s, which is when she first became famous. So I had to be very careful in terms of that world that I created, that it was truthful to her life. On the other hand, there’s kind of a great freedom playing someone that's not myself. I felt that it was a lot of fun to assume her character and act in ways that that I don't normally, so in that it's a project that has given me a lot of pleasure.
Do you think that working on this project might influence your songwriting? Do the two worlds go hand-in-hand to you?
To be honest, I've always been interested in writing in other voices, and I’ve done that a lot of times throughout my career. Songs like “Calypso” and “Caspar Hauser,” even the song “Luka” was kind of a character that I created and sang in the voice of, so it's kind of a continuation of something I had already done.
I have to ask about “Tom’s Diner.” I’m sure you’ve seen the TikTok video covering the song that has gone viral recently?
I actually approved that a couple of years ago, and it only took off recently. People kept emailing me saying “have you seen this?” and I think I approved it last year. I’m like “this is old,” but it just took off now all of a sudden. Now there’s all these other parodies of it, and spinoffs and takeoffs. But I think it’s great.
You have a unique experience in the sense that you have a song and a melody that seems to resurface every few years in a new way. How does it feel to be always attached to that piece of music?
When someone told me that Britney Spears did it, I almost fainted. I was like, “seriously?” but she did, and I like it. I think it's funny. I approve 99% of the interpolations and versions that come my way, and I enjoy it all. I think seems to keep on going and going, not only the melody and also the idea of sitting at a diner makes it a song that is fairly universal, so people just want to put their own spin on it. Most of the time, I say okay.
You can catch Suzanne Vega at Turner Hall Ballroom on Saturday night. For more information and tickets, visit the Pabst Theater Group website. | https://shepherdexpress.com/music/music-feature/suzanne-vega-on-film-and-in-person/ | 2022-05-04T04:47:13Z | https://shepherdexpress.com/music/music-feature/suzanne-vega-on-film-and-in-person/ | true |
Married At First Sight EXCLUSIVE: 'Hot teacher' Alana Lister reveals her most bizarre personal request on OnlyFans
She's the former school teacher who is raking in big bucks on OnlyFans.
And Married At First Sight star Alana Lister has now revealed the most bizarre request she gets from fetishists on the adult website.
The 31-year-old influencer told Daily Mail Australia that some men pay her to record personalised 'penis humiliation' videos.
Raunchy requests: Former Married At First Sight star Alana Lister (pictured) has revealed the most bizarre request she gets from fetishists on adult website OnlyFans
Alana, who has more than 3,000 subscribers on OnlyFans, said: 'I've had a few people ask me to send them videos of me degrading their d**ks.'
While some men simply ask her to 'rate' their penises, others get off watching Alana make fun of the size and shape of their private parts.
'I also get a lot of undies requests, too, people asking for used undies and socks,' she added.
Kinky: The 31-year-old adult entertainer told Daily Mail Australia that some men pay her to record personalised 'penis humiliation' videos
Alana recently risked an Instagram ban by sharing a photo of herself wearing a tiny white top that barely covering her modesty.
She also showed off her trim pins in a multi-coloured mini skirt, which looked like a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.
Alana joined OnlyFans almost a year ago.
Hot for teacher: Alana recently risked an Instagram ban by sharing a photo of herself wearing a tiny white top that barely covering her modesty
'It's been a crazy thing to actually commit to but I'm ready,' she said at the time.
'I had all these bikini and lingerie pics from shoots that I didn't upload to Instagram because they seemed a little too sexual.'
Alana explained she'd decided to finally join the platform because she was 'sick of all the Karens' trying to control her.
Rebel: Alana previously said it was 'empowering' for women to join OnlyFans | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10780599/MAFS-Alana-Lister-reveals-bizarre-personal-request-OnlyFans.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-05-04T04:51:07Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10780599/MAFS-Alana-Lister-reveals-bizarre-personal-request-OnlyFans.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The parents of Madeleine McCann, a British toddler who vanished from an apartment during her family’s vacation in Portugal 15 years ago and captured global interest, say they remain hopeful that efforts by police in three countries to solve the mystery will eventually bring answers.
Kate and Gerry McCann, both British doctors living in England, said in a statement to mark Tuesday’s anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance that “a truly horrific crime” was committed on May 3, 2007.
They said on the website created to help find Madeleine that “our need for answers, for the truth, is essential.”
