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FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida condo association president was arrested for the third time after deputies said he allegedly recorded at least four people in their homes.
Authorities said 59-year-old Robert Orr, who served as the President of the Las Brisas Condominium Association in Flagler County, is accused of installing a hidden video camera inside a condo without the owner’s permission.
According to deputies, the camera was focused on the master bedroom.
Investigators said they first found the hidden camera on Aug. 30 after a woman staying at the condo discovered a USB camera hidden inside a flower pot.
Since then, Orr has been arrested a total of three times. He was most recently arrested on Dec. 14, when he was charged with five counts of video voyeurism and four counts of unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Investigators said they have identified at least four victims recorded as far back as 2018. All the victims were unknowingly being recorded by hidden cameras within the condo, they said.
Orr now faces a total of twelve counts of video voyeurism and six counts of unlawful use of a two-way communications device, deputies said. He has posted a total of $90,000 in bail.
“We knew when we arrested this pervert this was likely not his first time,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Our Major Case Unit has combed through his seized technology and worked hard to bring justice to the victims in this case. I encourage anyone else that thinks they may have been a victim to contact us.”
Those who believe they may have been a victim of similar voyeurism are asked to call the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/pervert-florida-deputies-say-president-of-condo-association-arrested-3-times-for-allegedly-hiding-cameras-in-homes/ | 2022-12-24 19:43:10 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/pervert-florida-deputies-say-president-of-condo-association-arrested-3-times-for-allegedly-hiding-cameras-in-homes/ |
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An Al Jazeera correspondent who was shot dead on Wednesday during an Israeli raid in the West Bank was a highly respected journalist in the Middle East whose unflinching coverage was known to millions of viewers.
News of Shireen Abu Akleh's death reverberated across the region. The 51-year-old journalist became a household name synonymous with Al Jazeera’s coverage of life under occupation during her more than two decades reporting in the Palestinian territories, including during the second intifada, or uprising, that killed thousands on both sides, most of them Palestinians.
Abu Akleh's name trended across Twitter in Arabic on Wednesday, setting social media alight with support for the Palestinians. Her image was projected over the main square in the West Bank city of Ramallah as mourners flooded the Al Jazeera offices there and her family home in east Jerusalem.
Al Jazeera and witnesses, including her producer who was shot in the back Wednesday, said she was killed by Israeli gunfire. Israel said it was unclear who was responsible, calling it “premature and irresponsible to cast blame at this stage.”
Abu Akleh's coverage of the harsh realities of Israel’s military occupation was inextricably linked with her own experiences as a Palestinian journalist on the front lines. Her death underscores the heavy price the conflict continues to exact on Palestinians, regardless of their role as journalists.
Although she was also a U.S. citizen who often visited America in the summers, she lived and worked in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, where those who knew her said she felt most at home. A Palestinian Christian whose family was originally from Bethlehem, she was born and raised in Jerusalem. She leaves behind a brother and her parents.
In an Al Jazeera video released last year, Abu Akleh recalled the scale of destruction and “the feeling that death was at times just around the corner” during her coverage of the second intifada, from 2000-2005. “Despite the dangers, we were determined to do the job," she said.
“I chose journalism so I could be close to the people,” she added. "It might not be easy to change the reality, but at least I was able to communicate their voice to the world.”
Abu Akleh joined Al Jazeera in 1997, just a year after the groundbreaking Arabic news network launched. Among her many assignments were covering five wars in Gaza and Israel’s war with Lebanon in 2006. She reported on forced home evictions, the killings of Palestinian youth, the hundreds of Palestinians held without charge in Israeli prisons and the continuous expansion of Jewish settlements.
Her longtime producer, Wessam Hammad, said Abu Akleh possessed an incredible ability to remain calm under pressure.
“Shireen worked all these years with a commitment to the values and ethics of our profession,” he said of Abu Akleh, who the network called “the face of Al Jazeera in Palestine.”
He and Abu Akleh were often caught in Israeli cross-fire during the many stories they covered together, he said. On one assignment, their car filled with tear gas and they struggled to breathe. When they would think back on these moments, he said Abu Akleh would laugh and marvel at how they managed to survive.
Images of the moments after Abu Akleh was shot in the head in the West Bank town of Jenin circulated online and were broadcast on Al Jazeera and other Arabic news channels. Wearing a helmet and a vest clearly marked “PRESS," Abu Akleh’s body was shown lying face down in a patch of sand. A Palestinian man jumped over a wall to reach her as gunshots rang out, dragging her motionless body to a car.
In video from the West Bank hospital where Abu Akleh was pronounced dead, a male colleague was seen weeping at her hospital bed as others choked back tears. A female correspondent for Al Jazeera in the Gaza Strip wept on air as she reported from a vigil for the journalist.
Later Wednesday, Abu Akleh’s body, draped in a Palestinian flag and covered by a wreath of flowers, was carried through downtown Ramallah on a red stretcher. Hundreds chanted, “With our spirit, with our blood, we will redeem you, Shireen.”
An outpouring of condemnation came from governments around the world. The U.S. State Department called her death “an affront to media freedom.”
In an opinion piece online, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz lauded her bravery, saying, “Abu Akleh died a hero, doing her job,” and noted that she went to Jenin and other occupied areas that Israeli journalists “rarely if ever visited.”
It had started as another routine assignment for Abu Akleh. She'd emailed colleagues that she was heading to the Jenin refugee camp to check on reports of an Israeli military raid. “I will bring you the news as soon as the picture becomes clear,” she wrote.
“Generations grew up seeing her work,” producer Hammad, said. “People listened to Shireen’s voice and were influenced by her to study journalism so they could be like her.”
Abu Akleh's niece, Lina Abu Akleh, described her as a “best friend” and “second mom”.
“She is someone that I was looking up to since I was a kid, watching all of her reports," she told journalists from the family's home. "I never thought this day would come where the news would be about her."
___
Follow Aya Batrawy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ayaelb | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Slain-Al-Jazeera-journalist-was-icon-of-17165470.php | 2022-05-11 18:54:44 | 0 | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Slain-Al-Jazeera-journalist-was-icon-of-17165470.php |
Integration provides a seamless member booking experience and enables the first data-driven, personalized dining experience for the club industry
MILL VALLEY, Calif., March 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Whoosh, Inc, a developer of modern operations software for private clubs, and SevenRooms, the leading global guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry, today announce a preferred partnership to offer SevenRooms' comprehensive platform solutions to private golf and membership clubs across the country.
The cloud-based integration provides club members with an enhanced experience to book dining reservations via the Whoosh Member App and enables staff to access real-time reservation and diner profile data via the SevenRooms platform.
"We are thrilled to partner with SevenRooms and provide club members with a seamless and effortless experience," said Colin Read, CEO of Whoosh. "By integrating with SevenRooms, we can now enable our customers to utilize leading technology leveraged every day by SevenRooms' leading hospitality operators around the world. We are introducing the most advanced table management solution for private clubs that will give staff the tools they need to deliver the highest quality experiences to their members and guests. It's a win for everybody."
With the integration of Whoosh and SevenRooms, club staff will be able to manage reservations and provide high quality service to members in real-time, resulting in an increase in member loyalty and satisfaction, in addition to increased revenue for the clubs. The integration will also enable club members to easily book and manage dining reservations, reducing wait times, and creating a seamless overall experience.
"SevenRooms is excited to partner with Whoosh to create more memorable, personalized guest experiences for members across the country," said Austen Asadorian, SVP of Sales at SevenRooms. "There has been a big shift toward needing more robust table management and hospitality solutions in the private club space. We believe this partnership will enable clubs across the country to elevate their level of service and improve both staff efficiency and member satisfaction through our automation and guest data capabilities."
In recent years, private clubs have prioritized hospitality for their members, seeking solutions that help them more seamlessly manage the end-to-end experience. The partnership between SevenRooms and Whoosh provides a modern hospitality management solution to meet their increased needs, making it easy for their staff to execute on experiences that keep their members engaged.
"Having spent many years in the hotel and fine dining space, I know first-hand the private club space has been hungry for a solution that is up-to-par with what's used in other industries," said Dirk Flad, General Manager of The Country Club of Mobile. "With SevenRooms, we found a solution that is used by top restaurants around the world and will enable our staff to deliver a higher level of service. Whoosh has already optimized our operations throughout our club, and this partnership only extends that impact."
For more information about the Whoosh and SevenRooms integration, please reach out via email to Whoosh at hello@whoosh.io or SevenRooms at hello@trysevenrooms.com.
Whoosh provides the most advanced modern club operations software to manage everything from the course to the clubhouse. With a cloud-based and tablet-focused approach, Whoosh streamlines operations to save clubs 20+ hours a week in staff time per department. Whoosh's member app provides members easy and convenient ways to book and manage reservations for every club amenity and event. For more information, visit www.whoosh.io.
SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, PSG and Highgate Ventures, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin' Brands, Giordano's, LDV Hospitality, Zuma, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com
Whoosh
Jenna Little
Head of Growth & Marketing P: +1-512-808-8443
E: hello@whoosh.io
SevenRooms
Bianca Esmond
Director, PR & Brand Marketing P: +1-310-567-9148
E: bianca@sevenrooms.com
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SOURCE Whoosh | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/03/21/whoosh-sevenrooms-integrate-elevate-club-member-experience/ | 2023-03-21 18:06:10 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/03/21/whoosh-sevenrooms-integrate-elevate-club-member-experience/ |
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Youssouf Fofana has gone from serving pizzas to delivering crosses in the World Cup.
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Dropped in 2015 at age 14 from Clairefontaine, France's national training center, his future in soccer seemed at an end. So he went to work for a pizzeria.
“That was the best way to earn money and also to follow my dreams,” the 23-year-old midfielder said Thursday, two days before France meets England in a World Cup quarterfinal.
Fofana made his French national team debut in September and was picked by coach Didier Deschamps for the 26-man team that is defending Les Bleus' World Cup title.
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He entered as a second-half sub in the group stage wins over Australia and Denmark, started in the 1-0 loss to Tunisia, and played the last 25 minutes of the round of 16 victory over Poland.
Quite the turnaround for a player who needed two years to find a professional club. He played for Drancy, an amateur side in Paris' northeast suburbs before signing with Strasbourg's youth academy in 2017.
“I had my doubts, and you have to know how to move forward,” he said through an interpreter.
He made his Ligue 1 debut against Lyon on Aug. 24, 2018, moved to Monaco in January 2020 and reached the Europa League with his new club in 2021-22 and the current season.
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France, seeking its third World Cup title, would advance to a semifinal against Portugal or Morocco. The other side of the bracket will have the Argentina-Netherlands winner play Brazil or Croatia.
Les Blues are led by Kylian Mbappé, who leads the World Cup with five goals. England right back Kyle Walker has faced Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain while playing for Manchester City in the Champions League and said Wednesday “we take respect that he is a good player in good form at the minute, but I am not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to go and score.”
Fofana seemed amused by that.
“Hats off to him." Fofana said. "If he can stop Kylian, good for him. But there’s 19 other teams in the French league that are waiting for the answer of how to stop Kylian, and the truth is on the pitch."
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Fofana was in a jovial mood when discussing preparations. Asked about the frame of mind in the dressing room before World Cup kickoffs, he responded: “The atmosphere is tense, tense, tense.”
“No, I’m joking," he went on. “We can wear headphones, so if we don’t like the chosen music for the group, then we can listen to our own music.”
CLASS OF '98
Defender Dayot Upamecano said he has spoken with Marcel Desailly, a defender on France's 1998 world champion team.
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“He’s given me some advice and I should continue doing what I’m doing," Upamecano said through an interpreter. “It’s a real pleasure to be able to talk to someone like that. He was a winner. He was a warrior, a real example for the French.”
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/From-serving-pizzas-Fofona-now-delivering-World-17640701.php | 2022-12-08 19:38:27 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/From-serving-pizzas-Fofona-now-delivering-World-17640701.php |
Navigating Valentine’s Day when you’re not in a relationship can be tricky. But there’s no rule that says you can’t be your own valentine and treat yourself to some goodies to help you get through a day dedicated to romance.
Whether you’re interested in self-care items, tech gadgets, cooking tools or something for your wardrobe, fabulous gifts to give yourself this Valentine’s Day will let you enjoy the holiday a little more.
In this article: Moleskin Classic Notebook, Ugg Men’s Tasman Slipper and Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker.
Best Valentine’s Day gifts to buy yourself for under $50
This scented candle can create a perfect mood in your home. You can choose from nine fragrances, including rose and sandalwood, pine wood, bergamot and jasmine or lavender and lilac. It can burn for up to 45 hours and features natural ingredients like essential oils and soy wax.
Sold by Amazon
This notebook makes an ideal journal, but you can also use it for note-taking and more. It has a durable cover and an elastic closure to secure the pages. It comes in 19 colors, including black, brown, yellow and red.
Sold by Amazon
This lightweight, durable yoga mat offers excellent cushioning to help you take your yoga practice to the next level. Its textured surface provides excellent grip, so you’re more stable during your poses. It comes in 26 bold colors and patterns.
Sold by Amazon
Make caring for your beard a salon-like experience with this comprehensive grooming kit. It includes a sulfate-free all-over wash, a transparent shave cream and beard oil, so you have everything you need to care for your facial hair. The formulas can help prevent razor burn and hydrate your beard, too.
Sold by Sephora, Amazon and Kohl’s
Best Valentine’s Day gifts to buy yourself for $50-$100
Godiva Chocolatier Signature Truffles Assorted Gift Box
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to treat yourself to gourmet chocolates, and these truffles offer an excellent assortment. The box contains 24 pieces with various fillings, including sweet fruit, salted caramel and spiced ganache. The truffles have milk, white and dark chocolate shells, so there are sure to be flavors you like.
Marc Jacobs Mini Daisy Perfume Gift Set
If you’re on the hunt for a signature scent, this perfume set is an excellent Valentine’s Day gift to give yourself. It contains a small eau de toilette spray and a mini eau de toilette pen spray that’s perfect for carrying in your bag. The perfume features strawberry, violet leaf and jasmine notes, so it’s ideal if you like fruity, floral scents.
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WodFitters Extra-Durable Resistance Bands
These highly durable resistance bands can help transform your strength training workouts. Each set contains four bands in different resistance levels, so you can customize your workout. They’re fully portable, too, making them ideal for travel.
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These smart-looking men’s slippers are comfortable and versatile, so you can wear them around the house or running errands. They have a lightweight feel, but still offer durable, supportive construction. They’re also made of leather and come in 19 colors.
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Natasha Denona Retro Glam Eyeshadow Palette
This striking eyeshadow palette features a mix of green, pink and nude shades that can help you get in touch with your inner makeup artist. The shadows come in metallic, shimmer and matte finishes and don’t contain parabens or mineral oil. The palette has a durable lid with a mirror on the inside.
Best Valentine’s Day gifts to buy yourself for $100+
Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker
This top-of-the-line sous vide machine makes an excellent Valentine’s Day gift for yourself if you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. It heats up quickly, offers improved Wi-Fi connectivity compared to previous models, and has a fully adjustable clamp to hold it securely in place.
Treat yourself to these premium true wireless earbuds, which deliver rich, low-distortion audio. They offer up to two times the active cancellation of previous AirPod Pros and come with silicone tips in four sizes to provide the perfect fit. They provide up to six hours of listening time in active noise-canceling mode and 30 hours with the charging case.
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This massage gun makes it easy to give yourself a deep-tissue massage at home. It comes with six attachments and offers four arm positions to customize your massage. Its ergonomically designed handle fits well in your hand and isn’t too loud when in use.
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Cole Haan Women’s Leather Racer Jacket
This stylish jacket is made of imported leather and versatile enough to be worn nearly year-round. It has zippered vents at the sleeves and welt pockets at the sides. It also has quilted panels that give it a more flattering fit. It comes in eight colors, including classic black, rich brown and bold red.
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Worth checking out
- You don’t need a valentine to enjoy these lovely Kate Spade New York black rhinestone stud earrings.
- This Slip Silk Pillowcase doesn’t just make bedtime feel more luxurious; it can also help prevent frizzy hair and reduce wrinkles.
- These Maui Jim Wiki Wiki Aviator Sunglasses have a classic look and feature polarized lenses that can protect your eyes from the glare.
- This sterling silver quarter-carat diamond heart pendant is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift to give yourself. It comes with an 18-inch chain that pairs well with various necklines.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/loungewear-undergarments-br/single-on-valentines-day-here-are-13-gifts-to-buy-yourself/ | 2023-02-11 13:09:08 | 1 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/loungewear-undergarments-br/single-on-valentines-day-here-are-13-gifts-to-buy-yourself/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A monument marking the number of abortions performed in Arkansas before Roe v. Wade was struck down would be built near the state Capitol under a bill lawmakers sent to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday.
The majority-Republican House approved by a 60-19 vote a proposal allowing the creation of a “monument to the unborn” on the Capitol grounds. The bill, which the Senate approved earlier this month, requires the secretary of state to permit and arrange the placement of the monument.
It also requires the Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission to oversee the selection of the artist and the design of the monument with input from anti-abortion groups.
Republican Rep. Mary Bentley, the bill’s House sponsor, said the legislation would allow the state to raise private money for a memorial to “remember those children we were not able to protect and we will not be able to forget.”
A law Arkansas approved in 2019 banning nearly all abortions took effect last year when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the 1973 Roe decision. Arkansas’ ban only allows abortions to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.
Tennessee lawmakers in 2018 approved legislation allowing a similar privately funded monument on its Capitol grounds. The monument has not yet been installed.
The Arkansas monument proposal drew objections from some anti-abortion Republicans who said it would be counterproductive, and that efforts should instead focus on other needs such as helping pregnant women and foster children.
Republican Rep. Steve Unger, one of two Republicans who voted against the measure, said the monument “has the look and feel of spiking the football” following last year’s ruling.
“Public memorials to our nation’s wars where we face an external threat are right and proper,” Unger said. “A memorial to an ongoing culture war where we seem to be shooting at each other is not.”
Republican Rep. Jeremiah Moore, who also voted against the measure, said the monument would amount to a “poke in the eye to all those who do not share our beliefs.”
“This monument will do nothing for the pro-life cause as we move forward together,” Moore said. “It will only be used as a weapon to rally against pro-life values through fundraising and stirring up anger and vitriol.”
Ten Republicans and one Democrat voted “present” on the bill, which has the same effect as voting against it.
The legislation doesn’t specify where the monument would go on the Capitol grounds, which includes several other monuments, including one honoring the nine Black students who desegregated Little Rock Central High School. The Capitol grounds also include a Ten Commandments monument that was installed in 2018.
Democrats have criticized the proposal, saying it’s politicizing the Capitol grounds rather than focusing on monuments that unite people.
“This is injecting a contentious political issue to the grounds of the state Capitol, and it’s doing so in a way that I would have to imagine is going to be painful for a lot of women who have gotten abortions in the last 50 years,” Democratic Sen. Clarke Tucker told the Senate when it took up the proposal earlier this month. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/health/arkansas-lawmakers-ok-anti-abortion-monument-at-capitol/ | 2023-03-15 13:33:13 | 1 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/health/arkansas-lawmakers-ok-anti-abortion-monument-at-capitol/ |
LOGAN COUNTY, W. Va., Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- (NGA), the source for complete, customizable, and reliable Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) solutions today announced the successful delivery of the first "live" Next Generation i3 Real-Time Text (RTT) call in Logan County, West Virginia on the Verizon network.
Logan County citizens with disabilities can now access usable, easy and effective communications during an emergency. Callers will have the ability to send emergency messages on their cellular network or while using Wi-Fi calling. RTT provides both the caller and the 9-1-1 call-taker the ability to see the text "letter by letter" as it is being typed, providing conversational communication that allows for overlapping with no need to hit "send." In addition, callers in situations where a voice call is unavailable or creates more danger will also benefit from this new technology.
Citizens with disabilities don't need to purchase any special equipment. RTT is designed for carrier networks. RTT is built into most off-the-shelf devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers.
Ted Sparks, Director of Logan County Emergency Operations 911 said, "I have an employee at the center who shared his enthusiasm and excitement about the new RTT technology. His wife is deaf, and to know that this type of service is coming true was an inspiration. His wife uses messenger to communicate outside her family and having those types of features such as message delivery context and caller replying, means the world to deaf and hearing impaired family members. He shared this information with his wife and she was both excited and relieved. TTY is such antiquated technology; it is rarely used in this fast-paced world. It's great that all our citizens will get a major upgrade in services. Logan County is excited to be part of leading the way."
"NGA is devoted to ensuring disability access to 21st century and future 911 communication technology. We are proud to have partnered with Verizon to provide this much-needed enhancement to people with disabilities in Logan County," said Don Ferguson, CEO and founder of NGA.
About NGA - Next Generation Advanced: NGA is a comprehensive, adaptable, and dependable NG9-1-1 system that offers 911 Cloud services that are safe and reasonably priced everywhere in the globe. With the most recent NG9-1-1 technology available, our gradual deployment and proprietary solutions are ready to seamlessly move traditional 9-1-1 systems to the future of emergency services.
For more information, please visit https://nga911.com or follow NGA on Twitter or LinkedIn.
For media inquiries please contact Rebecca.Dungey@nga911.com.
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SOURCE NGA - Next Generation Advanced | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/03/nga-verizon-deliver-real-time-text-rtt-logan-county-w-va/ | 2023-01-03 18:37:33 | 1 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/03/nga-verizon-deliver-real-time-text-rtt-logan-county-w-va/ |
(NerdWallet) – In January, the Department of Education unveiled details of a repayment plan overhaul that could halve monthly payments for many federal student loan borrowers. But one group, the 3.7 million parents who owe parent PLUS loans, won’t benefit. Policymakers have long excluded parent PLUS loans from most relief, though the program looks much different today than it did during its 1980 debut.
While parent PLUS loans were initially intended as a tool for well-off families, says Robert Kelchen, a higher education professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, they’ve increasingly become the loan of last resort for lower-income families. Parents, who can borrow up to the total cost of attendance per child (minus other federal aid) with PLUS loans, use the loans to fill funding gaps after their student hits the borrowing limit of no more than $7,500 per year from the government.
» MORE: Student loan debt spans generations, and many aren’t ready to resume payments
Parent PLUS loans come with higher interest rates and higher origination fees than undergraduate federal student loans, further accelerating the debt pileup. In total, parent PLUS loan borrowers have racked up $108.5 billion in loans — more than $29,000 per borrower on average.
“These are intergenerational debts,” says Alpha Taylor, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center in Washington, D.C., focused on student loans. “The parents have their own student loans, so they have their own debt that they’re carrying. And on top of that, they’re carrying their children’s debt, and the children are also in debt.”
Though the latest payment plan overhaul won’t help, there are other options to get debt relief for parent PLUS loans.
» MORE: How the new income-driven repayment plan works
Permanent federal relief programs
Income-Contingent Repayment
An income-driven repayment plan extends your loan term, can lower your monthly payments and can lead to forgiveness. Four income-driven repayment plans are available for federal student loans, but parent PLUS loan borrowers are eligible for only the Income-Contingent Repayment plan. Payments are capped at 20% of a borrower’s monthly discretionary income for 25 years. Any remaining debt is forgiven after that time.
You must consolidate your parent PLUS loans before you can sign up for an Income-Contingent Repayment plan.
» MORE: How to consolidate and refinance your student loans
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Parents who work for nonprofits and government sectors may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives remaining debt after a decade of repayment. Borrowers must consolidate their parent PLUS loan into a direct loan and sign up for Income-Contingent Repayment before applying for PSLF.
The parent who originally took out the loan — not the child who benefited from the loan — must work for a qualifying employer.
Deferment or forbearance
Payments on all federal student loans are expected to resume this summer, but borrowers can still request payment pauses — known as deferment or forbearance — if they face financial hardships.
» MORE: Student loan deferment vs. forbearance: Which payment pause is better?
Consider other relief options first: Interest will accumulate during these pauses, and it will be added to your principal loan balance once payments restart. “You can have a situation where you’re spending more time paying off interest than paying down the principal,” Taylor cautions.
Temporary pandemic-tied relief
Student debt cancellation
Some parent PLUS loan borrowers would qualify for student debt cancellation under President Joe Biden’s proposal, which remains in legal limbo. Single parents who earn up to $125,000 per year and married parents earning up to $250,000 per year stand to have $10,000 in debt erased. Parents who received a Pell Grant to pay for their college education would get an additional $10,000 wiped from their balance.
The Supreme Court is expected to announce a final decision on Biden’s plan by late June.
» MORE: 4 expert takeaways from the Supreme Court student debt cancellation cases
Income-driven repayment account adjustment, or waiver
Starting this spring, a one-time automatic income-driven repayment account adjustment from the Education Department will give borrowers credit for any month the loan has been in repayment, forbearance or deferment, moving some parent PLUS loan borrowers closer to forgiveness. Contact your student loan servicer and ask about enrolling in the Income-Contingent Repayment plan as soon as possible to take full advantage of the waiver.
The automatic adjustment will also apply to PSLF-eligible loans, including consolidated and unconsolidated parent PLUS loans.
Bankruptcy
Government guidance released in November aims to make it easier for borrowers to get student loans discharged in bankruptcy. Most borrowers with long-term parent PLUS loans who are considering bankruptcy to get relief should wait until the income-driven repayment waiver is applied before pursuing bankruptcy, says Stanley Tate, a Missouri-based bankruptcy lawyer who specializes in student loans. The waiver could wipe out their loan automatically if they’ve been in repayment for over two decades.
However, it may be worth exploring bankruptcy now “if you’re someone who can’t afford Income-Contingent Repayment, you’ve had the loans for over a decade (and) you’re closer to your retirement than you are to the beginning of your work history,” Tate says. | https://pix11.com/news/us-world-news/in-debt-from-your-kids-education-there-are-options/ | 2023-04-29 19:29:56 | 0 | https://pix11.com/news/us-world-news/in-debt-from-your-kids-education-there-are-options/ |
Which Christmas mantel decor is best?
A classic image of the Christmas season is a warm fire, stockings hung in a row and a beautifully decorated mantel. There are many ways you can go with your Christmas mantel decor, and it can be a bit overwhelming to decide on your favorite items from the seemingly endless options out there. Consider your mantel’s size, outlet locations and which essential items you might be missing. This will narrow your search and help you pick the perfect decor item for you. The National Tree Company Carolina Pine Garland, both lighted and hyper-realistic in appearance, makes a beautiful addition to any mantel decor.
What to know before you buy Christmas mantel decor
Mantel measurements
Before you purchase any new decorations, take your mantel’s measurements. Measure both the mantel’s length and width. These dimensions will be vital while you shop. For items like garland and lights, you want to make sure they are long enough to cover the entire length of the mantel. Depending on the look you’re going for, you may want a few extra inches to work with if you plan to twist the garland or lights around other objects. The depth of your mantel will be necessary to know when considering different Christmas figurines. You want to ensure your mantel is wide enough to accommodate the entire base of the decor items.
Outlet locations
Take a look around your mantel to see if there are any outlets. If you don’t have any outlets on or near your mantel, many decor items are available that source their power from battery packs. These items are usually easier to arrange because a power source doesn’t limit their location. Battery-powered Christmas mantel decor items also are easier to handle if you aren’t quite sure where you’ll be placing each item and want to try different looks out before you settle on one.
Personal decor style
Take into account the Christmas decor you already have before you purchase anything new. If you like all your decorations to match, narrowing your search to your current style can make the process of shopping a lot easier. Think about what your mantel display looked like last year. Are there any gaps? Think about items you can add to enhance the pre-existing decor.
What to look for in quality Christmas mantel decor
Stockings
Stockings are a staple of any Christmas mantel display. Whether you put up a single stocking for yourself or have an entire family line to display, they are a fun way to personalize your Christmas mantel decor. You can find stockings of all different styles, from the traditional red sock to a bone-shaped stocking for your dog.
Garland
No mantel decoration looks quite as festive as garland. Garland ranges from plain green to lighted and covered in sparkling ornaments. You can find artificial garland that appears quite realistic. These often come pre-decorated. If you love the smell of pine, you can also purchase garland made of real, fresh-cut greens.
Santas
A popular collection item, Santas are a great item to use as mantel decor. You can use one large Santa in the middle or a few smaller ones spaced out. Santas come in all styles and colors. There are traditional ones in a red suit or Santas that look ready to take a beach vacation. You can also find cute Santas holding trays of sweets or the naughty and nice list.
Candles
Candles on the mantel can add some nice ambiance to your living room. While it can be a fire hazard to use real candles, especially if you’ve also used real garland to decorate, plenty of flameless candles are available. These usually work with LED lights and run on batteries. Most come with a remote and a built-in timer for convenient use. You can find sets with various numbers and candle sizes. Some sets have decorative holders, and even flameless candles can resemble the tall, skinny candles that work well in candelabras.
Wreaths
A wreath makes a great centerpiece for your Christmas mantel display. You can either place the wreath directly on your mantel or hang it on the wall above. Most come pre-decorated, and some have battery-powered lights. There are many styles of wreaths out here, and you are sure to find the perfect one to fit your color and style preferences.
Christmas figurines
Once you have the larger items picked for your mantel display, you can fill any gaps with fun Christmas figures. These come in all shapes, styles and sizes. There are snowmen, reindeer, angels, nativity scenes, train sets, elves and any other fun Christma character you can imagine.
How much you can expect to spend on Christmas mantel decor
For smaller items, like flameless candle sets and figurines, you can spend anywhere from $20-$50. If you buy larger items like a wreath or garland, expect to spend at least $70-$100.
Christmas mantel decor FAQ
Is it safe to use real candles in my display?
While there is nothing better than the real thing, candles with a flame are a fire hazard. If you use these in your mantel display, never leave them unattended. Flameless, battery-powered candles are a much safer alternative.
What is the best way to hang stockings without drilling holes in my mantel?
There are a few alternatives to drilling holes in your mantel. You can use stocking hangers that sit on top of your mantel. These often have a decorative top and a hook on the bottom where you can attach your stockings. Another alternative is using hooks with adhesive strips on the back.
What’s the best Christmas mantel decor?
Top Christmas mantel decor
National Tree Company Carolina Pine Garland
What you need to know: This beautiful garland looks realistic and versatile enough to fit in with any Christmas decor.
What you’ll love: You’ll love the lifelike feel and appearance of this Carolina Pine garland. It has pine cones and 100 white lights spaced along its length. It measures 9 feet long and 10 inches wide. The materials are fire-resistant and non-allergenic.
What you should consider: This garland is pricey and heavy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Christmas mantel decor for the money
DRomance White Christmas Glass Flickering Flameless Candles
What you need to know: This set of flameless candles features a provincial Christmas scene.
What you’ll love: Despite being flameless, these candles flicker so that you still get the ambiance of real candles. There are three candles in the set at varying heights. They come with a remote and have a built-in timer. You can choose to have them lit for 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours. Powered by AA batteries, you’ll never be worried about fire or dripping wax.
What you should consider: Some purchasers have noted that the white color is too bright to mimic real wax.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
National Tree Company Lit Artificial Christmas Wreath
What you need to know: With its traditional coloring and battery-powered lights, this wreath is a stunning centerpiece for any mantel.
What you’ll love: This realistic wreath comes decorated with red ornaments, glittery springs of leaves and white LED lights. Batteries power the lights, so you don’t have to worry about cords reaching an outlet. A timer of 6 hours on and 18 hours off is integrated into the wreath.
What you should consider: Some buyers have had issues with the wreath’s sizing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wjhl.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/best-christmas-mantel-decor/ | 2022-12-06 00:28:32 | 1 | https://www.wjhl.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/holiday-br/best-christmas-mantel-decor/ |
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. (WXIN) – Four people, including U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-In.), died in a car crash in Elkhart County, Indiana, on Wednesday.
The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened around 12:30 p.m. on State Road 19, south of State Road 119. A northbound car traveled left of center, colliding head-on with a southbound vehicle.
Congresswoman Walorski, along with Zachary Potts of the St. Joseph County Republican Party and Walorski’s communications director Emma Thompson, all died in the crash.
The northbound vehicle driver was also pronounced dead.
This is a developing story. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/indiana-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-dies-in-car-crash/ | 2022-08-03 20:20:52 | 1 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/indiana-congresswoman-jackie-walorski-dies-in-car-crash/ |
The Department of Energy will purchase 3 million barrels of oil to replace withdrawals from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) amid high energy prices, it announced Friday.
The Biden administration presented the purchase, which follows a bidding process that began in October, as an opportunity to buy the oil at a fixed price and repurchase it for less than the average of $96 per barrel it sold for.
“Relative to conventional purchase contracts that expose producers to volatile crude prices, this new approach, when used at scale, can give producers the assurance to make investments today, knowing that the price they receive when they sell to the SPR will be locked in place,” the Energy Department said in a statement. “Today’s notice will pilot this new approach by starting with a purchase of up to 3 million barrels of crude oil.”
After oil prices soared earlier this year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration withdrew a record 180 million barrels from the SPR. The administration announced a plan in May to solicit bids to buy back about one-third of the barrels withdrawn.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in the spring that the buyback process would be timed to decreased oil prices.
“As we are thoughtful and methodical in the decision to drawdown from our emergency reserve, we must be similarly strategic in replenishing the supply so that it stands ready to deliver on its mission to provide relief when needed most,” Granholm said in May.
