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Company to Host Conference Call on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, at 5:30 a.m. PT/8:30 a.m. ET
ALHAMBRA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc. ("ApolloMed," and together with its subsidiaries and affiliated entities, the "Company") (NASDAQ: AMEH), a leading physician-centric, technology-powered healthcare company focused on enabling providers in the successful delivery of value-based care, today announced its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2022.
Financial Highlights for the Year Ended December 31, 2022:
- Total revenue of $1.14 billion, an increase of 48% from $773.9 million for the prior year
- Net income attributable to ApolloMed of $49.0 million
- Earnings per share - diluted ("EPS – diluted") of $1.08
- Adjusted EBITDA of $140.0 million, an increase of 5%, compared to $133.5 million for the prior year, resulting in an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.2%(1)
- Cash and cash equivalents of $288.0 million at December 31, 2022
(1) See "Reconciliation of Net Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA" and "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for additional information.
Financial Highlights for Fourth Quarter 2022:
- Total revenue of $294.2 million, an increase of 51% from $195.1 million for the prior-year quarter
- Net loss attributable to ApolloMed of $2.6 million
- Adjusted EBITDA of $23.7 million, an increase of 54% from $15.4 million for the prior-year quarter
Guidance:
ApolloMed is providing the following guidance for total revenue, net income, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and EPS - diluted. The net income and EBITDA guidance ranges below include the impact of the excluded assets held by Allied Physicians of California, a Professional Medical Corporation's ("APC"), which are solely for the benefit of APC and its shareholders. Any gains or losses associated with these excluded assets do not have an impact on Adjusted EBITDA and EPS - diluted. These guidance assumptions are based on the Company's existing business, current view of existing market conditions and assumptions for the year ending December 31, 2023.
See "Guidance Reconciliation of Net Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA" and "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for additional information. There can be no assurance that actual amounts will not be materially higher or lower than these expectations. See "Forward-Looking Statements" below for additional information.
Management Commentary:
Brandon Sim, Co-Chief Executive Officer of ApolloMed, stated, "In 2022, we continued to position our Company for long-term growth while remaining focused on our mission of empowering physicians in the successful delivery of value-based care and driving superior outcomes for their patients. We were pleased with the strong financial and operational results our team achieved during 2022, including 48% growth on the top line and 5% growth in Adjusted EBITDA to $140.0 million, a margin of 12.2%. This was a result of strong organic membership growth in our core risk-bearing provider groups, favorable trends in membership mix, and participation in a value-based care model for the Medicare fee-for-service population.
"The investments made during 2022 position us for strong growth as we continue to execute against our operating priorities: scaling our care delivery model across core and new geographies, effectively taking on additional risk in our value-based contracts, and delivering industry-leading patient outcomes through our care delivery network and value-based care enablement platform.
"I would like to thank our team of over 1,300 employees for their dedication to ApolloMed's mission. We remain committed to empowering our providers, which will accelerate us towards a future where all Americans have access to high-quality, value-based and evidence-driven healthcare."
GAAP Financial Review for the Year Ended December 31, 2022:
- Total revenue of $1.14 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 48%, compared to $773.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily due to (i) an overall increase of $336.9 million in capitation revenue primarily driven by organic membership growth in ApolloMed's consolidated IPAs and participation in a value-based Medicare fee-for-service model, and (ii) an increase of $23.0 million in fee-for-service revenue from ApolloMed primary, multi-specialty, and ancillary care delivery entities.
- Capitation revenue, net, of $930.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 57%, compared to $593.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Capitation revenue represented 81% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022.
- Net income of $50.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 3%, compared to $49.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
- Net income attributable to ApolloMed of $49.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $73.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
- EPS - diluted of $1.08 for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $1.63 for the year ended December 31, 2021.
GAAP Financial Review for the Fourth Quarter Ended December 31, 2022:
- Total revenue of $294.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 51%, compared to $195.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. This was primarily driven by organic membership growth in ApolloMed's consolidated IPAs and participation in a value-based Medicare fee-for-service model.
- Capitation revenue, net, of $252.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 63%, compared to $154.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. Capitation revenue represented 86% of total revenue for the quarter ended December 31, 2022.
- Net income of $0.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, compared to net loss of $19.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, which was primarily a result of significantly lower unrealized losses in fair value of a payer partner's shares held as marketable securities and other investments of $2.8 million, which compares to $33.0 million in unrealized losses as a result of a 1-to-3 conversion of a payer partner's preferred shares to common stock in the prior-year period. These payer partner shares are deemed "Excluded Assets" that are solely for the benefit of APC and its shareholders and do not impact net income attributable to ApolloMed.
- Net loss attributable to ApolloMed of $2.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, compared to net income attributable to ApolloMed of $13.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. The loss was primarily a result of a $13.1 million increase in income tax expense compared to the prior-year period.
Non-GAAP Financial Review for the Year Ended December 31, 2022:
- EBITDA of $110.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 11%, compared to $99.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $140.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 5%, compared to $133.5 million for year ended December 31, 2021.
Non-GAAP Measures for the Fourth Quarter Ended December 31, 2022:
- EBITDA of $15.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, compared to EBITDA of negative $17.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $23.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, an increase of 54%, compared to $15.4 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021.
Balance Sheet Highlights:
- As of December 31, 2022, ApolloMed's cash and cash equivalents and investments in marketable securities were $293.6 million, working capital was $287.8 million, and total stockholders' equity increased to $555.0 million; from cash and cash equivalents and investments in marketable securities of $286.5 million, working capital of $283.4 million and total stockholders' equity of $460.5 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2021.
- In December 2022, ApolloMed's Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the purchase of up to $50 million of its shares of common stock on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. As of February 1, 2023, the Company had not yet purchased any shares under this share repurchase program. This repurchase program does not have an expiration date. The Board may suspend or discontinue the repurchase program at any time. This repurchase program does not obligate ApolloMed to make additional repurchases at any specific time or in any specific situation.
See "Reconciliation of Net Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA" and "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for additional information.
For more details on ApolloMed's financial results for the year ended December 31, 2022, please refer to ApolloMed's Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which is accessible at www.sec.gov.
Conference Call and Webcast Information:
ApolloMed will host a conference call at 5:30 a.m. PT/8:30 a.m. ET today (Friday, February 24, 2023), during which management will discuss the results of the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2022. To participate in the conference call, please use the following dial-in numbers about 5 minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time:
The conference call can also be accessed at: https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=0Kd2PA99.
An accompanying slide presentation will be available in PDF format on the "IR Calendar" page of the Company's website (https://www.apollomed.net/investors/news-events/ir-calendar) after issuance of the earnings release and will be filed as an exhibit to ApolloMed's current report on Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC, accessible at www.sec.gov.
Those who are unable to attend the live conference call may access the recording at the above webcast link, which will be made available shortly after the conclusion of the call.
Note About Consolidated Entities
The Company consolidates entities in which it has a controlling financial interest. The Company consolidates subsidiaries in which it holds, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the voting rights, and variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Noncontrolling interests represent third party equity ownership interests in the Company's consolidated entities (including certain VIEs). The amount of net income attributable to noncontrolling interests is disclosed in the Company's consolidated statements of income.
Note About Stockholders' Equity, Certain Treasury Stock and Earnings Per Share
As of December 31, 2022, 140,954 holdback shares had not been issued to certain former shareholders of the Company's subsidiary, Network Medical Management, Inc. ("NMM"), who were NMM shareholders at the time of closing of the merger, as they have yet to submit properly completed letters of transmittal to ApolloMed in order to receive their pro rata portion of ApolloMed's common stock and warrants as contemplated under that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated December 21, 2016, among ApolloMed, NMM, Apollo Acquisition Corp. ("Merger Subsidiary") and Kenneth Sim, M.D., as amended, pursuant to which Merger Subsidiary merged with and into NMM, with NMM as the surviving corporation. Pending such receipt, such former NMM shareholders have the right to receive, without interest, their pro rata share of dividends or distributions with a record date after the effectiveness of the merger. The Company's consolidated financial statements have treated such shares of common stock as outstanding, given the receipt of the letter of transmittal is considered perfunctory and ApolloMed is legally obligated to issue these shares in connection with the merger.
Shares of ApolloMed's common stock owned by APC, a VIE of the Company, are legally issued and outstanding but excluded from shares of common stock outstanding in the Company's consolidated financial statements, as such shares are treated as treasury shares for accounting purposes. Such shares, therefore, are not included in the number of shares of common stock outstanding used to calculate the Company's earnings per share.
About Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc.
ApolloMed is a leading physician-centric, technology-powered, risk-bearing healthcare company. Leveraging its proprietary end-to-end technology solutions, ApolloMed operates an integrated healthcare delivery platform that enables providers to successfully participate in value-based care arrangements, thus empowering them to deliver high quality care to patients in a cost-effective manner.
Headquartered in Alhambra, California, ApolloMed's subsidiaries and affiliates include management services organizations (MSOs), affiliated independent practice associations (IPAs), and entities participating in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center (CMMI) innovation models. For more information, please visit www.apollomed.net.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, such as statements about the Company's guidance for the year ending December 31, 2022, continued growth, acquisition strategy, ability to deliver sustainable long-term value, ability to respond to the changing environment, operational focus, strategic growth plans and merger integration efforts, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business, operations and financial results. Forward-looking statements reflect current views with respect to future events and financial performance and therefore cannot be guaranteed. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of the Company's management, and some or all of such expectations and assumptions may not materialize or may vary significantly from actual results. Actual results may also vary materially from forward-looking statements due to risks, uncertainties and other factors, known and unknown, including the risk factors described from time to time in the Company's reports to the SEC, including, without limitation the risk factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which will be filed with the SEC, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Investor Relations
(626) 943-6491
investors@apollomed.net
Carolyne Sohn, The Equity Group
(408) 538-4577
csohn@equityny.com
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release contains the non-GAAP financial measures EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, of which the most directly comparable financial measure presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") is net income. These measures are not in accordance with, or alternatives to GAAP, and may be different from other non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The Company uses adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental performance measure of our operations, for financial and operational decision-making, and as a supplemental means of evaluating period-to-period comparisons on a consistent basis. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, excluding income or loss from equity method investments, non-recurring and non-cash transactions, stock-based compensation, and APC excluded assets costs. Beginning in the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, the Company has revised the calculation for Adjusted EBITDA to exclude provider bonus payments and losses from recently acquired IPAs, which it believes to be more reflective of its business.
The Company believes the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with relevant and useful information, as it allows investors to evaluate the operating performance of the business activities without having to account for differences recognized because of non-core or non-recurring financial information. When GAAP financial measures are viewed in conjunction with non-GAAP financial measures, investors are provided with a more meaningful understanding of the Company's ongoing operating performance. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are among those indicators the Company uses as a basis for evaluating operational performance, allocating resources, and planning and forecasting future periods. Non-GAAP financial measures are not intended to be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, GAAP financial measures. To the extent this release contains historical or future non-GAAP financial measures, the Company has provided corresponding GAAP financial measures for comparative purposes. The reconciliation between certain GAAP and non-GAAP measures is provided above.
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SOURCE Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc. | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/apollo-medical-holdings-inc-reports-fourth-quarter-year-end-2022-results/ | 2023-02-23 21:58:32 | 0 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/apollo-medical-holdings-inc-reports-fourth-quarter-year-end-2022-results/ |
Milliman 100 PFI funded status increases by $19 billion
SEATTLE, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today released the results of its latest Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index (PFI), which analyzes the 100 largest U.S. corporate pension plans.
During August, the Milliman 100 PFI funded ratio climbed from 104.8% on July 31, 2022, to 106.4% as of August 31. The funded ratio improvement was driven by a 36-basis point increase in the monthly discount rate. The PFI projected benefit obligation (PBO) lessened by $65 billion as discount rates rose from 4.25% to 4.61% for the month. Meanwhile the market value of assets fell by $46 billion because of August's 2.47% investment loss.
"Despite year-to-date investment losses of 11.6% through the end of August, the funded status surplus for these plans climbed to $91 billion," said Zorast Wadia, co-author of the PFI. "This gain is attributable to the steep rise in discount rates, 36 basis points in August and 181 basis points year-to-date."
Looking forward, under an optimistic forecast with rising interest rates (reaching 4.81% by the end of 2022 and 5.41% by the end of 2023) and asset gains (9.9% annual returns), the funded ratio would climb to 111% by the end of 2022 and 125% by the end of 2023. Under a pessimistic forecast (4.41% discount rate at the end of 2022 and 3.81% by the end of 2023 and 1.9% annual returns), the funded ratio would decline to 103% by the end of 2022 and 94% by the end of 2023.
To view the complete Pension Funding Index, go to www.milliman.com/pfi. To see Milliman's full range of annual Pension Funding Studies, go to https://www.milliman.com/en/retirement-and-benefits/pension-funding-studies. To receive regular updates of Milliman's pension funding analysis, contact us at pensionfunding@milliman.com.
About Milliman
Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. For further information, visit milliman.com.
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SOURCE Milliman, Inc. | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/milliman-analysis-corporate-pension-funded-ratio-improves-1064-august-despite-double-digit-investment-losses-year-to-date/ | 2022-09-08 19:03:42 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/milliman-analysis-corporate-pension-funded-ratio-improves-1064-august-despite-double-digit-investment-losses-year-to-date/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons had 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, and the Portland Trail Blazers won their fourth straight game to start the season with a 135-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
Simons had 22 points and six 3s in the third quarter alone as Portland became the only 4-0 team in the NBA. Damian Lillard finished with 31 points and eight assists for the Blazers, who took over in the second half after a sluggish start.
“Explosive, and fun,” Lillard said about Simons’ third-quarter outburst. “Just being able to see it — I was looking into the crowd. It was crazy, like he’s blowing the roof off this place.”
The last time Portland opened 4-0 was 1999. The Blazers are the lone undefeated team in the Western Conference.
Aaron Gordon scored 26 for the Nuggets (2-2). Nikola Jokic, who had consecutive triple-doubles in Denver’s previous two games, got into foul trouble and finished with nine points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
“We were embarrassing tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “It was a poor effort after that first quarter. We did not defend at all. We cannot guard one-on-one right now at all.”
The Nuggets, with their bigger lineup, led by 11 early. Gordon’s dunk gave Denver a 53-40 advantage.
Portland rallied with Lillard’s 3-pointer and Jusuf Nurkic’s layup and free throw to close the gap to 57-51 late in the first half, but Denver led 61-55 at the break.
Simons tied it at 64 early in the second half and his 3-pointer put the Blazers up 79-70. On a timeout, Simons was mobbed by teammates in celebration. Portland outscored the Nuggets 44-25 in the third quarter.
“You can’t let a guy get to that space in the first place, but some of those shots he was making you’ve just got to — the old adage, you know — shake his hand, pat him on the back and say good shot,” Gordon said.
Simons said it occurred to him that he was on a roll on his fourth 3. He missed just one shot from the perimeter in the quarter.
“I shot one from on top of the key when I fell down, that was when I was like, I guess it’s one of those nights,” Simons said. “I shot that one blind.”
Portland had a 99-86 lead heading into the final period. Josh Hart’s tip extended it to 107-88.
Nurkic finished with 13 points and 12 assists.
“Our understanding for what we’re trying to do is just getting better,” Lillard said. “I think the best thing about it is that it feels sustainable.”
HONORS
Lillard was selected the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday. He averaged 34 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists over the Blazers’ first three games of the season. He made 12 3-pointers during that span.
HIGH MOTOR
Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said Hart is such a high-level competitor that sometimes he even has to sit him in practice because “he’s got no switch.” Hart finished with six points and 11 rebounds against the Nuggets.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Denver won last season’s series against the Blazers 3-1. … Jokic was called for his fourth foul with 6:55 left in the third quarter. … Jokic has matched Wilt Chamberlin for sixth on the career list with 78 triple-doubles. … Michael Porter Jr. finished with 18 points.
