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(NEXSTAR) – You know when you’re driving through town, and it feels like you’re hitting every red light? Every. Single. One?
It’s not in your head, especially if you live in certain Texas cities. While we often think of traffic being defined by gridlocked highways and interstates, congestion on main city streets actually makes up 60% of traffic delays in urban areas, researchers at Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute found. They set out to rank U.S. cities by how often drivers there are likely to hit red.
“American drivers share a common experience — and sometimes a common frustration — with traffic signals every day,” said Luke Albert, an associate research engineer who worked on the study. “We’ve developed a way to compare those experiences from one city to another.”
The researchers looked at 210,000 traffic lights in 101 cities for a week in October 2020 in order to determine a “Traffic Signal Efficiency Index” for each place. What does that number mean? It measures how much more likely a driver is to come across a green light than they are to drive up to a red light.
The national average for all the cities surveyed was 1.7, the report said. That means the average driver is 1.7 times more likely to hit a green light than a red light.
But many U.S. cities fell far under that average. In Fresno, California, where the researchers said stoplights are performing worst, the score was 1.1. Drivers there had about equal chances of hitting a red or green light.
On the other side of the spectrum, drivers in Boulder rarely have to hit the brakes. Their score was 2.6, meaning they see green lights at intersections 2.6 times as often as red lights.
In Texas, many drivers were stopped frequently at Corpus Christi, McAllen, and Brownsville. However, San Antonio gave Texas drivers the least amount of stops in the state, ranking as the 14th best scoring city in the country.
The 15 cities that scored worst, where drivers hit red lights most frequently, were:
- Fresno, California
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Jackson, Mississippi
- McAllen, Texas
- San Jose, California
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Wichita, Kansas
- Riverside-San Bernardino, California
- Worcester, Massachusetts
- San Diego, California
- Brownsville, Texas
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Tucson, Arizona
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The 15 cities that performed best, where drivers were less likely to get stuck at red lights, were:
- Boulder, Colorado
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Denver-Aurora, Colorado
- Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
- Detroit, Michigan
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Cape Coral, Florida
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Orlando, Florida
- San Antonio, Texas
- Salem, Oregon
The researchers found that cities with more stoplights generally scored better than cities with fewer lights at intersections.
The study also looked at stoplight performance on the statewide level. Nebraska, Wyoming, Alaska, Colorado, and North Carolina scored highest, while Massachusetts, Main, Nevada, New Hampshire and Rhode Island did worst.
They also noted the timeframe they studied could have impacted results. For example, cities in Louisiana were dealing with power outages in the wake of Hurricane Delta in October 2020, which may have affected signals at intersections. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/the-texas-cities-where-drivers-get-stuck-at-red-lights-the-most/ | 2022-10-22 18:15:14 | 0 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/the-texas-cities-where-drivers-get-stuck-at-red-lights-the-most/ |
House Republicans and the Manhattan district attorney's office reached an agreement Friday to end a legal dispute over a House Judiciary Committee inquiry into former President Donald Trump's historic indictment.
Under the agreement, committee members will be able to question former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz under oath next month in Washington, resolving a lawsuit in which District Attorney Alvin Bragg had sought to block Pomerantz from testifying.
Among the committee's concessions, Pomerantz will be accompanied by a lawyer from Bragg's office, which is not typically allowed in Congressional depositions.
Bragg’s office and the Judiciary Committee reached the agreement after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay Thursday that temporarily halted enforcement of a House subpoena which had called for Pomerantz to testify.
The appeals court had been scheduled to hear oral arguments in the dispute Tuesday.
Bragg's office said the agreement, delaying Pomerantz's testimony until May 12, preserves the district attorney's "privileges and interests" in his ongoing Trump prosecution.
SEE MORE: Manhattan DA sues Rep. Jim Jordan over Trump investigation
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wptv.com/house-republicans-manhattan-da-end-fight-over-trump-inquiry | 2023-04-22 03:24:43 | 0 | https://www.wptv.com/house-republicans-manhattan-da-end-fight-over-trump-inquiry |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Keegan Bradley extended his dubious streak to 16 matches over 11 years without winning in the Dell Technologies Match Play. He sure felt like a winner Wednesday.
Bradley was 4 down with five holes to play when he rallied to scratch out a halve against Denny McCarthy in the opening round at Austin Country Club.
“Gosh, that felt good,” Bradley said. “That was a grind. That has the possibility of going a long way, so I’m excited about it.”
Defending champion and top seed Scottie Scheffler missed two putts inside 5 feet over the last five holes before making a 12-footer for birdie on the 18th to beat Davis Riley in a rematch of their U.S. Junior Amateur title match 10 years ago that Scheffler won.
Jon Rahm, the No. 2 seed, was the only player from the top four seeds to lose. Rickie Fowler took him down on the 17th hole, the first time Rahm has lost in the opening round.
Matt Kuchar, at 44 the oldest player in the field, outlasted Viktor Hovland and won his 35th match, one short of the career tournament record held by Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy had a shorter shaft in his driver and a new putter, and both worked just fine in his 3-and-1 victory over Scott Stallings.
Nothing was decided Wednesday in the first of three rounds of group play. One player from each of the 16 groups will move on for the knockout stage on the weekend. But every point helps, and even a half-point felt big for Bradley.
He made his Match Play debut in 2012 by beating Geoff Ogilvy, who has the highest winning percentage (80%) in tournament history. That was Bradley’s last win. He has lost nine and halved seven matches since then, and it wasn’t without a fight. This was his 11th consecutive match dating to 2015 that it was decided on the 18th hole, lose or draw.
“Man, it was looking pretty bleak there for a while, but I just put my head down,” said Bradley, who drove into the water on the reachable par-4 13th to make bogey, going 4 down and running out of holes.
“I finally started hitting some good shots coming in, and it definitely paid off,” he said.
He won the 14th when McCarthy missed a 4-foot par putt. Bradley won the 15th with a birdie putt from 6 feet, the par-5 16th with a 6-foot eagle. After they halved the par-3 17th, Bradley hit wedge to 6 feet to win the last hole for a halve.
Adam Scott felt even better. He never led the entire match against Seamus Power until he made a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
“Just to win something feels good. I haven’t won anything in a long time,” said Scott, whose last PGA Tour victory was three years ago at Riviera.
Scheffler, who has won and lost in the championship match in his two appearances in the Match Play, never trailed against Riley. It was never easy, particularly the pillow fight that ensued at the end.
Scheffler drove to the edge of the green on the 13th and made a 25-foot eagle putt for a 2-up lead that seemingly put him in control. But then he hooked his next tee shot into the Colorado River and still had a chance to halve the hole until missing a 5-foot putt.
The Masters champion missed a 10-footer on the 15th. Riley had a chance to square the match on the 16th until he missed a 3-foot putt. Scheffler returned the favor when he missed a 3-footer on the 17th that would have closed out the match.
With Riley just 8 feet away for a birdie attempt on the 18th, Scheffler made his 12-footer and gave a light fist pump and a big sigh of relief.
“I’m going to remember the putt on the last hole and take that energy into tomorrow,” Scheffler said.
A long day offered plenty of great shots, from J.J. Spaun holing out from the 13th fairway during his win over U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick to Jordan Spieth ending his match by chipping in for birdie from a squirrelly lie to beat Mackenzie Hughes, 4 and 3.
Kuchar would not even be eligible for the 64-man field if not for nine LIV Golf players being ineligible. Now he is taking aim at Woods, who was 36-12 with three titles. Kuchar won the opening three holes and then had to hang on against Hovland, the No. 8 seed who made too many mistakes to catch up.
“I’ve been out here a while,” said Kuchar, whose Match Play record improved to 35-11-4. “Any time you’re in a conversation with Tiger Woods, this is a very cool thing.”
McIlroy has struggled with the driver this year, so he went to a 44-inch shaft that was slightly softer (he was at 44 1/2 inches) to get more spin. He also had a replica putter similar to the one he used to win his first two majors a decade ago.
“I needed to go to a slightly softer shaft and I can hit more shots with it and feel a bit more comfortable,” he said. “So it was good to see. It was good to put it in play today and have to perform pretty well. Drove it well, especially on the back nine.
“Obviously this part of the season you’ve got one eye on what you’re doing now and one eye on Augusta.”
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wane.com/sports/ap-sports/keegan-bradleys-latest-tie-in-match-play-feels-like-a-win/ | 2023-03-23 12:17:28 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/sports/ap-sports/keegan-bradleys-latest-tie-in-match-play-feels-like-a-win/ |
National 988 mental health hotline back up after outage
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s 988 hotline, intended to help anyone experiencing a mental health emergency, was back up and running Friday after a daylong outage.
The call service, which was launched in July, was restored shortly before midnight on Thursday. People experiencing a mental health crisis were still able to reach a mental health counselor by texting 988 or by visiting 988lifeline.org to start a chat.
The federal government is investigating the hotline’s outage, Health and Human Services spokeswoman Sarah Lovenheim said in a tweet late Thursday night.
“While HHS and VA immediately acted to provide support to 988 callers via text, chat and alternate numbers, the disruption of phone service was unacceptable, and HHS continues to investigate the root cause of the outage,” she tweeted, referencing the acronym for Veterans Affairs.
The telecommunications company Intrado, based in Omaha, Nebraska, provides the emergency response service. It did not return repeated requests for comment.
In a statement on Intrado’s website on Thursday, the company said it was “working as quickly as possible to resume full service.” The outage also impacted the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Disaster Distress Helpline.
The 988 hotline is a national helpline staffed with mental health counselors around the country that’s designed to be as easy to remember as the emergency line, 911. Since its launch, the hotline has fielded roughly 8,000 phone calls a day from those seeking mental health help.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2022/12/02/national-988-mental-health-hotline-back-up-after-outage/ | 2022-12-02 16:06:31 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/2022/12/02/national-988-mental-health-hotline-back-up-after-outage/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the death of an 80-year-old Air Force veteran whose decomposing body was found dismembered in his Phoenix home, according to authorities.
Phoenix police said Thomas Wallace was being held on $1 million cash bond on suspicion of second-degree murder, concealing a dead body, theft of means of transportation and trafficking in stolen property while Romana Gonzalez remains jailed on suspicion of fraud and theft.
Authorities said Wallace, 58, was formerly roommates with the victim and Gonzalez also stayed off and on at the home of the victim, whose name hasn't been released yet.
It was unclear Sunday if either suspect has a lawyer who can speak on their behalf and Gonzalez’s age wasn’t immediately available.
Police said officers went to the home Nov. 1 for a welfare check and reported finding two black trash bags inside a bedroom.
Court documents show that severed body parts were found in a pile of blankets that were in a laundry basket and in stacked layers of linen.
Homicide investigators were called in and discovered blood on the living room ceiling and on several walls and furniture, and the victim’s detached head was found in stacked layers of linen.
Police said the cause of death will be determined by the Maricopa County medical examiner’s office.
The victim’s missing pickup truck was found at a motel down the street where Wallace and Gonzalez also were located and arrested Thursday.
Wallace and Gonzalez allegedly pawned some of the victim’s items last month for $50 including a 10-inch chain saw that had pieces of flesh and torn ligaments on the blade.
Police said a camera bag also was pawned that the victim’s business card inside.
Ruby Lowry told Phoenix TV station KPNX that the victim was a good neighbor who would help anyone.
“It’s a sad thing for it to happen to him because he didn’t deserve that,” Lowry said. | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/2-arrested-in-death-of-a-Phoenix-man-who-was-17562658.php | 2022-11-06 17:05:09 | 0 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/2-arrested-in-death-of-a-Phoenix-man-who-was-17562658.php |
Chicago sex offender molests multiple women while on bail: report
CHICAGO - A registered sex offender is accused of sexually assaulting multiple women in Chicago while on bail this year, according to a local report.
David Buckner, 28, was charged Thursday with misdemeanor battery for grabbing and groping an 18-year-old woman on the Loyola University campus in Chicago a day earlier, CWB Chicago reported.
In 2017, Buckner told police that he "probably" molested about 75 women on the CTA within two months, the Chicago Tribune reported at the time. He was charged with felonies for assaulting four women that year.
Buckner was eventually found not guilty in the 2017 cases by reason of insanity and order to register as a sex offender, CWB Chicago reported.
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Prior to the alleged assault on the Loyola campus, Buckner was on bail after having been arrested twice for allegedly assaulting four other women within a matter of months.
David Buckner, 28, is accused of sexually assaulting multiple women in Chicago since June, according to a report. (Cook County Jail)
The first reported case happened in June. Two women accused him of licking, squeezing and groping them on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office refused to file felony charges against Buckner related to that case, and he was released from jail on a charge of misdemeanor battery, the outlet reported.
On Oct. 9, two more women accused Buckner of touching them inappropriately at the Roosevelt CTA station. He was again charged with misdemeanor battery and released, according to the outlet.
Buckner is also charged with a misdemeanor in the alleged assault on the Loyola campus.
Buckner’s public defender said during a hearing on Thursday that he lives with his wife and two children, the outlet reported. He graduated from high school before serving in the Marines and attending the University of Illinois Chicago.
The public defender said Buckner is on medication for mental health conditions, which were not specified, according to the report.
Buckner was reportedly ordered to pay $5,000 toward bail and released on electronic monitoring.
More on Fox News. | https://www.fox29.com/news/chicago-sex-offender-molests-multiple-women-while-on-bail-report | 2022-10-31 21:26:07 | 1 | https://www.fox29.com/news/chicago-sex-offender-molests-multiple-women-while-on-bail-report |
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — So much talk about this PGA Championship has been the restoration project of Oak Hill. Equally astonishing Thursday is the restoration of Bryson DeChambeau.
That incredible bulk who won the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in 2020? DeChambeau has shed some 40 pounds by cutting out food to which he was allergic.
“I took a Zoomer peptide test, which essentially tells you what inflames your blood when you eat it,” he said. “Pretty much everything I liked, I couldn’t eat.”
The guy who tried to smash it as far as he could and have wedges into the green? Now he’s happier finding fairways, and he was happy to share what led to the improved accuracy.
“It’s being more … how do I explain this easy? I’m just in a place where I’m more ulnar,” he said, leaving everyone to wonder what would have been the more complicated explanation.
The place that matters is his name high on the leaderboard. DeChambeau still lashed away with speed and strength, off the tee and out of the rough. That carried him to a 4-under 66 and the lead among those who finished an opening round delayed nearly two hours by frost.
Thirty players didn’t finish because of darkness and were to return Friday morning. That included Eric Cole, the 34-year-old PGA Tour rookie who was 5 under with four holes left.
DeChambeau matched his low score at the PGA Championship and led by one over Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson and Corey Conners.
“It’s a fantastic round of golf at Oak Hill,” DeChambeau said. “It’s a prestigious place, very difficult golf course. As I was looking at it throughout the week, I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t know how shooting under par is even possible out here on some of the holes.’ But luckily, I was able to play some really good golf.”
So did Johnson, the two-time major champion who is coming off a playoff win last week in Oklahoma in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League. Johnson went from a fairway bunker to deep rough left of the 18th green and missed a putt just inside 15 feet for his only bogey.
Fairways covered with a thin layer of frost gave way to magnificent weather with little wind.
“Today was probably the easiest conditions we’ll see all week,” said Scheffler, who took advantage with his first bogey-free card in 51 rounds at a major.
Masters champion Jon Rahm failed to take advantage, making five bogeys in a six-hole stretch around the turn and finishing with a 76, his highest start at a major since the 2018 U.S. Open. Jason Day, coming off a win at the AT&T Byron Nelson, and U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick also were at 76.
Scheffler challenging for the lead was not a surprise. Last year’s Masters champion has six wins in the last 15 months, and he hasn’t finished worse than 12th this year. Johnson, who led the LIV points list last year, had a slow start to the year but is starting to hit his stride.
As for DeChambeau, he practically vanished from golf’s elite over the last year.
He injured his hip in early 2022, attributing it to slipping on marble tile playing ping-pong in Saudi Arabia. He had surgery on his left wrist after the Masters last year. And then he joined LIV, where his tie for fifth last week in Oklahoma was his only top 10 in six events this year.
“The emotions have definitely fluctuated pretty high and pretty low, thinking I have something and it fails and going back and forth. It’s humbling,” DeChambeau said. “Golf, and life, always has a good way to kicking you on your you-know-what when you’re on your high horse.
“It’s nice to feel this today.”
His only big miss came on his approach to the 17th out of rough. It sailed to the right toward the 18th tee and plunked club pro Kenny Pigman, who shook it off and then shook hands with an apologetic DeChambeau.
This isn’t so much a transformation as a restoration. His goal is no longer to create a new way to approach the game, rather to find what brought him success when he won eight times in a span of three years, including a U.S. Open title at Winged Foot.
Gone are the days when he consumed some 5,000 calories a day in a bid to build a body — he was called the “Incredible Bulk” — that could tolerate him swinging as hard as he could to overpower golf courses.
He began a diet that reduces inflammation (he estimates his daily calorie intake at 2,900) and tried to find his way back to 2018, when he felt he was at his best.
“I want to be just stable now,” he said. “I’m tired of changing, trying different things. Yeah, could I hit it a little further, could I try and get a little stronger? Sure. But I’m not going to go full force.
“It was a fun experiment,” he said, “but definitely want to play some good golf now.”
Scheffler has been doing that all year, and the opening round of the PGA Championship was no exception. He made a stressful golf course look stress-free, except for a few holes.
One of them was the second hole, his 11th of the round, when he went over the green and faced a scary chip up a steep slope to a back pin. He pitched up to 7 feet and saved par. He also got out of position on the par-5 fifth hole, getting up and down from a bunker for par.
“It was a grind today,” Scheffler said. “No bogeys is pretty solid.”
For so many others, Oak Hill was the grind they expected. Jordan Spieth felt fit enough with an injured left wrist to pursue the final leg of the career Grand Slam, only to struggle with his putting. He shot a 73.
Rory McIlroy looked as though he might be headed to another early exit from a big event. He was 3 over after nine holes and in trouble at No. 2 when he was over the green in three, some 35 feet away with a steep slope between him and a back pin.
He holed it with his putter for a most unlikely par, made birdie on the next two holes and salvaged a 71.
“It was massive,” McIlroy said. “Depending on what happens over the next three days and what I go on to do, I may look back at that shot as being the sort of turning point of the week.”
The forecast was for warmer weather and a little more wind. The forecast for the PGA Championship also includes DeChambeau now.
“Golf is a weird animal. You can never fully have it,” DeChambeau said. “You always think you have it one day and then it just leaves the next. Just got to be careful.”
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.fox16.com/sports/ap-dechambeau-resurfaces-at-oak-hill-and-leads-pga-championship/ | 2023-05-19 13:21:46 | 1 | https://www.fox16.com/sports/ap-dechambeau-resurfaces-at-oak-hill-and-leads-pga-championship/ |
(KTLA) — A dog owner is warning the public after her small dog became permanently blinded after ingesting oxycodone and collapsing while on a walk in Santa Monica.
Lori Burns was walking her two dogs last week along Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. She told Nexstar’s KTLA that tons of people were out exercising, playing, and walking their own dogs in the 78-degree weather.
Suddenly one of her dogs, a 15-pound former shelter dog named Chance, started to breathe heavily before collapsing.
Burns carried her dog to the car and immediately drove to a nearby veterinary clinic.
“They said they needed to immediately ice his body and give him oxygen and start an IV, and that’s when I looked at the vet and I said, ‘Is he going to live?’ and he said, ‘I really don’t know.'”
The veterinarian told her that Chance had a fever of 106 degrees and if they couldn’t bring down the temperature, his organs would begin to fail and he would die.
About an hour later after running some tests, the veterinary staff told Burns that Chance had somehow ingested oxycodone and had overdosed on the opioid.
Now knowing what they were dealing with, the veterinarians were able to treat his symptoms and Chance made what appeared to be a miraculous recovery.
Burns was able to pick Chance up the next day and bring him home, but that’s when she discovered that her dog’s life would be permanently altered: the medical scare had left him blind.
“I was thankful that I could pick him up the next day, bring him home and have him at least start this new chapter of his life, dark and blind,” Burns said. “At least he’s got my family and me to love on him.”
Veterinarians say it’s not entirely unheard of for dogs to mistakenly ingest opioids. Usually, though, dogs will accidentally eat a pill belonging to their owners.
Burns is unsure when or where Chance came in contact with the controlled substance, but she hopes her story helps other dog owners recognize the risks and signs of a doggy overdose.
Those signs include collapsing, problems breathing, urinating or drooling, and unstable walking as if they were drunk.
As for Chance, the dog was given his name after he was rescued from a shelter and given a new lease on life. Even with his new disability, it seems he’s been given yet another chance at a happy life. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/dog-blinded-after-ingesting-oxycodone-during-walk/ | 2022-08-22 12:27:00 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/dog-blinded-after-ingesting-oxycodone-during-walk/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — In early March, President Joe Biden met with members of Alaska's bipartisan congressional delegation as they implored him to approve a contentious oil drilling project in their state. Around the same time, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland held a very different meeting on the same topic.
Gathering at Interior headquarters a half-mile (0.8 kilometers) from the White House, leaders of major environmental organizations and Indigenous groups pleaded with Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet member, to use her authority to block the Willow oil project. Environmental groups call the project a "carbon bomb" that would betray pledges made by Biden — and Haaland — to fight climate change and have mounted a social media #StopWillow campaign that has been seen hundreds of millions of times.
The closed-door meeting, which was described by two participants who insisted on not being identified because of its confidential nature, grew emotional as participants urged Haaland to oppose a project many believed Biden appeared likely to approve even as it contradicted his agenda to cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.
Haaland, who opposed Willow when she served in Congress, choked up as she explained that the Interior Department had to make difficult choices, according to the participants. Many Native groups in Alaska support Willow as a job creator and economic lifeline.
Less than two weeks later, the Biden administration announced it was approving Willow, an $8 billion drilling plan by ConocoPhillips on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope.
Haaland, who had not publicly commented on Willow in two years as head of the U.S. agency overseeing the project, was not involved in the announcement and did not sign the approval order, leaving that to her deputy, Tommy Beaudreau.
In an awkward video released Monday night, 10 hours after the decision was made public, Haaland said she and Biden, both Democrats, believe the climate crisis "is the most urgent issue of our lifetime.''
She called Willow "a difficult and complex issue that was inherited'' from previous administrations and noted that ConocoPhillips has long held leases to drill for oil on the site, in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
“As a result, we have limited decision space,'' she said, adding that officials focused on how to reduce the project’s footprint ”and minimize its impacts to people and to wildlife.'' The final approval reflects a substantially smaller project than ConocoPhillips originally proposed and includes a pledge by the Houston-based oil company to relinquish nearly 70,000 acres (28,000 hectares) of leased land that will no longer be developed, she said.
The video had received more than 100,000 views by early Friday.
Haaland declined to be interviewed for this story. But in a statement, the department said Haaland had been “actively involved” in the Willow decision from the start and met with Alaska Natives on both sides of the issue, conservation and other groups and members of Congress. “That includes an appearance with members of the Alaska Federation of Natives who were in town the week before the announcement,” the department said.
Dallas Goldtooth, a senior strategist for the Indigenous Environmental Network, called it ”problematic" that Haaland's video was the Biden administration's primary voice on Willow. Biden himself has not spoken publicly on the project.
“They use people of color for cover on these decisions,'' said Goldtooth, a member of Mdewakanton Dakota tribe.
Allowing Haaland to be the administration's public face on Willow "strengthens" Biden's expected reelection run by allowing him to avoid public scrutiny on an issue on which some of his most ardent supporters disagree with him, Goldtooth said.
"It's clear-cut D.C. politics,'' he said. "I've seen this play run before,'' including when former Biden environmental justice adviser Cecilia Martinez was put forward to address tribal concerns about two other energy projects, the Dakota Access and Line 3 oil pipelines in the upper Midwest.
Asked about Willow on Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the oil company “has a legal right to those leases,” adding: “The department’s options are limited when there are legal contracts in place."
Goldtooth and others involved in the Willow fight say the project was largely advanced by Beaudreau, Haaland's deputy, who grew up in Alaska and has a close relationship with the state's two Republican senators. Beaudreau is especially close to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a former Senate Energy chair who has cooperated with Biden on a range of issues. Murkowski played a key role in Haaland's confirmation, and she and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia teamed up to get Beaudreau installed as deputy after they objected to Haaland's first choice, Elizabeth Klein.
Murkowski told reporters this week that she and other Alaska officials had long realized that the decision on Willow was likely to be made by the White House, despite repeated comments from Jean-Pierre that the decision was up to the Interior Department.
The senator, who personally lobbied Biden on Willow for nearly two years, said she reminded him, "Cooperation goes both ways.''
Despite the White House involvement, Haaland has come under fire for the decision to approve Willow. New Mexico’s senior Democratic senator, Martin Heinrich, singled her out for criticism in a rare rebuke of a fellow New Mexico Democrat. Haaland represented the state in Congress before becoming Interior secretary.
“The Western Arctic is one of the last great wild landscapes on the planet and as public land it belongs to every American," Heinrich said in a statement. ”Industrial development in this unspoiled landscape will not age well.''
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., who holds Haaland's former seat in Congress, said she joined millions of people, "including Indigenous leaders, scientists and lawmakers, in opposing the Willow Project.'' She urged the Biden administration to reconsider the project and its consequences for global climate change.
Native American tribes in the Southwestern U.S. have been watching Willow closely, concerned about any implications it could have for development in culturally significant areas, including the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico.
A federal appeals court has ruled that the Interior Department failed to consider the cumulative effects of greenhouse gas emissions that would result from the approval of nearly 200 drilling permits in an area surrounding the Chaco site.
Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, visited Chaco in 2021 and told tribal leaders that the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management would work toward withdrawing hundreds of square miles (hundreds of square kilometers) from development. She also committed to taking a broader look at how federal land across the region can be better managed while taking into account environmental effects and cultural preservation.
Mario Atencio, of Diné CARE, a Navajo environmental group, said he understands that the Interior Department faces pressure from GOP lawmakers to increase drilling, as well as conflicting court rulings on a pause ordered by Biden on oil leasing on public land.
“We’re very aware that it’s a game of inches sometimes, and there’s a little discretion in some places, and we are just trying to have just as much visibility as the oil and gas industry has,” said Atencio, who is Navajo.
The Willow project has divided Alaska Native groups. Supporters have called the project balanced and say communities would benefit from taxes generated by Willow to invest in infrastructure and provide public services.
City of Nuiqsut Mayor Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, whose community of about 525 people is closest to the proposed development, opposes the project and worries about impacts on caribou and her residents’ subsistence lifestyles.
___
Associated Press writer Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, N.M., contributed to this story.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/haaland-criticized-over-difficult-choice-on-willow-project/QLCXS4DDVVAHVGWYTVEUWVD3NM/ | 2023-03-17 16:31:39 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/haaland-criticized-over-difficult-choice-on-willow-project/QLCXS4DDVVAHVGWYTVEUWVD3NM/ |
Last night, I had lain down to sleep when I suddenly remembered that this Friday is Veterans Day. Each year, on the eleventh minute, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, we commemorate this important federal holiday to honor all men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
However, what exactly does Veterans Day represent? It was originally a federal holiday called “Armistice Day” and served as a dedication to memorialize — and honor — the armistice that ended World War I, which occurred at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. However, in 1954, through Public Law 380, the United States Congress replaced the word “Armistice” with the word “Veterans” to honor all military war veterans.
As I lie awake, I asked myself, what does Veterans Day represent to me as an Army veteran? After several minutes, the answer came to me in the form of one, single word: Gratitude.
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I am grateful to have served a country that has provided me with freedom and opportunity.
I am grateful to be part of a community that remembers the sacrifices of those who served and honors the memories of those who never returned.
I am grateful to have a government, who through the Veterans Administration and other service agencies, addresses the needs of — and does not ignore or forget — military veterans.
I am grateful to my fellow citizens who have, or who in the future will, honor the call to service so that our country may have an all-volunteer and professional military.
This morning, after having had time to reflect upon last night’s thoughts, I know this Friday, I will continue to be grateful for my country, my community, my government, and my friends.
Jonathan J. O’Konek, Bismarck
U.S. Army veteran (2010-2016) | https://bismarcktribune.com/opinion/letters/letter-expressing-gratitude-this-veterans-day/article_36cfdf1e-5fa3-11ed-82d6-5be509581853.html | 2022-11-11 07:41:58 | 0 | https://bismarcktribune.com/opinion/letters/letter-expressing-gratitude-this-veterans-day/article_36cfdf1e-5fa3-11ed-82d6-5be509581853.html |
Updated December 1, 2022 at 1:51 PM ET
An old kind of hate has been very visible lately. High-profile entertainers and athletes have openly spouted antisemitic tropes. Former president Donald Trump dined recently with an outspoken Holocaust denier. Beyond these headlines, there's also been a steady rise in the number of hateful incidents directed at Jewish people over the past several years.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, 2021 was the highest year on record for documented reports of harassment, vandalism and violence directed against Jews. The watchdog group has tracked these incidents since 1979, and it says 2022 will look a lot like last year.
These record breaking numbers present as part of a consistent, five year upswing in the number of antisemitic incidents, unprecedented in the ADL's three plus decades of data collection. The organization says it's more commonly tracked isolated spikes in a given year, as seen in 1994 and 1981.
The current streak includes the 2018 attack on the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue - where a gunman killed 11 Jewish worshippers, as well as the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Va. two years earlier where extremist demonstrators chanted "Jews will not replace us" during a torchlit march, but also thousands of smaller incidents like vandalizing Jewish schools and community centers, or extremist flyering campaigns.
At the ADL, it's Emily Snider's job to document and try to categorize these reports, and one example from 2021 haunts her.
"Two young Orthodox boys were playing in their yard in California and were shot with paintballs — red paintballs. And we saw pictures of them. And I mean, it was heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking," said Snider.
Hate crimes more broadly have also been on the rise over the past few years. Experts sometimes refer to antisemitism as a "canary in the coal mine" for hate generally. Whenever a minority group is blamed for some real or perceived harm, such narratives almost always find ways to also attack Jews based on centuries-old myths about Jewish control and disloyalty.
For those who are upset about Black people demonstrating against racism, or blame a pandemic on anyone who looks Asian, or are angry about the visibility of transgender people or queer culture, Snider says it's a short leap to conspiracist thinking.
"Jews are centered in a lot of conspiracy theories, especially around economy or power or greed or whatever. Those are core antisemitic tropes. So when we start to see unrest, we tend to see antisemitic incidents climb," said Snider.
Antisemitism returns to politics
Trump's dinner with the musician Ye, who's made a number of antisemitic remarks, and a notorious Holocaust-denying internet streamer is just the latest example of antisemitism's increasing visibility in electoral politics.
Snider says whenever celebrities or politicians flirt publicly with antisemitic tropes, increased extremist and neo-Nazi harrassment and recruiting tends to follow. These moments are opportunities for hateful highway banner drops, flyering and online radicalization.
As for Nick Fuentes, the white nationalist internet streamer who had dinner with Ye and the former president, Trump is not the first Republican candidate or official to spend time with him and later claim not to know about his very outspoken, antisemitic beliefs. Earlier this year Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was a speaker at a fundraising event hosted by Fuentes. Arizona U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar addressed that same event. Both were re-elected last month.
As Republicans take over the house in January, Greene is expected to regain committee assignments that Democrats stripped her of based, in part, on her promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories. Among the most prominent examples was Greene's claim that California wildfires may have been caused by the Rothschilds, a prominent Jewish banking family and mainstay in antisemitic conspiracy theories.
"That's old-school, classic modern antisemitism coming from the 1870s and eighties and nineties into the 20th century," said Joshua Shanes, a Jewish Studies professor at the College of Charleston.
"There's rhetoric that's accepted today that simply never would have possibly been accepted a generation ago, not since the 1930s, really," said Shanes. "People call it [political correctness], but there's a benefit to saying it is unacceptable to be openly racist, to be openly antisemitic. And if you are, you will not win political office. But that has gone away."
Shanes sometimes sees that normalization in his own classes, where students are not always familiar with the often coded language and imagery of antisemitism. It's made him change the way he teaches the history of the Nazi party's use of anti-Jewish propaganda films.
"And I used to show it to my students. I'd say, okay, let's dissect it. What antisemitic myths do you see in here? Let's find them all. I don't do it anymore because I'm actually concerned they'll be persuaded by it," said Shanes.
Growing up, Shanes said he also learned very few details about the role of racist violence in American history.
"So there's a lot of suppression of knowledge, I think. I don't want to blame these students for it. They're very open, but they need to be taught, no doubt about it," he said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2022-11-30/antisemitism-is-on-the-rise-and-its-not-just-about-ye | 2022-12-02 16:07:07 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2022-11-30/antisemitism-is-on-the-rise-and-its-not-just-about-ye |
TikTok will no longer allow 16 and 17-year-old users to host livestream events on its platform.
The social media website is raising the livestreaming age to 18 in an effort to protect its younger users.
The new safeguard will go into effect on Nov. 23.
The change will affect millions of young users. Prior to Nov. 23, anyone 16 years or older, with more than 1,000 followers, is able to host a TikTok livestream.
TikTok is also creating an adults-only livestream feature. The feature is intended for hosts who believe their content is not suitable for a younger audience.
"For instance, perhaps a comedy routine is better suited for people over age 18," TikTok saidin a statement. "Or, a host may plan to talk about a difficult life experience and they would feel more comfortable knowing the conversation is limited to adults."
TikTok is one of the most popular social media websites in the world. The company says it has more than 1 billion active users worldwide. | https://www.kgun9.com/news/national/tiktok-raising-age-requirement-to-host-livestreams | 2022-10-20 15:17:04 | 0 | https://www.kgun9.com/news/national/tiktok-raising-age-requirement-to-host-livestreams |
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Will Host Conference Call and Webcast on April 27, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. ET
PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) announced today that it will report first quarter 2023 results on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET. Geoffrey A. Ballotti, president and chief executive officer, and Michele Allen, chief financial officer, will host a call with investors on April 27, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the Company's results and business outlook.
Listeners can access the webcast live through the Company's website at https://investor.wyndhamhotels.com. The conference call may also be accessed by calling 800 267-6316 and providing the passcode "Wyndham." Listeners are urged to call at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. An archive of this webcast will be available on the website beginning at noon ET on April 27, 2023. A telephone replay will be available for approximately ten days beginning at noon ET on April 27, 2023 at 800 695-0395.
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world's largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,100 hotels across over 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 843,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 24 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. The Company's award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers over 100 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com. The Company may use its website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Disclosures of this nature will be included on the Company's website in the Investors section, which can currently be accessed at https://investor.wyndhamhotels.com. Accordingly, investors should monitor this section of the Company's website in addition to following the Company's press releases, filings submitted with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any public conference calls or webcasts.
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SOURCE Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/03/29/wyndham-hotels-amp-resorts-report-first-quarter-2023-earnings-april-26-2023/ | 2023-03-29 12:03:09 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/03/29/wyndham-hotels-amp-resorts-report-first-quarter-2023-earnings-april-26-2023/ |
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Missouri Lottery's "Show Me Cash" game were:
01-07-17-21-34
(one, seven, seventeen, twenty-one, thirty-four)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Missouri Lottery's "Show Me Cash" game were:
01-07-17-21-34
(one, seven, seventeen, twenty-one, thirty-four) | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Show-Me-Cash-game-17508339.php | 2022-10-14 03:53:00 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Show-Me-Cash-game-17508339.php |
Two trailblazing secretaries of state reveal the art of diplomacy, teaching members how to reconcile differences, manage difficult situations and navigate personalities in all aspects of their lives
The class captures the late Secretary Albright's wisdom and legacy for future generations
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world's best across a wide range of subjects, today announced the launch of a class on diplomacy with two former U.S. secretaries of state—Condoleezza Rice and the late Madeleine Albright. In their class, Albright and Rice provide members with lessons they learned as secretaries of state, including how to build trusted teams, reconcile differences, overcome failed decisions and apply diplomacy in everyday life. Albright and Rice's class is part of the "MasterClass Presents the White House" series and now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 150+ instructors with an annual membership.
"MasterClass captures the most accomplished people of our era so that we can all learn from them, forever," said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. "We are fortunate to have captured Secretary Albright's teachings for future generations in this class. As close friends from opposing political parties, Secretaries Rice and Albright emphasize the importance of reconciling differences and disagreements. In their class, they offer insights and advice on building relationships and navigating difficult personalities, assembling and leading teams and evaluating decisions and mistakes."
Together in their class, Albright and Rice reflect on their extensive diplomatic careers, providing members with unprecedented access to stories from their time in the State Department, counseling U.S. presidents and going head-to-head with global leaders. Interwoven through compelling anecdotes, Albright and Rice expertly outline their personal approaches to diplomacy, equipping members with the qualities that all good diplomats should have—whether members are pursuing a career in diplomacy or just looking to incorporate diplomatic skills in everyday life. The class culminates with an open and honest conversation between Albright and Rice focused on the state of democracy, bringing their unique perspectives from both sides of the aisle to issues such as voting rights, the 2020 election and the growing pains of democracy and its future in America. Members will learn how to effectively collaborate with others to reach a common goal, navigate and mitigate crises, develop a team structure that establishes organizational success and overcome mistakes in order to push past failure and move forward.
"Madeleine was a dear friend and colleague, and this class gave us an opportunity to talk about our unique life experiences in detail," Rice said. "I am honored to have had the opportunity to teach this class with her. We share the lessons, triumphs and failures we experienced throughout our careers so that we can provide others with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of successful diplomacy."