The buyback to replenish the withdrawals is distinct from congressionally required SPR sales to raise revenues. The Energy Department has projected it will sell around 265 million barrels through those sales by fiscal 2031.
Republicans have signaled the House Oversight and Reform Committee will scrutinize the SPR releases under the new GOP majority next year, with 13 Republican committee members in October requesting documents relating to the releases. | https://www.kark.com/hill-politics/biden-administration-to-buy-3-million-barrels-of-oil-to-replenish-reserves/ | 2022-12-16 20:37:41 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/hill-politics/biden-administration-to-buy-3-million-barrels-of-oil-to-replenish-reserves/ |
KUTZTOWN, Pa. - At Firefly Bookstore in Kutztown, books like "Gender Queer" and "All Boys Aren't Blue" are front and center this week.
"We've got a display in the window that emphasizes some of the books that have commonly been pulled plus some of the books that have been the most challenged books within the last calendar year," said Matthew Williams, co-owner of Firefly Bookstore.
Williams says Banned Book Week is an opportunity for his staff to have conversations about why certain books have been challenged.
"It can't be done behind closed doors, it can't be administrators or librarians deciding for their own personal reasons or because they align with a particular political side one way or the other."
Firefly Bookstore is also home to a teen banned book club which was started by a local teen.
"You know how teenagers are, if they hear a book is being banned and that adults don't want them reading it, then they're suddenly like 'what's in this book, why don't they want us reading it,'" said Jordan Busits, an employee at Firefly Bookstore and one of the adult co-runners of the teen banned book club.
Groups like "No Left Turn in Education" say parents should have the final say of what subjects their children can and should be reading. The organization's mission statement reads, "To revive in American education the fundamental discipline of objective thinking by educating, empowering, and engaging students, parents, and community, emphasizing the role of the parent as the primary custodian and authority of their child."
"When we're making a decision as a society about what we want to have available, it needs to be a conversation and it has to be one that's done in the public sphere," said Williams.
Banned Book Week runs through September 24. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/kutztown-bookstore-celebrates-banned-book-week/article_ef228862-3ba1-11ed-adaa-5fa45e8df3ce.html | 2022-09-24 11:35:59 | 0 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/kutztown-bookstore-celebrates-banned-book-week/article_ef228862-3ba1-11ed-adaa-5fa45e8df3ce.html |
Amazon wants to deploy a constellation of satellites that the company says will provide reliable internet service to underserved communities around the world.
Known as Project Kuiper, the satellites will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance rockets.
The company said production of satellites will begin at a facility in Washington state later this year. They will then be shipped to the new 100,000-square-foot facility in Florida and integrated with launch vehicles. Amazon noted that this is a $120 million investment that will create jobs on the Space Coast.
“We are proud to continue our investment in Florida and to join the historic Space Coast community as we invest in people and facilities to support Project Kuiper, Amazon's satellite broadband network," said Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy and community engagement at Amazon.
SEE MORE: Virgin Galactic announces first private passenger flight to space
Amazon said it will launch two prototype satellites in the coming months. The mission will serve as a test run for its network.
Users on the ground will need an outdoor antenna, also known as a customer terminal. The antenna communicates with the overhead satellites to provide internet connectivity.
Amazon unveiled three terminals recently with different speed capabilities. A price point for customers has not been set. However, the company said it expects to produce the terminals for less than $400 each.
Amazon joins a growing satellite internet industry. SpaceX has already launched more than 4,000 Starlink satellites into space, according to Space.com.
SEE MORE: Crowds cheer as India launches a lander and rover to explore the moon
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kivitv.com/why-is-amazon-planning-to-send-satellites-into-space | 2023-07-24 19:07:51 | 1 | https://www.kivitv.com/why-is-amazon-planning-to-send-satellites-into-space |
New embedded wizard in the emma multi-cloud management platform
LUXEMBOURG, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- emma, the first end-to-end, no-code multi-cloud management application platform, today announces that it has launched a new feature which is simplifying the creation of virtual environments.
The rapid advancements in technology have transformed the way organizations manage their IT infrastructure. Among the revolutionary innovations, virtualization has emerged as a game-changer, enabling businesses to efficiently utilize resources, enhance flexibility, and streamline operations. In this context, the new embedded wizard in the emma - enterprise multi-cloud management application - platform has brought forth a groundbreaking approach to creating virtual instances effortlessly.
Gone are the days of complex and time-consuming virtual machines setups. With the embedded wizard, users can now create instances for the different purposes with utmost ease, simplicity, and speed. The wizard's intuitive interface guides users through each step, simplifying the process for both seasoned professionals and novices alike.
Users can use a range of options to configure virtual instances tailored to specific requirements by easily selecting operating systems, allocating resources, and defining networking parameters, making the deployment process a breeze.
Furthermore, the embedded wizard leverages the power of automation, allowing for the rapid deployments across various cloud environments. It eliminates the need for manual configurations, reducing human error and enhancing overall efficiency.
"With the new embedded wizard, the emma multi-cloud management platform has positioned itself as a frontrunner in the virtualization space. By making virtual instance creation as easy as ABC, the platform empowers organizations to harness the full potential of virtualization technology, enabling them to scale operations, optimize resource utilization, and achieve greater agility in today's dynamic business landscape", says Dmitry Panenkov founder and CEO of emma.
The emma multi-cloud management platform provides services to deploy and manage applications, Kubernetes, backups and network further enhancing its utility and versatility. These services make it easier for organizations to manage their digital infrastructure, regardless of its complexity.
About emma
At emma, we believe that cloud resources should be a commodity, easy to access just as electricity, or the internet. That's why we're creating the world's first end-to-end, no-code cloud management platform that enables organizations to unlock all benefits of multi-cloud without the usual complexities and security risks associated with multi-cloud operations.
View original content:
SOURCE EMMA Technologies | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/06/15/emma-making-virtualization-easy-abc/ | 2023-06-15 10:40:35 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/06/15/emma-making-virtualization-easy-abc/ |
Teacher accused of using slur to describe Black teacher, has class do cotton-picking exercise
LADSON, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - A mother is looking for answers after she said her son’s teacher used the word “monkey” to describe another teacher, who is Black, and made her son partake in a cotton-picking exercise.
Lashanda Wiggins’ son goes to Oakbrook Middle School in Ladson, South Carolina. She told WCSC something his teacher allegedly said a couple of weeks ago has her upset.
“His teacher had made some comments that she has a teacher next door, he’s a Black teacher, and she refers to him as the ‘monkey next door,’” Wiggins said.
Her son said immediately after the teacher made comments, she had the class do a cotton-picking activity.
“From what the assistant principal explained to me is that she was going to just bring the cotton in, give it to the kids and her words were, ‘Here’s how you pick cotton,’” Wiggins said.
She also said her son was upset.
“He wanted to know, why do we have to relive that or why do we have to go back to that?” Wiggins said.
The principal acknowledged what happened but Wiggins said she has been provided no other answers as to any kind of repercussions.
“I send my kids to school to learn,” Wiggins said. “They’re supposed to be treated equally amongst their peers and the people that are responsible for teaching them. So when he came home and told me that, I was extremely and still extremely upset.”
The district responded to a request for comment with this statement:
“Dorchester School District Two takes every allegation seriously. We are currently investigating an alleged incident at Oakbrook Middle School. We do not comment on personnel matters.”
Copyright 2022 WCSC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wlbt.com/2022/09/06/teacher-accused-using-slur-describe-black-teacher-has-class-do-cotton-picking-exercise/ | 2022-09-06 18:27:17 | 1 | https://www.wlbt.com/2022/09/06/teacher-accused-using-slur-describe-black-teacher-has-class-do-cotton-picking-exercise/ |
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, April 24, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
148 PM CDT Sun Apr 24 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern
Glasscock and north central Reagan Counties through 230 PM CDT...
At 148 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 17
miles southwest of Garden City, moving northeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Garden City and Saint Lawrence.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
LAT...LON 3156 10167 3166 10174 3195 10140 3175 10126
3167 10127
TIME...MOT...LOC 1848Z 240DEG 17KT 3166 10164
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-MIDLAND-ODESSA-Warnings-Watches-and-17123192.php | 2022-04-24 19:16:16 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-MIDLAND-ODESSA-Warnings-Watches-and-17123192.php |
Boeing pleads not guilty in case over deadly Max crashes
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Boeing pleaded not guilty Thursday to a fraud charge in an unusual case in which families of passengers who died in two plane crashes are trying to throw out a settlement the company reached to avoid prosecution.
At a hearing dominated by emotional, wrenching testimony from passengers’ relatives, a federal district judge took the plea and ordered Boeing not to break any laws for the next year.
The judge delayed ruling on a request by the families to appoint a special monitor to examine safety issues at the aerospace giant. Boeing and the Justice Department opposed the request.
More than a dozen relatives of passengers on a Boeing 737 Max that crashed in 2019 in Ethiopia — less than five months after a Max crashed in Indonesia — held nothing back as they testified about their loss.
Boeing’s chief aerospace safety officer and lawyers for the company and the Justice Department sat just feet away but showed no reaction to any of the stories.
The Justice Department investigated Boeing after the second Max crash and settled the case in January 2021. With the settlement, the government agreed not to prosecute Boeing on a charge of defrauding the United States by deceiving regulators who approved the plane. In exchange, the company paid $2.5 billion, including a $243.6 million fine.
The families are still stunned.
“We want to see real justice, and that has to be prosecutions for manslaughter,” said Naoise Connolly Ryan, whose husband was on the second Max that crashed.
Naheed Noormohamed, who lost his father on the same flight, said the Justice Department had failed the families by not considering their pain.
“This is not just a failure of justice, it’s a failure of humanity,” he testified.
The fate of the settlement could rest with Judge Reed O’Connor. He carved a path for the families to challenge the settlement by ruling last November that the Justice Department had violated federal law by not consulting with crime victims before what amounted to a plea deal.
The families have asked O’Connor to throw out part of the settlement that gave Boeing immunity from prosecution. They want that so they can lobby the Justice Department to throw out the deal and prosecute the company. The judge has not ruled on that request.
The families also asked the judge to impose conditions on Boeing much as he might on any criminal defendant during an arraignment.
Boeing and the Justice Department joined ranks to oppose two of the proposed conditions: the special monitor, and the appointment of three passenger advocates who would make a public report about the company.
The company, which is based in Arlington, Virginia, and government lawyers said such steps were unnecessary because Boeing has been following the terms of the settlement, called a deferred prosecution agreement, for two years.
Mark Filip, a lawyer for Boeing, said the government’s supervision of the agreement is “robust” and is working. Another Boeing attorney, Benjamin Hatch, said representatives from the company and the Justice Department meet least monthly: “It’s very real oversight.”
Boeing has faced civil lawsuits, congressional investigations and massive damage to its business since the crashes in 2018 and 2019, which killed a combined total of 346 people.
The first Max passenger flight was in 2017. The first crash occurred in October 2018 in Indonesia and was followed by another in March 2019 in Ethiopia.
Before both crashes, an automated flight-control system that Boeing did not initially disclose to airlines and pilots pushed the nose down based on a faulty sensor reading. Boeing blamed two former employees for misleading the Federal Aviation Administration about the system, known by its acronym, MCAS.
One of those former employees, a test pilot, is the only person prosecuted in connection with the Max. A jury in O’Connor’s courtroom found him not guilty last year.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/boeing-pleads-not-guilty-in-case-over-deadly-max-crashes/ | 2023-01-26 21:50:09 | 1 | https://www.kob.com/news/business-money/boeing-pleads-not-guilty-in-case-over-deadly-max-crashes/ |
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – Senior citizens in Norton Shores can apply for discounted water bills this year.
The city is offering discounts to senior citizens who qualify under income requirements.
Those who are eligible for the discount must be at least age 62 and own as well as live in the home that receives the water bill.
To qualify, the household must earn less than $25,420 annually. That amount is 155% of the 2021 poverty threshold for a two-person household.
The discount is 25% of each quarterly water bill.
To apply, seniors should submit a signed copy of their most recent Michigan Homestead Property Tax form as well as a Senior & Low-Income Application. The application can be downloaded by clicking here.
Documents should be mailed to Norton Shores Department of Public Works, Water & Sewer Division, 4814 Henry Street, 49441.
Alternatively, seniors can stop by the public works department at city hall with their tax information and assistance will be provided in completing the application.
Those who need a copy of their Homestead Property Tax Form can visit the city’s assessing department at city hall or call them at 231-799-6806.
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Firefighters battling flames at Walker apartment building | https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2023/01/discounted-water-bills-available-for-seniors-in-norton-shores.html | 2023-01-10 12:33:21 | 1 | https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2023/01/discounted-water-bills-available-for-seniors-in-norton-shores.html |
MCLEAN, Va., May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Arlington Asset Investment Corp. (NYSE: AAIC) (the "Company," "Arlington," "we," "us" or "our") today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.
First Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
- $6.47 per common share of book value, a 1.8% decrease from prior quarter
- $0.10 per diluted common share of GAAP net loss attributable to common shareholders
- $0.05 per diluted common share of non-GAAP earnings available for distribution
- 0.4 to 1 "at risk" leverage ratio as of March 31, 2023
First Quarter Investment Portfolio
As of March 31, 2023, the Company's investment portfolio capital allocation was as follows (dollars in thousands):
(1) Our investable capital is calculated as the sum of our shareholders' equity capital and long-term unsecured debt.
(2) Our leverage is measured as the ratio of the sum of our repurchase agreement financing, net payable or receivable for unsettled securities, net contractual forward purchase or sale price of our TBA commitments and leverage within our MSR financing receivables less our cash and cash equivalents compared to our investable capital.
(3) Includes our net investment of $3,034 in a VIE with gross assets and liabilities of $3,194 and $160, respectively, that is consolidated for GAAP financial reporting purposes.
(4) Agency mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") assets include the fair value of the agency MBS which underlie our TBA forward purchase and sale commitments. In accordance with GAAP, our TBA forward commitments are reflected on the consolidated balance sheets as derivative assets and liabilities at fair value in the financial statement line items "other assets" and "other liabilities". As of March 31, 2023, the fair value of the underlying agency MBS that underlie our net short position in TBA commitments had a fair value of ($372,973) with a net carrying value of ($10,614).
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 a mortgage servicing right ("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 in the Company's consolidated financial statements.
The Company's MSR financing receivable investments as of March 31, 2023 are summarized in the tables below (dollars in thousands):
(1) Represents capital investments plus accretion of interest income net of cash distributions.
(1) Calculated as the underlying MSR price divided by the weighted-average servicing fee.
As of March 31, 2023, the mortgage servicing counterparty had drawn $1.0 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 less than 0.1 to 1. The weighted average yield on the Company's MSR financing receivables was 13.78% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 14.98% for the fourth quarter of 2022, and the actual weighted-average constant prepayment rate ("CPR") for the MSRs underlying the Company's MSR financing receivables was 3.44% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 4.26% for the fourth quarter of 2022. As of March 31, 2023, the valuation multiple of the MSRs underlying the Company's MSR financing receivables, calculated as the underlying MSR price divided by the weighted-average servicing fee, was 5.33.
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 March 31, 2023, the Company's credit investment portfolio at fair value was comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
(1) For non-commercial credit investments in securities, includes contractual accrued interest receivable.
(2) Invested capital includes investment accrued interest receivable and financing accrued interest payable.
(3) Includes our net investment of $3,034 in a VIE with gross assets and liabilities of $3,194 and $160, respectively, that is consolidated for GAAP financial reporting purposes.
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $79.4 million in repurchase agreements outstanding with a weighted average rate of 5.53% and remaining weighted average maturity of 20 days secured by $88.0 million of non-agency MBS at fair value. As of March 31, 2023, the Company had a $19.1 million repurchase agreement outstanding with a rate of 7.34% and remaining maturity of 206 days secured by a $27.8 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 March 31, 2023, the Company's agency MBS investment portfolio was comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
As of March 31, 2023, 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 4.23% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 4.16% for the fourth quarter of 2022, and the actual weighted-average CPR for the Company's specified agency MBS was 3.52% for the first quarter of 2023 compared to 4.07% for the fourth quarter of 2022.
As of March 31, 2023, the Company's net short TBA agency MBS investment portfolio was comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
(1) Notional amount represents the unpaid principal balance of the underlying agency MBS.
(2) Implied cost basis represents the contractual forward price for the underlying agency MBS.
(3) Implied fair value represents the current fair value of the underlying agency MBS.
(4) Net carrying amount represents the difference between the implied cost basis and the implied fair value of the underlying agency MBS. This amount is reflected on the Company's consolidated balance sheets as a component of "other assets" and "other liabilities."
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had $385.9 million of repurchase agreements outstanding with a weighted average rate of 4.94% and remaining weighted average maturity of 13 days secured by an aggregate of $413.2 million of agency MBS at fair value. The Company's weighted average cost of repurchase agreement funding secured by agency MBS was 4.67% during the first quarter of 2023 compared to 3.77% during the fourth 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 and MSR financing receivables. Under the terms of the Company's interest rate swap agreements, the Company pays or receives interest payments based on a fixed rate and pays or receives variable interest payments based upon the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). As of March 31, 2023, the Company's interest swap agreements were comprised of the following (dollars in thousands):
The Company's weighted average net pay rate of its interest rate swap agreements was (0.53)% during the first quarter of 2023 compared to a net receive rate of 1.08% during the fourth 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 First Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
The Company's book value was $6.47 per common share as of March 31, 2023 compared to $6.59 per common share as of December 31, 2022. Book value per common share is calculated as total equity 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 0.4 to 1 as of March 31, 2023 compared to 0.3 to 1 as of December 31, 2022. The Company's "at risk" leverage ratio is calculated as the sum of the Company's repurchase agreement financing, 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.
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 assets 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, as well as the Company's estimates for certain financial information post year-end, 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, inflation, 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, 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 earnings available for distribution, 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, the uncertainty and economic impact of a resurgence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic or other public health emergencies, and the effect of general economic, political, regulatory and market conditions, including the impact of a potential recessionary environment. 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.
Financial data to follow
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.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/15/arlington-asset-investment-corp-reports-first-quarter-2023-financial-results/ | 2023-05-15 12:10:31 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/15/arlington-asset-investment-corp-reports-first-quarter-2023-financial-results/ |
The seasonal Thanksgiving and holiday menus are available to order for delivery or pick up in Kroger Family stores
CHICAGO, Oct. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Chef, the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence, is debuting a slew of holiday eats for home cooks looking to spend less time in the kitchen and more time making memories. From Thanksgiving through the year's end, Home Chef serves up seasonal dishes everyone will enjoy in both meal kit and heat-and-eat formats – proving holiday eating can be tasty and easy.
"The holidays are a time for celebration, but they can also be overwhelming when your calendar fills up with dinners, parties and potlucks," said Shira Schwarz, VP of brand marketing at Home Chef. "With our easy-to-make meal kits, Home Chef simplifies home-cooked holiday meals, so the festivities can be even more flavorful and fun."
Whether hosting an all-out Friendsgiving feast or signing up for "sides" at the annual office potluck, Home Chef offers familiar fall favorites in convenient ready-to-make formats, all orderable via homechef.com and delivered straight to your door. During the week of Thanksgiving, order tasty fall recipes including:
- Main Course: Turkey Breast Roast ($49.50, serves 6)
- Sides ($15.98 each; serves 6): White Cheddar and Sage Biscuits, NEW Sweet Potato Casserole, NEW Grown Up Green Bean Casserole, Loaded Mashed Potatoes with Bacon, Cheddar, & Green Onion , and Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Onion & Maple Glaze
- Desserts (serving sizes vary): NEW Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet ($7.98) and Apple Crisp Cake ($5.98)
For those looking to simplify their December celebrations without sacrificing taste, Home Chef has every course covered for a hearty holiday meal, with minimal-prep, maximum-flavor recipes including:
- Main Course: Holiday Ham ($64.95, serves 6)
- Sides ($15.98 each; serves 6): NEW Candied Yams with Goat Cheese, White Cheddar and Sage Biscuits, Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Onion & Maple Glaze, and Loaded Mashed Potatoes with Bacon, Cheddar, & Green Onion
- Desserts (serving sizes vary): NEW Hot Cocoa Cookie Skillet ($7.98), NEW Gingerbread Cake Baking Kit ($17.98), NEW Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake Baking Kit ($18.98), and Caramel Cheesecake ($5.98)
Home Chef's Thanksgiving meal kits will be available to order online at homechef.com starting October 14, and orders must be placed by noon CT on November 18. For meals the week of Christmas, ordering opens November 11 and closes at noon CT on December 16.
"It wouldn't be the holidays without the food traditions we look forward to – and I think we all could use a little less time at the countertop and a little more at the table," said Teresa Sabatino, director of customer marketing at Home Chef. "Home Chef's in-store offerings take the guesswork and the prepwork out of holiday meal planning, so you can spend more of the celebrations with friends and family."
Beloved season's eatings from Home Chef are also available at Kroger Family stores nationwide to order ahead, pick up, heat and have on the table in no time. Home Chef offers in-store holiday bundles that serve four to eight people – main courses, sides and desserts included. These bountiful bundles make the menu for you, and they're easy on the wallet too, with options for a variety of gathering sizes and budgets.
The delectable dishes in stores* from Thanksgiving to holiday season's end include:
- Main Courses: Home Chef Boneless Turkey, Home Chef Boneless Ham, Butterball Bone-In Turkey, Butterball Smoked Bone-In Turkey, Home Chef Bone-In Ham, and Prime Rib
- Sides: Creamed Spinach & Cheese, Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing, Creamy Scalloped Potatoes, Broccoli Rice Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Souffle, Cornbread Dressing, Turkey Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, and King's Hawaiian Rolls
- Desserts: Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce and Pumpkin Pie
Orders for in-store Heat and Eat Home Chef holiday dishes and bundles can be placed online here, over the phone, or in person at select Kroger Family stores across the country, starting with Thanksgiving orders on November 2. Thanksgiving orders must be placed by November 22, and final holiday orders must be placed by December 22.
Home Chef also has stocking stuffers covered this giving season with customizable gift cards. Available as an e-gift or physical card, these gift cards are the perfect gesture to recognize friends and family with delicious meals and more quality time with loved ones around the table. Purchase gift cards here.
*Prices vary based on location
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 ease and convenience to home cooking through simple, delicious meals, so fans can enjoy their time at home, both in and out of the kitchen. 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.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/10/10/home-chef-makes-holidays-easy-with-minimal-prep-menus-full-festive-flavors/ | 2022-10-10 18:40:43 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/10/10/home-chef-makes-holidays-easy-with-minimal-prep-menus-full-festive-flavors/ |
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union auditors said Monday that the bloc's executive arm should have checked more carefully the restrictions on free movement imposed by EU nations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EU nations struggled to coordinate travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic — which has killed at least 6.3 million people around the world — as they tried to maintain a smooth circulation of people and goods.
But the European Court of Auditors, or ECA, said the supervision of the bloc's internal border controls since March 2020 “did not fully safeguard the Schengen rules."
In March 2020, several EU nations hastily closed their borders in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, even though the EU’s Schengen agreement allows all EU residents to move freely in the area without border checks.
Under the Schengen Code, nations can introduce border checks at their internal borders on grounds of a serious threat to internal security. The ECA said it reviewed all 150 notifications of internal border controls submitted to the European Commission between March 2020 and June 2021, of which 135 related exclusively to COVID-19.
“Their review clearly shows that notifications did not provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the border controls were indeed a measure of last resort, or that they were proportionate and limited in duration," auditors said. “Moreover, the Commission has not launched infringement procedures in respect of long-term border controls that were introduced before the pandemic."
The Schengen Area includes most EU countries, except for Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania. Non-EU nations Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also part of the Schengen agreement.
___
Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/EU-Schengen-travel-restrictions-badly-checked-17238279.php | 2022-06-13 17:23:28 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/EU-Schengen-travel-restrictions-badly-checked-17238279.php |
As summer temperatures rise and federal agencies crack down on workplace safety, one company has developed a unique hard hat to help keep workers cool.
Even as summer temperatures soar and states wrangle with protecting outdoor workers from extreme heat, Texas recently enacted a law that axes city rules mandating water and shade breaks for construction workers.
In state after state, lawmakers and regulators have in recent years declined to require companies to offer their outdoor laborers rest breaks with shade and water. In some cases, legislation failed to gain traction. In others, state regulators decided against action or have taken years to write and release rules.
Heat causes more deaths in the United States each year than any other extreme weather. And in Texas, at least 42 workers died of heat exposure between 2011 and 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, though labor advocates say the number is much higher because other causes are cited in many deaths.
A 2021 investigation by NPR and Columbia Journalism Investigations found nearly 400 workers had died of environmental heat exposure in the previous decade, with Hispanic workers — who make up much of the nation’s farm and construction workforce — disproportionately affected.
Climate change has brought more days of extreme heat each year on average, and scientists say that number will grow. Yet only three states — California, Oregon and Washington — require heat breaks for outdoor workers. Minnesota has a rule that sets standards for indoor workers, and Colorado’s heat regulations cover only farmworkers.
The new law in Texas nullifies a slew of local ordinances in an ongoing battle between the conservative Legislature and left-leaning cities such as Austin and Houston. The law, touted as pro-business by supporters, strips local authority in eight codes of law: agriculture, business and commerce, finance, insurance, labor, natural resources, occupations and property. Affected ordinances include rules on matters such as tenant evictions and wage practices.
But one of the law’s most significant actions is to nullify ordinances in Austin and Dallas that mandated 10-minute breaks every four hours for construction workers to get water and shade. San Antonio had been considering a similar ordinance; now no city may impose such a rule.
Texas’ union leaders immediately drew attention to the potential consequences.
“Construction is a deadly industry. Whatever the minimum protection is, it can save a life. We are talking about a human right,” Ana Gonzalez, deputy director of policy and politics at the Texas AFL-CIO, told the Texas Tribune. “We will see more deaths, especially in Texas’ high temperatures.”
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known as OSHA, urges companies to protect workers from heat-related illness, but for now has no federal heat standard. Several labor firms advise companies that they can run astray of OSHA’s “general duty clause,” which tells companies they should protect their workers from a known severe hazard.
Still, many union and migrant advocates have called on states to write more stringent regulations. California laid the basis for worker protections in 2005 with emergency standards, since made permanent and amended, requiring access to shade and water, along with training and emergency response standards.
In 2021, Oregon and Washington state set temporary emergency standards after the heat wave across the Pacific Northwest killed hundreds of people. Oregon’s have since become permanent; Washington is working on setting permanent rules.
Months after that heat wave, President Joe Biden directed OSHA to begin rulemaking for a federal heat-protection standard. It takes seven years on average to go through the process, and a rule could be stalled depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election.
In Minnesota, where air conditioning is less common than in more southern states, state rules require indoor temperatures to remain below certain levels depending on the intensity of the work.
Other state-based efforts have not become law.
New York legislation that would have required worker protections — including shade and water breaks for outdoor laborers — in extreme weather died in committee earlier this month.
In Nevada, the Senate passed a similar bill after language requiring hourly 10-minute breaks was changed to “periods throughout the workday” so workers could “hydrate, as needed.” The bill was last heard in a May committee meeting in the state’s Assembly.
Bipartisan efforts in Florida to set heat standards for worker safety have failed the past three years, including in the most recent legislative session that ended in May, according to the Miami Herald.
The Virginia Safety and Health Code Board surprised some observers in 2021 by narrowly rejecting proposed heat-safety standards for outdoor laborers just two years after voting unanimously to develop the rules. Opponents cited the potential federal OSHA rule currently being developed.
Maryland passed a bill in 2020 requiring a new rule, but those standards are still being written as business and environmental advocates weigh in. Last November, for example, the Natural Resources Defense Council wrote that the proposed rule was too “weak and unenforceable” to have much effect.
64% of Americans are now exposed to extreme heat. Here's why that's worrying
64% of Americans are now exposed to extreme heat. Here's why that's worrying
Heat waves have become more frequent across major US cities
Current heat wave seasons last 49 days longer than they did in the 1960s
The average heat wave lasts about 4 days, a day longer than in the 1960s
Temperature increases are now more extreme
Dehydration and weather-related deaths are on the rise
Carlos Rodriguez digs fence post holes Tuesday in Houston. Meteorologists say scorching temperatures brought on by a heat dome have taxed the Texas power grid and threaten to bring record highs to the state. | https://wcfcourier.com/news/nation-world/many-states-decline-to-require-water-breaks-for-outdoor-workers-in-extreme-heat/article_27f1795d-f744-5ff6-ba85-a59ab4e7d8e9.html | 2023-06-28 16:44:38 | 1 | https://wcfcourier.com/news/nation-world/many-states-decline-to-require-water-breaks-for-outdoor-workers-in-extreme-heat/article_27f1795d-f744-5ff6-ba85-a59ab4e7d8e9.html |
CINCINNATI (AP)Agent: Bills’ Damar Hamlin breathing on his own, able to talk after breathing tube removed from his throat.
Agent: Bills’ Damar Hamlin breathing on his own, able to talk after breathing tube removed from his throat.
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Dodgers Dugout: Should the Dodgers trade for Shohei Ohtani?
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. A reminder, the trade deadline is Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. PT.
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As we draw closer to the trade deadline, it seems all anyone can talk about is Shohei Ohtani. Will the Angels trade him? Who will offer enough to get him? Our own Bill Plaschke had his take on the matter earlier this week, saying the Angels should trade Ohtani to the Dodgers. But let’s take a look at the other side of that. Should the Dodgers trade for Ohtani?
My conclusion is no.
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Let’s talk about why.
First, as a batter, Ohtani can only be the designated hitter. And he is a great DH. But the Dodgers have a great DH this season in J.D. Martinez. Ohtani and Martinez started at DH for their respective leagues in the All-Star game. Also, Martinez has only one other position he could play: First base. That job is taken by some guy named Freeman. You could make Martinez part of the trade for Ohtani, but you aren’t filling a particular hole in the offense by getting Ohtani.
Second, unless the Angels are complete idiots, they are going to want a boatload of prospects. A couple trade predictor sites say it will take six top prospects. I don’t think it will take that many, but let’s say that’s true. The Dodgers would have to give up something like this: Diego Cartaya, Gavin Stone, Andy Pages, Bobby Miller, Maddux Bruns and Logan Wagner for Ohtani, plus Martinez if you want Ohtani to bat. That’s six of your top 30 prospects. For someone who might only be with you for three months. For a team that is already in first place. And a team that has made big trade deadline deals in the past and still didn’t win the World Series. The odds of winning the World Series get better with Ohtani, but as we’ve learned year after year after year after year during this run, there are no guarantees in the postseason.
Plus, most experts say the Dodgers will sign Ohtani in the offseason. So you are trading six top prospects for a guy you are already going to sign? Of course, some of these same experts guaranteed the Padres were going to acquire Max Scherzer at the trade deadline a couple of years ago and that didn’t happen either.
So, you trade six top prospects (or more realistically, maybe four top prospects, which could include Gavin Lux and James Outman) for either three months of Ohtani that guarantees nothing, or for a guy you are confident you are going to sign anyway? I’m not seeing it.
Maybe the Angels fall totally out of the wild-card race the next couple of weeks, and are willing to accept just 3-4 top prospects. If you could whittle it down to Cartaya, Stone and Bruns, then maybe. But as things stand now? No.
The downside here would be if the Dodgers don’t trade for him, but the Giants do (Eric Karros said on Fox Sports that he expects the Giants to acquire him). Ohtani goes to San Francisco, loves it there, and because of that, decides to take less money than the Dodgers offer and re-sign with San Francisco. This is what happened with Mark McGwire in 1997. Oakland traded him to St. Louis. McGwire loved it there so much he decided to stay after at first being doubtful he would.
Of course, this all may be moot as Angels owner Arte Moreno may think he can re-sign Ohtani in the offseason and doesn’t trade him. Or he decides he doesn’t want to trade him to the Dodgers for any reason.
And no one really knows what Ohtani is thinking. Not even the experts.
But what do you think? Should the Dodgers trade for Shohei Ohtani if it costs them six top prospects? Vote here and let me know.
What to do with Julio Urías
For a guy heading to free agency for the first time, Julio Urías is doing it all wrong. He’s supposed to be having his best season now. Instead, he is having his worst. After Wednesday’s debacle against the Baltimore Orioles (eight runs in five innings), he has a 5.02 ERA. His career ERA heading into this season was 2.82.
I did get one email after the Orioles game saying the Dodgers should release him, which seems to be a bit of an overreaction, but what is going on with Urías?
It would be nice to pin it on a recent stretch of bad games, but he has been consistently mediocre this season. ERAs by month:
April, 4.41
May, 4.37
July, 6.75
He missed all of June with a hamstring injury, then came back this month. In his two starts previous to Wednesday, he had given up two runs in 12 innings, so it looked like he had turned the corner. After his fourth start this season, he had an ERA of 1.90, so things were looking good. Then the wheels came off. He has given up five runs in two different starts this season, six in two starts and now eight. Clayton Kershaw reclaimed the ace mantle this year.
With their starting rotation in tatters, the Dodgers need Urías to turn things around, but can he? Has the new pitch clock thrown him off his game? Is there some sort of mysterious ailment causing problems this season? (I feel like the announcer on the “Batman” TV show. Tune in next week to find out. Same Urías-time. Same Urías-channel).