Trail Blazers: Played without Justice Winslow because of a right ankle sprain. Billups indicated before the game it did not appear to be a long-term injury. “I don’t think so. I hope not,” he said.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
Trail Blazers: Host the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ap-simons-lillard-lead-unbeaten-blazers-past-nuggets-135-110/ | 2022-10-25 18:09:23 | 0 | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ap-simons-lillard-lead-unbeaten-blazers-past-nuggets-135-110/ |
A German county elected a far-right candidate for the first time since the Nazi era, raising concern
By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press
SONNEBERG, Germany (AP) — The election of the first head of a county administration by the far-right Alternative of Germany in a rural eastern region recently has lead to concern among opponents of the party. The recent win comes as national polls show support for the party at record levels. Even the fact that the party is under surveillance by the domestic state intelligence agency for its close ties to far-right extremists didn’t stop a majority in Sonneberg county from voting for them. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has tried to downplay the result by pointing to far-right populist successes in other countries. But others say it’s different in Germany where Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party was responsible for the Holocaust and World War II. | https://kion546.com/news/ap-national-news/2023/07/07/a-german-county-elected-a-far-right-candidate-for-the-first-time-since-the-nazi-era-raising-concern/ | 2023-07-08 07:02:44 | 0 | https://kion546.com/news/ap-national-news/2023/07/07/a-german-county-elected-a-far-right-candidate-for-the-first-time-since-the-nazi-era-raising-concern/ |
On Monday, the Nashville community lost six people, including three children, to a senseless tragedy at a Christian school called The Covenant School.
Mike Hill
Mike Hill, 61, was a father of seven and grandfather of 14. Family and friends described him as a very loving man who liked to cook and spend time with family.
In a statement, Hill's family said, "We would like to thank the Nashville community for all the continued thoughts and prayers. As we grieve and try to grasp any sense of understanding of why this happened, we continue to ask for support ... We are grateful that Michael was beloved by the faculty and students who filled him with joy for 14 years."
Dr. Katherine Koonce
Katherine Koonce, 60, was the head of school for The Covenant School.
Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9
Evelyn's family, some of whom live in Missouri, shared this statement, per a St. Louis CBS affiliate, which said, “Our hearts are completely broken. We cannot believe this has happened. Evelyn was a shining light in this world. We appreciate all the love and support but ask for space as we grieve."
The other victims included Cynthia Peak, who was 61 years old, William Kinney, who was nine years old, and Hallie Scruggs, who was nine years old. Information on them was limited by Tuesday as the Nashville community continued to mourn their losses.
This article was originally published by Scripps News Nashville.
SEE MORE: Nashville police release videos of officers firing at shooter
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.lex18.com/news/national/remembering-those-lost-in-the-covenant-school-shooting | 2023-03-28 21:06:24 | 0 | https://www.lex18.com/news/national/remembering-those-lost-in-the-covenant-school-shooting |
Alyssa Scott is pregnant with her third child, and she has thanked her fans for being so supportive after making the announcement Wednesday in an Instagram post featuring a baby-bump photo while holding her 4-year-old daughter Zeela. The post was captioned, “With you by my side…”
Later, she posted to Instagram again with a photo array and a grateful message for fans who showed her love and support.
“Thank you for all the LOVE,” the caption read.
As previously reported, in June 2021, Scott gave birth to Zen, whose father is actor, comedian and father of many seeds Nick Cannon. Sadly, Zen passed away in December of last year after battling brain cancer.
Alyssa Scott didn’t include any more details on either post, so it isn’t clear how far along she is or who the father is. But Entertainment Weekly reported that it had confirmed Scott has another Cannon in the oven.
For those who have completely lost track of how many children Cannon has fathered (because some of us are truly lost at this point) here’s a breakdown by EW:
Cannon is also dad to twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex-wife Mariah Carey, Golden Sagon, Powerful Queen and Rise Messiah with Brittany Bell, twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir with Abby De La Rosa, who is currently pregnant, son Legendary Love with Bre Tiesi and daughter Onyx with LaNisha Cole.
Still, congratulations to Scott and her new bundle of joy to be. Motherhood looks good on her.
The post Alyssa Scott Pregnant With 3rd Child Nearly A Year After Death Of Her & Nick Cannon’s Son Zen appeared first on The Latest Hip-Hop News, Music and Media | Hip-Hop Wired.
Alyssa Scott Pregnant With 3rd Child Nearly A Year After Death Of Her & Nick Cannon’s Son Zen was originally published on hiphopwired.com | https://wtlcfm.com/3355621/alyssa-scott-pregnant-with-3rd-child-nearly-a-year-after-death-of-her-nick-cannons-son-zen/ | 2022-10-28 22:32:25 | 1 | https://wtlcfm.com/3355621/alyssa-scott-pregnant-with-3rd-child-nearly-a-year-after-death-of-her-nick-cannons-son-zen/ |
Repairing or replacing all the identified problems with Lawton streets would cost $495 million.
That’s repairing today’s problems over a five-year period, said Kurt Keifer, president of Infrastructure Management Services (IMS), the firm the City Council hired more than a year ago to analyze Lawton streets. The firm’s task was two-fold: analyze the condition of arterials and residential streets, then make recommendations on how to address issues. IMS completed its analysis and report, which Keifer presented to the council Tuesday. Council members didn’t take any action — the item was set for presentation only — but they did ask questions about IMS’s process, its recommendations and the condition of city streets.
In a nutshell: The average PCI (pavement condition index) for Lawton streets is 57 (which falls into the Fair category), while the national average is 65 (Good category). IMS’ analysis shows 57 percent of Lawton streets fall into the Fair to Very Good categories, with another 6 percent in the Excellent category (the highest rating). But, 53 percent fall into the Fair, Marginal and Poor categories, with another 3 percent rated Very Poor (the worst rating).
Keifer said PCI (a rating index developed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers) typically indicates that a street with a rating of less than 40 (Poor is 25 to 40) should be rebuilt. That is what is considered a “backlog,” meaning the number of streets that need this remedy. Lawton’s backlog is 19 percent; the national average is 9 percent.
Streets with the Good designation only need preventive maintenance (20 percent of Lawton streets are within Good, another 18 percent are Very Good). Those in the Fair or lesser category are ready for thing such as mill and overlay, or compete rebuilds.
The analysis did show some good news for Lawton: streets crews are doing a good job of using preventive maintenance techniques such as crack sealing.
“It’s better to do preventive maintenance than fix a fail,” Keifer said, noting the cost to preserve a street with maintenance is $4.80 per square yard, while the cost to rebuild it is $225 per square yard.
That’s why regular analysis is a good idea, Keifer said, explaining the idea is to analyze roads on a five-year basis to chart changes. That helps determine which streets need maintenance to extend their lives, and which are ready for rebuild.
“You adjust your practices based on data,” he said.
Keifer said Lawton has been tackling the issue in recent years via a dedicated maintenance program (he specifically noted plans to seal cracks on portions of West Gore Boulevard this summer).
“The city is being proactive with crack sealing,” he said, explaining it is crucial to prevent water — which expands when it freezes — from seeping into roads and causing damage.
That’s why one of the recommendations made by IMS may seem contrary to conventional wisdom. Keifer said the recommendation is to focus first on preventive maintenance, then address the worst streets on a priority basis. The idea is to maintain what the city has, keeping conditions from worsening.
IMS also said while Lawton spends $17.4 million a year on roads through its budget and the Capital Improvement and Ad Valorem programs, it isn’t enough. Keifer said at that level, Lawton can expect to see its PCI rating drop while its backlog of roads needing replacement would increase to 31 percent.
Increasing the spending level to $36 million a year would keep the PCI at 57, while keeping the backlog to 24 percent in five years. To make a real impact, Lawton would have to spent $53 million a year to increase its PCI to 62, while holding its backlog at 19 percent, Keifer said.
But, Keifer told the council the firm’s analysis and recommendations are based on only one survey. And, the data is not written in stone.
“These forecasts will change over time,” he said, adding the city’s long-term goal should be to move toward the national average in terms of backlog, “but I know that requires a significant investment.”
So, the best thing Lawton can do — in addition to providing more funding for streets — is keep its pavement in good condition. He said Lawton is doing a good job, applying crack sealing to the roads that need it. That’s important because crack sealing can extend a road’s life by five to eight years, he said.
City officials did not say Tuesday what they would do with the IMS data. But, council members and city administrators said last year the goal of the analysis was to provide data that would help set road priorities. | https://www.swoknews.com/news/repairing-all-of-lawtons-road-problems-would-take-more-money-than-the-city-has/article_5e2494a5-f013-5726-be4f-d02962264a2f.html | 2023-05-24 09:17:15 | 0 | https://www.swoknews.com/news/repairing-all-of-lawtons-road-problems-would-take-more-money-than-the-city-has/article_5e2494a5-f013-5726-be4f-d02962264a2f.html |
Jurors convicted a man Wednesday in the killings of eight people from another Ohio family after weighing his denials and other testimony against the word of witnesses including his brother and mother, who previously pleaded guilty for their roles.
George Wagner IV, 31, was found guilty of all 22 counts he faced in southern Ohio’s Pike County, including eight counts of aggravated murder in the 2016 shootings of seven adults and a teenager from the Rhoden family. Wagner sat motionless as the verdicts were read, closing his eyes or looking down.
Members of the Rhoden family, who filled the courtroom in Waverly, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) east of Cincinnati, hugged each other and wiped away tears moments after Wagner was led away in handcuffs.
Tony Rhoden, whose brother, Christopher Rhoden Sr., was among the victims, said he felt sorry for Wagner “because he is human.”
“George Wagner is human. They just didn’t show it on that night,” Rhoden said outside the courthouse. “It should have never happened.”
Prosecutors say the slayings, which initially spurred speculation about drug cartel involvement, stemmed from a dispute over custody of Wagner’s niece. The fatal shootings at three mobile homes and a camper near Piketon in April 2016 terrified residents and launched one of the state’s most extensive criminal investigations.
Wagner denied any knowledge of his family’s involvement in the killings and testified that he wouldn’t have let it happen if he had known of the plans.
Prosecutors argued that he did know, participated in the plans and should therefore be convicted in the killings. Though he wasn’t accused of shooting anyone, they alleged that Wagner was with his brother and father when they went to the homes, that he went inside with them and that he helped his brother move two bodies.
His younger brother, Edward “Jake” Wagner, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and other charges and agreed to testify against George and their parents in a deal to help the family avoid potential death sentences.
Their mother, Angela Wagner, pleaded guilty to helping to plan the slayings. Their father, George “Billy” Wagner III, pleaded not guilty in the killings and awaits trial.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who oversaw much of the investigation while he was the state’s attorney general, said he hopes the victims’ families take comfort in knowing George Wagner IV was convicted and will be punished.
“From the day that these murders occurred and throughout the long investigation I always believed that we would find the truth,” DeWine said. “And I always believed there would be justice for the victims.”
“We’re not done yet,” he said. “There’s one more trial.”
The victims were 40-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr.; his ex-wife, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; their three children, 20-year-old Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden, and 16-year-old Christopher Jr.; Clarence Rhoden’s fiancee, 20-year-old Hannah Gilley; Christopher Rhoden Sr.’s brother, 44-year-old Kenneth Rhoden; and a cousin, 38-year-old Gary Rhoden.
Most were shot repeatedly in the head.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement after the verdicts that investigators spent countless hours on the case and that it “reinforces the team’s dogged determination to secure justice for the victims and their families.”
Prosecutors say the Wagner family planned the killings for months, motivated by a dispute over custody of the daughter Jake Wagner had with Hanna Rhoden. Authorities said that child was staying with the Wagners when the killings happened.
Three other young children from the Rhoden family who were at the scenes were not hurt.
Jake Wagner pleaded guilty on the fifth anniversary of the killings and apologized in court. He has not been sentenced, but his lawyer said he understood that he would spend his life in prison.
Prosecutors recommended a 30-year prison sentence for Angela Wagner.
A sentencing date will be scheduled later for George Wagner IV. In addition to the aggravated murder counts, he was convicted on Wednesday on charges including conspiracy, tampering with evidence, obstructing justice and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/ap-jury-convicts-man-in-killings-of-8-from-another-ohio-family/ | 2022-12-01 04:19:59 | 1 | https://www.kxnet.com/news/national-news/ap-jury-convicts-man-in-killings-of-8-from-another-ohio-family/ |
MUSKO NAVAL BASE, Sweden (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday it’s important that Turkey makes its decision to allow Sweden to join NATO “sooner versus later” and he “feels confident” it will happen before the alliance summit in July.
Speaking during a stop in Sweden, Austin declined, however, to say whether a recent U.S. deal to provide fighter jet upgrades to Turkey will provide enough incentive for Ankara to finally vote.
Standing alongside Austin, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson told reporters he is hopeful Sweden will gain admittance by summer. He thanked Austin for America’s military support “during this transition time into NATO,” which he said has reassured Sweden and helped make the country more secure.
“We look forward to continuing to advocate for your swift admission to NATO, and we’ll work hard to get that done before the summit,” Austin said. The NATO summit will be in Lithuania in early July.
Sweden’s bid to join NATO remains stalled by opposition from Turkey and Hungary, even weeks after both nations finally approved Finland’s application. The two neighboring Nordic countries jointly applied for NATO membership in May 2022, abandoning decades of non-alignment in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Austin and Jonson spoke to reporters near the docks at the Musko Naval Base. Afterward, Austin boarded the HMS Harnosand, a Visby-class Corvette warship, for a chilly one-hour journey north to Berga Naval Base, passing by a number of islands in the southern Stockholm archipelago.
From aboard the ship, the U. S. defense secretary watched as Swedish Marines on small combat boats conducted an amphibious landing exercise, the sounds of their guns echoing off the water. Swedish fighter jets and military Black Hawk helicopters made several passes by the ship and a Swedish submarine nosed to the surface, identified only by its telltale periscope. Off to the side, as his ship moved by a smaller island, explosions went off, as a Swedish mine-clearing ship showed off its capabilities.
Austin said his visit comes at a crucial time for European security, and he urged Turkey and NATO to act soon to approve Sweden’s membership in NATO. He said it will mean a stronger alliance and a more secure Europe, lauding Sweden’s troops and their capabilities, particularly in the Baltic Sea region.
“It’s important to all of us that they make the decision sooner versus later,” Austin said.
The U.S. agreed Monday to sell Turkey $259 million in software it has long sought to upgrade its fleet of U.S. F-16 fighter jets. But Turkey also still wants to buy 40 new F-16s from the U.S. — a sale opposed by some in Congress who want to wait until Turkey approves Sweden’s membership in NATO.
Austin is the first U.S. defense chief to visit Sweden since William Cohen visited in 2000. While the U.S. military has long trained with Sweden, it had not been a frequent stop for U.S. defense leaders, since they were more likely to visit NATO allies. Sweden had long resisted joining the alliance.
Austin got a sweeping look at Sweden’s military, including a tour of the Musko cave complex and its maritime operations center, followed by the sail to Berga Naval Base.
While Sweden has long worked with NATO and is considered a “partner country,” it does not enjoy the full protections afforded a member nation — most importantly Article 5 protection. That provision of the treaty states that if one member of the alliance is attacked in Europe or North America, it is considered an attack on all.
The only time the Article 5 mutual defense provision has been invoked was in support of the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. But after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a number of European nations feared they could be attacked next — triggering the NATO applications of Finland and Sweden.
Finland formally joined the alliance on April 5, just days after Turkey and Hungary finally voted to ratify its application. A unanimous vote of all 31 alliance members is required to admit new members.
In response to Finland’s formal acceptance, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow “will be forced to take military-technical and other retaliatory measures to counter the threats to our national security arising from Finland’s accession to NATO.” And Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Finland’s membership reflects the alliance’s anti-Russian course and warned that Moscow will respond depending on what weapons NATO allies place there.
The Turkish government has accused Sweden of being too soft on groups that it deems to be terror organizations. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara needs further assurances before it will give its final approval.
The dispute grew when, in January, a far-right activist from Denmark got police permission to stage a protest outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm where he burned the Islamic holy book. The incident angered millions of Muslims around the world, and Turkey said it wouldn’t allow Sweden to join NATO as long as Stockholm permits such protests. In Sweden, such demonstrations are protected by freedom of speech.
Austin spoke with Turkey’s defense minister, Hulusi Akar, on April 6, and according to a statement from the defense ministry they discussed Finland’s NATO membership and “it was emphasized that we always support NATO’s Open Door Policy, Finland’s membership shows this once again and it is hoped that Sweden will fulfill its commitments as soon as possible.” | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/austin-hopes-turkey-will-act-on-sweden-nato-bid-before-july/ | 2023-04-20 04:36:09 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/austin-hopes-turkey-will-act-on-sweden-nato-bid-before-july/ |
Greg Edwards from Catch Des Moines shares how you can catch the fun in Des Moines this weekend.