They thanked British, Portuguese and German police who continue to work on what happened when the 3-year-old disappeared from her bed in southern Portugal’s Algarve region. She was in the same room as her 2-year-old twin brother and sister while her parents had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant.
Last month, Portuguese prosecutors formally accused the latest suspect in the investigation.
They didn’t name the suspect, in line with Portuguese privacy laws, but said they were acting on a request by German authorities and in coordination with British investigators.
In mid-2020, Germany’s police identified Christian Brueckner, a 45-year-old German citizen who was in the Algarve in 2007, as a suspect in the case. Brueckner has denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
The Portuguese accusation prevents the statute of limitations expiring in the case. The expiry would have occurred 15 years after the alleged crime took place, but accusing a suspect halts that count.
Madeleine’s disappearance stirred worldwide interest, with public claims of having spotted her stretching as far away as Australia, and brought the publication of books and television documentaries about the case.
Rewards for finding Madeleine reached several million dollars.
The case involved sensational developments. In one dramatic twist, Madeleine’s parents were briefly named as official suspects after police found traces of blood in their vacation rental car. | https://www.krqe.com/news/world/british-girl-madeleine-mccann-still-missing-after-15-years/ | 2022-05-04T04:52:46Z | https://www.krqe.com/news/world/british-girl-madeleine-mccann-still-missing-after-15-years/ | true |
Which egg incubator is best?
If you raise or want to start raising chickens or other birds, at some point, you’re going to need to hatch some. In fact, using an egg incubator to hatch your eggs is more successful and reliable than letting hens incubate them naturally. Plus, egg incubators today have plenty of features that take most of the work out of hatching.
The best egg incubator is the Kebonnixs 12-Egg Incubator. It has excellent features, such as automatic turning and an egg candler so you can monitor each egg’s progress.
What to know before you buy an egg incubator
Capacity
The capacity of an egg incubator is determined by its size and the size of the eggs you want to hatch. Most egg incubators will give a capacity estimate based on the average size of a chicken egg, which is the most commonly hatched animal in an egg incubator. For example, a 12-egg incubator can only hold roughly three goose eggs or up to 24 quail eggs.
You don’t need to match your intended brood size to the capacity of the incubator so long as you have enough space. To put it another way, if your prospective incubator can hold 10 eggs but you only plan to hatch five, the extra empty space won’t negatively affect the eggs. Higher capacities cost more, however, so try to balance your needs and your budget.
Forced vs. still air
Forced- and still-air incubators each have pros and cons.
- Forced-air incubators take some of the work out of incubation, especially since they’re always paired with other automatic processes. However, more automated processes mean an increased risk of mechanical failure. Additionally, they also cost more.
- Still-air incubators are more reliable and last longer due to the lack of a fan to push the air and heat around. They also cost less. However, the incubator also needs more direct oversight than one with more technology behind it.
What to look for in a quality egg incubator
Automatic turning
Eggs need to be turned throughout the incubation process for the embryo to develop properly. Egg incubators with automatic turning remove the need to manually turn the eggs, saving effort and the risk of forgetting.
However, eggs need not be turned during the final days of the process. Thus, the best automatic turners have programs to automatically stop turning the eggs. Others need to be manually disengaged.
Ease of cleaning
Eggshells are highly porous. Anything unhealthy inside a batch of eggs can make its way into the incubator and infect the next round of eggs. The best egg incubators can be taken completely apart so each piece can be rigorously cleaned in preparation for the next batch.
How much you can expect to spend on an egg incubator
Egg incubators can cost $20-$2,000. Basic small-batch incubators typically cost $40 or less, while higher capacity and more feature-rich models cost up to $100. Large capacity noncommercial incubators can hit $200, while commercial-grade models can reach or exceed $2,000.
Egg incubator FAQ
What temperature should my incubator be?
A. That depends on what kind of eggs you’re trying to hatch and what type of incubator you have. For example, if you’re hatching chicken eggs, the temperature should be 98 degrees for a forced-air incubator and 101 degrees for a still-air incubator. Use caution, as temperatures above 102 degrees will kill the embryos.
How long does it take to hatch a chicken?
A. Chicken eggs take 21 to 23 days to hatch once put in an incubator. If it’s been longer than 23 days, remove the eggs. They either won’t hatch at all, or they will hatch but into weak animals that will struggle to survive.