If he doesn’t get better, his free-agent value has gone way down, strangely enough making it easier for the Dodgers to bring him back next season. If he pitches poorly the rest of the season, a one-year deal isn’t out of the question so he can reprove himself (much like Cody Bellinger did this season). Just one of the many things to watch as the season races to a conclusion.
Max
More than one person wrote in this week to ask why the Dodgers continue to play Max Muncy. If you focus on only his batting average, it is quite the head-scratcher. But you shouldn’t focus only on batting average. If you look at the 14 Dodgers to have at least 50 at-bats this season, Muncy is 12th in batting average. However, he is sixth in on-base percentage, seventh in slugging and is one of seven Dodgers to have an above-average OPS+. So, it becomes less of a head-scratcher when you look at it that way. Personally, I’d bat him ninth and let him serve as a de facto second leadoff man, but Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts must have lost my phone number because they have yet to call me for lineup advice.
Key Dodgers ranked by OPS+ (100 is a league-average hitter):
Freddie Freeman, 154
Mookie Betts, 152
Will Smith, 140
J.D. Martinez, 125
Jason Heyward, 117
Max Muncy, 105
James Outman, 103
Chris Taylor, 93
David Peralta, 91
Miguel Vargas, 80
Miguel Rojas, 48
Austin Barnes, -11
Bad news Barnes
Austin Barnes is having a historic season for all the wrong reasons. He went one for four on Wednesday and now has 11 hits in 102 at-bats this season, a .108 batting average. If he remains at that or lower, he will set a record.
The worst batting averages for non-pitchers in a full season, minimum 100 at-bats, since 1901:
Austin Barnes, 2023 Dodgers, .1078
Ben Egan, 1915 Cleveland, .1083
José González, 1991 LAD/CLE/PIT, .111
Trayce Thompson, 2018 CWS/OAK, .117
Dwain Anderson, 1973 SDP/STL, .121
Frank O’Rourke, 1912 Boston Braves, .122
Mike Benjamin, 1991 Giants, .1226
Norm Schlueter, 1944 Cleveland, .1229
Bradley Zimmer, 2022 PHI/TOR, .124
Bill Killefer, 1910 St. Louis Browns, .124
Of course, it is a relatively small sample size. Players wildly overperform on underperform in 100 at-bats all the time. Dave Anderson was a .242 career hitter, but in 1990 he hit .350 for the season in 100 at-bats. That didn’t make him Tony Gwynn, and Barnes isn’t as bad a hitter as he appears now. Interesting that two current Dodgers and a former Dodger are on the above list, though.
Because I’m an idiot
In the last newsletter, I wrote that Jake Marisnick was a member of the 2017 Dodgers, when of course he was a member of the 2017 Astros. My brain and hands disconnected. My apologies to all.
Injury news
Speaking of Marisnick, he went on the IL on Wednesday because of a strained left hamstring. The Dodgers recalled outfielder Jonny Deluca to replace him. The Dodger also sent right-handed reliever Nick Robertson to the minors and recalled left-handed reliever Justin Bruihl.
Clayton Kershaw threw a bullpen session Tuesday and said he felt well. He is still targeted to return in early August.
Up next
Friday: Dodgers (Tony Gonsolin, 5-3, 3.72 ERA) at Texas (*Andrew Heaney, 6-6, 4.43 ERA), 5:05 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Saturday: Dodgers (Bobby Miller, 5-1, 4.25 ERA) at Texas (Dane Dunning, 8-2, 2.82 ERA), 1 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Sunday: Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 3-0, 4.91 ERA) at Texas (Martin Pérez, 7-3, 4.84 ERA), 11:35 a.m. PT, SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
*-left-handed
In case you missed it
Dodgers have some holes to fill. Here’s a look at potential trade targets
‘You didn’t get the icing on the cake.’ Dodgers recall muted celebration of 2020 title
Did heat wave trigger double-figure scoring outburst by Dodgers and 11 other teams?
‘He’s trying to win the MVP.’ Mookie Betts leading Dodgers with renewed joy, consistency
Plaschke: Arte Moreno and the Angels would never trade Ohtani to the Dodgers? Why not?
And finally
Ross Porter chats with former longtime bullpen coach Mark Cresse. Watch and listen here.
Until next time...
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
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You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. | https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/newsletter/2023-07-21/shohei-ohtani-trade-dodgers-dugout | 2023-07-21 15:17:49 | 0 | https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/newsletter/2023-07-21/shohei-ohtani-trade-dodgers-dugout |
I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about harvesting potatoes, as a lot of gardeners aren’t quite sure when, exactly, to dig them up. And who could blame them? Size, scent and firmness inform the maturity of most fruits and vegetables, but our senses can’t help us here.
Dig potatoes too early, and you’ll harvest a measly crop of minuscule tubers. You’ll also risk stressing the plant and its precious root system, so although you could try replanting it, the plant might not thrive.
Wait too long, and your potatoes may get damaged by frost, or begin to sprout, crack or rot underground. It’s enough to drive you starch-raving mad!
To find the sweet spot, examine the above-ground portion of your plant. Stop watering when at least half of its leaves have turned yellow. This will typically occur between 60 and 120 days from planting, depending on potato variety and, to some extent, the weather.
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Cutting the plants to soil level at this time will aid tuber maturation, especially in wet climates, but this is optional. Either way, potatoes will be ready to harvest in two weeks, and if left standing, plants will have died back completely.
If you’re still uncertain about the timing, you can check for readiness by carefully digging into the soil beside a sample plant and snatching a potato from the outer portion of its root system. The skin of a mature potato will not wipe off when rubbed with your fingers. If it does, refill the hole and check again in a week or so.
To avoid accidentally cutting or piercing potatoes, use a digging or spading fork instead of a spade or shovel to remove them from the ground. Deeply insert the tool 6 to 12 inches from the row or individual plant’s perimeter. Rock it back and forth to lift the roots and unearth the potatoes, working your way in a circle around each plant. Afterward, sift through the soil to ensure no good spud is left behind.
You can cook and eat some right away, but potatoes intended for storage need to be cured. Lay them in a single layer on newspaper or cardboard and place them in a dark, cool (50- to 60-degree) spot for two weeks. This will seal wounds and toughen and thicken skins, which extends shelf life.
After curing, store potatoes in a cooler area, like a cellar, that’s well-ventilated, dark and roughly 38-40 degrees. Cured and stored correctly, they can be expected to last six to eight months. Avoid refrigeration, which concentrates sugars and alters their flavor. Bruised or damaged potatoes won’t keep as well, so use them first.
New potatoes can be harvested earlier in the season, right after plants flower. But don’t confuse them with the small-but-mature potatoes labeled “new potatoes” at the grocery store; those are simply small, usually red, varieties. True new potatoes are young, thin-skinned tubers harvested from immature, green plants. They’re prized for their low starch and high moisture content, but they don’t cure, store or travel well, so they should be consumed soon after harvesting.
This year, I tried growing potatoes in fabric grow bags. My plants thrived, reached full size and remained healthy without the excess supplemental irrigation I had anticipated. Hilling — mounding soil up as plants grew — simply meant adding more soil to the bags.
Determining maturity was as easy as rolling back the Velcro-affixed potato-viewing “window” to inspect tubers without disturbing them. And harvesting involved dumping rather than digging, so my back is as happy as my stomach. And that’s no small potato. | https://greensboro.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/unearthing-your-potato-harvest-how-do-you-know-when-to-dig/article_0d1efa28-18d7-11ed-bfb1-277b8debbe58.html | 2022-08-14 07:19:52 | 1 | https://greensboro.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/unearthing-your-potato-harvest-how-do-you-know-when-to-dig/article_0d1efa28-18d7-11ed-bfb1-277b8debbe58.html |
Here & Now host Celeste Headlee talks with NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute professor Chenjerai Kumanyika and Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah about Ye's recent anti-semitic comments.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Here & Now host Celeste Headlee talks with NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute professor Chenjerai Kumanyika and Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah about Ye's recent anti-semitic comments.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wlrn.org/2022-10-27/fallout-continues-after-yes-recent-anti-semitic-comments | 2022-10-27 21:42:41 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/2022-10-27/fallout-continues-after-yes-recent-anti-semitic-comments |
-Results will be released Monday November 7,2022-
-Conference Call with Management to be held at 11AM ET-
AMITYVILLE, N.Y. , Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSSC), one of the leading designers and manufacturers of high-tech electronic security devices, wireless recurring communication services for intrusion, fire alarm, access control and locking systems as well as a leading provider of school safety solutions will release financial results for its Fiscal First Quarter 2023 which ended September 30, 2022 on Monday November 7, 2022 before the market opens, followed by a conference call at 11 a.m. ET.
Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing 1-877-407-4018 or for international callers, 1-201-689-8471. The conference call will also be available on replay starting at 2 p.m. ET on November 7, 2022. For the replay, please dial 1-844-512-2921 domestically, or 1-412-317-6671 for international callers, and use the replay access code 13734148.
In addition, the call will be webcast and will be available on the Company's website at www.napcosecurity.com.
About NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc.
NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc., is one of the world's leading manufacturers and service providers of high-tech electronic security devices as well as a leading provider of school safety solutions. The Company consists of four Divisions: NAPCO, plus three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Alarm Lock, Continental Instruments, and Marks USA. Headquartered in Amityville, New York, its products are installed by tens of thousands of security professionals worldwide in commercial, industrial, institutional, residential and government applications. NAPCO products have earned a reputation for innovation, technical excellence and reliability, positioning the Company for growth in the multi-billion dollar and rapidly expanding electronic security market. For additional information on NAPCO, please visit the Company's web site at http://www.napcosecurity.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections of future performance based on management's judgment, beliefs, current trends, and anticipated product performance. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic; the growth of recurring service revenue and annual run rate; the introduction of new access control and locking products; the opportunities for fire alarm products; and our ability to execute our business strategies. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those risk factors set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Other unknown or unpredictable factors or underlying assumptions subsequently proving to be incorrect could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance, or achievements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of today's date, unless otherwise stated, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Contacts:
Patrick McKillop
Vice President of Investor Relations
NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc.
800-645-9445 x 374
Mobile: 516-404-3597
pmckillop@napcosecurity.com
View original content:
SOURCE NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc. | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/napco-security-technologies-announce-fiscal-first-quarter-2023-results/ | 2022-11-02 13:09:37 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/napco-security-technologies-announce-fiscal-first-quarter-2023-results/ |
RYE, N.Y., Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanton Carpet Corp. ("Stanton"), a portfolio company of Dunes Point Capital, LP ("DPC"), has acquired Floors 2000, Inc. ("Floors 2000"). Located in Pensacola, FL, Floors 2000 is a designer and supplier of luxury vinyl plank and tile. Floors 2000 has a distribution facility in Pensacola, FL. For more information, please visit www.floors2000.com.
About DPC: DPC is a family office and private investment firm, pursuing control investments in companies operating in the general industrial and business services sectors. DPC targets companies with enterprise values of up to $1 billion. For more information, please visit www.dunespointcapital.com.
About Stanton: Headquartered in Woodbury, NY, Stanton is a leading designer and supplier of premium branded carpet, rugs and luxury vinyl plank. For more information, please visit www.stantoncarpet.com.
About Floors 2000, Inc. ("Floors 2000"): Located in Pensacola, FL, Floors 2000 is a designer and supplier of luxury vinyl plank and tile.
View original content:
SOURCE Dunes Point Capital, LP | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/dunes-point-capital-lp-announces-stanton-carpet-corps-acquisition-floors-2000-inc/ | 2022-08-03 12:04:54 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/dunes-point-capital-lp-announces-stanton-carpet-corps-acquisition-floors-2000-inc/ |
We know your schedules are overflowing with compelling sessions, captivating films, and innovative music. While admittedly we are pretty weird here in Austin, we are also undeniably hospitable. The SXSW Film & TV Festival fans have spoken, and we heard you! In addition to their initial red carpet premieres, some of out most buzzed about screenings are back for a second run on the SX screen.
Explore newly-added Buzz Screenings including I'm A Virgo and Talk To Me. Stay tuned for more encore screenings to be announced this week.
There is still so much to see, do, and listen to at SXSW 2023! If you don't wanna miss a thang, check out our daily schedule of can't-miss events! | https://www.sxsw.com/film/2023/sxsw-2023-film-and-tv-festival-buzz-screenings/ | 2023-03-14 15:49:32 | 0 | https://www.sxsw.com/film/2023/sxsw-2023-film-and-tv-festival-buzz-screenings/ |
Vehicle in connection with Woman's Death in Custody of Brownsville Police
Related Story
BROWNSVILLE - A death investigation is now underway in Brownsville.
Around 4:45 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a car accident on the 400 block of East 13th Street.
Officers found an unresponsive woman at the scene.
She was later identified as 31-year-old Emily Diane Davis and was pronounced deceased.
An investigation suggests Davis' death was the result of a single-vehicle accident.
Autopsy results are pending. | https://www.krgv.com/videos/vehicle-in-connection-with-woman-s-death-in-custody-of-brownsville-police | 2022-09-23 17:03:25 | 0 | https://www.krgv.com/videos/vehicle-in-connection-with-woman-s-death-in-custody-of-brownsville-police |
Honda’s rolling out of the 2023 Accord is another step in the push toward the expansion of hybrid and electric vehicles nationwide, according to officials.
The company’s Marysville automotive plant — which employs more than 3,500 people across Clark County, Champaign County and the Miami Valley — celebrated its 40th anniversary on Thursday with the kickstart of mass production of the 2023 Honda Accord.
Company and state leaders gathered at the 24000 Honda Parkway location on Thursday to unveil the new model and offer a nod to the growth of the company’s Ohio presence.
Since the plant’s opening in 1982, it has produced more than 12.5 million Accords, according to Honda.
Marysville plant lead Jun Jayaraman said the company is working toward electrification of vehicles, with 2023′s new hybrid being another step in that direction. Hybrids accounted for or 23% of the plant’s production last year, and the 2023 Accord will be now account for half of the plant’s whole production volume.
“This new Accord will essentially serve as a bridge toward electrification format,” Jayaraman said. “Honda is making a significant jump in our commitment to hybrid production in preparation for battery life as we prepare for electrification,” Jayaraman said.
Honda is working toward “carbon neutrality” by 2050, officials said last year.
Last October, Honda announced it will be investing $4.4 billion toward electric vehicle and battery production, a move that includes the creation of a plant in Fayette County and the addition of more than 2,500 jobs to the area. Construction of the plant, made in partnership with LG Energy Solutions, is expected to begin this year.
At the end of 2022, the company also announced it will make a Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle based on the CRV starting in 2024, work that will be done at its Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville.
“It’s a doubling down on their investment in the state,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “They’re reacting and expanding.”
Honda employs more than 14,000 people at its Ohio pants, according to Honda spokesperson Chris Abbruzzese. The company has invested nearly $24.6 billion into its North American manufacturing capabilities.
The growth of Honda poises the state for further development and will create opportunity for high-paying jobs in the region, DeWine said.
“Ohio has always been a strong automotive state,” he said Thursday.
Honda employee and Lima resident Ricky VanGundy started his 40-year tenure with the rolling out of the Marysville plant’s first-ever Accord. He has since moved to the Anna site.
VanGundy said he’s seen a lot of change in his career with the company: different responsibilities, different co-workers. The cars produced at the plant look much different than they did decades ago, moving from jaunty and sharp angles to smooth lines.
And the technology drivers have access to is something VanGundy said he could have never dreamt up himself.
“I never imagined that 40 years later, we’d be here,” VanGundy said.
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/honda-making-significant-jump-toward-hybrid-production-local-officials-say/6O2KPLZAYFFQTI224YEVHJSCAE/ | 2023-01-05 23:01:36 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/honda-making-significant-jump-toward-hybrid-production-local-officials-say/6O2KPLZAYFFQTI224YEVHJSCAE/ |
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eastern Music Festival (EMF), Greensboro’s nationally recognized classical music festival and summer educational program, announces a program change for July 30 concert due to the devastating passing of world-renowned classical pianist Alexander Toradze. Long-time EMF faculty member and distinguished pianist Marika Bournaki will play in his stead.
Named “the Celine Dion of classical”, world class Canadian pianist Marika Bournaki will make her debut with the Eastern Festival Orchestra this season. “I am honored to be making my debut with the Eastern Festival Orchestra on July 30th,” Marika says. “It was with a heavy heart that I accepted this substitution for the late Alexander Toradze, the great Georgian pianist who passed away all too soon. Meeting him and hearing him perform was an experience I was looking forward to this summer. I have been a longtime fan of his powerful interpretations of the great 20th century Russian piano repertoire.”
Marika holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where her principal teachers were Yoheved Kaplinsky and Matti Raekallio. She is a visiting Professor of Piano Performance and Pedagogy at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, VA, and serves on the piano faculty of the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC, “This coming summer will mark my 7th year on faculty at EMF. Summers in Greensboro have become a tradition, and performing for the warm EMF audiences a delight,” she says. She is a member of the Mile End Trio with EMF faculty members Julian Schwarz and Jeff Multer, as well as Piano Six’s new generation, a touring ensemble that brings classical musical to remote and underserved Canadian communities.
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“I will be performing the emblematic Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, which incorporates multiple Ukrainian folk melodies throughout. I am humbled by the invitation of Maestro Schwarz to perform the final festival concert in Dana Auditorium. I look forward to seeing many friends and colleagues in the audience.”
Complete program details for the Eastern Music Festival that runs June 25 – July 30 are available at easternmusicfestival.org/calendar.
About Eastern Music Festival
For six decades, Eastern Music Festival (EMF), a nationally recognized classical music festival and summer educational program, has been produced each summer on the campus of Guilford College and other venues in the Greensboro, North Carolina, area. EMF is distinguished by its accomplished faculty, exhilarating repertoire, and world-renowned visiting artists under the artistic direction of Gerard Schwarz. A powerful teaching institution, EMF provides encouragement and guidance to hundreds of young musicians from across the country and around the globe as they take their first steps towards careers in the performing arts. EMF’s five-week 61st season is June 25 – July 30, 2022. For more information, visit easternmusicfestival.org. Follow EMF on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. | https://greensboro.com/community/rockingham_now/news/pianist-marika-bournaki-to-make-saturday-evening-concerto-debut/article_35b48c56-f0b3-11ec-a207-9b7550e82b23.html | 2022-06-20 17:07:03 | 0 | https://greensboro.com/community/rockingham_now/news/pianist-marika-bournaki-to-make-saturday-evening-concerto-debut/article_35b48c56-f0b3-11ec-a207-9b7550e82b23.html |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff said his conference is far from finished, despite the defections of Southern California and UCLA.
Kliavkoff confirmed the Pac-12 is actively exploring expansion and lobbed several feisty jabs at the Big 12 during an eventful opening speech at his conference’s football media day Friday — likely its last in the nation’s second-largest media market.
While painting a promising picture of the league’s future even after USC and UCLA leave for the Big Ten in 2024, Kliavkoff said the Pac-12 intends to keep its current members while entertaining new additions.
The commissioner also acknowledged frustration with the upheaval created by the defections, saying he had spent the past month “trying to defend against grenades being lobbed in from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our conference.”
Kliavkoff responded to Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark’s recent declaration that his league was “open for business” in expansion by suggesting that those moves could include Big 12 schools coming his way, instead of the opposite assumption.
“With respect to the Big 12 being open for business, I appreciate that,” Kliavkoff said. “We haven’t decided whether we’re going shopping there or not.”
The Pac-12 has lost its Los Angeles flagships after nearly a century of history, and Kliavkoff acknowledged the widespread speculation about the long-term health of his comparatively underfunded West Coast conference. The commissioner insisted the Pac-12 will have a stronger base after its new media rights deal, and that footing could lead to expansion.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.localsyr.com/sports/sports-news/pac-12s-kliavkoff-jabs-big-12-touts-future-after-usc-ucla/ | 2022-07-29 16:51:15 | 0 | https://www.localsyr.com/sports/sports-news/pac-12s-kliavkoff-jabs-big-12-touts-future-after-usc-ucla/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff under former President Donald Trump, has complied with a Justice Department subpoena and turned over records as part of a federal investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, a person familiar the matter said Thursday.
The records produced by Meadows are the same ones he earlier provided to a House committee conducting a similar investigation, according to the person, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing Justice Department probe.
The subpoena to Meadows, first reported by CNN, makes clear that Justice Department officials are seeking information from the most senior of Trump’s White House advisers as they examine wide-ranging efforts to overturn the results of the election won by Democrat Joe Biden.
The department, whose work at times has mirrored or overlapped with that of the committee, this month served a broad wave of grand jury subpoenas and search warrants to Trump allies.
Meadows has been a pivotal figure in the House investigation, his name invoked repeatedly in testimony by other Trump advisers, including by his own top aide. He had provided the committee with thousands of text messages, including communications with outside Trump allies and advisers.
In a filing in April in a federal lawsuit over his House subpoena, a lawyer for Meadows accused the committee of trying to vilify him publicly, noting that all of the texts it had been provided had been disclosed to the news media. The committee declined at the time to respond to the accusation.
Meadows did not provide to the committee records he believed were subject to claims of executive privilege and those documents were also not produced to the Justice Department.
___
Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of Jan. 6 at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege | https://www.kark.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ap-source-meadows-complies-with-justice-dept-subpoena/ | 2022-09-16 04:49:03 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ap-source-meadows-complies-with-justice-dept-subpoena/ |
A dozen people came down with mpox in Chicago around early May, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn doctors of a potential mpox resurgence.
To those that were watching mpox closely, the increase in U.S. cases wasn't a surprise. New cases had been recently reported in Europe, and U.S. health officials had been warning that low mpox vaccination rates in many parts of the country left at-risk people particularly vulnerable.
"We've been beating the drum around the possibility of an increased number of mpox cases for months," says Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, deputy coordinator of the White House National Mpox Response. "But it wasn't until the cases in Chicago were reported that people started to say 'Oh my gosh, we're at risk for a resurgence.'"
The Chicago outbreak has now grown to more than 30 mpox cases. While those numbers are far lower than last summer, they show that mpox never fully went away.
Health officials say the conditions in the U.S. are ripe for a summer surge, if actions are not taken to avert it.
Low vaccination rates
More than half a million people at risk live in areas with low vaccination rates, according to CDC. This puts them in danger of large, sustained outbreaks that could last for months, if mpox reappears.
During the U.S. outbreak that started last spring, most cases of mpox have been in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. "This is moving primarily through close skin-to-skin contact, often in the context of sexual activity and often related to sexual activity between men," Daskalakis says.
Cities such as Jacksonville, Fla., Memphis, Tenn., Cincinnati, Baltimore, Houston and Dallas are in counties where many at risk aren't vaccinated, according to a CDC analysis. Other cities, including San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., are in places with high vaccination rates, where mpox is more likely to be quickly contained if it resurfaces.
Over all, CDC data shows that only around 23% of the 1.7 million people at high risk in the U.S. have been fully vaccinated with two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine. The disease is disproportionately affecting Black and Latino men, who represent around two-thirds of U.S. cases.
Recent studies found that getting two doses of vaccine is more protective than one. However "even among those who received vaccinations last summer, [many] people who got their first dose of vaccine never returned for their second dose, because they thought we were done with the outbreak," once case numbers dropped last year, says Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an assistant professor of medicine and an infectious diseases specialist at Emory University.
Prior immunity only partially protects
New evidence also shows that people with prior immunity, either through vaccination or recovering from an infection, can get mpox again.
Many people in the recent mpox clusters in Chicago and abroad in France were fully vaccinated. This does not mean that vaccination isn't useful, Daskalakis says. So far, the evidence shows that full vaccination is somewhere between 66% and 86% effective at preventing infection – and anecdotally, the new cases of mpox in fully vaccinated people haven't been severe. "They just have very low-grade infections, some with almost no symptoms," he says, "If it doesn't prevent infection, it prevents a lot of the bad stuff that happened in summer 2022."
While the U.S. has seen low fatalities with mpox, it can cause serious illness. "It's still a disease that can be disfiguring. It can cause severe pain, and for people who are immunocompromised can even be fatal. It's not a trivial occurrence," Titanji says.
As Pride Month starts, health officials are urging revelers to promote good health. "Pride is the opportunity to reach out to people and prevent impacts," Daskalakis says. Those who are eligible for mpox vaccination should get their two doses. Everyone – including those who had mpox before – should be aware of the risk. "If you got a funny rash, it could be mpox, so go get tested," he says, adding that tests are much more plentiful and easier to get than last summer.
From Daskalakis' perspective, there appears to be a storm brewing. Low vaccination rates, prior immunity that's only partially protective, and warm weather partying could combine to give mpox opportunities to spread — but there are also ways to limit the impacts of that storm. "Models are an attempt to forecast the future, and action is our ability to change the future," he says. Improving vaccination rates and awareness among those at risk could prevent a widespread summer surge.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-06-04/vaccination-and-awareness-could-help-keep-mpox-in-check-this-summer | 2023-06-04 15:00:59 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/npr-top-news/2023-06-04/vaccination-and-awareness-could-help-keep-mpox-in-check-this-summer |
FLINT, Mich. (WJRT) - Police say a 26-year-old Flint man died early Saturday after he fled from a traffic stop, lost control at a high rate of speed and crashed into another vehicle.
The Flint Police Department says officers pulled over Vondreece Davis around 2:05 a.m. in the 5500 block of North Saginaw Street. As the officers walked up to Davis' Chevrolet Impala, he allegedly sped off.
The officers ran back to their patrol cars. They watched as Davis lost control on Pierson Road near Martin Luther King Avenue and crossed the center line into oncoming traffic.
Davis hit a Cadillac sedan driving east on Pierson Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A 23-year-old man driving the Cadillac was rushed to Hurley Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition Monday.
Flint police say Davis was speeding and possibly intoxicated when he crashed. Investigators say he also had an active arrest warrant from Genesee County Circuit Court for a felony weapons charge.
Anyone with information about the crash should call the Flint Police Department at 810-237-6892.
Watch for reaction from Davis' mother on ABC12 News at Six. | https://www.abc12.com/news/crime/flint-police-man-dies-after-fleeing-traffic-stop-another-driver-critical/article_5763189a-3861-11ed-8010-fbfbfe6cc6df.html | 2022-09-19 23:33:48 | 1 | https://www.abc12.com/news/crime/flint-police-man-dies-after-fleeing-traffic-stop-another-driver-critical/article_5763189a-3861-11ed-8010-fbfbfe6cc6df.html |
Boys & Girls Club gym converted into cold weather shelter in Fort Pierce
As the cold temperatures start to settle in emergency, shelters are opening up throughout the Treasure Cast for those in need.
At Percy Creek gym in Fort Pierce, volunteers spent Friday afternoon preparing for another blistering cold weekend. With temperatures dipping down into the 40’s, the Boys & Girls Club facility was converted into a much-needed cold weather shelter.
Leading the charge is local Pastor Hazel Hoyoman, founder and executive director of In the Image of Christ Inc.
"We don’t want anyone in our city to freeze to death. We just don’t want that when we have the means to meet the needs of our community," Hoyoman said.
Her faith-based nonprofit provides outreach services to the community. Fifteen years ago she started her own cold shelter after witnessing the need firsthand.
"So I would get in the car with another man that worked for me and ride around town looking for people because it was so cold," Hoyoman said
She now teams up with other nonprofits, the city and St. Lucie County to provide a safe space for the homeless when winter weather settles in. The shelter is complete with everything, from hot food, beds, showers, toiletries and peace of mind.
"So they get clean socks, clean underwear. They’re able to change into clean clothes as well," said Hoyoman.
It’s a one-stop shop for those like Gregory Petruski, a disabled veteran who has been forced to live on the streets after his roommate recently passed away.
"His kids didn’t want the trailer, so they sold it to the trailer home park. They in turn sold it to a husband and wife and three kids, so I had to leave," Petruski said.
With a chance to escape the cold over the next few days, he said he's looking forward to a good night's sleep.
"This is great kudos to all those who participated in this," Petruski said.
RELATED: Cold weather shelters open as chilly temperatures arrive in Florida
Scripps Only Content 2023 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/01/14/boys-girls-club-gym-converted-into-cold-weather-shelter-fort-pierce/ | 2023-01-14 05:46:30 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/01/14/boys-girls-club-gym-converted-into-cold-weather-shelter-fort-pierce/ |
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — In 2021, over 98,000 homeless animals were taken into Louisiana animal shelters. Out of those thousands of animals, 76,879 were saved according to Best Friends Animal Society.
On June 7, the animal welfare organization released the sixth annual pet lifesaving dataset, which gives a national overview of the number of dogs and cats that enter and exit shelters in a given year.
According to the information released, 78% of the animals that entered Louisiana shelters were saved, despite the increased intake of animals.
The organization stated that some of the shelters in Louisiana stepped up during some of the most challenging times.
According to data released by Best Friends Animal Society, Lafayette Animal Shelter & Care Center, St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services, and Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter all reached a no-kill status in 2021, with respective save rates of 93.2%, 92.9%, and 90%, while Tangipahoa Parish Animal Services reached a save rate of 81.3%, an increase of more than 40% from 2020.
“These four shelters prove that saving dogs and cats is possible even during the most challenging of times,” said Lee Ann Shenefiel, south-central regional director at Best Friends Animal Society. “It’s our hope that other shelters in Louisiana will adopt similar lifesaving programs so they can save as many dogs and cats as possible in the future.”
Although there was some improvement, the data showed that nationally for the first time in five years, U.S. shelter systems are seeing a setback in lifesaving according to the animal welfare organization.
The data showed that in 2021, the number of dogs and cats killed in U.S. shelters increased from 347,000 to 355,000 due to staffing shortages and limited hours, decreased in-person volunteers, reduced adoption events, and pet care support.
Best Friends’ data showed the animal shelter crisis in America.
“The responsibility of saving pets’ lives should not rest solely on shelters and those in animal welfare, but on entire communities including community members, government leaders, shelters, and other animal welfare groups,” said Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society.
The organization encourages people to adopt from a shelter or rescue group, spay or neuter their pets, foster, volunteer, or donate to help resolve the issue.
To help or learn more, click here. | https://www.cenlanow.com/national/shelter-crisis-animal-welfare-organization-reports-increase-of-pets-killed-in-u-s-shelters-urges-people-to-adopt/ | 2022-06-07 17:44:25 | 1 | https://www.cenlanow.com/national/shelter-crisis-animal-welfare-organization-reports-increase-of-pets-killed-in-u-s-shelters-urges-people-to-adopt/ |
ARLINGTON, Va., April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Venture Global LNG announced the successful raising of the roof of the second LNG storage tank at the Plaquemines LNG export facility in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. This major project milestone was completed ahead of schedule and comes just seven weeks after the roof raising for tank one.
"Today represents another major milestone in the construction of Plaquemines LNG, with both roofs now raised for the tanks serving Phase One," said Mike Sabel, CEO of Venture Global LNG. "With Phase One deep into construction and our recent FID and full notice to proceed on Phase Two, Plaquemines is well positioned to be the next new major LNG capacity to reach the global market."
This is the second tank of four in total for Plaquemines LNG. When operational it will be capable of storing 200,000 m3 of LNG. The roof weighs 900 tons and is 294 feet in diameter. Air raising allows for better and safer access as well as a faster construction schedule, as the roof can be erected concurrently with the shell. The tank dome was raised in 71 minutes using 0.3 psi of pressure underneath the roof. It was raised from ground level to top of the wall height of 130 feet. Eventually, the tank will have an inner tank made from 9% nickel alloy and outer wall and outer roof made from concrete to provide full containment of the LNG and provide the maximum level of resilience and safety.
About Venture Global
Venture Global is a long-term, low-cost provider of U.S. LNG sourced from resource rich North American natural gas basins. Venture Global's first facility, Calcasieu Pass, commenced producing LNG in January 2022. The company is also constructing or developing an additional 60 MTPA of production capacity in Louisiana to provide clean, affordable energy to the world. The company is developing Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) projects at each of its LNG facilities.
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SOURCE Venture Global LNG | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/04/17/venture-global-announces-successful-roof-raising-second-storage-tank-plaquemines-lng/ | 2023-04-17 16:42:45 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/04/17/venture-global-announces-successful-roof-raising-second-storage-tank-plaquemines-lng/ |
(The Hill) – Mortgage rates experienced their largest weekly drop in nearly 40 years this week, easing potential buyers’ monthly payments.
The 30-year fixed rate fell to 6.61 percent, declining by nearly half a percentage point from a week earlier after a report showing softer than expected inflation.
This historic drop could save buyers more than $100 each month, according to an analysis from the real estate company Redfin.
Now the typical monthly mortgage payment across the U.S. is $2,430, down from $2,542.
But Redfin deputy chief economist Taylor Marr cautioned that the overall impact could be muted without consistently declining inflation.
Still, buyers in need of a home will benefit from the falling rate.
“Serious buyers who need to purchase a home as soon as possible can feel good about pouncing on a home this week, knowing it could cost them upwards of $100 less per month than the same home would’ve cost if they’d signed the deal a week earlier,” Marr said.
“More casual buyers may want to wait a few more months, as there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic that the worst of inflation and high rates are behind us, and monthly payments could come down more.”
The Federal Reserve’s aggressive effort to fight persistent inflation through a series of jumbo interest rate hikes has seriously impacted the housing market. Since the Fed issued its first interest rate increase in March, mortgage rates have shot up from 4.16 percent.