Visit catchdesmoines.com for a full list of events.
Greg Edwards from Catch Des Moines shares how you can catch the fun in Des Moines this weekend.
Visit catchdesmoines.com for a full list of events.
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Subscribe Now | https://who13.com/hello-iowa/catch-the-fun-this-weekend-35/ | 2023-04-28 20:27:24 | 1 | https://who13.com/hello-iowa/catch-the-fun-this-weekend-35/ |
More and more people are falling behind on their car payments. A look at what's driving the delinquencies and why those whose cars are repossessed still have a good chance of getting them back.
Copyright 2023 NPR
More and more people are falling behind on their car payments. A look at what's driving the delinquencies and why those whose cars are repossessed still have a good chance of getting them back.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wunc.org/2023-04-13/more-people-are-falling-behind-on-car-payments-and-the-consequences-can-be-severe | 2023-04-13 11:26:22 | 0 | https://www.wunc.org/2023-04-13/more-people-are-falling-behind-on-car-payments-and-the-consequences-can-be-severe |
PHOENIX (AP) — Police fired tear gas to disperse anti-abortion demonstrators from outside the Arizona Capitol Friday night, forcing lawmakers to huddle briefly in a basement inside the building as they rushed to complete their 2022 session.
Thousands of protesters had gathered earlier on the Capitol grounds in Phoenix, divided into groups both supporting and condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
SWAT team members with the Department of Public Safety fired tear gas from second floor of the old Capitol building to disperse protesters in the mall between the current House and Senate buildings. KPHO-TV reported the officers opened fire when several anti-abortion protesters started banging on glass doors of the Senate building.
Authorities said there were no injuries or arrests.
The incident sent Senate lawmakers into the basement for about 20 minutes, said Democratic Sen. Martin Quezada. Stinging tear gas wafted through the building afterward, forcing the Senate to move its proceedings to a hearing room instead of the Senate chamber.
Republicans had enacted a 15-week abortion ban in March, and a pre-Roe law that bans all abortions remains on the books, forcing providers across the state to stop providing abortions earlier Friday.
Republican lawmakers had earlier approved a massive expansion of Arizona’s private school voucher system with only Republican backing. Another top measure was approved with wide bipartisan backing: A major plan to shore up water supplies. The Senate and House both approved a $1 billion plan to increase supplies after adding another $200 million for water conservation efforts.
Senate Republicans pushed though the voucher program that already passed the House. It allows every student in Arizona to take public money to attend private schools, even the nearly 60,000 whose parents are already paying for that instruction.
The vote came after GOP leaders voted to block Democrats from debating or proposing changes to the voucher bill, touching off a heated procedural fight that left Democrats fuming.
The plan would open the program to all 1.1 million public school students. Currently about 255,000 public school students qualify for the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, although fewer than 12,000 participate.
About 59,000 private school students would be eligible under the new plan championed by House Majority Leader Ben Toma.
Toma and other advocates say money shouldn’t be a barrier preventing children from attending private schools. Democrats fiercely oppose the bill, saying there is no testing or other mechanism to make sure children are actually learning.
Their efforts to try to add accountability mechanisms, or at least force a vote on the issue, were thwarted when Republicans voted to suspend the rules that would typically allow such changes.
Democrats railed against the measure, saying it would siphon away much of the more than $500 million in new K-12 spending lawmakers enacted earlier this week.
“Its going to cost the state an additional $125 million by 2025,” said Sen. Christine Marsh, a Phoenix Democrat. “This is not just fiscally responsibly for us to be trying to run two separate systems at the same time.”
Republican Sen. T.J. Shope of Coolidge said the measure does not go far enough. “I think in an ideal situation, we would entirely fund the student wherever the parent chooses to send their students,” Shope said.
Lawmakers were also considering a massive new water bill Gov. Doug Ducey called for early this year that is designed to help the state pay for new water sources.
Ducey called for a major new investment in water in his January state of the state address, implying some of that money would be used to build a desalination plant in Mexico. While the money may be used for that, it also can be used for conservation, developing groundwater or possibly importing water from other states.
The House briefly voted down a measure allowing the Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry to continue operating for another eight years over bipartisan concerns that the agency is overly secretive and failing to implement reforms suggested by the state auditor. Without the bill passing, the agency’s authorization would expire at the end of the month.
Lawmakers instead voted to impose new transparency requirements on the prison system.
“I’m not asking the department to do anything that they’re not statutorily already required to do,” said Rep. Shawnna Bolick, a Glendale Republican who pushed for the additional requirements. “I just want to make sure that there’s accountability at the end of the day.”
The House and Senate voted on dozens of other bills, most of them uncontroversial measures that passed with bipartisan majorities.
But one of the final votes of the night was a Republican proposal that makes it illegal to teach so-called Critical Race Theory, a hot-button topic for GOP politicians. Democrats called it an assault on public school teachers that will scare them away from teaching about race in America but won’t stop the students.
“If you tell a kid not to learn something, not to read something, what’s the first thing they’re going to do?” Quezada asked. “They’re going to go study it, they’re going to go get those books.”
Republican Sen. J.D. Mesnard said his bill was being misread, that while preventing divisive concepts it will allow subjects like slavery, race and others to be taught.
“I challenge anyone to explain again why promoting or advocating any of these things is OK,” Mesnard asked.
The Legislature adjourned at 12:26 a.m. Saturday. | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/national-news/roe-protest-disrupts-last-hours-of-2022-arizona-legislature/ | 2022-06-25 23:35:44 | 0 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/national-news/roe-protest-disrupts-last-hours-of-2022-arizona-legislature/ |
Fox Corp CEO and Executive Chairman Lachlan Murdoch — already busy fighting two multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuits aimed at Fox News here in the U.S. — has threatened a news organization in his family's home country of Australia with legal action.
The threat stems from commentaries accusing him of being responsible for rhetoric on the network that helped fuel the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol.
Now the Aussie political news site Crikey has a message: Bring it on.
"Lachlan Murdoch appears desperate to disassociate himself from the actions of Fox in inciting the January 6th insurrection," Crikey's editor-in-chief, Peter Fray tells NPR from Sydney. "And he's taking quite extraordinary steps to shut down public debate in this country."
Fray says his news site was not literally saying Murdoch personally incited people to violence that day. But, Fray says, "the buck has to stop somewhere."
So, in full-page ads set to appear today in The New York Times and the Canberra Times in the Australian capital city, Fray and Eric Beecher, the chairman of Crikey's parent company, Private Media, proclaim they welcomed Murdoch's threat of a lawsuit.
In the written text of their ad, the two men suggested they wanted it to serve as a test of Australian defamation laws, which, they wrote, "are too restrictive."
Fox Corp declined comment yesterday on the dispute with Crikey.
Murdoch's complaints arose from a June 29th piece driven by revelations about the activities of former President Donald Trump and his allies ahead of the insurrection at the U.S. Congress last year.
Crikey's political editor said Fox was among Trump's top allies, and concluded a column by calling Murdoch and his father Rupert "unindicted co-conspirators" in the siege because of the incendiary rhetoric Fox often aired.
"We at Crikey strongly support freedom of opinion and public interest journalism," Beecher and Fray wrote.
The two men said they decided to publish all the legal demands and accusations against Crikey from Murdoch's attorneys, and the site's replies, "so people can judge your allegations for themselves."
Fox News faces a pair of defamation suits in the U.S.
The flap occurs at the same moment Fox News is publicly invoking free speech ideals as it seeks to defend itself from two multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuits from election technology and voting machine companies in the U.S.
In response to those two lawsuits, Fox News said, "freedom of the press is foundational to our democracy and must be protected."
And the network called the damages sought — more than $4 billion combined — "nothing more than a flagrant attempt to deter our journalists from doing their jobs."
A day after Crikey political editor Bernard Keane's June 29 column alleging a link between Fox's broadcasts and Trump's actions, Lachlan Murdoch's Australian media attorney, John Churchill, sent a note threatening a defamation suit and demanding an apology.
Churchill argued that Crikey had made an "unwarranted attack" in personally connecting Murdoch to the Jan. 6th attacks that was "malicious and aggravates the harm."
Crikey took the post down, saying it was doing so as a courtesy. But no apology was forthcoming, and earlier this month, Crikey re-posted Keane's column.
Its executives told the Sydney Morning Herald that the episode was just one of several moments in which Murdoch had sought to bully the news site.
Australia remains key to the Murdochs
Australia plays a recurring and central role in the Murdoch family's many dramas, both personal and professional.
Lachlan's father, Rupert Murdoch, was born there and made the foundation of his wealth there from a small newspaper granted to him by his father in Adelaide. Nearly two decades ago, Lachlan moved to Australia, seeking to make his own mark, when he quit his father's Manhattan-based media empire over corporate infighting. Lachlan's wife is Australian. He holds Australian citizenship and considers Australia home.
Though Lachlan returned to the fold, and once more helps to lead the family media empire, he moved with his wife and children back to Sydney during the pandemic. They still live there.
In defending its coverage of unproven allegations of voter fraud involving Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic election technology companies, Fox Corp and Fox News have argued that the network was merely covering newsworthy, if false, claims made by then President Donald Trump and his allies.
Republican and Democratic election officials at the local, state, and federal level have concluded there was no meaningful election fraud in the 2020 presidential race. Judges appointed by Trump were among the dozens who ruled against the Trump campaign in its legal challenges to the presidential election results.
Similarly, the New York City-based general counsel for Fox News, Bernard Gugar, wrote a formal complaint last September against a two-part documentary program Four Corners on the Australian Broadcasting Corp, called "Fox and the Big Lie."
The documentary focused on Fox's coverage following the 2020 elections, which it contended boosted Trump's false claims. But Gugar asserted the documentary was biased and false.
His very first objection: the fact it said it relied on network "insiders." He noted that the six former Fox News staffers interviewed by the ABC included people who left as far back as 2016 and 2017, as well as its former political director, who was let go several months after the election. (Fox sparked Trump's fury when its decision desk was the first to project that he would lose Arizona on Election Night in November 2020. )
According to two people with knowledge of the matter, the complaint was rejected by the internal unit at the ABC that reviews outside objections. Fox subsequently lodged its objections with the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the regulator that oversees broadcasting there. The regulator has not yet acted upon it.
The Crikey column that started the spat
The latest clash between the Murdochs and the Australian press hinges on a June 29th column by Crikey's politics editor, Bernard Keane, inspired by the revelations of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection.
Keane made two references to a Murdoch, though it's not clear whether the initial one pointed at Lachlan or Rupert.
The headline of the column, unmistakably a work of political commentary, calls Trump a "a confirmed unhinged traitor" and goes on to say "Murdoch is his unindicted co-conspirator."
The column's final line reaches a grand rhetorical crescendo to make a case for the Murdochs' moral culpability: "the Murdochs and their slew of poisonous Fox News commentators are the unindicted co-conspirators of this continuing crisis."
Churchill, the attorney for Fox and Murdoch, argues that connecting the Murdochs to such violent acts is unfair, inaccurate and ultimately defamatory.
Fox's attorneys have taken the first steps toward filing such a lawsuit against Crikey. In Australia, such cases are much easier to win than in the U.S.
"We're unwilling to be bullied by Lachlan Murdoch any more," Crikey's Fray tells NPR. "We thought it was important to make a stand for free speech and for independent journalism — something Lachlan Murdoch, his father Rupert, and his grandfather, too, have stood up for over the years."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wdiy.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-22/fox-ceo-lachlan-murdoch-threatened-an-aussie-news-site-its-fighting-back | 2022-08-22 10:38:42 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-08-22/fox-ceo-lachlan-murdoch-threatened-an-aussie-news-site-its-fighting-back |
NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc ("Centessa") (NASDAQ: CNTA) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors. This lawsuit is on behalf of a class consisting of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired: (a) Centessa American Depositary Shares pursuant and/or traceable to documents issued in connection with the Company's initial public offering conducted on or about May 28, 2021; and/or (b) Centessa securities between May 28, 2021 and June 1, 2022.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Centessa, contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Centessa includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company's product, lixivaptan, was less safe than defendants had represented; (ii) defendants overstated lixivaptan's clinical and commercial prospects; (iii) another Centessa product, ZF874, was less safe than defendants had represented; (iv) defendants overstated ZF874's clinical and commercial prospects while downplaying the drug's safety issues; and (v) as a result, documents issued in connection with Centessa's initial public offering and the Company's public statements throughout the class period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein.
Aggrieved Centessa investors only have until November 28, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-centessa-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-28-2022/ | 2022-11-14 11:26:15 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/14/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-centessa-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-28-2022/ |
A memorial is growing in Carrollton for a police officer who died while assisting in a DWI investigation.
According to the Carrollton Police Department, Officer Steve Nothem had just arrived to assist a fellow officer with a DWI arrest in the westbound lanes of 1905 East President George Bush Turnpike when his squad car was hit by a passing driver just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Police said the driver who hit Nothem, 82-year-old Phillip Parker of Carrollton, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Community members stopped by the Carrollton Police Department on Wednesday to drop off flowers and pay their respects. Nick Smith, the owner of the flower shop In Bloom, was one of the well-wishers.
“We feel terrible. It’s a horrible blow to our community,” Smith said. “We’ve been in this community for a long time. We feel a commitment to honor those who serve us day in, day out. That’s why we’re here.”
Nothem’s death is the Carrollton Police Department’s first line of duty death, according to Carrollton police. B.J. Wagner, Senior Vice President of Health and Safety at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, is urging the department to stay actively engaged with its officers and staff as they mourn the loss.
“We often want to set first responders aside as being superhuman and superheroes, because they do super-human and super-hero type jobs," Wagner said. "But we’re hiring human beings. We’re not hiring robots. We’re not hiring saints. We hiring human beings into these positions."
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The law enforcement community is tight-knit, Wagner added.
“People compartmentalize all the time, and I expect that many of his friends and colleagues at work will compartmentalize that loss as they go back to serving their community, but that pain will be there. Those thoughts will be there,” she said. “We’ve become so accustomed to saying, 'We’re here for you,' and we really need to transition that to, 'We’re going to come get you and give you the support, give you the time, space,' to process this loss, not as a workplace loss but the loss of a family member.”
Bryan James, owner of Mr. Jim’s Pizza, has been in Carrollton for more than two decades. The shop is located across the street from the police station.
“My first thought is, 'Have I met him? Do I know him?' That’s my first thought. I’ve met several of the officers over the years,” James said. “You feel horrible that it happened here. You think of those things happening somewhere else. When it happens here, it can just kind of brings it closer to home.”
Nothem leaves his wife, a 13-year-old son, twin 6-year-old sons, a 1-year-old-daughter, and many extended family members. He joined the Carrollton Police Department in March of 2020 after serving the Grand Chute, Wisconsin, Police Department for four years. Prior to his law enforcement career, Nothem served for many years in the U.S. Marines.
Funeral arrangements are pending. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/memorial-grows-for-carrollton-officer-killed-during-dwi-investigation/3101187/ | 2022-10-19 23:05:02 | 1 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/memorial-grows-for-carrollton-officer-killed-during-dwi-investigation/3101187/ |
NEW YORK, July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of 17 Education & Technology Group Inc. (NASDAQ: YQ).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/17-education-technology-group-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=30356&from=4
This lawsuit is on behalf of persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded 17EdTech securities pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus issued in connection with 17EdTech's December 2020 initial public offering.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until September 19, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, 17 Education & Technology Group Inc. issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) 17EdTech's K-12 Academic AST Services would end less than a year after the Company's initial public offering; (2) as part of its ongoing regulatory efforts, Chinese authorities would imminently curtail and/or end 17EdTech's core business; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/yq-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-17edtech-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-19-2022/ | 2022-07-29 10:12:02 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/yq-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-17edtech-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-19-2022/ |
TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were higher Wednesday after reports on key measures of China manufacturing showed a strong recovery after anti-virus controls were lifted late last year.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index jumped 3.3% and Shanghai gained 0.9%.
Purchasing managers’ indexes issued by a business magazine, Caixin, and the official China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing showed gains in production, exports and new orders.
Business activity is recovering after the ruling Communist Party ended stringent anti-virus restrictions in early December. That followed a slump in activity that dragged last year’s economic growth to 3%, its second-lowest level since at least the 1970s.
That was good news in Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng gained more than 700 points to 20,486.79.