Secretary Albright was born in Czechoslovakia and immigrated with her family to the United States in 1948, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1957. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science from Wellesley College in 1959 and a Ph.D. in public law and government from Columbia University in 1976. Her political career began in 1976 as chief legislative assistant to Senator Edmund Muskie before accepting a position on the National Security Council under the Carter administration from 1978 to 1981. Joining the academic faculty of Georgetown University in 1982, Albright also advised Democratic candidates on foreign policy. After serving as United Nations ambassador during the Clinton administration, in 1997 Albright made history when she became the first female secretary of state, playing a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War era. Following her tenure as secretary of state, she served as chair of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and the consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group. President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. On March 23, 2022, Albright died of cancer.
Secretary Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver and a master's degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame. She later returned to the University of Denver and received a Ph.D. from the School of International Studies in 1981. She worked at the State Department under the Carter administration and served on the National Security Council as the Soviet and Eastern Europe affairs adviser to President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and German reunification. Rice pursued an academic fellowship at Stanford University, where she eventually served as provost from 1993 to 1999. Following the 2000 election, she became President George W. Bush's national security adviser. In Bush's second term, she succeeded Colin Powell as secretary of state, becoming the first African American woman to hold the office. After leaving government in 2009, Rice returned to Stanford University, where she continues teaching in the Department of Political Science and the Graduate School of Business. In September 2020, she became the Director of the Hoover Institution.
Albright and Rice's class is part of the "MasterClass Presents the White House" series, in which members get unprecedented access to and can learn from leaders on both sides of the aisle who have influenced American politics and changed the world. President Bill Clinton's class on inclusive leadership, former U.S. Secretary of State, Senator and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's class on the power of resilience, and President George W. Bush's class on authentic leadership are also available exclusively on MasterClass.
Embed & view the trailer here: https://youtu.be/mV0lFdP1vyY
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Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass
ABOUT MASTERCLASS:
MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world's best come together so anyone, anywhere, can access and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. With an annual membership, members get unprecedented access to 150+ instructors and classes across a wide variety of fields, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Nas' recording studio, Gordon Ramsay's kitchen and go behind the big screen with James Cameron. Design your career with Elaine Welteroth, get ready to win with Lewis Hamilton, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn and discover at a pace that best serves your lifestyle—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge, on mobile, tablet, desktop, Android™ TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku® players and devices. Cinematic visuals and close-up demonstrations make you feel like you're one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable class guides help reinforce your learning. For those looking to learn by doing, Sessions by MasterClass offers a structured, 30-day curriculum where members can roll up their sleeves, get hands-on and learn meaningful skills through step-by-step guidance from world-class instructors and an active community of peers. With MasterClass at Work, companies can keep their employees engaged and boost morale and motivation with immersive, short-form lessons from the world's best.
Follow MasterClass:
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SOURCE MasterClass | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/08/12/masterclass-launches-madeleine-albright-condoleezza-rices-class-diplomacy/ | 2022-08-12 14:03:00 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/08/12/masterclass-launches-madeleine-albright-condoleezza-rices-class-diplomacy/ |
Most of the world’s population has been affected in some way by climate change — 85% of the world, in fact. But the effects of climate change haven’t been equally felt by all. Some communities have seen a slight rise in temperature here and there, but others have had their entire communities wiped out.
As the rise of global temperatures and sea level continues to affect the world with increasing frequency and intensity, who are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change?
The answer is clear, according to climate scientists, climate and environmental justice experts and international research efforts on the question. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found in a 2022 report that vulnerability to climate change is “exacerbated by inequity and marginalization linked to gender, ethnicity, low income or combinations thereof.”
“(The) poor, ethnic minorities, and women are very clearly the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change that we are already seeing today: heat waves; displacement and smoke due to fires; and price shocks due to supply chain interruptions, higher energy prices,” Daniel Kammen, a professor of energy at the University of California, Berkeley and a coordinating lead author on IPCC reports, told The Associated Press.
These populations are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change because of racism, sexism and pursuit of profits over protection of people, according to Bineshi Albert, co-executive director of the Climate Justice Alliance.
“Due to the continued search for profits by our current economic system and (by) the fossil fuel industry in particular, there are entire neighborhoods that are deemed worthy of becoming sacrifice zones, and this breaks down every time around race, class, and national lines,” she said.
Research also shows that disabled people are more vulnerable to effects of climate change than abled bodied people.
The increased vulnerability to climate change experienced by these populations and who is to blame for causing these inequities have become increasing topics of conversation at the international level. Debate about loss and damage — the climate harm caused by some nations to others, how much and what should be done about it — has waged on since at least COP23.
A study published in July 2022 found that richer nations like the U.S. caused climate harm to poorer countries.
In terms of repairing damage already caused to vulnerable populations and countries and helping them become less vulnerable, experts told the AP that it starts with including them in developing policies.
“A natural start is to develop policies to target these underserved communities with enhanced attention and support,” Kammen said.
Albert said it should go a step further with direct economic investments in communities most vulnerable to climate change.
“Economic resources should go directly to those on the frontlines of the climate crisis to develop and implement their own community-led solutions,” she said. “Communities rather than profits must be the motive if we are truly going to solve the climate crisis.” | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/who-is-most-vulnerable-to-impacts-of-climate-change/ | 2022-10-18 14:49:14 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/who-is-most-vulnerable-to-impacts-of-climate-change/ |
NEW YORK, Nov. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InvestorsObserver issues critical PriceWatch Alerts for KAL, NIO, FSRD, COIN, and CGC.
To see how InvestorsObserver's proprietary scoring system rates these stocks, view the InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alert by selecting the corresponding link.
- KAL: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=KAL&prnumber=111120224
- NIO: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=NIO&prnumber=111120224
- FSRD: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=FSRD&prnumber=111120224
- COIN: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=COIN&prnumber=111120224
- CGC: https://www.investorsobserver.com/lp/pr-stocks-lp-2/?symbol=CGC&prnumber=111120224
(Note: You may have to copy this link into your browser then press the [ENTER] key.)
InvestorsObserver's PriceWatch Alerts are based on our proprietary scoring methodology. Each stock is evaluated based on short-term technical, long-term technical and fundamental factors. Each of those scores is then combined into an overall score that determines a stock's overall suitability for investment.
InvestorsObserver provides patented technology to some of the biggest names on Wall Street and creates world-class investing tools for the self-directed investor on Main Street. We have a wide range of tools to help investors make smarter decisions when investing in stocks or options.
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SOURCE InvestorsObserver | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/11/thinking-about-buying-stock-kalera-nio-fast-radius-coinbase-global-or-canopy-growth-corp/ | 2022-11-11 16:24:59 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/11/thinking-about-buying-stock-kalera-nio-fast-radius-coinbase-global-or-canopy-growth-corp/ |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California water agencies that serve 27 million people will get just 5% of what they requested from the state to start 2023, water officials announced Thursday.
The news of limited water comes as California concludes its driest three-year stretch on record and as water managers brace for a fourth year with below-average precipitation. But if the winter is wetter than expected, the state could boost how much supply it plans to give out — as it did last year when allocations started at 0% and ended the winter at 5%.
Absent an end to the drought, water-saving measures are poised to continue, including calls for people to rip up decorative grass, limit outdoor watering, take shorter showers and run dishwashers only when full. Much of California is in extreme or exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
A storm currently bringing snow and rain to the northern end of the state has been welcome news, but people shouldn’t get too optimistic, warned Michael Anderson, the state climatologist. Last year two major storms in October and December were followed by months of bone-dry weather.
“Don’t get too carried away by any one storm,” Anderson told reporters.
Much of California’s water supply comes from snow that falls in the mountains during the winter and enters the watershed as it melts through spring. Some of it is stored in reservoirs for later use, while some is sent south through massive pumping systems.
The system is known as the State Water Project, and it provides water to two-thirds of the state’s people and 1,172 square miles (3,035 square kilometers) of farmland. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which services Los Angeles and much of Southern California, relies on the state for about one-third of its water supply.
Southern California’s supply is further threatened by the ongoing crisis afflicting the Colorado River, another major source for the heavily populated region. The district is working on a massive water recycling plant to eventually supplement supply.
“Metropolitan is doing everything we can to alleviate the immediate crisis and make investments to provide more tools than emergency conservation alone,” Adel Hagekhalil, the district’s general manager, said in a statement. “But now we need the public’s help. We can get through this by working together.”
Some districts with limited water supplies may get additional water if the 5% isn’t enough to cover critical health and safety needs, said Molly White, water operations manager for the State Water Project.
Given the uncertainty about how long the drought will last, the state wants to keep water in Lake Oroville, its largest reservoir. Right now, it’s about half as full as it usually is at this time of year. So officials plan to tap excess water from winter storms to provide the 5% supply and take some water out of the San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, White said.
“We’re all just sort of holding our breath to see what mother nature does,” said Michael McNutt, spokesman for Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, which serves some wealthy suburbs of Los Angeles and relies almost exclusively on state supplies.
The district may completely ban outdoor watering if dry conditions persist, he said.
The federal government also controls some water supply in California, much of which goes to farmers in the vast Central Valley who grow fruits, nuts and vegetables. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation doesn’t issue its first water allocations until February but on Monday warned farmers and cities to prepare for limited supplies.
“If drought conditions extend into 2023, Reclamation will find it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to meet all the competing needs of the Central Valley Project without beginning the implementation of additional and more severe water conservation actions,” the bureau said in a news release. | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/business/ap-business/ap-drought-hit-california-cities-to-get-little-water-from-state/ | 2022-12-02 16:11:14 | 1 | https://www.wearegreenbay.com/business/ap-business/ap-drought-hit-california-cities-to-get-little-water-from-state/ |
ST. PAUL, Minn., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 3M Board of Directors (NYSE:MMM) today declared a dividend on the company's common stock of $1.49 per share for the second quarter of 2022. The dividend is payable June 12, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 20, 2022.
3M has paid dividends to its shareholders without interruption for more than 100 years.
As of March 31, 2022, 3M had 569,058,849 common shares outstanding and 64,941 shareholders of record.
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to global challenges at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
Investor Contact:
Bruce Jermeland
651-733-1807
or
Diane Farrow
612-202-2449
or
Media Contact:
Tim Post
Tpost3@mmm.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE 3M | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/05/10/3m-board-declares-quarterly-dividend/ | 2022-05-11 03:13:49 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/05/10/3m-board-declares-quarterly-dividend/ |
ROAD TRIP ALERT: Two Maine Lobster Festivals Are Coming In August
Summer is finally here, but it won’t last forever, so make plans to get out and enjoy some food & fun!
The Maine Lobster Festival will celebrate its 76th year in Rockland, and promises to be bigger and better than ever with FREE admission, a beer tent, fireworks, a two-day Steins & Vines tasting event, an expanded children's tent, and tons of new fun activities for the everyone.
Enjoy five days of feasting and fun on the fabulous coast of Maine. Enjoy fresh Maine lobster from August 2nd-August 6th in beautiful, Rockland.
The festival site, located at Rockland’s Harbor Park, is easy to find on Main Street. There is free parking available at South Elementary School Oceanside High School. A free shuttle bus will take you downtown to the Festival. The buses will run every 30 minutes.
There are so many things to do, eat and see…including:
- Food
- Seafood Cooking Contest
- Arts and Crafts
- Entertainment
- Steins and Vines
- Children’s Events
- The Great International Lobster Crate Race
- The Big Parade
- Maine Sea Goddess Coronation
- Road Race, Fun Run and Walk
For lobster lovers who can’t make it to Rockland, the 59th Winter Harbor Lobster Festival, isn’t as grand in scale, but there are plenty of exciting activities planned, and of course, delicious Mainer lobster for all, on Saturday, August 12th.
Here are the scheduled events:
- Blueberry Pancake Breakfast-Masonic Hall, located on School Street, from 6am-11am
- Craft Fair-School Street, from 9am-3pm
- Boat Races-At Henry Cove, at 10am
- Lobster Dinner-At the Municipal Building, located on School Street, from 11am-3pm
- Parade-At Grindstone Avenue, located on the Schoodic Loop Road, at 5:30pm | https://q961.com/road-trip-alert-two-maine-lobster-festivals-are-coming-in-august-2/ | 2023-06-21 21:25:04 | 1 | https://q961.com/road-trip-alert-two-maine-lobster-festivals-are-coming-in-august-2/ |
Have you ever noticed ads sometimes seem louder than the actual TV show you’re watching? If so, you're not alone.
One VERIFY viewer recently emailed our team to ask if there is a law that regulates how loud TV commercials can be.
“It seems it keeps getting louder and louder,” the viewer wrote.
THE QUESTION
Is there a law that regulates how loud TV commercials can be?
THE SOURCES
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act
- Sony
- Jonathan Ogle, founder and principal of The Infinite Agency in Dallas, Texas
THE ANSWER
Yes, there is a law that regulates how loud TV commercials can be.
WHAT WE FOUND
There is a law that regulates how loud commercials can be on traditional TV in the United States. In 2010, Congress passed the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which requires commercials on broadcast, cable and satellite TV to have the same average volume as the programs they accompany. The rules under the CALM Act are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The CALM Act doesn’t apply to commercials aired on streaming services, like Hulu, YouTube TV or Peacock, since they’re not regulated by the FCC. In May 2022, legislation was introduced in Congress to amend the current law to include streaming services, but it didn’t advance to a vote.
Jonathan Ogle, founder and principal of The Infinite Agency, an integrated advertising agency based in Dallas, Texas, told VERIFY that commercial advertisers work with broadcast, cable and satellite TV stations to make sure their ads are CALM Act compliant.
“Our job is to make sure that we're hitting the specs that the platforms and the networks have asked,” Ogle said. “And so, as we submit those files, typically, we're trying to do that in what's called an average audio volume level. And then, it's up to the networks to play it at those same levels.”
Though the FCC sets the rules, it doesn’t monitor programming for loud commercials. Instead, it relies on viewers to flag potential problems. If you’ve experienced what you believe is a violation of the rules regarding the loudness of commercial TV ads, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
Here’s what to include in your complaint:
- If you watched the commercial on broadcast, cable or satellite TV
- The name of the advertiser or product promoted in the commercial
- The date and time you saw the commercial
- The name of the TV program during which the commercial aired and the channel number or station call sign
If the commercials are still too loud on your TV, the FCC recommends checking the audio settings on your TV. Some models have features that normalize volume levels to ensure consistency across programs and commercials. | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/verify/government-verify/loud-tv-commercials-regulated-by-fcc-under-calm-act-fact-check/536-277e7a74-5e9b-427c-982b-fbf2bf49e2aa | 2023-02-13 16:19:14 | 1 | https://www.wthr.com/article/news/verify/government-verify/loud-tv-commercials-regulated-by-fcc-under-calm-act-fact-check/536-277e7a74-5e9b-427c-982b-fbf2bf49e2aa |
Rangers vs. Mariners: Odds, spread, over/under - May 9
On Tuesday, May 9 at 9:40 PM ET, the Seattle Mariners (17-18) host the Texas Rangers (21-13) at T-Mobile Park. George Kirby will get the ball for the Mariners, while Andrew Heaney will take the mound for the Rangers.
The Mariners are -175 moneyline favorites for this matchup with the Rangers (+145). The over/under is 7.5 runs for the matchup.
Rangers vs. Mariners Time and TV Channel
- Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2023
- Time: 9:40 PM ET
- TV: ROOT Sports NW
- Location: Seattle, Washington
- Venue: T-Mobile Park
- Probable Pitchers: Kirby - SEA (3-2, 3.11 ERA) vs Heaney - TEX (2-2, 5.52 ERA)
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Rangers vs. Mariners Betting Odds, Run Line and Total
Here's a look at the odds, run line and over/under for this matchup listed on different sportsbooks.
Looking to bet on the Rangers and Mariners game but aren't sure how to get started? Here's a quick breakdown. Some of the most common betting types include the moneyline, run line, and total. A moneyline bet means that you think one of the teams -- the Rangers (+145), for instance -- will win. It's that simple! If the Rangers win, and you bet $10, you'd get $24.50 back.
And that's not all. There are many other ways to bet, as well. For example, you can wager on player props (will Adolis García get a hit?), parlays (combining picks from different games to multiply your potential winnings), and more. Visit the BetMGM website and app for additional info on the many different ways you can bet on games.
Ready to place your bet? Click here to sign up and claim your BetMGM Promo today.
Read More About This Game
Rangers vs. Mariners Betting Trends and Insights
- The Mariners have won 12, or 52.2%, of the 23 games they've played as favorites this season.
- The Mariners have won all five games they have played as moneyline favorites with odds of -175 or shorter.
- The implied probability of a win from Seattle, based on the moneyline, is 63.6%.
- The Mariners went 4-2 over the six games they were moneyline favorites in their last 10 matchups.
- In its last 10 outings, Seattle and its opponents combined to hit the over on the total four times (all 10 games had set totals).
- The Rangers have been chosen as underdogs in 14 games this year and have walked away with the win nine times (64.3%) in those games.
- The Rangers have a mark of 1-2 in contests where oddsmakers favor them by +145 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Rangers have played as underdogs in seven of their past 10 games and have gone 5-2 in those contests.
- In the last 10 games with a total, Texas and its opponents have failed to hit the over five times.
Want a different way to play? Put together your best lineup of players and you could win cash prizes! Sign up for FanDuel Fantasy using our link for the best first-time player offer.
Rangers Futures Odds
Think the Rangers can win it all? Check out the latest futures odds for Texas and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook! Be sure to use our link for a great new user offer.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit sportsbook websites for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/sports/betting/2023/05/09/rangers-vs-mariners-mlb-odds-over-under/ | 2023-05-09 21:35:32 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/sports/betting/2023/05/09/rangers-vs-mariners-mlb-odds-over-under/ |
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — Baskin-Robbins is giving chicken and waffle lovers a new way to enjoy the famous brunch duo.
The ice cream brand on Wednesday launched Chick’n & Waffles, its new Flavor of the Month.
The interesting frozen treat features buttermilk waffle-flavored ice cream with “crispy chick’n and waffle flavored bites” topped with a bourbon maple syrup flavored swirl.
The company said the new flavor was made to mimic the taste of fried chicken, saying it contains “0% real chicken and is 100% delicious.” On its website, the company says the ice cream is “so Cluck’n Good.”
“At Baskin-Robbins, we pride ourselves on bringing innovative flavors to the market, which is why when we saw the growing popularity of Chicken & Waffles on menus, we knew we had to create a bold flavor that would change the way our guests enjoy Chick’n & Waffles,” said Hannah Suits, Director of Brand Marketing for Baskin-Robbins.
A slice of Get Egg-cited Cake, a new cake inspired by Easter egg colors and patterns, will also be available at Baskin-Robbins locations from March 6 through April 9. | https://www.koin.com/news/so-cluckn-good-baskin-robbins-launches-new-chickn-waffles-flavor/ | 2023-03-02 15:09:57 | 0 | https://www.koin.com/news/so-cluckn-good-baskin-robbins-launches-new-chickn-waffles-flavor/ |
PONTIAC — A community garden in Pontiac is helping a local hospital promote continual health and wellness.
“The goal is to get all of the produce that we get out of the garden into Pontiac-area food pantries,” said Matthew Janus, one of the starters of the garden.
Janus is an exercise physiologist and wellness coordinator at OSF Saint James – John W. Albrecht Medical Center in Pontiac. The garden is on the hospital grounds, in a set of 12 raised beds built by the Pontiac Township High School FFA group. Six of the beds are new this year.
The garden helps bring healthy, fresh food to the area and also gives the volunteers who care for it a chance to take a break and get out in the sun, something Janus finds helpful for stress management.
It also helps connect the hospital to Pontiac, exercise physiologist and wellness coordinator Clare Spires said.
“I think it’s a good way to get OSF involved in the community,” she said.
Spires is from Pontiac and has worked at the hospital for about two years. As a local, she said increasing access to fresh food is important for the community.
“It’s also been really fun to be involved,” she said.
The garden started in 2017, after Deb Howard from United Way of Livingston County reached out, Janus said. Since then it has donated more than 1,500 pounds of produce. This year’s crops include leafy greens, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, peppers and vining plants like squash. OSF St. James has also put in an orchard, though after five years it is still not bearing fruit, hospital President Brad Solberg said.
Donations or produce have already started this summer to area food pantries.
Janus has seen the garden as a learning opportunity as well.
“I don’t really have much of a history with gardening, so that first year, it was a lot of learning for me,” he said.
Right now the garden is cared for by volunteers from the hospital’s staff. Prior to COVID there were some community volunteers as well, something Janus and Spires hope to get back to in the future. Janus also hopes to someday expand distribution to some of the rural clinics connected with the hospital.
“We’ve got the land, why not put it to use?” Solberg said.
The garden and its donations are addressing a prevalent need within the community.
“When it comes to Livingston County, one of the things that we have seen is that need for fresh, healthy food,” Janus said.
Transportation and affordability play into access issues, especially in the rural areas of the county. The United States Department of Agriculture considers areas directly to the north of Pontiac to be a food desert based on average income and distance to a supermarket.
Food insecurity is one of the social determinants of health that comes up in the hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment for Livingston County, Solberg said. The hospital has been increasing its focus on wellness and preventative care in recent years.
“(We want people) not looking to us just for medical care but for wellness, for health,” Solberg said.
The 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment found that 54% of Livingston County residents ate fewer than three servings of fruit or vegetables a day. Finances were listed as the most common reason people did not eat more fruits and vegetables.
“Healthy eating and nutrition affects pretty much every part of our body,” Janus said. | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/watch-now-pontiac-hospital-hopes-to-bring-wellness-with-community-garden/article_7d40f422-086b-11ed-a627-33edc8ccdc0d.html | 2022-07-22 21:25:53 | 1 | https://pantagraph.com/news/local/watch-now-pontiac-hospital-hopes-to-bring-wellness-with-community-garden/article_7d40f422-086b-11ed-a627-33edc8ccdc0d.html |
Vote for program to preserve farmland
On Aug. 2, Peninsula Township voters have an opportunity to continue the good work of our successful Purchase of Development Rights Program by voting to reinstate the PDR millage.
This 100-percent voluntary program pays farmers the value of their development rights, creating a permanent conservation easement on land the farmers continue to own and farm, while reducing the kind of residential development that decimates farming in many communities.
Please join me in preserving working farmland, open space, scenic views and the rural character of our Peninsula in perpetuity, protecting and maintaining our quality of life.
Vote “yes” for PDR!
Susan Tarczon
Traverse City
Rescue averts trouble
Recently, my wife and I were driving from Traverse City to Frankfort. We were on the very busy South Airport Road near Cass when our car engine suddenly went stone-cold dead … on a set of railroad tracks!
Three groups of Good Samaritans came to our rescue:
1. A young couple in a black SUV stopped and tried to help me push our car off the tracks — to no avail.
2. After calling 911, two Michigan State Police units came quickly to the scene and, while securing our safety, called a local tow truck.
3. A Brickyard tow truck came soon after and towed our car (and us) to the nearby dealership.
Disaster averted, thanks to the amazing and timely Good Samaritans whose names I still don’t know.
Rick Rodes
Frankfort | https://www.record-eagle.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter-tarczon/article_0b09ca54-079a-11ed-bca2-aba4a84569b9.html | 2022-07-21 21:50:35 | 0 | https://www.record-eagle.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter-tarczon/article_0b09ca54-079a-11ed-bca2-aba4a84569b9.html |
TANGIER, Morocco (AP) — Mohamed Afsha scored on a deflected shot in the 88th minute and sent Al Ahly into the Club World Cup semifinals by beating the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Saturday.
Afsha scored after coming on as a substitute in the 63rd. He lifted Al Ahly into the semifinals for the third straight year, and brought an abrupt end to the first appearance by a team from the United States in the competition.
His initial shot from outside the penalty area hit the crossbar. Seattle was unable to clear the danger and Afsha’s second attempt deflected off defender Alex Roldan and bounded past goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
It was the only shot on target by the Egyptian club as both sides played a heavily defensive game where chances at goal were limited.
Al Ahly will face Real Madrid in the semifinals next Wednesday in Rabat. Al Ahly has not lost a match in any competition since Aug. 27 in the Egyptian Premier League.
Al Ahly has finished third in each of the past two Club World Cups but has never made the final.
Seattle was the first club from Major League Soccer to take part in the Club World Cup after winning the CONCACAF Champions League last May. The Sounders carried hopes of advancing through their first match and playing at least three matches at the event.
But while Seattle was excellent defensively, it lacked quality chances on attack. Seattle finished with just one shot on goal, a speculative attempt from defensive midfielder Josh Atencio early in the second half.
“I thought we were good. I thought we were evenly matched. A couple of chances. But the deflection on the goal, it’s unfortunate,” Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said.
Seattle was playing its first competitive match in 3 ½ months while the rest of MLS was going through preseason preparations. The Sounders’ previous match was last October and the team gathered for MLS preseason camp in early January.
“They put everything into the game. They put everything into preseason,” Schmetzer said.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.texomashomepage.com/sports/ap-al-ahlys-late-goal-ends-seattle-debut-1-0-in-club-world-cup/ | 2023-02-05 00:44:20 | 1 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/sports/ap-al-ahlys-late-goal-ends-seattle-debut-1-0-in-club-world-cup/ |
Hasanur Freeman scored 25 points to lead the Atlantic City High School boys basketball team to a 61-56 victory over Williamstown in a nonconference game Friday.
The Vikings (2-5) trailed 19-9 after the first quarter but scored 22 in the second and cut their deficit to 34-31 at halftime. Atlantic City trailed 49-42 after three quarters but outscored the Braves 19-7 in the fourth to win.
Chris Finks scored 11 for the Vikings, and Tysir Jones added 10. Mikel Jones scored nine. Nahseem Harris scored four, and Nasir Turner added two. With the win, the Vikings snapped a three-game losing skid.
Josiah Carey and Owen Denton each scored 12 for Williamstown (3-6).
ACIT 69, Oakcrest 32: Zahir Davis-Roberts led the host RedHawks (7-2) with 16 points and had seven rebounds and two steals. Nasir Tucker scored 13 points and had two steals, and Abdul Hawkins had 12 points. Jayden Lopez contributed 11 points and five assists, Jameil Quintana added 10 points and four rebounds, and Desi Stroud had five points and seven rebounds.
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Darrell Newton and Jaiden Santiago both scored six points for Oakcrest (4-4), and William Fowler and Shamir Jones each had five.
Point Pleasant Borough 59, Lacey Twp. 42: Chris Venturoso scored nine for the Lions (4-4). Troy Buxton scored eight, and Jonathon Stabile added six. Joe Miereles had eight rebounds. Logan Brash scored five, Arnaldo Ortiz, Ryan Fitzgerald and Rocco Armato each added four. DJ Duffy scored two.
Lacey trailed 24-19 at halftime, but Point Pleasant (7-1) outscored the Lions 24-8 in the third quarter. Jake Venturoso scored 15 for the winners, and Shane Ryan added 13.
Bridgeton 49, Buena Reg. 29: Zikwon Anderson scored a team-leading 13 to go with three rebounds and three assists for the Bulldogs (2-7). Xzayvion Sharpe scored 12 to go with four steals. Jameel Purnell scored seven to go with seven rebounds and five steals. Rodrigo Gonzalez scored seven.
The Chiefs fell to 1-8.
Girls basketball
Middle Twp. 54, Timber Creek 31: McKenzie Palek and Madison Palek each scored 14 for the Panthers (9-2). McKenzie Palek made three 3s. Jada Elston and Iyanna Bennett each scored seven. Isabelle Toland (four), Hannah Cappelletti and Ciara DiMauro (three) and Mia Elisano (two) also scored.
Ocean City 56, Hammonton 29: Avery Jackson topped the host Red Raiders (7-2) with 19 points. Madelyn Adamson and Ayanna Morton each added eight points, and Allie Hudson and Tori Vliet both scored five. Jamie Wilkerson and Maddy Monteleone each contributed four points. O.C. led 8-6 after eight minutes, but outscored the Blue Devils 19-7 in the second quarter. Hammonton fell to 4-6.
Ice hockey
Southern Reg. 4, Toms River North 1: Ben Gautier and Matthew Brock each had a goal and two assists to lead the host Rams (4-4). Gautier and Brock both scored in the first period to make it 2-0. Andrew Buda and Matthew Raylman added a goal apiece, and Thomas Graccio and Siek Callie both had assists. Aidan Rowland made 31 saves for the win. For T.R. North (2-5-1), Matt Butch scored in the first period, and Louis Mancuso made 44 saves. | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/atlantic-city-boys-use-strong-4th-quarter-to-beat-williamstown-late-friday-roundup/article_caed56c8-8e2d-11ed-8cbc-b3248ac70321.html | 2023-01-07 22:54:46 | 0 | https://pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/local/highschool/atlantic-city-boys-use-strong-4th-quarter-to-beat-williamstown-late-friday-roundup/article_caed56c8-8e2d-11ed-8cbc-b3248ac70321.html |
A second-by-second video review of the moments before Osceola County deputies killed 20-year-old Jayden Baez and wounded two of his friends in a Target parking lot shows discrepancies in Sheriff Marcos López’s retelling of what happened, lawyers representing the men said Tuesday.
In a nearly one-hour press conference, lawyers Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa of NeJame Law analyzed the video released Monday by the Sheriff’s Office, which López claimed showed Baez tried to run over a deputy as he sped off in a black Audi.
But NeJame called into question whether the deputies who converged on the car properly identified themselves as law enforcement, demonstrating that the video shows unmarked vehicles striking the car only to flash their emergency lights as Baez tried to drive off.
No other video exists of the shooting, which happened about 7 p.m. April 27 at a Target on West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in the Kissimmee area, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Baez’s friends were suspected of stealing pizza and Pokemon cards from the store.
“They were sitting ducks of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, being riddled with multiple bullets over $46 and change,” NeJame said.
NeJame said his firm is now representing all four people in the car, including Joseph Lowe, a 19-year-old whose hands were riddled with bullets, and 18-year-old Michael Gómez, who photos show was shot in the back. The firm also represents a 17-year-old who was in the car and was uninjured.
Tuesday’s press conference continued a back-and-forth between the lawyers and the Sheriff’s Office after López spoke to reporters on Monday for the first time in the nearly two weeks since Baez was killed. The agency also released the incident report and Target security footage depicting the moments leading to the shooting.
López continued to refer most questions to FDLE, but he did highlight Baez’s criminal record, including a May 2020 arrest in St. Cloud for giving a false name to officers and escaping a facility during transport. Court records show that case was dismissed five months later, a detail López omitted.
“Wouldn’t it have been nice if you had known that yesterday before he had some of you reporting and dirtying up a dead young man?” NeJame said.
López also mentioned Baez had a gun at the time of the shooting, though none of the released reports mention the gun being used or brandished.
Records show Lowe and Gómez were being followed by store loss-prevention officers as they allegedly stole from Target but weren’t stopped as they were leaving the store. Deputies swarmed Baez’s car as soon as they returned to it and opened fire when Baez tried ramming past the unmarked vehicles.
Though López said the deputies in cars announced themselves to the men and flashed their lights “when contact was made,” video shows the lights were only turned on just as the Audi began driving away, mere seconds after unmarked vehicles tried boxing it in.
Released incident reports, from which the Sheriff’s Office redacted the names of most deputies involved, said those on scene were in the area as part of a training session involving “covert-style operations and scenario-based role-playing.” The initial report, written by Detective Jason Denning, said deputies were pulled away from the training to stop Baez’s car from leaving the parking lot.
The report seemed to contradict arrest affidavits filed in court, which said Baez’s car had an obscured tag when deputies began investigating. Denning wrote in his report that the car had a temporary license tag, which is visible in the surveillance video.
None of the deputies involved wore body cameras and their vehicles didn’t record dash camera footage.
Last week, lawyers provided photos of Lowe’s hands, which were shot three times each, leaving Lowe without one of his fingers. Gómez was shot in the back after climbing into the backseat of the car.
Meanwhile, López didn’t comment on why the pair weren’t stopped as they left the store with the stolen goods, which one report said were valued at $46.16.
Breaking News
López also criticized news outlets for questioning his silence in the 11 days since the shooting, “because I’m not in charge of that or a part of the investigation” and called the lawyers “people who have potential financial motivation and obvious goals to talk quickly and loudly.”
NeJame on Tuesday turned that allegation back on López.
“If he doesn’t have a vested interest in this, then who does?” NeJame said in response. “If he wants to talk about surrendering his paycheck and I’ll surrender mine, tell him to give me a call, we’ll talk about it. But to try to dirty us up for doing our job, shame on him.”
Until Monday, López said he wouldn’t comment or release information to allow the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the shooting, a move he touted as being “transparent” but which experts said violated Florida’s public records laws.
FDLE records show nearly 300 agencies have agreements to turn over their shooting investigations to the state agency, with the Osceola agency having such an agreement since at least 2017, four years before López took office. Other Central Florida agencies have similar agreements with FDLE but routinely release more information in the immediate aftermath of shootings by officers.
“We do things a little bit different here in Osceola County,” López said, acknowledging nothing stopped him from speaking about the case sooner. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-attorney-kissimmee-shooting-response-osceola-sheriff-20220510-rdco5w5dvbcf5mrzbjasddhk5e-story.html | 2022-05-10 22:56:18 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-ne-attorney-kissimmee-shooting-response-osceola-sheriff-20220510-rdco5w5dvbcf5mrzbjasddhk5e-story.html |
DEAR AMY: Many years ago, I left my wife and child. I’m not proud of what I did, but I acknowledge that I basically abandoned them. I did pay child support (most of the time), but I moved to another part of the country and basically started over.
I am a better man now. I have a solid marriage and two children I love and care for.
I have not seen my son from my first marriage since he was 9 years old. He is now in his early-20s and has contacted me. He obviously wants to have a relationship of some kind with me, but I don’t want to have one with him. I don’t think I can continue on the positive path I have in life if I have to go back and pick up the pieces from my previous mistakes.
I’m wondering how to tell him this. I’m hoping you can give me some ideas.
– Divorced Dad
DEAR DAD: If you aren’t brave enough to take on having any kind of relationship with your first-born child, then you really aren’t a better man. You’re just a different version of the man you were. My interpretation of your issue is that you are hanging by a thread, and you know it.
I suggest that you tell your son much of what you say here, acknowledging that you abandoned him, that you are ashamed, but that you are not brave enough to have a relationship with him now. Express your fervent hope that he grows to be a better man than you’ve been.
***
DEAR AMY: I am a widow. I’ve been in a relationship with “Bernie,” a widower, for nine years. We live quite a distance apart and trade off spending weekends together.
A few years ago, when Bernie established a FaceTime account, he included his late wife “Bernice’s” name on it so that when he FaceTimes with me, the notification comes in as from “BernieandBernice.”
I have asked him to change it, and his reply is that he cannot change it and that he still “cares about her.” Obviously, he does not want to change it.
I take issue with this. It’s as though he is including her in our personal and sometimes intimate conversations.
Bernie says I am too sensitive; I say he is IN-sensitive.
I feel it is disrespectful to me, and also to his late wife.
It hurts me terribly every time I receive a Facetime call from him. I have shed many tears because of this.
And, if he were to email or contact friends of mine through Facetime and the two names appeared this way, I would find it humiliating.
I have told only a few friends about this, who say they would never tolerate such insulting disregard.
What do you suggest?
– Tired
DEAR TIRED: I am assuming that because “Bernie” lives on his own, he likely has photos, objects, and memorabilia from their lives together, honoring her legacy.
The way I read your account, you believe he chose this particular “handle” for his FaceTime calls after you two started seeing one another, but FaceTime handles are often tied to an email account, and if he and his late-wife shared an email account, this handle would automatically turn up on FaceTime.
There are ways to change this. He could unlink FaceTime from his email address and have it only identified by his phone number (go to settings/FaceTime and “uncheck” the box next to the email address).
You are triggered and saddened by this very specific thing. This one thing. You have mentioned this to Bernie, and he remains intractable.
If receiving these FaceTime calls upsets you so much, then you should stop accepting these calls when they come in. Don’t make a big deal about it. Just tell him that you can’t seem to get over this particular hill.
Perhaps during one of your weekends at Bernie’s, you two might research other video chatting services to use where this issue wouldn’t surface.
***
DEAR AMY: “Curious Mom” had recently hired an in-home therapist helping to care for her special needs son. Although the therapist provided good care, Curious had a number of concerns about her.
Thank you, Amy, for encouraging this mom to communicate her boundaries and expectations, using clear language.
These parents should use a “team” approach to their son’s care, and the therapist is an important team member.
– Experienced Reader
DEAR EXPERIENCED: The team approach is a great way for this family to move forward. Thank you.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
©2023 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.nj.com/advice/2023/04/ask-amy-man-is-unwilling-to-have-a-relationship-with-the-adult-son-he-abandon-as-a-child.html | 2023-04-01 11:27:23 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/advice/2023/04/ask-amy-man-is-unwilling-to-have-a-relationship-with-the-adult-son-he-abandon-as-a-child.html |
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By SEAN HIGHKIN
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Mark Sears had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists, and No. 18 Alabama sent top-ranked North Carolina to a second straight loss with a 103-101 victory in a quadruple-overtime thriller on Sunday in the third-place game of the Phil Knight Invitational tournament.
Jahvon Quinerly added 21 points off the bench for the Crimson Tide (6-1), who knocked off the top-ranked team for the first time since upsetting Stanford in the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
“I was losing track of how many overtimes we were in there at the end,” Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said. “A lot of credit to our guys. I thought they showed a lot of character when we could have folded.”
Charles Bediako had 14 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks, while Brandon Miller also scored 14 points.