These rising rates, when combined with consistently high prices, have pushed many Americans out of the housing market — especially first-time buyers.
The Fed’s actions have also impacted builders, leading to falling builder confidence and sharp decline in new home construction.
Housing starts declined by 4.2 percent from September to 1.43 million units, according to Census Bureau data released on Thursday.
Meanwhile, data released Wednesday by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) revealed that home builders’ confidence in the market for newly constructed single-family homes is at an all-time low.
“Higher interest rates have significantly weakened demand for new homes as buyer traffic is becoming increasingly scarce,” NAHB Chairman Jerry Konter said in a media release.
But the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index found that homebuilders are looking for ways to encourage more buyers to enter the market, with 37 percent saying they have cut prices. Overall, 59 percent of homebuilders said they are using some sort of incentive. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/heres-how-much-homebuyers-could-save-after-mortgage-rates-tumble/ | 2022-11-20 18:08:18 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/heres-how-much-homebuyers-could-save-after-mortgage-rates-tumble/ |
Quarterly results include strong operating cash flow generation, sequential reduction in debt and increase in book value of equity. Business highlights include increase in dividend, acquisition of value-add enterprises and retirement of all high-yield debt.
CHICAGO, Nov. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE: RYI), a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, today reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022.
Highlights:
- Diluted EPS1 of $1.46 on $1.54 billion of revenue
- Net Income of $55.1 million and Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO2 of $78.5 million
- Generated Operating Cash Flow of $151.6 million and Free Cash Flow3 of $124.0 million
- Redeemed the final $50 million outstanding balance of 8.50% senior secured notes due 2028 (the "Notes")
- Reduced debt to $477 million and net debt4 to $426 million
- Increased book value of equity5 to $893 million, up from $851 million at June 30, 2022
- Announced a fourth quarter 2022 dividend of $0.16 per share, a 7% increase from the prior quarter
- Completed acquisition of Howard Precision Metals, Inc
- Completed acquisition of Excelsior, Inc subsequent to quarter-end
A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP measure is included below in this news release.
Management Commentary
Eddie Lehner, Ryerson's President and Chief Executive Officer, said "I want to thank all of my Ryerson Family of Companies colleagues for a job well done in transitioning to counter-cyclical industry conditions during the quarter while also realizing significant achievements and milestones toward preparing for the next industry upturn as positive secular drivers for industrial metals demand remain intact. In the third quarter of 2022, Ryerson delivered strong operational and financial performance. Despite decreasing metals prices and declining industry demand, we generated healthy operating cash flow and very strong free cash flow yields through our business model as well as working capital release due to the counter-cyclical nature of our balance sheet. Importantly, the work we have done over the past several quarters transforming our balance sheet means we are no longer a high-yield debt company. Ryerson is now in a historically strong position to reinvest in the modernization and growth of our intelligent and connected service center network, while continuing to provide returns to shareholders. After taking the opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made over the past several quarters and years, we look forward to providing further insight into Ryerson's plans for the future during our Investor Day at the New York Stock Exchange on November 8, 2022. As Ryerson celebrates its 180th birthday this November, we hope to see you there in person or virtually."
Third Quarter Results
Ryerson generated revenues of $1.54 billion in the third quarter of 2022, a decrease of 11.5%, compared to $1.74 billion for the second quarter of 2022 primarily driven by lower selling prices. Average selling prices declined 9.4% compared to the second quarter while volume declined 2.3%. Gross margin contracted sequentially by 910 basis points to 17.6% in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 26.7% in the second quarter of 2022. Gross margins were primarily impacted by the dramatic drop in spot prices versus the lagging average cost of goods sold decline. Sequentially, supply constraints eased versus the second quarter while inventory availability increased and lead times decreased. Cost of goods sold in the third quarter of 2022 included LIFO income of $21.1 million, compared to LIFO income of $73.8 million in the second quarter of 2022. Excluding the impact of LIFO, gross margin contracted 630 basis points to 16.2% in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 22.5% in the second quarter of 2022. Warehousing, delivery, selling, general and administrative expenses increased 2% to $186.5 million in the third quarter of 2022, compared to $182.9 million in the second quarter of 2022 driven primarily by inflationary pressures.
Net income attributable to Ryerson Holding Corporation for the third quarter of 2022 was $55.1 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, compared to $196.4 million, or $5.10 per diluted share in the previous quarter. Net income in the third quarter of 2022 includes a charge of $1.5 million related to loss on the retirement of debt and a $0.6 million gain on bargain purchases. Excluding these one-time items and the associated income taxes, adjusted net income attributable to Ryerson Holding Corporation for the third quarter was $55.8 million, or $1.48 per diluted share, compared to $204.4 million, or $5.31 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2022. Ryerson generated Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO of $78.5 million in the third quarter of 2022, compared to second quarter 2022 Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO of $224.2 million.
Liquidity & Debt Management
Ryerson generated $151.6 million of operating cash in the third quarter of 2022 driven by a combination of strong operating profit and working capital release. Ryerson's leverage ratio for the third quarter of 2022 remained flat quarter-over-quarter at 0.5x, a record low since our initial public offering in 2014. The Company ended the third quarter of 2022 with $477 million of debt and $426 million of net debt, a decrease in net debt of $66 million compared to the second quarter of 2022. The Company's global liquidity, composed of cash and cash equivalents and availability on its revolving credit facilities, increased to $906 million as of September 30, 2022, compared to $894 million as of June 30, 2022.
Bond Repurchase. During the third quarter of 2022, Ryerson redeemed the remaining $50 million of Notes by exercising an optional redemption feature. As of September 30, 2022, Ryerson no longer has any high yield debt outstanding. Related to the Note redemption in the third quarter, a loss on retirement of debt of $1.5 million was recognized and is excluded from adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS.
Shareholder Return Activity
Dividends. On November 2, 2022, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share of common stock, payable on December 15, 2022, to stockholders of record as of December 1, 2022. Ryerson paid a quarterly dividend in the amount of $0.15 per share, amounting to a cash return of approximately $5.5 million for the third quarter of 2022.
Share Repurchase. Ryerson repurchased approximately 34,000 shares of common stock resulting in a return to shareholders of approximately $0.9 million for the third quarter of 2022. Ryerson made these repurchases in accordance with its share repurchase program, which authorizes the Company to acquire up to an aggregate amount of $75.0 million of the Company's common stock through August 3, 2024. During the third quarter of 2022, Ryerson returned approximately $6.4 million to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases.
Outlook Commentary
Ryerson expects counter-cyclical business conditions to continue through the fourth quarter of 2022. Benchmark carbon, aluminum and nickel price decreases are anticipated to continue into the fourth quarter while sales volumes experience slow-down driven by seasonal declines in buying as well as decelerating economies in North America, Europe, and China. As such, Ryerson anticipates fourth quarter 2022 revenues in the range of $1.25 billion to $1.30 billion, with a sequential average selling price decrease of 7% to 11%, and a shipment volume decrease of 8% to 10%. LIFO income in the fourth quarter of 2022 is expected to be $20 million. We expect adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO in the range of $40 million to $44 million and earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.70 to $0.78.
Earnings Call Information
Ryerson will host a conference call to discuss third quarter 2022 financial results for the period ended September 30, 2022, on Thursday, November 3, 2022, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The live online broadcast will be available on the Company's investor relations website, ir.ryerson.com. A replay will be available at the same website for 90 days.
About Ryerson
Ryerson is a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. Founded in 1842, Ryerson has around 4,000 employees in approximately 100 locations. Visit Ryerson at www.ryerson.com.
Notes:
1EPS is Earnings per Share
2For EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA excluding LIFO please see Schedule 2
3Free Cash Flow is defined as Net Cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. See Schedule 4
4Net Debt is defined as Long Term Debt plus Short Term Debt less Cash and Cash Equivalents and excludes Restricted Cash
5Book value of Equity is defined as Total Assets less Total Liabilities
Legal Disclaimer
The contents herein are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute an offer to sell or buy, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security ("Security") of the Company or its affiliates ("Ryerson") in any jurisdiction. Ryerson does not intend to solicit, and is not soliciting, any action with respect to any Security or any other contractual relationship with the Ryerson. Nothing in this release, individually or taken in the aggregate, constitutes an offer of securities for sale or buy, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any Security in the United States, or to U.S. persons, or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful.
Safe Harbor Provision
Certain statements made in this presentation and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding our future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, objectives, or projections relating to the future. Such statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "objectives," "goals," "preliminary," "range," "believes," "expects," "may," "estimates," "will," "should," "plans," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. The Company cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and may involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may vary materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Among the factors that significantly impact our business are: the cyclicality of our business; the highly competitive, volatile, and fragmented metals industry in which we operate; fluctuating metal prices; our substantial indebtedness and the covenants in instruments governing such indebtedness; the integration of acquired operations; regulatory and other operational risks associated with our operations located inside and outside of the United States; impacts and implications of adverse health events, including the COVID-19 pandemic; work stoppages; obligations under certain employee retirement benefit plans; the ownership of a majority of our equity securities by a single investor group; currency fluctuations; and consolidation in the metals industry. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors, including those set forth above and those set forth under "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2022, and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, we caution against placing undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, new information or otherwise.
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SOURCE Ryerson Holding Corporation | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/ryerson-reports-third-quarter-2022-results/ | 2022-11-02 23:18:58 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/prnewswire/2022/11/02/ryerson-reports-third-quarter-2022-results/ |
Cinnafilm and swXtch.io to demonstrate their revolutionary technology stack at Microsoft NAB booth W1529
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The world of broadcast delivery has undergone big changes in the past decade, and one of the most significant of these is the transition from traditional "hard" infrastructure to highly scalable, flexible IP streaming using software-defined workflows with on-demand infrastructure. However, this exciting transition is not without its significant challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining picture quality for optimal viewing experiences. The quality of video and audio content can be severely affected by a range of factors, including bandwidth limitations, signal compression, bad format conversions, and latency issues to name a few.
To solve this pain point, Cinnafilm has developed Tachyon Live! – a real-time variant of their award-winning, automated conversion technology, Tachyon, providing unparalleled quality for complex conversions including deinterlacing, scaling, broken patterns, motion blur and motion compensated frame rate conversions. To connect customers to Tachyon Live!, Cinnafilm has partnered with swXtch.io to create a premier, cloud-agnostic, IP stream live format and frame rate converter. Tachyon Live! on cloudSwXtch accepts NDI, SRT, and 2110 formats on prem, and NDI and SRT feeds through the cloud – thus enabling a global reach for fully and properly converted signals in transit. A demonstration of this game-changing technology will be shown at NAB 2023 running through Microsoft Azure.
Lance Maurer, Cinnafilm CEO says "Tachyon has provided world-class conversion solutions to the market for over a decade. Recent advancements from NVidia, cloud infrastructure and monitoring services, and the powerful networking through cloudSwXtch enables us to deliver a live, high-quality standards, format, and frame rate converter software stack to ensure image quality is maintained for deliverables. GPU-empowered software is simply unmatched in its power, scalability, and output quality. On-demand software defined broadcast infrastructure has arrived, and we're thrilled to team with swXtch to provide this high-end standards conversion solution to the live event marketplace."
swXtch.io formally debuted cloudSwXtch at IBC2022 in September 2022 for media and broadcasting companies. cloudSwXtch is a virtual overlay network that adds feature rich, high-performance networking to cloud or edge deployments at the simple touch of a button with no code changes to existing applications. CloudSwXtch enables multicast in on-prem-to-cloud and cloud-to-cloud environments, helping companies scale without limitation and with sub-millisecond latency. cloudSwXtch provides many of the advanced features not previously available on cloud networks including multicast, broadcast, ground-to-cloud bridging, network path redundancy and more.
"This agreement with Cinnafilm creates exceptional value for our respective customers by offering swXtch customers a world-class standards conversion product, Tachyon, while creating an accelerated path to migrate motion-compensated frame rate conversion to the cloud," said Brent Yates, CEO and CTO of swXtch.io. "We look forward to bringing our joint solution to market, and helping broadcasters realize the benefits of shifting high volume live event workflows to the cloud."
Cinnafilm and swXtch.io anticipate a Q3, 2023 release.
For more information visit
www.cinnafilm.com and
www.swxtch.io.
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SOURCE Cinnafilm, Inc. | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/04/04/cinnafilm-swxtchio-team-up-create-high-quality-ip-video-streaming-format-frame-rate-converter/ | 2023-04-04 17:45:26 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2023/04/04/cinnafilm-swxtchio-team-up-create-high-quality-ip-video-streaming-format-frame-rate-converter/ |
By JOHN ANTCZAK and CHRISTOPHER WEBER (Associated Press)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A rare tornado touched down in a Los Angeles suburb on Wednesday, ripping roofs off a line of commercial buildings and sending the debris twisting into the sky and across a city block, injuring one person.
The National Weather Service sent teams to assess damage in Montebello and later confirmed that a tornado had touched down around 11:20 a.m.
The weather service later said that the tornado was an EF1, a measurement on the Enhanced Fujita Scale that indicates it had winds of 86 mph to 110 mph (138 kph to 177 kph). That made it the strongest tornado to hit the Los Angeles metropolitan area since March 1983, the weather service said.
“It’s definitely not something that’s common for the region,” said meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld with the weather service.
One person was injured and was taken to a hospital in Montebello, said Alex Gillman, a city spokesman. He didn’t know the severity of the injury.
Michael Turner could hear the winds get stronger from inside his office at the 33,000-square-foot (3,065-square-meter) warehouse he owns just south of downtown Montebello. When the lights started flickering, he went outside to find his employees gazing up at the ominous sky. He brought everyone inside.
“It got very loud. Things were flying all over the place,” Turner said. “The whole factory became a big dustbowl for a minute. Then when the dust settled, the place was just a mess.”
Nobody was hurt, but the gas line was severed, fire sprinklers broke, all the skylights shattered and a 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter) section of roof was “just gone,” Turner said. He said his polyester fiber business, Turner Fiberfill, could be closed for months.
“I’ve been in California since 1965. Never seen anything like this,” Turner said. “Earthquakes — we’re used to that.”
Debris was spread over more than one city block. Inspectors checked 17 buildings in the area, and 11 of them were red-tagged as uninhabitable, according to the fire department. Several cars were also damaged.
The rare and violent weather came amid a strong late-season Pacific storm that brought damaging winds and more rain and snow to saturated California. Two people died Tuesday as the storm raked the San Francisco Bay Area with powerful gusts and downpours. An on-duty San Francisco police sergeant was hospitalized with life threatening injuries after a tree fell on him Tuesday, the department said.
The weather service also sent assessment teams to the Santa Barbara County city of Carpinteria, where it confirmed that a tornado hit a mobile home park on Tuesday, with gusts up to 75 mph (120 kph) that damaged about 25 residences.
That tornado was measured at a relatively weak EF0, with winds of 65 mph to 80 mph (105 kph to 129 kph).
The last time the weather service’s Los Angeles office sent out tornado assessment teams was 2016 near Fillmore in Ventura County, where it was determined that a small twister had touched down, Schoenfeld said.
A tornado warning based on radar also was issued Tuesday night for the Point Mugu area west of Malibu. The warning was later canceled and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office tweeted there was no evidence a tornado touched down.
The storm was tapering off in California from north to south while pushing inland across the Southwest, the Four Corners region and the central and southern Rockies, the National Weather Service said. On Tuesday, some residents of north-central Arizona were told to prepare to evacuate because of rising water levels in rivers and basins.
The wind and rain mayhem from San Francisco Bay south to Monterey Bay on Tuesday was caused by an extraordinary drop in barometric pressure over the eastern Pacific that meteorologists described as “explosive cyclogenesis.”
“Wow. Even by the standards of what has turned out to be one of our most extraordinary winter seasons in a very long time, yesterday … stands out,” the Bay Area weather office wrote.
Trees and power lines were blown down. Windows were blown out from two San Francisco high-rises, NBC Bay Area reported. Ferry service was disrupted because conditions were too rough. Three barges got loose and damaged a bridge.
An Amtrak commuter train carrying 55 passengers struck a downed tree and derailed near the East Bay village of Porta Costa. The train remained upright and nobody was injured, Amtrak and fire officials said.
Five deaths were attributed to the storm. In the Bay Area community of Portola Valley, a man driving a sewer truck was killed when a tree fell onto the vehicle, the California Highway Patrol said. And in the community of Rossmoor, a driver was injured and a passenger died after a large tree fell onto a car, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said.
In Oakland, a man inside a tent died Tuesday night after a tree fell on it near Lake Merritt.
Two people also died at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Tuesday while receiving treatment for injuries suffered in separate storm-related incidents, according to city officials.
In the Monterey Bay region, Santa Cruz County was blasted with gusts up to 80 mph (129 kph). Along the coastline of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, ocean foam blew across the roadways like large snowflakes.
Some 82,000 customers were without electricity Wednesday evening throughout the state, according to PowerOutage.us.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday’s storm, which came on the first full day of spring following the state’s extraordinary winter, was a Pacific low pressure system interacting with California’s 12th atmospheric river since late December.
California’s unexpected siege of wet weather after years of drought also included February blizzards powered by arctic air.
The storms have unleashed flooding and loaded mountains with so much snow that roofs have been crushed and crews have struggled to keep highways clear of avalanches. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/03/23/rare-tornado-near-los-angeles-rips-building-roofs-1-injured/ | 2023-03-23 05:24:41 | 0 | https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/03/23/rare-tornado-near-los-angeles-rips-building-roofs-1-injured/ |
NEW YORK (PIX11) — It will be an exceptional end to the week and a great start to the weekend. On Friday, as high pressure dominates, expect mainly sunny skies with temperatures in the low 80s.
Saturday will be a little rinse and repeat of Friday. The only difference is the temperatures might be a tad warmer. Expect mostly sunny conditions with temperatures in the mid-80s. The humidity will remain on the more comfortable side.
Sunday will start off nice and dry. However, a few disturbances moving towards the area may add more clouds later that afternoon and evening. There is a little threat of some showers as the disturbances get closer late Sunday night. Temperatures should, however, remain in the low 80s.
Thereafter, Monday-Wednesday, the disturbance is slow to move, so expect a slight chance of showers at any given time. Again, temperatures are forecasted to remain around the 80-degree mark. | https://pix11.com/weather/nyc-forecast-temps-to-stay-around-the-80s/ | 2022-09-09 01:50:29 | 0 | https://pix11.com/weather/nyc-forecast-temps-to-stay-around-the-80s/ |
Knoxville company recalls beef jerky products due to possible listeria concerns
(Gray News) - The United States Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that the Magnolia Provision Company, Inc. issued a recall regarding its beef jerky products, due to possible contamination of listeria monocytogenes.
The Knoxville company recalled all beef jerky items that were produced on Aug. 25.
The company advises avoiding consumption of the Beef Jerky Experience Chop House Style Prime Rib flavored beef jerky that displays an expiration date of Aug. 25, 2023.
The products recalled have an establishment number of “8091″ inside the USDA mark of inspection.
USDA says the items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.
The problem was discovered when the establishment reported that it received confirmation from its third-party lab that a product contact surface sample returned positive for listeria.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kmvt.com/2022/09/06/knoxville-company-recalls-beef-jerky-products-due-possible-listeria-concerns/ | 2022-09-06 23:42:01 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/2022/09/06/knoxville-company-recalls-beef-jerky-products-due-possible-listeria-concerns/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The pioneering mommy blogger Heather Armstrong, who laid bare her struggles as a parent and her battles with depression and alcoholism on her site Dooce.com and on social media, has died at 47.
Armstrong’s boyfriend, Pete Ashdown, told The Associated Press that he found her Tuesday night at their Salt Lake City home.
She had two children with her former husband and business partner, Jon Armstrong, began Dooce in 2001 and built it into a lucrative career. She was one of the first and most popular mommy bloggers, writing frankly about her children, relationships and other challenges at a time that personal blogs were on the rise.
She parlayed her successes with the blog, on Instagram and elsewhere into book deals, putting out a memoir in 2009, “It Sucked and then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown and a Much Needed Margarita.”
That year, Armstrong appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and was on the Forbes list of the most influential women in media.
In 2012, the Armstrongs announced they were separating. They divorced later that year. She began dating Ashdown, a former U.S. senate candidate, nearly six years ago. They lived together with Armstrong’s children, 19-year-old Leta and 13-year-old Marlo. He has three children from a previous marriage who spent time in their home as well.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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Ashdown said Armstrong died by suicide. He told the AP that she had been sober for more than 18 months, and recently had a relapse. He did not provide further details.
Armstrong didn’t hold back on Instagram and Dooce, the latter a name that arose from her inability to quickly spell “dude” during online chats. Her raw, unapologetic posts on everything from pregnancy and breastfeeding to homework and carpooling were often infused with curses. As her popularity grew, so too did the barbs of critics, who accused her of bad parenting and worse.
One of her posts on Dooce spoke of a previous victory over drinking.
“On October 8th, 2021 I celebrated six months of sobriety by myself on the floor next to my bed feeling as if I were a wounded animal who wanted to be left alone to die,” Armstrong wrote. “There was no one in my life who could possibly comprehend how symbolic a victory it was for me, albeit … one fraught with tears and sobbing so violent that at one point I thought my body would split in two. The grief submerged me in tidal waves of pain. For a few hours I found it hard to breathe.”
She went on: “Sobriety was not some mystery I had to solve. It was simply looking at all my wounds and learning how to live with them.”
In her memoir, she described how her blog began as a way to share her thoughts on pop culture with faraway friends. Within a year, her audience grew from a few friends to thousands of strangers around the world, she wrote.
More and more, Armstrong said, she found herself writing about her personal life and, eventually, an office job for a tech start-up, and “how much I wanted to strangle my boss, often using words and phrases that would embarrass a sailor.”
Her employer found the site and fired her, she wrote. She took it down but started back up again six months later, writing about her new husband, Armstrong, and how unemployment had forced them to move from Los Angeles to her mother’s basement in Utah.
She was soon pregnant. The pregnancy offered “an endless trove” of content, she wrote, “but I truly believed that I would give it all up once I had the baby.”
She didn’t, going on to chronicle her highs and lows as a new mother.
“I don’t think I would have survived it had I not offered up my story and reached out to bridge the loneliness,” she wrote.
At its peak, Dooce had more than 8 million monthly readers, a healthy following that allowed her to monetize her online presence.
Armstrong was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but left the faith after graduating from Brigham Young University and moving to Los Angeles. She suffered chronic depression for much of her life but wasn’t diagnosed and treated until college, according to her book.
In 2017, after the unraveling of her marriage, the internet star dubbed “the queen of the mommy bloggers” by The New York Times Magazine took a tumble in popularity as social media came into its own.
Her depression grew worse, leading her to enroll in a clinical trial at the University of Utah’s Neuropsychiatric Institute. She was put in a chemically induced coma for 15 minutes at a time for 10 sessions.
“I was feeling like life was not meant to be lived,” Armstrong told Vox. “When you are that desperate, you will try anything. I thought my kids deserved to have a happy, healthy mother, and I needed to know that I had tried all options to be that for them.”
In 2019, she wrote her third book, “The Valedictorian of Being Dead: The True Story of Dying Ten Times to Live,” about her experiences with the treatment.
“I want people with depression to feel like they are seen,” she told Vox.
Armstrong attributed, in part, some of her past emotional spirals to sharing her life online for so long.
“The hate was very, very scary and very, very hard to live through,” she said in the interview. “It gets inside your head and eats away at your brain. It became untenable.” | https://www.kark.com/entertainment-news/mommy-blogger-heather-armstrong-known-as-dooce-to-fans-dead-at-47/ | 2023-05-11 12:41:10 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/entertainment-news/mommy-blogger-heather-armstrong-known-as-dooce-to-fans-dead-at-47/ |
Democratic Sen. Jon Tester to run for 4th term in Montana
Billings, Mont. – U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said Wednesday he will seek reelection to a fourth term in 2024, a boost to Democrats' hopes of maintaining a seat in the Republican-leaning state as they try to hang on to their narrow Senate majority.
Tester, 66, said he was seeking reelection to continue standing up for veterans and to “lower costs,” which his campaign said referred to rising expenses for housing, health care, child care and other needs.
“I know that people in Washington don’t understand what a hard day’s work looks like or the challenges working families are facing in Montana,” the Democrat said Wednesday in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. “Montanans need a fighter holding Washington accountable.”
As a third-generation farmer and former music teacher, Tester has leaned on a folksy speaking style and populist-themed messages to overcome his Republican opponents in each of the last three elections. He narrowly prevailed each time by drawing independents and centrist Republicans while distancing himself from party leaders in Washington.
The state’s political landscape has shifted sharply since Tester was first elected in 2006, and he has been the sole Democrat holding statewide office for the past two years.
The race could draw a fierce GOP primary contest between U.S. Reps. Ryan Zinke and Matt Rosendale. Zinke, who served as interior secretary in the Trump administration, said he will consider a Senate campaign, while Rosendale has declined to say if he will run.
Rosendale, a hard-right conservative, tried and failed to unseat Tester in 2018, with then-President Donald Trump making repeated appearances in Montana on the Republican’s behalf. Trump won Montana by 20 percentage points in the 2016 presidential election and 16 percentage points in the 2020 election, but Tester defeated Rosendale by 3.5 percentage points.
In his past elections, Tester stressed a handful of issues – agriculture, health care, reproductive choice and support for veterans. He avoided direct confrontations with national Republican figures such as Trump, who bore a grudge against Tester for derailing his Veterans Affairs nominee, then-White House doctor Ronny Jackson, with revelations of misconduct.
In 2018, Tester was the only Democratic senator from a Republican-leaning state to win his reelection bid after voting against Trump's Supreme Court picks.
Tester, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, sponsored legislation that expanded health care services for millions of service members exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits at military bases.
He’s advocated for campaign finance reform but has sometimes ranked as the top congressional recipient of campaign donations from lobbyists, including in 2012 and 2018, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. His campaign has raised more than $4 million in cash since his 2018 reelection and had almost $3 million remaining as of Jan. 1, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Before running for the Senate, Tester, who still works on his family farm, taught music at an elementary school in the small town of Big Sandy in central Montana and was later elected to the town’s school board. He served in the state Senate from 1999 to 2007, spending the last two years as the chamber’s president. | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/22/democratic-sen-jon-tester-to-run-for-4th-term-in-montana/69932025007/ | 2023-02-22 17:34:31 | 0 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/22/democratic-sen-jon-tester-to-run-for-4th-term-in-montana/69932025007/ |
SYDNEY, Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FP Markets has been awarded the "Best Global Value Broker 2022" for an unprecedented 4th consecutive year. FP Markets claimed two further awards for "Best Forex Partners Programme" in Asia 2022 and "Best Forex Broker" in Europe 2022.
The Global Forex Awards 2022 celebrated its 5th ceremony on Thursday 22 September 2022, at the glamorous Marina in Limassol, Cyprus. The ceremony brought together a wide range of global businesses that offer cutting-edge technology, comprehensive market research tools, superior educational programs, and world-class customer service.
FP Markets' Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Craig Allison said: "We are honoured to be awarded "Best Global Value Broker" for the 4th consecutive year, an unprecedented feat which emphasises our consistent and unwavering commitment to providing our clients with the best trading experience. We are further delighted to receive the awards for "Best Forex Partners Programme" in Asia and "Best Forex Broker" in Europe for 2022 for the first time which clearly demonstrates that, as we expand globally, we are being recognised globally for consistently offering our clients competitive pricing, fast execution, market-leading technology, and a first-rate customer experience. We greatly appreciate the continued international recognition as at FP Markets we pride ourselves on these attributes and these prestigious awards are testament to the hard work from our global team to always provide our clients with the ultimate trading experience."
FP Markets offers over 10,000 trading instruments offering traders access to CFDs across Forex, Indices, Commodities, Stocks, and Cryptocurrencies, making it one of the largest offerings in the industry with eight platforms, including MT4, MT5 & Iress. Over the past 17 years, FP Markets has learned that the combination of consistently tight spreads and fast executions, coupled with cutting-edge platforms, a wide product range, and first-rate customer support are the key ingredients that give serious traders the confidence to trade. Since the year of its establishment in 2005, Australia's Best Forex Broker 2020 continues to expand its product offering, giving traders the ability to trade under some of the best trading conditions in the industry.
Notes to Editors
About FP Markets:
- FP Markets is an Australian Regulated global Forex Broker with more than 17 years of industry experience.
- FP Markets offers highly competitive interbank Forex spreads available from 0.0 pips and leverage up to 500:1 on its pro account.
- Download FP Markets' Mobile App and trade on the go across several powerful online platforms like MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5, WebTrader, and Iress.
- The company's outstanding 24/7 multilingual service has been recognized by Investment Trends as home to some of the most content clients in the industry, having been awarded 'The Highest Overall Client Satisfaction Award,' five years running from Investment Trends.
- FP Markets has been awarded as the 'Global Forex Value Broker' for four consecutive years (2019, 2020, 2021,2022) at the Global Forex Awards.
- FP Markets has been awarded the "Best Forex Trading Experience in the EU" at the Global Forex Awards 2021.
- FP Markets has been awarded "Best Trade Execution" at the Ultimate Fintech Awards 2022
- For full details of our wide-ranging offering, visit https://www.fpmarkets.com/
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Federal Reserve officials made their biggest interest rate increase since 1994 at their June meeting after incoming inflation data spooked them, minutes from their last meeting showed, with policymakers expressing concern that stubbornly persistent price pressures posed a “significant risk” of becoming a more permanent feature of the economy if the central bank did not act decisively.
The Fed lifted its main policy interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point last month as it tried to raise the cost of borrowing across the economy and slow down consumer and business demand. The move, which followed a half-point increase in May and a quarter-point increase in March, marked a meaningful escalation in the central bank’s battle against rapid inflation.
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Notes from the meeting, released Wednesday, shed light on what motivated officials to make such a big move — and what it could mean going forward. Policymakers had been unsettled by a re-acceleration in the consumer price index inflation measure, which climbed by 8.6 percent in the year through May. And officials feared that if they did not take sufficient action, consumers and businesses might begin to expect fast price increases to last and behave in ways that would make rapid inflation more permanent and even more difficult to quash.
A number of officials saw the consumer price measure “as solidifying the view that inflation would be more persistent than they had previously anticipated,” the minutes said.
Many central bankers “judged that a significant risk now facing the committee was that elevated inflation could become entrenched if the public began to question the resolve of the committee to adjust the stance of policy as warranted.”
Fed officials acknowledged that they would need to slow the economy and the labor market in their bid to lower rapid price increases, the minutes suggested, and in fact expressed a resolve to raise interest rates to a point where they would start to meaningfully weigh on economic growth.
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Participants expected that it would be appropriate to raise rates at their next meeting in July by either one-half or three-quarters of a percentage point, agreeing that “the economic outlook warranted moving to a restrictive stance of policy,” and that “an even more restrictive stance could be appropriate if elevated inflation pressures were to persist.”
The new Fed release comes at a time when investors, economists, and households increasingly fear that the central bank’s policy adjustments will cause a recession. The minutes underscore that, while central bankers want to be flexible and responsive to incoming data, the risk of sparking a downturn is probably not enough to dissuade them from taking aggressive action to wrestle inflation under control.
“Participants recognized that policy firming could slow the pace of economic growth for a time, but they saw the return of inflation to 2 percent as critical to achieving maximum employment on a sustained basis,” the minutes showed.
The Fed is working against a challenging global backdrop, as supply chain issues tied to the pandemic and commodity price increases exacerbated by the war in Ukraine reverberate through economies. Inflation has popped across much of the world, and central bankers in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and parts of Asia are also raising or preparing to raise rates — often at the fastest pace in years — to try to restrain growth and bring prices back down.
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While fuel prices have cooled this week in global markets as investors worry about an impending downturn, it is unclear whether that will last at a time when military developments in Eastern Europe could upend the outlook for energy prices at any moment. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/06/business/fed-officials-spooked-by-data-fretted-june-about-inflation-becoming-entrenched/ | 2022-07-06 22:58:13 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/06/business/fed-officials-spooked-by-data-fretted-june-about-inflation-becoming-entrenched/ |
Aaron Judge, quite literally, ran through the wall for his team.
On Saturday night, the New York Yankees slugger showed that he isn't just that, but also a stupendous right fielder.
J.D. Martinez was the tying run for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he roped a fly ball to right, which Judge had to give plenty effort for. Judge extended to make the grab, and he banged into the fence and broke it right open — all with the ball in his glove for the out.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
However, the catch has now drawn controversy, as Judge injured his toe and could land on the injured list for the second time this season.
When Judge broke the fence, his foot banged directly into the concrete bottom of the Dodger Stadium wall.
It may be too little too late for Judge, but the Dodgers plan on extending their padding to cover up the cement.
ATHLETICS' POTENTIAL MOVE TO VEGAS NOW IN LIMBO AFTER LAWMAKERS FAIL TO VOTE ON STADIUM BILL
Judge has missed two straight games because of the injury. Manager Aaron Boone said swelling has gone down, but he is still being evaluated.
Dodger Stadium opened in 1962, and it's currently the third-oldest ballpark in the major leagues.
"They gotta make a stronger fence out there, I guess," Judge told FOX's Ken Rosenthal after the game on the broadcast.