Hong Kong’s own outlook has improved as it also has relaxed pandemic precautions. The territory’s chief executive, John Lee, announced Tuesday t hat masks will no longer be required both outdoors and indoors, but some high-risk areas including hospitals and elderly homes can still require their use.
The Shanghai Composite added 28 points to 3,308.53. South Korean markets were closed for a national holiday.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 picked up 0.3% to 27,523.17. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.1% to 7,263.10.
Wall Street closed out a frigid February with more losses on Tuesday. The S&P 500 lost 0.3%, locking in a loss of 2.6% for the month and closing at 3,970.15. The Dow fell 0.7% to 32,656.70 while the Nasdaq edged 0.1% lower to 11,455.54. Both also sank over the month.
Investors are keeping an eye on the last of the earnings reports for this season. Several big-name retailers are still on the schedule for this week.
“The consumer and inflation are in focus over the next few days. After last week’s drubbing among retail stocks, the worst since June last year, some upbeat earnings results from Target should buoy the group,” said Brian Overby, senior market strategist at Ally, while warning that more volatility may be in store later this week.
After a strong start to the year driven by hopes inflation is abating, Wall Street shifted into reverse in February. A stream of data showed inflation and the overall economy are remaining more resilient than expected. That’s forced investors to raise their forecasts for how high the Federal Reserve will take interest rates and how long it will keep them there.
High rates can drive down inflation, but they also raise the risk of a recession down the line because they hurt the economy. They also drag on prices for stocks and other investments.
Heightened expectations for rates sent yields jumping in the bond market Tuesday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury held steady at 3.92%. It helps set rates for mortgages and other loans that shape the economy’s health, and still near its highest level since November. The two-year yield, which moves more on expectations for Fed action, ticked up to 4.81% from 4.78%. It’s near its highest level since 2007.
Reports on the economy released Tuesday showed some slight cracks. One said that confidence among U.S. consumers fell in February. Another said that manufacturing in the Chicago region weakened by more than expected.
In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 48 cents to $77.53 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international pricing standard, rose $0.52 to $83.97 a barrel.
In currency trading, the U.S. dollar inched up to $136.37 Japanese yen from $136.20 yen. The euro rose to $1.0596 from $1.0583. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-asian-shares-oil-advance-on-strong-china-factory-data/ | 2023-03-02 02:36:39 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-asian-shares-oil-advance-on-strong-china-factory-data/ |
Shooting erupts in Bladensburg after funeral, 5 injured
BLADENSBURG, Md. - Bladensburg police say five people were shot after leaving a funeral at Fort Lincoln Park mid-Friday.
Chief Tyrone Collington said all five victims injured in this mass shooting were traveling the same Chevy SUV when someone in a dark-colored sedan opened fire while the SUV drove over a Bladensburg Road bridge that crosses the Anacostia river, near the Bladensburg Peace Cross Memorial.
Police responded to the 4300 block of Bladensburg Road a little before 12:30 p.m. Friday. Chief Collington said officers jumped right in to help the victims until paramedics could arrive. You could hear an officer shouting for units over his radio from the dispatch recording site, OpenMhz.
"One shot to the arm, one graze wound to the head, one to the head to the torso, one two to the body, another two to the body as well," is how an officer described the victims’ injuries on OpenMHz.
Police did not immediately say how many suspects there are involved or how many shots were fired. It’s also not known whether the suspect(s) vehicle was also at the funeral.
"What I do want to say: that this is uncommon in this community" Chief Collington said. "Anyone that was out here that saw this brazen act of senseless of violence in our community, come forward. Someone saw something at 12:28, multiple people were out here on the roadway. Multiple people injured."
Prince George’s County Fire told FOX 5 the victims were rushed to area hospitals. Around three were transported in critical condition.
The Bladensburg Police Spokesperson told FOX 5 on Friday evening, all five victims are still alive, as far as they’re aware.
Police shut down Annapolis and Bladensburg Roads for several hours during the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bladensburg Police Department.
This is a developing story. Check back with FOX 5 for updates. | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/shooting-erupts-in-bladensburg-after-funeral-5-injured | 2023-07-15 01:37:18 | 1 | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/shooting-erupts-in-bladensburg-after-funeral-5-injured |
Brazil prosecutors charge suspects in murder of Amazon pair
By DAVID BILLER
Associated Press
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Public prosecutors have charged three individuals with the June murder of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the remote western reaches of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, according to a statement.
All are local riverine dwellers, and their motive was that Pereira asked Phillips to photograph them when they passed by in a boat, the statement said. The area is a hotspot for illegal fishing and poaching.
Phillips and Pereira had met with Indigenous people near the entrance of the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory, which borders Peru and Colombia, and were traveling along the Itaquai River back to the city of Atalaia do Norte when they were attacked. Their disappearance generated intense international outcry and pressure for action and, with the help of local Indigenous people, authorities located their bodies hidden in the forest.
Prosecutors presented their charges Thursday, outlining that two of the men — Amarildo da Costa Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima — have confessed to the crime, while witness testimony indicates Oseney da Costa de Oliveira also participated, according to the statement.
Pereira had previous confrontations with fishermen when seizing their catch and had received multiple threats. He carried a gun with him, and had left the federal Indigenous affairs agency in order to teach local Indigenous people how to patrol their land and gather geo-tagged photographic evidence of criminality.
On the day they were murdered, Pereira was transporting such evidence to authorities in Atalaia do Norte, and he was shot three times. Phillips, who was conducting research for a book entitled “How to Save the Amazon,” was killed because “only because of being with Bruno, in order to ensure impunity for the prior crime,” the prosecutors’ statement said.
There has been speculation in the Brazilian press that their murder may have been ordered by the ringleader of an illegal fishing network. Police earlier this month arrested a fourth man when he presented false documents, believing he may have some involvement, but no charges have yet been filed. | https://kion546.com/news/2022/07/22/brazil-prosecutors-charge-suspects-in-murder-of-amazon-pair/ | 2022-07-22 15:15:17 | 1 | https://kion546.com/news/2022/07/22/brazil-prosecutors-charge-suspects-in-murder-of-amazon-pair/ |
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Major Independents | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Standings-17613357.php | 2022-11-27 10:37:49 | 1 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/Standings-17613357.php |
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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The man who was driving a truck that fatally hit a girl in a North Carolina holiday parade has been released on bond.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman confirmed that Landen Glass, 20, was released on a $4,000 bond, The News & Record reported. Glass is scheduled to return to court Jan. 26.
The driver of a white pickup truck towing a float in the Raleigh Christmas parade on Saturday morning lost control and hit the girl, who died from her injuries, Raleigh police said.
Glass was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless driving, using improper equipment, unsafe movement and carrying a firearm in a parade.
If convicted of all those offenses, Glass could face a maximum sentence of one year in jail, a 30-day suspension of his driver’s license, up to a $750 fine and a lasting mark on his driving record. A family member told WRAL-TV that Glass would not be making a statement.
Nobody else at the parade was injured in the collision. | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Driver-of-truck-that-hit-girl-in-NC-parade-17602191.php | 2022-11-21 23:18:03 | 1 | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Driver-of-truck-that-hit-girl-in-NC-parade-17602191.php |
States push to enshrine protections for tribal children
By AMY BETH HANSON
Associated Press
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Leo Thompson received plenty of love, food and shelter from the non-Native American family who raised them, but missed out on any exposure to their Indigenous culture, heritage, ancestors and community.
“The only time they acknowledged my heritage was when they’d make passive comments like, ‘Oh, you know, you’ve always liked that Native American stuff,'” said Thompson, who lives in Missoula, Montana. “That stuff that they so casually referred to is not casual at all. It’s the practices of my ancestors. It’s the very same culture that’s healed my soul. Reconnecting with my heritage as an adult has been a long and arduous journey.”
Montana is one of a handful U.S. states — along with Wyoming, Utah and North Dakota — considering legislation this year to keep more Native American children from enduring similar experiences by including provisions of the U.S. Indian Child Welfare Act in state law.
The states are driven by concerns that Supreme Court challenges have put the federal law in jeopardy. During a hearing last year, the justices seemed likely to leave in place most of the law that gives preference to Native American families in foster care and adoption proceedings involving Native children. The law also requires child welfare agencies to provide services to help Native families move toward reunification.
Ten other states have similar laws in place, including New Mexico, whose law took effect this year, and they too could be affected, depending on how the justices rule. Most federally recognized tribes want the act upheld, fearing that an adverse ruling could dismantle a whole range of federal laws based on their political relationships with the U.S. government.
Thompson, who uses she/they pronouns, shared their story during a recent legislative hearing on a bill sponsored by Montana Democratic Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy.
The federal Indian Child Welfare Act was passed by Congress in 1978 in response to the alarming rate at which Native American and Alaskan Native children were taken from their homes by public and private agencies. From 1887-1969, Native children were placed in boarding schools that used abusive practices to assimilate them into white society. Many were adopted by non-Native families, often depriving them of their tribal and cultural heritage.
The law has helped change that, but there is still work to do.
In Montana, nearly 11% of all children are Indigenous but they made up 37% of those in foster care in 2021, according to the National Indian Child Welfare Association. About 9% of North Dakota children are Indigenous, but account for 44% of the children in foster care, the association said.
“I have witnessed and experienced the benefits of keeping a child within the care of their family where he stays connected, rooted and knows who he is and where he comes from,” Sharen Kickingwoman, with the ACLU of Montana. testified. “We know from our experiences and research that affirming Indigenous identity, especially for youth, is some of the strongest things you can do to enhance resilience amidst adverse childhood experiences.”
Wyoming’s effort is furthest along, having passed the Senate 20-11. In Utah, tribes and statewide officials support the proposal, yet lawmakers held it in a legislative committee during the final week of January amid questions about whether it was needed yet and despite a request by Navajo Nation leaders to pass it.
Bills in Montana and North Dakota have had committee hearings but no votes, while a South Dakota bill was rejected this week.
One aspect of the case awaiting a Supreme Court ruling argued that the Indian Child Welfare Act amounts to federal overreach, and that such protections should be enacted in state law. Another argument is the act provides race-based protections that violate the equal protection guarantee in the Constitution. Native Americans argue the measure is a government-to-government agreement between the U.S. and sovereign tribal nations that, like the U.S., determine citizenship in ways that aren’t based on race.
No one testified against the proposed policy during a Montana hearing, while supporters testified about the importance of family relationships within tribes.
Kickingwoman, a member of the Gros Ventre and Blackfeet nations, said Native societies are built around kinship. Kickingwoman said she’s been honored to provide guardianship to many of her relatives, including her cousin’s son, who she said by mainstream society’s standards would be considered a distant relative,” but to her is a son.
“A lot of our extended families and friends are close kin in relation to us,” she said. “What may be on paper seen as a second or third cousin really is a brother or sister, maybe a niece or a nephew.”
Keegan Modrano, a policy director with the ACLU of Montana who is Muscogee Creek, also was raised by a non-Native family, and was therefore deprived of being raised with their cultural practices, language or people.
“I can not fully ever completely express the incompleteness I feel living my life,” Modrano told the committee.
“My younger self wants nothing more than a Native father figure in my life. My younger self wants nothing more than a Native mother, for cousins and kin, aunties and uncles,” they said. “I cannot rest and I will fight every day so that no other Indian child feels that loss or experiences child removal or the foster care system.” | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-utah/2023/02/07/states-push-to-enshrine-protections-for-tribal-children-3/ | 2023-02-07 21:59:08 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-utah/2023/02/07/states-push-to-enshrine-protections-for-tribal-children-3/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Khalid Moore scored 25 points as Fordham beat Cent. Conn. St. 90-77 on Sunday.
Moore shot 7 for 8 (3 for 3 from 3-point range) and 8 of 9 from the free throw line for the Rams (11-1). Darius Quisenberry scored 18 points while going 6 of 11 (6 for 8 from distance). Rostyslav Novitskyi finished 5 of 5 from the floor to finish with 11 points. It was the 10th straight win for the Rams.
Jay Rodgers finished with 23 points for the Blue Devils (1-10). Nigel Scantlebury added 14 points and three steals for Cent. Conn. St.. Kellen Amos also had 14 points.
Fordham was outscored by Cent. Conn. St. in the second half by a one-point margin, but Moore scored a team-high 20 points in the second half to help his team secure the victory.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/moore-has-25-in-fordhams-90-77-victory-over-cent-conn-st/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2022-12-11 21:05:18 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/moore-has-25-in-fordhams-90-77-victory-over-cent-conn-st/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
A question many teens are often asked is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
While becoming a YouTube star or a rock star may be the “official” answer, most people end up pursuing careers they are familiar with through family, friends or day-to-day exposure — in many cases because they don’t know what other options they have.
It’s been proven that when students’ educations align with their aptitudes, or abilities, graduation rates increase. When using their natural talents at work, people tend to be more successful and more satisfied in their careers. One of the best ways for individuals to determine their natural abilities and what they will excel in, is by taking an aptitude assessment.
What is an aptitude assessment?
Unlike a personality test that might tell a student that they are an extrovert and should be in sales, aptitude tests use a series of behavioral assessments designed to identify natural talents. In their simplest form, aptitude tests look at what you like and what you do well inherently, and use science to accurately hone in on true abilities. Things that are easy for some people can prove challenging to others.
For example, some people are naturally excellent at handling numbers, others have impressive spatial awareness. Tests, such as YouScience Discovery, assess these areas and many more in a series of time-based exercises. In the case of YouScience Discovery, at the end of the aptitude assessment, each person is shown all of the potential career opportunities that are ideal for their specific talents, including careers potentially never previously considered.
Why aptitude tests have a lasting effectNew Opportunities: When academic and career guidance decisions are based solely on students’ reported interests, important pieces of the puzzle are missed. According to the research from The University of Missouri, interests are influenced by perceived “societal norms” that limit the scope of students’ career exploration.
Aptitude tests uncover what students do well naturally and how they solve problems. Performance measures of aptitudes go beyond what students see around them and help expand their vision of college and career opportunity and possibility.
Level playing field
Aptitude tests cut through social noise and biases. By empowering students with the knowledge of their unique capabilities, these exams help close the exposure gap and prepare students for career fields they may not have otherwise thought of or even known about. Each person has natural abilities; when these talents are identified, students often feel that they have more of a focus and a purpose.
Preventing wasted college creditsA college education is highly valuable, but too often students enter with one major and graduate with another. In fact, up to 80% of college students change their majors at least once before graduating.
Not only can this cause a headache, but it can be a costly mistake. Taking an aptitude test before attending college can help get students in a college or on a career track that lasts. Getting affirmation that an area of study makes sense for a successful career can prevent wasted credits and years studying the “wrong” material.
Backed by research, aptitude tests provide insights into the “science of each person,” helping individuals uncover and discover new purpose and intent. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” can now be answered with a sense of confidence and, more importantly, can provide students with the positive reinforcement needed to pursue careers in high-demand industries where they can succeed beyond their imagination. | https://www.phillytrib.com/the_learning_key/the-benefits-of-students-taking-an-aptitude-test/article_38c312b5-6b23-5c7d-9d97-8c0f3e574fb5.html | 2023-03-21 13:19:36 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/the_learning_key/the-benefits-of-students-taking-an-aptitude-test/article_38c312b5-6b23-5c7d-9d97-8c0f3e574fb5.html |
3 officers injured, suspect killed in Philadelphia shooting
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Three Philadelphia police officers were shot and wounded at a home and a suspect was killed early Wednesday when a SWAT team tried to arrest a man wanted on a homicide charge, police said.
The shooting occurred around 6:30 a.m., soon after officers tried to serve a warrant in North Philadelphia, said First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford. The 19-year-old suspect fired at officers through a window as they were attempting to knock on the front door, Stanford said.
Officers entered the house, where the man and officers exchanged gunfire, he said. The man tried to exit the back of the home while firing at officers, who returned fire. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Police did not immediately release details of his injuries or say how many times he was shot.
District Attorney Larry Krasner identified the suspect as Raheem Lee, who was wanted in the Aug. 21 slaying of Theodore Bell, found dead of gunshot wounds in a vehicle. Krasner said Bell was “connected to” Lee’s family and the shooting appeared to be domestic.
Stanford said Lee was also a suspect in several armed robberies.
One officer was shot in the hip, while another had a leg wound. A third officer was hit in the chest by a bullet that ricocheted off of his Kevlar vest. All three were taken to a hospital and were listed as stable, but their names and further information were not immediately disclosed.