Caleb Love led the Tar Heels (5-2) with 34 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. Armando Bacot contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds, and R.J. Davis had 19 points and nine rebounds in the second four-overtime game in North Carolina history. The other was a victory over Tulane in 1976.
“At the end of the day, Alabama made one more play than we did,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said. “I walked in the locker room and a number of the guys had their head down and I told them to pick their head up. I’m just as disappointed (as the players) in terms of the final outcome, but I couldn’t be any more proud about the way they competed.”
Bediako gave the Crimson Tide the lead for good on a layup with 26 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime.
The Tar Heels, who lost to Iowa State in the semifinals, led by as much as eight in the second half before Alabama came back to tie it. The Crimson Tide retook the lead on a pair of free throws from Gurley with 2 minutes remaining, and later tied with another free throw from Sears with 51 seconds remaining in regulation.
Alabama starting forward Noah Clowney took a hard fall on a dunk attempt four minutes into the first half and had to be helped off the court. He did not return.
The Crimson Tide were 16 for 38 (42.1%) from 3-point range, with Sears making seven.
BIG PICTURE
North Carolina: The Tar Heels figure to take a deep drop in the Top 25 poll.
Alabama: The Crimson Tide bounced back nicely following their loss to No. 20 UConn in the semifinals, beating a top-ranked team in the regular season for the first time since a 66-64 victory over eventual national champion Arkansas on Jan. 8, 1994.
UP NEXT:
North Carolina: The Tar Heels travel to Bloomington to face No. 11 Indiana on Wednesday.
Alabama: The Crimson Tide return home to face South Dakota State on Saturday.
___
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.timesleader.com/wire/nation-world/1588355/no-18-alabama-beats-no-1-north-carolina-103-101-in-4-ots | 2022-11-28 03:21:12 | 1 | https://www.timesleader.com/wire/nation-world/1588355/no-18-alabama-beats-no-1-north-carolina-103-101-in-4-ots |
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Fast food chain Taco Bell has been ordered to pay thousands for allegedly denying customers the right to cash out gift cards valued at less than $10.
The complaint was filed on behalf of the district attorney’s offices in Ventura, Los Angeles, and Sonoma counties.
The ruling ordered Taco Bell Corporation and its subsidiary, GCTB LLC, to pay $85,500 for violating California’s gift card law, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
According to California Civil Code 1749.5, the owner of a gift card with a balance of less than $10 can obtain a refund from the merchant if they do not wish to spend the remaining balance.
The settlement terms state that Taco Bell will pay $45,000 in civil penalties, $30,500 in investigative costs, and $10,000 to the California Consumer Protection Prosecution Trust Fund.
“Gift card redemption laws ensure that large corporations do not profit, at the expense of the consumer, off unspent dollars that consumers cannot or do not wish to use at that retailer,” said Ventura County Senior Deputy District Attorney Andrew Reid. “In California, consumers have the right to receive unspent gift card amounts less than $10 so that they can use that money as they wish.”
Taco Bell’s corporate and franchise locations are required to post a visible notice near cash registers advising customers of their right to cash out gift cards and the proper method to obtain the redemption.
Taco Bell’s gift cards will be required to include a message directing customers to the company’s gift card redemption website.
Annual training on California’s gift card law is also required for all Taco Bell restaurant managers and franchisees. | https://phl17.com/nmw/taco-bell-fined-for-violating-california-gift-card-laws/ | 2023-06-15 13:01:56 | 0 | https://phl17.com/nmw/taco-bell-fined-for-violating-california-gift-card-laws/ |
When the Rev. Kyunglim Shin Lee was ordained in 1988, it angered her in-laws for contravening long-held Korean cultural values subordinating women’s roles in society. Even her husband, a pastor, told her he understood intellectually “but his heart couldn’t accept it.”
Those reactions broke Lee’s heart — and steeled her resolve. Today she is vice president for international relations at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.; has traveled to 60 countries as the seminary’s ambassador; and once served as interim lead pastor at a Korean American church for 11 months. Along the journey, she visualized herself as a speeding train.
“People would either have to get in for the ride, or step out of the way,” she said. “Once I became convinced that God can use me, no one or nothing could stop me.”
Lee’s success story is rare in the realm of Korean American churches, where women are seldom seen in the pulpits. In a time when women make up about 20% of Protestant pastors in the United States, Korean American female pastors still struggle to gain acceptance in their home churches and often end up assuming leadership roles elsewhere.
Women like Lee who have broken barriers in these spaces remain pessimistic about the pace of change and are concerned by the resilience of patriarchal attitudes even among second- and third-generation Korean Americans. More representation in church elder boards and in the pulpit is needed to promote equality and provide role models for younger women considering ministry, they say, but bringing about such cultural shift has proved a formidable challenge.
Gender equality in Korean American churches lags well behind congregations in South Korea, according to the Rev. Young Lee Hertig, executive director of Innovative Space for Asian American Christianity, which supports Asian American women in ministry. There are more female lead pastors in South Korea, she said, “because culture changes faster when it is mainstream.”
“Korean American churches are the most patriarchal among Asian American churches. … Things should have changed by now, but they haven’t,” Hertig said.
Male dominance in traditional Korean society has roots in Confucianism from centuries ago, when women were subject to the authority of their husbands and fathers and in many ways barred from participating in public life. Many immigrants from Korea still hold such notions, and churches especially have been slow to embrace equality, said Grace Ji-Sun Kim, a theology professor at the Earlham School of Religion in Indiana.
“It’s hard for Korean women to be ministers because they are expected to be obedient to men,” she said. “It’s difficult for (Korean) men to listen to a woman who is preaching because this idea of superiority is embedded in their psyche.”
The Rev. Janette Ok, an associate professor specializing in the New Testament at Fuller Seminary and pastor at Ekko Church, a nondenominational congregation in Fullerton, California, agreed that “representation matters.”
She was fortunate to have a role model while growing up in the 1980s in Detroit, where she saw a Korean woman leading her church’s English-language service every Sunday — but at the time didn’t grasp how exceptional that was.
“I watched her give sacraments, give the benediction. I still have this image of her in a pastoral robe and stole,” Ok said. “Without her example, I would’ve never imagined I could become a pastor.”
That woman was the Rev. Mary Paik. Now retired and living in Hawaii, Paik said she was only hired as a last resort because the male applicants’ English wasn’t good enough. She received a “lot of strange looks” as an unmarried, 30-year-old female pastor.
Male church elders were patronizing and treated her like a daughter, while some of the younger men flirted with her or refused to acknowledge her. Many of the older women seemed to find her presence inconceivable.
“But some younger women were standing up a little straighter because I was there,” Paik said. “They felt good about it.”
She has seen some progress. When the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) started a group in 1991 for female Korean American clergy in the denomination, there were just 18. Today there are 150.
“When I started this, I was alone,” Paik said. “Now there are other women who talk to each other, share their struggles with one another. As long as we do it together, it’s bearable. And we do it not because it’s easy or hard, but because it’s a calling.”
But Ok said that while there are more of them in ministry now, most end up serving in mainline or multiethnic congregations rather than Korean American churches.
“There is this sense that I love my home church and I don’t want to abandon my home community,” she said. “But they don’t affirm me as a leader. It’s heartbreaking.”
Ok’s own church is largely Asian American, but not specifically Korean. Several years ago she served as interim lead pastor for nine months.
“I was afraid people would leave because I’m a woman, but they didn’t,” she said. “That was very encouraging. Change doesn’t happen overnight. You have to create pathways and pipelines.”
Soo Ji Alvarez is in a similar situation. After growing up in a conservative Korean immigrant church in Vancouver, British Columbia, that had no female pastors, today she is lead pastor of The Avenue Church, a multiethnic Free Baptist congregation in Riverside, California.
The move away from her home church was not intentional but happened organically, she said, and she embraces her pastoral position as a role model.
“It’s a big deal for me (as a woman of Korean descent) to lead a congregation,” she said. “I hope I can help pave the way for others so they know it’s possible. Ministry should be like any other career — your ethnicity or gender should not affect your chances.”
As for the pastors’ male counterparts in Korean American churches, Kim, for one, expressed anger that so many stay silent on the issue: “They feel like fighting social justice issues shouldn’t be the church’s business. But to me it is God’s work. It’s important, necessary work.”
But Lee, whose ordination was objectionable to her family, said it pleases her to see some male pastors welcome women to the pulpit — as her husband eventually did.
The Rev. John Park, who leads Numa Church in Buena Park, California, is one male pastor who embraces such allyship. He called on men to consciously work to empower women, citing Scripture in the words of the Apostle Paul: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
“The Bible is clear on the issue of equality,” Park said. “But this is an internal battle in our community. We’re fighting our own past.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.cenlanow.com/international/ap-international/korean-american-female-pastors-push-back-against-patriarchy/ | 2022-04-25 03:13:27 | 1 | https://www.cenlanow.com/international/ap-international/korean-american-female-pastors-push-back-against-patriarchy/ |
NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Fran Cartwright, chief nursing officer at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, one of two hospitals where nurses walked off the job on Monday.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Fran Cartwright, chief nursing officer at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, one of two hospitals where nurses walked off the job on Monday.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.apr.org/business-education/business-education/2023-01-12/thousands-of-nurses-end-strikes-at-2-new-york-city-hospitals | 2023-01-12 13:08:17 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/business-education/business-education/2023-01-12/thousands-of-nurses-end-strikes-at-2-new-york-city-hospitals |
Liquid Cooled Large Scale AI Training Infrastructure Delivered as a Total Rack Integrated Solution to Accelerate Deployment, Increase Performance, and Reduce Total Cost to the Environment
SAN JOSE, Calif. and HAMBURG, Germany, May 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Supermicro, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI), a Total IT Solution Provider for Cloud, AI/ML, Storage, and 5G/Edge, continues to expand its data center offerings with liquid cooled NVIDIA HGX H100 rack scale solutions. Advanced liquid cooling technologies entirely from Supermicro reduce the lead time for a complete installation, increase performance, and result in lower operating expenses while significantly reducing the PUE of data centers. Savings for a data center are estimated to be 40% for power when using Supermicro liquid cooling solutions compared to an air-cooled data center. In addition, up to 86% reduction in direct cooling costs compared to existing data centers may be realized.
"Supermicro continues to lead the industry supporting the demanding needs of AI workloads and modern data centers worldwide," said Charles Liang, president, and CEO of Supermicro. "Our innovative GPU servers that use our liquid cooling technology significantly lower the power requirements of data centers. With the amount of power required to enable today's rapidly evolving large scale AI models, optimizing TCO and the Total Cost to Environment (TCE) is crucial to data center operators. We have proven expertise in designing and building entire racks of high-performance servers. These GPU systems are designed from the ground up for rack scale integration with liquid cooling to provide superior performance, efficiency, and ease of deployments, allowing us to meet our customers' requirements with a short lead time."
To learn more about Supermicro's GPU servers, visit: https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/gpu
AI-optimized racks with the latest Supermicro product families, including the Intel and AMD server product lines, can be quickly delivered from standard engineering templates or easily customized based on the user's unique requirements. Supermicro continues to offer the industry's broadest product line with the highest-performing servers and storage systems to tackle complex compute-intensive projects. Rack scale integrated solutions give customers the confidence and ability to plug the racks in, connect to the network and become more productive sooner than managing the technology themselves.
The top-of-the-line liquid cooled GPU server contains dual Intel or AMD CPUs and eight or four interconnected NVIDIA HGX H100 Tensor Core GPUs. Using liquid cooling reduces the power consumption of data centers by up to 40%, resulting in lower operating costs. In addition, both systems significantly surpass the previous generation of NVIDIA HGX GPU equipped systems, providing up to 30x performance and efficiency in today's large transformer models with faster GPU-GPU interconnect speed and PCIe 5.0 based networking and storage.
State-of-the-art eight NVIDIA H100 SXM5 Tensor Core GPU servers from Supermicro for today's largest scale AI models include:
- SYS-821GE-TNHR – (Dual 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs, NVIDIA HGX H100 8 GPUs, 8U) https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/system/GPU/8U/SYS-821GE-TNHR
- AS -8125GS-TNHR – (Dual 4th Gen AMD EPYC CPUs, NVIDIA HGX H100 8 GPUs, 8U) https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/system/GPU/8U/AS-8125GS-TNHR
Supermicro also designs a range of GPU servers customizable for fast AI training, vast volume AI inferencing, or AI-fused HPC workloads, including the systems with four NVIDIA H100 SXM5 Tensor Core GPUs.
- SYS-421GU-TNXR - (Dual 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs, NVIDIA HGX H100 4 GPUs, 4U) https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/system/GPU/4U/SYS-421GU-TNXR
- SYS-521GU-TNXR - (Dual 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs, NVIDIA HGX H100 4 GPUs, 5U) https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/system/GPU/4U/SYS-521GU-TNXR
Supermicro's liquid cooling rack level solution includes a Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) that provides up to 80kW of direct-to-chip (D2C) cooling for today's highest TDP CPUs and GPUs for a wide range of Supermicro servers. The redundant and hot-swappable power supply and liquid cooling pumps ensure that the servers will be continuously cooled, even with a power supply or pump failure. The leak-proof connectors give customers the added confidence of uninterrupted liquid cooling for all systems. Learn more about the Supermicro Liquid Cooling system at: https://www.supermicro.com/en/solutions/liquid-cooling
Rack scale design and integration has become a critical service for systems suppliers. As AI and HPC have become an increasingly critical technology within organizations, configurations from the server level to the entire data center must be optimized and configured for maximum performance. The Supermicro system and rack scale experts work closely with customers to explore the requirements and have the knowledge and manufacturing abilities to deliver significant numbers of racks to customers worldwide.
Read the Supermicro Large Scale AI Solution Brief - https://www.supermicro.com/solutions/Solution-Brief_Rack_Scale_AI.pdf
Supermicro at ISC
To explore these technologies and meet with our experts, plan on visiting the Supermicro Booth D405 at ISC High Performance 2023 event in Hamburg, Germany, May 21 – 25, 2023.
About Super Micro Computer, Inc.
Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI) is a global leader in Application-Optimized Total IT Solutions. Founded and operating in San Jose, California, Supermicro is committed to delivering first to market innovation for Enterprise, Cloud, AI, and 5G Telco/Edge IT Infrastructure. We are transforming into a Total IT Solutions provider with server, AI, storage, IoT, and switch systems, software, and services while delivering advanced high-volume motherboard, power, and chassis products. The products are designed and manufactured in-house (in the US, Taiwan, and the Netherlands), leveraging global operations for scale and efficiency and optimized to improve TCO and reduce environmental impact (Green Computing). The award-winning portfolio of Server Building Block Solutions® allows customers to optimize for their exact workload and application by selecting from a broad family of systems built from our flexible and reusable building blocks that support a comprehensive set of form factors, processors, memory, GPUs, storage, networking, power and cooling solutions (air-conditioned, free air cooling or liquid cooling).
Supermicro, Server Building Block Solutions, and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc.
Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
All other brands, names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Super Micro Computer, Inc. | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/22/supermicro-launches-industrys-first-nvidia-hgx-h100-8-4-gpu-h100-servers-with-liquid-cooling-reduces-data-center-power-costs-by-up-40/ | 2023-05-22 08:25:06 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/22/supermicro-launches-industrys-first-nvidia-hgx-h100-8-4-gpu-h100-servers-with-liquid-cooling-reduces-data-center-power-costs-by-up-40/ |
5 things to know for May 18: Primaries, Covid, Ukraine, Buffalo shooting, Immigration
By Alexandra Meeks, CNN
Prices at the pump are on the rise — again. The average cost of gasoline in California hit $6 a gallon yesterday for the first time, and that price could spread nationwide by the end of the summer, analysts at JPMorgan said.
Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
(You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. Primaries
Voters in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky, Idaho and Oregon cast their ballots yesterday to pick their party nominees for the 2022 midterms. High-profile Senate races in the swing states of Pennsylvania and North Carolina have captured national attention, with control of the 50-50 chamber on the line in November. There are also a number of US House races that could determine whether Democrats continue to hold their five-seat majority. In Pennsylvania, the Republican primary battle was neck-and-neck early this morning as Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor backed by former President Donald Trump, and Dave McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, continue to battle for the top spot. The winner of that race will face Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who cruised to victory in the Democratic primary despite being hospitalized after suffering a stroke days earlier.
2. Coronavirus
More than one million people have now died of Covid-19 in the US since the pandemic’s start, according to data from Johns Hopkins University — and experts believe the true toll of the disease is even higher. About three-quarters of all Covid-19 deaths have been among seniors, according to CDC data. Last week, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation marking a million deaths and ordered the American flag to fly half-staff, writing that the nation “must not grow numb to such sorrow.” Yesterday, the White House also announced US households are now able to order “an additional eight free at-home tests at COVIDTests.gov — bringing the total number of free tests available to each household since the start of the program to 16,” the administration said.
3. Ukraine
The evacuation mission at the Azovstol steel plant in Mariupol is nearing an end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday. According to Ukrainian officials, it will soon mark the conclusion of Ukrainian forces’ “combat mission” at the complex, which was for weeks the last major holdout in a city otherwise occupied by Russian troops. Meanwhile, Finland and Sweden handed in their applications to join NATO today, the US-led military alliance’s secretary general said, in a formal step toward ending decades of neutrality. Separately, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will announce a plan to speed up the world’s switch to renewable energy today, saying that the war in Ukraine is a wake-up call for the globe to ditch fossil fuels, according to prepared remarks.
4. Buffalo shooting
The 18-year-old White man who allegedly carried out a racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket on Saturday created a private chat room on the communications app Discord and invited people to view his chat logs approximately 30 minutes before he opened fire, a Discord spokesperson told CNN yesterday. The posts, which showed Payton Gendron had been planning the shooting for several months, ultimately became public when he invited people to join, the spokesperson said. New details are also emerging about the weapon believed to be used in the shooting — a legally obtained AR-15 style rifle. Law enforcement officials said there appear to have been no red flags that would have prevented the 18-year-old from obtaining the three guns said to be found in his possession — the one used in the attack and two guns in his car.
5. Immigration
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged yesterday that the agency has “not seen a significant decrease” in migrants coming to the US-Mexico border despite its efforts to restrict the flow. In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, Mayorkas said, “We’re seeing about a seven-day average of over 7,500 people, so we have not seen a significant decrease in the flows.” In April, US Border Patrol stopped border crossers 201,800 times, a 4% drop from March, according to newly released data. But numbers remain at historic highs, straining resources. Mayorkas’ remarks come amid uncertainty over the future of the pandemic restriction known as Title 42. The public health authority, which allows officials to turn migrants away at the US-Mexico border, is set to end on May 23 — but an ongoing lawsuit may prevent those plans.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Maye Musk becomes oldest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model
Her billionaire son may have dominated headlines recently, but the 74-year-old is now catching the spotlight for her own stunning swimsuit feature.
Brides are pumped to wear black wedding dresses
The black bridal gown trend is heating up… What do you think? Yay or nay?
Queen Elizabeth makes surprise appearance at opening of new London train line
What a pleasant surprise! The Queen was all smiles at this special event.
World paper airplane championship
One word: Impressive! Prepare to be wowed by the highlights from the event.
30 of the best fried foods around the world
If you have a crunchy craving for deep-fried foods, this one is for you.
TODAY’S NUMBER
100,000
That’s how many people Mexico has officially registered as missing or disappeared, according to data from the Interior Ministry’s National Registry of Missing People. From 1964 to present day, more than 24,700 are women, and more than 74,700 are men. The gender of 516 people is unknown. The figure has risen by more than 20,000 people in the past two years alone, according to the data, which was met with outrage and urgent calls for better systems for search and rescue.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“I do not have an explanation.”
— Deputy Director of Navy Intelligence Scott Bray, when asked to identify a spherical object moving at high speed in declassified video shared yesterday during a House subcommittee hearing on “unidentified aerial phenomena,” popularly known as UFOs. During the hearing, key lawmakers warned that UFOs must be investigated and taken seriously as a potential threat to national security.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
This woman never forgets a face
Seriously, this “super recognizer” can see someone from decades ago and immediately recognize them. What a cool talent! (Click here to view)
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/05/18/5-things-to-know-for-may-18-primaries-covid-ukraine-buffalo-shooting-immigration-5/ | 2022-05-18 11:52:44 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2022/05/18/5-things-to-know-for-may-18-primaries-covid-ukraine-buffalo-shooting-immigration-5/ |
Crypto banking and payments provider sponsors Ruairí Bell as he targets the 2022 Championship
LONDON, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BVNK, the crypto-powered business banking and payments platform, today announces that it will sponsor rally driver Ruairí Bell for the 2022 British Rally Championship. BVNK's logo will appear alongside Ruairí's other key sponsors, which include crypto companies Inspira Wealth and NEAR Protocol, for a crypto-heavy branding of his Skoda Fabia Rally Car.
Ruairí is a 22 year-old from Blackheath, London. His professional career started in 2019, when he won the junior British Rally championship Fiesta prize and secured a scholarship to the junior world Rally championship. This year, Ruairí is competing in the top class of the Championship as one of the youngest drivers on the circuit.
Jesse Hemson-Struthers, BVNK's CEO, said: "Ruairí is on a mission to bring rally driving into the 21st century by, among other things, making his team climate positive across the 2022 season. His journey mirrors ours at BVNK, where we're trying to reshape business banking and payments services using digitally native infrastructure to make banking faster and more efficient. This is a great fit, and we look forward to cheering Ruairí on in his 2022 campaign."
Ruairí Bell comments: "2022 promises to be a great Championship after the disruption of the past two years, and I'm grateful to BNVK and my other sponsors for their help ensuring my car and team are able to compete at their best. My aim as a driver is to help change the face of rally driving, and I'm proud to partner with forward-looking brands like BVNK who can help me achieve this goal."
The sponsorship deal follows the news that BVNK has secured $40 million in Series A funding, an investment that it is using to expand its services, markets, and operations.
Hemson-Struthers adds: "The very fact that we are now promoting BVNK at a mainstream sports event shows that crypto banking and payments is no longer a niche activity. And as consumers increasingly demand to pay for goods and services through cryptocurrencies, businesses need a banking platform like ours that can accept crypto payments, settle crypto assets, and bridge seamlessly between fiat and crypto economies."
About BVNK
Headquartered in London, BVNK is the 'go to' crypto-powered payments and banking platform for global businesses. As the worlds of traditional finance and digital assets converge, we help businesses incorporate cryptocurrencies into corporate treasury operations. Via a single account, customers can bridge between fiat currencies and digital assets to manage payment, yield, trading and custody in support of their business goals. With a focus on regulatory compliance and acquiring appropriate licences, and through partnerships with best-in-class institutional crypto custody solutions, lending desks and liquidity pools, BVNK is the banking and payments platform for crypto-native and crypto-curious businesses.
Inquiries: pr@bvnk.com
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SOURCE BVNK | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_sports/bvnk-signs-on-to-support-the-british-rally-championships-crypto-car/article_242b619e-6793-5062-ae0c-16c03c176ebc.html | 2022-05-31 07:56:30 | 0 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_sports/bvnk-signs-on-to-support-the-british-rally-championships-crypto-car/article_242b619e-6793-5062-ae0c-16c03c176ebc.html |
Company to participate in fireside chat at the ICR 2023 conference on Tuesday, January 10, 2023
HAMPTON, N.H., Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT), one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, announced today that as of December 31, 2022, it had approximately 17.0 million members, an increase of 1.8 million members since the end of 2021. Additionally, in 2022, it placed equipment in 154 new franchised locations and opened 158 new Planet Fitness stores including 14 corporate-owned locations, bringing system-wide total stores to 2,410.
"We continued to grow the Planet Fitness footprint and brand presence, resulting in the largest fourth quarter membership growth on record, driving strong momentum heading into 2023. We are thrilled to have welcomed so many new members to Planet Fitness, exceeding our member growth expectations for the year, which we believe reinforces consumers' commitment to health and wellness and that the high-quality, affordable fitness experience Planet Fitness provides continues to resonate," said Chris Rondeau, CEO of Planet Fitness.
The Company plans to release its full fiscal year 2022 results and a 2023 outlook on February 23, 2023.
Management's fireside chat presentation is scheduled for January 10, 2023, at 10:30 am Eastern Time.
A live webcast of the presentation will be available at http://investor.planetfitness.com.
Founded in 1992 in Dover, NH, Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of December 31, 2022, Planet Fitness had approximately 17.0 million members and 2,410 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico and Australia. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone®. Approximately 90 percent of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include the Company's statements with respect to expected future performance presented under the headings "Additional Key Points to be Shared During the Event" and "Long-Term Growth Targets," those attributed to the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer in this press release, including with respect to the Company's growth opportunities, ability to create long-term value for our shareholders, long-term store and member growth, and other statements, estimates and projections that do not relate solely to historical facts. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "goal," plan," "will," "prospects," "future," "strategy," "projected" and similar references to future periods, although not all forward-looking statements include these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are not assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on the Company's current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company's control. Actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties associated with the duration and impact of COVID-19, which has resulted and may in the future result in store closures and a decrease in our net membership base and may give rise to or heighten one or more of the other risks and uncertainties described herein, competition in the fitness industry, the Company's and franchisees' ability to attract and retain members, the Company's and franchisees' ability to identify and secure suitable sites for new franchise stores, changes in consumer demand, changes in equipment costs, the Company's ability to expand into new markets domestically and internationally, operating costs for the Company and franchisees generally, availability and cost of capital for franchisees, acquisition activity, developments and changes in laws and regulations, our substantial increased indebtedness as a result of our refinancing and securitization transactions and our ability to incur additional indebtedness or refinance that indebtedness in the future, our future financial performance and our ability to pay principal and interest on our indebtedness, our corporate structure and tax receivable agreements, failures, interruptions or security breaches of the Company's information systems or technology, our ability to successfully integrate and realize the anticipated benefits from the Sunshine Acquisition, general economic conditions and the other factors described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and the Company's other filings with the SEC. In light of the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's views only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates or representatives undertake any obligation to provide additional information or to correct or update any information set forth in this release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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SOURCE Planet Fitness, Inc. | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/01/09/planet-fitness-announces-key-year-end-metrics/ | 2023-01-09 22:40:11 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/01/09/planet-fitness-announces-key-year-end-metrics/ |
ABERNETHY, Perth — Authorities in Western Australia on Wednesday recovered a tiny but dangerous radioactive capsule that fell off a truck while being transported along a 1,400-kilometer (870-mile) Outback highway last month in what an official said was like finding the needle in the haystack.
Officials said the capsule the size of a pea was found south of the mining town of Newman on the Great Northern Highway. It was detected by a search vehicle travelling at 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour when specialist equipment picked up radiation emitting from the capsule.
Portable search equipment was then used to locate it 2 meters (6.5 feet) from the side of the road.
“This is an extraordinary result ... they have quite literally found the needle in the haystack,” said Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson.
Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said the capsule did not appear to have moved and no injuries had been reported.
It contains the caesium 137 ceramic source, commonly used in radiation gauges, which emits dangerous amounts of radiation, equivalent of receiving 10 X-rays in an hour. It could cause skin burns and prolonged exposure could cause cancer.
Search crews had spent six days scouring the entire length of the highway.
The capsule measures 8 millimeters by 6 millimeters (0.31 inches by 0.24 inches), and people have been warned it could have unknowingly become lodged in their car’s tires.
A government investigation has been launched into how the capsule fell off the truck and a report will be provided to the health minister.
Defense officials were verifying the identification of the capsule, which has been placed into a lead container for safety. It will be stored in a secure location in Newman before being transported to a health facility in the city of Perth.
The capsule got lost while being transported between a desert mine site and Perth on Jan. 10. The truck transporting the capsule arrived at a Perth depot on Jan. 16. Emergency services were notified of the missing capsule on Jan. 25.
The chief executive of the mining giant Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Simon Trott, has apologized for the incident and expressed gratitude for the find.
“A pretty incredible recovery when you think of the distances involved, and also the remoteness of the terrain, and I think that really speaks to the tenacity of all those who were involved in the search,” Trott said.
“The simple fact is this device should never have been lost. We’re sorry that that has occurred and we’re sorry for the concern that that has caused within the Western Australian community,” Trott added.
Robertson said the investigation of the mishap could lead to a prosecution.
“We have the ability to prosecute under the Radiation Safety Act and we will certainly look at such prosecutions, and we’ve done that in the past,” Robertson said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a 1,000 Australian dollar ($708) fine was an inadequate maximum penalty for mishandling radioactive material.
“It shouldn’t have been lost, that’s the first thing. And second, yeah of course that figure is ridiculously low,” Albanese said.
Dawson said the state government was reviewing the penalties under the Radiation Safety Act. | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/radioactive-capsule-found-in-australia/507-9c255c82-acae-40e2-9853-0d583542266b | 2023-02-01 14:44:37 | 0 | https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/radioactive-capsule-found-in-australia/507-9c255c82-acae-40e2-9853-0d583542266b |
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host a special practice session for a pair of drivers.
IndyCar said Thursday’s practice will involve Graham Rahal’s No. 24 car from Dreyer & Reinbold with Cusick Motorsports and Katherine Legge’s No. 44 car from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
The 15-minute session will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Both racing teams have extenuating circumstances—and their situations are linked. Legge’s practice session was cut short on Monday after she was involved in a crash that sent Stefan Wilson to the hospital.
As a result, Wilson needed surgery and will miss the race. His team needed a driver and called Rahal, who was bumped from the field during qualifying.
Rahal, who typically drives for Honda, received clearance from the manufacturer and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, to drive for a different team. The Dreyer & Reinbold car is a Chevrolet.
In a news conference Tuesday, Rahal admitted he’d face a tight turnaround for learning a new team and car. He thought his only on-track opportunity would be the final Indy 500 practice on Carb Day.
For Thursday’s practice, each team will be allowed unlimited install laps (out and in) within the time frame. They won’t be allowed to stay on the track to cross the start-finish line and the Yard of Bricks, according to IndyCar.
The final Indy 500 practice is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. The race is scheduled for Sunday, May 28. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/rahal-legge-to-get-special-practice-session-thursday-following-mondays-crash/ | 2023-05-24 17:58:50 | 0 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/rahal-legge-to-get-special-practice-session-thursday-following-mondays-crash/ |
WISE COUNTY, Texas — A 45-year-old man has been arrested and faces charges in connection with the deaths of his wife and eldest daughter, according to the Wise County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
WCSO said Robert A. Morairity has been charged with tampering with a corpse, murder and capital murder in the deaths of his wife, 42-year-old Kimberly Kellam and their 11-year-old daughter, whose name has not been released.
According to officials, at about 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 12, Kellam’s brother-in-law called the WCSO Emergency Call Center to report that he hadn’t seen his sister-in-law (Kellam) and her 11-year-old daughter in several months.
"I wish they would've called us earlier, but they neglected to do that," Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin told WFAA.
"They were all scared to death of this guy, they were afraid to say anything," he added.
The brother-in-law told law enforcement that Kellam was living in a home on County Road 4371 near Decatur, with her husband, Morairity, and their three children.
When deputies arrived at the home on June 12, they knocked on the door and walked the property – eventually determining that it had been abandoned, officials said.
They also learned, according to Akin, that the 11-year-old girl had not been enrolled in school since 2022.
Around 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, investigators said Morairity was located in Dallas. A WCSO investigator, along with Texas Rangers and Dallas Police Department officers, met with Morairity who had two of his children (ages 3 and 10) with him.
WCSO said Morairity initially claimed that he had not seen his wife or oldest daughter in six months. But eventually, Morairity admitted that his wife and 11-year-old daughter were dead, and their remains were inside the garage at their home on County Road 4371.
WCSO said Morairity volunteered to accompany an investigator and a Texas Ranger to go back to home. When they got there, Morairity pointed out the locations of where both his wife and daughter’s bodies could be found.
"And they had been there for quite some time… probably 5-6 months," Akin said.
"They were covered, and stowed away in the garage but it wasn’t hard to find ‘em. We don’t know exactly what the motive was, exactly how they were killed, but we know it was at his hand," he added.
Once they were discovered, Morairity was arrested and transported to the Wise County jail. His bond has been set at $800,000, officials said.
Both bodies have been sent to the Dallas Medical Examiner’s Officer for an autopsy, according to WCSO.
The couple's other two children are now in Child Protective Services' custody.
Akin said there is no history of calls for domestic violence to the family home. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/crime/texas-man-murder-arrest-wife-daughter-wise-county/287-1f418492-765e-42c4-a4b1-3feb4cd82a5d | 2023-06-15 14:39:20 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/crime/texas-man-murder-arrest-wife-daughter-wise-county/287-1f418492-765e-42c4-a4b1-3feb4cd82a5d |
US officials make case for renewal of surveillance powers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Biden administration officials urged Congress on Tuesday to renew a surveillance program that the U.S. government has long seen as vital in countering overseas terrorism, cyberattacks and espionage operations.
The program, which is under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, grants American spy agencies sweeping powers to surveil and examine communications of foreigners located outside the United States. It’s set to expire at year’s end unless Congress agrees to renew it. Officials in the Democratic administration are bracing for a contentious debate on Capitol Hill about reauthorizing the program, with civil liberties advocates aligning with Republicans in raising concerns about the scope of the government’s spy powers.
In an effort to preemptively head off privacy concerns, intelligence and national security officials sought to make a public case Tuesday that the statutory authorities at risk of expiring have yielded valuable insight in recent years into ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure, disrupted efforts to recruit spies and contributed to the killing of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in a drone strike last August.
At issue is a provision of FISA known as Section 702, which allows spy agencies to collect huge swaths of foreign communications. But that tool has drawn scrutiny from civil liberties advocates because it results in the incidental collection from Americans when those Americans are in contact with the foreign surveillance targets.
Section 702 was first added to FISA in 2008 and was renewed for six years in 2018, when then-President Donald Trump, who routinely lambasted government intelligence agencies, originally tweeted opposition to the program but then reversed himself.
This year’s fight for renewal is again unfolding in a polarized political climate, as Republicans still angry over FBI errors made during the investigation into links between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign have cast themselves as skeptical over the government’s need for broad spy powers and maintain that the authorities are ripe for abuse and overreach.
As part of an effort to persuade Congress to renew the program, and to present themselves as willing to make any needed adjustments to safeguard against abuses, the administration released a letter to lawmakers from Attorney General Merrick Garland and Avril Haines, the national intelligence director.
Separately, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, the Justice Department’s top national security official, delivered the same message in a speech at the Brookings Institution think tank.
“The bottom line is that Section 702 gives us the intelligence necessary to stay one step ahead of our adversaries,” Olsen was to say, according to a copy of his prepared remarks. “We cannot afford to allow it to lapse. And it is too important to the interests of the U.S. and our allies — and to our basic safety — to wait for the 11th hour to do so.”
National security officials say Section 702 makes possible their most critical work, from collecting intelligence on China to stopping ransomware attacks and other cyber intrusions that have disrupted government agencies and a wide range of industries. But they have declined to publicly give specifics of how they use surveillance programs, saying those are classified.
Courts and lawmakers have gotten a more detailed look at the program, but in private. Intelligence leaders have already been speaking to key lawmakers about Section 702 and will give classified and unclassified briefings to Congress later this year.
In their letter to Congress, Garland and Haines note that every court to consider Section 702′s bulk data program “has found it to be constitutional.”
The intelligence community has also never released a precise figure on how many searches are conducted of their bulk data for information on Americans. In its most recent transparency report, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the FBI had conducted “fewer than 3,394,053″ searches during 2021.
Besides civil liberties concerns, there are also questions about whether power given to U.S. intelligence after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks should be extended as it broadly refocuses from counterterrorism to what’s often called “great power competition” — Washington’s rivalries with Beijing and Moscow — and a range of other threats including cyberattacks.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/02/28/us-officials-make-case-renewal-surveillance-powers/ | 2023-02-28 16:07:53 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/02/28/us-officials-make-case-renewal-surveillance-powers/ |
Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Wilmington Nonprofits Receive Inaugural Funding
LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bezos Earth Fund announces today a $400 million commitment to enhance green spaces in underserved urban U.S. communities with more parks, trees, and community gardens. The Greening America's Cities initiative launches with $50 million for urban greening efforts in five cities–Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Wilmington, Delaware–and will expand to new U.S. cities through 2030.
Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez made the announcement with White House Senior Advisor John Podesta, Senator Alex Padilla, Congressman Tony Cárdenas, Bezos Earth Fund President and CEO Andrew Steer, Pacoima Beautiful Executive Director Veronica Padilla-Campos, City of Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley, community leaders and grantee partners at the Pacoima Wash in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. Pacoima Beautiful is one of 30 organizations receiving support in the first year of this new initiative.
"Access to nature is deeply unequal, and the importance of green spaces to underserved communities is often overlooked and unaddressed," said Lauren Sánchez, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. "Green spaces make a city more beautiful, livable, healthy, and joyful, but studies show that they also lower extreme summer temperatures, reducing heat stress. They support the mental and physical health of communities and even improve students' academic performance. This $400 million commitment will impact communities across the country, making a tangible difference people can see."
"We're excited to help green underserved communities throughout the U.S.," said Jeff Bezos, Executive Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. "Working together, we can bring nature and its many benefits to every corner of our cities."
The inaugural 2023 Greening America's Cities grantees are integral in leading these groundbreaking projects to advance green spaces in their communities. Their work includes community engagement, land acquisition, project design and construction, local training, and long-term maintenance.
"My community has long been on the front line of the climate crisis," said Congressman Tony Cárdenas. "Growing up in Pacoima, the air quality was so bad that we were prevented from playing outside. Today, even as circumstances have improved, residents not only endure poor air quality, but also extreme heat and drought. Fighting the climate crisis requires all hands on deck. I commend the Bezos Earth Fund for investing in our community and communities like Pacoima across the country. Pacoima Beautiful has a track record of supporting our residents, cleaning up our neighborhoods, and helping them adapt to a changing climate. This $3.5 million investment in the Pacoima Wash will allow them to do so much more to better the lives of Valley families."