Judge missed 11 games earlier this season due to a hip strain. If he were to miss an extended period of time, the Yankees would be in trouble, as the defending AL MVP is putting up numbers eerily similar to last season. After leading the majors last year with a 1.111 OPS thanks to a new AL record 62 home runs, he leads that category again at 1.078 | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/dodgers-to-make-changes-to-outfield-fence-after-aaron-judges-insane-catch-resulted-in-injury/article_d81cc9bc-439a-5137-b7cb-21bacf5579e6.html | 2023-06-07 01:53:44 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/sports/national-sports/dodgers-to-make-changes-to-outfield-fence-after-aaron-judges-insane-catch-resulted-in-injury/article_d81cc9bc-439a-5137-b7cb-21bacf5579e6.html |
- A plaque now highlights Barack Obama's presidential announcement at the Old State Capitol
- Illinois lawmakers pass a measure to withdraw investments in Russian or Belarusian assets
- Some lawmakers supporting a measure to make some areas Tourism Improvement Districts
- Former WIU President Jack Thomas the subject of an investigation by the Ohio Attorney General
- Springfield Memorial Foundation Executive Director Melissa Hansen-Schmadeke discusses downtown's activities at Holiday Fest this weekend | https://www.nprillinois.org/news/2022-12-02/a-marker-highlights-barack-obamas-presidential-announcement-in-springfield-and-more-top-stories | 2022-12-02 14:33:32 | 0 | https://www.nprillinois.org/news/2022-12-02/a-marker-highlights-barack-obamas-presidential-announcement-in-springfield-and-more-top-stories |
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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday denounced a Kentucky law designed to impose a near-total ban on abortions as “extremist,” pointing to the lack of exceptions for rape and incest victims as he pushed back on an issue that Republicans have made a policymaking priority.
Beshear plunged into the debate after a state judge temporarily suspended enforcement of the state's so-called trigger law. The 2019 measure took effect — halting abortions in Kentucky — after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last Friday to end federal constitutional protections for abortions.
The ruling by Jefferson County Circuit Judge Mitch Perry on Thursday allowed abortions to resume in Kentucky. There are two abortion clinics in Kentucky — both in Louisville, the state's largest city.
Beshear, who faces a tough reelection campaign next year, was asked repeatedly about the now-blocked trigger law during his weekly news conference. Several Republicans already running for governor are playing up their opposition to abortion. Beshear supports abortion rights but with “reasonable restrictions,” which he's previously said would apply to late-term abortion procedures.
The governor's criticism of the trigger law was aimed at what's missing from the measure.
“The trigger law is an extremist law that the vast majority of Kentuckians disagree with," he said. "It provides zero exceptions for victims of rape and incest, giving them no options despite the fact that they have been harmed and what they’re going through is ... absolutely zero fault of their own.”
The trigger law was enacted when Beshear was the state's attorney general.
Kentucky's current attorney general, Republican Daniel Cameron, is defending the trigger law in court. He said the ruling temporarily blocking the measure had no basis in the state constitution. Later Thursday, Cameron asked the state Court of Appeals to block the lower court ruling that suspended the trigger law and another Kentucky law that attempted to prevent abortions at six weeks of pregnancy. That measure was previously halted by a federal court.
Cameron is among the Republicans vying to challenge Beshear in the 2023 election.
“We will do everything possible to continue defending this law and to ensure that unborn life is protected in the commonwealth,” Cameron said in a statement.
State GOP spokesperson Sean Southard noted Thursday that some Democrats in the Republican-dominated legislature voted for the trigger law. He asked whether Beshear thinks those Democrats are “so-called extremists.”
Beshear said that during his tenure as attorney general, he encountered rape and incest cases involving girls. Under the trigger law, they would have “zero options and that’s wrong,” he said.
“Right's right and wrong's wrong, no matter who voted what way,” the governor said.
In comments directed at his Republican critics, the governor added: “Do they believe that it’s not extremist to remove every option from rape and incest victims? Will they look them in the eye and tell them that?" | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Beshear-denounces-near-total-abortion-ban-as-17277773.php | 2022-06-30 23:40:22 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Beshear-denounces-near-total-abortion-ban-as-17277773.php |
LONDON (AP) — The daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been barred from officiating at a funeral in a church in England because she is married to a woman, the BBC reported Friday.
Mpho Tutu van Furth, who is an ordained Anglican priest in the U.S., had been asked to oversee the funeral of her godfather, Martin Kenyon.
The BBC reported that the Church of England had ruled she could not lead the service in a church. The Diocese of Hereford told the broadcaster that “advice was given in line with the House of Bishops current guidance on same-sex marriage.”
The global Anglican Communion is divided over same-sex marriage. The Church of England allows its clergy to be in same-sex unions only if they are celibate. The U.S. Episcopal Church permits clergy to preside over, and enter into, same-sex marriages.
Tutu van Furth told the BBC that the Church of England decision “seemed really churlish and hurtful.”
The BBC said that because of the church ruling the funeral on Thursday was moved from St. Michael and All Angels Church in the village of Wentnor to an outdoor marquee nearby so Tutu van Furth could preside over it.
Kenyon, who died Sept. 7 at the age of 92, was a long-time friend of Desmond Tutu. The South African anti-apartheid icon died in December, aged 90.
In 2020, Kenyon was one of the first people in the world to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and his matter-of-fact interview with CNN outside a London hospital went viral.
“I hope I don’t get the bloody bug now,” he said. “There’s no point in dying now when I’ve lived this long, is there?” | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Tutu-s-daughter-barred-from-funeral-role-over-gay-17462080.php | 2022-09-23 16:00:35 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Tutu-s-daughter-barred-from-funeral-role-over-gay-17462080.php |
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Damar Hamlin remains hospitalized, in critical condition, after suffering cardiac arrest in an NFL game last night. He collapsed in the first quarter of the matchup between his Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was postponed after Hamlin was transported by ambulance to a hospital. NPR's Tom Goldman joins me now. Hi, Tom.
TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi, Juana.
SUMMERS: So, Tom, what's the latest news on Damar Hamlin's condition?
GOLDMAN: We're not getting a lot - bits and pieces, mostly from his team. And this afternoon, the Bills released a short statement. It read, Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today, in critical condition, at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far. Now, there have been no details from UC Medical Center doctors about Hamlin - about what caused his cardiac arrest, which followed what appeared to be a fairly routine tackle in last night's game. I spoke to a UC Health spokeswoman this afternoon and asked if there were any updates or press briefings scheduled, and the spokeswoman said, not at this time.
SUMMERS: So have we heard anything today from his family? I understand that family members were at the game last night, and reports say that his mother rode with him in the ambulance to the hospital.
GOLDMAN: Yeah, that's right. In a tweet today titled from the family of Damar Hamlin, it said, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country. Now, it's pretty extraordinary, Juana, what's happened with those donations. Damar Hamlin started a GoFundMe page last month to raise money for Christmas toys for underprivileged kids. His original goal was $2,500. At last check, donations were more than $4.5 million and climbing. The family's tweet also acknowledges the first responders at last night's game who tended to Hamlin almost immediately after he collapsed. Their efforts - using CPR and reportedly a defibrillator - were critical in getting his heart restarted on the field. The family also acknowledged the health care professionals at the UC Medical Center who have been treating Hamlin since last night.
SUMMERS: So Tom, through these terrifying circumstances, Damar Hamlin is suddenly a household name. But what else...
GOLDMAN: Yeah.
SUMMERS: ...What can you tell us about him?
GOLDMAN: Yeah, you know, it's safe to say, outside of Buffalo or Pittsburgh, where he played in college, he was not well known - only 24, in just his second year in the NFL. His foundation and toy drive tells you something about who he is. And also, in an interview on the program "One Bills Live," Hamlin talked about how special it's been to play alongside Buffalo defensive back Dane Jackson, who's a few years older than Hamlin, but the two were childhood friends and college teammates before playing in the NFL together. Here's Damar.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
DAMAR HAMLIN: Just having someone like Dane just being able to just play with me, it feels so surreal. Like, I can't even describe it, but I cherish it every second that I can - you know, every second of every day. We just had our prayer - our DB prayer we do every Wednesday - outside. He was next to me, and I just grabbed his hand a little bit harder just 'cause, you know, you never know when, like, the last day could be that you getting to experience something like this, you know? So I'm just - I'm cherishing it every moment I can.
SUMMERS: And of course, amid all of this, a lot of minds not on football, but this did happen during a game last night. About an hour after Hamlin collapsed, the NFL postponed that game. Are there any updates about what might happen there?
GOLDMAN: Yeah. The NFL said today in a statement the Bills/Bengals game will not be resumed this week. The league said the decision came after speaking with both teams and leaders of the players' union. The NFL hasn't made a decision on possibly resuming the game at a later date. You know, this all comes during the last week of the regular season, when teams are jockeying for playoff position. In fact, last night's game was a highly anticipated one. Buffalo and Cincinnati are two of the NFL's best teams, and the outcome would have helped determine who gets a bye at the start of the playoffs - not significant, though, right now, for obvious reasons.
SUMMERS: NPR's Tom Goldman. Thank you, Tom.
GOLDMAN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.kcbx.org/2023-01-03/the-latest-on-damar-hamlin-after-he-collapsed-in-monday-nights-game | 2023-01-04 07:14:56 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/2023-01-03/the-latest-on-damar-hamlin-after-he-collapsed-in-monday-nights-game |
PHOENIX — Less than three days after Democrats celebrated victory in the final Senate contest of the 2022 midterms, the challenges facing the party heading into the next campaign came into sharp relief.
And it prompted difficult questions about whether Democrats might financially and politically support Sinema over their own nominee if she decides to seek reelection in 2024 and is seen as having the best chance of keeping the seat out of GOP hands.
Ultimately, Sinema’s move was a sobering reminder that while Democrats won an outright majority in the Senate this week, their grip on the chamber is still tenuous, giving individual members notable sway over the congressional agenda. And it foreshadowed the even more difficult climate ahead as Democrats defend seats in seven states, including Arizona, that former President Donald Trump carried at least once.
In an interview, Sinema was largely dismissive of such considerations, saying she doesn’t fit into the traditional party system. She said she won’t caucus with Republicans, but declined to say whether she plans to seek a second term in the Senate. Her shift to becoming an independent, however, strongly suggests she’s at least trying to preserve the option.
“My decision is 100% based on what I think is right for me and for our state, and to ensure that I am able to continue delivering real results that make a difference in the lives of Arizonans,” Sinema said in the interview.
Her move completes a unique evolution that has both delighted and infuriated Democrats. She began her career two decades ago as a member of the Green Party. Running for the Senate as a Democrat in 2018, her victory thrilled the party and cemented Arizona’s status as a onetime Republican stronghold that was becoming more competitive.
But she’s steadily grown alienated from the party and has been a barrier to some of Democrats’ top priorities. She has appeared at points to take particular enjoyment in antagonizing the party’s progressive base, whose support will be needed to win a primary in 2024.
She now returns to the position in which she began her political career, as an outsider from both major parties.
“She had a choice: either a tough primary or a tough general, and she chose a tough general,” said Daniel Scarpinato, a Republican political consultant and former chief of staff to GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.
Sinema is taking a different route from Jeff Flake, the former Arizona Republican senator who also got crosswise with his party’s base and opted not to run rather than change his affiliation or enter a primary he would likely have lost. Sinema ultimately won Flake’s seat in 2018, but victory as an independent won’t be easy.
“It’s really hard to do, because all voters are trained at being partisan,” said Chuck Coughlin, a Phoenix-based political consultant who left the GOP after Trump took control of the party. She’ll need to convince a sizable number — perhaps a third — of the members of each party to vote for her and win the overwhelming majority of independents, he said.
The field of potential Sinema rivals began to take shape almost immediately. Both parties could face contested primaries, a dynamic that could help Sinema stay above the fray in a state where parties choose their nominees just three months before the general election.
U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat and longtime Sinema antagonist, strongly hinted that he’ll run but stopped short of announcing a bid. In an interview, he said that’s always been a decision he planned to make in 2023, but the timeline may have moved up.
“I always thought I could win,” Gallego said. “I think her potential run as an independent doesn’t change that calculus.”
Rep. Greg Stanton, a former Phoenix mayor, all but confirmed his own interest in the race when he tweeted a screenshot of a poll he’d commissioned for a primary challenge to Sinema.
Sinema’s party switch “isn’t about a post-partisan epiphany, it’s about political preservation,” he wrote.
On the Republican side, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is seriously considering a run, spokesman Corey Vale confirmed. Lamb is perhaps best known for holding a rifle and walking through the desert alongside conservative candidates in their border-security commercials.
Others mentioned as potential candidates include Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Jim Lamon and Karrin Taylor Robson, all Republicans who lost their bids for governor or Senate this year.
Ducey will likely get interest as well, particularly from national donors, though he’s consistently said he has no interest in being a senator.
Outside groups affiliated with the Democratic Party invested more than $33 million to help Sinema win in 2018. Whether they will spend at the same magnitude — or at all — on her behalf in 2024 is an open question. Officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Senate Majority PAC, a big-spending super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Schumer, declined to comment.
But the $7.8 million Sinema reported holding in her campaign fund at the end of September is nowhere near enough to mount a competitive campaign as an independent. And she will likely struggle to raise money from Democratic donors who formerly supported her.
Even before Sinema announced she was leaving the Democratic Party, she was hardly a fundraising dynamo. Many in the LGBT community, including major Hollywood financiers who enthusiastically supported Sinema in 2018 as the first openly bisexual woman to run for Senate, have soured on her. Meanwhile, grassroots donors, who often mobilize en masse, chipping in small amounts online to boost their favorite politicians, have never shown much favor toward Sinema, records show.
Instead, Sinema – who likened accepting campaign cash to “bribery” during one of her first campaigns — has come to rely on the finance and business sector as a source of contributions. And she’s sown discord along the way.
Last year, as she single-handedly thwarted her party’s longtime goal of raising taxes on wealthy investors, she collected nearly $1 million from private equity professionals, hedge fund managers and venture capitalists whose taxes would have increased under the plan. Concessions she won from Democrats on drug pricing legislation helped make her a top recipient of pharmaceutical industry cash in 2021.
However, unless she draws support from wealthy donors who can pour in unlimited sums, the contributions she has taken in from business and industry figures alone won’t likely be enough to win in a pivotal battleground state in which Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly raised and spent roughly $90 million to secure his election to a full term in November’s midterms.
Some Democrats caution activists to stay calm despite their frustration with Sinema ahead of the 2024 campaign.
They note that even Blake Masters, who trailed all other statewide Republicans on the ballot in his losing Senate bid, received 46% of the vote. In a must-win state that’s a true tossup, Sinema may still be a more palatable option than surrendering the seat to Republicans following a messy three-way race, they argue.
One group that’s seemingly not upset about Sinema’s decision: the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“We’re excited as ever to work with (Sinema) to advance good policies for Arizona job creators,” the state’s most influential business group said in a tweet.
__
Associated Press writer Brian Slodysko in Washington contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sinema-party-switch-highlights-2024-obstacles-for-democrats/2022/12/10/a7011a42-7848-11ed-a199-927b334b939f_story.html | 2022-12-10 05:56:59 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sinema-party-switch-highlights-2024-obstacles-for-democrats/2022/12/10/a7011a42-7848-11ed-a199-927b334b939f_story.html |
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "This is a new product that would be used to secure any extension ladder to a pole, tree, wall, or roof surface for stability of the ladder" said the inventor from Norco, CA "The idea for this invention for TRE HUGGER came to me a summer that I was trimming trees. "
This innovative invention provides an easy way of securing the upper portion of any ladder to a surface such as a pole or roof. Would also offer an attachment and hold to a number of different materials. This would allow a worker to perform tasks at different heights without concern over shifting of the upper end of a ladder from the object. Would be useful to contractors, building construction workers, roofers, tree trimmers, drywall installation personnel, home improvement specialists, maintenance workers, handymen, homeowners, or do-it-yourself enthusiasts.
The original design was submitted to the Orange County, CA sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-RSJ-124, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/inventhelp-inventor-develops-ladder-attachment-rsj-124/ | 2022-09-14 17:04:53 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/inventhelp-inventor-develops-ladder-attachment-rsj-124/ |
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. (AP) — Ads with the candidates’ ex-wives. Cries of “liar” flying in both directions. Stories of a squalid apartment building and abortions under pressure. Questioning an opponent’s independence. His intellect. His mental stability. His religious faith.
The extended Senate campaign in Georgia between the Democratic incumbent, Raphael Warnock, and his Republican challenger, football legend Herschel Walker, has grown increasingly bitter as their Dec. 6 runoff nears. With Democrats already assured a Senate majority, it’s a striking contrast from two years ago, when the state’s twin runoffs were mostly about which party would control the chamber in Washington.
“Herschel Walker ain’t serious,” Warnock told supporters recently in central Georgia, saying that Walker “majors in lying” and fumbles the basics of public policy. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”
Walker casts Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, as a “hypocrite” and servile to President Joe Biden. Underscoring the insult, Walker calls the incumbent “Scooby-Doo,” complete with an impression of the cartoon hound’s gibberish.
The broadsides reflect the candidates’ furious push in the four weeks between the Nov. 8 general election and runoff to persuade their core supporters to cast another ballot. For Walker, it also means drawing more independents and moderates to his campaign after he underperformed a fellow Republican on the ticket, Gov. Brian Kemp, by 200,000 votes.
Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes out of almost 4 million cast in the first round, but the senator fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff.
In many ways, the shift from his first runoff campaign is exactly what Warnock wanted: a straightforward choice between two candidates. Two years ago, then-President Donald Trump, fresh off his defeat, and Biden, then president-elect, made multiple Georgia trips to illuminate the national stakes of the races between Warnock and Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Sen. David Perdue as control of the Senate hung in the balance.
Trump ended up alienating his own supporters and many moderates with his false claims of a rigged 2020 presidential election. Victories by Warnock and Ossoff put the Senate at a 50-50 split, with Democrats gaining control by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. Warnock also became Georgia’s first Black senator.
This year, with Warnock vying for a full six-year term after winning the 2021 special election, Democrats have already guaranteed control of the Senate by flipping a seat in Pennsylvania. A Warnock win would give Democrats an outright majority at 51-49, meaning that the parties would not have to negotiate a power-sharing agreement.
Warnock’s preferred emphasis for most of his reelection bid has been his deal-making in Washington and the personal values he brings to the job. It took until the campaign’s final stages — only after two women accused Walker, an opponent of abortion rights, of encouraging and paying for their abortions — for the senator to ratchet up his attacks, arguing Walker is “unprepared” and “unfit” for the job.
“My opponent lies about everything,” Warnock said in a recent campaign stop, ticking off a litany of Walker’s repeated falsehoods and exaggerations. “He said he was a police officer. He’s not. He said he worked for the FBI. He did not. Said he graduated from the University of Georgia. He did not. Said he was valedictorian of his class. He was not. … He said he had another business with 800 employees. It has eight.”
Walker, alternately, has relished the jousting since he won the GOP nomination in the spring.
“Herschel is a competitor. He’s very comfortable with the mano a mano,” said Scott Paradise, Walker’s campaign manager, noting the candidate’s athletic prowess as a football running back, kickboxer and Olympic bobsledder.
Indeed, Walker takes his attacks right to Warnock’s strengths as the pastor of the famous church where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. Walker has criticized Warnock over an Atlanta apartment building, owned by a foundation of Warnock’s church, where residents have complained to The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative media outlet, of eviction notices and poor conditions.
“What he’s doing in this apartment building at Columbia Towers is not right,” Walker said recently at a suburban Atlanta campaign stop. “You shouldn’t put Jesus’ name on what you’re doing to people, and don’t put Martin Luther King name on it. … You’re not Jesus, and you’re not Dr. King.”
Warnock, who says no residents of Columbia Tower have been evicted, incorporates Walker’s attacks into the list of the challenger’s documented exaggerations and falsehoods. “What kind of a person lies on the church?” Warnock said in Macon. “This isn’t the first time people attacked Ebenezer Baptist Church. They attacked Martin Luther King Jr. I’m in good company.”
Still, asked whether he’s reconsidered his church’s stewardship of Columbia Towers, Warnock sidestepped: “I’ve already answered the question. I’m proud of what my church does to feed and house the hungry and the homeless every single week.”
Walker also accuses Warnock of “getting rich” as a senator, a nod to the pastor’s $7,500-a-month housing allowance from the church. The payments are not a violation of Senate ethics rules that limit senators’ outside income.
On at least one occasion during the runoff, Walker has suggested Warnock is a negligent father. Warnock told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the comment “crossed a line.” Earlier in the campaign, Walker publicly acknowledged three of his children for the first time, doing so only after The Daily Beast reported on their existence. Warnock has not mentioned those children in any of his critiques of Walker.
Walker, meanwhile, has not taken reporters’ questions at an open campaign event since late October, when a second accuser came forward to say he had pressured her to have an abortion — a contradiction of his advocacy as a candidate for a national ban on all abortions. Walker has denied the women’s claims.
Both candidates’ former wives also loom in the campaign, though the two men avoid the topic themselves, leaving the discussion of their marriages mostly to paid advertising. In one ad, Warnock’s former wife tells Atlanta police that he ran over her foot. The Republican ad doesn’t note that a police report states that officers found no physical evidence supporting her claim. A Democratic ad features an interview with Walker’s first wife detailing that he threatened violence against her, circumstances Walker has confirmed in an autobiography.
Since the two men met for their lone debate Oct. 14, Warnock has hammered Walker for a lack of policy details and sometimes flubbing what policy he does discuss.
Warnock promotes his new federal legal provision capping insulin costs for Medicare recipients and notes Walker said diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.
“Maybe he ought to apply to be a dietician. I’m running for the United States Senate,” Warnock said in Macon.
He pounced when Walker declared the United States is “not ready” for climate action and should “keep having those gas-guzzling cars” that he said already have “good emissions” standards. Warnock added gleeful mockery when Walker recently introduced a tangent about vampires to a campaign speech.
“I mean, who says that kind of stuff?” Warnock asked supporters.
Warnock’s aides say that the personalized arguments help convince core Democrats that they should not sit out the runoff, while also swaying the potentially decisive middle of the electorate in the senator’s favor. “Herschel Walker continues to be bogged down by his pattern of lies and disturbing behavior, all of which led him to underperform” in the first round, said Quentin Fulks, Warnock’s campaign manager, in a statement.
From Walker’s camp, Paradise insisted that Republicans’ best argument remains Warnock’s alignment with Democrats on economic policy. Still, he acknowledges the campaign’s tone has darkened.
“We’re certainly going to continue to aggressively prosecute the case against Warnock,” he said, “and I suspect they’ll do the same.” | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/ga-senate-runoff-between-warnock-walker-has-bitter-closing/ | 2022-11-27 18:26:03 | 1 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/ga-senate-runoff-between-warnock-walker-has-bitter-closing/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nine months ago, President Joe Biden signed a sweeping bipartisan gun law, the most significant legislative response to gun violence in decades.
“Lives will be saved,” he said at the White House.
The law has already prevented some potentially dangerous people from owning guns. Yet since that signing last summer, the tally of mass shootings in the United States has only grown. Five dead at a nightclub in Colorado. Eleven killed at a dance hall in California. And just this past week, three 9-year-olds and three adults were shot and killed at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee.
A day after that school shooting, Biden’s tone was markedly less optimistic than it was the signing ceremony.
“What in God’s name are we doing?” he asked in a speech Tuesday, calling for a ban on so-called assault weapons like those that were used to kill at The Covenant School in Nashville. “There’s a moral price to pay for inaction.”
Biden and others had hailed last year’s bipartisan gun bill — approved in the weeks after the shooting of 19 children and two adults at a school in Uvalde, Texas — as a new way forward.
Several months in, the law has had some success: Stepped-up FBI background checks have blocked gun sales for 119 buyers under the age of 21, prosecutions have increased for unlicensed gun sellers and new gun trafficking penalties have been charged in at least 30 cases around the country. Millions of new dollars have flowed into mental health services for children and schools.
But the persistence of mass shootings in the United States highlights the limits of congressional action. Because the law was a political compromise, it did not address many Democratic priorities for gun control, including universal background checks or the ban on “assault weapons” for which Biden repeatedly has called.
Now, in the wake of the Nashville shooting, Congress appears to have returned to a familiar impasse. One of the top Republican negotiators on the gun law, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, has said new compromise is unlikely. In the House, the new GOP majority favors fewer restrictions on guns, not more.
Asked Thursday about a way ahead, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said legislation alone cannot solve the gun violence problem. He said Americans need to think deeply about mental illness and other factors that drive people to act.
In contrast, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Congress should “act with the fierce urgency of now.”
“Our classrooms have become killing fields,” he said. “Is that acceptable in America?”
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the lead negotiator on the 2022 bill, says he thinks it represented a paradigm shift in how Congress considers gun legislation. But, he said, “I don’t think that will happen all at once.”
“This is sickening, but the opportunities for legislative change normally come after really terrible mass shootings,” said Murphy, who has been the lead Senate advocate for gun control since the 2012 mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. “I hate that, I wish that wasn’t how it works.”
Tensions were running high on both sides of the Capitol this past week.
On Wednesday, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., stood outside the House chamber and yelled that Republicans are “cowards” for not doing more on gun control, eventually arguing with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who advocated for allowing teachers to carry guns.
“More guns lead to more deaths!” Bowman screamed at Massie. “Children are dying!”
In the Senate, Republican Ted Cruz of Texas tried on Thursday to force a vote on legislation that would boost police presence at schools. He all but blamed Democrats, who had blocked the same legislation last year, for the Nashville shooting and calling the 2022 law “meaningless.” Murphy angrily objected to Cruz’s bill, arguing that Cruz wasn’t serious about compromise and that his move was a stunt for the cameras.
Despite the frustrations, lawmakers who negotiated the compromise last year say they see slivers of hope.
Murphy said the implementation of the new law, and some of its early successes, will ultimately persuade Republicans to get on board with more legislation.
“What happened last year was seismic for Republicans,” Murphy said.
In terms of the bill’s success, “People don’t get excited about the mass shootings that didn’t happen,” Murphy said, and that can be a challenge as they talk about it and contemplate what more could be done. But the dynamics can change quickly, he said.
While Republicans in the past might have tried to shy away from gun measures even if they supported them, Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have been promoting the new law and discussing it frequently. Late last year, they joined Murphy, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and FBI Director Christopher Wray on a visit to an FBI facility in West Virginia for a briefing on how the background checks were working.
“I am proud to see this commonsense legislation already making a difference,” Tillis said in a statement afterward.
According to recent data obtained by The Associated Press, those who were flagged in the stepped-up background checks and prevented from buying a gun included an 18-year-old in Nebraska who had made terroristic threats and was prone to violent outbursts, a 20-year-old drug dealer in Arizona and an 18-year-old in Arizona who had been previously charged with unlawful possession of weapons and was found carrying fentanyl. All were attempting to purchase long guns.
Tillis said he is aware of a separate case in his home state where a person under 21 who had been charged with assault and battery and assaulting a police officer was flagged and prevented from buying a gun.
“It’s just one of those bills that’s going to age well,” Tillis said, noting that the number of denials of gun sales is a very small fraction of total sales.
Cornyn said that so far, the bill “seems to be working.” But he said he doesn’t expect Congress to go any further any time soon. He said would strongly oppose an “assault weapons” ban, as Biden is proposing.
When Biden and other lawmakers talk about “assault weapons,” they are using an inexact term to describe a group of high-powered guns or semi-automatic long rifles, such as an an AR-15, that can fire 30 rounds fast without reloading.
Most Republicans are steadfastly opposed to such a ban, arguing that it would be too complicated, especially as sales and varieties of the firearms have proliferated. There are many more types of these high-powered guns today than in 1994, when the ban was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
Law- abiding citizens own those guns, Cornyn said, and “no law-abiding citizen is a threat to public safety.”
Despite the current standstill, John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun control advocacy group, says last year’s bill was proof that they can break gridlock.
“It was never the finish line,” he said.
___
Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/after-nashville-congress-confronts-limits-of-new-gun-law/ | 2023-04-01 21:42:44 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/after-nashville-congress-confronts-limits-of-new-gun-law/ |
Becca Tilley couldn't be happier to share her journey.
After finally confirming her four year relationship with Hayley Kiyoko, the Bachelor Nation alum expressed her joy and gratitude in a heartwarming post
"I have been crying on & and off all day," she began a heartwarming message on her Instagram Story on May 20. "I don't know that I can properly form adequate words to express how much the love and support means, but I just want to say thank you."
She continued, "And to everyone who has known about us for the last 4 years and gave us the time and space to do it in our own time—the magnitude of that alone is not lost on me. I am so grateful."
The Scrubbing In podcast host, 33, also gave a sweet shoutout to her partner, thank her for giving her the courage to be her authentic self.
"Hayley, thank you for showing me how to be brave and how to love myself. I'm so glad I don't have to avoid pronouns on the podcast now," Tilley wrote. "I love you."
Earlier that day, Hayley, 31, dropped her "For the Girls" music video featuring a cameo from the former reality star. In the clip, she plays the part of a Bachelorette-esque lead character and at the end, Becca receives her final rose and the two share a sweet kiss.
Following the video's release, Becca confirmed their real-life romance on her Instagram.
"Hard to say if this is a hard or soft launch, but it is a launch," she wrote along with a montage of the couple's adorable moments together. "Time flies when you're livinge laughinge and lovinge! I love you."
The Jem and the Holograms star replied, "The best four years ever. I love you Becca."
Becca—who competed for the affections Chris Soules and Ben Higgins on the 19th and 20th seasons of The Bachelor—previously dated fellow Bachelor Nation star Robert Graham for several months in late 2016 and early 2017.
Nearly two years after their breakup, Becca confirmed she was in relationship, but remained tight lipped on the details.
"I just think that my relationship that I'm in is just, I like that it's private and it's my own," she told Us Weekly in September 2019. "I had a public relationship before and it just felt like I had a lot of people involved, which I know that's why they sort of watched me in the first place. I'm really happy and I hope to eventually start opening up about it more, but I'm happy with it being private right now."
She added, "I just feel if the moment comes where I'm like, ‘Oh, I'm just going to say something,' then I will." | https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1331911/becca-tilley-thanks-fans-for-support-after-confirming-romance-with-hayley-kiyoko | 2022-05-21 21:17:42 | 1 | https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1331911/becca-tilley-thanks-fans-for-support-after-confirming-romance-with-hayley-kiyoko |
LONDON (AP) — Saints quarterback Jameis Winston is “doubtful” to play New Orleans’ game against the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium because of a back injury, coach Dennis Allen said Friday.
Backup Andy Dalton took first-team snaps again with Winston missing a third consecutive practice.
“I think it's doubtful that Jameis plays in the game,” Allen said. “Our plan right now is to have Andy ready to go. We'll see how things go overnight, but Andy will be ready to go if that's the direction that we go.”
Winston has been playing through a back injury but was held out of practice all week ahead of the NFL’s first international game of the season. The eighth-year quarterback also is nursing an ankle injury.
“I don’t think his body responded didn’t quite the way we anticipated over the first couple of days,” Allen said.
Earlier in the week, Winston said he was preparing to play against the Vikings.
Allen also confirmed that wide receiver Michael Thomas will miss Sunday's game because of a foot injury. He leads the team with three touchdown receptions.
Winston has thrown for 858 yards with four TD passes and five interceptions in three games. He has completed 63.5% of his passes.
Dalton stepped in to start nine games for the Cowboys in 2020 after Dallas starter Dak Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury in Week 5. That season, Dalton completed 64.9% of his passes, throwing for 2,170 yards with 14 TDs and eight interceptions.
The Saints are Dalton’s fourth team in as many years after he spent his first nine seasons as a starter for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Last year, Dalton appeared in eight games and made six starts for Chicago, completing 63.1% of his passes for 1,515 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth
Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/saints-qb-winston-doubtful-vs-vikings-dalton-ready/ZQMIZZSU4REZPI7ELGXS4SAF3Q/ | 2022-09-30 15:48:57 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/saints-qb-winston-doubtful-vs-vikings-dalton-ready/ZQMIZZSU4REZPI7ELGXS4SAF3Q/ |
BRONX, N.Y. (WPIX) – A peacock escaped from New York’s Bronx Zoo on Wednesday night and bit a man before nestling in a tree to evade capture, according to police and witnesses.
Authorities responded to the incident in West Farms at around 8 p.m. police said. First responders could not catch the peacock before it safely perched itself high up on a tree branch above Krystal Community Gardens.
The beautiful blue and green bird, named Raul, was still in the tree as of Thursday morning.
“They come out all the time, and if you leave them alone, they will go back,” said West Farms resident George Rodriguez.
Several videos showed neighbors chasing the bird and trying to save it from oncoming traffic, but the peacock got away. The animal bit a man on the thigh when he tried to corral it near a fence, witnesses said. He was treated at the scene by EMS.
A spokesperson for the Bronx Zoo said the birds are free to roam the grounds and often roost in trees at night.
“We are concerned that the news media live trucks and cameras will prevent the peacock from being able to return to the zoo on its own,” the spokesperson said. | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/national-news/peacock-bit-man-after-escaping-from-the-bronx-zoo/ | 2023-04-27 19:04:24 | 0 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/national-news/peacock-bit-man-after-escaping-from-the-bronx-zoo/ |
LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOTRONIK, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a civil settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, to resolve historical claims of alleged overuse of paid consultants to train field personnel and limited instances of excessive customer meals and travel. The Company denies all allegations on behalf of itself and its highly regarded physician partners, and the parties have agreed that the settlement is not an admission of liability.