What other animals can I hatch in an incubator?
A. Despite incubators being chiefly designed for birds and mainly marketed for hatching chickens, they can actually be used to hatch almost any egg-based animal. That includes nearly any birds or reptiles and even turtles and tortoises. The only limiting factor is whether the incubator is large enough to hold the eggs and if it has the settings a given egg needs to be properly incubated.
What’s the best egg incubator to buy?
Top egg incubator
What you need to know: It is feature-packed and has a high capacity.
What you’ll love: The clear dome makes it easy to observe the process, plus a candler lets you double-check each egg’s progress. It has a digital humidity display and an automatic egg turner that stops turning three days before hatching is set to begin.
What you should consider: Some consumers reported sections of their incubators, such as temperature and humidity controls, stopped working halfway through an incubation period.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top egg incubator for the money
Magicfly Digital Mini Fully Automatic Egg Incubator
What you need to know: It’s simple, effective and affordable.
What you’ll love: It can hold up to 12 eggs, and it has an automatic egg turner, automatic temperature control, humidity alarm, timer and LED display. The entire process is fully automated — just insert your eggs and set the systems to match the animal you’re hatching.
What you should consider: Some customers had issues understanding the user manual and needed to research how to use their incubator elsewhere. Others had problems with the humidity control.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Brinsea Mini II Advance Automatic 7-Egg Incubator
What you need to know: It’s a good pick for hatching a handful of eggs.
What you’ll love: The compact size is perfect for those with limited space but still want a good amount of features. It has fully digital controls and programmable automatic egg turning, so eggs don’t turn close to hatching time. The ABS plastic material is easy to clean.
What you should consider: It’s expensive for the low egg count. It doesn’t have a hygrometer, though you can add one later. The inside is too tight for larger eggs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Chewy and Wayfair
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.krqe.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/best-egg-incubator/ | 2022-05-04T04:56:25Z | https://www.krqe.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/best-egg-incubator/ | true |
Kenny joins Jesse Bromwich at 200 NRL mark
It's fitting that it's family round for Melbourne when they host St George Illawarra with the club celebrating Kenny Bromwich's 200th NRL game.
Bromwich will become just the eighth Storm player to reach the milestone on Sunday with older brother Jesse already among the elite company headed by retired captain Cameron Smith.
With a combined tally of 477, the duo have played more NRL matches than any other siblings currently in the game.
"To have eight players do it and then two of them will be us (Bromwich), that's pretty crazy," Bromwich told AAP.
"It's good to be amongst those boys - some of those names, they're club legends and NRL legends.
"Our parents will be at the game as it's parents round at the club which will be pretty special."
Bromwich said it was fitting that he was able to mark 200 games alongside Jesse, who is two years older, given he'd been following him all his life.
The pair have both signed to join new NRL entry the Dolphins in 2023.
"I've been pretty fortunate to have someone like him to guide me along the way and then to be able to end up playing the amount of games that we've played together in the NRL, " the New Zealand international said.
"As a kid everywhere he went I was always following.
"We only played a handful of games together growing up before we came to Melbourne ... it just feels right to follow him."
The career of Bromwich has been a slow burn but the 30-year-old has been integral to Melbourne's sustained success over the past decade, winning two premierships.
Starting his career as a prop in 2013 Bromwich has emerged as one of the game's best edge forwards and currently forms a lethal combination with Cameron Munster, Justin Olam and Nick Meaney.
He's happy to let others take credit but Jesse said his little brother deserved every accolade.
"He really took his opportunity in the second row and I think he's a big reason why that left edge is really dangerous," said Jesse, the Storm captain.
"It's been a bit of a journey for him but now he's a really important part of our team.
"I feel very grateful to be a part of the journey for the whole time and it's really nice for our family - I'm just really proud of him.
"At the start we just wanted to play one NRL game so it's really cool we've both been able to play 200 games at this club which has given so much to us." | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-10780817/Kenny-joins-Jesse-Bromwich-200-NRL-mark.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-05-04T04:56:42Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-10780817/Kenny-joins-Jesse-Bromwich-200-NRL-mark.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
Which wine aerator is best?
Wine has two natural enemies: light and air. Although the best way to preserve your favorite vintage is to keep it in a dark, cool place, when you’re ready to drink it, letting it breathe for at least 30 minutes unleashes the wine’s delicious bouquet and complex flavors.