Momentum is building to expand access to green spaces in underserved urban areas. The federal government, under the Inflation Reduction Act, committed $1.5 billion in funding to increase equitable access to green spaces and advance the Justice40 initiative.
There is clear evidence that "greening" U.S. cities with more—and better—parks, trees, and community gardens can improve physical and mental health, increase local resilience to climate impacts like extreme heat and reduce energy consumption. Health benefits come from improved air quality, more physical activity, reduced heat, the stress reduction effect of green spaces, and the opportunities green spaces create for social interaction.
Historic systems of segregation, exclusion, and land dispossession have led to many communities living in nature-deprived areas. Consequently, these communities often do not benefit from nature's benefits, like air and water purification, climate mitigation, or biodiversity.
The Greening America's Cities initiative builds on the Earth Fund's earlier $300 million in funding to climate and environmental justice groups in the U.S. Find more information on each city's projects and a complete list of the grantees here.
About the Bezos Earth Fund
The Bezos Earth Fund is Jeff Bezos' $10 billion commitment to fund scientists, activists, NGOs, and other actors who will drive climate and nature solutions. By allocating funds creatively, wisely, and boldly, the Bezos Earth Fund has the potential for transformative influence in this decisive decade. Funds will be fully allocated by 2030—the date the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals must be achieved.
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SOURCE Bezos Earth Fund | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/17/bezos-earth-fund-announces-400-million-greening-underserved-urban-us-communities/ | 2023-07-17 19:05:03 | 0 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/07/17/bezos-earth-fund-announces-400-million-greening-underserved-urban-us-communities/ |
CHICO — What was formerly the largest illegal camp holding 102 people in Chico is now empty.
The Comanche Creek Greenway has been cleared of most of it’s bulk as of Wednesday, said Chico Public Works Director Erik Gustafson.
“We got to all of the large stuff and in the coming days we’re going to focus on the microtrash like cigarette butts and bottlecaps,” said Gustafson.
After the Public Works department completes cleanup at Comanche Creek, the city plans to coordinate with volunteer groups to find other small trash, said Gustafson.
As of Tuesday, July 19, 153 tons of garbage and two 40-yard dumpsters of recyclable metal sent to Chico Scrap Metal recycling center, said City Manager Mark Sorensen.
On the first day of clear-outs on Monday, July 18, an estimated population of 20 residents were still living at the greenway.
“They went to various places,” said Sorensen. “Some went to the shelters and I’m sure that some of them went to the other sites in town.” | https://www.chicoer.com/2022/07/21/chico-completing-its-largest-camping-clear-out-operation/ | 2022-07-21 13:05:36 | 0 | https://www.chicoer.com/2022/07/21/chico-completing-its-largest-camping-clear-out-operation/ |
Which Cruella costume is best?
Cruella de Vil is a character from the classic animated movie “101 Dalmatians” and the recent 2021 movie remake, “Cruella.” The mischievous character dresses in bold and eccentric fashion statements. If you’re looking for a striking villain costume for a party or Halloween, you can’t go wrong with dressing like Cruella. For a quality option, the Lgandpg Cruella Costume is the best pick.
What to know before you buy a Cruella costume
Size and fit
Though there is a standard size chart, the charts online may vary. It depends on the brand or the region the clothes have been manufactured in. As such, the size of some costumes may run larger or smaller than what has been indicated. The fit may also vary based on your body shape. To get the most accurate size, check both the size number and the actual measurements.
Weather
Depending on where you live, you may need to add or remove some layers of clothing to your costume. For instance, in chilly weather, you can use items such as tights, leggings, capes or leather gloves to keep you warm while maintaining the character’s aesthetic. If the material of your costume is thick enough, you can remove some layers and add accessories and jewelry to finish the look.
Design
Cruella de Vil has multiple dresses that can be used as costumes. The most common Cruella dresses are the red flame dress and the classic black and white dress inspired by the dalmatian fur. These are also the easiest to find. However, you can choose any of her iconic looks and simply select accessories to replicate them.
Comfort
The best costume not only looks great but also feels great. Costumes with elastic seams and zippers make it easy to adjust the outfit to your preference and move around. It should also be made from a soft material as scratchy fabrics tend to irritate the skin. Additionally, your costume should not be too tight or too loose as that might be uncomfortable or shabby.
What to look for in a quality Cruella costume
Accessories
Additional accessories like gloves, jewelry or masks add to the authenticity of any Cruella-inspired outfit. Some classic items the character has include her black and white wig, fur coat and black cigarette holder. These pieces make your character come to life and add the flare Cruella is known for. High-quality costumes also have the actual accessories and not just designs that have been printed onto the costume.
Material and durability
A high-quality material can be used over and over again without looking worn out or shabby. The material should feel thick and heavy and should not tear easily. A good costume also has strong stitches that do not unravel when stretched or show any loose threads.
Authentic look
The best costumes pay attention to as much detail as possible, they are authentic and easily recognized by fans. For instance, one of Cruella’s signature looks is the black and white Dalmatian dress in a high-low design with black gloves. Another popular dress is the flame dress, which is a red dress with ruffles at the bottom.
How much you can expect to spend on a Cruella costume
Depending on the size and type of material used, it costs between $10-$70.
Cruella costume FAQ
Was Cruella’s coat real Dalmatian?
A. No. According to Disney, the design of the coat was inspired by Dalmatian fur but only faux fur was used.
How can I make a Cruella wig?
A. For the iconic half-black and half-white look, start by sectioning a black wig in two parts then dye one side with white dye. You can also dye just the front part of the wig white, depending on the costume you’re going for. Bleaching the wig before using the dye is another alternative that helps the color last longer.
How can I replicate Cruella’s makeup?
A. You can get the look with a smoldering smoky eye shadow, winged eyeliner and a bold red lip.
What’s the best Cruella costume to buy?
Top Cruella costume
What you need to know: This is a two-piece Cruella costume set with a dress and a wig.
What you’ll love: This classic black-and-white Dalmatian outfit is instantly recognizable and is made from soft and breathable fabric. It also comes with the option of a cape that adds more life to the costume. The black and white wig is already styled and curled, so it will need little to no adjustments.
What you should consider: Some users say the wig is a little scratchy and may get uncomfortable over time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Cruella costume for the money
Eusnady’s Kids Cruella de Vil Costume
What you need to know: This is a red costume inspired by Cruella’s flame dress.
What you’ll love: This dress is comfortable to wear and has a good fit for most children. The red dress is sleeveless and fitted with ruffles at the bottom. The style is very cute and can easily be paired with other accessories.
What you should consider: The material is thin and the costume does not come with any additional accessories.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Women’s Black White Costume Dress
What you need to know: This is a classic three-piece Cruella costume set.
What you’ll love: This iconic costume is made from lightweight and soft polyester fabric that feels comfortable on your skin. You also have the option to choose just the dress or the dress with gloves and a wig. The wig comes with a hairnet that makes it easier to wear and is adjustable for your head size.
What you should consider: It might run a little small and the material has little or no stretch to it.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A group of 61 migrants picked up by a cargo ship from a crippled fishing boat in the central Mediterranean have safely reached the island of Crete hours after a severely ill child on the freighter died while being airlifted to Greece, Greek authorities said Wednesday.
The Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian migrants had reportedly been stranded for days without provisions on a leaking fishing boat near Malta, after trying to sail from Lebanon to Italy about 10 days ago.
“We had tried pressing the Maltese, Italian, and Greek authorities for days to get them to authorize a ship in the vicinity of the migrants to rescue them,” Moroccan-Italian activist Nawal Soufy told the Associated Press. Soufy had been in contact with the migrants on board and rescue freighter, BBC Pearl, via satellite phone.
“We're now waiting for the Greek authorities to respond to our queries about the migrants' current situation.”
On Tuesday, a Greek navy helicopter had airlifted a 4-year-old girl with health problems and her mother off the BBC Pearl, but the child was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital on Crete.
The coast guard said the remaining 33 men, 7 women and 21 children disembarked from the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged ship early Wednesday at the port of Kali Limenes on southern Crete.
Two were taken to hospital with non life-threatening health issues, while the rest were temporarily put up in a sports hall in the town of Moires.
Greek authorities said it was not immediately clear when they were picked up by the freighter, where they had set off from and where they had been heading.
The coast guard said in a statement late Tuesday that the BBC Pearl had rescued them inside Malta’s search and rescue area. It said Greece received a request around midday Tuesday from Maltese authorities, who had been contacted by the cargo ship’s captain, to airlift the mother and child to safety.
The ship then altered course towards Crete to facilitate the airlift, the coast guard statement said.
The migrants on board had told their relatives and volunteer groups by satellite phone earlier that they have been without food, water, and baby formula for days.
A relative of one of the passengers, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, claimed the migrants were lost at sea, as their smuggler did not provide them with a navigation system, compass, or maps on the leaking, overcrowded boat.
The migrants also claimed that three children died due to dehydration before the group was rescued.
Once a country that received refugees, Lebanon has become a launching pad for dangerous migration by sea to Europe, as it struggles with an economic crisis over the past three years that has pulled three-quarters of its population into poverty.
There has been an increase in migrants seeking to travel on unsafe boats from troubled Lebanon to Italy, and Greek authorities have performed several rescues in recent weeks.
___
Chehayeb reported from Beirut, Lebanon.
___
Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/61-migrants-rescued-by-freighter-off-Malta-reach-17424770.php | 2022-09-07 17:23:39 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/61-migrants-rescued-by-freighter-off-Malta-reach-17424770.php |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Friday afternoon's drawing of the New Mexico Lottery's "Pick 3 Day" game were:
2-6-0
(two, six, zero)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Friday afternoon's drawing of the New Mexico Lottery's "Pick 3 Day" game were:
2-6-0
(two, six, zero) | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Day-game-17509980.php | 2022-10-14 20:40:04 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Day-game-17509980.php |
PLH Energy of Memphis, Tennessee acquires EnerDel Inc. shares
ANDERSON, Ind., July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mr. Paul Herbert of Memphis, TN, an individual private investor, has acquired EnerDel, Inc and its holding company Ener1, Inc through his company PLH Energy LLC. EnerDel, Inc, founded in 2004, is a designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion energy storage solutions and battery systems, focusing on heavy-duty transportation, on- and off-grid electrical storage, mass transit, and task-oriented applications. The official announcement was made as the transaction closed to the company's sixty US employees, customers, and suppliers that EnerDel is now an American owned and managed company. Mr. Herbert has been a Director of EnerDel for many years and was instrumental in refocusing the business into bespoke energy storage solutions which are cell chemistry agnostic. His acquisition has enabled EnerDel to invest in a new technology center in Irvine, CA where they are in the process of recruiting a team of over twenty engineers focused on next generation technology.
Paul Herbert said, "I am delighted we were able to complete this acquisition. EnerDel is a great company that I have been associated with for almost 8 years. Becoming American owned will make EnerDel an easier choice for our customers, suppliers and employees. We are committed to improving the competitive position of our customers and are poised to launch a new range of products that will do just that."
Steve Heir, EnerDel Chief Executive Officer said, "The team at EnerDel could not be more excited about an ideal buyer for the company, which will enable and accelerate our plans to develop a US centric company with leading edge energy storage solutions for transportation and industrial customers".
About EnerDel
Founded in 2004, EnerDel is headquartered in Anderson, IN. EnerDel was the first in the U.S. to mount a commercial-scale production of large-format, prismatic, lithium-ion battery packs and over the last decade, EnerDel has worked to perfect the cell modular stacking architecture and battery management system, providing customers with production-ready solutions to address a variety of power and energy storage needs. This includes leveraging EnerDel's standard, off-the-shelf DC solutions, as well as customized and bespoke designs to customer requirements.
EnerDel's product suite delivers energy-dense lithium-ion solutions for both high-power and high-energy applications, providing customers with a quick, efficient, and reliable solution for their power and energy storage needs.
EnerDel's Vigor+ battery packs are designed to meet the challenging power and energy requirements of modern hybrid and electric transportation applications. Vigor+ packs offer versatility across a variety of uses including transportation with heavy duty buses and trucks, industrial equipment, trolleybuses, trams, construction, agricultural machines, and military and civilian fixed and mobile hybrid power systems. EnerDel's lithium-ion Energy Storage System (ESS) products offer, long life, outstanding warranty are designed and built in the United States with over 90% of the components sourced domestically from American companies, tailored towards compliance to the various requirements of the Buy America Acts.
Be sure to check out EnerDel's new website at www.enerdel.com
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SOURCE EnerDel | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/us-private-investor-buys-enerdel-inc/ | 2022-07-14 17:24:08 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/us-private-investor-buys-enerdel-inc/ |
NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Polished.com Inc. f/k/a 1847 Goedeker Inc. (""Polished" or the "Company") (NYSE: POL; GOED). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Polished and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
In July 2020, Polished (then known as 1847 Goedecker Inc.) conducted its initial public offering ("IPO"), selling shares priced at $9.00 per share. Then, on August 15, 2022, after market hours, Polished announced on Form 12b-25 filed with the SEC its inability to timely file its Form 10-Q for its second quarter of its fiscal year 2022 ended June 30, 2022 due to its Board's Audit Committee recently beginning "an independent investigation regarding certain allegations made by certain former employees related to the Company's business operations." Further, the Company announced that "[t]he investigation is ongoing, and the Audit Committee continues to work diligently with independent counsel and consultants to complete the investigation" and that "[t]he Company cannot predict the duration of the investigation, eventual scope, its outcome, or its impact on the Company's financial results." On this news, Polished's share price fell sharply during after-hours trading on August 15, 2022 and pre-market trading on August 16, 2022.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
888-476-6529 ext. 7980
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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/12/13/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-polishedcom-inc-fka-1847-goedeker-inc-pol-goed/ | 2022-12-13 06:35:34 | 1 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/12/13/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-polishedcom-inc-fka-1847-goedeker-inc-pol-goed/ |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paralyzed Veterans of America Executive Director Carl Blake released the following statement today in response to the House passing H.R. 3304, also known as the AUTO for Veterans Act. This revised legislation authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide an additional automobile allowance immediately to eligible veterans if 25 years have elapsed since the date they received their first automobile grant. Over time, the period would shorten to 10 years.
The AUTO for Veterans Act would also change the definition of "medical services," to include certain vehicle modifications like van lifts, which are offered through VA's Automobile Adaptive Equipment program. This latter provision would help ensure veterans with non-service-connected illnesses and injuries continue to receive help through the AAE program.
"Paralyzed Veterans of America's effort to secure a second automobile allowance for eligible veterans took a big step closer to becoming law today and we greatly appreciate the bipartisan effort to move this bill forward. We thank Representatives Lizzie Fletcher, Dan Meuser, and David Trone for leading the effort to expand access to transportation for disabled veterans. PVA is especially grateful to House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano and Ranking Member Mike Bost, who made the bill's passage possible."
Blake continued, "access to safe, reliable transportation is essential to the health and wellness of catastrophically disabled veterans. We now call on the Senate to pass this important legislation as quickly as possible."
The average life of a modified vehicle is 11.5 years (or less), and costs tens of thousands of dollars to replace it. Although disabled veterans can receive multiple AAE grants over the course of their lives, they are limited to a single grant to purchase a vehicle. The current limitation fails to take into account that a disabled veteran will need more than one vehicle in his or her lifetime. The cost of a new modified vehicle today, coupled with inflation, present a tremendous financial hardship for many disabled veterans who need to replace their primary mode of transportation once it reaches the end of its useful service life.
To learn more about the AUTO for Veterans Act and help push this legislation forward, join PVAction Force today and show your support at PVA.org.
Paralyzed Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or diseases. The organization ensures veterans receive the benefits earned through service to our nation; monitors their care in VA spinal cord injury units; and funds research and education in the search for a cure and improved care for individuals with paralysis.
As a life-long partner and advocate for veterans and all people with disabilities, PVA also develops training and career services, works to ensure accessibility in public buildings and spaces, and provides health and rehabilitation opportunities through sports and recreation. With more than 70 offices and 33 chapters, Paralyzed Veterans of America serves veterans, their families, and their caregivers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Learn more at PVA.org.
Contact: S. Oname Thompson
OnameT@PVA.org
(703) 864-5980 cell
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SOURCE Paralyzed Veterans of America | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/29/paralyzed-veterans-america-applauds-house-passing-auto-veterans-act-urges-senate-quickly-pass/ | 2022-09-30 00:55:44 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/29/paralyzed-veterans-america-applauds-house-passing-auto-veterans-act-urges-senate-quickly-pass/ |
Brand-new animated series inspires children to go outside and enjoy nature, have fun with it and appreciate its beauty
Link to trailer HERE
MIAMI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Discovery Family Channel (DFC) announced today "Hanni and the Wild Woods" will officially bloom onto television screens on Saturday, April 1. The first four episodes will premiere back-to-back starting at 7:30 a.m. on Discovery Family Channel. They will premiere in Spanish on Discovery Familia on Sunday, April 2, beginning at 10 a.m. The premiere episode, called "First Flowers!," ushers in spring, and while there's plenty to celebrate, Hanni and the Forest Friends find a mischievous duo that turn their day into an adventure.
From Korean creator Minah Eom and TOBEIT Global Corp., the mission of "Hanni and the Wild Woods" is to give preschoolers a greater appreciation and understanding of the importance of nature. They'll follow along as "The Forest Friends" motivate them to enjoy nature while teaching young viewers to care for and preserve the world around them.
"As a mother who is constantly inspired by my two daughters, it was important for me to create a show that inspires children to go outside and enjoy nature," said Minah Eom, Creator, "Hanni and the Wild Woods." "By showing them its inherent beauty, I hope to plant within them at a young age a desire and a sense of duty to protect our planet."
"We are excited to bring our viewers on a journey along with Hanni and the Forest Friends through the wonderful world we live in," said Corenna Smith, Director of Content and Marketing, Discovery Family Channel. "Introducing younger audiences and their parents to Hanni provides them with a way to share their love and respect for Mother Nature through these thoughtfully and beautifully produced stories."
Following premiere weekend, new episodes will debut on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. on DFC and at 10:00 a.m. on Discovery Familia.
About Discovery Family Channel
Discovery Family is a leader in co-viewed kid's networks among kids 2-11 watching with an adult 18-49 in Total Day and Prime in the United States and is available in more than 33 million U.S. homes. Discovery Family is a leading entertainment destination for the entire family to enjoy together with an inspirational mix of the highest quality animated content for preschool and elementary aged children during the day and family-friendly baking and lifestyle content in prime. For more information, visit us on Facebook and Instagram.
About Discovery Familia
Discovery Familia is a Spanish-language network dedicated to Hispanic women and the things that matter in their lives. During the day, the Discovery Kids block offers entertaining programming for children, and in the evening, it celebrates the differences in how we live while focusing on the things that unite us with programming genres that include modern families, relationships, health and entrepreneurship. Discovery Familia also reaches audiences across screens on the Discovery Familia GO app (Android, iOS; Roku and Fire TV). For more information, please follow Facebook @discoveryfamilia and Instagram @discovery.familia.
About TOBEIT Global Corp.
TOBEIT Global Corp. is a U.S. company led by Minah Eom and Young Hwa Kim. With more than 20 years of experience creating high-quality children edutainment content. With a strong focus on originality, high educational values, and entertainment.
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SOURCE Discovery Family Channel | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/03/06/hanni-wild-woods-premieres-saturday-april-1-discovery-family-channel-next-day-discovery-familia/ | 2023-03-06 14:48:23 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/03/06/hanni-wild-woods-premieres-saturday-april-1-discovery-family-channel-next-day-discovery-familia/ |
Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and other diseases such as influenza.
As many employees prepare to return to the office, the level of cleanliness becomes a priority for American workers.
MIAMI, Feb.2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Five years ago, mopping the floors and cleaning the restrooms of corporate buildings used to be the standard of a "clean office space." As pandemic protocols are left behind and employees begin to reimagine life at the office, many questions come to mind, including—how clean will my office space be? This is a question and concern for many today, but there are a few things Grupo EULEN invites you to take into consideration, especially as we continue to deal with Covid-19 cases and other viruses on a daily basis.
Covid-19 is not the only virus that haunts us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the overall burden of influenza (flu) for the 2021-2022 season was an estimated 9 million flu illnesses, 4 million flu-related medical visits, 100,000 flu-related hospitalizations, and 5,000 flu deaths.
"As they contemplate returning to the office, the American worker's expectations have shifted from visibly clean to microscopically safe," says Dija Ziane, Head of Facility Services Division at Grupo EULEN. "We are living in a world where there is a war for talent and corporations are investing in amenitizing their office spaces and offering employees perks to lure them back into the office—a high level of cleanliness should be one of them."
According to Harvard Business Review, with the U.S. turnover rate projected to jump nearly 20% in 2022 over the pre-pandemic average, according to Gartner, and 31% of American workers actively thinking about or looking to leave their organization, according to KPMG, companies that don't adapt risk losing their employees to the competition.
"As we head into a recession, corporations need partners that will not cut costs but that will leverage innovations and deliver tailored solutions," she added.
Clean does not mean pristine white anymore—the pandemic taught people much more. The industry of facility services is ramping up and gearing towards an awakening where employees expect the grade of cleanliness seen in hospitals. If employees do not feel comfortable at their workspace or coming into work five days a week because they don't feel safe, chances are they will leave to another working environment.
The facility services industry offers technologies that will help make sure that the office and public spaces are safe and clean focusing on cleaning with process optimization. These processes usually include Sanitizing & Electrostatic Spraying technology and registered EPA Chemicals, providing clean, disinfected, and sanitized facilities in compliance with CDC and OSHA recommendations.
About Grupo EULEN
Founded in 1962 and with a presence in 14 countries, including the United States, Grupo EULEN is a leader in providing services and innovative solutions to companies. It specializes in aviation services, cleaning, security, auxiliary services (logistics, general, and telemarketing), FSM (Facility Services & Management), socio-health services, comprehensive maintenance, and global solutions for human resources, employment, and the environment.
Since its inception, Grupo EULEN has stood out for the excellent quality of the services it offers. With more than 14 years established in the local market, Grupo EULEN in the US currently has a staff of approximately 3,000 specialist professionals across Florida, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Washington DC.
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SOURCE EULEN Americas | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/02/02/return-office-brings-new-expectations-cleanliness/ | 2023-02-02 14:29:58 | 1 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/02/02/return-office-brings-new-expectations-cleanliness/ |
NEWARK, Calif., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Socket Mobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCKT), a leading provider of data capture and delivery solutions designed to enhance workplace productivity, is excited to announce the launch of their mobile wallet reader, SocketScan S370.
The SocketScan S370 is a data capture platform that supports 1D and 2D barcode scanning as well as NFC Reading and Writing. It combines the latest 13.56 MHz Near Field Communication (NFC) contactless technology with barcode scanning and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity. Designed to enable Socket Mobile's App partners to facilitate e-wallet applications via on-screen barcode scanning or tap-and-go NFC reading, the new S370 combines leading-edge technologies that deliver an effortless data capture experience for business owners and consumers.
Socket Mobile is continually innovating to provide data capture solutions that meet or anticipate evolving market needs. Currently, many mobile credentials are QR code-based, while others are NFC-based. The SocketScan S370 provides the ability to read both, giving application partners the flexibility to accept multiple formats with just one device and CaptureSDK. This gives their many application end users the ability to accept several forms of credentials without cluttering their retail space. In addition, consumers only have to look for one device, which ultimately simplifies and enhances the user experience.
The S370 was created with the new age of digital IDs and Mobile Driver's Licenses (mDLs) in mind. Many states and countries have already begun to roll out systems for mDL usage, and Socket Mobile is helping industries such as retail, commercial services, and government move into this new digital ID ecosystem. Ready to read mDL's out of the box, the S370 can read credentials following ISO18013-5, the standard being adopted in many jurisdictions.
"Socket Mobile is committed to providing innovative data capture solutions that evolve with the ever-changing needs of our users. The foundation of our business was built upon capturing data from physical products. The new world of data capture is evolving toward digital IDs and consumer credentials. Covid had a real effect in accelerating market adoption and shifting consumer behavior. What started with a visual inspection of pen and paper cards, evolved to electronically reading secure mobile wallet passes. The world is much more comfortable with using QR codes and NFC mobile wallets. The launch of the SocketScan S370 is a revolutionary step for Socket Mobile and for our app partners, allowing them to offer services that require digital ID authentication or verification regardless of the technology type the credential is based on." said Dave Holmes, Chief Business Officer at Socket Mobile.
Having both QR Code and NFC reading capabilities significantly improves the user experience and allows retail app providers to choose which type of services they wish to support. The S370 can be utilized to scan any form of digital ID to meet entry requirements, store requirements, or industry regulations by simply hovering or tapping a smart device. Apps using the S370 can instantly gather needed information on a consumer's mobile device to verify age, membership, loyalty, and other customer-related services to make real-time decisions in offering goods and services. Beyond reading multiple technologies, the S370 also incorporates many other cutting-edge innovations like visual and audio feedback options and a long battery life for completely wireless environments. Developer access to S370 is through CaptureSDK, which gives app providers the ability to offer any of Socket Mobile's data capture devices (barcode scanners or NFC reader/writers) interchangeably and give their end users the freedom to choose the right device for each customer's requirements. If your app already uses CaptureSDK, S370 can be utilized immediately.
Socket Mobile is sampling key app partners in July. General availability through distribution partners and on socketmobile.com will begin in August 2022, with an MSRP of $369.
Media Contact: David Holmes, David.holmes@socketmobile.com
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SOURCE Socket Mobile, Inc. | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/socket-mobile-announces-socketscan-s370-universal-nfc-amp-qr-code-mobile-wallet-reader/ | 2022-06-14 11:38:13 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/socket-mobile-announces-socketscan-s370-universal-nfc-amp-qr-code-mobile-wallet-reader/ |
It’s one thing to have a husband or partner who is handy around the house. But, when Laura Young posted on Facebook about her husband James having some availability to help with odd jobs around the neighborhood, she had no idea she’d be building a new business for her family.
Laura knew James had what it takes to get projects done. According to their official website, he has built everything from beds to pantries and even an outdoor kitchen. So, why not make a little extra money from his talents?
“I never expected it to take off as much as it has,” the enterprising wife told The Mirror UK.
Now, Rent My Handy Husband is a thriving business in Milton Keynes, England, and the requests keep coming in.
Here’s an image of the enterprising couple posted to their Facebook page:
James will work on anything, according to his wife. In fact, the primary reason behind Rent My Handy Husband was to help people tackle those jobs that always seem to get forgotten.
“Sometimes it’s quicker and easier to get someone in to do a job we’ve been waiting on our husbands to do for what feels like a lifetime, ” Laura wrote in the business description of the website. “[which] is where my idea came in, and his own words were ‘you create and I’ll build’ so here we are.”
As the days booked turned into weeks and then months, James was able to dedicate more time to his booming business and his family. He originally worked in a warehouse, but the family’s three children require additional care. Two have autism (as James does) and one needs speech therapy.
“It allows us to book jobs and estimates around appointments, school runs, without having to clear it with an employer first, risking them saying ‘no’ or being guilt-tripped, and feeling you’re letting a team down,” Laura told Upworthy.
A recent favorite project was a glow-in-the-dark room for some lucky young person, as shown on Facebook:
The Youngs are now booking for spring and summer 2023. In this recent Facebook post, they say they are expecting to need about six weeks’ notice for jobs based on last year’s numbers.
To see more of James’ creative work, check out the couple’s website, Facebook page, and Instagram profile. You might just get inspired for building something new for your home!
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money. | https://www.wmar2news.com/woman-builds-business-renting-handy-husband | 2023-02-14 16:19:12 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/woman-builds-business-renting-handy-husband |
Wall Street drifted to a mixed close ahead of a week full of reports on some of the market’s biggest worries, including how stubbornly high inflation remains across the economy.
The S&P 500 edged up less than 0.1%, coming off its worst week in nearly two months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 55 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%.
Besides a strong reading on U.S. jobs, which calmed worries about a recession but also raised concerns about inflation, last week was dominated by fears about smaller and mid-sized banks. They stabilized Monday.
On Monday:
The S&P 500 rose 1.87 points, or less than 0.1%, to 4,138.12.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 55.69 points, or 0.2%, to 33,618.69.
The Nasdaq composite rose 21.50 points, or 0.2% to 12,256.92.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 5.41 points, or 0.3%, to 1,754.47.
For the year:
The S&P 500 is up 298.62 points, or 7.8%.
The Dow is up 471.44 points, or 1.4%.
The Nasdaq is up 1,790.44 points, or 17.1%.
The Russell 2000 is down 6.78 points, or 0.4%. | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/how-major-us-stock-indexes-fared-monday-5-8-2023-18086575.php | 2023-05-08 21:10:54 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/how-major-us-stock-indexes-fared-monday-5-8-2023-18086575.php |
(KSNF/KODE) — At 30 years and 286 days old, a Portuguese dog named “Bobi” was recently crowned the world’s oldest dog ever, breaking an almost century-old record.
According to Guinness World Records, the previous titleholder was an Australian cattle dog named “Bluey.” He was born in 1910 and lived for 29 years and five months.
Bobi has lived more than three decades with the Costa family in the rural village of Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal, Guinness World Records said in a statement. Bobi is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, which is a breed of livestock guardian dog with an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years.
Bobi’s age has been confirmed through a 1992 registration with the Veterinary Medical Service of the Municipality of Leiria. According to Guinness, Bobi’s age was also confirmed by the Portuguese pet database SIAC.
The Costa family says Bobi was never chained or attached to a leash and has always roamed the farmland and forests near their home. For the last 30 years, Bobi has lived on a diet of human food rather than standard dog food. | https://www.qcnews.com/news/pets-and-animals/oldest-dog-ever-sets-new-world-record/ | 2023-02-21 19:18:34 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/news/pets-and-animals/oldest-dog-ever-sets-new-world-record/ |
URBANDALE, Iowa — Urbandale has been preparing for its annual Fourth of July festivities for months, and now the holiday is just a day away.
The city hosts what they call the largest Fourth of July celebration in the Des Moines metro area, complete with a big carnival, live music, a two-mile-long community parade and of course a magnificent firework show to cap it all off.
"This is obviously not our first rodeo," said Ofc. Holly Pickett with the Urbandale Police Department. "The Fourth of July celebration here in Urbandale is kind of our big show."
At 10 p.m. Tuesday, 40 minutes of fireworks will be launched into the sky from Walker Johnston Park. While local police want to community to enjoy the wide array of festivities, Pickett says that all law enforcement hands will be on deck to ensure safety.
"There will be officers that are monitoring traffic in the areas around the fireworks," she said. "And then of course, there's still officers that are working the street and taking calls for service ensuring that citizens are staying safe while all the celebrating is happening."
The city has deemed the use of consumer fireworks as a threat to public safety, so instead of setting off your own, police encourage you to come out and enjoy the public firework display put on by the professionals.
"Come to the firework show instead," Pickett said. "Let us light off those big fireworks for you, and enjoy them for free, on us."
For a detailed schedule of the day's events, visit the city's official event website. | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/life/holidays/fourth-of-july-fireworks-show-urbandale-iowa-police-public-safety-walkerjohnston-park/524-7702d243-0fed-4e09-b26b-549b4a5018f2 | 2023-07-04 04:00:33 | 0 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/life/holidays/fourth-of-july-fireworks-show-urbandale-iowa-police-public-safety-walkerjohnston-park/524-7702d243-0fed-4e09-b26b-549b4a5018f2 |
Those of you out there that believe ranch makes everything better will now get to put that theory to the test.
Hidden Valley Ranch is combining forces with Van Leeuwen Ice Cream for a - yes, you guessed it - ranch-flavored ice cream, available exclusively at Walmart from March 20 through May 28.
The ice cream, according to the a release, will bring the savory flavors of ranch, including buttermilk, flavorful herbs and a touch of sweetness, to ice cream for a delicious treat.
“We know that Hidden Valley Ranch goes with just about everything – pizza, carrots, french fries – but ice cream is a first for us,” Rachel Garrison, associate director at Hidden Valley Ranch, said. “Insider tip? Top your scoops with crushed pretzels or potato chips for a perfect salty crunch.”
The flavors will sell for $4.98 per pint and will be available at Walmart across the country, including Alabama.
The Hidden Valley Ranch ice cream is one of seven new spring flavors from Van Leeuwen. The other limited-edition flavors include Sweet Maple Cornbread, Blood Orange Chocolate Chip, Carrot Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Honey Graham Cracker and Limoncello Cake.
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. | https://www.al.com/life/2023/03/hidden-valley-ranch-ice-cream-is-a-thing-and-its-coming-to-walmart-heres-the-perfect-topping.html | 2023-03-10 18:14:51 | 1 | https://www.al.com/life/2023/03/hidden-valley-ranch-ice-cream-is-a-thing-and-its-coming-to-walmart-heres-the-perfect-topping.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce new actions on climate change that he can take on his own just days after an influential Democratic senator quashed hopes for a sweeping legislative package of new environmental programs this year.
Biden is to unveil the latest efforts during a visit on Wednesday to a former coal-fired power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, that is shifting to offshore wind manufacturing. It’s the embodiment of the transition to clean energy that Biden is seeking but has struggled to realize in the first 18 months of his presidency.
Wednesday’s executive actions include new initiatives to bolster the domestic offshore wind industry as well as efforts to help communities cope with soaring temperatures through programs administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a White House official.
But the actions that Biden announces on Wednesday will not include a national emergency declaration to address the climate crisis — something that has been sought by activists and Democratic lawmakers after Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., last week scuttled talks on a legislative package.
White House officials have said the option remains under consideration, although press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday declined to outline a timetable for a decision aside from saying no such order would be issued this week.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said he was “confident that the president is ultimately ready to do whatever it takes in order to deal with this crisis.”
“I think that he’s made that clear in his statement last Friday, and I think coming to Massachusetts is a further articulation of that goal,” Markey told reporters on Tuesday.
Biden has come under considerable pressure to issue an emergency declaration on climate, which would allow him to redirect federal resources to bolster renewable energy programs that would help accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
Jean-Pierre declined to detail internal deliberations on such a declaration, which would be similar to the one issued by Biden’s Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, who declared a national emergency to build a wall on the southern border when lawmakers refused to allocate money for that effort.
Biden pledged last week to take significant executive actions on climate after monthslong discussions between Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., came to a standstill. The West Virginia senator cited stubbornly high inflation as the reason for his hesitation.
For now, Manchin has said he will only agree to a legislative package that shores up subsidies to help people buy insurance under the 2010 health care law as well as allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices that will ultimately lower the cost of pharmaceuticals for consumers.
The White House has indicated it wants Congress to take that deal, and the president will address the climate issue on his own.
“I’m going to use every power I have as president to continue to fulfill my pledge to move toward dealing with global warming,” Biden told reporters over the weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after the talks between Schumer and Manchin were derailed.
Biden on Wednesday will be visiting the former Brayton Point power plant, which closed in 2017 after burning coal for more than five decades. The plant will now become an offshore wind manufacturing site. | https://www.wjhl.com/business/ap-business/biden-to-announce-climate-actions-at-ex-coal-plant-in-mass/ | 2022-07-20 10:19:10 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/business/ap-business/biden-to-announce-climate-actions-at-ex-coal-plant-in-mass/ |
ROME (AP) — Italian authorities on Saturday put the final death toll of an avalanche in northern Italy at 11 and said all the victims had been identified nearly a week after a chunk of ice detached from a melting glacier and sent a torrent of ice, rock and debris on hikers below.
Carabinieri Cmdr. Giampietro Lago, who headed a team of forensic experts identifying the remains, said the identity of the final hiker had been established and “there are no elements” at this point to suggest the death toll would grow.
An apartment building-sized chunk of the Marmolada glacier in Italy’s Dolomite mountains detached July 3, sparking an avalanche of debris down the mountain that is a popular hiking destination in summer.
Experts have said warming temperatures likely contributed to the cleaving, since the glacier has lost mass and volume for years and been melting more quickly than usual this summer amid a heat wave, possibly destabilizing it.
A day of mourning was observed Saturday throughout the affected area, known as the Val di Fassa.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of climate issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate | https://fox59.com/news/ap-top-headlines/italy-all-11-hikers-killed-in-glacier-avalanche-identified/ | 2022-07-09 18:46:34 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/ap-top-headlines/italy-all-11-hikers-killed-in-glacier-avalanche-identified/ |
The prestigious Brookings Institution placed its president, retired four-star Marine Gen. John Allen, on administrative leave Wednesday amid a federal investigation into his role in an illegal lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar.
Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped to lead Brookings in late 2017, has not been charged with any crimes and previously denied any wrongdoing. His spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday.
Brookings told staffers in an email Wednesday that the institute itself is not under investigation and that the think tank’s executive vice president, Ted Gayer, will serve as acting president.
“We have every confidence in the Brookings team’s ability to remain focused on delivering quality, independence, and impact,” the email said.
The federal investigation involving Allen has already ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges. Several members of Congress have also been interviewed.
An FBI agent said in an affidavit in support of a search warrant there was “substantial evidence” that Allen had knowingly broken a foreign lobbying law, and had made false statements and withheld “incriminating” documents.
Allen’s behind-the-scenes work involved traveling to Qatar and meeting with the country’s top officials to offer them advice on how to influence U.S. policy, as well as promoting Qatar’s point of view to top White House officials and Congress, according to the FBI affidavit.