It was unclear how many people were in the home at the time of the shooting. But at least one other person was taken from the scene in handcuffs. Stanford said police don’t believe anyone else was involved in the shooting, but the investigation continues.
“The fact that ... there are this many incidents with SWAT officers being fired upon, is not normal. We have come to believe this is a normal course of events. It is not,” Stanford said at a news conference.
The city’s police commissioner, Danielle Outlaw, who is at a conference in Dallas, said in a statement that she was “beyond disgusted” by the violence.
“We are tired of arresting the same suspects over and over again, only to see them right back out on the street to continue and sometimes escalate their criminal ways,” she said. “We are tired of having to send our officers into harm’s way to serve warrants on suspects who have no business being on the street in the first place.”
Outlaw said the entire department “is sickened by what is happening to the people that live, work, and visit our city.”
“Residents are tired of it. Business owners are tired of it. Our children are tired of it,” she said. “We are long past ‘enough is enough.’”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2022/10/12/3-officers-injured-suspect-killed-philadelphia-shooting/ | 2022-10-12 18:11:57 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2022/10/12/3-officers-injured-suspect-killed-philadelphia-shooting/ |
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- City of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones has signed legislation adopting the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Official's (IAPMO) the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), updating the city's code from the 2009 edition of the UPC. The adoption was recommended by the city's Committee of Plumbing Code Review and has the enthusiastic support of St. Louis' plumbing industry.
Alderman Bret Narayan (Ward 24) sponsored Board Bill 182 and guided it through the adoption process. The legislation unanimously passed out of the St. Louis Health and Human Services Committee and moved forward to the Board of Aldermen for consideration, passing overwhelmingly on Feb. 3 and 7.
"I applaud the work of Alderman Narayan, the St. Louis Health and Human Services Committee and the Board of Aldermen in updating the city's plumbing code from the 2009 UPC to the 2021 UPC," said Brian Rogers, IAPMO senior vice president of Field Services. "This action helps ensure the residents of St. Louis have access to a newer code that reflects changes in water conservation and plumbing technology. The adoption of the 2021 UPC will benefit citizens throughout St. Louis and reaffirms the city's commitment to help ensure that all buildings have safe and cost-effective plumbing systems that meet the demands of today's consumers."
One of the many significant updates found in the 2021 UPC is the addition of the Water Demand Calculator™ (WDC) (https://www.iapmo.org/water-demand-calculator/). The UPC is the only national model plumbing code with significant updates for water pipe sizing in buildings since the development of Hunter's Curve more than 80 years ago. It is the result of a multiyear, IAPMO-led effort to develop a new statistically based pipe sizing method stemming from a need to address profound water safety and wasted water and energy concerns due to oversized water supply pipes in homes and buildings.
Other noteworthy updates in the 2021 edition include:
- Alternate Water Sources for Nonpotable Applications
- Nonpotable Rainwater Catchment Systems
- Alternate Plumbing Systems
- Potable Rainwater Catchment Systems
- Sustainable Practices
"Updating the Uniform Plumbing Code as recommended by the city's Committee of Plumbing Code Review ensures St. Louis residents have access to the most progressive, sustainable, and resilient plumbing code available," Alderman Narayan said. "The adoption of the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code is the highest level of health and safety protection and will benefit all citizens of St. Louis well into the future."
The UPC was introduced in Los Angeles in 1928 and formally published as the Uniform Plumbing Code in 1945. It is developed using IAPMO's consensus development procedures accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This process brings together volunteers representing a variety of viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus on construction practices. Developed and subsequently republished at the conclusion of each three-year code cycle, the Uniform Codes are designed to provide consumers with safely functioning systems while, at the same time, allowing latitude for innovation and new technologies.
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SOURCE International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/st-louis-updates-plumbing-code-2021-uniform-plumbing-code/ | 2023-02-23 23:05:59 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/st-louis-updates-plumbing-code-2021-uniform-plumbing-code/ |
TROY, Ala. (WIAT) — During a stop at a Lockheed Martin facility in Troy, Alabama, President Biden touted the missiles being made at the plant and said the U.S. should be doing more to provide aid for the country of Ukraine.
Speaking directly to the Lockheed Martin employees, Biden thanked them for the role they’re playing in keeping Ukrainians safe.
“You’re making a gigantic difference for these poor sons of guns who are under such enormous, enormous pressure and firepower. Those Javelins I saw, there’s 10 for every tank that there is in Ukraine right now,” said Biden. “You’re changing peoples lives.”
So far, more than 5,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles made at the Troy facility have gone to Ukraine to fend off Russian attacks. Biden said the weapons are saving Ukrainian lives.
“In fact, they’ve been so important, there’s even a story about Ukrainian parents even naming their newborn child Javelin or Javelina, not a joke,” Biden said.
The President also urged Congress to pass a new funding measure to provide more aid to Ukraine and to ensure the U.S. can replenish its own stock of weapons.
“This fight is not going to be cheap, but caving to aggression would be even more costly. We either back the Ukrainian people as they defend their country or we stand by as Russia continues its atrocities and aggression,” Biden said.
Gov. Kay Ivey did not greet the President, but Congresswoman Terri Sewell did introduce Biden before he spoke. | https://www.cbs42.com/news/youre-making-a-gigantic-difference-president-biden-visits-lockheed-martin-facility-in-troy/ | 2022-05-04 01:30:04 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/news/youre-making-a-gigantic-difference-president-biden-visits-lockheed-martin-facility-in-troy/ |
Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada arrested in corruption probe
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s disgraced former House Speaker Glen Casada and his top aide were arrested Tuesday on federal charges including bribery, kickbacks and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Their indictments follow the abrupt resignation in March of Republican Rep. Robin Smith, who pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges involving Casada and his chief of staff, Cade Cothren. Speculation has swirled about what additional charges might come in the corruption probe.
FBI agents arrested Casada and Cothren at their homes Tuesday morning. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison. Both pleaded not guilty Tuesday and received pretrial release with travel restricted to the middle district of Tennessee unless otherwise approved.
The 20-count charging document alleges Casada and Cothren exploited their positions of power by working with another unnamed lawmaker to funnel money to themselves using a political consulting firm — known as Phoenix Solutions, LLC — to conceal their involvement.
Cothren registered the firm in New Mexico because the state allows anonymous registration of LLCs, and rebuffed requests for in-person meetings with Casada’s fellow lawmakers, saying the company representatives were out of state.
The trio deceived other Tennessee lawmakers in a conspiracy “to enrich themselves by obtaining bribes and kickbacks from Cothren, in exchange for securing the approval of Phoenix Solutions as a mailer program vendor,” a Justice Department news release said.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who succeeded his fellow Republican in the leadership post, was among several lawmakers and former or current staffers to testify in front of a grand jury in March. Sexton commended the FBI on Tuesday, saying he will continue assisting in the investigation if a trial is needed. Smith also promised to cooperate as a potential witness.
Revelations about the case also prompted lawmakers to pass tougher state campaign finance and ethics requirements this year.
“Today is a good day for Tennesseans because we did not turn a blind eye on these criminal activities,” Sexton said.
Casada resigned as speaker in 2019 but held onto his seat after revelations that he and Cothren had exchanged sexually explicit text messages about women years earlier. He is not running for reelection this year. Cothren lost his legislative job in the texting scandal, but remained involved in Republican politics.
FBI agents searched the homes and offices of several state lawmakers in January 2021, including those of Casada and Smith, and the home of Cothren.
The charging documents revealed Tuesday say Cothren launched Phoenix Solutions with Smith’s and Casada’s “knowledge and support” to offer mail and consulting services to lawmakers. All three claimed the firm was run by a “Matthew Phoenix” when in fact it was a made-up alias for Cothren, and Casada knew the name was fictitious, the documents allege.
The documents allege Smith emailed Cothren at one point saying he “may have to assume the role of Matthew again.” He replied saying, “Matthew, reporting for duty!” and included a GIF of “a salute from Harrison Ford’s character Han Solo in the movie Star Wars,” officials said.
Federal investigators said a separate text exchange showed Casada texted Cothren in late 2019 saying “I think this is starting off well I’m pleased!” Cothren later cautioned that “we just have to make sure no one knows it’s me involved,” they said.
When Casada raised concerns about lawmakers wanting “representatives from Phoenix” to make an in-person presentation, Cothren responded that they would remind lawmakers “they live in New Mexico. Will have to get on the phone for it and I could disguise my voice if I has (sic) to.”
Phoenix Solutions received roughly $52,000 from the state in payments associated with the mailer program, according to the charging documents.
Meanwhile, Cothren continues to fight a subpoena over the state campaign finance regulators’ investigation into the Faith Family Freedom Fund PAC.
Ahead of the 2020 GOP primary election, the political action committee targeted then-Rep. Rick Tillis, the brother of North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. Rick Tillis lost to Republican Rep. Todd Warner, who was among those subject to the FBI searches in January 2021.
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance decided to reopen its probe into the PAC after its treasurer testified in January that she is Cothren’s former girlfriend and opened the PAC because Cothren asked her to. She said Cothren assured her she was doing nothing wrong and that she took no further action.
Cothren has informed the registry that he is invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and won’t abide by its subpoena. The registry handed the case off to state prosecutors. The state has sued over Cothren’s refusal.
Casada also was subpoenaed, and told the registry he wasn’t involved with the PAC. Casada opted to run for Williamson County clerk this year instead of his statehouse seat, and lost in the GOP primary.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2022/08/23/former-tennessee-house-speaker-glen-casada-arrested-corruption-probe/ | 2022-08-23 17:44:46 | 1 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2022/08/23/former-tennessee-house-speaker-glen-casada-arrested-corruption-probe/ |
The new leaders will strengthen relationships within the nonprofit and education sectors to ensure high-quality expanded learning programs are available to more than 200,000 California students.
SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Think Together, California's leading nonprofit provider of school improvement, expanded learning and afterschool programs, today announced the appointment of Katie Roth as Executive Director of Philanthropy and Dianne Chaves as Senior Director of Program Operations.
The appointments come as Think Together looks to continue its tremendous growth thanks to new and renewed state and federal investments in education. Roth will spearhead Think Together's individual philanthropy program, while Chaves will look to leverage both funding streams to build out high-quality, innovative programs and curricula that transform the lives of students.
"Our newest leaders to Think Together bring extensive experience across the nonprofit and K-12 education space and we're proud to have them join the ranks of Think Together's talented leadership team," said Think Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth. "Both will build the bridges needed between philanthropic, academic and community leaders pool resources for truly innovative solutions for students."
Roth joins the Think Together team after 15 years of on-the-ground and executive leadership experience with education nonprofits in Los Angeles. Starting as a middle school math teacher for Teach for America in Watts, Roth continued her career in education as a curriculum advisor, manager of instruction, director of programs, and most recently, executive director at PowerMyLearning.
Roth holds a secondary math teaching credential from California State University, Dominguez Hills and her bachelors degrees in marketing and finance as well as a minor in psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.
"I'm excited to engage with community and business leaders who have a passion for providing children with expanded opportunities for a brighter future," said Roth. "There is so much need in our communiies and I look forward to bringing more excellent programming to schools through partnership with our board and supporters."
Chaves comes to Think Together from The Autism Community in Action, where she led a national autism organization to transform and modernize program strategy and delivery mechanisms. She has also held the roles of chief of staff, special education teacher, math department lead, director of college access, principal, and managing director of high schools.
Chaves received her bachelors degree from California State University, San Luis Obispo and her masters degree in Education from Chestnut Hill College which she acquired during her service as a Teach For America corps member.
"I'm thrilled to be part of Think Together's mission to change the odds for kids and look forward to building scalable solutions for students during this time of incredible growth for the organization," said Chaves. "The role allows me to put both my curriculum and operational expertise to work as we serve more students across the state than ever."
After two years of pandemic-related school disruptions, students today are experiencing a great need for rich afterschool and expanded learning programs like the ones Think Together operates at more than 450 school sites across California. Think Together partners with over 60 school districts and charter management organizations to provide more than 900 academic and enrichment programs outside of the school day.
"Synergy between academic, corporate and community leaders is needed now more than ever as we work to prepare youth for college and career," added Barth. "Think Together's newest leaders will help seize the opportunity before us to truly help students succeed in the face of insurmountable challenges."
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education reported a dramatic decline in scores from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) underscoring the need for academic support for youth. Two decades of growth in reading and math were sent into a downward spiral, with declines much steeper for students at lower performance levels, widening already-huge learning disparities between the country's high- and low-achievers.
Think Together aims to reverse this trend and recently acquired Orenda Education, a top school improvement consultancy firm, to provide both direct-to-student support as well as data-driven professional development services for school district leaders and educators.
With this sustained growth, Think Together continues to recruit purpose-driven talent and has since scaled its workforce to more than 4,000 full- and part-time staff members serving in school site and administrative roles.
Learn more about Think Together at thinktogether.org.
For over 25 years Think Together has partnered with schools and communities to pursue educational equity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements, and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students. Think Together's program areas include early learning, afterschool, school support services and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org.
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SOURCE Think Together | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/26/think-together-welcomes-new-executive-director-philanthropy-senior-director-program-innovations-amid-continued-organizational-growth/ | 2022-09-26 11:04:48 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/26/think-together-welcomes-new-executive-director-philanthropy-senior-director-program-innovations-amid-continued-organizational-growth/ |
First Baptist Atlanta will be the site of this year's Pray Vote Stand Summit
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Family Research Council and FRC Action today announced the second annual Pray Vote Stand Summit, which replaced FRC Action's previous flagship event since 2006, the Values Voter Summit. The Pray Vote Stand Summit builds on the foundation laid by the Values Voter Summit, addressing issues such as protecting the unborn, the importance of the nuclear family, domestic and international religious freedom, the growing indoctrination in our nation's schools, and much more.
The summit will be held at First Baptist Atlanta in Atlanta, GA from September 14-16, 2022. This year's theme is Pray Vote Stand for Life, building on the U.S. Supreme Court's historic decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization which overturned Roe v. Wade, the Court's 49-year-old decision which legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.
Family Research Council and FRC Action President Tony Perkins commented:
"Pray. Vote. Stand. These three verbs serve as both points of action and reflection for Christians in our time. These words took on new meaning after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Christians around the country tirelessly prayed, voted, and stood for life for 49 long years. For decades, the pro-life movement has worked tirelessly to see the unjust Roe decision overturned, and this year our collective hope was realized when the Court returned the issue of protecting unborn children to the American people. However, the Court's decision is only the beginning. We must press on and pray for the day when every life in America is protected.
"This Pray Vote Stand Summit will be focused on equipping and encouraging Christians to live out their faith with boldness and courage in such a way that it impacts every aspect of our society."
WHAT: 2nd annual Pray Vote Stand Summit
WHEN: September 14-16th 2022
WHO: Confirmed speakers include:
Dr. George Barna, Senior Research Fellow for the Center for Biblical Worldview, FRC
David Barton, Founder, WallBuilders
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, Executive Vice President, Family Research Council
Sam Brownback, former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
Andrew Brunson, Special Advisor for Religious Freedom, FRC
Dr. Ben Carson, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Carter Conlon, General Overseer, Times Square Church
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas
Jentezen Franklin, Senior Pastor, Free Chapel
Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia
James Lankford, U.S. Senator, Oklahoma
David Limbaugh, Best-selling Author; Syndicated Columnist
Anne Graham Lotz, Founder and President, AnGeL Ministries
Dr. Albert Mohler, President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Melissa Ohden, Founder, Abortion Survivor's Network
Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council and FRC Action
Kevin Stitt, Governor of Oklahoma
Allie Beth Stuckey, Host, BlazeTV's "Relatable"
More confirmed speakers at prayvotestand.org/speakers
WHERE: In-person at First Baptist Atlanta (4400 N Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA) and online at prayvotestand.org/summit.
To obtain media credentials for this event, please email media@frc.org.
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SOURCE Family Research Council | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/09/09/family-research-council-frc-action-announce-second-annual-pray-vote-stand-summit/ | 2022-09-09 18:32:53 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/09/09/family-research-council-frc-action-announce-second-annual-pray-vote-stand-summit/ |
+ Combined Technology Makes Travel Even Easier Ahead of the Busy Spring Travel Season
+ Maintains Affordability for Both Greyhound and FlixBus Customers
+ Combined Network Now Has Almost 2,300 Destinations Across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Flix North America Inc., the Dallas-based entity overseeing operations for both Greyhound and FlixBus across North America, today announced the co-integration of both brand's booking platform enabling a shared, extended intercity bus network from which customers can more easily search, book and travel throughout North America. With spring travel season kicking off, customers can now book rides with Greyhound and FlixBus to almost 2,300 destinations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico from either brands' websites or apps.