If you have neglected to decant the wine ahead of time and you’re ready to have a taste, a wine aerator can save the day. These simple tools swirl air through the wine to help develop its fullest flavor in just seconds. For effortless aeration at the touch of a button, the Aervana Original Electric Wine Aerator is a good choice.
What to know before you buy a wine aerator
Method of aeration
A wine aerator may seem like an odd expense. After all, doesn’t wine become aerated on its own with time? Yes, but sometimes you need a faster way to unlock the wine’s complex tasting profile.
The key is to choose the aeration method that works best for you. Budget aerators may not perform much better than simply letting a wine sit for a while. These have a small hole that introduces air into the wine but no method for swirling the air into the wine.
More expensive aerators push and blend air into the wine. You know it’s working when your wine gurgles. This method of multi-stage aerator also removes sediments that can influence the wine’s taste.
Full bottle aeration vs. one glass at a time
If you are a party of one, there’s no sense in introducing air into an entire bottle of wine. Look for an aerator that delivers one delicious glass at a time.
On the other hand, if you’re having a dinner party, it seems unnecessary to use a single-service aerator. A full bottle aerator is the best choice for you.
Materials
You have choices when it comes to wine aerator materials. They are commonly made from:
- Acrylic
- Stainless steel
- Plastic
- Rubber
Most high-end aerators are made from stainless steel, which is easier to clean and more durable, but these come with a sometimes-hefty price tag.
What to look for in a quality wine aerator
Solid construction
Wine aeration is not a full-contact sport, but the aerator you choose should still be sturdy and well-made. Look for seamless pouring spouts and sturdy attachment points built from high-quality metals and plastics.
Food-safe materials
Anything made from plastic and designed for food or drink service must be labeled as food-safe. If your wine aerator is plastic, it should be BPA-free.
Multiple uses
It’s a terrible waste of a beautiful vintage when an open bottle is spoiled by too much air. Look for a wine aerator that also doubles as a stopper or cork. This keeps wine fresh.
Universal fit
Although most wine bottles follow industry standards in terms of openings for easier corkage, some are slightly larger or smaller than others. Wine aerators with a flexible silicone piece that enters the mouth of the bottle are more useful than a rigid plastic insert that does not conform to variations in size.
How much you can expect to spend on a wine aerator
The price of an aerator will vary depending on a few factors (e.g., if it’s electric or if it aerates a full bottle or single glass of wine). Expect to spend $10-$50.
Wine aerator FAQ
Do wines that are decanted still need aeration?
A. Yes. Heavy-bodied wines should be aerated as they are decanted and then allowed to sit for a few minutes more.
If a wine is not fully in flavor after it’s decanted, aeration can help.
Do you have to use a wine aerator?
A. No. Nathan Myhrvold, author of the seminal molecular gastronomical book “Modernist Cuisine” suggests a simpler method that uses an immersion blender.
- Pour wine into a bowl (or wide-mouthed decanter).
- Use an immersion blender to aerate the wine for 30 seconds.
This is not the most sophisticated presentation of wine, but it does the trick in the pinch.
Alternatively, many people allow their wine to sit for longer. Air naturally enters the wine over time.
What’s the best wine aerator to buy?
Top wine aerator
Aervana Original Electric Wine Aerator
What you need to know: It is expensive, but wine connoisseurs swear by it.
What you’ll love: It’s electronic and aerates wine instantly with six times the aeration of non-electric gravity aerators. Plastic parts are food safe, and it comes with an easy operating manual. The design minimizes splashing and drips.
What you should consider: The tube is too short for large bottles.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top wine aerator for the money
Haley’s Corker 5-In-1 Wine Aerator
What you need to know: It’s one tool to handle every aspect of wine service.
What you’ll love: It aerates and filters wine at the same time. You’ll have no more messy bits of cork floating in your final glass. The airtight stopper is spill-proof and keeps wine fresh. It’s also available in a screw-top version.
What you should consider: Even though this is billed as being leak-proof, you need to store wine bottles upright after opening, as some users report leaks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Rabbit Wine Aerator And Pourer
What you need to know: The Rabbit is a well-known tool recommended by wine pros and amateur oenophiles alike.
What you’ll love: It is silicone and stainless steel, which makes it both easy to clean and sturdy for years of use. An oversized bowl increases aeration for deeper, more complex flavors.