The Qatar Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Brookings is one of the most influential think thanks in the U.S. and has long had strong ties to Qatar. In 2007, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to fund a Brookings-backed offshoot in Qatar called the Brookings Doha Center.
The Qatari government said in a 2012 news release that the center’s role included “reflecting the bright image of Qatar in the international media, especially the American ones,” according to a New York Times report that showed Qatar had given Brookings $14.4 million in donations over a four-year span.
As a nonprofit, Brookings does not have to disclose its donations but it does voluntarily disclose some data. Its annual reports show Qatar giving at least $2 million a year from 2016 to 2021.
Brookings said in a statement that Allen decided in 2019 to stop taking any new donations from Qatar and to close the Brookings Doha Center.
“Brookings has strong policies in place to prohibit donors from directing research activities,” said the email to staffers Wednesday.
____
Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia, Mustian from New Orleans.
__
Contact AP’s global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/ | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/brookings-places-retired-general-on-leave-amid-fbi-probe/2022/06/08/059e5a7c-e769-11ec-a422-11bbb91db30b_story.html | 2022-06-08 21:44:30 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/brookings-places-retired-general-on-leave-amid-fbi-probe/2022/06/08/059e5a7c-e769-11ec-a422-11bbb91db30b_story.html |
At Quail Hollow Club
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- Shepherd man shoots at moving vehicle in Mills Township | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Presidents-Cup-Standings-17565064.php | 2022-11-07 20:24:55 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Presidents-Cup-Standings-17565064.php |
Kyrie Irving has made headlines for a lot of controversial reasons in the last couple of years.
He only played in 29 games last season after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and his Brooklyn Nets were swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Boston Celtics. The West Orange native and ex-St. Patrick High School star has become a punching bag for some high-profile members of the media because he’s missed more games (123) as a Net than he has played (103). Most recently, he caused a stir by amplifying social media messages from Alex Jones, who last week was ordered by a Connecticut jury to pay nearly $1 billion to the relatives of eight Sandy Hook victims and a former FBI agent.
Irving himself admitted at media day that his anti-vaccine stance cost him a contract extension worth “four years, 100-something million,” and also that he’s done some “quirky s**t” in his career.
But with a new season set to tip off Wednesday against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, Irving is ready to “change the narrative” and contend for NBA MVP honors, his teammate Nic Claxton says.
“He’s bringing a totally different energy this year,” Claxton said Monday at practice in response to a question from NJ Advance Media. “He’s definitely been locked in. He’s ready to make an impact...He’s ready to change the narrative on himself. That’s big for us having him full time and not having to worry about the COVID stuff.”
Irving remains unvaccinated but with New York City having lifted its vaccine mandate, he will be eligible for every game and is poised to join Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons among the Nets’ “Big 3.”
“I think he can be MVP, he can be Finals MVP, whatever he puts his mind to he can do it,” Claxton said.
Brooklyn is at -120 to win over 50.5 games and at +900 to win the franchise’s first NBA title.
Irving recently welcomed a new baby, his third child, ahead of the NBA season, but the Nets say he’s been focused and driven during training camp after last year’s debacle of a year.
“Kyrie’s been unbelievable,” head coach Steve Nash said. “His performances both ends of the floor have been exceptional, not just the games but in practices. I think his leadership of the young guys has been great. I think he’s just been outstanding top to bottom this whole preseason.”
Irving averaged 27.4, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds last season but was in and out of the lineup beginning in December because he could only play on the road. By late March, he was permitted to play at Barclays Center after the vaccine mandate was lifted.
Now Durant, who joined the Nets with Irving in free agency in 2019 and demanded a trade this summer only to rescind the ultimatum, can’t wait to have his running buddy for an entire season.
“His presence is key to what we’re trying to do,” Durant said. “Like coach said, Ky’s amazing, talking to everybody, communicating, being one of the heads of the snake on both ends of the floor for us. We need that talk from everybody, the veteran guys need to be in constant communication so we can figure things out on the court.
“And having a guy like Ky who’s won a championship, who’s been in those locker rooms, those series, it’s only going to help us moving forward.”
Time will tell on Irving’s availability for an entire season, but if he can play 65-plus games, and if Simmons stays healthy and available alongside Durant, there’s no telling how good the Nets can be.
“We’ve talked enough,” Irving said last month at media day. “Just going to let our actions lead and enjoy the actual process of crafting and getting past the gray area within our league...I feel like we can accomplish a lot.”
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com. | https://www.nj.com/nets/2022/10/nets-star-kyrie-irving-is-ready-to-change-the-narrative-contend-for-nba-mvp-honors-teammate-says.html | 2022-10-17 18:44:19 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/nets/2022/10/nets-star-kyrie-irving-is-ready-to-change-the-narrative-contend-for-nba-mvp-honors-teammate-says.html |
United's NDC content will be available via Sabre Red 360, Sabre APIs and GetThere
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, April 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading software and technology provider to the global travel industry, and United Airlines, today announced the availability of United's NDC offers through Sabre's global distribution system (GDS).
Sabre-connected travel buyers, agencies and developer partners will be able to shop, book, and service United's NDC content through Sabre's Offer and Order APIs, the agency point-of-sale tool, Sabre Red 360, and the online booking tool, GetThere.
"We are so pleased to launch United Airlines' NDC content this week, marking the 10th airline with whom we have completed integration and made content available through NDC to agencies around the world," said Kathy Morgan, vice president, NDC and airline supply, Sabre Travel Solutions. "In delivering a suite of NDC solutions and enabling air content in our NDC channels, we are helping airlines go from where they are today to a new modern approach to travel retailing – a key step in the evolution of retailing and distribution in the travel industry."
Travel buyers connected to the Sabre GDS will be able to choose enhanced offers from United such as United's continuous pricing content with the lowest fares available in these channels. They will also have access to more descriptive information on United's flight offers as well as seat selection enabled in the booking path. NDC offers from United are currently available in over 70 countries, with more coming soon.
Sabre Offer and Order APIs are the foundation of a modern retailing marketplace that allows airlines to dynamically create and distribute tailored offers across any channel, while being seamlessly fulfilled and delivered as orders. Sabre Red 360 unlocks a full spectrum of bookable content and insightful information to efficiently create tailored trip experiences that travel buyers can sell and service.
About Sabre Corporation
Sabre Corporation is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, serving a wide range of travel companies including airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers. The company provides retailing, distribution and fulfilment solutions that help its customers operate more efficiently, drive revenue and offer personalized traveler experiences. Through its leading travel marketplace, Sabre connects travel suppliers with buyers from around the globe. Sabre's technology platform manages more than $260B worth of global travel spend annually. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.sabre.com.
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SOURCE Sabre Corporation | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/sabre-launches-united-airlines-ndc-offers-its-global-network-travel-buyers/ | 2023-04-11 13:05:20 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/04/11/sabre-launches-united-airlines-ndc-offers-its-global-network-travel-buyers/ |
MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arlington Asset Investment Corp. (NYSE: AAIC) (the "Company" or "Arlington") today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.
Third Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
- $6.45 per common share of book value
- $0.10 per diluted common share of GAAP net income available to common shareholders
- $0.11 per diluted common share of non-GAAP earnings available for distribution
- $0.07 per common share of book value accretion from the repurchase of capital stock including 1.7% of the outstanding shares of common stock
- 1.2 to 1 "at risk" leverage ratio as of September 30, 2022
- $42 million of net cash proceeds from previously announced partial sale of 371 single-family residential ("SFR") properties that resulted in a $0.47 per common share increase to book value
"Arlington's primary focus of preserving capital in the current economic environment once again proved to be beneficial for shareholders during the third quarter. Through another quarter of challenging financial markets, Arlington was able to generate a 2.4% economic return, its fifth consecutive quarter of a positive economic return. The Company's diversified investment strategy has enabled it to consistently grow book value per share during periods of volatile market conditions while traditional mortgage REITs have experienced losses. Over the last twelve months, the Company delivered a positive 8.0% economic return while its mortgage REIT peers have experienced a negative 16.6% economic return," said J. Rock Tonkel, Jr., the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer.
"With our largest capital allocation in our mortgage servicing rights ("MSR") strategy, the Company's financial results benefited from another strong quarterly performance in our MSR related investments as higher rates and corresponding low prepayments contributed to our MSR investment portfolio generating a total annualized return of 25.3% during the third quarter.
"In the third quarter, the Company successfully completed its previously announced sale of 371 of its SFR rental properties at a significant gain that contributed $0.47 per share to our book value during the quarter. The Company has also announced today that on November 11, 2022 it entered into an agreement to sell its remaining SFR rental portfolio including the assumption of its financing facility for a gross sale price of $87.3 million that would result in estimated net cash proceeds of $29 million with a slight positive impact to book value. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter and is contingent upon receiving final lender consent and other closing conditions. Assuming the second sale transaction is ultimately consummated, it would represent a culmination of an overall SFR investment strategy that we expect would result in a total annualized return of 28% with expected net cash proceeds of $71 million, including the realization of a $15 million gain over a five quarter investment period.
"In our credit investment strategy, the Company continued to migrate towards higher quality AAA rated liquid securities that now comprise 64% of its credit portfolio. The Company experienced strong returns in its credit investments producing a 17.6% annualized total return during the third quarter.
"During the third quarter, ongoing market volatility led to further widening of agency MBS spreads that negatively impacted agency mortgage investments. Although the wider spreads have led to increased current carry returns, the Company continues to take a cautious approach in allocating capital towards its levered agency MBS strategy with only 14% of its invested capital allocated to agency mortgages as of quarter-end.
"We continue to believe there is greater value in Arlington's business than the public markets recognize. Since reinstituting our current common stock repurchase program in 2020, the Company has aggressively returned capital to shareholders by purchasing 26% of its outstanding shares, delivering $0.82 per share of accretion to shareholders.
"In the current market environment, capital preservation has been the Company's priority with a focus on harvesting capital and gains from successful investments, lowering leverage and increasing liquidity. Today, with 1.2x leverage, high cash yielding investments and ample liquidity, these actions have put the Company in a strong position to adapt to uncertain market conditions and to capitalize on attractive new opportunities that may arise as market conditions evolve that should benefit shareholders over time."
Third Quarter Investment Portfolio
As of September 30, 2022, the Company's investment portfolio capital allocation was as follows (dollars in thousands):
MSR Related Investments
The Company is party to agreements with a licensed, U.S. government sponsored enterprise ("GSE") approved residential mortgage loan servicer that enable the Company to garner the economic return of an investment in an MSR purchased by the mortgage servicing counterparty. The arrangement allows the Company to participate in the economic benefits of investing in an MSR without holding the requisite licenses to purchase or hold MSRs directly. Under the terms of the arrangement, the Company provides capital to the mortgage servicing counterparty to purchase MSRs directly and the Company, in turn, receives all the economic benefits of the MSRs less a fee payable to the counterparty. At the Company's request, the mortgage servicing counterparty may utilize leverage on the MSRs to which the Company's MSR financing receivables are referenced to finance the purchase of additional MSRs to increase potential returns to the Company. These transactions are accounted for as financing receivables on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
The Company's MSR financing receivable investments as of September 30, 2022 are summarized in the tables below (dollars in thousands):
As of September 30, 2022, the mortgage servicing counterparty had drawn $27.9 million of financing under its credit facility collateralized by the MSRs to which the Company's MSR financing receivables are referenced, resulting in an implicit leverage ratio of 0.2 to 1. The weighted average yield on the Company's MSR financing receivables was 15.95% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 15.28% for the second quarter of 2022, and the actual weighted-average constant prepayment rate ("CPR") for the MSRs underlying the Company's MSR financing receivables was 6.48% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 8.10% for the second quarter of 2022.
Single-family Residential Investments
As of September 30, 2022, the Company owned 246 SFR properties for a total cost of $82.2 million and had commitments to acquire an additional five SFR properties for an aggregate purchase price of $1.5 million. The timing of the earnings benefit to the Company from investing in SFR rental properties is dictated by the pace of home purchases, the level of any property level refurbishments required after purchase and the length of the lease marketing period. The Company expects the time period between the date of settlement of the home purchase to the date the house is occupied by a tenant to average between 30 to 60 days. During the period prior to a lease commencement, the Company is incurring costs to hold the property including real estate taxes, insurance, homeowner association fees and interest costs.
As of September 30, 2022, the Company's SFR portfolio is summarized in the tables below (dollars in thousands):
As of September 30, 2022, the Company had drawn $57.0 million under its $150 million credit facility. Advances may be drawn up to 74% of the fair value of eligible SFR properties with an advance period that expires in March 2023 with outstanding principal balance due in October 2026. Advances under the facility bear interest at a fixed rate of 2.76%.
On August 19, 2022, the Company closed on its previously announced sale of 371 SFR properties for $130.0 million for a net gain of $14.4 million.
The Company also announced today that it has entered into an agreement on November 11, 2022 to sell its remaining SFR investment portfolio including the assumption of the secured credit facility for a gross sale price of $87.3 million. The sale transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022 and is contingent upon receiving lender consent and other closing conditions. If consummated, the Company would expect to receive estimated net cash proceeds of $29 million and would be expected to have a slight positive impact to the Company's book value per share.
Credit Investments
The Company's credit investments generally include mortgage loans secured by residential or commercial real property or MBS collateralized by residential or commercial mortgage loans or residential solar panel loans ("non-agency" MBS or ABS). As of September 30, 2022, the Company's credit investment portfolio at fair value was comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
As of September 30, 2022, the Company had $89.8 million in repurchase agreements outstanding with a weighted average rate of 3.68% and remaining weighted average maturity of 27 days secured by $99.8 million of non-agency MBS at fair value. As of September 30, 2022, the Company had a $20.6 million repurchase agreement outstanding with a rate of 5.27% and remaining maturity of 327 days secured by a $29.4 million commercial mortgage loan at fair value.
Agency MBS
The Company's agency MBS consist of residential mortgage pass-through certificates for which the principal and interest payments are guaranteed by a government sponsored enterprise, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae") or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"). As of September 30, 2022, the Company's agency MBS investment portfolio totaled $208.1 million at fair value comprised of $445.1 million of specified agency MBS and $(237.0) million of net short to-be-announced ("TBA") agency MBS. As of September 30, 2022, the Company's specified agency MBS investment portfolio was comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
The Company's weighted average yield on its specified agency MBS was 3.98% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 2.95% for the second quarter of 2022, and the actual weighted-average CPR for the Company's specified agency MBS was 6.36% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 8.40% for the second quarter of 2022.
As of September 30, 2022, the Company's net short TBA agency MBS investment portfolio was comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
As of September 30, 2022, the Company had $319.5 million of repurchase agreements outstanding with a weighted average rate of 3.02% and remaining weighted average maturity of 13 days secured by an aggregate of $336.3 million of agency MBS at fair value. The Company's weighted average cost of repurchase agreement funding secured by agency MBS was 2.33% during the third quarter of 2022 compared to 0.80% during the second quarter of 2022.
The Company enters into various hedging transactions to mitigate the interest rate sensitivity of its cost borrowing and the value of its fixed-rate agency MBS. Under the terms of the Company's interest rate swap agreements, the Company pays semiannual interest payments based on a fixed rate and receives variable interest payments based upon either the prevailing three-month London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") or Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). As of September 30, 2022, the Company's interest swap agreements were comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
The Company's weighted average net receive rate of its interest rate swap agreements was 0.55% during the third quarter of 2022 compared to net pay rate of (0.53)% during the second quarter of 2022. Under GAAP, the Company has not designated these transactions as hedging instruments for financial reporting purposes and, therefore, all gains and losses on its hedging instruments are recorded to line item "investment and derivative gains (losses), net" in the Company's financial statements.
Other Third Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
The Company's book value was $6.45 per common share as of September 30, 2022 compared to $6.30 per common share as of June 30, 2022. Book value per common share is calculated as total equity plus accumulated depreciation of SFR properties less the preferred stock liquidation preference divided by common shares outstanding plus vested restricted stock units convertible into common stock less unvested restricted common stock.
The Company's "at risk" leverage ratio was 1.2 to 1 as of September 30, 2022 compared to 1.6 to 1 as of June 30, 2022. The Company's "at risk" leverage ratio is calculated as the sum of the Company's repurchase agreement financing, long-term debt secured by single-family properties, net payable or receivable for unsettled securities, net contractual price of TBA purchase and sale commitments and financing embedded in its MSR financing receivables less cash and cash equivalents compared to the Company's investable capital measured as the sum of the Company's shareholders' equity and long-term unsecured debt.
During the third quarter of 2022, the Company repurchased 0.5 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $3.14 per share for a total purchase cost of $1.5 million, representing 1.7% of common stock outstanding as of June 30, 2022. Subsequent to September 30, 2022, the Company repurchased an additional 0.3 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $2.92 per share for a total purchase cost of $0.9 million, representing 1.1% of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2022. Currently, the Company has remaining authorization from its Board of Directors to repurchase up to 10.2 million shares of its common stock. In addition, during the third quarter of 2022, the Company repurchased 0.1 million shares of Series C Preferred Stock at an average price of $20.54 per share for a total purchase cost of $1.6 million.
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call for investors at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 to discuss the Company's third quarter 2022 results.
Investors may listen to the earnings call via the internet at: http://www.arlingtonasset.com/index.php?s=19. Replays of the earnings call will be available for 60 days via webcast at the Internet address provided above, beginning two hours after the call ends.
Additional Information
The Company will make available additional quarterly information for the benefit of its shareholders through a supplemental presentation that will be available at the Company's website, www.arlingtonasset.com. The presentation will be available on the Webcasts and Presentations section located under the Updates & Events tab of the Company's website.
About the Company
Arlington Asset Investment Corp. (NYSE: AAIC) currently invests primarily in mortgage related and residential real estate and has elected to be taxed as a REIT. The Company is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. For more information, please visit www.arlingtonasset.com.
Statements concerning interest rates, portfolio allocation, financing costs, portfolio hedging, prepayments, dividends, book value, utilization of loss carryforwards, any change in long-term tax structures (including any REIT election), use of equity raise proceeds and any other guidance on present or future periods constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of factors, risks and uncertainties that might cause actual results to differ materially from stated expectations or current circumstances. These factors include, but are not limited to, the uncertainty and economic impact of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the measures taken by the government to address it, including the impact on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations due to a significant decrease in economic activity and disruptions in our financing operations, among other factors, changes in interest rates, increased costs of borrowing, decreased interest spreads, credit risks underlying the Company's assets, especially related to the Company's mortgage credit investments, our ability to close on the sale of single-family residential homes described herein, and to realize the expected benefits from such sale, changes in political and monetary policies, changes in default rates, changes in prepayment rates and other assumptions underlying our estimates related to our projections of future core earnings, changes in the Company's returns, changes in the use of the Company's tax benefits, the Company's ability to qualify and maintain qualification as a REIT, changes in the agency MBS asset yield, changes in the Company's monetization of net operating loss carryforwards, changes in the Company's investment strategy, changes in the Company's ability to generate cash earnings and dividends, preservation and utilization of the Company's net operating loss and net capital loss carryforwards, impacts of changes to and changes by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the U.S. Treasury, availability of opportunities that meet or exceed the Company's risk adjusted return expectations, ability and willingness to make future dividends, ability to generate sufficient cash through retained earnings to satisfy capital needs, and general economic, political, regulatory and market conditions. These and other material risks are described in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any other documents filed by the Company with the SEC from time to time, which are available from the Company and from the SEC, and you should read and understand these risks when evaluating any forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. New risks and uncertainties arise over time, and it is not possible to predict those events or how they may affect the Company. Except as required by law, the Company is not obligated to, and does not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Non-GAAP Earnings Available for Distribution
In addition to the results of operations determined in accordance with GAAP, we also report a non-GAAP financial measure "earnings available for distribution" . We define earnings available for distribution as net income available to common stock determined in accordance with GAAP adjusted for the following items:
- Plus (less) realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments and derivatives;
- Plus (less) income tax provision (benefit) for TRS realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments and derivatives
- Plus TBA dollar roll income (expense)
- Plus (less) interest rate swap net interest income (expense)
- Plus depreciation of single-family residential properties
- Plus stock-based compensation
Realized and unrealized gains and losses recognized with respect to our mortgage related investments and economic hedging instruments, which are reported in line item "investment and derivative gain (loss), net" of our consolidated statements of comprehensive income, other than TBA dollar roll income and interest rate swap net interest income or expense, are excluded from the computation of earnings available for distribution as such gains on losses are not reflective of the economic interest income earned or interest expense incurred from our interest-bearing financial assets and liabilities during the indicated reporting period. Because our long-term-focused investment strategy for our mortgage related investment portfolio is to generate a net spread on the leveraged assets while prudently hedging periodic changes in the fair value of those assets attributable to changes in benchmark interest rates, we generally expect the fluctuations in the fair value of our mortgage related investments and economic hedging instruments to largely offset one another over time. In addition, certain of our investments are held by our TRS which is subject to U.S. federal and state corporate income taxes. In calculating earnings available for distribution, any income tax provision or benefit associated with gains or losses on our mortgage related investments and economic hedging instruments are also excluded from earnings available for distribution.
TBA dollar roll income (expense) represents the economic equivalent of net interest income (expense) generated from our transactions in non-specified fixed-rate agency MBS, executed through sequential series of forward-settling purchase and sale transactions that are settled on a net basis (known as "dollar roll" transactions). Dollar roll income (expense) is generated (incurred) as a result of delaying, or "rolling," the settlement of a forward-settling purchase (sale) of a TBA agency MBS by entering into an offsetting "spot" sale (purchase) with the same counterparty prior to the settlement date, net settling the "paired-off" positions in cash, and contemporaneously entering another forward-settling purchase (sale) with the same counterparty of a TBA agency MBS of the same essential characteristics for a later settlement date at a price discount relative to the spot sale (purchase). The price discount of the forward-settling purchase (sale) relative to the contemporaneously executed spot sale (purchase) reflects compensation to the seller for the interest income (inclusive of expected prepayments) that, at the time of sale, is expected to be foregone as a result of relinquishing beneficial ownership of the MBS from the settlement date of the spot sale until the settlement date of the forward purchase, net of implied repurchase financing costs. We calculate dollar roll income (expense) as the excess of the spot sale (purchase) price over the forward-settling purchase (sale) price and recognize this amount ratably over the period beginning on the settlement date of the sale (purchase) and ending on the settlement date of the forward purchase (sale). In our consolidated statements of comprehensive income prepared in accordance with GAAP, TBA agency MBS dollar roll income (expense) is reported as a component of the overall periodic change in the fair value of TBA forward commitments within the line item "investment and derivative gain (loss), net."
We utilize interest rate swap agreements to economically hedge a portion of our exposure to variability in future interest cash flows, attributable to changes in benchmark interest rates, associated with future roll-overs of our short-term repurchase agreement financing arrangements. Accordingly, the net interest income earned or expense incurred (commonly referred to as "net interest carry") from our interest rate swap agreements in combination with repurchase agreement interest expense recognized in accordance with GAAP represents our effective "economic interest expense." In our consolidated statements of comprehensive income prepared in accordance with GAAP, the net interest income earned or expense incurred from interest rate swap agreements is reported as a component of the overall periodic change in the fair value of derivative instruments within the line item "investment and derivative gain (loss), net."
The following table provides a reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) available (attributable) to common stock for the last four fiscal quarters (unaudited, dollars in thousands):
Earnings available for distribution is used by management to evaluate the financial performance of our long-term-focused, net interest spread-based investment strategy and core business activities over periods of time as well as assist with the determination of the appropriate level of periodic dividends to common stockholders. In addition, we believe that earnings available for distribution assists investors in understanding and evaluating the financial performance of our long-term-focused, net interest spread-based investment strategy and core business activities over periods of time as well as its earnings capacity.
A limitation of utilizing this non-GAAP financial measure is that the effect of accounting for all events or transactions in accordance with GAAP does, in fact, reflect the financial results of our business and these effects should not be ignored when evaluating and analyzing our financial results. In addition, our calculation of earnings available for distribution may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Therefore, we believe that earnings available for distribution should be considered as a supplement to, and in conjunction with, net income and comprehensive income determined in accordance with GAAP. Furthermore, there may be differences between earnings available for distribution and taxable income determined in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, we are required to distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (subject to certain adjustments) to qualify as a REIT and all of our taxable income in order to not be subject to any U.S. federal or state corporate income taxes. Accordingly, earnings available for distribution may not equal our distribution requirements as a REIT.
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SOURCE Arlington Asset Investment Corp. | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/arlington-asset-investment-corp-reports-third-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-11-14 23:22:47 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/arlington-asset-investment-corp-reports-third-quarter-2022-financial-results/ |
Heidi Stahl speaks with Chef George from Mi Havana Cuban Cuisine in Emmaus, who talks about how he puts together his dishes - such as their Ropa Vieja - as well as how he brings a Cuban-Latin influence to diners in the Lehigh Valley.
Catch The Inside Dish the first Monday of every month from 6:00 to 6:30 PM, following All Things Considered, during Lehigh Valley Arts Salon.
(Original air-date: 8/1/22) | https://www.wdiy.org/show/the-inside-dish/2022-08-02/bringing-the-cuban-latin-flair-with-mi-havanas-chef-george-the-inside-dish | 2022-08-02 16:01:08 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/show/the-inside-dish/2022-08-02/bringing-the-cuban-latin-flair-with-mi-havanas-chef-george-the-inside-dish |
Stars will be shining brightly March 25 when the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Mississippi celebrates its 20-year anniversary with a gala hosted by Oscar winner Morgan Freeman.
The evening will honor Ole Miss alumni Mary and Sam Haskell, who have invited their special friends from the entertainment industry to join in the anniversary celebration. The Haskells will receive the Ford Center's prestigious Concerto Award for their patronage of the center and the arts.
"In honor of our 20th anniversary, I wanted to find a way to publicly recognize exceptional patrons, who have supported the center from the beginning and continue to provide their guidance, energy and treasure," said Julia Aubrey, Ford Center director and associate professor of music, who has edited a book on the Ford Center that will be on sale at the gala.
The Haskells will receive only the third such award, which is a replica of the Concerto, a 17-foot bronze statue of a violinist and a cellist by Mississippi sculptor Rod Moorehead that graces the front of the Ford Center.
The first two inaugural Concerto Awards were presented to the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation and Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat.
The first half of the gala will feature appearances by Tony- and Emmy-winning actress Christine Baranski, Emmy-winning actor and Ole Miss alumnus Gerald McRaney; award-winning actress Delta Burke; Broadway and Critics' Choice Award-winning TV star Bellamy Young; supermodel and brand mogul Kathy Ireland; percussionist Pedro Segundo; Emmy-winning producer, director, actress and choreographer Debbie Allen; renowned pianist Bruce Levingston; actor and singer Blake McIver Ewing; and actress Mary Lane Haskell.
Eight-time Grammy Award winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. are slated to take the stage for the second half of the program. They will perform selections from their newest album "Blackbird, Lennon-McCartney Icons," as well as their greatest hits from The Fifth Dimension when the program begins at 7:30 p.m.
The Ford Center, the centerpiece of the university's cultural and scholarly mission to present performing arts and visiting lecturers, offers an average of 150 events annually.
Chancellor Glenn Boyce said its impact has been immeasurable.
"The 20-year anniversary of the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts is certainly worthy of a celebration," he said. "The Ford Center is a cultural treasure, the premier entertainment venue of the region, that makes life more meaningful by offering experiences in the performing arts.
"The Ford Center has expanded opportunities through inspired performances and innovative education programs, serving as a gathering place and strengthening our community as a great place to live, work and play."
The center's contributions span all interests and genres, Aubrey said.
"The breadth and depth of events have been diverse in content and appeal, whether to engage the audience in an intellectual discussion or to entertain," she said. "The Ford Center has welcomed princes, U.S. Supreme Court justices and the 'Queen of Country.' Broadway touring shows, events for school children and university ensemble performances are featured annually."
Besides previous listed entertainers, Ole Miss alumni will perform, including actress and recording artist Mary Donnelly Haskell, "The Lawrence Welk Show" regular Guy Hovis and Broadway's Laurie Gayle Stephenson. Oxford icon Patty Lewis also will appear on the program.
All performers will be supported with musical accompaniment by the Mississippians Jazz Ensemble, an Ole Miss student group under the direction of Michael Worthy.
The Ford Center became a reality in 1998 with a gift of $20 million from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation of Jackson. The state contributed $500,000 for initial planning followed by an appropriation of $10 million for construction of the Ford Center. The Ford Foundation contributed another $5 million for additional building expenses and to purchase the railroad property that became the Gertrude C. Ford Boulevard.
Construction was completed in December 2002, and the Ford Center operations are largely funded by private contributions.
The Ford Center officially opened on March 28, 2003, with an inaugural gala hosted by Khayat, then university chancellor, and also starring actor Freeman as master of ceremonies. The six-story structure features two performance spaces, excellent acoustic qualities and seating for 1,177 in the main hall.
Since the time of the gift to establish the Ford Center, the Ford Foundation has contributed more than $67.8 million to the university's Oxford and Medical Center campuses. The Ole Miss Student Union was recently renamed for Gertrude C. Ford to honor that support.
Ford – married to Aaron Lane Ford, an Ackerman attorney and U.S. congressman for the state's 4th District – was an arts patron and an accomplished flautist, violinist and pianist. She was well-read in poetry and classic literature. She established the Ford Foundation in 1991 before her death in 1996.
"The Ford Center's anniversary is a time to renew the passion, commitment and resolve to continue enriching the cultural and artistic experiences for our students, faculty, staff and community," Aubrey said. "The pandemic reminded us that the arts must be resilient. We cannot be deterred by perceived limitations of what we can achieve as artists or arts presenters."
Sam Haskell, of Magnolia Hills Productions/Warner Bros., won two significant awards at the 300th anniversary Movieguide Awards in Hollywood. Haskell and his team were chosen for the Freedom Award for Television for "A Walton's Thanksgiving" and the Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring TV or Streaming Movie or Program for "Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas."
Haskell, executive producer of Parton's movies and specials, also won an Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie for the 2021 "Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square."
He has produced multiple projects for Netflix, including "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings," an anthology series of eight movies based on the singer's songs and life stories, two episodes of which won Movieguide awards. The series has also been honored by the 2020 PaleyFest as one of the best TV series of 2019.
Mary Donnelly Haskell is an actor who has starred in "Touched by an Angel," "Seventh Heaven," "Sisters," "Diagnosis Murder," "Days of Our Lives" and more than 20 TV movies, including two of the Hallmark Channel's highest-rated Christmas shows: "Once Upon a Christmas" and "Twice Upon a Christmas."
An accomplished singer, Haskell has performed at venues including the Kennedy Center and the White House and with the Prague Symphony Orchestra. She is a popular recording artist, having released four children's CDs, an adult contemporary album and a collection of sacred hymns and praise songs.
Haskell is also a founding member and former chair of the Ole Miss Women's Council for Philanthropy.
Tickets to the March 25 anniversary celebration range from $25 to $60, with reduced prices for Ole Miss students, faculty, staff and retirees. They can be purchased at the UM Box Office in the Ford Center, open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; by calling 662-915-7411; or online at https://olemissboxoffice.universitytickets.com.
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Error! There was an error processing your request. | https://www.djournal.com/new-albany/star-power-set-to-fill-ford-center-for-20th-anniversary/article_88c27e00-6da0-5fbf-9a2b-368f4567be00.html | 2023-03-15 15:14:03 | 1 | https://www.djournal.com/new-albany/star-power-set-to-fill-ford-center-for-20th-anniversary/article_88c27e00-6da0-5fbf-9a2b-368f4567be00.html |
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE) – Teachers with the Central Unified School District are providing migrant students with essential tools to learn despite language barriers, giving them equity of access in the classroom.
In Martin Martinez’s fourth-grade class, the lesson is about angels. It’s the same instruction for all students even though some are still learning English.
Candice Warmuth is an English language teacher and often joins Mr. Martinez in the classroom.
“She can make sure that they are understanding what we are going over in class, and if she sees that perhaps they are struggling a bit, then she can offer specialized teaching or assistance to them,” said Mr. Martinez.
What she doesn’t do, is pull them out of the classroom and take away their access to the curriculum. All students are learning.
“They are in the regular classroom with English-only students. It is our job to give them the extra support to be as academically successful as the other students in the classroom,” said Mrs. Warmuth.
An example of providing equity of access in the classroom is by identifying a student’s individual needs, removing barriers, and providing extra resources.
“They shouldn’t miss out on anything simply because they are learning English as a second language and so equity tells us we provide what every kid needs, how they need it, and when they need it,” said Annette Grigsby, director of State and Federal Programs.
The Central Unified School District has used the practice for years and works with all students from Kindergarten to 12th grade. The work is reflected in improving test scores and boosting the self-confidence of English learners
“It’s amazing when kids feel confident how much more they will want to learn and interact with classmates in an appropriate manner,” said Grigsby.
17-year-old Axel Mosisvais Castro talked about his lack of self-confidence when he enrolled at Central High as a Junior. He had just moved here from Mexico.
“I didn’t think I had a good accent or good pronunciation and I didn’t talk like for a month,” said Axel
He said having two teachers in the classroom helped him improve his English and come out of his shell.
“I need to participate more in class, I need to make connections with classmates and stuff and yea I feel more free, more comfortable with myself speaking English,” said Axel.
Axel says he plans to attend Fresno State. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/education/education-matters-equity-of-access-in-classroom/ | 2023-07-18 04:03:23 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/education/education-matters-equity-of-access-in-classroom/ |
BENSALEM, Pa., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that investors with substantial losses have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit against Weber Inc. ("Weber" or the "Company") (NYSE: WEBR).
Class Period: August 2021 IPO
Lead Plaintiff Deadline: September 27, 2022
Investors suffering losses on their Weber investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com.
The complaint filed alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Weber was reasonably likely to implement price increases; (2) that, as a result, consumer demand for Weber's products was reasonably likely to decrease; (3) that, due to the resulting inventory buildup, Weber was reasonably likely to run promotions to "enhance retail sell through"; (4) that the foregoing would adversely impact Weber's financial results; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects, were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020, by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com, or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
Contacts
Law Offices of Howard G. Smith
Howard G. Smith, Esquire
215-638-4847
888-638-4847
howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com
www.howardsmithlaw.com
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SOURCE Law Offices of Howard G. Smith | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/webr-investors-have-opportunity-lead-weber-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ | 2022-08-18 15:51:53 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/08/18/webr-investors-have-opportunity-lead-weber-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit/ |
LendingClub Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results Published: Oct. 26, 2022 at 4:06 PM EDT | Updated: 2 hours ago
Revenue Increased 24% Year Over Year to $304 .9 Million
Diluted Earnings Per Share Increased 58% Year Over Year to $0.41
Total Assets Grew 43% Year Over Year to $6 .8 Billion
SAN FRANCISCO , Oct. 26 , 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC), the parent company of LendingClub Bank, America's leading digital marketplace bank, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022.
LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC) is the parent company of LendingClub Bank, National Association, Member FDIC. LendingClub Bank is the leading digital marketplace bank in the U.S.(PRNewswire) "We delivered solid results as we leaned into the strategic advantages of our digital bank in the face of a less favorable economic environment. We drove growth in recurring interest income supported by strong credit performance of our retained high-quality prime loan portfolio," said Scott Sanborn , LendingClub CEO. "As we anticipated, marketplace volumes were impacted by higher funding costs for certain loan investors, driven by rapidly increasing interest rates. Over time, as rates stabilize and we continue to reprice personal loans, we expect this impact to gradually moderate. Our digital bank and other strategic advantages position us to continue to effectively navigate the evolving economy and to capitalize on attractive growth opportunities as they emerge."
Third Quarter 2022 Results
Loan originations were $3.5 billion, up 14% year over year. Total net revenue of $304.9 million grew 24% year over year, driven by growth in net interest income. Net interest income, a recurring stream of earnings for the company, increased 89% year over year to $123.7 million. Total loans held for investment (excluding PPP) grew 97% to $4.4 billion from September 30, 2021, reflecting growth in personal loan originations held for investment in the quarter of $1.2 billion, or 33% of total originations. Net interest margin expanded to 8.3% from 6.3% a year earlier, primarily reflecting a greater mix of personal loans which generate a higher yield than the rest of the loans held for investment. Marketplace revenue of $173.8 million remained flat year over year, roughly in line with marketplace sales as the company retained a higher percentage of loan originations to drive growth in recurring revenue. Deposits of $5.1 billion were up 80% from September 30, 2021, primarily reflecting growth in online savings deposits. Credit quality of the company's held-for-investment loan portfolio remained strong, with delinquency rates gradually normalizing as the portfolio seasons. The strong credit performance of the held-for-investment portfolio reflects the high quality credit profile of our borrowers with an average FICO of 730. Provision for credit losses of $82.7 million primarily reflects $1.2 billion of quarterly loan originations held for investment and loan portfolio growth of 97% year over year. The efficiency ratio improved to 61% from 73% in the third quarter of 2021 due to improved marketing efficiency, prudent management of non-marketing expenses and strong growth in net interest income. Net income of $43.2 million increased $16.0 million year over year. Net income for the third quarter of 2022 included an income tax benefit of $7.2 million. The earnings from the tax benefit enabled higher loan retention. Diluted earnings per share of $0.41 grew 58% year over year. The improvement from a year earlier primarily reflected revenue growth and improved operating efficiency, as well as a $0.05 per share benefit from the reversal of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance. Total equity of $1.1 billion was up $316.6 million, or 39%, from September 30, 2021, primarily reflecting net income generated over the period and the release of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance. Book value per common share of $10.67 increased 32% from September 30, 2021. Tangible book value per common share of $9.78 increased 38% from September 30, 2021. Substantial capital with a consolidated Tier 1 leverage ratio of 15.7% and consolidated Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 18.3%. Pre-tax, pre-provision income of $118.7 million increased 76% year over year, driven by revenue growth and improved operating efficiency.