Munich-based Flix SE acquired Greyhound Lines Inc. in 2021. Having already been present in the North American market with its FlixBus brand since 2018, the purchase of Greyhound brought together two leaders of the travel industry to offer a smart and affordable way to travel.
"This is an exciting time for intercity bus travel," said Kai Boysan, CEO steering FlixBus and Greyhound in North America. "By leveraging synergies from Greyhound's experience in connecting communities nationwide for over a century and FlixBus' innovative technology, we are able to provide millions of travelers access to more affordable, convenient, and an overall better travel experience."
Enhancing the Intercity Bus Travel Experience
FlixBus' innovative global technology coupled with Greyhound's iconic nationwide presence is setting a new standard for intercity bus transportation. In addition to a shared booking platform, customers can expect a series of enhanced products and features sure to make the travel experience even better:
- One Booking, One Ticket: Whether the trip is point-to-point or has multiple stops and bus changes, customers have just one ticket for the entire journey.
- Reserved Seating: During the booking process, customers can reserve seats for a small fee.
- New Payment Methods: ApplePay (available now) and GooglePay planned for early Spring.
- First Bag Travels Free: One carry-on bag and one luggage are included in the standard ticket price, and passengers can add additional luggage for a small fee.
- Manage My Booking: Customers can now easily manage all their bookings through either brands' website and app, including rescheduling or cancelling trips, updating passenger information, and reserving a seat.
- Carbon Offset Credits: Passengers can now offset their carbon emissions with each trip through FlixBus' partnership with atmosfair for 1-3% of their overall ticket price.
- Free Wi-Fi/Onboard Entertainment: As always, passengers can enjoy free Wi-Fi, power outlets to charge devices and onboard entertainment.
Book Today for Top Spring Break Destinations
Spring travel season is fast approaching. As individuals and families begin planning mid-March getaways, Greyhound and FlixBus offer a smart and affordable way to travel to top destinations including:
- Key West, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Savannah, GA
- San Diego, CA
- Miami, FL
- Orlando, FL
- San Francisco, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- Moab, UT
- Austin, TX
- Palm Springs, CA
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Nashville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
To explore more destinations or to book travel, please visit Greyhound.com, FlixBus.com or download the Greyhound or FlixBus apps.
About Flix North America, Inc.
Flix North America Inc., parent company of FlixBus Inc. and Greyhound Lines, Inc., provides the largest intercity bus transportation and booking platform for North America. A subsidiary of Germany-based mobility company Flix SE, Flix North America Inc. provides services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with almost 2,300 destinations across its network. Greyhound, FlixBus and their operating partners offer a smart and affordable alternative for travel that helps passengers reduce their impact on the environment and embrace a collective, sustainable approach to mobility.
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SOURCE Greyhound Lines, Inc. | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/greyhound-flixbus-combine-technology-create-largest-intercity-bus-network-enhancing-overall-traveler-experience/ | 2023-02-28 15:04:41 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/greyhound-flixbus-combine-technology-create-largest-intercity-bus-network-enhancing-overall-traveler-experience/ |
Companies collect a lot of data about us from our fitness trackers to smart devices in your home.
You may not even know that it's sometimes happening.
Federal regulators are considering new rules to crack down on companies collecting and profiting from information about you.
The Federal Trade Commission wants to hear from you about how this is impacting you.
“One of the biggest changes I think that is potentially on the horizon are some more limits on what companies can actually do, what they can collect and what they can do with it,” said Jennifer King, a privacy and data policy fellow at Stanford University. “Rather than just saying we got your permission, so you know we can now, we can do whatever we want.”
She said one real challenge if the FTC decides to go through with new rules is that the process takes so long, it could take 5 years before we actually see them in action.
She said action by Congress would be much faster. Lawmakers are currently considering a privacy bill to reduce data collected about us.
Until any action happens, there are ways you can reduce that collection.
“I think the mobile space is one of those areas that a little hygiene can go a long way, and one of the things I do is I turn off my location services on my phone,” King said. “That doesn't stop everything, but it does actually kind of cut off a lot of data that's happening, often in the background.”
She said also consider the apps you're installing on your phone and what types of places you're willing to give your information. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/as-lawmakers-contemplate-privacy-laws-expert-gives-tips-to-limit-how-companies-track-you | 2022-09-07 18:14:36 | 1 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/as-lawmakers-contemplate-privacy-laws-expert-gives-tips-to-limit-how-companies-track-you |
Revol Greens, a leader in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), announces the opening of its 20-acre greenhouse in Texas adding to the nation's largest leafy greens CEA footprint of over 50 acres to support its strong increased demand.
TEMPLE, Texas, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Revol Greens debuts the world's single-largest controlled environment agriculture (CEA) lettuce facility ever built. The newly erected greenhouse resides in Temple, TX, and boasts state-of-the-art technology which includes artificial intelligence tools to monitor and adjust climate control, irrigation, and energy management for maximum output and efficiency 365 days a year. The new facility is expected to create 130 jobs in the Temple, TX area while significantly expanding Revol Green's distribution in Texas and the central and southern United States.
"This is a milestone moment for our team," said Michael Wainscott, CEO of Revol Greens. "We are on a mission to provide fresh, affordable lettuce to consumers across the country. The addition of the Temple facility opens new markets to Revol Greens allowing for further reduction of food miles typically traveled within the US salad market."
With the addition of the Temple, TX facility, Revol Greens now reaches over 70 percent of the United States market when combined with its existing operations in Owatonna, MN, Athens, GA, and Tehachapi, CA. Centrally located in the heart of Texas, the city of Temple offers proximity to key customer distribution centers. Revol Greens has secured distribution partnerships with H-E-B, Sprouts, Costco, Walmart, Kroger, Target, United Supermarkets, and Amazon Fresh. Now more consumers will enjoy year-round access to Revol Greens' fresh, locally grown, organic, and conventional lettuce, including an assortment of their popular salad blends, convenient salad kits, and head lettuces - all of which reach store shelves within 24 - 48 hours of harvest.
"Revol Greens and its team members are honored to partner with the leading food retailers in Texas, as well the Texas Department of Agriculture's GO TEXAN program in support of local agriculture," said Wainscott.
Revol Greens' growing practices ensure that the perfect amount of nutrients and hydration reaches the different lettuce varieties throughout the growing cycle to achieve year-round consistency across all product lines. The company's greenhouses significantly reduce US water consumption and are on track to save 880 million gallons of water each year compared to field-grown lettuce. The new Temple facility will source most of its water by collecting rainwater, saving up to 380 million gallons of Texas water.
Revol Greens products can be found at a variety of national retailers. For more information about Revol Greens and the new Temple, TX facility, please visit www.revolgreens.com.
About REVOL GREENS
Revol Greens is the largest greenhouse lettuce grower in North America and a benefit corporation. The Austin-based company harvests and delivers its packaged lettuce and greens products daily, resulting in the freshest taste and peak nutrition with a shelf life of four to six days longer than out-of-state greens. Revol Greens adopts advanced greenhouse technologies and growing method which allows facilities to use 90 percent less water than traditional field-grown greens. Grown in an animal and pest-free environment with no pesticide residues, and no herbicides or other harmful chemicals used in the process. Revol Greens currently grows more than 30 million pounds of non-GMO lettuce and greens annually with a coast-to-coast footprint. For more information, visit www.revolgreens.com and follow Revol Greens on social media @revolgreens.
Contact:
Bradley Hartman
bradley.hartman@jessuppr.com
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SOURCE Revol Greens | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/05/23/revol-greens-unveils-new-texas-facility-meet-increased-demand/ | 2023-05-23 13:21:14 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/05/23/revol-greens-unveils-new-texas-facility-meet-increased-demand/ |
Even as the team’s batting average crept up toward .340 late in the regular season, members of the Bangor baseball team believed their postseason fate ultimately would hinge on pitching and defense.
So far, so good.
Coach Dave Morris’ club scratched out a single run in the second inning Tuesday and senior left-hander Colton Trisch and some timely Bangor defense made the run stand up as the top-ranked Rams edged No. 7 Edward Little of Auburn 1-0 in the Class A North championship game played at Morton Field in Augusta.
The victory continued a remarkable run for Bangor, which captured its seventh regional title in the last nine years — and baseball wasn’t played in 2020 due to COVID-19.
The 18-1 Rams now will try to capture their sixth state championship during that span — and first since 2018 — when they return to Augusta on Saturday to play Thornton Academy of Saco in a 2 p.m. start.
“We’ve been talking all year long about how pitching and defense are going to win championships,” Morris said. “I thought Colton had command of the game, and when he got tired the last couple of innings he trusted his defense.”
Trisch yielded just two hits while striking out nine, walking three and hitting a batter during a 106-pitch complete-game performance that improved his record this spring to 9-0.
“The command was definitely there, my off-speed was awesome, and when I put fastballs in and hitters hit it, my defense made plays,” Trisch said. “It was awesome.”
Trisch needed to be that effective because while Edward Little sophomore Drew Smith struggled with his control over the first two innings, he settled down with some dominant pitching of his own later in the game. Bangor did not advance a runner past second base after the second inning.
Smith finished with a four-hitter with seven strikeouts, four walks and two hit batters while throwing 99 pitches over six innings.
Bangor’s Luke Missbrenner drew a leadoff walk off Smith in the bottom of the second inning, then advanced to third base on a pair of wild pitches by the Edward Little righthander.
Senior right fielder Max Clark did the rest, blooping a 3-2 pitch into shallow center field for a single that delivered Missbrenner for the game’s only run.
“Good baserunning by Luke brought the infield in, and thankfully the infield was in because it was a pretty fluke hit,” said Clark of his second game-winning hit in the Rams’ last four games. “I was able to fight off a few pitches, and I don’t know if I got the barrel on it but I got the bat on it and was able to move him in.”
Pivotal players: Bangor’s defense committed two errors early in the contest, but a key defensive play by sophomore second baseman Yates Emerson and senior first baseman Luke Missbrenner helped preserve the victory.
Edward Little (11-9) had runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the sixth when Brody Keefe hit an opposite-field grounder that looked to have a chance to reach the outfield.
Emerson, who had touched the ball defensively just once to that point of the game, ranged to his left and then slid to field the ball. He bobbled it briefly, but recovered in time to make a low throw to first base that was scooped up by Missbrenner for the final out.
“I knew that the guy wasn’t the fastest and he was late on the ball a lot, so I knew he was going to go opposite field with it so I took a couple of steps that way,” Emerson said. “Then when he hit it, I had to pop-up slide to get him out and I bobbled it but still had time to get him. Luke made a good pick and kind of saved me.”
Missbrenner’s scoop also stymied the Red Eddies’ best chance to score.
“[Yates] came up with it and lost the grip but he stuck with it,” Morris said. “It’s a great testament to a young kid for not panicking. He didn’t panic. He made the play and I really thought it was the play of the game.”
Big takeaway: Bangor entered the regional final averaging 8.0 runs per contest in its earlier postseason victories over Skowhegan (10-0) and Messalonskee of Oakland (6-5). But when Edward Little limited Bangor’s offense to two singles each from Trisch and Clark, the pitching and defense rose to the occasion.
For Trisch, it was his second victory over Edward Little this spring, as he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Bangor’s season-opening 7-2 victory over the Red Eddies on April 20.
“Coming into the game and with the flow of the game. I said to myself all we need is one [run],” Bangor senior shortstop Keegan Cyr said. “I just had that feeling that they weren’t going to hit him. They didn’t hit him at the beginning of the year and they didn’t hit him today.” | https://www.bangordailynews.com/2022/06/14/sports/pitching-propels-bangor-past-edward-little-for-a-north-baseball-title/ | 2022-06-16 22:31:24 | 1 | https://www.bangordailynews.com/2022/06/14/sports/pitching-propels-bangor-past-edward-little-for-a-north-baseball-title/ |
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Baseball United, which swung for the sports history fences by establishing the first professional baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia, announced Monday its first franchise, the Mumbai Cobras.
The Cobras are the first of four teams to be announced. In the coming weeks, three more will be revealed, with the Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based Baseball United poised to host a showcase tournament in November at Dubai International Stadium. The tournament will take place a year after Baseball United was first established.
Baseball United’s player pool consists of more than 200 players from more than 30 countries. Of those, 64 players will be selected for the teams. The remaining players will be drafted in anticipation of the organization’s inaugural season starting in the fall of 2024.
Baseball United has said several players from the U.S. will play in the league, though it has yet to announce any names.
“Major League Baseball is over 150 years old and has so much romance and pageantry. And, you know, it’s one of the few American sports that have yet to be exported to this part of the world,” said Kash Shaikh, president and CEO of Baseball United.
Baseball will have to compete with cricket, another bat-and-ball game that is the most popular sport in many South Asian countries, and boasts a fan base of approximately a billion people in the region.
Shaikh said in the digital announcement Monday that Baseball United will be introducing some yet-to-be announced rules that differ from the MLB and “things that you’d never see in other professional baseball leagues” to further appeal to cricket audiences.
Cricket’s shortest and most exciting format took off in India in 2008 when the Indian Premier League was formed. The IPL’s five-year broadcasting rights are now worth more than $6 billion.
Aside from cricket, soccer remains a dominant sport in the Middle East and South Asia regions and its popularity continues to soar. Qatar spent over $220 billion to host the 2022 World Cup, a staggering 15 times more than previous host Russia did in 2018.
Some sports have been able to make inroads into the Middle East. In October of last year, the United Arab Emirates hosted the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks in the first National Basketball Association games in the Middle East. The region has also become a prominent destination for various motorsports events, with Formula 1 races held in Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Dubai, Baseball United’s center of operations and prospective host of the first baseball game, is a strategic location for the startup baseball league. “Dubai is going to be the foundation, the epicenter and the launch pad,” said Shaikh.
Not only is the UAE well endowed with wealthy investors, but the country is also home to over 4 million Indian and Pakistani expats, many of whom have embraced cricket as somewhat of a religion. An estimated 133 million people tuned in to watch the two Asian heavyweights last time they faced off at Dubai International Stadium in August of 2022, according to streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar.
Mariano Rivera and Barry Larkin, two of Major League Baseball’s most decorated former stars with a combined six World Series Championships and 25 All-Star Game selections, are two high-profile investors in Baseball United.
Shaikh says the league will own the initial four teams and four additional teams to be unveiled next year. He hopes the teams can eventually reap lucrative returns at auction.
“Sports teams valuations are really becoming the new gold, if you look at how they performed over the last 40 years, 50 years versus the market,” he said.
According to Forbes Magazine, the Mumbai Indians are the most valuable franchise in the Indian Premier League with an estimated worth of $1.3 billion, while the average value of MLB teams has risen by 12% this year to reach $2.32 billion.
Drawing inspiration from the MLB and IPL, Shaikh says that revenue sharing at Baseball United is “going to occur at the broadcast level, at the sponsorship level, at the ticketing level, the (merchandise) level.”
Baseball United said it will be announcing new franchises, TV licensing group partnerships and sponsorships in the coming weeks. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/dubai-based-professional-baseball-league-announces-first-franchise-mumbai-cobras/ | 2023-05-16 15:57:20 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/dubai-based-professional-baseball-league-announces-first-franchise-mumbai-cobras/ |
The firm explains in a new industry resource that prioritizing elevated VIP support may lead to improper prioritization of issues, which could ultimately result in a lower quality of service for the rest of the organization.
TORONTO, June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Service desks play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation and support of enterprises, catering to the needs of both regular users and high-profile executives or VIPs. However, service desks often face resource constraints that pose challenges in delivering enhanced services for VIP users without compromising their support to the organization. These challenges include the expectation of immediate service, even for minor IT issues, and the risk of VIP dissatisfaction if their service tickets remain in a queue without a response or resolution for an extended period. In recognition of the critical role service desks play in overall enterprise success, Info-Tech Research Group has recently published new research, Design an Exceptional VIP Experience for Your Service Desk, to help IT departments overcome these challenges and enhance service desk performance.