What you should consider: This fits most bottles but not all. Use caution if the opening is especially large.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.yourbasin.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/bar-wine-br/best-wine-aerator/ | 2022-05-04T04:58:29Z | https://www.yourbasin.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/bar-wine-br/best-wine-aerator/ | false |
GRAINS-U.S. planting delays limit losses in Chicago corn futures
By Naveen Thukral
SINGAPORE, May 4 (Reuters) - Planting delays in parts of the U.S. Midwest looked set to put a floor under the Chicago corn market as prices were largely unchanged on Wednesday after closing lower in the previous session.
Wheat gained ground on tightening global supplies.
"U.S. weather is becoming an issue for corn planting which could result in a lower crop," said one Singapore-based feed grains trader.
The most-active corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was up quarter of a cent at $7.93-1/4 a bushel, as of 0316 GMT. Wheat rose 0.2% to $10.47-1/2 a bushel and soybeans gained 0.1% to $16.31-1/4 a bushel.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported slower-than-expected plantings, with just 14% of corn planting complete by Sunday, lagging average analyst estimates of 16% and well-behind the five-year average of 33%.
However, gains were limited by concerns over demand, with lockdowns in top buyer China weighing on U.S. export optimism.
Wheat ticked higher, but gains were limited by rains across parts of the U.S. Plains, which aided parched winter crops.
U.S. soybean planting was 8% complete, matching trade expectations but behind the five-year average of 13%.
Ukraine is forecast to have a significant shortage of storing facilities in the 2022/23 season due to a sharp fall in exports resulting from Russia's invasion, analyst APK-Inform said.
Since Moscow launched what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine in late February, the country has been forced to export grain by train over its western border or through its small Danube river ports rather than by sea. (Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Vinay Dwivedi) | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-10780705/GRAINS-U-S-planting-delays-limit-losses-Chicago-corn-futures.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-05-04T04:59:43Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-10780705/GRAINS-U-S-planting-delays-limit-losses-Chicago-corn-futures.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, May 4, 2022
_____
BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
1141 PM CDT Tue May 3 2022
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING...
* WHAT...Persistent onshore winds bringing a high risk of rip
currents and elevated surf and water levels to area beaches.
* WHERE...Gulf-facing Beaches in Southeast Texas.
* WHEN...Through Wednesday evening.
* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
from shore into deeper water. Minor coastal flooding may be
possible from higher than usual water levels at high tide.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17146316.php | 2022-05-04T05:03:42Z | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17146316.php | false |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
05-13-28-33-34
(five, thirteen, twenty-eight, thirty-three, thirty-four)
Estimated jackpot: $25,000
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Cash 5" game were:
05-13-28-33-34
(five, thirteen, twenty-eight, thirty-three, thirty-four)
Estimated jackpot: $25,000 | https://www.michigansthumb.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17146247.php | 2022-05-04T05:03:55Z | https://www.michigansthumb.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Cash-5-game-17146247.php | true |
Dusty Baker gets 2,000th win as Astros down Mariners 4-0
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) — Dusty Baker became the 12th manager in major league history and the first Black man to reach 2,000 wins with the Houston Astros’ 4-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve each hit a solo homer and rookie Jeremy Peña had two RBIs to help the Astros to their second consecutive victory. Ten of the 11 other managers who have accumulated at least 2,000 wins are in the Hall of Fame. Bruce Bochy, who isn’t yet eligible, is the only exception. | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/03/dusty-baker-gets-2000th-win-as-astros-down-mariners-4-0/ | 2022-05-04T05:04:57Z | https://localnews8.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/05/03/dusty-baker-gets-2000th-win-as-astros-down-mariners-4-0/ | true |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/articles/39383310 | 2022-05-04T05:09:41Z | https://sportspyder.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/articles/39383310 | false |
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half, and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-86 to even their second-round playoff at one game apiece. The series shifts to Milwaukee Saturday for Game 3. Brown shook off a dismal shooting night in Game 1, scoring 25 points in the first half on 9 of 10 shooting, including 5 for 5 from 3. Jayson Tatum added 19 points and eight assists. Al Horford had 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics played without point guard Marcus Smart after he was ruled out with a bruised right thigh.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/05/03/brown-scores-30-celtics-beat-bucks-109-86-to-even-series-5/ | 2022-05-04T05:27:18Z | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/05/03/brown-scores-30-celtics-beat-bucks-109-86-to-even-series-5/ | true |
By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Current and former Wisconsin athletes talked about mental health and the need for athletes to communicate and seek assistance during a panel discussion on sports and mental health. The discussion took place three weeks after the death of Wisconsin cross country and track runner Sarah Shulze, but had been scheduled beforehand. Shulze’s family announced last month that the 21-year-old took her own life on April 13. Shulze is one of three Division I athletes who took their lives over the past two months.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/05/03/wisconsin-athletes-discuss-mental-health-communication/ | 2022-05-04T05:28:11Z | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/05/03/wisconsin-athletes-discuss-mental-health-communication/ | false |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/05/03/ap-top-entertainment-news-at-749-p-m-edt-2/ | 2022-05-04T05:28:37Z | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/05/03/ap-top-entertainment-news-at-749-p-m-edt-2/ | false |
By The Associated Press
Russia appeared to dodge default on its foreign debt by dipping into its scarce dollar reserves. But Moscow’s debt drama is far from over.