Three Months Ended
($ in millions, except per share amounts)
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
September 30, 2021
Total net revenue
$ 304.9
$ 330.1
$ 246.2
Non-interest expense
186.2
209.4
178.8
Pre-tax, pre-provision income
118.7
120.7
67.4
Provision for credit losses
82.7
70.6
37.5
Income before income tax benefit (expense)
36.0
50.1
29.9
Income tax benefit (expense)
7.2
132.0
(2.7)
Net income
$ 43.2
$ 182.1
$ 27.2
Diluted EPS
$ 0.41
$ 1.73
$ 0.26
Income tax benefit from release of tax valuation allowance
$ 5.0
$ 135.3
$ —
Net income excluding income tax benefit (1)
$ 38.2
$ 46.8
$ 27.2
Diluted EPS excluding income tax benefit (1)
$ 0.36
$ 0.45
$ 0.26
(1)
Third and second quarters of 2022 include income tax benefit of $5.0 million and $135.3 million, respectively, due to the release of a deferred tax asset valuation allowance. See page 3 of this release for additional information on our use of non-GAAP financial measures.
For a calculation of Net Income Excluding Income Tax Benefit, Diluted EPS Excluding Income Tax Benefit, and Tangible Book Value Per Common Share, refer to the "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures " tables at the end of this release.
The company provided full year net revenue and net income guidance for 2022.
Fourth Quarter
2022
Full Year
2022
Total net revenue
$255M to $265M
$1,180M to $1,190M
Net income
$15M to $25M
$280M to $290M
LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC) is the parent company of LendingClub Bank, National Association, Member FDIC. LendingClub Bank is the leading digital marketplace bank in the U.S., where members can access a broad range of financial products and services designed to help them pay less when borrowing and earn more when saving. Based on more than 150 billion cells of data and over $80 billion in loans, our advanced credit decisioning and machine-learning models are used across the customer lifecycle to expand seamless access to credit for our members, while generating compelling risk-adjusted returns for our loan investors. Since 2007, more than 4 million members have joined the Club to help reach their financial goals. For more information about LendingClub, visit https://www.lendingclub.com .
Conference Call and Webcast Information
The LendingClub third quarter 2022 webcast and teleconference is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (or 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 26, 2022. A live webcast of the call will be available at http://ir.lendingclub.com under the Filings & Financials menu in Quarterly Results. To access the call, please dial +1 (844) 200-6205, or outside the U.S. +1 (929) 526-1599, with Access Code 659586, ten minutes prior to 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (or 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). An audio archive of the call will be available at http://ir.lendingclub.com . An audio replay will also be available 1 hour after the end of the call until November 2, 2022, by calling +1 (866) 813-9403 or outside the U.S. +44 (204) 525-0658, with Access Code 037801. LendingClub has used, and intends to use, its investor relations website, blog (http://blog.lendingclub.com ), Twitter handle (@LendingClub) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LendingClubTeam ) as a means of disclosing material non-public information and to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.
Contacts For Investors:IR@lendingclub.com
Media Contact:Press@lendingclub.com
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use the following non-GAAP financial measures: Net Income Excluding Income Tax Benefit, Diluted EPS Excluding Income Tax Benefit, and Tangible Book Value Per Common Share. Our non-GAAP financial measures do have limitations as analytical tools and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for an analysis of our results under GAAP.
We believe these non-GAAP financial measures provide management and investors with useful supplemental information about the financial performance of our business, enable comparison of financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and enable comparison of our financial results with other public companies.
We believe Net Income Excluding Income Tax Benefit and Diluted EPS Excluding Income Tax Benefit are important measures because they reflect the financial performance of our business operations. Net Income Excluding Income Tax Benefit adjusts for the release of a deferred tax asset valuation allowance in the third and second quarters of 2022. Diluted EPS Excluding Income Tax Benefit is a non-GAAP financial measure calculated by dividing Net Income Excluding Income Tax Benefit by the weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding.
We believe Tangible Book Value (TBV) Per Common Share is an important measure used to evaluate the company's use of equity. TBV Per Common Share is a non-GAAP financial measure representing common equity reduced by goodwill and intangible assets, divided by ending common shares issued and outstanding.
For a reconciliation of such measures to the nearest GAAP measures, please refer to the tables on page 16 of this release.
Some of the statements above, including statements regarding our competitive advantages, macroeconomic outlook, anticipated future performance and financial results, are "forward-looking statements." The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "outlook," "plan," "predict," "project," "will," "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements include: our ability to continue to attract and retain new and existing customers; competition; overall economic conditions; the regulatory environment; demand for the types of loans facilitated by us; default rates and those factors set forth in the section titled "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS (In thousands, except percentages or as noted) (Unaudited)
As of and for the three months ended
% Change
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
March 31,
2022
December 31,
2021
September 30, 2021
Q/Q
Y/Y
Operating Highlights:
Non-interest income
$ 181,237
$ 213,832
$ 189,857
$ 179,111
$ 180,878
(15) %
— %
Net interest income
123,676
116,226
99,680
83,132
65,288
6 %
89 %
Total net revenue
304,913
330,058
289,537
262,243
246,166
(8) %
24 %
Non-interest expense
186,219
209,386
191,204
188,220
178,775
(11) %
4 %
Pre-tax, pre-provision income
118,694
120,672
98,333
74,023
67,391
(2) %
76 %
Provision for credit losses
82,739
70,566
52,509
45,149
37,524
17 %
120 %
Income before income tax benefit (expense)
35,955
50,106
45,824
28,874
29,867
(28) %
20 %
Income tax benefit (expense)
7,243
131,954
(4,988)
234
(2,682)
N/M
N/M
Net income
43,198
182,060
40,836
29,108
27,185
(76) %
59 %
Income tax benefit from release of tax valuation allowance
5,015
135,300
—
—
—
N/M
N/M
Net income excluding income tax benefit(1)(2)
$ 38,183
$ 46,760
$ 40,836
$ 29,108
$ 27,185
(18) %
40 %
Basic EPS – common stockholders
$ 0.41
$ 1.77
$ 0.40
$ 0.29
$ 0.27
(77) %
52 %
Diluted EPS – common stockholders
$ 0.41
$ 1.73
$ 0.39
$ 0.27
$ 0.26
(76) %
58 %
Diluted EPS excluding income tax benefit(1)(2)
$ 0.36
$ 0.45
$ 0.39
$ 0.27
$ 0.26
(20) %
38 %
LendingClub Corporation Performance Metrics:
Net interest margin
8.3 %
8.5 %
8.3 %
7.6 %
6.3 %
Efficiency ratio(3)
61.1 %
63.4 %
66.0 %
71.8 %
72.6 %
Return on average equity (ROE)
14.2 %
33.8 %
18.7 %
14.1 %
13.8 %
Return on average total assets (ROA)
2.5 %
5.5 %
3.1 %
2.4 %
2.4 %
Marketing expense as a % of loan originations
1.3 %
1.6 %
1.7 %
1.7 %
1.6 %
LendingClub Corporation Capital Metrics:
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio
18.3 %
20.0 %
20.6 %
21.3 %
22.8 %
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio
15.7 %
16.2 %
15.6 %
16.5 %
16.2 %
Book Value per Common Share
$ 10.67
$ 10.41
$ 8.68
$ 8.41
$ 8.07
2 %
32 %
Tangible Book Value per Common Share(2)
$ 9.78
$ 9.50
$ 7.75
$ 7.46
$ 7.08
3 %
38 %
Loan originations (in millions)(4) :
Total loan originations
$ 3,539
$ 3,840
$ 3,217
$ 3,069
$ 3,107
(8) %
14 %
Marketplace loans
$ 2,386
$ 2,819
$ 2,360
$ 2,308
$ 2,471
(15) %
(3) %
Loan originations held for investment
$ 1,153
$ 1,021
$ 856
$ 761
$ 636
13 %
81 %
Loan originations held for investment as a % of total loan originations
33 %
27 %
27 %
25 %
20 %
Servicing portfolio AUM (in millions)(5) :
Total servicing portfolio
$ 15,929
$ 14,783
$ 13,341
$ 12,463
$ 11,592
8 %
37 %
Loans serviced for others
$ 11,807
$ 11,382
$ 10,475
$ 10,124
$ 9,744
4 %
21 %
Balance Sheet Data:
Loans and leases held for investment, net, excluding PPP loans
$ 4,414,347
$ 3,692,667
$ 3,049,325
$ 2,486,440
$ 2,235,698
20 %
97 %
PPP loans
$ 89,379
$ 118,794
$ 184,986
$ 268,297
$ 367,558
(25) %
(76) %
Total loans and leases held for investment, net
$ 4,503,726
$ 3,811,461
$ 3,234,311
$ 2,754,737
$ 2,603,256
18 %
73 %
Total assets
$ 6,775,074
$ 6,186,765
$ 5,574,425
$ 4,900,319
$ 4,750,760
10 %
43 %
Total deposits
$ 5,123,506
$ 4,527,672
$ 3,977,477
$ 3,135,788
$ 2,838,719
13 %
80 %
Total liabilities
$ 5,653,664
$ 5,107,648
$ 4,686,991
$ 4,050,077
$ 3,945,970
11 %
43 %
Total equity
$ 1,121,410
$ 1,079,117
$ 887,434
$ 850,242
$ 804,790
4 %
39 %
Allowance Ratios:
Allowance for loan and lease losses to total loans and leases held for investment
6.3 %
6.0 %
5.5 %
5.0 %
3.9 %
Allowance for loan and lease losses to total loans and leases held for investment, excluding PPP loans
6.4 %
6.2 %
5.8 %
5.5 %
4.5 %
Allowance for loan and lease losses to consumer loans and leases held for investment
7.2 %
6.9 %
6.6 %
6.4 %
5.2 %
Allowance for loan and lease losses to commercial loans and leases held for investment
1.9 %
2.0 %
1.8 %
1.8 %
1.6 %
Allowance for loan and lease losses to commercial loans and leases held for investment, excluding PPP loans
2.2 %
2.3 %
2.3 %
2.6 %
2.6 %
N/M
– Not meaningful
N/A
– Not applicable
(1)
Excludes third and second quarter 2022 income tax benefit of $5.0 million and $135.3 million, respectively, due to the release of a deferred tax asset valuation allowance.
(2)
Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. See "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures. "
(3)
Calculated as the ratio of non-interest expense to total net revenue.
(4)
Includes unsecured personal loans, auto loans, and education and patient finance loans only.
(5)
Loans serviced on our platform, which includes unsecured personal loans, auto loans and education and patient finance loans serviced for others and held for investment by the company.
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION LOANS AND LEASES HELD FOR INVESTMENT (In thousands) (Unaudited)
September 30, 2022
December 31, 2021
Unsecured personal
$ 3,642,254
$ 1,804,578
Residential mortgages
197,776
151,362
Secured consumer
180,768
65,976
Total consumer loans held for investment
4,020,798
2,021,916
Equipment finance (1)
167,447
149,155
Commercial real estate
372,406
310,399
Commercial and industrial (2)
246,276
417,656
Total commercial loans and leases held for investment
786,129
877,210
Total loans and leases held for investment
4,806,927
2,899,126
Allowance for loan and lease losses
(303,201)
(144,389)
Loans and leases held for investment, net
$ 4,503,726
$ 2,754,737
(1)
Comprised of sales-type leases for equipment.
(2)
Includes $89.4 million and $268.3 million of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. Such loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Association and, therefore, the Company determined no allowance for expected credit losses is required on these loans.
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN AND LEASE LOSSES (In thousands) (Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
Consumer
Commercial
Total
Consumer
Commercial
Total
Allowance for loan and lease losses, beginning of period
$ 228,184
$ 15,076
$ 243,260
$ 173,857
$ 14,128
$ 187,985
Credit loss expense for loans and leases held for investment
81,935
664
82,599
68,314
1,739
70,053
Charge-offs
(22,944)
(784)
(23,728)
(14,707)
(1,145)
(15,852)
Recoveries
963
107
1,070
720
354
1,074
Allowance for loan and lease losses, end of period
$ 288,138
$ 15,063
$ 303,201
$ 228,184
$ 15,076
$ 243,260
Three Months Ended
September 30, 2021
Consumer
Commercial
Total
Allowance for loan and lease losses, beginning of period
$ 54,058
$ 17,023
$ 71,081
Credit loss expense for loans and leases held for investment
37,695
(562)
37,133
Charge-offs
(3,142)
(1,194)
(4,336)
Recoveries
20
838
858
Allowance for loan and lease losses, end of period
$ 88,631
$ 16,105
$ 104,736
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (In thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
Change (%)
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
September 30, 2021
Q3 2022
vs
Q3 2021
Q3 2022
vs
Q2 2022
Non-interest income:
Marketplace revenue (1)
$ 173,837
$ 206,384
$ 174,556
— %
(16) %
Other non-interest income
7,400
7,448
6,322
17 %
(1) %
Total non-interest income
181,237
213,832
180,878
— %
(15) %
Interest income:
Interest on loans held for sale
5,879
7,130
8,536
(31) %
(18) %
Interest and fees on loans and leases held for investment
124,028
108,911
57,644
115 %
14 %
Interest on retail and certificate loans held for investment at fair value
3,685
5,091
12,172
(70) %
(28) %
Interest on other loans held for investment at fair value
791
631
973
(19) %
25 %
Interest on securities available for sale
3,820
4,426
3,180
20 %
(14) %
Other interest income
5,017
2,279
355
N/M
120 %
Total interest income
143,220
128,468
82,860
73 %
11 %
Interest expense:
Interest on deposits
15,184
6,078
1,899
700 %
150 %
Interest on short-term borrowings
87
417
849
(90) %
(79) %
Interest on retail notes, certificates and secured borrowings
3,685
5,091
12,172
(70) %
(28) %
Interest on Structured Program borrowings
225
360
2,120
(89) %
(38) %
Interest on other long-term debt
363
296
532
(32) %
23 %
Total interest expense
19,544
12,242
17,572
11 %
60 %
Net interest income
123,676
116,226
65,288
89 %
6 %
Total net revenue
304,913
330,058
246,166
24 %
(8) %
Provision for credit losses
82,739
70,566
37,524
120 %
17 %
Non-interest expense:
Compensation and benefits
84,916
85,103
73,304
16 %
— %
Marketing
46,031
61,497
50,782
(9) %
(25) %
Equipment and software
12,491
12,461
10,297
21 %
— %
Occupancy
5,051
6,209
6,486
(22) %
(19) %
Depreciation and amortization
10,681
10,557
10,549
1 %
1 %
Professional services
11,943
16,138
11,750
2 %
(26) %
Other non-interest expense
15,106
17,421
15,607
(3) %
(13) %
Total non-interest expense
186,219
209,386
178,775
4 %
(11) %
Income before income tax benefit (expense)
35,955
50,106
29,867
20 %
(28) %
Income tax benefit (expense)
7,243
131,954
(2,682)
N/M
N/M
Net income
$ 43,198
$ 182,060
$ 27,185
59 %
(76) %
Net income per share:
Basic EPS – common stockholders
$ 0.41
$ 1.77
$ 0.27
52 %
(77) %
Diluted EPS – common stockholders
$ 0.41
$ 1.73
$ 0.26
58 %
(76) %
Weighted-average common shares – Basic
104,215,594
102,776,867
99,073,507
5 %
1 %
Weighted-average common shares – Diluted
105,853,938
105,042,626
106,108,662
— %
1 %
N/M
– Not meaningful
(1)
Marketplace revenue consists of the following:
Three Months Ended
Change (%)
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
September 30, 2021
Q3 2022
vs
Q3 2021
Q3 2022
vs
Q2 2022
Origination fees
$ 127,142
$ 149,252
$ 129,125
(2) %
(15) %
Servicing fees
23,760
18,166
20,819
14 %
31 %
Gain on sales of loans
23,554
29,319
21,907
8 %
(20) %
Net fair value adjustments
(619)
9,647
2,705
(123) %
(106) %
Total marketplace revenue
$ 173,837
$ 206,384
$ 174,556
— %
(16) %
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS BY SEGMENT (In Thousands) (Unaudited)
LendingClub
Bank
LendingClub
Corporation
(Parent only)
Intercompany
Eliminations
Total
September 30, 2022
December 31, 2021
September 30, 2022
December 31, 2021
September 30, 2022
December 31, 2021
September 30, 2022
December 31, 2021
Assets
Total cash and cash equivalents
$ 896,519
$ 659,919
$ 109,200
$ 88,268
$ (52,878)
$ (61,061)
$ 952,841
$ 687,126
Restricted cash
—
—
78,746
76,540
(12,461)
(80)
66,285
76,460
Securities available for sale at fair value
338,096
205,730
21,061
57,800
—
—
359,157
263,530
Loans held for sale
90,058
335,449
—
55,799
—
—
90,058
391,248
Loans and leases held for investment, net
4,503,726
2,754,737
—
—
—
—
4,503,726
2,754,737
Retail and certificate loans held for investment at fair value
—
—
87,144
229,719
—
—
87,144
229,719
Other loans held for investment at fair value
—
—
15,057
21,240
—
—
15,057
21,240
Property, equipment and software, net
89,576
36,424
40,381
61,572
—
—
129,957
97,996
Investment in subsidiary
—
—
671,574
557,577
(671,574)
(557,577)
—
—
Goodwill
75,717
75,717
—
—
—
—
75,717
75,717
Other assets
305,456
254,075
207,556
168,042
(17,880)
(119,571)
495,132
302,546
Total assets
6,299,148
4,322,051
1,230,719
1,316,557
(754,793)
(738,289)
6,775,074
4,900,319
Liabilities and Equity
Total deposits
5,188,845
3,196,929
—
—
(65,339)
(61,141)
5,123,506
3,135,788
Short-term borrowings
165
165
4,638
27,615
—
—
4,803
27,780
Advances from PPPLF
91,671
271,933
—
—
—
—
91,671
271,933
Retail notes, certificates and secured borrowings at fair value
—
—
87,144
229,719
—
—
87,144
229,719
Payable on Structured Program borrowings
—
—
11,185
65,451
—
—
11,185
65,451
Other long-term debt
—
—
15,300
15,455
—
—
15,300
15,455
Other liabilities
205,814
218,775
132,121
150,727
(17,880)
(65,551)
320,055
303,951
Total liabilities
5,486,495
3,687,802
250,388
488,967
(83,219)
(126,692)
5,653,664
4,050,077
Total equity
812,653
634,249
980,331
827,590
(671,574)
(611,597)
1,121,410
850,242
Total liabilities and equity
$ 6,299,148
$ 4,322,051
$ 1,230,719
$ 1,316,557
$ (754,793)
$ (738,289)
$ 6,775,074
$ 4,900,319
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME BY SEGMENT (In thousands) (Unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30, 2022
LendingClub
Bank
LendingClub
Corporation
(Parent only)
Intercompany
Eliminations
Total
Non-interest income:
Marketplace revenue
$ 153,504
$ 9,015
$ 11,318
$ 173,837
Other non-interest income
25,240
4,794
(22,634)
7,400
Total non-interest income
178,744
13,809
(11,316)
181,237
Interest income:
Interest income
137,142
6,078
—
143,220
Interest expense
(15,277)
(4,267)
—
(19,544)
Net interest income
121,865
1,811
—
123,676
Total net revenue
300,609
15,620
(11,316)
304,913
Provision for credit losses
(82,739)
—
—
(82,739)
Non-interest expense
(177,714)
(19,821)
11,316
(186,219)
Income (Loss) before income tax benefit (expense)
40,156
(4,201)
—
35,955
Income tax benefit (expense)
(9,440)
16,683
—
7,243
Net income
$ 30,716
$ 12,482
$ —
$ 43,198
Three Months Ended June 30, 2022
LendingClub
Bank
LendingClub
Corporation
(Parent only)
Intercompany
Eliminations
Total
Non-interest income:
Marketplace revenue
$ 191,087
$ 11,167
$ 4,130
$ 206,384
Other non-interest income
20,041
3,914
(16,507)
7,448
Total non-interest income
211,128
15,081
(12,377)
213,832
Interest income:
Interest income
120,152
8,316
—
128,468
Interest expense
(6,213)
(6,029)
—
(12,242)
Net interest income
113,939
2,287
—
116,226
Total net revenue
325,067
17,368
(12,377)
330,058
Provision for credit losses
(70,566)
—
—
(70,566)
Non-interest expense
(196,636)
(25,127)
12,377
(209,386)
Income (Loss) before income tax benefit (expense)
57,865
(7,759)
—
50,106
Income tax benefit (expense)
(17,318)
85,864
63,408
131,954
Net income
$ 40,547
$ 78,105
$ 63,408
$ 182,060
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021
LendingClub
Bank
LendingClub
Corporation
(Parent only)
Intercompany
Eliminations
Total
Non-interest income:
Marketplace revenue
$ 151,109
$ 23,447
$ —
$ 174,556
Other non-interest income
25,393
4,140
(23,211)
6,322
Total non-interest income
176,502
27,587
(23,211)
180,878
Interest income:
Interest income
64,606
18,254
—
82,860
Interest expense
(2,270)
(15,302)
—
(17,572)
Net interest income
62,336
2,952
—
65,288
Total net revenue
238,838
30,539
(23,211)
246,166
(Provision for) reversal of credit losses
(38,019)
495
—
(37,524)
Non-interest expense
(161,101)
(40,885)
23,211
(178,775)
Income (Loss) before income tax benefit (expense)
39,718
(9,851)
—
29,867
Income tax benefit (expense)
(4,670)
12,607
(10,619)
(2,682)
Net income
$ 35,048
$ 2,756
$ (10,619)
$ 27,185
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION NET INTEREST INCOME (In thousands, except percentages or as noted) (Unaudited)
Consolidated LendingClub Corporation (1)
Three Months Ended
September 30, 2022
Three Months Ended
June 30, 2022
Three Months Ended
September 30, 2021
Average Balance
Interest Income/ Expense
Average Yield/ Rate
Average Balance
Interest Income/ Expense
Average Yield/ Rate
Average Balance
Interest Income/ Expense
Average Yield/ Rate
Interest-earning assets (2)
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and other
$ 893,655
$ 5,017
2.25 %
$ 1,023,192
$ 2,279
0.89 %
$ 778,667
$ 355
0.18 %
Securities available for sale at fair value
396,556
3,820
3.85 %
409,327
4,426
4.32 %
266,686
3,180
4.77 %
Loans held for sale
126,487
5,879
18.59 %
156,503
7,130
18.22 %
226,422
8,536
15.08 %
Loans and leases held for investment:
Unsecured personal loans
3,268,649
110,446
13.52 %
2,692,148
95,529
14.19 %
991,297
39,532
15.95 %
Secured consumer loans
337,191
3,039
3.60 %
268,091
2,351
3.51 %
464,194
4,688
4.04 %
Commercial loans and leases
692,783
9,262
5.35 %
644,002
8,732
5.42 %
616,823
7,887
5.11 %
PPP loans
105,500
1,281
4.86 %
149,454
2,299
6.15 %
436,785
5,537
5.07 %
Loans and leases held for investment
4,404,123
124,028
11.26 %
3,753,695
108,911
11.61 %
2,509,099
57,644
9.19 %
Retail and certificate loans held for investment at fair value
104,010
3,685
14.17 %
144,613
5,091
14.08 %
344,205
12,172
14.15 %
Other loans held for investment at fair value
17,763
791
17.83 %
16,991
631
14.85 %
30,981
973
12.58 %
Total interest-earning assets
5,942,594
143,220
9.64 %
5,504,321
128,468
9.34 %
4,156,060
82,860
7.97 %
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash
58,411
75,517
96,733
Allowance for loan and lease losses
(254,849)
(202,904)
(86,686)
Other non-interest earning assets
597,169
490,412
449,964
Total assets
$ 6,343,325
$ 5,867,346
$ 4,616,071
Interest-bearing liabilities
Interest-bearing deposits:
Checking and money market accounts
$ 2,192,904
$ 4,575
0.83 %
$ 2,463,710
$ 2,664
0.43 %
$ 2,221,365
$ 1,707
0.30 %
Savings accounts and certificates of deposit
2,260,170
10,609
1.86 %
1,555,607
3,414
0.88 %
307,807
192
0.25 %
Interest-bearing deposits
4,453,074
15,184
1.35 %
4,019,317
6,078
0.61 %
2,529,172
1,899
0.30 %
Short-term borrowings
6,848
87
5.09 %
10,874
417
15.35 %
57,224
849
5.93 %
Advances from PPPLF
104,897
93
0.36 %
151,278
135
0.36 %
416,748
371
0.36 %
Retail notes, certificates and secured borrowings
104,010
3,685
14.17 %
144,613
5,091
14.08 %
344,087
12,172
14.15 %
Structured Program borrowings
13,859
225
6.50 %
18,439
360
7.81 %
100,178
2,120
8.46 %
Other long-term debt
15,300
270
7.04 %
15,357
161
4.20 %
15,606
161
4.13 %
Total interest-bearing liabilities
4,697,988
19,544
1.65 %
4,359,878
12,242
1.12 %
3,463,015
17,572
2.03 %
Non-interest bearing deposits
284,134
292,750
81,491
Other liabilities
250,086
261,796
285,292
Total liabilities
$ 5,232,208
$ 4,914,424
$ 3,829,798
Total equity
$ 1,111,117
$ 952,922
$ 786,273
Total liabilities and equity
$ 6,343,325
$ 5,867,346
$ 4,616,071
Interest rate spread
7.99 %
8.21 %
5.95 %
Net interest income and net interest margin
$ 123,676
8.32 %
$ 116,226
8.45 %
$ 65,288
6.28 %
(1)
Consolidated presentation reflects intercompany eliminations.
(2)
Nonaccrual loans and any related income are included in their respective loan categories.
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In Thousands, Except Share and Per Share Amounts) (Unaudited)
September 30, 2022
December 31, 2021
Assets
Cash and due from banks
$ 23,211
$ 35,670
Interest-bearing deposits in banks
929,630
651,456
Total cash and cash equivalents
952,841
687,126
Restricted cash
66,285
76,460
Securities available for sale at fair value ($415,726 and $256,170 at amortized cost, respectively)
359,157
263,530
Loans held for sale (includes $90,058 and $142,370 at fair value, respectively)
90,058
391,248
Loans and leases held for investment
4,806,927
2,899,126
Allowance for loan and lease losses
(303,201)
(144,389)
Loans and leases held for investment, net
4,503,726
2,754,737
Retail and certificate loans held for investment at fair value
87,144
229,719
Other loans held for investment at fair value
15,057
21,240
Property, equipment and software, net
129,957
97,996
Goodwill
75,717
75,717
Other assets
495,132
302,546
Total assets
$ 6,775,074
$ 4,900,319
Liabilities and Equity
Deposits:
Interest-bearing
$ 4,868,132
$ 2,919,203
Noninterest-bearing
255,374
216,585
Total deposits
5,123,506
3,135,788
Short-term borrowings
4,803
27,780
Advances from Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility (PPPLF)
91,671
271,933
Retail notes, certificates and secured borrowings at fair value
87,144
229,719
Payable on Structured Program borrowings
11,185
65,451
Other long-term debt
15,300
15,455
Other liabilities
320,055
303,951
Total liabilities
5,653,664
4,050,077
Equity
Series A Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 1,200,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding
—
—
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 180,000,000 shares authorized; 105,088,761 and 101,043,924 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
1,051
1,010
Additional paid-in capital
1,611,627
1,559,616
Accumulated deficit
(451,336)
(717,430)
Treasury stock, at cost; 7,751 and 0 shares, respectively
(98)
—
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
(39,834)
7,046
Total equity
1,121,410
850,242
Total liabilities and equity
$ 6,775,074
$ 4,900,319
LENDINGCLUB CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (In thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited)
As of and for the three months ended
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
March 31,
2022
December 31,
2021
September 30, 2021
GAAP Net income
$ 43,198
$ 182,060
$ 40,836
$ 29,108
$ 27,185
Income tax benefit from release of tax valuation allowance
5,015
135,300
—
—
—
Net income excluding income tax benefit
$ 38,183
$ 46,760
$ 40,836
$ 29,108
$ 27,185
GAAP Diluted EPS – common stockholders
$ 0.41
$ 1.73
$ 0.39
$ 0.27
$ 0.26
(A)
Income tax benefit from release of tax valuation allowance
$ 5,015
$ 135,300
(B)
Weighted-average common shares – Diluted
105,853,938
105,042,626
(A/B)
Diluted EPS impact of income tax benefit
$ 0.05
$ 1.29
Diluted EPS excluding income tax benefit
$ 0.36
$ 0.44
$ 0.39
$ 0.27
$ 0.26
September 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
March 31,
2022
December 31,
2021
September 30, 2021
GAAP common equity
$ 1,121,410
$ 1,079,117
$ 887,434
$ 850,242
$ 804,790
Less: Goodwill
(75,717)
(75,717)
(75,717)
(75,717)
(75,717)
Less: Intangible assets
(17,512)
(18,690)
(19,886)
(21,181)
(22,521)
Tangible common equity
$ 1,028,181
$ 984,710
$ 791,831
$ 753,344
$ 706,552
Book value per common share
GAAP common equity
$ 1,121,410
$ 1,079,117
$ 887,434
$ 850,242
$ 804,790
Common shares issued and outstanding
105,088,761
103,630,776
102,194,037
101,043,924
99,782,192
Book value per common share
$ 10.67
$ 10.41
$ 8.68
$ 8.41
$ 8.07
Tangible book value per common share
Tangible common equity
$ 1,028,181
$ 984,710
$ 791,831
$ 753,344
$ 706,552
Common shares issued and outstanding
105,088,761
103,630,776
102,194,037
101,043,924
99,782,192
Tangible book value per common share
$ 9.78
$ 9.50
$ 7.75
$ 7.46
$ 7.08
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE LendingClub Corporation
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc. | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/10/26/lendingclub-reports-third-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-10-26 21:48:35 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/10/26/lendingclub-reports-third-quarter-2022-results/ |
JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian rights campaigner said that Israel tried to summon him for questioning on Sunday, as it pressed ahead with a crackdown on Palestinian rights groups based in the West Bank.
European and U.S. diplomats have pushed back against the claim by Israeli officials that the targeted groups are linked with terrorism.
The apparent Israeli order for Shawan Jabarin to report to a military prison followed a widely criticized raid last week on six Palestinian civil society organizations in the occupied West Bank. Nine European countries, using uncharacteristically blunt language, called the raid “not acceptable,” while the U.S. expressed concern.
Jabarin, who is director of one of the targeted groups, Al-Haq, said on Sunday that he received a five-minute “threatening call” from Israel’s Shin Bet security service ordering him to go to the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank. He said an officer threatened arrest, interrogation and “other things” if he did not comply.
“I will not change my mind, but if he wants to arrest me then he can surely do it as an occupying power,” Jabarin said. He said he invited the officer to the Al-Haq office and that he demanded the summons to be sent officially through lawyers, not over the phone.
The Shin Bet did not respond to a request for comment.
Israel last year outlawed six rights groups, including Al-Haq, claiming they have ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP is a secular, left-wing movement with a political party as well as an armed wing that has carried out deadly attacks against Israelis. Israel and the U.S. have labeled the PFLP a terrorist organization.
The rights groups deny the Israeli allegations. Jabarin called the claims of PFLP ties “utter nonsense and complete lies.” Nine European countries have also rejected the Israeli charges, citing a lack of evidence.
Despite the criticism, Israeli soldiers last Thursday entered the West Bank city of Ramallah in an armored convoy and blew up the front doors of the Palestinian groups’ offices. Soldiers seized documents, computers, and broke furniture and appliances before sealing the entrances.
The nine European countries — Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden — stepped up their criticism of Israel over the weekend, saying the latest raids are “part of a worrying reduction of space for civil society” for Palestinians.
“These actions are not acceptable,” they said in a joint statement, adding they have seen no evidence of extremist links.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price last week said Washington was “concerned” about the raids and closures but Israel had pledged to provide additional information. Western diplomats visited one of the offices hours later in a show of support for the outlawed groups.
The groups raided include Al-Haq, a veteran, internationally respected Palestinian rights group; Addameer, which advocates for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; Defense for Children International-Palestine; the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees; the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, and the Bisan Center for Research and Development.
On Sunday, some 45 Israeli and Jewish advocacy groups issued a statement in solidarity with the targeted Palestinian groups.
“Defense of human rights is not terrorism,” the statement said. “We repudiate these baseless declarations and call on the international community to pressure Israel to revoke its decision.”
Major Israeli human rights groups, including B’Tselem and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, as well as the liberal pro-Israel group J Street, were among the signatories.
Rights defenders have described the raid as part of a decades-long crackdown in the occupied territories on political activism.
“We know that there is a price to defend rights and citizens, and we are moving forward,” Jabarin said. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/international/palestinian-activist-defies-israeli-interrogation-order/ | 2022-08-22 14:31:40 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/international/palestinian-activist-defies-israeli-interrogation-order/ |
ATLANTA (AP) — Hawks guard Dejounte Murray has been suspended for Game 5 of the playoff series against the Boston Celtics with Atlanta facing the end of its season.
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The NBA announced Monday that Murray will have to sit out one game without pay for making inappropriate contact with an official, as well as verbal abuse.
The incident occurred after the Hawks' 129-121 loss in Game 4, which pushed Boston to a 3-1 lead in the series. The suspension was handed out by Joe Dumars, the league's head of basketball operations and chief disciplinarian.
After the horn sounded to end the game, Murray was captured on video bumping official Gediminas Petraitis with his chest while walking off the court. The player then turned to yell something at the referee before he was pulled away and directed toward the locker room.
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The Celtics can advance to the second round with a victory at home Tuesday night.
Murray scored 23 points in Game 4, but it was his worst outing of the series. The Hawks were outscored by 16 points while he was on the court.
Murray is averaging 25.3 points in the series, leaving a huge hole for the Hawk to fill as they try to extend the season on the road.
___
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Article continues below this ad | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/hawks-g-murray-suspended-for-game-5-vs-celtics-17916012.php | 2023-04-24 22:12:52 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/hawks-g-murray-suspended-for-game-5-vs-celtics-17916012.php |
YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Fire Life Yoga in York County offers Bikram Yoga and Inferno Pilates Classes.
The Bikram Yoga practice in particular focuses on 26 postures and two breathing exercises during a 90-minute class period.
“When we are trained, we are trained to teach the same sequence. It’s really a great way to stay in the meditative moment because you always know what postures are going to come,” said Maisha McAllister, an instructor at Fire Life Yoga.
To enhance the practice the studio increase the heat to 105 degrees and also bump up the humidity to roughly 40% or more.
Due to the high heat, all clients are encouraged to move at their own pace and to take breaks or drink water on their mats when needed.
“We always say it’s a yoga practice, it's not a yoga perfect and the whole point of this yoga is to listen to your body so we’re saying you do not have to do it all, to get it all,” McAllister said.
Dineasha Harris, an emergency room nurse and Fire Life Yoga client is new to the hot yoga class and has already seen a change by staying consistent.
“Now after six weeks, I still feel hot, you’re still hot, but you can endure and get through the class and feel a sense of more triumph at the end,” Harris said.
A triumph that leads to both mental and physical rewards including the ability to decompress from long work days, as well as endurance.
“My endurance is much better, circulation, I don’t have as much swelling because I am on my feet all the time being a nurse, my swelling has gone down in my legs, and lower extremities,” Harris said.
Additionally, clients notice pain relief, lower blood pressure, reduced anxiety, and better mobility.
“It really helps with your strength, your balance and general things that you take for granted like being able to bend down and pick things up easily, [or] put your shoe on without having to sit down,” said Liz Wolfe, a client at Fire Life Yoga.
All in all, Fire Life Yoga strives to create a space for everyone to come together, no matter who you are or your skill level.
“This is my church, this is my family, this is where I come to work on myself, work on your mind, your body, everything. It really makes your life kind of fall into place,” Wolfe said. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/health/check-fire-life-yogas-bikram-yoga-classes/521-b5c712e3-b52f-4505-bb0f-c465a6cd95c2 | 2023-07-19 21:19:08 | 0 | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/health/check-fire-life-yogas-bikram-yoga-classes/521-b5c712e3-b52f-4505-bb0f-c465a6cd95c2 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republican John Duarte defeated Democrat Adam Gray on Friday in a new California U.S. House district in the Central Valley farm belt that produced the closest congressional contest in the state this year.
With virtually all of the ballots counted, Duarte has just over 50% of the vote. Gray conceded in a statement, saying, “I accept the results and have called to congratulate my opponent.”
“This was one of the closest races in the country. More than 130,000 ballots were cast, and the outcome will be decided by just a few hundred votes," Gray said.
Duarte said in a statement, "“I promised our Valley families that I would be their bipartisan champion in Washington, D.C. by fighting for food on our tables, gas in our tanks, and water on our farms. That is exactly what I am going to go there to do.”
Earlier, Republicans regained control of the House. With Duarte's victory, Republicans will hold 221 seats next year, Democrats 213, with one Colorado race undecided and going to a recount.
The 13th District has a prominent Democratic tilt and a large Latino population, similar to other districts in the sprawling farm belt region. But the most likely voters tend to be white, older, more affluent homeowners, while working-class voters, including many Latinos, are less consistent in getting to the polls.
That provided an opening for the GOP, despite the 14-point Democratic registration advantage.