"In a perfect world, executives wouldn't need any special treatment because the service desk could rapidly resolve every ticket, regardless of the submitter, keeping satisfaction levels high across the board. But that's not the case for most organizations," says Natalie Sansone, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "Executives and VIPs demand higher levels of service because the reality in most companies is that their time is worth more. Any IT leader who's had a VIP complain about their service knows that their voice also carries more weight than that of a regular dissatisfied user."
According to Info-Tech's research, service desk and IT leaders can face challenges in understanding a VIP's expectations in terms of service delivery. There is a lack of clarity in defining these expectations, leading to disagreement on the most appropriate support model that can meet the needs of VIPs while still adhering to service level agreements (SLAs) for the rest of the organization. One of the key issues is the insufficient availability of resources at the service desk, which can hinder IT's ability to deliver the desired level of service. Allocating resources primarily toward VIPs ahead of other users can lead to inappropriate issue prioritization and ultimately result in subpar service delivery for the remaining organization.
"The key to efficient service delivery is to stop being reactive to VIP demands and formalize VIP service procedures," explains Sansone. "These formalized service procedures allow the service desk team to properly set expectations for the service, monitor and measure performance, and continually evaluate to make the necessary changes."
The firm's new resource suggests a holistic approach to managing the service desk and ensuring satisfaction, particularly when it comes to VIP requests. To achieve this, Info-Tech recommends that IT teams shift from a reactive to a proactive stance for VIP requests by planning ahead, defining services, and setting clear expectations. Additionally, engaging with stakeholders is crucial to clarifying their expectations and selecting an appropriate VIP service delivery model. Continuous evaluation of the service is also recommended to ensure alignment with evolving requirements, allowing necessary adjustments such as expansion, reduction, or redefinition as needed.
The key to deciding the suitability of a VIP service for an organization is to analyze its specific needs and align them with available resources, which involves thoroughly evaluating requirements and capabilities to ensure a proper match. Then, it is essential to clearly define and document exactly what is in the scope of the service. In the new resource, the firm advises the following approach to successfully design a VIP support model:
1) Understand the support models available, from white glove service to the same service for everyone.
2) Gather business requirements from all relevant stakeholders.
3) Choose the right approach based on business needs.
4) Define and document all details of the VIP service offering.
5) Communicate and market the offering to VIPs so they know what's in scope.
6) Monitor volume and track metrics to evaluate what's working.
7) Continually improve or modify the service as needed over time.
Info-Tech cautions against creating a VIP service solely based on the fear of VIP dissatisfaction with the standard level of support the service desk provides. It is advised that in some cases, it is better to focus on improving standard support for all users rather than for a small percentage, especially if providing that elevated VIP support would further deteriorate service levels for the rest of the organization.
To learn more about how IT can build a more effective service desk for all users based on research and expert industry insights, download the complete Design an Exceptional VIP Experience for Your Service Desk blueprint.
For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.
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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/08/service-desk-must-balance-service-all-users-before-creating-an-enhanced-experience-vip-new-research-info-tech-research-group/ | 2023-06-08 20:20:51 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/08/service-desk-must-balance-service-all-users-before-creating-an-enhanced-experience-vip-new-research-info-tech-research-group/ |
Watch Maine Lizard’s Yummy Meal of a Cockroach Named For Your Ex
There's still time to name a cockroach after your ex and feed it to a Monitor Lizard at a Waterville pet store.
Is This a Fundraiser?
It's all in the name of good fun and fundraising for the Humane Society Waterville Area. The owners of Fish Tails Pet Emporium on College Avenue in Waterville are offering a deal for people who want a little passive revenge on their exes, through the use of their 'Hissing Booth.'
How Does It Work?
The process involves Brutus, a 30-inch Savannah monitor lizard who lives at the pet shop, and a bunch of hissing cockroaches. For a donation of $6.99 each, you can name one of the icky bugs after your ex and then feed it to Brutus. I'm sure you could also have one of the employees do the deed if it gives you the willies. A video of Brutus eating two cockroaches was posted on the store's Facebook page. Turn up the speakers to hear the woman feeding Brutus but, mind you, there's a little 'language.'
I have to admit, I've always loved lizards and so I think this is pretty cool, on a number of levels. It gives single people a way to have some fun on Valentine's Day that's also harmless to others (except, of course, the cockroaches) and it's a way to raise money to help shelter pets. Win/win! Oh, and Brutus, who seems like a very good boy, gets plenty of delicious treats in the name of charity.
Valentine's Day is Over...Did I Miss It?
Valentine's Day is over, but you still have time to name your own cockroach and feed it to Brutus. According to the Fish Tails Pet Emporium's Facebook page, they're continuing the fundraiser through Monday. | https://q961.com/waterville-lizard-eats-cockroaches-for-charity/ | 2023-02-16 22:43:10 | 0 | https://q961.com/waterville-lizard-eats-cockroaches-for-charity/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Most registered voters in Tennessee want exceptions for rape or incest in the state's sweeping abortion ban, but they largely don't know the specifics of what's in the law as it stands today, according to new Vanderbilt University polling.
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The disconnect comes in a state that votes consistently for Republicans and has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. Three out of four people polled think that abortion should be legal if the pregnancy results from rape or incest, an exception that doesn't exist in current law. But fewer than 1 in 5 were able to pick which of the statements Vanderbilt provided that most closely described the current abortion law's requirements, according to Vanderbilt pollsters.
Asked about six descriptions, 36% of respondents said they did not know enough to say what the law entails, while 23% chose the option “illegal except in the case of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.”
Tennessee's ban doesn't have an explicit exemption for the mother's life. Instead, it shifts the burden to the doctor to make a case in criminal court, if charged with a felony under the law, that an abortion was needed to save the mother’s life or spare her from irreversible, severe impairment.
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In legalese, the ban spells out an “affirmative defense” to protect the mother's life, which Republican officials say translates to making exceptions to protect pregnant women's health, even though it leaves the onus on the doctor to prove that the abortion was necessary.
They passed the law in 2019, only directing it to take effect if the Supreme Court struck down the Roe v. Wade abortion rights ruling.
The law makes performing an abortion a Class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The views of Tennesseans on rape and incest exceptions to the abortion ban — which even saw support from 6 out of 10 Republicans — echo, at least in part, what voters voiced nationally when they cast ballots last month.
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Nationwide, about two-thirds of voters say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 90,000 voters across the country. Only about 1 in 10 say abortion should be illegal in all cases.
About 6 in 10 also say the Supreme Court’s abortion decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade made them dissatisfied or angry, compared with fewer who say they were happy or satisfied.
While elections nationwide left the country with a split control of Congress, Republicans continued to cruise in Tennessee. Republican Gov. Bill Lee won in a landslide, despite facing attacks from his Democratic opponent over the abortion law, which he supported and signed. Through a redistricting maneuver that carved up Democratic Nashville to favor the GOP, Republicans also managed to gain a seat in the U.S. House without any close calls. The GOP kept its supermajorities in the state Legislature, as well.
Additionally, this year's Vanderbilt poll found that 37% of those surveyed said they were “pro-choice,” or in favor of abortion rights, up 15 percentage points from a decade ago, when only 22% favored "pro-choice" policies. Support for a “pro-life,” or anti-abortion, position fell from 46% in 2012 to 36% now.
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In Tennessee, where voters don't register by political party, those polled indicated they would be widely on board with abortion restrictions if they were significantly scaled back. Nearly 7 in 10 of voters polled — including almost 1 in 2 Democrats — indicated they think “abortion should be illegal after 15 weeks except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.”
John Geer, dean of Vanderbilt's College of Arts and Science and co-director of the poll, said that nationally, he didn't think information got out as effectively as it could have on various post-Roe abortion restrictions.
“A lot of what is going on, I think, is that legislators are reacting to where the competition lies,” Geer said. “And because of the redistricting and because Tennessee is such a Republican state, their main threat is from their flank, not from the center. Consequently, they are prepared to support these kinds of laws, even though they know that probably the broader public is not necessarily in support of them.”
To date, Lee has downplayed concerns that the abortion ban’s current language surrounding exemptions has sparked confusion and fear from the medical community. As a vocal opponent of abortion, Lee has maintained that doctors can use “their best judgment” to save the life of the mother.
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Many medical officials in Tennessee disagree with Lee's assessment and have since reached out to lawmakers, pleading for them to add more flexibility and clarification.
In response, a small pocket of Republican lawmakers have begun advocating for some exceptions to be added to the current ban. It's unknown how successful those efforts will be when the General Assembly meets next month.
Vanderbilt conducted the survey of 1,180 registered Tennessee voters between Nov. 8 and Nov. 28. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Tennesseans-misunderstand-abortion-law-want-17653755.php | 2022-12-14 17:18:03 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Tennesseans-misunderstand-abortion-law-want-17653755.php |
By Cliff Grassmick | cgrassmick@prairiemountainmedia.com | Boulder Daily Camera
- Tags:
- Photos and Videos
Cliff Grassmick | Photographer
Cliff Grassmick is a photographer for the Boulder Daily Camera, Longmont Times-Call and Broomfiled Enterprise | https://www.dailycamera.com/2023/06/10/photos-make-a-wish-kids-are-ready-to-ride/ | 2023-06-10 18:57:50 | 0 | https://www.dailycamera.com/2023/06/10/photos-make-a-wish-kids-are-ready-to-ride/ |
Omron Automation Americas welcomes partners and customers to its Proof of Concept Centers across the United States. This multi-location, multi-day event is a forum for customers to access leading-edge technical information, application knowledge and industry insights to lead their digital engineering transformation.
HOFFMAN, Ill., Sept. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry-leading automation solution provider, Omron Automation Americas, continues to demonstrate its commitment to customers and their automation needs with their event, OPEN 2022. Hosted at four Proof of Concept Centers, customers will have access to the technologies, resources, and best practices that make for integrated, intelligent and interactive solutions that enable sustainable business success.
This two-day event allows customers to participate in live and virtual sessions designed to stimulate discussion around the creation of advanced solutions. Omron and industry experts will cover a diverse array of technical and educational topics including control, safety, motion, vision, robotics, and IIOT.
Technology developers will provide access to Omron's exclusive range of hardware, software and solutions during hands-on demonstrations. Participants will experience first-hand highly advanced intelligence capabilities that solve the immediate market needs of labor shortages and productivity improvements while addressing the future of automation coexisting with the global environment. OPEN 2022 will allow customers to find the right solutions to increase profitability, reduce risk and achieve sustainability excellence.
Connect with Omron industry experts to discover market trends, discuss manufacturing issues and learn the best-in-class automation solutions.
About Omron Automation
Omron Automation is an industrial automation partner that creates, sells and services fully integrated automation solutions that include sensing, control, safety, vision, motion, robotics and more. Established in 1933 and currently headed by President Yoshihito Yamada, Omron's 30,000 employees help businesses solve problems with creativity in more than 110 countries. Learn more at automation.omron.com.
Contact: amy.wang@omron.com
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SOURCE Omron Automation Americas | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/omron-automation-americas-hosts-nation-wide-event-open-2022-focused-delivering-next-generation-technology-solutions-automation-professionals/ | 2022-09-27 20:30:04 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/27/omron-automation-americas-hosts-nation-wide-event-open-2022-focused-delivering-next-generation-technology-solutions-automation-professionals/ |
One dead following officer involved shooting in Meridian
The incident happened outside the Texas Roadhouse on Fairview Avenue late Monday afternoon.
MERIDIAN, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — A Boise man is dead following an altercation with police outside a Meridian restaurant.
The incident happened outside the Texas Roadhouse on Fairview Avenue late Monday afternoon.
KBOI reports a Boise Police Officer shot and killed a man wanted for felony charges, while searching for him with fugitive recovery agents from the Idaho Department of Corrections.
Police said, as they attempted to take the suspect into custody, he showed something that looked like a weapon and an officer shot him.
Today the Ada County Coroner identified him as 32-year-old Eli Nash, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
“This is not a result that we ever want when we’re out performing operations like this,” said Chief Ron Winegar from the Boise Police Department.
The officer who shot him was not injured and will be placed on paid administrative leave.
The information is considered preliminary, pending the results of the critical incident task force investigation.
Copyright 2023 KMVT. All rights reserved. | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/01/24/one-dead-following-officer-involved-shooting-meridian/ | 2023-01-24 22:36:21 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/01/24/one-dead-following-officer-involved-shooting-meridian/ |
DALLAS (AP) — Daisy Donjuan’s family never saw the value in college. After graduating from high school, she did what was expected of her — dropped education, worked and pitched in at home.
When she enrolled in Dallas College after a five-year break in school, she had to navigate a dizzying array of options and decisions as she sought a career outside of retail management.
With the help of a success coach, Donjuan created a plan to graduate through the college’s paralegal program. She avoided taking classes that didn’t advance her goals and stayed on top of coursework.
“It felt good, the fact that someone is actually checking up on you and that they’re keeping up with you,” Donjuan, 24, said. “They actually care about us succeeding.”
Amid declines in enrollment in community colleges nationally and low completion rates, Dallas College invested nearly three years ago in hiring counselors who take a more hands-on approach to advising. The program pairs students with success coaches to navigate any challenges that stand in the way of their graduation.
___
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of Saving the College Dream, a series by the Education Reporting Collaborative involving AL.com, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, The Dallas Morning News, The Hechinger Report, The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina, and The Seattle Times, with support from the Solutions Journalism Network.
___
Supporting students — particularly those who come from nontraditional paths — is key as difficult circumstances, unclear pathways to a career and uncertainty about the value of a college degree can derail their education, experts say.
Without purposeful guidance on choosing the right classes or taking advantage of available resources, students can easily get lost and end up “making decisions that don’t get them to a degree,” said Josh Wyner, who leads higher education programs at The Aspen Institute.
About half of Dallas College’s students are first-generation; a little more than 20% are parents; and about 22% are adult learners who are at least 25 with a full-time job, according to self-reported responses and data from a fall 2022 survey.
Donjuan’s father, a car salesman, often boasted that he was able to create a business without a high school diploma or degree. Following his lead, she began working at a retail store but quickly ran out of room for growth after reaching a management position.
Mulling over the sacrifices her father made when he upended his life in Mexico in pursuit of a better life, Donjuan saw this as wasted potential.
“I felt lost,” she said. “I wanted to break that cycle. We can do better than this … we came for a reason.”
Such details about a student’s life usually aren’t immediately available to success coaches. That’s why it’s key to ask probing questions that “dig a little deeper” to find the underlying challenges interfering in students’ education, said Garry Johnson, a success coach at Dallas College’s Richland Campus.
If a student is missing classes due to transportation issues, Johnson can point those who take six credits or more to a free bus pass. Experiencing food insecurity? Here’s the campus’ food pantry. Need last-minute child care? These are the four system campuses that offer flexible assistance.
“No student should be hungry, homeless or hopeless,” Johnson said. “Our job … is to address the whole student, not just mere academics.”
Nationally, the number of students at community colleges has fallen 37% since 2010, or by nearly 2.6 million, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Their student-to-advisor ratio at community colleges is usually quite high and labor costs are among the biggest barriers for such institutions, said Nikki Edgecombe, a senior research scholar at the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University.
“The underlying hope is that these navigators and these coaches help students manage to navigate the inevitable bumps that will come up and be able to persist in their academic studies,” Edgecombe said.
Trustees approved $10 million for the success coaches at Dallas College, nearly doubling the school’s advising capacity. More than 64,500 students are enrolled at Dallas College, and the system employs nearly 240 success coaches across its seven campuses.
Students are assigned to one coach, allowing them to develop more meaningful relationships with someone who can help them “navigate the Dallas College maze,” said Jermain Pipkins, dean of success coaching at the school.
Building rapport with students is key, said Lisa Frost, a success coach. After Frost coached a student on how to ask her instructor about grades and opportunities to earn extra credit, the student soon opened up about how she had never been able to speak her own mind with her family.
“This simple skill alone helped this student overcome a barrier of being shy to ask what she wanted without holding back,” Frost said.
Lawmakers in Texas have called for factoring student success into how much state money goes to each community college. Dallas College leaders say they’re ahead because of their emphasis on keeping students on track.
Kianna Vaughn, 28, didn’t immediately go to college after graduating from high school in 2013 because of the cost. Although she was accepted by Texas Southern University, she didn’t qualify for financial aid.
A well-paying job cushioned Vaughn’s worries for some years, but she noticed younger people were often filling positions above her own. Despite her years of experience, the absence of a degree was holding her back.