Russia’s finance ministry abandoned its proposal to use rubles instead of dollars to make overdue payments on two government bonds, saying Friday that it had transferred the money to an account at Citigroup: $564.4 million for a bond due in 2022, and $84.4 million for another due in 2042. A 30-day grace period on making the overdue payments was to expire Wednesday.
The government had claimed that U.S. sanctions freezing its massive currency reserves held abroad meant it couldn’t pay and that Russia wasn’t to blame for any default, the first on foreign debt since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution.
Even if Russia is found to have made the most recent payments, others are coming due. Plus, U.S. permission for American bondholders to accept payment on Russian bonds is set to expire May 25, so even if Russia tries to pay, investors would not legally be able to take the money.
Here are some of the issues surrounding Russian debt:
WHY ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT A POSSIBLE RUSSIAN DEFAULT?
Ratings agencies have said that if bonds specify payment in dollars, then paying in rubles amounts to a failure to pay as promised. One reason Russia would want to pay in rubles instead of its reserves of foreign currency is that a large part of them have been frozen abroad. It made Friday’s payment by dipping into scarce internal reserves that sanctions could not touch.
Russia has not definitively avoided default unless the money made its way from Citigroup through the banking system to bondholders ahead of Wednesday’s deadline.
“Bondholders don’t get paid until Citigroup processes the payments” and pass them on to clearinghouses that distribute payment to bondholders, said Jay S. Auslander, a top sovereign debt lawyer at the firm of Wilk Auslander in New York.
Banks are being extremely cautious about any transactions with Russia and may want to check with U.S. and UK authorities first. But “I think it’s likely is that the funds will make it to the bondholders, in which case, they will not be in default this time,” Auslander said.
HOW MUCH DOES RUSSIA OWE?
About $40 billion in foreign bonds, about half of that to foreigners. Before the start of the war, Russia had around $640 billion in foreign currency and gold reserves, much of which was held overseas and is now frozen.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A COUNTRY IS IN DEFAULT?
Ratings agencies can lower the rating to default or a court can decide the issue. Bondholders who have credit default swaps — contracts that act like insurance policies against default — can ask a committee of financial firm representatives to decide whether a failure to pay debt should trigger a payout, which still isn’t a formal declaration of default.
The Credit Default Determination Committee — an industry group of 14 banks and investors that determines whether or not to pay on these swaps — said Friday that they “continue to monitor the situation” after Russia’s payment. After another meeting Tuesday, the committee said it would continue to monitor the situation and “defer publication of an Initial List of Deliverable Obligations.”
WHAT CAN INVESTORS DO?
The formal way to declare default is if 25% or more of bondholders say they didn’t get their money. Once that happens, provisions say all Russia’s other foreign bonds are also in default, and bondholders could then seek a court judgment to enforce payment.
In normal circumstances, investors and the defaulting government typically negotiate a settlement in which bondholders are given new bonds that are worth less but that at least give them some partial compensation.
But sanctions bar dealings with Russia’s finance ministry. And no one knows when the war will end or how much defaulted bonds could wind up being worth.
In this case, declaring default and suing “might not be the wisest choice,” Auslander said. “You can’t negotiate with Russia right now. You’re wading into a world where sanctions are constantly changing, where there are a lot of unknowns. So you may see creditors decide at this point to keep their intentions close to their vest and hang tight for now.”