Duarte, a businessman and major grape and almond farmer, was the top finisher in the June primary. His priorities included obtaining adequate water supplies for farmers in the drought-wracked state — a perennial issue in the Central Valley — along with addressing inflation and crime.
Gray is considered a moderate Democratic state legislator. In a region heavily dependent on agriculture, he’s been critical of state water management and puts water and agriculture at the top of his issues list. He has also stressed his willingness to work across party lines, and promised to make improvements in public safety and education. | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/GOP-s-Duarte-takes-California-Central-Valley-US-17628155.php | 2022-12-03 03:44:14 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/GOP-s-Duarte-takes-California-Central-Valley-US-17628155.php |
The easy-to-make meals in collaboration with FitMenCook are available online for a limited time
CHICAGO, July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Chef, the leading meal solutions brand available both online and in-store, is partnering with Kevin Curry, creator, entrepreneur and cookbook author behind FitMenCook™, to bring fans a limited-time lineup of fresh, delicious meals that spotlight peak summer flavors. Home Chef's convenient and approachable meal kits combined with Curry's flair for delicious, balanced recipes make this menu a perfect fit for anyone looking to enjoy a flavorful, fun-filled summer without sacrificing eating well.
"At Home Chef, we believe anyone can make a delicious meal that impresses," said Shira Schwarz, VP of brand marketing at Home Chef. "Kevin is the perfect partner for this menu because his creativity and confidence in the kitchen is contagious – and he does it all with accessible recipes that any cook can recreate."
With vibrant yet simple recipes, Home Chef's exclusive menu curated with Curry allows home cooks to explore new ingredients and flavors in an easy-to-make format – because a homemade meal shouldn't just taste good, it should make everyone at the table feel good, even if it was a breeze to make.
The four tasty and time-saving recipes include:
- Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tacos: The perfect combination of sweet, spicy and smoky, made with chipotle-spiced chicken, fire-roasted salsa, creamy guacamole, and queso fresco. And the best part: It's ready in just 15 minutes!
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan: An easy, cheesy, carb and calorie-conscious take on an Italian American classic made with chicken breast stuffed with the dish's namesake cheese, topped with marinara (and yes, more parm), and served alongside herb-y, in-season zucchini and red bell peppers. This Oven-Ready meal is ready to heat and enjoy with minimal prep or mess.
- Beef Egg Roll Rice Bowl: A deconstructed version of a takeout favorite removes the rolling and frying but keeps the fresh flavors, including bell pepper, green onions, and cabbage, and umami-packed beef made with sweet chili and soy sauce, all served over a bed of jasmine rice and topped with crispy wonton strips for everyone still craving that signature crunch in every bite – and it takes just 15 minutes from fridge to table.
- Enchilada Turkey Meatloaf: This hearty, Oven-Ready meal is full of flavors inspired by Mexican cuisine, like poblano and bell peppers, black beans, corn, and queso fresco. Paired with easy, no-prep turkey meatloaves topped with enchilada sauce, this well-balanced meal (which is carb- and calorie-conscious) is sure to be a quick and convenient hit at meal-time.
"One of my main priorities in the kitchen is using fresh, nourishing ingredients, but I'll never sacrifice flavor to make a balanced meal," said Curry. "I'm so excited to partner with Home Chef, because they deliver the best of both worlds: a tasty meal you can feel good putting on the table, without wasting food or spending hours prepping."
Fans of FitMenCook and Home Chef can order these meals starting now at homechef.com/fitmencook. The recipes will be ready to enjoy at home between August 1 and 12, with two of Kevin Curry's meals to choose from each week. Ordering closes at noon CT on August 5, so fans who want to snag these exclusive meals should order now and let the mouth-watering anticipation begin.
About Home Chef
Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available from www.homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,200 Kroger Family of Stores, Home Chef is committed to bringing the joy and convenience of home cooking through simple, delicious meals. The Chicago-based meal kit company was ranked #1 in Customer Service among Meal Kits by Newsweek. Home Chef is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). Find out more and get cooking at www.homechef.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates and inspiration.
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SOURCE Home Chef | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/home-chef-partners-with-kevin-curry-fitmencook-exclusive-menu-fresh-flavorful-recipes/ | 2022-07-18 15:01:51 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/home-chef-partners-with-kevin-curry-fitmencook-exclusive-menu-fresh-flavorful-recipes/ |
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — As shootings at two electrical substations cut power to thousands of central North Carolina homes last weekend, they also sparked widespread speculation that the days-long blackout might be the latest of several attempts to shut down a local drag show meant to celebrate the LGBTQ community in rural Moore County.
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said earlier this week that police have not found evidence connecting the attacks to the drag performance that began shortly before the power went out, nor have they released a motive. However, authorities are considering the timing overlap and recent attacks on similar events nationwide as they proceed with their investigation.
Police have said the outages began shortly after 7 p.m. last Saturday after one or more people drove up to two electrical substations, breached the gates and opened fire on them. Whoever was responsible, Fields said, “knew exactly what they were doing to … cause the outage that they did.”
Duke Energy officials said power was fully restored to the county Wednesday evening. A peak of more than 45,000 customers lost power over the weekend. Many residents said they struggled to stay warm as temperatures dropped below freezing overnight.
Regardless of whether investigators connect the two events, Sandhills Pride Director Lauren Mathers said repeated efforts to shut down what was billed as a family friendly drag performance have left the county’s LGBTQ community feeling vulnerable.
She is especially worried for the safety of local queer and trans youth, who she said rarely see themselves represented in rural and right-leaning places like Moore County.
“This is my first time having this level of hate thrown at something that we love so much,” said Mathers, a Southern Pines resident and producer of the drag event. “Kids in rural communities don’t necessarily always have the same level of support, and what I hear from my kids is that there’s constant bullying.”
Naomi Dix, headliner of the Dec. 3 show at the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines, said she and fellow organizers were brutally harassed in the weeks leading up to the show. Conservative community leaders led a protest outside the theater, spread the false narrative that it was a sex show and demanded it be shut it down, she said.
Their concerns are shared by federal officials who have been on high alert in the weeks after a gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado, killing five people and wounding 17 others.
In a national terrorism advisory bulletin issued last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that the LGBTQ community and critical infrastructure may be targets of violence as domestic extremists and foreign terrorist organizations encourage online supporters to carry out attacks.
The FBI posted a notice seeking information related to the North Carolina investigation, and Gov. Roy Cooper announced a reward Wednesday of up to $75,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
For Dix, a Durham-based drag queen, the threats she faced leading up to the event were not isolated incidents but rather the “unfortunate reality for those working to increase LGBTQ visibility” in rural and conservative communities. Despite the backlash, she said, this will not be her last performance in Moore County.
The night of the show, private security and local police monitored the venue, Dix said. When the power went out about 30 minutes into the show, she asked the crowd of 370 people to illuminate the room with their cell phone lights as she serenaded them with Beyonce’s “Halo.”
“Our job as drag performers is to facilitate and create safe spaces,” Dix said. ”Specifically when it comes to Moore County, and dealing with this situation here in Southern Pines, it’s to find these areas in which there isn’t great representation of the queer community and to provide them with art and a space in which they can feel safe to express themselves.”
A recent study of threats, protests and violence against drag events from the LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD placed North Carolina and Texas atop the list of states with the highest number of drag events targeted this year. Of the 124 incidents documented across 47 states as of late November, at least 10 occurred in North Carolina. That tally does not include the latest demonstration in Moore County.
Such attacks on the performance art with strong historical ties to the LGBTQ community are the latest examples of “an ongoing, increasingly violent pattern” of right-wing activists and politicians using false rhetoric to stoke fear and fuel LGBTQ opposition, said Barbara Simon, head of news and campaigns for GLAAD.
Opponents of drag events catered toward families often falsely claim they “groom” children, implying attempts to sexually abuse them or somehow influence their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Lawmakers in seven states have proposed legislation this year banning minors from drag shows and prohibiting public drag performances. A bill filed last month in Texas seeks to classify drag as a “sexually oriented business” on par with strip clubs.
Serena Sebring, executive director of Blueprint NC, a coalition of progressive advocacy organizations in the Tar Heel state, said even though authorities are urging people not to jump to conclusions about the motive, she cannot ignore the persistent threats to LGBTQ communities and critical infrastructure nationwide.
“Every member of our community bears the cost of homophobia and transphobia unchecked,” Sebring said. “Moore County is an example and ought to be a cautionary tale about what happens when we allow bigotry to flourish.”
___
Hannah Schoenbaum is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. | https://pix11.com/news/national-news/ap-national/ap-nc-power-grid-attack-stokes-fear-in-rural-lgbtq-community/ | 2022-12-10 00:04:16 | 0 | https://pix11.com/news/national-news/ap-national/ap-nc-power-grid-attack-stokes-fear-in-rural-lgbtq-community/ |
Dog found in ditch with broken bones, rocks in stomach, animal rescuers say
Published: Feb. 3, 2023 at 10:00 PM EST|Updated: 29 minutes ago
LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) - An animal rescue group in Las Vegas says a dog was found with broken bones and rocks in its stomach.
KVVU reports volunteers with A Home 4 Spot Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization, recently located a dog named Duke in a ditch in the Las Vegas valley.
According to the organization, Duke underwent surgery this week after veterinarians found rocks in his stomach when X-rays were taken.
Animal rescuers said they weren’t sure how the rocks got into the dog’s stomach, but a cloth material was also found inside him.
Representatives with A Home 4 Spot Animal Rescue said the team is trying to raise money for Duke’s medical expenses.
Copyright 2023 KVVU via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/02/04/dog-found-ditch-with-broken-bones-rocks-stomach-animal-rescuers-say/ | 2023-02-04 03:29:51 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/02/04/dog-found-ditch-with-broken-bones-rocks-stomach-animal-rescuers-say/ |
MADISON, N.J., Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: HOUS), a global leader in residential real estate services (formerly known as Realogy Holdings Corp.), recently announced its recognition by Forbes magazine as one of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies for the second consecutive year. The prominent list is based off direct feedback from female employees and is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.
"I am incredibly proud that Forbes has once again recognized Anywhere as one of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies," said Ryan Schneider, Anywhere president and chief executive officer. "At Anywhere, women fuel our success across a number of critical business, strategic, and financial leadership roles. Our female colleagues empower an inclusive Anywhere culture that attracts and supports female employees across all backgrounds as we work together to empower everyone's next move."
Organizations included on the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies list are multinational corporations evaluated in an independent survey of approximately 85,000 women. Survey participation was strictly anonymous, and evaluations were based on both direct and indirect feedback. The Forbes World's Top Female-Friendly Companies designation comes on the heels of an additional Forbes recognition for Anywhere: World's Best Employers 2022.
"Anywhere has paved the way for women in leadership through our relentless focus on great talent. We are intentional in providing resources and opportunities for women to grow, both personally and professionally," said Tanya Reu-Narvaez, Anywhere chief people officer. "I'm inspired every day by the women leaders across Anywhere who are dedicated to making a big impact across our company and our industry by empowering those around them to aim high in their careers."
Anywhere boasts strong female leadership representation, with women comprising 36 percent of the Anywhere Board of Directors, 60 percent of the company's Executive Committee, and 70 percent of employees across the enterprise. Anywhere has been recognized for gender diversity on its Board of Directors by Executive Women of New Jersey and the Women's Forum of New York.
The company offers a Women's Employee Resource Group (ERG), which hosts events and panels on career growth, leadership, and other topics throughout the year. Additionally, the Women in Tech & Product Group at Anywhere is open to the entire company and supports the advancement of women in technology while providing a forum for women to have honest conversations about challenges they face in this field.
Anywhere and its portfolio of brands encourage career development, leadership, and entrepreneurship for members of diverse communities across the real estate industry, through various programs including the industry-first Inclusive Ownership Program, designed to invest in the success of diverse franchise owners, including women and minority groups; What Moves Her, a program that supports women finding their path to leadership; and CENTURY 21's Empowering Latinas program, aimed at assisting Latina entrepreneurs in obtaining their real estate license. Anywhere is also a national partner of WomanUP, an organization focused on increasing the representation of women-owned brokerages and women in corporate leadership roles across the real estate industry.
As one of the largest full service residential real estate services companies in the U.S., Anywhere is dedicated to creating a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is a vocal advocate for equal opportunity and fair housing. In June, the company officially completed its corporate rebrand from Realogy to Anywhere, signifying a strategic emphasis on building a more frictionless and digitized home buying and selling experience for any consumer, anywhere. The transformation also represents the company's mission to further move its culture and talent strategy into the future – empowering employees' growth anywhere in their career journey.
Read more about the Anywhere company culture in its 2021 CSR Report. For more information, please visit anywhere.re and follow Anywhere on social media by visiting its LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: HOUS) is moving the real estate industry to what's next. A leader of integrated residential real estate services in the U.S., Anywhere includes franchise, brokerage, relocation, and title and settlement businesses as well as a mortgage joint venture, supporting approximately 1.5 million home transactions in 2021. The diverse Anywhere 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, Anywhere fuels the productivity of its approximately 198,900 independent sales agents in the U.S. and approximately 142,500 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, Anywhere has also been designated a Great Place to Work four years in a row, named one of LinkedIn's 2021 Top Companies in the U.S., and honored on the Forbes list of World's Best Employers 2022.
Media Contacts:
Brianna Patrizio
Brianna.patrizio@anywhere.re
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FARGO, N.C. (AP) — Hunter Dustman's third field goal of the game, an 18-yarder with under four minutes remaining, lifted South Dakota State to a 23-21 victory over top-ranked and defending national champion North Dakota State on Saturday in the Dakota Marker rivalry game.
The Jackrabbits (6-1, 4-0 Missouri Valley Conference), ranked second in the Stats Perform and third in the coaches polls, won their sixth straight. They defeated the Bison (5-2, 3-1) for the third consecutive time, NDSU's only three regular-season losses the past two seasons. It was also SDSU's fourth win in the Fargodome, the most by any FCS team. NDSU leads the series 63-45-5.
The Bison rolled to a 21-7 lead and looked to increase it, having a first-and-10 from the SDSU 21. But Cole Payton was intercepted at the goal line by Colby Huerter with 3:22 left in the half.
The Jackrabbits were outgained 280-111 by halftime but turned it around in the second half by a 248-74 margin. A Dustman field goal and Amar Johnson's 16-yard run closed the gap to 21-17 heading in the fourth quarter when Dustman added his other two field goals.
NDSU's final possession came with 3:45 remaining but the Bison turned the ball over on downs with just over a minute left.
Isaiah Davis ran for 114 yards on 14 carries and a first-half touchdown for the Jackrabbits. Mark Gronowski passed for 152 yards.
Miller threw for 227 yards and touchdowns to DJ Hart and Hunter Luepke and ran for another for the Bison.
___
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Additional Flight Tests Offer Opportunity to Further Expand and Validate System Capabilities
TUCSON, Ariz., July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, in partnership with Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), was awarded a follow-on contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to reduce risk for future air breathing hypersonic systems. Under the agreement, the Raytheon-led team will build and fly additional Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) flight vehicles.
"We applied learnings from each successful HAWC flight test to ensure that it is the most sophisticated system of its kind," said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology for Raytheon. "Continuing this important program will expand our knowledge of hypersonic flight and allow us to deliver the critical capability our warfighters need."
The team will continue to apply data and lessons learned from earlier stages of the program to mature the operationally relevant weapon concept design. Mainly, the effort focuses on incorporating manufacturing improvements into the existing HAWC design and flight tests to expand its operating envelope while validating system performance models. The airframe and engine designs are closely aligned to the U.S. Air Force's Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) which will directly benefit from the continued advancements.
"The HAWC follow-on contract serves as an engine pathfinder program in our new production-ready Hypersonics Capability Center in Elkton, Maryland," said Dan Olson, general manager and vice president, weapons systems, Northrop Grumman. "Our factory of the future will seamlessly transition our validated propulsion system design into an operationally ready system to support further flight testing."
Raytheon and Northrop Grumman have been partners since 2013 and signed a teaming agreement in 2019 to develop, produce and integrate Northrop Grumman's scramjet engines onto Raytheon's air-breathing hypersonic weapons. In September 2022, the team was selected to develop HACM, a first-of-its-kind weapon. Additionally, the team has successfully completed multiple HAWC operational prototype system flight tests where digital engineering concepts, grounded in real-world flight data, have accurately predicted and increased system performance. Their combined efforts enable the production of air-breathing hypersonic weapons, the next generation of tactical missile systems.
About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our 95,000 employees define possible every day.
For questions, please contact:
Lindsey Drummey
rmdpr@rtx.com
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Company's latest innovations for advancing vehicle safety and mobility to be showcased at LVCC West Hall #W319
HOD HASHARON, Israel, Nov. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Valens Semiconductor (NYSE: VLN), a premier provider of high-speed connectivity solutions for the automotive and audio-video markets, today announced that it has been named a CES® Innovation Awards Honoree in three categories: Embedded Technologies, Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility, and In-Vehicle Entertainment & Safety. These awards demonstrate Valens Semiconductor's unique and comprehensive set of high-speed connectivity solutions for today and tomorrow's cars, and for markets requiring machine vision, such as medical and robotics. This year's CES Innovation Awards program received a record high number of over 2100 submissions.
Embedded Technologies award: Valens Semiconductor's VA7000 chipset family that addresses various markets requiring advanced machine vision - automotive, medical, robotics, and more was recognized for its long reach, multi-gig sensor connectivity. The VA7000 chipset family offers the automotive industry unprecedented bandwidth, distance, and resilience to Electromagnetic interference (EMI), empowering Advanced Driver-assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous applications. The VA7000 will also enable advancements in medical equipment targeted for use in invasive procedures, such as disposable endoscopy, that require affordable long-reach, small footprint, high-resolution video, over flexible wiring with EMI immunity.
Vehicle Tech & Advanced Mobility award: The VA7000 chipset family was also recognized for being the first in the industry to release an A-PHY compliant high-speed long-reach Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) solution for in-vehicle connectivity. The VA7000 enables faster adoption of software-defined vehicles that require centralized processing, high bandwidth, and error free links with practically zero latency, which are essential for safety applications. The VA7000 chipsets are the only ones on the market with the ability to operate over Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables at multi-gig link speeds, which leads to savings in total system cost and weight.
In-Vehicle Entertainment & Safety award: The VA6000 chipset family member, VA600R, brings unprecedented life-saving rear-view visibility to the trucking industry. It offers error-free links, for distances of up to 40 meters/~130 feet, providing immunity to EMI, over the existing wiring (jumper cable) of tractor-trailers and as such is applicable for new trucks and for the aftermarket.
"Having been named in three innovation award categories, for our connectivity solutions designed to increase safety in today and tomorrow's cars, is a great honor," said Gideon Kedem, SVP and Head of Automotive, at Valens Semiconductor. "As the Automotive industry is undergoing a major transformation, Valens Semiconductor is redefining in-vehicle connectivity by providing a unique and comprehensive set of high-speed connectivity solutions. We are excited to see the strong momentum as automotive OEMs, Tier-1s and Tier-2s, join the growing VA7000 A-PHY ecosystem."
"At Valens Semiconductor, we are proud to drive innovation and safety of medical procedures with the highest possible medical-grade video image quality, allowing for the most accurate representation of patients' conditions," said Gabi Shriki, SVP and head of Audio-video, at Valens Semiconductor. "An important pillar of our strategy is leveraging our automotive chipsets, for audio-video use, in a variety of industries, such as corporate, education, medical, industrial and more."
The CES Innovation Awards program, owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, is an annual competition honoring outstanding design and engineering in 28 consumer technology product categories. Those with the highest rating receive the "Best of Innovation" distinction. An elite panel of industry expert judges, including members of the media, designers, engineers and more, reviewed submissions based on innovation, engineering and functionality, aesthetic and design.
Join Valens Semiconductor at CES 2023 (LVCC, West Hall, #W319, Jan. 5 – Jan. 7, 2023) to learn more about our latest innovations for advancing vehicle safety and mobility. Contact us here to schedule a meeting.
About Valens Semiconductor
Valens Semiconductor pushes the boundaries of connectivity by enabling long-reach, high-speed video and data transmission for the Audio-Video and Automotive industries. Valens' HDBaseT® technology is the leading standard in the Audio-Video market with tens of millions of Valens' chipsets integrated into thousands of products in a wide range of applications. Valens' Automotive chipsets are deployed in systems manufactured by leading customers and are on the road in vehicles around the world. Valens is a key enabler of the evolution of ADAS and autonomous driving and its advanced technology is the basis for the MIPI A-PHY standard for high-speed in-vehicle connectivity. For more information, visit https://www.valens.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target" or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our anticipated future results, including financial results, currency exchange rates, and contract wins, and future economic and market conditions. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Valens Semiconductor's ("Valens") management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Valens Semiconductor.
These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the cyclicality of the semiconductor industry; the effects of health epidemics, such as the recent global COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 on our customers' budgets and on economic conditions generally, as well as the length, severity of and pace of recovery following the pandemic; competition in the semiconductor industry, and the failure to introduce new technologies and products in a timely manner to compete successfully against competitors; if Valens fails to adjust its supply chain volume due to changing market conditions or fails to estimate its customers' demand; disruptions in relationships with any one of Valens' key customers; any difficulty selling Valens' products if customers do not design its products into their product offerings; Valens' dependence on winning selection processes; even if Valens succeeds in winning selection processes for its products, Valens may not generate timely or sufficient net sales or margins from those wins; sustained yield problems or other delays in the manufacturing process of products; our ability to effectively manage, invest in, grow, and retain our sales force, research and development capabilities, marketing team and other key personnel; our ability to timely adjust product prices to customers following price increase by the supply chain; our ability to adjust our inventory level due to sudden reduction in demand due to inventory buffers accrued by customers; our expectations regarding the outcome of any future litigation in which we are named as a party; our ability to adequately protect and defend our intellectual property and other proprietary rights; the market price and trading volume of the Valens ordinary shares may be volatile and could decline significantly; political, economic, governmental and tax consequences associated with our incorporation and location in Israel; and those factors discussed in Valens' Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 2, 2022 under the heading "Risk Factors," and other documents of Valens filed, or to be filed, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Valens does not presently know or that Valens currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Valens' expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. Valens anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause Valens' assessments to change. However, while Valens may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Valens specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Valens' assessment as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.
Valens Media Contact:
Yoni Dayan
Head of Communications
Valens Semiconductor Ltd.
Yoni.dayan@valens.com
Valens Investor Contacts:
Daphna Golden
Vice President Investor Relations
Valens Semiconductor Ltd.
investors@valens.com
Moriah Shilton
Financial Profiles, Inc.
Valens@finprofiles.com
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Which kombuchas are best?
In the ongoing quest for good health, many people are looking to replace fizzy soft drinks with something that has added benefits. Although seltzer water with a hint of natural flavor can be refreshing, why not take it a step further? Kombucha is a fermented drink that’s delicious and comes with plenty of potential benefits. It can easily replace soft drinks on its own or even as a mixer for cocktails.
What is kombucha?
Kombucha is a delicious, therapeutic beverage that has been around since 200 B.C. It originated in China, then made its way to Japan and Russia, becoming popular in Europe by the early 20th century. The U.S. caught on in the 1990s, and kombucha’s popularity began to rise.
The drink is traditionally made from black tea, yeast and sugar. The sugar feeds the yeast, which starts the process of fermentation. Fermentation is a technique used to make foods such as sauerkraut and yogurt, too. This process creates beneficial probiotic bacteria, vitamins and acids.
As the kombucha ferments, a thin skin of liquid forms on the top. This “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast,” called a SCOBY, and also sometimes referred to as a “mother,” can be divided and used to make more kombucha.
Once fermentation is complete, the kombucha’s flavor is a punchy combination of sweet and sour, with plenty of vinegar, amino acids and B vitamins, in addition to the probiotics. Juice and other flavorings are sometimes added during fermentation to create a different flavor profile.
The benefits of kombucha
Whether you make your own kombucha or buy it ready to consume, there are many potential benefits.
The National Institutes of Health found that kombucha:
- Has antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties
- Reduces harmful cholesterol
- Supports the immune system
- Stimulates the liver and its process of detoxification
Risks of drinking kombucha
Some people are concerned about drinking what they perceive as a glass full of bacteria. These concerns are not necessarily unfounded, but illness from drinking kombucha is more attributed to mold growing in the fermenting drink than to the kombucha itself.
Kombucha that is commercially prepared must be inspected as a food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you choose to make your own at home, using glass or stainless steel containers reduces the chances of mold, as does properly sterilizing all equipment before you begin.
As an added precaution, people who are pregnant or nursing should speak to their health care provider before drinking kombucha.
Shelf-stable vs. fresh kombucha
There are two types of kombucha: shelf-stable and fresh.
- Shelf-stable: Shelf-stable kombucha is safe and beneficial to consume for six to 12 months. These products are generally pasteurized, which does kill some of the beneficial probiotics. However, shelf-stable kombucha still contains vitamins and minerals.
- Fresh: Fresh kombucha should be consumed within four days of opening, which can be a challenge for some people.
6 best kombuchas
There is real fruit in this four-flavor variety pack. Each drink has 2 billion probiotics and vitamin B12 for energy. There is zero added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Each can have only 10 calories. This pairs well with alcohol for cocktail hour, and it is shelf-stable.
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Teazen Kombucha Tea Lemon Flavor
These 10 pack-them-in-your-pocket portable sticks have fewer than 15 calories per packet. Live lactic acid bacteria deliver antioxidants in one convenient pouch. Each dissolves in under three seconds. It is also available in berry, peach, citron and pineapple flavors.
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Poppi Sparkling Prebiotic Soda
This light, sparkling beverage is not too sweet and has 20 calories or less per can. With just 5 grams of sugar, it’s a good substitute for soda. It has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
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Remedy Kombucha Tea Organic Drink
The light and delicious lemon-ginger- or peach-flavored kombucha comes in a shelf-stable can with little calories. It’s made from organic ingredients and can be kept in or out of the refrigerator. There is no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. The light fizz makes it feel like a treat.
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Each 16-ounce bottle contains 9 billion colony-forming units, which is the number of microbial cells that are viable. The ingredients are 100% raw and organic, handcrafted and fermented for a month. It is flavored with raspberry, lemon and ginger juice, with no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. It is packaged in recyclable glass bottles.
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SUNMANC Kombucha Powdered Drink Mix
Each packet can be mixed as needed, and they are easy to take on the go. It’s also available in a lemon flavor and in boxes of 30 packs or 10 packs.
Sold by Amazon
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Purpose-Built Solution Delivers Quick Time to Value with Intelligent Intuitive Contracting Platform to Help Ensure the Intent of Every Contract is Fully Realized
LONDON, Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Icertis, the contract intelligence company that pushes the boundaries of what's possible with contract lifecycle management (CLM), today announced the launch of Icertis Contract Intelligence (ICI) for Banking and Financial Services. The CLM solution is packaged with out-of-the-box functionality that includes a range of contract types, rules to identify obligations, and workflow and reporting to support specific challenges in business processes across front, middle, and corporate offices of Banking and Financial Services organizations. The solution will help teams increase business velocity while managing risk and improving regulatory compliance to obligation areas like AML, ISDA credit support, and credit risk reviews. ICI for Banking and Financial Services joins the growing list of industry-leading vertical solutions from Icertis, including Consulting & IT Services, Healthcare, Medical Technology, Technology, and Wholesale & Distribution.
The functionality in ICI for Banking and Financial Services reflects deep learnings and best practices gleaned from Icertis' leading customer footprint in the industry. The new solution helps banks and financial services institutions to better author and manage complex contracts like treasury management, repo loan contracts, and custody agreements to power all aspects of their business through improved efficiency, visibility across business units and third-party suppliers, and control to manage risk and adhere to regulatory requirements.
"Top banks and financial institutions are thinking differently about how contracts impact their businesses in every way. They are navigating evolving competition, heightened oversight and increasing regulations, complex investments, and operational efficiencies," said Niranjan Umarane, Executive Vice President of Product Management, Icertis. "Contract intelligence plays an important role across these trends; powering, protecting, and accelerating business. Icertis recognized the need to address the many contracting pain points central to banking and financial services and have taken our core ICI platform to create a comprehensive solution for quick deployment and adoption without trade-offs on risk and compliance. The solution accelerates contracting processes, improves client onboarding, reduces risk, improves regulatory and reporting compliance, and increases revenue growth."
The Banking and Financial Services Solution, built on the end-to-end ICI CLM platform, meets needs across banking and capital markets with a package of attributes, clauses, templates, associated documents, obligation management, and reporting. While business operations-related contracts provide agility, efficiency, and assurance and compliance to business teams, common contract types, such as NDA, MSA, SaaS agreements, real estate services, and termination letters, enable corporate functions like procurement to manage the complexity related to the high volume of third-party suppliers. Deep insights from existing banking and financial services clients have led to several packaged banking and capital markets agreements; a sample includes:
- Blocked account management to support the complexity of managing non-performing assets.
- Treasury management to facilitate the creation of treasury management services.
- The creation of engagement and reservation of rights letters for mergers and acquisitions.
- Global custody management to generate custody agreements to meet the specific needs of each relationship and streamline negotiations and approvals.
- Trading agreements, including ISDA master agreements, schedules, credit support annexes, and repurchase loan agreements.
"According to our research, the total addressable market (TAM) for cloud-based Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) software will expand rapidly from over $4.1 billion in 2022 to over $8 billion in 2026, representing a Cumulative Aggregate Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.4% and totaling close to $30 billion over the five years," said Igor Stenmark, Managing Director, MGI Research. "Financial services organizations of all stripes – from retail and commercial banks to insurance providers and capital market participants stand to benefit significantly from modern CLM solutions that can help accelerate their digital transformation, optimize costs, and improve client engagement and service. Leading financial services providers seek to take advantage of out-of-box CLM capabilities to remove friction from key business processes – from loan origination to M&A to compliance management, among others. With a focus on contract intelligence, Icertis is well-positioned to address numerous contractual management pain points of global and regional financial institutions."
Many of the world's leading banking and financial institutions, such as Allianz, DenizBank, Jefferies, and Wex, use the AI-powered Icertis Contract Intelligence platform for insights and automation that increase revenue, reduce fee leakage, maximize contract spend, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance. The new industry-specific solution is available globally to banking and financial services institutions.
Icertis delivers the announcement from Forrester Technology and Innovation EMEA conference in London, Booth 26, where Icertians are showcasing the Icertis Contract Intelligence solution, Oct 13-14, 2022.
For more information about ICI for Banking and Financial Services, visit: www.icertis.com/bfsi
With unmatched technology and category-defining innovation, Icertis pushes the boundaries of what's possible with contract lifecycle management (CLM). The AI-powered, analyst-validated Icertis Contract Intelligence (ICI) platform turns contracts from static documents into strategic advantage by structuring and connecting the critical contract information that defines how an organization runs. Today, the world's most iconic brands and disruptive innovators trust Icertis to govern the rights and commitments in their 10 million+ contracts worth more than $1 trillion, in 40+ languages and 93+ countries.
Media Contact:
Michelle Rodriguez
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
corpcomm@icertis.com
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Operation Fly Formula: 3 million more bottles of formula set to ship to US
Published: Jun. 10, 2022 at 7:13 PM CDT|Updated: 23 minutes ago
(CNN) - More baby formula will soon be heading to the U.S.
On Friday, the White House announced its sixth ‘Operation Fly Formula’ mission. Delta Airlines will carry more than 3 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of Kendamil infant formula.
The formula is made by a company based in the United Kingdom.
The flights will depart from London and are scheduled to arrive in Boston and Detroit starting June 20.
The first formula operation flights have already landed in Texas and Virginia.
Nestle said it expects 62,000 cans of Nan Supreme Pro 1 to be sold online within a few days.
The product is expected to be on the websites of Gerber, Walmart, Kroger and Amazon when available.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2022/06/11/operation-fly-formula-3-million-more-bottles-formula-set-ship-us/ | 2022-06-11 00:38:31 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/2022/06/11/operation-fly-formula-3-million-more-bottles-formula-set-ship-us/ |
Congress created some of the most significant revisions to the food stamp program in decades during an effort to prevent the country from defaulting on its loans Thursday night. Hunger advocates and lawmakers are still parsing through what these changes will mean for the nation's most vulnerable.
When the agreement details were made public, advocates on both sides say they were blindsided. Progressives hoped the Biden administration would fend off any attempts to increase work requirements for food stamps recipients. Republicans were looking for a policy geared at moving even more people off the program and into the workforce.
After weeks of negotiations, White House and Republican negotiators settled on a mixed bag when it came to food assistance: a change to the longtime program that would enact new work requirements for those ages 50 to 54 but would spare people from work requirements if they meet one of the following categories:
All of the changes are set to end in 2030.
"If the goal is to minimize the impact of work requirements, it was a good response to the call for expanding the age range to trade that off by exempting some of the most vulnerable groups," said Katherine Hempstead, a senior policy adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation who focuses on health care issues. "If at the end of the day, it's sort of a wash or maybe even an increase, that's a sort of damage minimization people could feel pretty happy about."
In the end, Democrats joined Republicans in both chambers to pass the bill. But some Democrats, like Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who chairs the subcommittee on nutrition, didn't support the full proposal.
"I did not agree to these SNAP restrictions, and I won't give Republicans an opening to try and take food from more food insecure Americans in Farm Bill negotiations later this year," Fetterman said in a statement after the Senate passed the bill. "That is why I voted no tonight."
Meanwhile, Republican senators attempted to introduce amendments to increase the work requirements proposed or make them permanent.
After the House passed the measure on Wednesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy vowed to get "more work requirements."
The changes may end up costing the government more money than they save
Republicans had the goal of reducing the number of recipients and cutting spending, but a Congressional Budget Office analysis released earlier this week found the measure may do the opposite.
The CBO analysis found the changes would slightly increase the number of people in the program by .2% (or 78,000 people) due to the new exemptions.
The findings also revealed something else unexpected: The changes to food stamps would actually increase federal spending by about $2.1 billion over the 2023 to 2033 period. That's because even with expanded work requirements for people ages 50-54, veterans and those experiencing homelessness are still exempt.
The current work requirements limit able-bodied adults without dependents ages 18-50 to three months of SNAP benefits during any 36-month period when they cannot show they are employed or in a work or training program for at least 20 hours a week.
Republicans lobbying for the package quickly slammed the CBO for an allegedly "incorrect score."
"Quite frankly CBO has their numbers wrong. They double-counted individuals," said House Agriculture Chairman G.T. Thompson during a call with reporters this week.
Advocates worry expanded work requirements could harm older Americans
The change to the age requirements for food assistance could affect about 750,000 adults, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates.
Food and hunger groups have criticized the proposal since House Speaker Kevin McCarthy first unveiled it, saying it would force older Americans, who may be more likely to struggle to find a job, into a position where they could lose their benefits.
Rep. Thompson argues that enacting work requirements on this age group would improve their employment chances. He says they would have access to education and career training benefits that are provided to SNAP recipients.
"We give people an opportunity to reach a rung on the ladder of opportunity," he says, referring to the training programs as a part of SNAP, which he thinks will help older Americans improve their chances of finding a job.
"The older you get, for a number of unfortunate reasons, when you lose your job, the harder it is to get a new job at that point in your lifetime. I don't think that's right," Thompson said.
Republican negotiators and food security advocates find some common ground with expansions
The new exemptions from work requirements have found a broad range of support.
GOP negotiator Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina called these "sensible changes and updates to the law."
Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., told reporters she is particularly supportive of the changes for 18- to 24-year-olds who have aged out of foster care.
"We are failing many of these kids," Houchin said. "Including a provision in this bill to provide support to them as they move into adulthood is the least we can do."
White House negotiators said they expect the number of people on work requirements to stay about the same because of the trade-off between age increases and exemptions.
Liza Lieberman, vice president of communications at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, is excited to see the changes made for veterans, but she warns that the expiration of the policy in 2030 could bring a sharp drop in benefits or other unwelcome changes.
"More people getting food assistance is a good thing," Lieberman said. "But it feels like it's illustrating the arbitrary nature of the time limits because it is playing a numbers game."
Lieberman, like some advocates and lawmakers, also would have preferred the debate over SNAP work requirements to play out during negotiations for the farm bill later this year or during other talks not tied to the debt limit.
"It's not necessarily even about the deal, it's the fact that we're even having this conversation in the context of debt ceiling negotiations," Lieberman said. "Where it just doesn't belong."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-06-02/congress-created-changes-to-food-assistance-heres-what-they-mean | 2023-06-02 16:32:36 | 1 | https://www.wbaa.org/2023-06-02/congress-created-changes-to-food-assistance-heres-what-they-mean |
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – A new report shows a sharp decline in monarch butterflies migrating to Mexico as well as a loss of habitat in the forests they spend their winter each year.
Eastern monarch butterflies once migrated to a wintering site in Mexico that spanned 45 acres of forest, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). But their population during the winter months has been on the decline for the last 25 years. Most recently, the presence of monarch butterflies in Mexico has dropped 22% in only one year, from 7.02 acres to 5.46 acres, according to recent reports cited by the WWF.
Eastern monarch butterflies travel up to 2,800 miles from as far as Canada and New England to their winter sites in Mexico forests using a combination of the magnetic pull of the planet and the position of the sun. This is one of the longest migrations of insect species known to scientists.
They then return to the north once winter ends and breed along the way.
Changes in their habitats across North America are believed to be the cause of the butterflies’ population decline. There has also been a reduced amount of breed habitat in the United States due to herbicide application and forest degradation at their wintering sites in Mexico.