The Justice Department and Inspector General acknowledged that the Company strengthened the compliance around its field personnel training program, added new compliance measures related to the provision of meals and travel provided to healthcare providers, imposed new restrictions, and improved training and oversight to identify and prevent meal and travel policy violations. Under the terms of the settlement, the Company will pay the United States and certain states $12.95 million USD to avoid the time and expense of further proceedings.
"The Company is pleased to put this investigation behind us so we can continue in our mission to deliver innovative solutions that save and improve patient lives every day," said BIOTRONIK Inc.'s President, Ryan Walters. "Our guiding principle, 'Excellence for Life,' is reflected in everything we do, including continuous enhancements to our culture of compliance. Acting responsibly with our customer and physician partners is paramount."
Since taking leadership of BIOTRONIK, Inc. in 2019, Mr. Walters has continued to improve the Company's internal compliance organization to ensure it keeps pace with the growth of the business.
"We are excited and proud of our proactive approach to compliance at BIOTRONIK. Our compliance program provides impactful guidance to our business operations and the implementation of cutting-edge internal controls, resulting in consistently thoughtful business practices," said VP of Compliance, Jason Spinazzola, J.D., M.P.H.
BIOTRONIK is a leading medical device company that has been developing trusted and innovative cardiovascular and endovascular solutions for more than 50 years. Driven by a purpose to perfectly match technology with the human body, BIOTRONIK innovations deliver care that saves and improves the lives of millions diagnosed with heart and blood vessel diseases every year. BIOTRONIK is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and represented in over 100 countries.
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SOURCE BIOTRONIK | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/biotronik-inc-reaches-settlement-with-us-department-justice/ | 2022-07-22 18:07:47 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/07/22/biotronik-inc-reaches-settlement-with-us-department-justice/ |
Italian confectioner Ferrero said Wednesday it is acquiring Wells Enterprises, one of the largest U.S. ice cream makers, in a deal that will broaden both companies’ offerings.
Wells, a 100-year-old family-owned company based in Le Mars, Iowa, makes Blue Bunny, Halo Top and other brands. It employs 4,000 people and produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year at plants in Iowa, New York and Nevada.
The Ferrero Group, which was founded in Italy in 1946 and is now based in Luxembourg, is also family owned. Its brands __ sold in more than 170 countries __ include Kinder, Nutella, Tic Tac and Ferrero Rocher. Ferrero has more than 38,000 employees.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. It’s expected to close early next year.
Wells Enterprises will remain a stand-alone business, and the acquisition won’t immediately impact any jobs. Mike Wells, the company’s CEO and chief engagement officer and the grandson of the company’s founder, will serve as an adviser during the transition period. Wells Enterprises President Liam Killeen will become the company’s new CEO.
Mike Wells said Wednesday he met some of Ferrero’s leaders in 2019 on unrelated trip to Europe and sent them some ice cream samples in 2020. During virtual taste testings, Wells showed Ferrero how it could recreate some of the company’s treats using ice cream.
Mike Wells invited Ferrero’s leadership to an annual ice cream celebration in Le Mars in June, and the acquisition talks took off from there.
Mike Wells said the combination will give his company access to Ferrero’s brands and scale. Ferrero has 8,000 employees and 18 plants in North America.
Ferrero entered the U.S. market in 1969 with Tic Tac but has widened its presence in recent years. In 2017 it purchased Fannie May chocolates; the following year it bought Nestle’s U.S. confectionary business and Kellogg’s cookie and fruit snack business. It also owns candy brands like Nerds and Butterfinger.
Wells Enterprises’ manufacturing plants will continue to produce ice cream but may pivot to indulgent treats under brands like Keebler or Ferrero Rocher.
“I look at it through the family’s eyes and through this community that’s all things ice cream,” Mike Wells said in an interview with The Associated Press. “You’ve got one big company that only does one thing. And if there is a challenge to that category, if things go wrong, you risk everything.”
“Being part of a portfolio company with access to brands and a better risk profile really allows the company to lean into growth in a very aggressive way,” he added.
Although Ferrero is private, it reported consolidated revenue of 12.7 billion euros ($13.3 billion) in its fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, 2021. Wells Enterprises expects to report revenue of more than $1.7 billion this year.
The acquisition gives Ferrero an ice cream platform in North America, one of the most popular markets for ice cream. U.S. ice cream retail sales rose 5% over the last year to $7.2 billion, according to Nielsen.
Ferrero entered the ice cream market in Europe in 2017 with the Kinder brand. In 2021 it fully acquired Spain’s Ice Cream Factory Comaker and introduced its first-ever Ferrero Rocher ice cream bars. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/business/ap-ferrero-buys-blue-bunny-ice-cream-maker-wells-enterprises/ | 2022-12-07 20:14:51 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/business/ap-ferrero-buys-blue-bunny-ice-cream-maker-wells-enterprises/ |
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — There’s little doubt that North Korea’s chronic food shortages worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and speculation about the country’s food insecurity has flared as its top leaders prepare to discuss the “very important and urgent task” of formulating a correct agricultural policy.
Unconfirmed reports say an unspecified number of North Koreans have been dying of hunger. But experts say there is no sign of mass deaths or famine. They say the upcoming ruling Workers’ Party meeting is likely intended to shore up support for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he pushes ahead with his nuclear weapons program in defiance of intense U.S.-led pressure and sanctions.
“Kim Jong Un can’t advance his nuclear program stably if he fails to resolve the food problem fundamentally because public support would be shaken,” said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul. “The meeting is being convened to solidify internal unity while pulling together ideas to address the food shortage.”
An enlarged plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party is slated for late February. Its specific agenda is unknown, but the party’s powerful Politburo earlier said that a “a turning point is needed to dynamically promote radical change in agricultural development.”
The meeting will be the party’s first plenary session convened just to discuss agricultural issues, though they often are a key topic at broader conferences in North Korea. Raising grain output was one of 12 economic priorities the party adopted during a plenary meeting in December.
It is difficult to know the exact situation in the North, which kept its borders virtually closed during the pandemic. Food shortages and economic hardships have persisted since a famine killed an estimated hundreds of thousands of people in the mid-1990s.
In his first public speech after taking over from his father as leader in late 2011, Kim vowed that North Koreans would “never have to tighten their belts again.”
During the first several years of his rule, the economy achieved modest growth as Kim tolerated some market-oriented activities and increased exports of coal and other minerals to China, the North’s main ally and biggest trading partner. More recently, however, tougher international sanctions over Kim’s nuclear program, draconian pandemic-related restrictions and outright mismanagement have taken a severe economic toll.
South Korean estimates put North Korea’s grain production last year at about 4.5 million tons, a 3.8% decrease from a year earlier. Annual grain output has plateaued at about 4.4 million tons to 4.8 million tons in the past decade.
North Korea needs about 5.5 million tons of grain to feed its 25 million people, so it’s usually short about 1 million tons each year. About half of the gap is typically offset by unofficial grain purchases from China. The rest is an unresolved shortfall, said Kwon Tae-jin, a senior economist at the private GS&J Institute in South Korea.
Kwon says curbs on cross-border trade due to the pandemic have likely hindered unofficial rice purchases from China. Efforts by North Korean authorities to tighten controls and restrict market activities have also worsened the situation, he said.
“I believe this year North Korea is facing its worst food situation since Kim Jong Un took power,” Kwon said.
Koo Byoungsam, a spokesperson at the South Korean Unification Ministry, said that an unknown number of North Koreans have died of hunger, but said the problem is not as serious as the mid-1990s famine, which stemmed from natural disasters, the loss of Soviet assistance and mismanagement.
The current food problem is more an issue of distribution than of an absolute shortage of grain since much of the grain harvested last year has not yet been eaten, ministry officials said. Food insecurity has worsened as authorities tightened controls over private grain sales in markets, instead trying to confine the grain trade to state-run facilities.
Severe steps taken by the Kim government to contain the pandemic provided effective tools for imposing a tighter grip on the kinds of market activity that earlier helped foster stronger economic growth but might eventually erode the government’s authoritarian rule, analysts say.
Kwon said current food shortages are unlikely to cause mass deaths because food is still available in markets, though at high prices. During the famine in the mid-1990s, grain was hard to come by, he said.
North Korea monitoring groups have reported increases in the prices of rice and corn — the two most important staples — though the price of corn has stabilized recently in some regions.
“If North Korea indeed sees people dying of hunger and faces a chaos, it won’t publicly say things like ‘a very important and urgent task’ for an agricultural policy,” said Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea.
The North’s plenary meeting is “typical propaganda” meant to show Kim is working to improve living conditions and comes at a time when the leadership needs new fodder to burnish his image, on top of the nuclear program and assertions of a victory over the pandemic, Ahn said.
During the plenary meeting, Kwon said that leaders will likely pressure local farm officials to raise grain output without presenting any effective solutions for the food crisis. Targets will be set and officials may be punished for failing to meet them if food shortages worsen, Ahn said.
Yi Jisun, an analyst at the state-run Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul, said in a report in January that North Korea recently imported large amounts of rice and flour from China, though it is unlikely to accept food assistance from the United States, South Korea and Japan.
While declaring that food problems must be improved at any cost, the state-run media in the North have continued to tout its longstanding policy of “self-reliance,” a strategy that shuns Western help.
“The assistance by imperialists is a trap for plundering and subjugation meant to wrest 100 things after giving one,” the North’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary Wednesday. “Building up the economy by receiving this ‘poisoned candy’ would be a mistake.” | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/ap-n-korea-food-shortage-worsens-amid-covid-but-no-famine-yet/ | 2023-02-25 20:54:37 | 0 | https://www.yourbasin.com/news/ap-n-korea-food-shortage-worsens-amid-covid-but-no-famine-yet/ |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/11/28/ap-top-sports-news-at-150-p-m-est-3/ | 2022-11-28 19:19:38 | 0 | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/11/28/ap-top-sports-news-at-150-p-m-est-3/ |
China is escalating tensions with the U.S. after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan this week, but the White House will not be deterred in defending its interests in the Western Pacific, according to the President's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
It has been a busy few days for Sullivan as President Joe Biden navigates complex issues on multiple fronts.
Alongside Pelosi's trip, there is the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the U.S. drone strike that took out al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul.
Sullivan sits down with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly to discuss the past week and how the administration plans to address each issue.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Interview highlights
On whether everyone at the White House is breathing a sigh of relief since Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan
Well, the Chinese have announced that they are going to conduct a series of military activities around Taiwan over the course of the next few days, and that will raise tensions across the strait. It will create risks and challenges, we think unnecessarily. And so what we are hopeful for is that the PRC acts responsibly and avoids the kind of escalation that could lead to a mistake or miscalculation in the air or on the seas. That is the message that we're sending to China. That's the message we're also coordinating with our friends in Taiwan.
On how risky this situation appears
Look, whenever a military engages in a series of activities that include the possibility of missile tests, of live fire exercises, of fighter jets buzzing around the skies and ships moving around on the seas, the possibility of some kind of incident is real. And we believe that what China is doing here is not responsible. We believe that it is escalating tensions unnecessarily. And this is particularly so because what the speaker did in visiting Taiwan is not unprecedented, it is not threatening to China, it is not out of the historical norm.
Members of Congress travel there all the time, and a speaker of the House has previously traveled there as well. So what we don't want to see is China trying to twist this into a crisis or use this as a pretext to take the kind of military activity that will ultimately destabilize the Taiwan Strait.
On whether some good can come from the visit, and the U.S. signaling to China that it won't back down
Look, from the U.S. government's perspective, from the Biden Administration's perspective, what's most important are the set of actions we take, the substance. And that includes what we do to support Taiwan's self-defense, that includes how we work with our allies and partners on initiatives like AUKUS — the nuclear submarine initiative we have with the UK and Australia — it matters what our force posture is in the region, and it matters the extent to which we are communicating to China that we are going to stand up for our interests.
Whether a particular visit sends the kind of message you're describing, I'll let others make that determination. From our perspective, the most important thing for us to do is through diplomatic, economic and military policy, substance. We communicate quite clearly to China that we are going to defend our interests and our values in the Western Pacific.
On what comes next, and whether the U.S. watches the military drills play out and see what happens
The most important thing for us to communicate is a clear and steady message, both publicly and privately to China, that we are not going to be deterred or coerced from operating as we operate in the Western Pacific. And China needs to understand that. We are not looking to escalate, but we are also not going to be deterred.
On whether the U.S. will get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that
Well, our policy has not changed. It is rooted in the One China policy informed by the Three Joint Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances.
The president himself has said the policy has not changed. The president is the commander in chief. He's the guy who sets the policy and he has said it has not changed. And we have communicated that very directly. He has said that publicly on the record. And to the question of the kind of military contingency you're talking about, it is the entire object and purpose of our approach to ensure that that never happens, that it never comes to that. And that is what we are going to keep working to ensure.
On whether it was a CIA drone that killed al-Qaida leader al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan, and where it flew in from
All I will say is that our counterterrorism professionals and our intelligence professionals played a central role in carrying out this successful operation at the president's direction, and he credited them in the public remarks he made for their incredible skill and capacity in pulling this thing off.
I'm not going to get into those kinds of operational details [on where the drone flew in from]. I think it's important that we be able to preserve the space to continue to operate effectively, to demonstrate, as the president promised the American people a year ago, that we would maintain the ability to take out terrorists even without thousands of American forces on the ground. We did that once, we're prepared to do it again.
On whether there was any dissent among top advisors on carrying out the strike
No. There was unanimous support among his senior national security team to take this action at the point in time when the intelligence community briefed the president that they had high confidence that this was al-Zawahiri and that they could do it in a way that they felt would not result in civilian casualties.
On what al-Zawahiri's presence in downtown Kabul says about what the U.S. achieved during the 20-year war in Afghanistan
Well, actually the record, when it comes to our disruption of the al-Qaida network and its capacity to threaten America and Americans, is a record of significant success. Our ability to ensure, over the course of decades, that the kinds of complex plots that led to the embassy bombings in Nairobi and in Tanzania in 1998, that led to the USS Cole in 2000, and then of course to 9/11 in 2001, that we have not seen those kind of plots over the course of the past two decades be carried out against the U.S. homeland — that is a record of significant success.
What I would tell you is that Ayman al-Zawahiri became the emir of al-Qaida in 2011 when Osama bin Laden was taken off the battlefield. That was more than a decade ago. For a decade, American men and women fought and died in Afghanistan and Zawahiri was alive and running al-Qaida. Joe Biden took the United States out of Afghanistan so that in the year 2022 not one American soldier died in Afghanistan. And Ayman al-Zawahiri is dead. I would call that a pretty effective policy.
On whether there is a scenario in which the Taliban didn't know he was there
We believe that senior members of the Haqqani network, who are now part of the Taliban entity running the government in Kabul, that they knew. We also believe that there were other senior Taliban officials who did not know. And in fact, you know, we will now watch to see the extent to which this raises questions within the organization of the Taliban about the wisdom of having al-Zawahiri come back into Kabul.
On if he's watching for possible fractures or divisions in the Taliban
Yeah, I don't want to go so far as to say fracture. But, you know, certainly this is going to raise some eyebrows, we believe, within the leadership.
On how encouraged we should be by the first grain ship to depart Ukraine since Russia invaded
Well, we should be encouraged because it does mean that the possibility of substantial amounts of wheat and corn and other grains getting out of Ukraine is a real possibility. But we should also be cautious, because there is every reason to believe the Russians are going to make this as difficult as possible and that they are going to continue to find ways to disrupt the flow of grain to the world market. And so we think that the international community has to maintain a substantial amount of pressure on Moscow not to enforce a blockade, not to throw up obstacles to the flow of that grain, because it is so important to feed the world, to keep prices down and to ensure that there's not hunger and famine in Africa in Southeast Asia and other places.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a triumph, but I would say this is a good step forward. It should be built on and there should be many steps that follow what, for our part, the United States is trying to do to ensure that these ships coming in and out can have the insurance they need, that there is no challenges with them being able to get the grain to the world market. And we're going to keep doing our part to get as many of those ships in and out of there as we possibly can.
On whether there is mistrust between the White House and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
You just have to listen to President Biden when he talks about Presidents Zelenskyy. He openly admires president Zelenskyy, admires his courage, his bravery, his skill, his stewardship of a country at a time of absolute crisis. The two of them talk regularly. They have incredibly constructive and effective communication. And then at all levels of the government we are deeply engaged. And so this is a very strong partnership between the Biden administration and the Zelenskyy administration, and it is because of that partnership that we have been able to effectively provide them with the military, economic and humanitarian support that they need, and we're going to keep doing it.
For the record, I believe that Ukraine's leadership is leading a country in an incredibly effective and brave way against the onslaught of an invading neighbor and doing so defying all expectations about what they would be able to hold together and stand up against. And it's been an incredibly impressive thing to watch.
On where he would put the chances of there still being an active war in Ukraine in six months
I'm not going to make predictions about six months from now, because I think most of us wouldn't have predicted we'd be where we are today six months ago. We did accurately predict that Russia would invade, but how exactly that invasion would unfold is subject to so many variables and that's true for the six months that lie ahead of us. What I will say is this: Russia could end this war tomorrow if they simply withdrew from the territory that they have tried to conquer by force, which is against every precept of international law. And so Putin could end this thing very rapidly. Our job as the United States is to put Ukraine in the best possible position on the battlefield so that it will end up in the best possible position at the negotiating table. When can we get serious negotiations going? That is an open question, because at the moment it does not seem the Russians are serious about the kind of diplomacy that actually could bring about an end to this conflict.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.apr.org/politics-government/2022-08-03/bidens-national-security-advisor-doubles-down-on-taiwan-policy-after-pelosi-visit | 2022-08-03 21:56:19 | 0 | https://www.apr.org/politics-government/2022-08-03/bidens-national-security-advisor-doubles-down-on-taiwan-policy-after-pelosi-visit |
Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak took the Emmys stage together on Monday, presenting the award for Writing in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie and joking about their notoriously "complicated" co-star relationship.
"To all the nominees, we just want to say congratulations you lazy sons of b***hes. How are you getting away with this?" Kaling joked.
"Eight episodes?" Novak elaborated.
The longtime friends went on to say that they came up during network sitcoms, which often involved far more episodes than today's streaming platforms.
"No time for social life. You had no choice but to form insanely complicated relationships with your co-stars," Kaling said. The joke was seemingly a reference to her close friendship with Novak, which fans often speculate is actually a secret romance.
Publicly, Novak is the godparent to both of Kaling's children, but fans went so far as to start an online rumor that he is also the biological father.
"It doesn't bother me," Kaling told Marie Claire of the speculation earlier this year. "So far [the rumors haven't] affected my happiness at all, it hasn't affected my kids or B.J. ... If that's what is going to be titillating to people, I'll take it."
RELATED CONTENT: | https://www.kvue.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/mindy-kaling-and-bj-novak-joke-about-complicated-relationships-while-presenting-together-at-emmy-awards/603-740eb26f-f08d-4689-8b25-e6b617f5ac79 | 2022-09-13 12:24:15 | 0 | https://www.kvue.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/mindy-kaling-and-bj-novak-joke-about-complicated-relationships-while-presenting-together-at-emmy-awards/603-740eb26f-f08d-4689-8b25-e6b617f5ac79 |
WASHINGTON — A Florida man has been sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison for attacking police officers during the insurrection and storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Christian Matthew Manley, 27, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in the District of Columbia, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in November to assaulting, resisting and impeding law enforcement while using a dangerous weapon.
According to court documents, Manley joined with others in objecting to Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over then-President Donald Trump. A mob stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying election results for Biden over Trump, a Republican, authorities have said. Five people died in the violence.
According to the criminal complaint, Manley was captured on video outside the Capitol wearing a flak jacket and armed with bear spray, a collapsible police baton and handcuffs. Video shows Manley spraying bear spray at U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers as they defended an entrance from rioters.
Manley threw the empty bear spray container at officers, then sprayed a second cannister at officers before throwing it at them, prosecutors said. A short time later, Manley accepted a metal rod from another rioter and threw it at the officers, investigators said. They added that Manley also wedged his body against a wall in a tunnel and used force to push the security door against officers defending the Capitol.
Since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for alleged crimes related to the Capitol breach, officials said. More than 320 people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/regional/florida/florida-man-prison-capitol-attack/67-46f03637-82db-45e3-b3c3-75e9c6592f9f | 2023-04-26 21:06:29 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/regional/florida/florida-man-prison-capitol-attack/67-46f03637-82db-45e3-b3c3-75e9c6592f9f |
Additions include real estate co-ownership platform Pacaso, home improvement solution Curbio, and T-Mobile
DENVER, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RE/MAX, LLC, one of the world's leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, today announced the addition of eight companies to the RE/MAX Approved Supplier program. Through the program, RE/MAX Affiliates in the U.S. and Canada have access to a curated group of vendors offering products and services for virtually every real estate need. All services and materials are available for purchase directly through the online portal, RE/MAX Marketplace, and are often offered at RE/MAX negotiated rates.
New members of the RE/MAX Approved Supplier program include:
AccountTECH: AccountTECH has one of the most technologically advanced and efficient back-office software solutions designed to address the specific needs of brokerages. It is a secure data hub for accounting, processing transactions, organizing agents, and managing all users' companies or franchises on a unified platform.
Curbio: Curbio was founded in 2017 to transform the multi-billion-dollar home improvement industry and has quickly become the nation's leading pay-at-closing home improvement solution. Curbio's tech-powered approach to home improvement has transformed the process of getting homes move-in ready. Curbio is trusted by thousands of Realtors® and brokerages nationwide, and has been continuously recognized for its exemplary solution, receiving nods in HousingWire, Qualified Remodeler and Comparably, to name a few.
Dilawri Group of Companies: Dilawri Group of Companies is Canada's largest automotive group with 75 franchised dealerships representing 35 automotive brands in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. Privately owned and operated by the Dilawri family since 1985, the company continues to expand, building on its history of excellence in the automotive industry. With more than 3,000 employees, Dilawri is proud to offer exceptional products and services in every dealership.
homegenius: homegenius Inc., a subsidiary of Radian Group Inc., and its family of companies combine an array of title, real estate and technology products and services into a full-service ecosystem. homegenius offers streamlined processes from search to close, enabling mortgage lenders, mortgage and real estate investors, consumers, GSEs, and real estate brokers and agents to benefit from integrated and personalized solutions powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Loft47: Founded in 2015, Loft47 revolutionized commission management for real estate brokerages and teams by introducing a lightweight, intuitive and mobile commission accounting platform.
Specialization in workflow automation allows clients to apply complex commission plans for agents while Loft47 automatically completes sophisticated accounting entries behind the scenes. The core platform leverages integrations with best-in-class tools so any team can build a complete and connected back office system.
Pacaso: Pacaso® is a technology-enabled marketplace that modernizes real estate co-ownership to make owning a second home possible and enjoyable for more people. Pacaso curates luxury listings with premium amenities and high-end contemporary interior design, offering ⅛ to ½ ownership with integrated financing. After purchase, Pacaso professionally manages the home and supports seamless resale.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile U.S. Inc. is America's supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile's customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, and unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience.
We Insure: We Insure is a national insurance agency franchise disrupting the industry with an innovative business model focused on customer experience and exceptional agent support. We Insure offers unprecedented access to carriers and complete operational, IT, service and marketing support to its franchise owners in the U.S.
Many of the companies in the RE/MAX Approved Supplier program offer exclusive discounts to RE/MAX agents. With everything from yard signs to clothing to technology, these companies provide powerful tools to help RE/MAX agents run a successful business.
To learn more about becoming a RE/MAX Approved Supplier, email approvedsupplier@remax.com.
About the RE/MAX Network
As one of the leading global real estate franchisors, RE/MAX, LLC is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings (NYSE: RMAX) with more than 140,000 agents in almost 9,000 offices and a presence in more than 110 countries and territories. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by residential transaction sides. RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. RE/MAX agents have lived, worked and served in their local communities for decades, raising millions of dollars every year for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® and other charities. To learn more about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com. For the latest news about RE/MAX, please visit news.remax.com.
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SOURCE RE/MAX, LLC | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/remax-delivers-new-savings-offerings-affiliates-with-addition-8-approved-suppliers-vendors/ | 2022-08-03 13:51:01 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/remax-delivers-new-savings-offerings-affiliates-with-addition-8-approved-suppliers-vendors/ |
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Brett Antolick threw a no-hitter and Richie Rossi knocked in the game’s only run in the first inning as Hazleton Area edged Wyoming Valley West 1-0 Tuesday in Wyoming Valley Conference baseball.
Antolick, a Texas A&M recruit, struck out 11 and walked none. He threw only 79 pitches. The only Spartan to reach base was Luke Buss, who was hit by a pitch.
Rossi singled in Grant Russo.
Valley West’s Mason Sgarlat also pitched a strong game, striking out six and limiting Hazleton Area to three hits over six innings.
SOFTBALL
Hanover Area 14, Wyoming Seminary 11
Hanover Area erased a seven-run deficit by scoring eight times in the fourth inning to defeat Wyoming Seminary.
Madison Elick had a double, two singles and two RBI for Hanover Area. Lea Benattia was 2-for-2 with four RBI. Lydia Chafin tripled, singled, drove in two runs and scored three times. Brenna Slusser was 3-for-5.
Eden Ritondo was 3-for-5 with a triple, double and three RBI for Seminary. Cassidy Skoronski tripled and singled. Rosey Kelly had two RBI.
Hazleton Area 20, Berwick 5
Berwick scored four times in the top of the first, but Hazleton Area responded with 14 runs in the bottom of the inning in a game ended after three innings due to the 15-run rule.
Makenna Balay was 4-for-4 with a homer and seven RBI to lead the Hazleton Area offense. Kelsie Peters was 4-for-4 with a double and four runs scored. Kayla Lagowy homered and had two RBI. Madison Forsythe was 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI.
Brooke Siegel was 2-for-2 with a double for Berwick.
Holy Redeemer 19, Nanticoke Area 0
Anne Carter, Payton Parker, Olivia Paulukonis, Kendra Santuk and Bella Boylan all hit home runs as Holy Redeemer won in three innings via the 15-run rule.
The Royals scored eight times in the second inning and added 11 runs in the third.
Boylan finished with five RBI while Santuk had four. Parker and Paulukonis added three each.
Lilli Nice had two hits and Shaylee Heffron doubled for Nanticoke Area.
BASEBALL
Hazleton Area 1, Wyoming Valley West 0
WVW`AB`R`H`BI
Lupohovsky ss`3`0`0`0
Sgarlat p`3`0`0`0
Buss 1b`2`0`0`0
Gorham 2b`3`0`0`0
Escalante 3b`2`0`0`0
Mattello lf`2`0`0`0
Kern c`0`0`0`0
Klosko dh`2`0`0`0
Klem rf`1`0`0`0
No. 15 rf`1`0`0`0
Dubaskas cf`2`0`0`0
Totals`21`0`0`0
Hazleton Area`AB`R`H`BI
Russo ss`2`1`0`0
Rossi cf`2`0`1`1
Antolick p`2`0`1`0
Marino lf`3`0`0`0
Ledger 1b`3`0`0`0
Halcisak rf`1`0`1`0
Delacruz c`2`0`0`0
Gonzalez 3b`1`0`0`0
Guzman`1`0`0`0
Martoccio 2b`2`0`0`0
Totals`19`1`3`1
Wyo. Valley West`000`000`0 — 0
Hazleton Area`100`000`x — 1
WVW`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Sgarlat (L)`6`3`1`1`3`6
Hazleton Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Antolick (W)`7`0`0`0`0`11
SOFTBALL
Hanover Area 14, Wyoming Seminary 11
Seminary`AB`R`H`BI
Ritondo ss-p`5`3`3`3
Fasula rf`2`2`0`0
Skoronski c`5`1`2`1
Kelly p-ss`3`0`1`2
not available ss`2`1`1`0
Richardson lf`2`1`0`0
Finlay 1b`3`0`0`0
Broco 2b`3`1`1`0
Deleon 3b`3`2`1`1
Wright cf`4`0`0`0
Totals`32`11`9`7
Hanover Area`AB`R`H`BI
Malacarne ss`5`1`1`0
Slusser cf`5`1`3`0
Chafin 2b`4`3`2`2
Elick 1b-p`4`2`3`2
Murphy 3b`1`2`0`0
Vigorito p-c`4`1`1`1
Shreve lf`4`1`1`0
Piscotty`3`1`1`1
Benattia rf`2`2`2`4
Totals`32`14`14`10
Wyo. Seminary`060`201`2 — 11
Hanover Area`010`823`x — 14
2B — Ritondo, Skoronski, Slusser, Elick. 3B — Ritondo, Chafin.
Seminary`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Kelly`1.2`2`1`1`2`2
Ritondo (L)`4.1`12`13`12`7`5
Hanover Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Vigorito`4.0`6`8`1`4`5
Elick (W)`3.0`3`3`1`4`2
Hazleton Area 20, Berwick 5 (3 inn.)
Berwick`AB`R`H`BI
Lewis ss`2`1`1`0
B.Siegel lf`2`1`2`0
Caladie c`2`1`1`1
Yankowsky 3b`2`1`1`0
Rauch p`2`1`1`1
Savoy 1b`2`0`1`1
Arce rf`2`0`1`1
Hunter 2b`2`0`0`1
Carro cf`1`0`0`0
Totals`17`5`8`5
Hazleton Area`AB`R`H`BI
Peters c`4`4`4`1
Daniels 3b`3`2`1`1
Forsythe ss`3`3`3`3
Balay 1b`4`2`4`7
Williams p`2`2`0`0
Hoffman lf`1`1`1`2
Swiech`1`0`0`0
Lagowy 2b`3`2`1`2
Klesh rf`2`1`1`1
VanBlargan`0`1`0`0
Seiwell cf`1`2`1`1
Tito`1`0`0`0
Totals`25`20`16`18
Berwick` ` `410 — 5
Hazleton Area` ` `(14)24 — 20
2B — B.Siegel, Forsythe 2, Peters. 3B — Hoffman. HR — Lagowy, Balay.
Berwick`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
M.Siegel (L)`0.2`10`13`3`2`0
Rauch`2.0`6`7`7`4`3
Hazleton Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Williams (W)`3`8`5`5`0`2
Holy Redeemer 19, Nanticoke Area 0 (3 inn.)
Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Santuk`4`3`2`4
Whitman`4`1`1`1
Paulukonis`2`2`2`3
Williams`3`1`2`0
Parker`3`3`3`3
Pecuch`2`1`0`0
Carter`2`3`2`1
Haden`2`3`1`0
Boylan`3`2`2`5
Totals`25`19`15`17
Nanticoke Area`AB`R`H`BI
Shotwell`2`0`0`0
Clark`2`0`1`0
Nice`2`0`2`0
Heffron`2`0`1`0
Eisenhauer`1`0`0`0
Johnson`1`0`0`0
Smith`1`0`0`0
Emel`1`0`0`0
Reed`1`0`0`0
Stratton`0`0`0`0
Totals`13`0`4`0
Holy Redeemer` ` `08(11) – 19
Nanticoke Area` ` `000 – 0
2B — Parker, Santuk. 3B – Williams. HR – Carter, Parker, Paulukonis, Santuk, Boylan
Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Carter (W)`2.2`4`0`0`0`4
Nanticoke`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Nice (L)`3`15`19`3`3`2 | https://www.timesleader.com/sports/1606150/h-s-baseball-softball-texas-am-recruit-antolick-no-hits-wyoming-valley-west | 2023-04-19 05:11:28 | 1 | https://www.timesleader.com/sports/1606150/h-s-baseball-softball-texas-am-recruit-antolick-no-hits-wyoming-valley-west |
MONTREAL, July 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - CMC Electronics (CMC) is pleased to announce that Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has awarded a new contract to CMC for the modernization of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) fleet of KA-1 trainer aircraft used for advanced mission training and light attack missions.
KAI was looking for a best-in-class cockpit upgrade to renew their products and provide ROKAF's KA-1 fleet with more modern avionics with room for growth. Drawing from a long and fruitful business relationship, CMC worked closely with KAI to meet their request and proposed its state-of-the-art mission computer-based cockpit built on the PU-3000, the world's first certified multicore mission computer. The PU-3000 and its partitioned, embedded, software applications offer a flexible solution to integrate several conventional multifunctional displays (MFDs) or a single large area display (LAD) configuration as used in the KA-1 solution. The PU-3000 software development kit also allows KAI to develop specific proprietary mission applications on their own.
"This new contract is a timely and strategic development for all parties involved. We believe that the upgraded KA-1 platform with a PU-3000 driven LAD interface will both increase aircraft availability and better prepare ROKAF pilots for their future modernized frontline fleet of KF-X fighters." commented Mr. Brad Nolen, Vice President, Sales and Marketing at CMC Electronics.
Mr. Jae Min Park, Deputy Senior Manager, Aircraft Procurement team, added: "KAI is confident that the KA-1 avionics upgrade program will be successfully completed in a timely manner adding vastly improved system performance and capabilities to the KA-1 aircraft."
CMC's solution allows KAI's trainer to emulate the advanced avionics of today's cutting-edge fighter aircraft. The system employs the latest in cockpit management technology, resulting in better and more rapidly trained pilots at a far lower cost than conventional training.