Popular sentiment is a consideration for investors, especially any who may have bought bonds at knocked-down prices in hopes of profiting from a settlement.
“Right now is maybe not a good time to rush in and show that you were profiting off distressed debt in Russian bonds,” Auslander said. “Will that time come in the future? I suspect it will.”
Once a country defaults, it can be cut off from bond-market borrowing until the default is sorted out and investors regain confidence in the government’s ability and willingness to pay. But Russia has already been cut off from Western capital markets, so any return to borrowing is a long way off anyway.
The Kremlin can still borrow rubles at home, where it mostly relies on Russian banks to buy its bonds.
WHAT IMPACT COULD A RUSSIAN DEFAULT HAVE?
The country is already suffering substantial economic impact from Western sanctions, which have sent foreign companies fleeing and disrupted trade and financial ties with the rest of the world. Default would be one more symptom of that isolation and disruption.
Investment analysts are cautiously reckoning that a Russia default would not have the kind of impact on global financial markets and institutions that came from an earlier default in 1998. Back then, Russia’s default on domestic ruble bonds led the U.S. government to step in and get banks to bail out Long-Term Capital Management, a large U.S. hedge fund whose collapse, it was feared, could have shaken the wider financial and banking system.
Holders of the bonds — for instance, funds that invest in emerging market bonds — could take serious losses. Russia, however, played only a small role in emerging market bond indexes, limiting the losses to fund investors.
While the war itself is having devastating consequences in terms of human suffering and higher food and energy prices worldwide, default on government bonds would be “definitely not systemically relevant,” Kristalina Georgieva, head of the International Monetary Fund, has said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/explainer-whats-the-latest-in-russias-dance-with-default-2/ | 2022-05-04T05:32:10Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/explainer-whats-the-latest-in-russias-dance-with-default-2/ | false |
By WILL WEISSERT and JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A rematch pitting one of the left’s rising stars against a new House incumbent backed by the more moderate Democratic establishment is providing another key litmus test of the progressive movement’s Rust Belt clout during Tuesday’s congressional primaries in Ohio and Indiana.
Democratic Rep. Shontel Brown is facing progressive activist and former state Sen. Nina Turner for the second time since August in a race that was too early to call Tuesday night. Brown, who campaigned with South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most senior Black member of Congress, beat Turner in last summer’s special election primary seen nationally as a showdown between the party’s traditional powerbrokers and its left flank.
Brown now has the advantage of incumbency but has only been in Congress a matter of months. A leading surrogate for Bernie Sanders ’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, Turner is endorsed by the Vermont senator and many top progressive groups, who are hoping for a second-try upset.
The Cleveland district where Brown and Turner are competing is heavily African American and solidly Democratic, meaning the primary winner is heavily favored in November’s general election. Our Revolution, the activist group that grew out of Sanders’ first presidential run, says it has devoted 150 volunteers toward boosting Turner in the race, while the pro-Israeli Democratic political organization DMFI PAC has announced spending more than $1 million for Brown.
“I’m running for this office for the same reason that I ran the last time: Greater Cleveland deserves a champion and not much has changed in changing the material conditions of the poor, the working poor and the barely middle class,” Turner said.
Brown, who says she has been an ally to the Biden administration in Congress, counters that “you don’t have to be loud to fight.”
Another potentially vulnerable Ohio incumbent is Republican Rep. Warren Davidson. He has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and represents a district once held by former House Speaker John Boehner, encompassing the suburbs between Cincinnati and Dayton. Davidson is facing Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, son of the famous doctor known for the anti-choking maneuver, and a Trump critic.
It remains to be seen whether the former president’s endorsement will lift Davidson.
Max Miller, a former Trump aide, locked up the Republican nomination in a new district in northeast Ohio despite being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
The Akron-area district where another Trump pick, Madison Gilbert, a conservative commentator, was competing, meanwhile, should be one of the likely competitive House seats in November’s general election. Its Republican nominee is set to face state Rep. Emilia Sykes, a former Ohio House Democratic leader and a daughter of a powerful political family in the area.
Another tough congressional race could be coming to Cincinnati in November, when Republican Rep. Steve Chabot will face Democratic Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman.
Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the House, is unopposed Tuesday. Four Republicans — including two sitting state lawmakers — are competing to take her on in the fall, however, in a newly drawn district that hugs Lake Erie, encompasses Toledo and could be a toss-up.
In neighboring Indiana, nine Republicans are vying for the state’s only open House seat. GOP Rep. Trey Hollingsworth isn’t seeking reelection in a southern Indiana district as he hints at running for governor in 2024.
Hollingsworth’s would-be replacements include trucking company owner Mike Sodrel, who ran five times between 2002 and 2010 and won a single term in Congress in 2004. Trump hasn’t endorsed in the primary, but his former secretary of state Mike Pompeo is backing business consultant and Army combat veteran Stu Barnes-Israel.
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Weissert reported from Washington.
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Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/in-ohio-us-house-rematch-again-tests-progressive-clout/ | 2022-05-04T05:32:44Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/in-ohio-us-house-rematch-again-tests-progressive-clout/ | true |
By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Judi Dench was given a standing ovation for “Send in The Clowns.” Bernadette Peters bent over with her back to the audience and with her head between her legs blasted her trumpet to “You Gotta Get A Gimmick.”
Petula Clark, 89, belted out “I’m Still Here.” And Imelda Staunton set off a huge ovation with “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.”
What the four had in common was devotion to Stephen Sondheim, the groundbreaking Broadway composer/lyricist who died in November at age 91. Dozens of stars of musical theater gathered Tuesday night for a celebration titled “Old Friends” to raise money for the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, which will benefit young composers.
“He always considered London his second home,” producer Cameron Mackintosh, who organized the event, told the sellout crowd of about 1,100 at a theater renamed the Sondheim from the Queen’s in 2019. “He brilliantly has left his incredible legacy of work to the support of future generations of artists through his foundation.”
Lending drama to the evening, only the scheduled songs were included in the program, with the identities of the attached singers provided to the audience only as people filed out. There was a minimal set and some cast members were costumed during a flowing program that showcased Sondheim’s Tony, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize-winning work.
Peters, 74, who created the roles of Dot in “Sunday in the Park with George” and the Witch in “Into the Woods,” made a dramatic entrance cloaked in a cape as Little Red Riding Hood to Damian Lewis’ Wolf. Marshalling her voice for drama and impact, Peters was included in eight of the 40 selections sung over 2 hours, 45 minutes, most notably a “Losing My Mind” rendition that left some of the audience in tears.
Michael Ball was given a central role in selections from “Sweeney Todd” that included a witty “A Little Priest” with Maria Friedman, an actress who has become a heralded director of Sondheim. He also sang a gender-switched version of “Could I Leave You?”
Dench, reprising what many consider the definitive version of Sondheim’s most-well known song, stumbled over some of the words but still created an indelible performance. The 87-year-old, who has limited vision, was helped to her chair for her performance.
Julia McKenzie, whom Mackintosh said had not appeared on stage in 24 years, returned at age 81 to join ensembles for “Side by Side” and “Not A Day Goes By” and a 10-woman rendition of “Broadway Baby” that included Helena Bonham Carter, Rosalie Craig and Jenna Russell plus Gary Wilmot.
Sondheim’s humorous side was on display when Lewis, Rob Brydon and Julian Overdon put domestic uniforms over their tuxedos to join 88-year-old Siân Phillips in “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid.” Janie Dee hammed up “The Boy From …” a parody of “The Girl from Ipanema.”
Members of the Royal Academy Musical Theatre Company and the Mountview theater academy lent youth with the “Tonight Quintet.”
Conductor Alfonso Casado Trigo led a 26-piece orchestra that was on stage, photos of Sondheim from youth until old age were displayed during an ensemble of “Not A Day Goes By” and a video was shown of Sondheim and fellow composer Andrew Lloyd Webber at a piano parodying their own work.
Tickets were priced at 75 to 1,250 pounds ($94-$1,563) and the program was simulcast to the Prince Edward Theatre a few blocks away, leaving a recording that could be released if permissions are secured.
As young singers joined the full company for the concluding “Our Time,” Peters crossed the stage exchanging hugs as confetti fell and Dench appeared to be holding back tears. The performance seemed as memorable for the cast as for the audience.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/stephen-sondheim-celebrated-by-dench-peters-at-london-gala/ | 2022-05-04T05:36:29Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/05/03/stephen-sondheim-celebrated-by-dench-peters-at-london-gala/ | true |
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