“It is not just about conserving a species, it’s also about conserving a unique migratory phenomenon in nature,” said WWF-Mexico’s General Director Jorge Rickards. “Monarchs contribute to healthy and diverse terrestrial ecosystems across North America as they carry pollen from one plant to another. With 80% of agricultural food production depending on pollinators like monarchs, when people help the species, we are also helping ourselves.”
The United States has not officially listed the monarch butterfly as an Endangered Species. In July 2022, however, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the butterfly for the first time to its “red list” of threatened species, considering it as “endangered.”
Those interested in helping the monarch butterfly population can plant certain species of milkweed, including common milkweed, swamp milkweed, butterfly milkweed, whorled milkweed, and poke milkweed, the WWF says. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/number-of-monarch-butterflies-migrating-to-mexico-for-winter-is-on-the-decline/ | 2023-03-22 20:02:58 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/number-of-monarch-butterflies-migrating-to-mexico-for-winter-is-on-the-decline/ |
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Danny Gray’s big-play touchdown catch from Trey Lance was the highlight from San Francisco’s exhibition opener, though it was the performance of another rookie that could prove even more important to the 49ers.
“I’ve seen him make those plays in games and I’ve seen him make those plays in practice. So it wasn’t a surprise he was sticky in coverage,” defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said Sunday. “He was exactly where he needs to be. A small player making really big-time plays for us.”
Womack’s first interception came in the second quarter when he ripped the ball away from fellow rookie Romeo Doubs and secured it before going out of bounds.
Later in the second quarter, Womack had perfect coverage on Amari Rodgers and intercepted a pass over the middle from Jordan Love.
“I’ve just been getting used to recognizing the plays and recognizing what’s coming at me and the speed and the different routes,” Womack said. “The routes are more complex. What they do at the top of the route, how they run their routes is more deceptive for sure and I’ve just been getting ready and getting used to that every day and just trying to get better at that.”
Playing the ball has always been a strength for Womack, who had 37 passes defensed in 30 games his final three years of college at Toledo.
But his 5-foot-10 size and small-school pedigree kept him on the draft board until the fifth round when the Niners pounced to take him.
Now he has been battling veteran Darqueze Dennard in the competition to replace K’Waun Williams as the slot cornerback in San Francisco.
“We felt him out there with those picks and I thought he did a real good job in his coverage, too,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He had a good first outing. Still has to clean some stuff up and continue improving in the run game and some pass game stuff, but he had a good first day.”
Womack wasn’t the only rookie to make an impressive debut for San Francisco, with Gray flashing his game-breaking speed on his 76-yard TD catch from Lance.
Gray’s speed is a welcome addition to a deep receiving group led by Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle.
Lance said Gray’s speed changes the way defenses have to play the Niners, but Gray knows he needs to keep honing in on the small details that Shanahan hounds him about if he wants to earn a regular role.
“It’s important for me because I’m a rookie, first of all,” he said. “Just me being in this league is a blessing, so I try to do everything correct. ... The details will come, but in the middle of a play you just want to win your rep. That’s it. Be open. Don’t put anything bad on film. So I try to be very detailed and I also just try to win. That’s it.”
Several other rookies made positive impressions, with Spencer Burford looking comfortable as the starting right guard, Ty Davis-Price running hard behind a backup line, undrafted rookie linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball intercepting a pass and Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy throwing the game-winning TD pass.
On a deep team with only a few holes, these players are trying to force their way into the action.
“It’s exciting to see players start to be able to do what they’re capable of doing,” fifth-year right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “I think those guys have so much talent and they’ve done so well so far. But at the end of the day, they’re rookies and you got to continue to learn and compete.”
NOTES: DE Drake Jackson practiced after leaving the game with a stinger. ... Gray (hip, back), McGlinchey (knee), CB Dontae Johnson (ribs), OL Daniel Brunskill (hamstring) and LB Curtis Robinson (groin) all sat out practice after getting hurt in the game. Both Johnson and Brunskill could miss a couple of weeks. ... DL Hassan Ridgeway (quadriceps) returned to practice. ... TE Charlie Woerner (core) was taken off the PUP list and did individual drills.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/49ers-rookies-make-strong-early-impression-in-preseason/2022/08/14/9041a2d8-1c20-11ed-9ce6-68253bd31864_story.html | 2022-08-14 22:50:37 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/49ers-rookies-make-strong-early-impression-in-preseason/2022/08/14/9041a2d8-1c20-11ed-9ce6-68253bd31864_story.html |
WASHINGTON, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GovCIO, a provider of advanced technology solutions and digital services for the federal government, has been awarded a spot on as one of 11 awardees the $2.8 billion, seven-year Information Technology Services (ITS) IDIQ contract vehicle to provide information technology services to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
Under this contract vehicle, GovCIO will provide the USPS with vital network infrastructure, multi-cloud operations, and management services to help the USPS revolutionize mail delivery, enhance services, and address compounding challenges. The end goal will be to deliver reliable, affordable, universal mail services, all while supporting volumes that rival some of the largest corporations in the world.
"GovCIO has a deep understanding of the mission, environment, challenges, and objectives of the agency and the ITS IDIQ," said Rebecca Miller, GovCIO Sector President, Health and Civilian Services (HCS). "Our proven network and infrastructure optimization, experience, and innovative concepts align with USPS goals and will allow our team to provide continued support over the life of this vehicle."
To serve USPS, GovCIO will apply more than 20 years of experience supporting USPS. The company and its sub-supplier network of federal and commercial experts will use the ITS IDIQ to help USPS fulfill its mission of delivering prompt, reliable, and efficient mail service to all Americans.
"Our company brings over two decades of mission, network, and IT experience to the contract," said Jim Brabston, GovCIO CEO. "GovCIO is honored to continue supporting USPS's existing and emerging mission objectives through fast and effective delivery of IT infrastructure operations and user support."
Visit GovCIO's Health and Civilian Services page to learn how the HCS sector boosts operational efficiency and creates innovative applications of IT to improve how health and civilian agencies carry out their public service missions.
About GovCIO
GovCIO is a rapidly growing provider of advanced technology solutions and digital services for the federal government. Combining our extensive federal experience with the latest innovations in IT and disruptive approaches, our experts develop comprehensive solutions to meet the most pressing demands of today's government agencies. From the U.S. military to Health and Human Services, we have an impressive track record of helping our customers optimize how they operate.
GovCIO is transforming government IT, empowering our federal customers to meet the challenges of today while building the government of tomorrow.
Let us show you what we can do. Visit www.govcio.com for more information.
Media Contact
Emyly Hall
Public Relations & Corporate Marketing Specialist, GovCIO
emyly.hall@govcio.com
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SOURCE GovCIO | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/06/22/govcio-awarded-spot-28b-us-postal-service-operations-contract-vehicle/ | 2023-06-22 12:47:43 | 0 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/06/22/govcio-awarded-spot-28b-us-postal-service-operations-contract-vehicle/ |
LOS ALTOS, Calif., June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UroViu Corp (uroviu.com), the developer of the world's only totally self-contained and highly portable Single-Use Cystoscopy platform, is pleased to announce today that it is now an Endoscopy Partner with UroGPO. As an Endoscopy Partner, UroViu's Always Ready Cystoscopy platform will now be available to UroGPO's 700+ member urology practices across the United States.
"UroGPO is happy to announce a new partnership with our membership," said Palmer DePetro, Senior Director, Contracting at Specialty Networks. "UroViu cystoscopy devices provide a cost-effective, single-use, and time-saving solution members have been requesting to add to our portfolio. This is a win for our members as it gives them a single-use cystoscopy option that is safe and reliable for their patients."
As part of the relationship with UroGPO, UroViu will provide UroGPO members with preferential pricing for its single-use cystoscopy platform. Single-use cystoscopy is a safe and reliable alternative to traditional reusable cystoscopes which must be cleaned and sanitized after every use. The difficulty of servicing traditional cystoscopes has led to close FDA scrutiny due to cross-contamination risks. UroViu's single-use cystoscopy platform ranging from the 12-Fr diagnostic semi rigid cystoscope, a 14-Fr injection cystoscope with integrated needle for drug delivery to a 16-Fr flexible, deflectable, and rotatable cystoscope, eliminate those risks.
"The partnership with UroGPO provides access to UroViu's largest market segment, representing a significant business opportunity," says Bruce OuYang, Ph.D., UroViu's Founder and CEO. "By leveraging the UroGPO partnership, practices will expedite the implementation and use of our devices. Our unique platform helps create efficiencies for practices by eliminating the need for dedicated procedure rooms and reprocessing of traditional scopes thus improving workflow and productivity".
UroViu Corporation's mission is to revolutionize the cystoscopy platform for improved patient care and efficiency with operations in California and Washington and production facilities in Asia. UroViu is the developer of the always-ready cystoscopy platform, a highly portable, self-contained, and versatile single-use cystoscopy solution to meet the needs of Urologists and UroGynecologists. The unique portable platform and product suite are protected by a portfolio of 13 granted and many more pending patents. UroViu's vision is to simplify the scope of patient care.
UroGPO, a Specialty Networks Company, is the first and largest urology-specific Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) in the United States, comprised of more than 700 of the largest, most progressive independent urology practices in the country. Our membership includes more than 7,500 urology providers, including 4,000 practicing urologists in 3,200 locations spanning 49 states. UroGPO is committed to helping urology groups remain independent by providing them with pre-negotiated purchasing contracts, developing of new revenue streams such as In-Office Dispensing of Oral therapeutics, Clinical Guideline Development, and other resources in all areas of urology. The goals of UroGPO are to build stronger patient relationships by improving patient care, make significant positive impacts on in-practice operational efficiencies and streamline operational costs.
Specialty Networks brings together the functional expertise of UroGPO, GastroGPO, United Rheumatology, PPS Analytics, and SN Research to deliver innovative and meaningful solutions for independent specialty providers. Specialty Networks serves a highly specialized member network of 765+ physician group practices consisting of over 7,700 providers in urology and gastroenterology. Specialty Networks' mission is to help create clinical, economic, and operational value for our members leading to a positive patient impact.
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SOURCE UroViu Corp | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/uroviu-corp-announces-partnership-with-urogpo/ | 2022-06-02 14:53:22 | 1 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/06/02/uroviu-corp-announces-partnership-with-urogpo/ |
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Colorado dentist accused of setting a fire that damaged a transformer at a solar power array outside Las Vegas last week told investigators he wanted to send a message supporting clean energy and denied his intention was sabotage, police said in an arrest report obtained Wednesday.
“I burned it,” Mohammed Reza Mesmarian told police detectives during questioning following his arrest Jan. 5 at a trailer home parked at a campsite near Lake Mead, the Colorado River reservoir outside Las Vegas.
“Mesmarian admitted he knew setting a vehicle on fire could cause damage to the (transformer) unit, but stated he did it for the big message, larger picture, greater good,” his arrest report said. “He explained the greater good was clean energy.”
Mesmarian, 34, remains jailed without bail pending mental health evaluations and a court hearing Feb. 1. If he is found fit for trial, he could face felony terrorism, arson and other charges that could get him decades in state prison.
He told police the fire early Jan. 4 that damaged Chicago-based Invenergy's Mega Solar Array “represented moving forward in the world,” the report said.
Mesmarian told police he had been in Las Vegas for several days during the New Year holiday, thought the solar farm about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Las Vegas was a Tesla facility, and he believed the transformer was connected to “the network.”
The solar array provides electricity by contract with several Las Vegas Strip properties operated by MGM Resorts International. When Invenergy shut it down, the casino company switched to the statewide electric grid. An MGM Resorts official said there was no effect at Strip properties.
Mesmarian told police he was born in Iran. His attorney, Nick Pitaro, said Wednesday his client is a U.S. citizen and a college graduate. His first name is spelled Mohammad in public records in Colorado. His online professional profile said he attended the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Pitaro declined additional comment about Mesmarian's case pending the mental competency hearing in state court in Las Vegas.
Mesmarian's arrest in Nevada followed several attacks and arrests involving electrical substations in states including Washington, Oregon and North Carolina, and an order by federal regulators for a review of security standards at the nation’s electricity transmission network.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also issued a national terrorism advisory bulletin, listing U.S. critical infrastructure among possible targets of violence.
Allegations against Mesmarian bear similarities to a Utah case involving a man arrested in 2016 and later sentenced to federal prison for using a rifle to damage an electric substation, causing a power outage in rural Kane and Garfield counties.
The man, Stephen Plato McRae, spent several months before his arrest targeting power facilities in remote parts of Utah and Nevada as part of what he described as a “master plan” to shut down power in the West, according to court documents.
McRae told an informant that he was “stopping global warming,” and he railed against fossil fuels. The court papers said he was planning another act of sabotage — “the grandmomma” as he described it — to disable a larger power substation in Nevada.
In Mesmarian's case, Las Vegas police found an iPhone linked to Mesmarian and laptop computers in a burned Toyota Camry registered to his mother, who lives in Idaho.
Mesmarian was seen on security video positioning the car, rigging it to burn, and sitting and watching the fire for about 15 minutes before walking away, according to his arrest report. Mesmarian told police he “felt peace” and had no regrets.
No employees were at the sprawling facility at the time. Damage was discovered after they arrived the following morning.
Mesmarian also faces escape charges after police said he tried twice to slip the grasp of arresting officers. He later told police “he wanted to experience the feeling of what Black Lives Matter protesters felt when they were tazed by police." Police did not report using a stun gun on Mesmarian.
Repeated phone calls Wednesday to Mesmarian’s child dentistry and braces practice in Aurora, Colorado, went to busy signals.
Records show that Mesmarian’s dentist license is active but was restricted last July by the Colorado Dental Board, and that Mesmarian filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy last Oct. 5.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court records show he claimed $1.4 million in liabilities, mostly business debts related to equipment leases, but also a student loan debt of about $20,000. He claimed $17,601 in personal assets.
Dental Board discipline stemmed from a complaint about “potential unsanitary conditions including improper disposal of infectious waste and uncapped syringes” at Mesmarian’s practice, dating to October 2021.
The board called for Mesmarian to complete continuing education courses over the course of 12 months. A Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies official said Wednesday it was not clear if he had done so. The attorney who represented Mesmarian in the case said he no longer represents him.
An attorney who represented Mesmarian in the bankruptcy case did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Colorado-man-Vegas-solar-site-fire-was-clean-17712014.php | 2023-01-12 02:02:10 | 0 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Colorado-man-Vegas-solar-site-fire-was-clean-17712014.php |
- Advario is a carve-out of the German company Oiltanking, which specializes in designing, building, and operating storage and logistic infrastructure for petrochemicals, gases, and new energies.
- The total investment in the announced terminal will be approximately US$400 million.
- The project will generate approximately 2,000 jobs during construction in the state of Veracruz.
MEXICO CITY, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Braskem Idesa (BI) announces the signing of an investment agreement with Advario for a joint 50% stake in the construction and operation of an ethane import terminal in Mexico, called "Puerto Mexico Chemical Terminal" (Terminal Química Puerto México or TQPM, in Spanish).
The project's total investment will be approximately US$400 million, construction should begin in July 2022, and it is planned to be completed by the end of 2024. The Terminal will be developed in the municipalities of Coatzacoalcos and Nanchital, in the state of Veracruz. The 10-hectare site is in the northern part of the Pajaritos lagoon and will be connected to Braskem Idesa's complex via an 11-kilometer pipeline. A new jetty will also be built in the Pajaritos lagoon with an exclusive area for operations with cryogenic ethane This important infrastructure project will be part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, one of the Mexican government's main development initiatives.
Advario, a recent carve-out from Oiltanking, is a Dutch company specialized in designing, building, financing, and operating storage and logistic infrastructure for bulk liquid products, including cryogenic gases. Its history and experience span over 50 years. Advario's portfolio comprises world-scale storage terminals located strategically in key hubs across the globe. Advario focuses on the individual needs of its customers and provides custom-made infrastructure for each project, thereby always with a strong focus on health, safety, and the environment, sustainability, and reliability of services when operating its facilities.
"This partnership allows Braskem Idesa to work with one of the most distinguished companies in the sector, adding technology, experience, and recognized safety excellence to TQPM's operations. We are delighted with the announcement of this joint venture," commented Stefan Lepecki, CEO of Braskem Idesa.
Bas Verkooijen, CEO of Advario, commented regarding the partnership with BI that "Advario is proud to partner with Braskem Idesa on this project. The development of the Puerto Mexico Chemical Terminal is another important example of Advario's commitment to partnering with leaders in the industry and focusing on growth opportunities within chemicals, gases, and new energies. We look forward to a long and successful collaboration and to bringing our depth of expertise to this exciting project."
Braskem Idesa highlights that Advario will add value and bring extensive experience to ensure the success of this world-class project. The ethane import terminal will be a major infrastructure for cryogenic ethane to be supplied to Mexico and will provide the additional raw material that Braskem Idesa needs to operate at full capacity, thereby increasing the availability of this hydrocarbon and the competitiveness of the entire Mexican petrochemical and plastics industry.
The TQPM is a greenfield project, as it will be constructed entirely in an area without existing infrastructure. The project will positively impact the city of Coatzacoalcos and Nanchital in terms of job creation, contracting local suppliers of goods and services, and creating new logistics infrastructure for the region and the state of Veracruz. The Terminal is expected to generate approximately 2,000 jobs during construction, and the increased availability of ethane will also support other important production chains in the country's petrochemical industry.
About Braskem Idesa S. A. P. I:
Founded in 2010, Braskem Idesa is a Mexican company formed from the partnership of Braskem (Brazil), the largest petrochemical company on the continent producing thermoplastics, and Grupo Idesa, a leading Mexican petrochemical company. Together, they developed a petrochemical complex to produce ethylene and high- and low-density polyethylene in the municipality of Nanchital, Veracruz in Mexico. The facility, which began operating in 2016, produces one million fifty thousand tons per year of ethylene and polyethylene.
About Advario:
Founded in 2022, Advario is a carve out from Oiltanking, which was founded in 1972 as a subsidiary of Marquard Und Bahls. Advario is a leading storage and logistic service provider globally with its headquarters based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Advario brings 50 years of expertise and experience on designing, building and operating storage and logistic infrastructure for petroleum products, chemicals, gases, and new energies across all continents.
Please visit: www.braskemidesa.com.mx www.advario.com
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SOURCE Braskem | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/braskem-idesa-advario-announce-partnership-construct-puerto-mexico-chemical-terminal-veracruz/ | 2022-06-14 15:04:27 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/braskem-idesa-advario-announce-partnership-construct-puerto-mexico-chemical-terminal-veracruz/ |
Snow and bad weather cancel classes at these Shasta, Siskiyou counties schools
Snow falling in Redding, Mount Shasta, Yreka and other parts of the North State forced the closure of some schools.
Other schools delayed the start of classes on Tuesday.
Here is a list of some North State schools and school districts that changed their schedules because of bad weather. Please check back for updates throughout the day.
Shasta County schools reporting late starts, closures on Tuesday
- Bella Vista Elementary school is closed.
- Black Butte Elementary is closed.
- Black Butte Jr. High is closed.
- Anderson Heights Elementary will start at 10 a.m.
- Anderson Middle School will start at 10:45 a.m.
- Meadow Lane Elementary School will start at 10 a.m.
- Columbia-East Valley Community Day School will start between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- Columbia Elementary School will start between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- Mountain View Middle will start between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- Redding School of the Arts wills start at 10 a.m.
- French Gulch-Whiskeytown Elementary School District is closed.
- All schools in the Gateway Unified School District in north Redding and Shasta Lake are closed.
- Grant Elementary School District west of Redding is closed.
- Happy Valley Union Elementary School District schools west of Anderson are closed.
- Schools in the Fall River Joint Unified School District, including Burney and Fall River, are closed.
- Igo-Ono-Platina Elementary School is closed.
- Junction Elementary School will open at 10:10 a.m.
- Junction Middle School will open at 10:30 a.m.
- Montgomery Creek Elementary is closed.
- Pacheco Elementary School will conduct classes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Prairie Elementary School will conduct classes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Chrysalis Charter School will start at 9:45 a.m.
- Redding STEM Academy is closed.
- Shasta County Independent Study is closed.
- Excel Academy is closed.
- Shasta Union Elementary School is closed.
- Whitmore Elementary School is closed.
Siskiyou County schools reporting late starts, closures on Tuesday
- Dunsmuir Joint Union High School District schools are closed.
- All Rogue Community College campuses and facilities will delay opening until 10 a.m.
- Butte Valley Unified School District schools are closed.
- Mount Shasta Union School District schools are closed.
- Yreka Union School District schools
- Gazelle Union Elementary School District starts at 10 a.m.
- Siskiyou Union High School District schools are closed.
In Siskiyou County, calls made to McCloud Union Elementary School District, Hornbrook Elementary School District, Yreka Union School District, Yreka Union High School District and Seiad Elementary School District were either not returned, or no one picked up and no voicemail was available.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on Twitter at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today. | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/02/28/snow-and-bad-weather-cancels-classes-at-some-north-state-schools/69953636007/ | 2023-02-28 21:25:00 | 1 | https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2023/02/28/snow-and-bad-weather-cancels-classes-at-some-north-state-schools/69953636007/ |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The first ship carrying grain from Ukraine for people in East Africa affected by drought and conflict has docked at the Horn of Africa port of Djibouti.
Food security experts call it a drop in the bucket for the vast needs in the worst-hit Horn countries of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, the nation where this first shipment is going. But the flow of grain from Ukraine for hungry parts of the world is expected to continue, with another ship departing Tuesday for Yemen.
The United Nations’ World Food Program has said the first shipment of grain will be shipped overland to northern Ethiopia, where millions of people have been affected by the country’s Tigray conflict, which has now flared up again.
WFP has said the 23,000 metric tons of grain are enough to feed 1.5 million people on full rations for a month. But the U.N. has said 2.4 million in Tigray alone are severely food insecure, and millions more in the Horn of Africa region are going hungry because of drought. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/1st-ukraine-grain-ship-for-horn-of-africa-reaches-djibouti/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2022-08-30 10:39:12 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/1st-ukraine-grain-ship-for-horn-of-africa-reaches-djibouti/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Medal of Honor recipient watches as warship bearing his name is christened in Maine
By DAVID SHARP
Associated Press
BATH, Maine (AP) — Marine 1st Lt. Harvey “Barney” Barnum jumped to the ground when he came under fire during an ambush in Vietnam that killed his radio operator and commander.
Collecting himself, Barnum realized he was now the highest-ranking officer of a rifle company he’d just joined. He called in artillery and, amid gunfire, dragged the commander to safety, where he died in Barnum’s arms. Then he proceeded to mount a counterattack, oversee evacuation of the wounded and lead the unit’s eventual break out to rejoin the battalion.
The Medal of Honor recipient, now 83, watched Saturday as his wife smashed a bottle of sparkling wine against the bow to christen the future U.S. Navy destroyer that’ll bear the name Harvey C. Barnum Jr.
He said he was speechless when he learned that a warship would bear his name. “As anybody that knows Barney Barnum knows, I’ve never been speechless,” he joked before the event.
The ceremony on Saturday at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works was a tribute to the Vietnam War hero who during his first firefight was foisted into leadership of Marines who didn’t yet know his name because he’d just joined them a couple of days earlier.
Dignitaries included Maine’s governor and senators, as well as Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, who praised Barnum’s humility and generosity, in addition to being a war hero who inspired fellow Marines.
Gen. Eric Smith, the acting Marine Corps commandant whose nomination to lead the Marine Corps is being blocked by a Republican senator, called Barnum “an icon, a legend, a Marine.”
In an interview, Barnum said the combat was harrowing on that day, Dec. 18, 1965, during Operation Harvest Moon. His unit was outnumbered, caught off guard and separated from the larger battalion outside the village of Ky Phu in Quang Tin Province.
The ship’s namesake said he was scared like everybody else but he tried not to show it. The other Marines were looking to him, an artillery spotter, after their commander died, he said.
To launch a counterattack, he brandished a .45-caliber handgun and told the others to follow him. They did.
“It’s a tough business. But when it gets tough, the tough get going and that’s what Marines do,” he said. “We came together as a team. And, you know, there’s no fury unleashed that’s greater than that of a bunch of Marines that know that their buddies have been shot.”
Barnum later became the first Medal of Honor recipient in the Vietnam conflict to return for another tour. He retired from the Marine Corps as a colonel after nearly three decades of service and served the secretary of defense as principal director of drug enforcement policy, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for reserve affairs, and acting assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs.
Barnum, of Reston, Virginia, was born in Cheshire, Connecticut, and studied at Saint Anslem College, a Benedictine college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. The school’s abbot, Mark Cooper, delivered the invocation on Saturday.
The event was a family affair for Barnum, who now lives in Virginia.
His wife, Martha Hill, served as the ship’s sponsor. At the event Saturday, she was in a wheelchair; Barnum has been her care provider since she had a stroke more than five years ago. Her daughter; two granddaughters, one of whom sang “God Bless America;” and an 11-year-old great-granddaughter were also participants at the event Saturday. Other family and friends were present.
Displacing 9,500 tons, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is built to simultaneously wage war against submarines, aircraft and missiles, and other warships. The newest versions are being equipped for ballistic missile defense.
The 510-foot (155 meters) guided-missile destroyer was in dry dock for the ceremony as work continues to prepare the ship for delivery to the Navy.
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Follow David Sharp on Twitter @David_Sharp_AP | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/29/medal-of-honor-recipient-watches-as-warship-bearing-his-name-is-christened-in-maine/ | 2023-07-29 18:50:11 | 0 | https://kion546.com/ap-colorado/2023/07/29/medal-of-honor-recipient-watches-as-warship-bearing-his-name-is-christened-in-maine/ |
BERLIN (AP) — A techno parade whose initiators include the founder of the Love Parade, once a popular annual party in Berlin, took to the streets of the German capital Saturday with calls for the city’s electronic music culture to be added to a World Heritage list.
The “Rave the Planet” parade set out from the Kurfuerstendamm shopping boulevard to the Victory Column in the middle of Berlin’s Tiergarten park.
Police estimated 20,000 people turned out for the parade in cool, rainy weather, the German news agency dpa reported. They deployed 600 officers but no disturbances were reported.
One of the parade’s organizers, a DJ known professionally as Dr. Motte, called for an unconditional basic income for artists and for Berlin’s club culture to be listed as intangible heritage by UNESCO, the U.N.’s cultural agency.
Dr. Motte, 62, is best known for founding the Love Parade — which grew from a small procession of 150 ravers in 1989 to a huge music festival and street party with 1.5 million participants a decade later. The event’s popularity later waned; it was last held in Berlin in 2006.
Parties with the Love Parade brand were held under different organizers after that in Germany’s industrial Ruhr region, but ended after a mass panic at the 2010 event in Duisburg resulted in 21 deaths. | https://www.kxnet.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/techno-party-with-love-parade-founder-back-on-berlin-streets/ | 2022-07-09 23:05:52 | 0 | https://www.kxnet.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/techno-party-with-love-parade-founder-back-on-berlin-streets/ |
Tulsa and Oregon State could use a fresh start.
They’ll get it Monday night when they open the season in Corvallis, Ore.
The host Beavers, who made a run to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight in March 2021, went 3-28 overall last season and lost their final 18 games.
“We’ve just gotta make sure we get back to that type of culture again and learn and grow through all the tough times we had (last) year, and I know we’ll be stronger for it,” Beavers coach Wayne Tinkle said.
The Beavers return just four players from last season’s squad, led by forward Glenn Taylor Jr., who averaged 6.9 points as a freshman. OSU already had a setback as projected backcourt starter Christian Wright, a transfer from Georgia, suffered a knee injury and is out indefinitely. The Beavers also added forward Dzmitry Ryuny, who transferred from San Francisco, to go with nine freshmen.
The Beavers bonded over an 11-day summer exhibition tour of Italy.
“We’re going to be really young, but the experiences we had over the summer were incredible in building our chemistry and getting our culture back,” Tinkle said.
Tulsa, which went 11-20 last season, has a new coach in Eric Konkol, who spent the previous seven seasons at Louisiana Tech.
The Golden Hurricane have eight returners, including starters Sam Griffin and Anthony Pritchard.
Griffin was second on the team with 14.6 points per game and Pritchard started at the point as a freshman before being sidelined by a foot injury.
Tulsa added transfer Brandon Betson, who averaged 14.2 points and 2.8 assists a season ago at Chicago State.
“Their intentions have been great and their effort has been really good,” Konkol said. “Of course, the execution piece is the one that you keep working on, and that process is going to be ongoing. There are some staples that we’ve implemented, there are some things that we absolutely want to be great at, there are statistical measures that we’re making every day in practice and in the two scrimmages that we’ve had, and we’ve been inconsistent. We’re searching for that consistency.”
–Field Level Media | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/ncaa/oregon-state-tulsa-savoring-new-beginnings/ | 2022-11-05 04:45:05 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/ncaa/oregon-state-tulsa-savoring-new-beginnings/ |
MADRID (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro began a state visit to Spain on Wednesday to seek support for his peace plan for the South American country, and to discuss economic investment and migration policy.
Spanish King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez greeted Petro in Madrid. He is scheduled to address lawmakers at Spain’s Parliament and to attend a state dinner hosted by the Spanish royals.
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Sánchez, Spain’s Socialist leader, is a backer of Petro, an ex-rebel who became Colombia’s first leftist president last year.
One of the main topics on his agenda is his peace process with the National Liberation Army (ELN), a guerrilla organization still active after the dissolution of FARC, a group which spent decades pursuing rebellion.
Last week, ELN militants killed nine Colombian soldiers in an attack, complicating efforts by Petro to negotiate a lasting peace.
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The Colombian leader seeks Spain's full support for his plan, which he will likely explicitly obtain from Sánchez, according to reports from high-ranked officials in the European country.
Starting in July, Spain is set to hold the European Union's rotating presidency, a six-month period in which Madrid aims to revitalize Europe’s relations with Latin America. That includes plans by Spain to hold a summit between Latin America and the EU in the early days of its presidency.
Almost 500,000 Colombians, a third of whom hold dual nationality with Spain, reside in the European country.
The visit to Europe comes two weeks after Petro traveled to Washington to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden amid deep differences on drug policy and Venezuela.
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Spain recently announced a collaboration with the United States and Canada on establishing migrant centers in Latin America to facilitate orderly and safe migration.
“It is a step forward for Spain, which is taking the initiative regarding a certain lack of action by Europe in this matter,” Anna Ayuso, senior researcher for Latin America at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), told The Associated Press.
Spain is the leading European recipient of Latin American migration and in recent months it has sponsored specific initiatives to accept migrants from American countries in humanitarian situations. One of these initiatives was offering nationality to 100 Nicaraguan opponents exiled by Daniel Ortega in February 2023.
“There is a shift of strategy from emphasizing containment, as promoted by (former U.S. President Trump), to facilitating orderly migration and preventing irregular migration, which, in the end, is encouraged international crime,” said Ayuso.
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Spain’s far-right Vox party said that its lawmakers would not attend the speech by Petro. Its supporters held a small protest outside the Parliament.
Petro’s is the only state visit that Spain is set to host this year. King Felipe and Queen Letizia welcomed Petro and his wife, Verónica Alcocer, whose car arrived at the Royal Palace accompanied by soldiers on horseback. A military band played and canons were fired in their honor.
The Colombian leader is set to sit down with Sánchez on Thursday, when he will attend a meeting with the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations.
The confederation is the country’s leading business group, representing 2 million companies and self-employed entrepreneurs. Petro is expected to push his economic agenda, particularly in green energy and digitization.
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“Petro wants to present Colombia before Europe not only as a country committed to peace but also a stable one that deserves the trust of investors,” Ayuso said.
On Friday, Petro will visit Salamanca University, where he studied.
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Joseph Wilson contributed to this report from Barcelona. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/colombia-s-petro-begins-visit-to-spain-to-boost-18075412.php | 2023-05-03 10:24:59 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/colombia-s-petro-begins-visit-to-spain-to-boost-18075412.php |
Siri Hustvedt's new novel, The Sorrows of an American, begins one winter day when two adult children — both New Yorkers — uncover a mysterious letter among their late father's papers:
"Dear Lars," the letter begins, "I know you will never ever say nothing about what happened. We swore it on the BIBLE. It can't matter now she's in heaven or to the ones here on earth. I believe in your promise. Lisa."
From there, the novel winds back in time, between Minnesota and New York — two worlds that the author, a native Minnesotan now living in Brooklyn, knows well.
It's not just the landscape that is familiar territory for Hustvedt; she calls her own father, a descendant of Norwegian immigrants, a "model" for Lars, the father in the book. In fact, portions of the novel draw on Hustvedt's father's unpublished memoir, which recounts life in a tiny, uninsulated house on the Minnesota prairie, where "the water in the tea kettle was often frozen by morning."
Hustvedt notes that reading her father's memoir was a reminder of the hardship people on the prairie faced well into the 20th century. It's this sense of struggle and perseverance that she wanted to capture in her new book.
"[America] is a large and strange country," Hustvedt says. "I wanted to bring into this book that richness."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/2008-08-31/unraveling-a-fathers-secrets-and-sorrows | 2022-08-20 21:15:17 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/2008-08-31/unraveling-a-fathers-secrets-and-sorrows |
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to reconsider the so-called "Insular Cases," a series of cases decided in the early 1900s that are infamous today for their racist foundation.
The court's action dashes hopes of American Samoans who were seeking birthright citizenship. It also leaves intact a Tenth Circuit decision that has been seen as "breathing new life" into constitutional distinctions between U.S. states and territories — which former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal said establish "a second-class of unequal Americans."
Attorney Neil Weare, president of the organization representing the plaintiffs in this case, echoed the sentiment: "The Supreme Court's refusal to reconsider the Insular Cases today ... reflect[s] that 'Equal Justice Under Law' does not mean the same thing for the 3.6 million residents of U.S. territories as it does for everyone else."
Who is a citizen?
At issue in this case was the way that people born in various U.S. territories are treated under law when it comes to U.S. citizenship. The Constitution says that anyone "born or naturalized in the United States" is a citizen of the country. But for U.S. territories, eligibility for birthright citizenship in the territories is controlled only by Congress – it is not constitutionally guaranteed.
Residents of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Marianas Islands are deemed U.S. citizens under the Immigration and Nationality Act. But American Samoans are not. Congress has not granted birthright citizenship to residents of American Samoa or Swains Island, both of which are classified only as "outlying possessions."
It is this disparate treatment that was before the court, after three American Samoans living in Utah brought a challenge to the Immigration and Nationality Act, contending that the statutory denial of citizenship is unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause.
The Citizenship Clause was adopted after the Civil War primarily to protect the birthright citizenship of Black Americans, which was rejected by the Supreme Court prior to the Civil War. However, the meaning of the clause for residents of the territories has historically been contested — as has the force of constitutional protections in the territories altogether. In this case, Fitisemanu v. U.S., the American Samoans contend that the residents of all the territories should be considered "in the United States" for the purpose of citizenship.
While American Samoans who live in the States may apply for citizenship, before they successfully do so they are denied many of the rights attached to citizenship, such as the right to vote, run for office, or serve on juries. The plaintiffs in this case say their career opportunities have been curtailed and that, as non-citizens, they are unable to sponsor immigration visas for their families. Applying for citizenship itself is onerous, can take several years, and is not guaranteed.
A brief history of the Insular Cases
But this case was not just about the reach of the Citizenship Clause. The Constitution's underlying disparity in treatment between the 50 states and the U.S. territories was enshrined in the Insular Cases, a series of cases decided in the early 1900s after the Spanish-American War. These cases — so called because of their "insular" (island-related) focus — held that full constitutional rights apply only to "incorporated" territories destined for statehood, such as Hawaii, but not to "unincorporated" territories, which then included Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Infamously, the distinction between incorporated and unincorporated territories rested on explicitly racist stereotypes about individuals from those territories. Opposing Filipino statehood, for example, one senator called Filipinos "unruly and disobedient." Another called them "mongrels."
Under the Insular Cases, which were primarily about tariffs and jury trials in the territories, the Supreme Court upheld this suspect "incorporated vs. unincorporated" framework of rights. The Court's language and reasoning was hardly any better than that of Congress. One case emphasized that "differences of race, habits, laws and customs" in the territories might require action on the part of Congress that wouldn't be required if the territory were "inhabited only by people of the same race." Another referred to "savage tribes" which may be "[in]capable of self-government."
It is this insidious foundation of the Insular Cases that has drawn the condemnation of both liberal and conservative justices. In Vaello-Madero, a case from last term about Puerto Ricans' eligibility for disability benefits, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a 10-page concurrence calling for the Insular Cases to be overruled — something that is now unlikely to happen any time soon.
Gorsuch did not note any dissent from Monday's action.
Monday's action is a victory for both the Biden administration and the American Samoan government itself, though neither party defends the offensive language in the Insular Cases. Nor does the United States affirmatively oppose American Samoan citizenship. The United States rests its argument instead on the text of the Citizenship Clause, which it contends intentionally excludes the territories from birthright citizenship conferred by the Constitution. The U.S. argues that American Samoans have the legislative route to birthright citizenship available to them, and that if there is a consensus in favor of birthright citizenship, they should pursue that through their representative in Congress. Otherwise, however, the United States says it does not want to tread on the self-governance of American Samoans.
To that end, the American Samoan government intervened in the case to argue that U.S. birthright citizenship for American Samoans would undermine the island's ability to self-govern and maintain cultural autonomy.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wbaa.org/2022-10-17/supreme-court-declines-to-consider-challenge-to-racist-citizenship-laws | 2022-10-19 17:56:51 | 0 | https://www.wbaa.org/2022-10-17/supreme-court-declines-to-consider-challenge-to-racist-citizenship-laws |
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