The PU-3000 avionics computer is the world's first civil certified multicore mission computer. It can host multiple avionics applications reducing equipment count and integration costs. Modular by design, it can be used as a common computing platform able to host a large variety of functions into a single unit and is capable of driving multiple screen sizes with the redundancy needed for flight critical functions.
CMC Electronics (www.cmcelectronics.ca) has achieved an international reputation for innovation and excellence in the design and manufacture of innovative cockpit systems integration, avionics, display solutions and high-performance microelectronics for the military and commercial aviation markets. Based in Montreal, Canada, the company also has facilities in the USA serving its customers worldwide.
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SOURCE CMC Electronics | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/cmc-electronics-wins-contract-with-kai/ | 2022-07-11 08:33:13 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/11/cmc-electronics-wins-contract-with-kai/ |
Cooking can be fun, but what isn’t is the cleanup afterward. If you want to spend more time enjoying the delicious meals you make instead of washing dishes, consider adding a divided pan to your kitchen utensils.
A divided pan not only decreases how much cookware you use, but it’s also a time saver that lets you cook multiple foods simultaneously. Divided pans are hardly a new invention, but if you’re shopping for your first one, there are a few key things to consider.
In this article: Carote Egg Pan Omelette Pan, Eslite Life 11-Inch Divided Pan and Nordic Ware 2-in-1 Divided 2.5-Quart Saucepan
Should you get a divided pan?
Divided pans are best for those looking to cook several foods simultaneously. You can certainly use every compartment of a divided pan for cooking one type of food, but they’re intended to cook smaller portions of different foods. Some prefer having a complete set of cookware available to craft their dishes. However, a complete set of cookware is unnecessary for making straightforward meals and reheating leftovers.
A divided pan is a time saver and minimizes the need for storage space. It also means you’ll often only have to clean one pan instead of several when you make meals consisting of multiple courses or side dishes.
Size
Naturally, the bigger the pan, the more food you can cook. However, you can get by with a compact pan if you usually cook for yourself and maybe one other person. A smaller pan is also suitable for those with limited storage space for kitchen utensils.
The size of a divided pan is indicated by its diameter, the same as a traditional pan. The smallest pans are around 9 to 10 inches, with some as big as 13 to 14 inches.
Depth and capacity
A divided pan’s depth and capacity determine the type of food you can make. If you’re a sauce connoisseur and want to make multiple sauces simultaneously, you’ll want a pan with a depth of at least two inches, and the more sauces you want to make, the larger the capacity should be.
Nonstick
Nonstick pans are the standard, so you’ll want a divided pan with a nonstick surface. Many pans have a nonstick coating, and while some people are concerned about potentially harmful toxins released when they heat up, they’re deemed safe by safety governing bodies. However, if you’re concerned, you can get a cast aluminum or iron skillet with a smooth surface.
Compartments
Some pans are split right down the middle, letting you cook average-size portions of two different foods, but if you want more versatility, some have more smaller compartments. If you’re a breakfast lover, you can find a pan with up to eight slots for making eggs or mini pancakes.
Cool-touch handles
Safety is important in the kitchen, so it’s best to get a divided pan with handles that don’t overheat on the stove. Some pans have handles made of Bakelite, a synthetic heat-resistant plastic that can also prevent rusting and corrosion.
Best divided pans
Nordic Ware 3-in-1 Divided Saute Pan
This pan has a 1.5-quart capacity and is made with durable aluminum and stainless steel. It has a surface with a nonstick coating and a cool-touch handle that’s safe to use even while food is cooking.
Sold by Wayfair
Anolon Advanced Home 12.5-Inch Divided Grill and Griddle Skillet
Those looking for a versatile divided pan that can be used in the oven will love this skillet. The sapphire-reinforced surface is 16 times more durable than standard nonstick coatings, and the hard-anodized aluminum ensures even heating.
Sold by Amazon
Techef Frittata and Omelette Pan
This divided folding pan has a surface coated with safe New Teflon Select material, and the depth allows for easy omelette flipping. The double-riveted handles stay cool on the stovetop and are oven-safe up to 450 degrees.
Sold by Amazon
Eslite Life 11-Inch Divided Pan
Those looking for a durable, break-resistant divided pan for cooking their favorite meals will appreciate this 11-inch grill. Its magnetized base facilitates heat transfer and even cooking, and a heat-resistant Bakelite handle makes it safe to use at all times.
Sold by Amazon
Nordic Ware 2-in-1 Divided 2.5-Quart Saucepan
If you’re looking to make delicious sauces alongside your favorite foods without making a mess in your kitchen, this saucepan will not disappoint. The 2.5-quart capacity makes it ideal for making sauces, and the stackable design offers easy storage.
Sold by Wayfair
Lava Enameled Cast-Iron Skillet 8-Inch Divided Dish
This compact divided pan is ideal for those with limited storage space for their kitchen utensils. Its dual handles make it easy to carry, and the cast-iron build is perfect for those who want to avoid potentially harmful nonstick coatings.
Sold by Wayfair
This pan has a four-cup design that lets you cook four different foods simultaneously with even heat distribution. It heats up faster than other nonstick pans, and the rivetless interior makes it easy to clean and prevents food from sticking.
Sold by Amazon
Nordic Ware Zoo Friends Pancake Pan
This specialty pan is perfect for making a batch of mini pancakes and is a fun way for kids to help you make breakfast. The nonstick surface makes it easy to flip flapjacks, and each compartment has an animal mold for fun pancake designs.
Sold by Amazon
This versatile divided frying pan lets you cook up to four eggs simultaneously. It has a nonstick, stain-resistant surface and a safe stay-cool Bakelite handle that also fights corrosion and rust. Plus, you can cook burgers, bacon and small steaks.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wowktv.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/cookware-br/10-divided-pans-that-will-make-your-life-a-whole-lot-easier/ | 2023-04-08 20:06:17 | 0 | https://www.wowktv.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/cookware-br/10-divided-pans-that-will-make-your-life-a-whole-lot-easier/ |
CENTENNIAL, Colo., Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AlloSource®, one of the largest allograft providers in the U.S., today announced it was awarded a multi-year contract by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contract supports establishment of substantial inventories of donated skin for treatment of patients with burn injuries after mass casualty emergencies.
"AlloSource has been a longtime leader in manufacturing and supplying skin allografts to help surgeons heal patients from burns, which is one of the many incredible ways we are able to honor tissue donors," said Kevin Whitten, AlloSource Chief Commercial Officer. "It's a privilege to be selected to support the U.S. government in their emergency preparedness efforts."
For decades, skin allografts have played a vital role in the physical healing process of burn survivors. BARDA's agreement with AlloSource was awarded under the authorities of the Project BioShield Act of 2004, accelerating the research, development, purchase, and availability of effective medical countermeasures against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. The agreement includes the option to add funding in future years to increase or maintain the level of preparedness.
Over the next five years, AlloSource will build and manage the inventory of skin allografts, commercially branded as PureSkin™, for patient treatment in the event of mass casualty emergencies involving burns from chemicals, nuclear or radiological incidents, or explosions. Inventory management will include the rotation of skin for ongoing use in burn centers. This project is being supported in whole with federal funds from the Department of HHS; ASPR; and BARDA, under Contract No. 75A50122C00045.
In addition to supplying BARDA with PureSkin allografts, AlloSource will continue to offer skin allografts in multiple sizes and meshing formats to its surgeon customers. As a biologically active dermal allograft for burns, with proven cell viability and native growth factor retention to support the body's healing process1, PureSkin is an important part of treating patients. For more information on AlloSource's entire portfolio of PureSkin allografts please visit AlloSource's website.
AlloSource is one of the largest human tissue providers, honoring tissue donors by creating innovative dermal, cartilage, tendon, fascia, bone, amniotic, and living cellular allografts to help heal patients. Since 1994, the nonprofit organization has continued to advance its allografts to improve patient outcomes, serving as a trusted tissue partner to the medical community. AlloSource is registered with the FDA as a tissue establishment and accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks. For more information, please visit allosource.org.
1. Data on file
Media Contact
Colton Ostrander
AlloSource
720. 317. 2936
costrander@allosource.org
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SOURCE AlloSource | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/12/allosource-announces-award-us-government-supply-allograft-skin-crisis-preparedness-event-mass-casualty-burn-incidents/ | 2022-10-12 16:45:51 | 0 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/12/allosource-announces-award-us-government-supply-allograft-skin-crisis-preparedness-event-mass-casualty-burn-incidents/ |
BEIJING , Aug. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NaaS Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: NAAS, "NaaS" or "the Company"), a leading electric vehicle (EV) charging service provider in China, and Tunghsu Group, recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement whereby both parties will begin comprehensive cooperation on the construction, operation and maintenance of charging stations, as well as supplying non-charging services to new energy vehicles.
Senior executives from both companies attended the ceremony, including Wang Chunxiang, Vice President of Newlink Group, Jiang Yi, Vice President of Operations, NaaS, Gao Chao, Executive Vice President of Tunghsu Group and Liu Guowei, Vice President of Tunghsu Group.
Gao Chao, Executive Vice President of Tunghsu Group , extended a warm welcome to the C-level guests from NaaS Technology Inc. Mr. Gao said, "Tunghsu Group has advantages in technology, talent and in its industry in the areas of semiconductor optoelectronic display materials and cutting-edge advanced materials, and has been committed to independently innovating in core equipment and materials in the related industries. Tunghsu Group has repeatedly broken up international monopolies and reduced the limits on China's key developing industries. The cooperation between our two companies, leaders in our respective industries would expedite the growth and facilitate the overall development of our businesses."
Wang Chunxiang, Vice President of Newlink, also expressed his agreement with the development strategy, the vision for both enterprises, the innovation of new technologies and the potential market applications for Tunghsu Group. "Newlink Group has continuously focused on the Internet of Things, new retail and other fields of new energy for many years now, and has established multiple business lines such as Tuanyou, NaaS, Newlink Enterprise Service, Nengcheng Technology (logistics), and Newlink Retail." He said, "This partnership will enable both companies to jointly help realize China's Dual Carbon goals, creating a better future for everyone in process."
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAC), sales of new energy vehicles in China totaled 2.6 million for the first half of this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.2 times, accounting for 21.6 percent of the market, and is expected to exceed 5 million by the end of the year. The rapid increase in sales and inventory has resulted in a greater need to build new energy vehicle charging infrastructure, and has driven the rapid development of the charging industry. Data from the National Energy Administration shows that 1.3 million new charging piles were built in the first half of this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.8 times. Currently, both central and local governments are constantly developing new energy policies, which are being included in the seven key areas of their "new infrastructure construction" plan.
Tunghsu Group is a large high-tech group with businesses covering semiconductor optoelectronic display materials, high-end equipment manufacturing, environmentally friendly new energy, new energy vehicles and cutting-edge advanced materials, and has accumulated profound technological know-how, developing a strong presence in new energy vehicles, photovoltaic, energy storage, charging stations and other fields related to China's "Dual Carbon" goals. Tunghsu Group has been awarded the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (First Class and Second Class), "Chinese Patent Gold Award" and the title of "Manufacturing Individual Champion Demonstration Enterprise."
As a leader in both the domestic production of core display materials and China's new materials industry, Tunghsu Group is committed to consistently improving its capacity for independent innovation in its core technologies, and to complement, extend and strengthen Tunghsu Group's multiple industry value chains to ensure that each industry value chain is self-supporting, and thereby contribute to the overall high-quality development of China's national industry.
NaaS Technology Inc. has integrated participants throughout the EV charging industry value chain, including charger manufacturers, operators and OEMs, improving the operational efficiency of all parties in the process through both online and offline charging and non-charging solutions. For commercial clients, NaaS helps operators to attract users with charger connectivity and traffic support. At the same time, NaaS provides one-stop solutions for charging station development to help reduce construction, operation and maintenance costs for charging stations. NaaS also provides professional operations management, and help improve charging station profitability by adding non-charging services such as car wash service and ancillary products.
As of June 30, 2022, NaaS operates in 358 cities across China and has connected to more than 400,000 chargers and 44,000 charging stations. On June 13, NaaS was officially listed on NASDAQ with the stock code "NAAS".
Industry experts say that the strategic cooperation between the two parties will promote the organic integration of the upstream and downstream portions of China's new energy charging industry value chain, facilitate the development of innovative cooperation models in the charging ecosystem, and build a more intelligent charging network. An important sector for achieving China's "Dual Carbon" goals, the new energy charging industry is now in a critical period of development. This cooperation is of great importance for promoting the development of the industry and for creating a new energy ecosystem in China. It will further advance China's new energy industry and contribute to achieving China's "Dual Carbon" goals through the respective strengths of both companies.
About NaaS Technology Inc.
NaaS Technology Inc. is one of the largest and fastest growing electric vehicle charging service providers in China. The firm is a subsidiary of NewLink, a leading energy digitalization group in China. NaaS offers a comprehensive one-stop shop to charger manufacturers and operators, OEMs, in-house delivery fleets as well as fleet operators, with online, offline, and non-electric services covering the entire EV industry value chain. As of June 30, 2022, NaaS operates in 358 cities across China and has connected to more than 400,000 chargers and 44,000 charging stations. On June 13, 2022, NaaS Technology Inc. was officially listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker NAAS.
For more information, please visit NaaS Technology Inc.
Media Contact
E-mail: pr@enaas.com
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SOURCE NAAS | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/naas-tunghsu-group-signs-strategic-cooperation-agreement-jointly-drive-towards-realization-chinas-dual-carbon-goals/ | 2022-08-23 12:14:34 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/08/23/naas-tunghsu-group-signs-strategic-cooperation-agreement-jointly-drive-towards-realization-chinas-dual-carbon-goals/ |
For more than a decade, Geoffrey Hinton helped lay the groundwork for the artificial intelligence systems millions of people use today. His research is undoubtedly changing the world — and Hinton wishes he could change it right back.
In an interview with The New York Times published Monday, the 75-year-old said he resigned from Google so that he could speak freely about the looming dangers of the technology he helped create.
"I console myself with the normal excuse: If I hadn't done it, somebody else would have," he said to the publication.
In the NYT today, Cade Metz implies that I left Google so that I could criticize Google. Actually, I left so that I could talk about the dangers of AI without considering how this impacts Google. Google has acted very responsibly.
— Geoffrey Hinton (@geoffreyhinton) May 1, 2023
Hinton, often called the "Godfather of AI," said he had previously thought these systems were "30 to 50 years or even longer away." But with ChatGPT quickly revolutionizing the tech world, and companies like Microsoft and Google racing to control the field, it’s clear the future is already here.
"Look at how it was five years ago and how it is now," he said of AI. "Take the difference and propagate it forwards. That’s scary."
Hinton told the Times his immediate concern is that the average person will "not be able to know what is true anymore." He also said he worries about AI’s effect on the job market and its potential ability to eclipse human intelligence.
"I don’t think they should scale this up more until they have understood whether they can control it," he said.
His comments join a growing number of tech experts, lawmakers and advocacy groups who are trying to crack down on AI, with the Federal Trade Commission saying in April it will hold AI to the same account as other business tools.
In March, more than 1,000 leaders in tech signed an open letter calling for all artificial intelligence labs to pause the most powerful AI training systems for at least six months, saying they "can pose profound risks to society and humanity."
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.lex18.com/godfather-of-ai-quits-google-sounds-alarm-on-scary-tech-future | 2023-05-03 02:39:14 | 1 | https://www.lex18.com/godfather-of-ai-quits-google-sounds-alarm-on-scary-tech-future |
On Thursday, a Food and Drug Administration panel is expected to vote on whether to recommend changes to the COVID-19 vaccine for this fall.
An updated vaccine would include targeting the omicron strain of the virus and would take out antibodies for earlier strains of the virus. The current booster shot intended for those who completed their primary vaccine series got a dose that includes antibodies of the original strain and omicron.
The FDA has stated that COVID-19 vaccines will likely be treated like flu shots, with the general public being encouraged to get vaccinated every year. Flu shots are also updated annually to better match various virus strains actively circulating.
The panel will decide whether to include three separate lineages of the omicron variant: XBB 1.5, XBB 1.16 and XBB 2.3.
SEE MORE: CDC says Janssen COVID-19 vaccine no longer available in the US
Although slightly more than half of Americans generally get a flu vaccine, fewer were interested in COVID-19 boosters. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 17% of the general population got a COVID-19 booster shot, whereas 69% of the country, including 79% of adults, have completed their primary vaccine series.
According to Ruth Link-Gelles with the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, the current bivalent vaccine offers additional protection against hospitalization.
"For most people who received monovalent doses and are eligible for a bivalent booster, more than a year has elapsed since their last monovalent dose," she said. "Because of waning, they may have limited remaining protection against hospitalization."
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.wrtv.com/fda-panel-to-decide-whether-covid-vaccines-should-be-updated | 2023-06-15 18:38:06 | 1 | https://www.wrtv.com/fda-panel-to-decide-whether-covid-vaccines-should-be-updated |
Life expectancy in the U.S. has declined in recent years and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf says misinformation is playing a role.
Califf told CNBC that where people are getting their health information is leading to declining health outcomes.
"Why aren't we using medical products as effectively and efficiently as our peer countries? A lot of it has to do with choices that people make because of the things that influenced their thinking," Califf told the outlet.
He told CNBC that rooting out misinformation remains a priority of his.
"You think about the impact of a single person reaching a billion people on the internet all over the world. We just weren't prepared for that," Califf told CNBC. "We don't have societal rules that are adjudicating it quite right, and I think it's impacting our health in very detrimental ways."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,U.S. life expectancy at birth has dropped from 78.8 years in 2019 to 76.1 years in 2021. Data for 2022 is not yet available.
SEE MORE: Experts warn almost 80% of youth get tax advice from social media
With a 2.7-year drop in life expectancy in the last two years, it marked the largest two-year decline in life expectancy since 1921-23, the CDC said. At 76.1 years, it is also the lowest life expectancy the U.S. has had since 1996.
Health misinformation especially came to the forefront during the push to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC led efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines.
The issue of health misinformation isn't just an issue in the U.S. The World Health Organization noted the challenges of false health information spreading on social media platforms.
"Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are critical in disseminating the rapid and far-reaching spread of information," said a review conducted by the WHO. The organization says, "Repercussions of misinformation on social media include such negative effects as 'an increase in erroneous interpretation of scientific knowledge, opinion polarization, escalating fear, and panic or decreased access to health care."
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/life-expectancy-declining-fda-commissioner-blames-misinformation | 2023-04-12 21:48:22 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/life-expectancy-declining-fda-commissioner-blames-misinformation |
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NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until October 31, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against TuSimple Holdings Inc. (NasdaqGS: TSP), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between April 15, 2021 and August 1, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period") and/or purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's shares pursuant to the Company's April 2021 initial public offering (the "IPO"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.
What You May Do
If you purchased securities or shares of TuSimple as above and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-tsp/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by October 31, 2022.
About the Lawsuit
TuSimple and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period and/or in the Registration Statement and Prospectus issued in conjunction with the initial public offering, violating federal securities laws.
The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company had significantly overstated its commitment to safety and concealed fundamental problems with its technology; (ii) the Company was rushing the testing of its autonomous driving technology in order to deliver driverless trucks to the market ahead of its more safety-conscious competitors; (iii) the Company's corporate culture suppressed or ignored safety concerns in favor of unrealistically ambitious testing and delivery schedules; (iv) the aforementioned conduct made accidents involving the Company's autonomous driving technology more likely; (v) the aforementioned conduct was likely to lead to enhanced regulatory scrutiny and investigatory action toward the Company; and (iv) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
The case is Dicker v. TuSimple Holdings, Inc., No. 22-cv-01300.
About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients – including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors – in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.
To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
Contact:
Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner
lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com
1-877-515-1850
1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200
New Orleans, LA 70163
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SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/10/01/tusimple-shareholder-alert-by-former-louisiana-attorney-general-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-reminds-investors-with-losses-excess-100000-lead-plaintiff-deadline-class-action-lawsuit-against-tusimple-holdings-inc-tsp/ | 2022-10-01 04:10:22 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/10/01/tusimple-shareholder-alert-by-former-louisiana-attorney-general-kahn-swick-amp-foti-llc-reminds-investors-with-losses-excess-100000-lead-plaintiff-deadline-class-action-lawsuit-against-tusimple-holdings-inc-tsp/ |
WASHINGTON, June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has selected Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to advance spacewalking capabilities in low-Earth orbit and at the Moon, by buying services that provide astronauts with next generation spacesuit and spacewalk systems to work outside the International Space Station, explore the lunar surface on Artemis missions, and prepare for human missions to Mars.
The awards leverage NASA expertise with commercial innovation to support continued science at the orbiting laboratory and long-term human exploration at the Moon under Artemis, including landing the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface.
"With these awards, NASA and our partners will develop advanced, reliable spacesuits that allow humans to explore the cosmos unlike ever before," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "By partnering with industry, we are efficiently advancing the necessary technology to keep Americans on a path of successful discovery on the International Space Station and as we set our sights on exploring the lunar surface."
The companies selected were chosen from the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract solicitation. The contract enables selected vendors to compete for task orders for missions that will provide a full suite of capabilities for NASA's spacewalking needs during the period of performance through 2034. The indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity, milestone-based xEVAS contract has a combined maximum potential value of $3.5 billion for all task order awards. The first task orders to be competed under the contract will include the development and services for the first demonstration outside the space station in low-Earth orbit and for the Artemis III lunar landing.
Each partner has invested a significant amount of its own money into development. Partners will own the spacesuits and are encouraged to explore other non-NASA commercial applications for data and technologies they co-develop with NASA. This new approach to spacewalk services encourages an emerging commercial market for a range of customers, and grants NASA the right to use the same data and technologies within the agency and on future exploration program procurements.
NASA experts defined the technical and safety standards by which the spacesuits will be built, and the chosen companies agreed to meet these key agency requirements. The commercial partners will be responsible for design, development, qualification, certification, and production of spacesuits and support equipment to enable space station and Artemis missions.
"Our commercial partnerships will help realize our human exploration goals," said Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator of NASA's Artemis Campaign Development Division. "We look forward to using these services for NASA's continued presence in low-Earth orbit and our upcoming achievement of returning American astronauts to the Moon's surface. We are confident our collaboration with industry and leveraging NASA's expertise gained through over 60 years of space exploration will enable us to achieve these goals together."
The agency will continue to make flight- and ground-based test data from NASA-led space station spacewalks and NASA's Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) development project available to companies through the EVA Technical Library. This will encourage an accelerated transition to industry while reducing risks and providing access to previous NASA investments in advanced exploration spacesuit development.
NASA designed the contract to endure and evolve with needs of the agency and space industry. The contract also provides the agency with an optional mechanism to add additional vendors that were not selected in the original award announcement as the commercial space services market evolves.
The xEVAS contract is managed by the EVA & Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA Johnson. NASA's goal is to provide safe, reliable, and effective capabilities that allow astronauts to survive and work outside the confines of a spacecraft to maintain space station and explore the areas on and around the Moon.
Learn more about spacewalking at:
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SOURCE NASA | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/nasa-partners-with-industry-new-spacewalking-moonwalking-services/ | 2022-06-01 19:01:39 | 0 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/01/nasa-partners-with-industry-new-spacewalking-moonwalking-services/ |
Topeka Metro adding on-demand bus service in Southeast Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Topeka Metro is adding a zone-based, on-demand service called Metro On-Demand (MOD). The service will launch January 30.
Passengers within a defined zone are now able to book a ride to a residential or commercial location within the zone or can connect with a fixed bus route for travel outside of the defined zone. They can be book a ride via the MOD Topeka mobile app or website, which will also launch January 30, or by calling Topeka Metro’s customer service at (785) 783-7000.
The hours of MOD operation will be Mon.-Fri. from 5:35 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. and Saturday from 8:15 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. Fees are $2.00 for a one-way ride. Children 5 and under can ride free with a paying adult. Bus drivers will not carry cash or make change.
Public meetings will take place where staff will be present to explain how to use the service. The dates, times and locations are listed below:
- Jan. 19 - 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ross Elementary School (1400 SE 34th St.)
- Jan. 20 - 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Community Resources Council/Avondale East (455 SE Golf Park Blvd.)
- Jan 21 - 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Ross Elementary School (1400 SE 34th St.)
“The MOD service is more personalized. It creates more of a sense of community,” Bob Nugent, General Manager of Topeka Metro, said. “It really allows [the zoned] area to be a lot more of a sense of community to go to your local grocery store instead of going across town. It’s something that we’re in favor of and the community is in favor of the development also.”
Click this link for the English public meeting notice and click this link for the Spanish public meeting notice.
A flyer explaining the service, including the defined zone, can be found here.
For questions or more information on MOD, call (785) 783-7000.
Copyright 2023 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/01/13/topeka-metro-adding-on-demand-bus-service-southeast-topeka/ | 2023-01-13 22:19:16 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/01/13/topeka-metro-adding-on-demand-bus-service-southeast-topeka/ |
COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntington Bancshares Incorporated announced that the Board of Directors declared and set aside a quarterly cash dividend on the company's 5.70% Series I Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: HBANM) of $356.25 per share (equivalent to $0.35625 per depositary share) payable September 1, 2022, to shareholders of record on August 15, 2022.
About Huntington
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) is a $174 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle‐market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates more than 1,000 branches in 11 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.
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SOURCE Huntington Bancshares Incorporated | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/06/17/huntington-bancshares-incorporated-declares-cash-dividend-its-series-i-preferred-stock/ | 2022-06-17 21:58:36 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/06/17/huntington-bancshares-incorporated-declares-cash-dividend-its-series-i-preferred-stock/ |
ON LEECH LAKE, Minnesota (AP) — Seated low in her canoe sliding through a rice bed on this vast lake, Kendra Haugen used one wooden stick to bend the stalks and another to knock the rice off, so gently the stalks sprung right back up.
On a mid-September morning, no breeze ruffled the eagle feather gifted by her grandmother that Haugen wore on a baseball cap as she tried her hand at wild rice harvesting — a sacred process for her Ojibwe people.
“A lot of reservations are struggling to keep rice beds, so it’s really important to keep these as pristine as we can. … It renews our rice beds for the future,” the 23-year-old college student said.
Wild rice, or manoomin (good seed) in Ojibwe, is sacred to Indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region, because it’s part of their creation story — and because for centuries it staved off starvation during harsh winters.
“In our origin story, we were told to go where food grew on water,” said Elaine Fleming, a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe elder whose manoomin class at Leech Lake Tribal College went harvesting last week. “It’s our sacred food.”
But changing climate, invasive species and pollution are threatening the plant even as its cultivated sibling rises in popularity nationwide as an exceptionally nutritious food, though often priced out of reach of urban Indigenous communities.
Those threats make it crucial to teach young band members to harvest wild rice respecting both rituals and the environment. That will help wild rice remain available as an essential element for ceremonies, but also as a much-needed income generator for the Leech Lake reservation, where nearly 40% of Native residents live in poverty.
The basic instructions for newbies reflect that dual reality — respect the rice by not breaking the stems, and if you lose balance, jump out to avoid tipping the canoe with its precious cargo.
Fleming gave everyone tobacco from a zip-close bag. Before scattering it on the calm water and setting out, the youths gathered around another elder praying in Ojibwe — to introduce the group to the natural elements around them, explain why it needed their help, ask for safe passage on the water and give thanks.
“Any time you take something from the earth, you want to thank the earth for what she’s given us,” said Kelsey Burns, a student and first-time ricer.
That reciprocity between humans and nature is essential to Ojibwe spirituality. In their stories, the Creator, before bringing to the earth Anishinaabe, the first Indigenous person, gathered all animals to ask how they could help.
“Plants were listening and chimed in and said, ‘We have gifts too, so Anishinaabe can have a good life,’” Fleming explained. “Rice said, ‘We’ll feed Anishinaabe.’”
In two hours on the water, the pairs of polers, who stood steering with 20-foot poles, and knockers, who rained rice into the canoe until it formed a thick, green-brown carpet, gathered about 35 pounds. Experienced ricers can harvest a quarter ton a day.
This year, they can get $6 per pound of rice, a high price because the two-week harvest is particularly meager, said Ryan White. A 44-year-old single dad, he takes his two boys and a nephew ricing to help cover the bills and for the kids to buy video games.
“You learn the essence of hard work out here,” he said while knocking rice on a recent afternoon, with duct tape over his trousers’ hem and shoes so not a grain would be wasted.
“Cleaning the boat real good,” White explained later as he swiped the rice into a sack. “Because of stories we heard of old times, when … even a handful like this meant a meal or two for the kids, and at the end of winter it actually might save your family.”
“That manoomin is our brother, that saved us as a people many different ways,” said Dave Bismarck, who was loading about 200 pounds of just-harvested rice at a nearby landing. “Ricing to me is real spiritual. There’s a lot who have gone home already, and when I’m ricing, the harder I work … the closer I am to them.”
But the beds are “continually shrinking,” said White, who’s been ricing for three decades. And that endangers wild rice’s spiritual and economic gifts.
While some natural cycling is normal, bad years for wild rice are becoming more frequent, said Ann Geisen, a wildlife lake specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“It seems to be tied to climate change,” she added. “Bigger storm events when it’s uprooted and wiped out, we seem to have more of these. A big bounce (in water levels) in the spring can wipe out an entire lake.”
A warming climate can also damage the plant, whose seeds need to be close to freezing on shallow lake bottoms for months to germinate well, and brings destructive invasive species and fungi to Minnesota, Wisconsin and parts of Canada, wild rice’s only natural habitats.
“It’s going to completely ravish natural stands,” said Jenny Kimball, a professor of agronomy and plant genetics at the University of Minnesota. She works on both conservation and developing more resistant breeds for cultivated wild rice growers, an industry she estimates adds about $58 million to the state economy and has far outpaced natural production for decades.
Most Ojibwe bands want to save natural stands, however, and several recently filed lawsuits fighting water contamination — including one dismissed this year in White Earth tribal court that named manoomin as the lead plaintiff in a novel “rights of nature” approach.
The suit accused the state of failing to protect water where wild rice grows by allowing the pumping of billions of gallons of groundwater from an oil pipeline project.
In July, two other northern Minnesota tribes sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its approval of state changes to water quality standards that the tribes allege would increase pollution and damage wild rice.
Leech Lake students and faculty discussed industrial pollution and controversial pipelines as they gathered outside the college for a feast celebrating their first day harvesting.
Before cooking the rice, they had to parch it, stirring it in a giant iron kettle for more than an hour; jiggle the husks loose by dancing over it as it lay in a hide-covered hole in the ground; and finally winnow it in birchbark baskets.
“We understand our responsibility, as nation, to this land. We’re supposed to think seven generations to the future,” Fleming said.
Burns, the student, was thinking of her son, who’s 5.
“I like learning everything that I can about our culture,” she said. “I didn’t learn much when I was younger, so I felt a part of me was missing. I want to keep teaching everything I learn.”
___
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.krqe.com/news/national/ap-minnesota-ojibwe-harvest-sacred-climate-imperiled-wild-rice/ | 2022-09-21 10:55:15 | 1 | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/ap-minnesota-ojibwe-harvest-sacred-climate-imperiled-wild-rice/ |
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network, a non-profit organization helping to make reliable child care more affordable and accessible for families in California, has launched MyChildCarePlan.org, a new website specifically developed to provide California's parents with the information they need to make the best possible child care choices for their families.
Using the site's search tool, parents and families are able to learn what child care providers are in their neighborhood, which have space and availability, their approaches to care, languages spoken, experience in meeting medical and special needs, and more. Data is collected through state records and by local child care specialists, meaning the information on the site is reliable, unbiased, and free to use for both parents and providers.
California Child Care Resource & Referral Network Executive Director Linda Asato hopes this resource can dramatically change parents' child care search experience. "We are proud to support MyChildCarePlan.org as a new website and resource for all of California. We understand how challenging it can be for families to find affordable quality child care, and are pleased to launch this site to help ensure they have access to a trustworthy, easy-to-use platform to alleviate these challenges."
In addition to a search tool, the site offers information and support resources. Parents can learn how to get financial help to pay for child care, check on licensing information about providers, get expert tips on how to support their child's learning and development, and much more. Families can get personalized, one-on-one support offline, too, via the child care consumer education hotline or by contacting their county's local Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (R&R), where they can speak to a local specialist who can provide personalized support in their journey to find the right child care for them.
Asato says that this new site is different from other resources out there because it puts the power in the hands of families. "We're different because we are working to build genuine trust with families. We are empowering the user. Parents now have better and more up-to-date information, and providers have a free way to promote their services and share real-time availability. For such a long time, finding child care was an ongoing burden to families who have had to navigate a complex web of information. Now there is a better way to find child care in California."
For more information, visit: MyChildCarePlan.org.
The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network is a non-profit membership organization of 58 of California's child care resource and referral agencies (R&R), dedicated to promoting affordable, quality child care through research, education, policy, and advocacy. MyChildCarePlan.org is a project of the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network.
MyChildCarePlan.org is a search and support website designed to provide California's families with the information they need to make the best possible child care choices for their children. The site offers a highly customizable child care search tool and live support from local experts to help parents to find child care that meets their family's unique needs. With MyChildCarePlan.org, families can access the information they need to find child care they can trust, and providers can easily promote their services to families who need them. Now there is a better way to find child care in California.
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SOURCE California Child Care Resource & Referral Network | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/10/11/california-child-care-resource-amp-referral-network-launches-mychildcareplanorg-help-families-find-child-care/ | 2022-10-11 20:23:51 | 1 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/10/11/california-child-care-resource-amp-referral-network-launches-mychildcareplanorg-help-families-find-child-care/ |
Audio that’s been newly-made public of former President Donald Trump could be important evidence as he faces felony charges for mishandling classified documents.
Washington Post congressional investigations reporter Jacqueline Alemany joins Here & Now‘s Robin Young to discuss.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvia.org/2023-06-27/trump-appears-to-brag-about-holding-classified-documents-in-audio-recording | 2023-07-10 07:22:56 | 0 | https://www.wvia.org/2023-06-27/trump-appears-to-brag-about-holding-classified-documents-in-audio-recording |
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The director of a Mississippi nonprofit organization pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to stealing government funds intended to help needy families in one of the poorest states in the U.S., court documents show.
Christi Webb, director of the north Mississippi-based Family Resource Center, appeared before U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves in Jackson. Court documents show Webb pleaded guilty to charges that could send her to prison for up to 10 years.
The federal charges stem from a welfare scandal that has ensnared high-profile figures, including retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, who lives in Mississippi.
John Davis, who was Mississippi Department of Human Services executive director from 2016 to mid-2019, pleaded guilty last September to state and federal charges tied to misspending money through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. He has not yet been sentenced.
The Mississippi Department of Human Services last year filed a civil lawsuit to try to recover the millions of dollars of misspent welfare money. Webb and the Family Resource Center of North Mississippi are among those being sued. Favre has not faced criminal charges but is one of more than three dozen defendants in the civil lawsuit.
Nancy New and Zachary New, a mother and son who ran another nonprofit organization and an education company, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to state charges of misusing welfare money, including on lavish gifts such as first-class airfare for Davis. The News’ organization also funneled welfare money to be used on drug rehab for Brett DiBiase, a former pro wrestler and friend of Davis who has pleaded guilty to state and federal fraud charges.
Welfare money helped fund pet projects of the wealthy, including $5 million for a volleyball arena that Favre supported at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, the state auditor said. Favre’s daughter played volleyball at the school starting in 2017.
A sentencing hearing for Webb has been set for June 16.
___
Michael Goldberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mikergoldberg. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/nonprofit-head-pleads-guilty-in-mississippi-welfare-fraud/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2023-03-17 01:07:34 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/nonprofit-head-pleads-guilty-in-mississippi-welfare-fraud/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
If your teeth are yellowing due to coffee, tea, red wine, or smoking this is for you.
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Get 40% off, free shipping and a free quick stick pen by calling 800-635-4919 or visiting PowerSwabs.com. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/cvt/whiten-your-smile-in-just-5-minutes-with-power-swabs-8/ | 2022-08-03 00:24:26 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/cvt/whiten-your-smile-in-just-5-minutes-with-power-swabs-8/ |
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday halted a lower court ruling that would have shut down southeast Alaska’s chinook salmon troll fishery for the summer to protect endangered orca whales that eat the fish.
The ruling by a three-judge 9th Circuit Court panel means the summer chinook, or king, salmon season will start as usual next week for an industry that supports some 1,500 fishery workers in southeast Alaska.
The opinion said the state and others who were part of the appeal established a sufficient likelihood that certain and substantial impacts of the lower court’s decision “outweigh the speculative environmental threats.” The ruling will allow the fishery to continue while the appeals court considers the lawsuit more broadly.
The ruling “recognized the absurdity of closing down a vital economic industry for an issue that is already being remedied by the federal government,” Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor said in a statement. “Thanks to the 9th Circuit, fishing season is on come July 1.”
Last month, U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle ruled in favor of Wild Fish Conservancy and ordered the National Marine Fisheries Services to redo a biological opinion that’s required for the fishery to take place. The winter chinook season could also have been impacted by Jones’ decision.
The conservation group said it would help provide more food for starving whales and help struggling king salmon populations along the West Coast, since most of the salmon caught in southeast Alaska spawn in rivers to the south.
In a statement Wednesday, Wild Fish Conservancy said it was “disheartened” by the ruling. It warned of unfathomable economic, ecological and cultural costs of losing West Coast Chinook salmon and Southern Resident killer whales, a population of orcas that spend summer and fall in Washington State’s Puget Sound.
“It is unfortunate that the Ninth Circuit determined the short-term economic interests of a few should be prioritized over the continued existence of these species and the current and future generations of First Nations, Tribal Nations, and communities throughout the Pacific Northwest,” the group said.
Tad Fujioka, the chairman of the Seafood Producers Cooperative, said the troll fishermen in his cooperative would have likely faced a 50% pay cut if not for the appeals court’s decision, leaving them with little since their margins are normally so narrow.
“It’s a big, big relief for me and all the trollers and all the people in the southeast who depend on the troll fishery,” Fujioka said. “In small villages trolling is one of the few things that you can do that provides year-round employment.”
Trolling is a hook-and-line fishery that involves towing baited hooks and lures.
About a third of southeast Alaska trollers are citizens of Native tribes who use traditional knowledge to support their families and commuities, according to a brief filed with the appeals court Friday by 16 tribes and two other Native organizations.
Troll-caught chinook also help Native families offset high grocery prices in a place where goods like meat and produce can run two to three times higher than elsewhere.
Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, said the broad support that came from the state’s congressional delegation, tribes and commercial fishers showed the importance of the issue and ultimately defeating the lawsuit.
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, said there would have been substantial financial harm possibly totalling over $100 million if fishing were not allowed this summer.
“It’s great that the court recognized the irreparable harm this frivolous lawsuit would have on hardworking fishermen who have done nothing wrong,” he said. “It is patently ridiculous to believe a small boat, hook and line troll salmon fishery hundreds of miles away from Puget Sound is having more of an impact on the sustainability of Puget Sound orca whales than toxins, pollution, noise and vessel traffic in their own backyard.”
In 2019, NOAA Fisheries approved the most recent decade-long plan for the commercial troll fishery for chinook in southeast Alaska, with harvest limits set during negotiations between the U.S. and Canada.
King salmon are the largest and most expensive of the Pacific salmon species, and the southeastern fishery provides them to restaurants and grocery stores around the world.
They also make up the bulk of the diet for endangered orcas in the waters of the Salish Sea between Washington state and Canada. Due to overfishing, dams, development and pollution, chinook runs in the Northwest are at a small fraction of their historical abundance, and the local orca population has suffered in turn. Just 73 whales remain, inbreeding is a severe problem, and scientists are warning of extinction.
In court filings, the state of Alaska said the fishery has little effect on the whale population, and salmon also face other predators on the 700-mile (1,100-kilometer) journey, including Canadian commercial and recreational fisheries, tribal fisheries, a separate population of killer whales and Steller sea lions.
“The 9th Circuit got it right when it found that Alaska’s fishing interests outweighed the ‘speculative environmental threats,’” Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement.
The state of Alaska was joined in the appeal by the Alaska Trollers Association and the federal fisheries service.
The federal fisheries service said it would not comment Wednesday on the ruling. A message seeking comment was sent to the conservancy group.
In April, officials canceled commercial and most recreational king salmon fishing off California and much of Oregon for the second time in 15 years after the fish returned in near record-low numbers to California’s rivers.
___
McAvoy reported from Honolulu. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/king-salmon-season-back-on-in-alaska-after-federal-appeals-court-lets-fishery-open-july-1/ | 2023-06-22 09:12:32 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/king-salmon-season-back-on-in-alaska-after-federal-appeals-court-lets-fishery-open-july-1/ |
Rain and lightning put a damper on Snook, Brazos Christian football game
SNOOK, Texas (KBTX) - Storms that blew through the Brazos Valley put a damper on the Snook Bluejays’ home opener against the Brazos Christian Eagles at Bluejay Field Friday night.
It was a high-energy game from the very start as Snook put a quick six on the scoreboard when they ran back the opening kickoff.
The Eagles answered right back with a score of their own. No. 12, quarterback Jackson Caffey drops back to lob a deep ball to wide receiver No. 2 Chance Locker to put the Eagles on the board.
With nine minutes left in the first quarter of play Brazos Christian’s Ryan Burtin takes a direct snap and runs the ball in from the 10 years line to put the Eagles up 13-7.
With just under four minutes left in the first quarter Snook’s quarterback No. 7, Beaux Hruska takes a shot down the field and lobs a pass to wide receiver No. 2 Lance Lara to pick up the first down. That wouldn’t be enough to get the Bluejays back on the board again before the storms blew in.
Despite the high-intensity play between the two teams the game did not finish and will go in the record books as a 0-0 tie, but Brazos Christian was ahead on the scoreboard 14-7 when the game was called.
Copyright 2022 KBTX. All rights reserved. | https://www.kbtx.com/2022/09/03/rain-lightning-put-damper-snook-brazos-christian-football-game/ | 2022-09-03 05:25:04 | 0 | https://www.kbtx.com/2022/09/03/rain-lightning-put-damper-snook-brazos-christian-football-game/ |
Acosta Subsidiary Expands its North American Market Leadership
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CORE Foodservice announced today that it has acquired Quebec-based TTS Marketing & Sales, Ltd., eastern Canada's leading foodservice sales agency with footholds in Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada. CORE Foodservice, part of the Acosta group of companies, is the industry leader in North America and is strengthening its organization via this acquisition to better support current and future clients and customers across the continent.
"We have had a strong presence in Canada and know it is a different marketplace. By bringing together our two culturally aligned organizations, we're establishing Canada's largest and most preeminent foodservice agency with deep relationships and understanding of the local markets," said Travis King, president of CORE Foodservice, North America. "Additionally, we are leveraging the systems, processes, and tools utilized by the broader CORE Foodservice team to provide our partners with consistent and best-in-class execution throughout North America."
With the TTS acquisition, CORE now offers the same national profile and benefits in the $95 billion Canadian foodservice market as it does in the U.S., enabling CORE's clients to go to market more simply, efficiently, and consistently across Canada and all of North America. CORE's Canada division is fully inclusive of CORE's unique and winning vision and approach, as well as its best-in-class sales, marketing, and culinary resources across the North American foodservice marketplace.
"We are exceptionally pleased to add TTS to our CORE Foodservice organization as Acosta continues to strategically invest in capabilities that will grow our clients' businesses," said Brian Wynne, CEO, Acosta. "CORE is better positioned than anyone to meet the unique needs of the Canadian market and is aligned with where the industry is headed for the leading manufacturers, brands, operators, and distributors across North America."
The leadership and associate teams for CORE Foodservice and TTS Marketing & Sales will remain in place as part of CORE's Canadian division.
"As TTS celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023, it is exciting for our team to become part of this newly expanded and leading Canadian foodservice agency," said Jim Gray, president of TTS Marketing & Sales. "We are confident that joining CORE will enhance our shared vision of providing unmatched execution for our clients and customers. We plan to integrate our organizations quickly and seamlessly, creating the most robust agency selling team in the Canadian market.
Visit www.acosta.com/news for more news and information.
CORE Foodservice is a re-imagined, best-in-class North American agency focused on providing solutions for the foodservice industry's new operating environment. As one of the most progressive foodservice sales agencies, CORE Foodservice brings together industry-leading capabilities from both Acosta and CORE Foodservice, creating a strategically resourced organization designed to meet the requirements of new customer behaviors and expectations. For more information, please visit https://corefoodservice.com
The focus of TTS Marketing has always been on people – whether it's our partners, customers or employees. We pride ourselves on integrity, innovation, and versatility while working with all partners to provide a systematic, consultative selling approach. We strive to maintain the highest standards of customer and sales service. Our team of Sales professionals are always ready to serve as we become your Food Service solution in Eastern Canada. For more information, visit us at https://www.ttsmarketing.ca/
Acosta's suite of progressive, commerce-centric solutions enables today's biggest brands, retailers and foodservice providers to win in the modern marketplace. Since 1927, Acosta has developed trusted relationships and unmatched scale. In a complex and fast-evolving omnichannel world, Acosta's network of companies allows us to connect with shoppers wherever they are. Through data-backed growth strategies and exceptional customer experiences, we are connecting tomorrow's commerce today. For more information, please visit https://www.acosta.com
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SOURCE Acosta | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/01/05/core-foodservice-acquires-tts-marketing-creating-canadas-leading-foodservice-agency/ | 2023-01-05 20:31:52 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/01/05/core-foodservice-acquires-tts-marketing-creating-canadas-leading-foodservice-agency/ |
OGDEN, Utah (AP)Aanen Moody scored 23 points as Montana beat Weber State 74-69 on Saturday night.
Moody added six rebounds for the Grizzlies (14-12, 8-6 Big Sky Conference). Brandon Whitney scored 18 points while finishing 8 of 10 from the floor. Dischon Thomas recorded 14 points and was 5-of-8 shooting (4 for 5 from distance).
The Wildcats (13-13, 8-5) were led by Dillon Jones, who posted 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Weber State also got 15 points from Zahir Porter. Steven Verplancken Jr. also put up 14 points.
NEXT UP
Montana plays Saturday against Montana State on the road, while Weber State visits Sacramento State on Thursday.
—
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/ncaa/montana-wins-74-69-over-weber-state/ | 2023-02-13 01:14:42 | 0 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/sports/ncaa/montana-wins-74-69-over-weber-state/ |
PARTNERSHIP ALSO PROVIDES COMPLIMENTARY CONTINUING EDUCATION ON CANINE MICROBIOME TO SHELTER STAFF
SEATTLE, May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amend Pet ("the company"), a microbiome solutions company, today announced the launch of its partnership with the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) to provide ASV members affordable, easy-to-administer Fecal Microbiota Transplant Therapy (FMT) and microbiome testing to assess dogs for dysbiosis. FMT is a proven treatment for recurrent diarrhea in pets, but until now has been too labor intensive and costly for veterinarians to widely utilize.
With the partnership, ASV members will have discounted access to Amend Pet's FMT preparation device and testing tools, as well as complimentary access to Amend Pet's RACE-approved continuing education courses in the rapidly advancing field of canine microbiome health.
Widely recognized as critical to animal health, the gut microbiome can easily be disrupted in shelter pets who undergo high levels of stress and frequently arrive with a medical history. The result is often acute and chronic diarrhea. Broad spectrum antibiotics used to treat diarrhea can further disturb gut microbiome health, triggering a recurrent cycle of illness with damaging outcomes for patients and providers.
FMT, which leverages the microbiome of healthy pet donors to replenish the gut microbiome of pets with diarrhea, is a proven treatment but has traditionally involved significant preparation burden for staff and high procedure costs for shelters via invasive specialty treatments like enema and colonoscopy. Amend Pet's FMT capsule device and testing solution allows veterinarians to prepare multiple transplant regimens in 5-10 minutes in their own facility from pet donors they know and trust.
"We are excited to support ASV Veterinarians who maximize limited resources to provide a vital service for countless animals", said Mike Goonewardene, CEO of Amend Pet. "Now ASV members have low cost access to this important treatment."
"At ASV our job is to provide members with the resources they need to improve and save the lives of more animals in need", said ASV Executive Director Tom Van Winkle. "Our partnership with Amend Pet opens the door to innovative products and services in a vital area of care, digestive health, for animals residing in shelters across the country".
ABOUT AMEND PET
Launched in 2022, Amend Pet's mission is to expand access to the healing power of the gut microbiome. Amend Pet offers microbiome testing and analysis, paired with an FMT treatment preparation device, to offer clinicians a way to treat acute and chronic gut conditions. The Amend Pet Microbiome Collection and Prep (CAP) device - enables providers to simply collect, mix, filter, and encapsulate a fecal transplant for use in veterinary medicine.
ABOUT ASV
The Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) is the professional organization for 2000+ shelter veterinarians and 23 student chapters from around the globe. ASV's mission is to advance and support the practice of shelter medicine to improve community animal health and well-being.
For more information please visit our website, follow us on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Robert Morton
robert@amendpet.com
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SOURCE Amend Pet | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/10/amend-pet-association-shelter-veterinarians-partner-expand-access-fecal-microbiota-transplant-treating-diarrhea-shelter-pets/ | 2023-05-10 14:41:14 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/10/amend-pet-association-shelter-veterinarians-partner-expand-access-fecal-microbiota-transplant-treating-diarrhea-shelter-pets/ |
Federal authorities investigating suspected human smuggling event involving tractor-trailer near Weslaco
Federal authorities are leading an investigation into a suspected human smuggling event near Weslaco where 84 migrants were found, according to a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations.
HSI agents responded to a call from the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office Thursday afternoon regarding a suspected human smuggling event involving a tractor-trailer at a home located in the area of Mile 12 1/2 N and Mile 6W.
Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra says a concerned citizen called to report a tractor-trailer arrive at the home. The person also reported seeing people unloading from the trailer.
Hidalgo County deputies and Border Patrol agents responded to the scene and found 84 migrants.
HSI McAllen is leading the criminal investigation with the support of the sheriff's office and Border Patrol.
HSI encourages the public to report suspicious activity at the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. | https://www.krgv.com/news/federal-authorities-investigating-suspected-human-smuggling-event-involving-tractor-trailer-near-weslaco | 2022-10-07 04:16:44 | 0 | https://www.krgv.com/news/federal-authorities-investigating-suspected-human-smuggling-event-involving-tractor-trailer-near-weslaco |
BERLIN (AP) — Luka Doncic and Slovenia roared back from a 23-point deficit, and looked as if they were well on their way to a berth in the EuroBasket semifinals.
Poland had other ideas — and in an absolute shocker, EuroBasket will have a new champion.
Mateusz Ponitka had 26 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, and Poland beat Slovenia 90-87 to move into the semifinals of the European championships for the first time since 1971.
Vlatko Cancar led Slovenia with 21 points, and Goran Dragic scored 17.
Doncic was held to 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting, though he added 11 rebounds and seven assists. The Dallas Mavericks star needed an injection to get through the game and has been dealing with injuries throughout the tournament, he said.
“But that's not the reason," Doncic said. “Today I played terrible. I let my team down. I let the whole country who was supporting us down. I've got to look at this game and be better."
Poland led by 23 late in the second quarter and carried a 58-39 lead into halftime, but Slovenia got within one with a 24-6 run in the third quarter.
Dragic scored to start the fourth and put Slovenia on top, and the lead was 73-68 on a jumper by Klemen Prepelic with 6:58 left.
Poland outscored Slovenia 21-7 over the next six minutes, and held on in the final seconds.
A.J. Slaughter and Michal Sokolowski each scored 16 for Poland, which got 14 from Jaroslaw Zyskowski and 11 from Aleksander Balcerowski.
“Amazing," Sokolowski said. “And now we can't stop. ... We dreamed about a medal at the beginning. Right now it's closer, but we don't have it yet. I want to reach it."
FRANCE 93, ITALY 85
France pulled off a wild rally at the end of regulation, then carried that momentum into a spot in the EuroBasket semifinals.
Thomas Heurtel scored 20 points, Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and France found a way to get past Italy 93-85 in a quarterfinal game on Wednesday.
France was down by seven with 1:59 left in regulation, and that was when it started on what became a 25-10 run to finish the contest.
It was France’s second consecutive fourth-quarter rally and overtime win, after needing the same formula to get past Turkey in the round of 16 on Saturday.
“I don’t really believe in luck,” Gobert said. “Tonight, we could have given up, once again, but we got the baskets we needed.”
Next up for France: Poland on Friday for a berth in the title game. The other half of the semifinal bracket was set Tuesday: Germany will play Spain, also on Friday.
Gobert started the game-ending burst with a dunk to get his team within 75-70.
Italy had a chance to potentially seal the game with 16 seconds left, up by two, but Simone Fontecchio missed a pair of free throws. It was another eerie resemblance to Saturday, when Cedi Osman, with Turkey up by two, missed two free throws with 12.2 seconds left to extend France's hopes.
Heurtel’s layup tied the game with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. France trailed only once in overtime, for just 23 seconds, and Evan Fournier’s floater with 3:29 left put his team ahead for good.
Fournier scored 17 for France, which got 15 from Guerschon Yabusele and 13 from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.
“Congratulations to France," Italy coach Gianmarco Pozzecco said. “They never gave up."
Fontecchio and Marco Spissu each had 21 points for Italy, which was seeking its first trip to the EuroBasket semifinals since winning bronze in 2003.
Luigi Datome scored 12 and Nicolo Melli added 10 for Italy, which trailed by as many as 11 in the early going but outscored France 31-18 in the third quarter and led by as many as eight early in the fourth.
“What can I say? Very painful, of course," Datome said. “Very, very painful. But I'm so proud of my teammates."
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn
Credit: Michael Sohn | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/eurobasket-poland-tops-doncic-slovenia-france-over-italy/Y6D4EMH5IRCPFMXN3HTPIV23HI/ | 2022-09-14 23:29:26 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/eurobasket-poland-tops-doncic-slovenia-france-over-italy/Y6D4EMH5IRCPFMXN3HTPIV23HI/ |
TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Kognitiv Corporation ("Kognitiv"), a global leader in driving customer loyalty through data insights and multi-enterprise collaboration, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Sullivan as Chief Executive Officer.
Tim is an innovative leader with nearly 30 years of enterprise technology, digital, and SaaS/PaaS experience spanning startup, corporate, private equity backed, and public company environments. Most recently, Tim served as CEO & President of Cendyn, a technology company that enables digital transformation in the hospitality industry.
"We are excited to welcome Tim to Kognitiv and see him bring his expertise and leadership to our company," said Rick Nathan, Chair of the Kognitiv Board of Directors. "With his track record of scaling software and platform companies, leading global teams, and driving revenue growth, we are confident that Tim will lead Kognitiv through continued growth while delivering greater value for our clients and investors."
As CEO & President of Cendyn, Tim built a world-class executive team to lead a globally distributed workforce in delivering an integrated sales, marketing, e-commerce, and revenue optimization technology platform. Designed for the hospitality industry, the platform comprises a suite of enterprise applications that deliver performance, loyalty, and profitable revenue growth for thousands of hotels and resorts around the world. During his time as CEO, Tim drove continued growth through global expansion and strategic M&A.
Prior to being appointed CEO of Cendyn, Tim served as Chief Revenue Officer. In that role, his accomplishments include leading sales and account management teams to grow Cendyn's market share in EMEA and APAC; doubling annual revenue; and securing key strategic partnerships. During his tenure as CRO, Tim was named one of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, recognizing his contributions and the vital role he played in the company's success.
In addition to his accomplishments at Cendyn, Tim cofounded and built SaaS company Godengo and held leadership positions at NTT Communications.
"I am beyond excited to be joining the insanely talented team at Kognitiv," said Tim Sullivan, chief executive officer. "With a world-class board of directors and leadership team, blue-chip customer base, and innovative technology platform, we are well positioned for continued growth. I am looking forward to working with the team to execute our vision and unlock more value for all our stakeholders."
Founded in 2008, Kognitiv is challenging global brands to redefine how they engage with their customers and deliver meaningful experiences that earn their lifetime loyalty. In June 2020, Kognitiv and Aimia's Loyalty Solutions came together to create a data and technology-led business, employing people across 20 countries worldwide.
With 200+ clients and partners in more than 50 markets globally, Kognitiv is removing the complexity of cultivating loyalty, data, and partnerships, so brands can deliver enhanced value, personalization, and experiences to today's consumers, right where they are.
Kognitiv's largest investors include Aimia Inc., a publicly-traded holding company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AIM).
Find out more at www.kognitiv.com.
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SOURCE Kognitiv Corporation | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/kognitiv-corporation-appoints-tim-sullivan-chief-executive-officer/ | 2023-01-10 18:15:21 | 1 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/kognitiv-corporation-appoints-tim-sullivan-chief-executive-officer/ |
Louisiana Tech vs. Florida International Women's Basketball Predictions & Picks - February 9
Published: Feb. 9, 2023 at 3:47 PM CST|Updated: 4 hours ago
Thursday's game at Thomas Assembly Center has the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (12-10) matching up with the Florida International Panthers (12-10) at 7:00 PM ET (on February 9). Our computer prediction projects a lopsided 68-57 win as our model heavily favors Louisiana Tech.
The Lady Techsters enter this game following a 60-57 loss to Rice on Thursday.
Louisiana Tech vs. Florida International Game Info
- When: Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana
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Louisiana Tech vs. Florida International Score Prediction
- Prediction: Louisiana Tech 68, Florida International 57
Louisiana Tech Schedule Analysis
- In their best win of the season, the Lady Techsters took down the North Texas Lady Eagles 81-66 on January 11.
Louisiana Tech 2022-23 Best Wins
- 73-50 over Stetson (No. 140) on November 25
- 79-74 at home over Rice (No. 163) on January 5
- 61-55 on the road over UAB (No. 193) on January 14
- 67-62 at home over UAB (No. 193) on January 26
- 71-52 over George Washington (No. 207) on November 27
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Louisiana Tech Performance Insights
- The Lady Techsters have a +102 scoring differential, topping opponents by 4.7 points per game. They're putting up 65.2 points per game to rank 181st in college basketball and are giving up 60.5 per contest to rank 79th in college basketball.
- Louisiana Tech's offense has been worse in C-USA games this season, putting up 62.7 points per contest, compared to its season average of 65.2 PPG.
- The Lady Techsters post 69 points per game in home games, compared to 59.8 points per game when playing on the road, a difference of 9.2 points per contest.
- Defensively, Louisiana Tech has played better at home this season, surrendering 60.5 points per game, compared to 61.8 in away games.
- The Lady Techsters' offense has been less effective over their last 10 games, putting up 63.6 points a contest compared to the 65.2 they've averaged this season.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/02/09/louisiana-tech-florida-international-womens-college-basketball-picks-predictions/ | 2023-02-10 02:13:40 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/sports/betting/2023/02/09/louisiana-tech-florida-international-womens-college-basketball-picks-predictions/ |
Ex-fire chief killed, 15 firefighters hurt in Nebraska wildfires
CAMBRIDGE, Neb. (AP) — Wind-driven wildfires sweeping through parts of Nebraska killed a retired fire chief and injured at least 15 firefighters, authorities said Sunday.
The man who died Friday night was a retired Cambridge fire chief who was working with firefighters as a spotter in Red Willow County in the southwestern corner of the state. That fire had burned more than 78 square miles (202 square kilometers) in Red Willow, Furnas and Frontier counties by Sunday afternoon.
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said firefighters were still working to contain that large fire Sunday, and officials didn’t have an estimate of how much of it had been contained.
Alyssa Sanders, with NEMA, said 66-year-old John P. Trumble, of Arapahoe, was overcome by smoke and fire after his vehicle left the road Friday because of poor visibility from smoke and dust. His body was found early Saturday.
At least 15 firefighters have been injured battling the blazes, including five who were hurt in the fire that killed Trumble, but a spokeswoman said the state agency didn’t have details about their injuries.
Blazes have been reported in 14 counties in around the state since Friday, including Perkins, Dundy, Burt, Butler, Scotts Bluff, Cheyenne, Duele, Blaine, Cherry, Brown and Thomas counties. The state agency said those other fires had either been extinguished or mostly contained by Sunday afternoon.
The agency didn’t provide estimates of the total area that had been burned by all the fires or the number of homes or other structures that had been destroyed. Roughly 100 calves were killed when one fire in Rising City burned several calving sheds, and at least three fire trucks were damaged or destroyed in the fires.
Sanders said her agency didn’t have all of the details about the fires because local fire departments were managing the response to most of them.
Several small towns, including Cambridge, Bartley, Indianola and Wilsonville, in Nebraska’s southwest and Macy in its northeast, were forced to temporarily evacuate because of the fires. The evacuation orders were lifted Saturday.
The Nebraska National Guard deployed three helicopters and several support trucks to help battle the blazes.
In New Mexico, 20 wildfires continued to burn Sunday across the state, including one fire that had grown to consume 84 square miles (217.56 square kilometers) of land.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/25/ex-fire-chief-killed-15-firefighters-hurt-nebraska-wildfires/ | 2022-04-25 12:48:33 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/25/ex-fire-chief-killed-15-firefighters-hurt-nebraska-wildfires/ |
Wind Chill Warning issued January 28 at 10:00PM MST until January 30 at 12:00PM MST by NWS Pocatello ID
* WHAT…Dangerously cold wind chills of 20 to 40 below zero expected.
* WHERE…Mud Lake, INL, Craters of the Moon NM, Idaho Falls,
Rexburg, St. Anthony, Ashton, Tetonia, Driggs, Island Park,
Kilgore, Howe, Arco, Mackay, and Chilly.
* WHEN…From 11 PM this evening to noon MST Monday.
* IMPACTS…The dangerously cold wind chills could cause
frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, dress in
multiple layers, cover all exposed skin including wearing hats and
gloves, and take breaks in a heated environment. Check on those
without adequate heating, and monitor pipes for freezing. Also
remember to keep pets warm and dry and provided with plenty of
food and water. | https://localnews8.com/weather/alerts-weather/2023/01/28/wind-chill-warning-issued-january-28-at-1000pm-mst-until-january-30-at-1200pm-mst-by-nws-pocatello-id-2/ | 2023-01-29 05:19:52 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/weather/alerts-weather/2023/01/28/wind-chill-warning-issued-january-28-at-1000pm-mst-until-january-30-at-1200pm-mst-by-nws-pocatello-id-2/ |
Iga Swiatek vs. Cori Gauff: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | French Open
In the French Open quarterfinals on Wednesday, Iga Swiatek faces Cori Gauff.
With -1100 odds, Swiatek is the favorite against Gauff (+650) for this matchup.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Iga Swiatek vs. Cori Gauff Match Information
- Tournament: The French Open
- Round: Quarterfinals
- Date: Wednesday, June 7
- TV Channel: Tennis Channel
- Venue: Stade Roland Garros
- Location: Paris, France
- Court Surface: Clay
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Iga Swiatek vs. Cori Gauff Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Iga Swiatek has a 91.7% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Iga Swiatek vs. Cori Gauff Trends and Insights
- Swiatek made it past Lesia Tsurenko 5-1 (retired) in the Round of 16.
- Gauff was victorious 7-5, 6-2 versus Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova in the Round of 16 on Monday.
- Swiatek has played 61 matches over the past year (across all court types), and 18.5 games per match.
- Swiatek has played 17 matches on clay over the past year, and 18.4 games per match.
- Gauff has played 53 matches in the past 12 months across all court surfaces, averaging 20.2 games per match and winning 55.4% of those games.
- On clay, Gauff has played six matches and averaged 19.8 games per match and 8.5 games per set.
- In six head-to-head matches dating back to 2015, Swiatek holds a 6-0 record versus Gauff. Their most recent match, at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on February 24, 2023, went to Swiatek 6-4, 6-2.
- In terms of sets, Swiatek has taken 12 against Gauff (100.0%), while Gauff has captured zero.
- Swiatek and Gauff have matched up for 102 total games, and Swiatek has won more often, securing 73 of them.
- Swiatek and Gauff have played six times, averaging 17.0 games and 2.0 sets per match.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kwch.com/sports/betting/2023/06/07/iga-swiatek-vs-cori-gauff-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-french-open/ | 2023-06-06 11:10:34 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/sports/betting/2023/06/07/iga-swiatek-vs-cori-gauff-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-french-open/ |
ATLANTA — An annual ranking of customer service at popular restaurants in the United States has released its latest ranking and a popular Georgia-based eatery made the top of the list yet again.
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Chick-fil-A leads the industry for the eighth year in a row with a score of 83. The average rating for fast food restaurants was 76 with McDonald's ranking last at 68 - a drop of 3%.
To score the popular chicken restaurant and others, the study analyzed interviews with 20,143 customers chosen at random and contacted by email.
Overall, it found that full-service restaurants, overall, maintained a rating of 80 while fast-food restaurants saw a score decrease of 2.6% to 76. However, fast food restaurants held steady with a score of 83 for app quality while full-service restaurants saw their score drop 8% to 78.
The drop among smaller full-service restaurants, according to Forrest Morgeson, an assistant professor of marking at Michigan State, was related to the pandemic.
“Amid the pandemic, restaurants needed to quickly up their game in the mobile arena," Morgeson said in a statement provided by ACSI. "With fewer resources, smaller chains and independent restaurants are offering apps that aren’t making the grade per customers."
Morgeson said that several larger chains saw "positive shifts" in their app quality and reliability "to reflect major app updates for these bigger industry players."
Longhorn Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse took the top spot for the smaller full-service restaurant category with unchanged scores of 80 for both. Applebee's and IHOP are tied for the bottom of the category with scores of 73.
Overall, the report said that customers still prefer full-service restaurants over other options.
The study found that they outperformed fast-food restaurants in food order accuracy, layout and cleanliness, food quality, and food variety.
The study also said that staff in full-service restaurants were more courteous and helpful at full-service restaurants when compared to chains.
And while fast-food restaurants beat full-service in the quality of their mobile apps, full-service restaurants were rated as having more reliable apps. | https://www.11alive.com/article/life/food/chickfila-top-customer-service-ranking-8th-year/101-a365663e-1a6d-4891-ad08-0b01a5a8f02a | 2022-07-03 19:53:19 | 0 | https://www.11alive.com/article/life/food/chickfila-top-customer-service-ranking-8th-year/101-a365663e-1a6d-4891-ad08-0b01a5a8f02a |
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