After enrolling at Dallas College last year, Vaughn met with a success coach who helped her lay out a plan that allowed her to juggle school and a full-time job. Now, Vaughn is set to transfer to Jarvis Christian University, a historically Black institution, starting next year to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
“I was stagnant for a very long time,” she said. “If you want more you have to go for it, it’s not as easy as being comfortable where you are. But it’s worth it.”
___
The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-success-coaches-dig-a-little-deeper-to-help-community-college-students/ | 2023-05-23 20:01:58 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-success-coaches-dig-a-little-deeper-to-help-community-college-students/ |
TÜBINGEN, Germany, Dec. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearing loss company Acousia Therapeutics GmbH announced the successful completion of its ACOU085 clinical Phase 1b study today, following the final visit of the last patient treated with the highest ACOU085 dose. ACOU085 is a proprietary small-molecule drug candidate under clinical development, with a particular focus on its use as an etiology-agnostic otoprotectant for patients with acute forms of sensorineural hearing loss.
"Completing Phase 1 with ACOU085 is another fundamental milestone towards our disruptive goal of making sensorineural hearing loss a druggable disease," said Chief Executive Officer Tim Bölke.
The next step is a clinical Phase 2 study using ACOU085 to protect the inner ears of testicular cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy from cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. It will be initiated in early 2023. Cisplatin (CDDP, Platinol) is an effective and widely used anti-cancer drug with severe dose-limiting side effects, including ototoxicity, that lead to permanent, disabling hearing loss in many patients.
Professor Hubert Löwenheim, co-founder and Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery of the University of Tübingen and Acousia Therapeutics, added: "With Phase 1 concluded, we are very encouraged by the favorable safety and tolerability profile of ACOU085. These promising data support the continued development of ACOU085 in patients with sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss constitutes an enormous burden of disease with no drug treatments available at this time."
About Acousia Therapeutics GmbH
Acousia Therapeutics GmbH is a privately-held, clinical stage biotech company based in Tübingen, Germany. The company is dedicated to the identification and development of small molecules for effective prevention and treatment of different etiologies of hearing loss. Acousia Therapeutics develops drugs for local and systemic administration.
Contact
Tim Boelke, M.D.
boelke@acousia.com
+49 70712988186
www.acousia.com
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SOURCE Acousia Therapeutics GmbH | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/12/12/hearing-loss-company-acousia-therapeutics-completes-clinical-phase-1-study-with-its-small-molecule/ | 2022-12-12 16:16:42 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/12/12/hearing-loss-company-acousia-therapeutics-completes-clinical-phase-1-study-with-its-small-molecule/ |
(NEXSTAR) – You’ve probably felt your grocery bill growing over the past year, but seeing the numbers really puts it into perspective.
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis tracks every type of economics metric you can think of, from exchange rates to crude oil prices. They also use federal data to keep close tabs on the cost of grocery staples, like bananas, coffee, cereal, and anything else you might throw in your cart. The prices of all those items (and more) haven’t just crept up over the past year – they’ve shot up.
The cost of groceries jumped up 11.3% across the board over the last year, according to the most recently available Consumer Price Index calculations. To take a closer look at what that means for the average shopper, we picked five breakfast grocery items and searched the St. Louis Fed for answers on how much more expensive they’ve grown in recent years.
Each of the charts below shows the change in price for one grocery item from January 2020 to January 2023. In some cases, you can see price hikes started happening back in 2021. In others, the increase is more recent.
You’ll also notice each graph has an area shaded in gray from February to April of 2020, indicating the short period of economic recession triggered by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eggs:
No other grocery staple in the past year has seen a meteoric rise in quite like eggs. At the start of 2022, a dozen large eggs cost the average American shopper $1.93. At the start of 2023, that carton cost $4.82 – a 250% increase.
The culprit here isn’t just inflation: A major avian flu outbreak forced the slaughtering of 58 million birds to limit the virus’ spread. Chicken and turkey prices have also been affected.
Milk
With some ups and downs in 2020, milk prices really started rising in March 2021. Back then, a gallon of conventional whole milk cost about $3.35 on average. In January of 2023, the price was up to $4.20.
If you think switching to oat milk would save you money, you’d be wrong. The price of oat milk went up about 44% in 2022, according to a Beverage Industry analysis.
Bread
The price of white bread didn’t really start to rise until August 2021. The change may not look as dramatic – a pound of white bread went from $1.55 to $1.89 between the start of 2022 and the start of 2023 – but that’s still a 22% price increase in just one year.
Butter
Along with eggs, butter is one of the grocery staples that has seen prices increase the most. Sticks of butter went from $3.67 per pound to $4.88 in just one year.
Margarine is hardly better. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the cost of margarine jumped 44% year-over-year.
Bacon
Finally something that’s getting cheaper. After growing steadily more expensive for about 18 months, the price of sliced bacon started to drop in October of last year. The most recent data available shows its price is $6.80 per pound.
The Fed is still trying to raise interest rates in hopes of curbing inflation that’s hitting not just food, but all types of consumer goods. Consumer inflation peaked in mid-2022, but has remained stubbornly high, and even accelerated in early 2023.
Forecasters expect the Fed to raise its benchmark rate again in late March. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/how-expensive-are-groceries-in-2023-these-5-graphs-show-prices-skyrocket/ | 2023-03-11 19:14:53 | 1 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/how-expensive-are-groceries-in-2023-these-5-graphs-show-prices-skyrocket/ |
Man arrested after attacks on LA-area drivers’ vehicles
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man suspected of being the Tesla driver seen in viral videos attacking Los Angeles-area motorists’ vehicles with a pipe was arrested during the weekend, the California Highway Patrol said Monday.
Nathaniel Walter Radimak, 36, was arrested Sunday by major crimes unit officers in connection with assaults he is believed to have committed Jan. 11 while driving a Tesla Model X on State Route 2, the CHP said.
“The assaults were captured on a dash-cam video and several leads were provided to our department by the public which led to the arrest,” the CHP said.
The video showed that the Tesla did not have a rear license plate.
Other drivers came forward with accounts of attacks after video of the Jan. 11 attacks aired.
Radimak was booked into a Los Angeles Police Department jail for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon and on two unspecified outstanding warrants.
It was not immediately known whether Radimak has a lawyer to comment on his behalf.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2023/01/30/man-arrested-after-attacks-la-area-drivers-vehicles/ | 2023-01-30 20:56:35 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/2023/01/30/man-arrested-after-attacks-la-area-drivers-vehicles/ |
NEW YORK, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. ("Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc.") (NASDAQ: SDIG) shareholders:
The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that a class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of investors. This lawsuit is on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Stronghold Class A common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus issued in connection with the Company's October 2021 initial public offering.
If you suffered a loss on your investment in Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., contact us about potential recovery by using the link below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
https://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/stronghold-digital-mining-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=28370&wire=4
ABOUT THE ACTION: The class action against Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. includes allegations that the Company made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) contracted suppliers, including MinerVa Semiconductor Corp., were reasonably likely to miss anticipated delivery quantities and deadlines; (2) due to strong demand and pre-sold supply of mining equipment in the industry, Stronghold would experience difficulties obtaining miners outside of confirmed purchase orders; (3) as a result of the foregoing, there was a significant risk that Stronghold could not expand its mining capacity as expected; (4) as a result, Stronghold would likely experience significant losses; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
Aggrieved Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc. investors only have until June 13, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to act as a lead plaintiff in order to share in any recovery.
Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
Vincent Wong, Esq.
39 East Broadway
Suite 304
New York, NY 10002
Tel. 212.425.1140
E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com
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SOURCE The Law Offices of Vincent Wong | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-stronghold-digital-mining-inc-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-june-13-2022/ | 2022-06-13 10:46:02 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/13/class-action-alert-law-offices-vincent-wong-remind-stronghold-digital-mining-inc-investors-lead-plaintiff-deadline-june-13-2022/ |
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts are more than just a public relations tactic. They help companies build stronger brands, attract more customers, employees, and investors, and drive long-term growth. Plus, prioritizing ESG is simply the right thing to do. RizePoint, the longest-lasting quality management vendor in the marketplace, offers their unique Ignite™ Supplier Certification Management solution, which allows food brands to gather, organize, and manage supplier documentation and determine whether their suppliers have strong ESG programs in place.
"As food brands work to improve their ESG initiatives, they must also examine their supply chain. It's not enough to make their own safety, quality, and ESG goals – it's also essential to work with suppliers who are aligned in these efforts," said RizePoint President Kari Hensien. "Brands must get a better handle on their supply chain, using innovative tools to organize supplier certifications into a system they can see and manage. After all, food businesses can't manage what they're not measuring."
"Food brands need to definitively know that they're working with safe, sustainable organizations through every step of the supply chain," Hensien continued. "Now, they can quickly, easily, and accurately manage their suppliers through RizePoint's affordable, user-friendly software solution, Ignite."
Ignite is a game changer, allowing brands to gather, organize, and manage supplier documentation in a centralized location, track which suppliers are committed to strong ESG practices, manage suppliers' safety certifications, check status and deadlines, ensure compliance, and reduce time-consuming administrative tasks.
RizePoint's Ignite solution is disrupting traditional market software, making it easy, accessible, and affordable for organizations of all sizes to use, finally making it possible for the "smaller guys" to compete with giant corporations.
Ignite allows companies to:
- Keep supplier documentation up-to-date, track status, reduce risk, and ensure compliance.
- Track which suppliers have environmental, sustainability, and compliance (ESG) certifications.
- Learn more about where suppliers' raw materials are coming from, who is processing them, and what practices they follow, allowing brands to better understand their entire supply chain's ESG commitments.
- Find suppliers that have better ESG goals and practices – and, conversely, stop working with vendors that are not committed to ESG goodwill.
- Manage suppliers' safety and ESG certifications all along the supply chain.
- See task and certification status for all suppliers or drill down to view by supplier, location, and material.
- Streamline processes to save time, and reduce redundancies, errors, and data entry for a more efficient, accurate experience.
Ignite leverages the latest tech stacks in cloud computing to deliver better speed of service, security, and performance, with shortened development cycles.
RizePoint has added new features to Ignite, based on user feedback, to make it faster and easier for food brands to manage their supplier partnerships.
"Look at Chipotle, a brand that goes the extra mile with bold ESG goals. Their real ingredients are responsibly sourced and prepared with people, animals, and the environment in mind. They bought 35.7 million pounds of local produce – an investment of more than $40.2 million in support of local food system – and will continue relying on local, sustainable farmers. They've also identified key water risk areas in their supply chain to inform their water conservation strategy," Hensien explained. "Chipotle holds themselves accountable for making business decisions that cultivate a better world – and shouldn't we all strive to do the same?"
RizePoint is offering a free version of this innovative supplier certification management solution for up to 20 suppliers or supplier locations. All are invited to participate. Visit ignite.rizepoint.com to learn more.
RizePoint excels at building technology to empower users to audit, assess results, and determine when/if corrective actions must be taken. Its best-in-class solution is complete, comprehensive, and user-friendly, boosting visibility, accuracy, and efficiency.
For 22+ years, RizePoint has offered quality management software solutions that help companies keep brand promises through their quality, safety, and compliance efforts. Customers gather better data, see necessary actions earlier, and act faster to correct issues before they become costly liabilities. Visit rizepoint.com.
Contact:
Adrienne Walkowiak
RizePoint
Adrienne@AdrienneWalkowiak.com
603/659-9345
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SOURCE RizePoint | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/rizepoints-ignite-supplier-certification-management-solution-helps-food-brands-manage-suppliers-safety-quality-amp-esg-programs/ | 2022-10-04 11:54:44 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/rizepoints-ignite-supplier-certification-management-solution-helps-food-brands-manage-suppliers-safety-quality-amp-esg-programs/ |
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — The only pharmacy on Fort Myers Beach remains shuttered and boarded up several months after Hurricane Ian virtually destroyed the island.
The CVS Pharmacy on the south end of the island is the only place where people can fill prescriptions without leaving the island. Hurricane Ian left the building badly beaten. Now, all big wooden boards cover the windows and temporary doors stand where the sliding doors once were. Peering inside, you can see nothing but barren concrete.
That’s part of the problem, according to residents. They say nothing has been happening at the store, which is desperately needed.
“I really thought CVS was about community… and this community needs you,” said Susan Theibault. “No workers to be found. Still boarded up. This isn’t like we’re waiting for a souvenir shop to come back.”
Many people rely on the pharmacy, just like Susan.
“All the time,” she said. “I have waited in many long lines in this pharmacy.”
Now they need to make the journey off the island, either 6.5 miles north to a CVS in Fort Myers, or 12.5 miles south to a store in Bonita Springs. Either could end up turning a ten-minute trip into an hour.
“We have a lot of seniors on this island,” said Vice Mayor of Fort Myers Beach Jim Atterholt. “It’s a real hardship for people to go off the island.”
The vice mayor is getting involved, asking the question everyone is: “Why isn’t anything happening here?”
Atterholt met with executives at CVS who pledged their commitment to come back.
“I had a meeting with one of their top government affairs people,” Atterholt told NBC2. “Again, very nice, say they’re committed to coming back, refused to give a timeline. And again, we see nothing.”
When asked by NBC2, a spokesperson for CVS Pharmacy replied with a similar message, promising to build back, but without a timeline.
“Like much of the Fort Myers Beach community, we too felt the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian, including the destruction of our Estero Boulevard store. Despite the building’s loss, we’re committed to our customers and patients and are planning to rebuild. In the meantime, we’ll continue to serve the community at surrounding CVS Pharmacy locations and thank the community for its patience as we rebuild together.” – CVS Pharmacy Spokesperson
“I’d like more than a reassurance. I’d like a timeline,” Atterholt said. “When you look at Publix, things are happening. They’re very busy and they’re close to reopening. It’s infuriating.”
The Publix on the island does not have a pharmacy.
The building isn’t owned by CVS Pharmacy; they lease it. Atterholt said he also met with the owner’s attorney, who said they’re working to finalize a long-term lease with CVS. In the meantime, the residents of the island are stuck in limbo.
“If people wanted to get this deal done, they could get it done and they could get this thing open,” Atterholt said. | https://nbc-2.com/news/2023/01/18/only-pharmacy-on-fort-myers-beach-still-boarded-up-no-timeline-for-reopening/ | 2023-01-21 02:56:04 | 1 | https://nbc-2.com/news/2023/01/18/only-pharmacy-on-fort-myers-beach-still-boarded-up-no-timeline-for-reopening/ |
Mayura Indian Restaurant has gained a loyal following and high praise from Los Angeles food critics since it opened in Culver City, California 19 years ago. But the owners, Padmini Aniyan and her husband Aniyan Puthanpurayil, took a risk when they moved to the U.S. and opened a restaurant specializing in food from the southern Indian state of Kerala. South Indian restaurants are a growing part of the Indian cuisine scene across the U.S., but food from Kerala, with its combination of spices and coconut, is unique.
Here & Now‘s Deepa Fernandes speaks with Aniyan and gets a peek at the process of making one dish typical of South Indian cuisine: the wafer-thin, rice-and-lentil crepes called dosa.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kbia.org/2023-06-23/culver-citys-mayura-indian-restaurant-specializes-in-south-indian-cuisine | 2023-06-23 18:57:19 | 1 | https://www.kbia.org/2023-06-23/culver-citys-mayura-indian-restaurant-specializes-in-south-indian-cuisine |
- Highest-ever August for Equity Index ADV
- Record SOFR futures and options OI
CHICAGO, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today reported its August 2022 market statistics, showing average daily volume (ADV) increased 22% to 21.2 million contracts during the month. Market statistics are available in greater detail at https://cmegroupinc.gcs-web.com/monthly-volume.
August 2022 ADV across asset classes includes:
- Interest Rate ADV of 10.6 million contracts
- Equity Index ADV of 6.3 million contracts
- Options ADV of 3.4 million contracts
- Energy ADV of 1.8 million contracts
- Agricultural ADV of 1.2 million contracts
- Foreign Exchange ADV of 866,000 contracts
- Metals ADV of 427,000 contracts
Additional August 2022 product highlights compared to August 2021 include:
- Equity Index ADV increased 51%
- Foreign Exchange ADV increased 39%
- Interest Rate ADV increased 20%
- Options ADV increased 18%
- Cryptocurrency ADV increased 98%
- Micro Products ADV
- ADV outside the United States increased 20% to 5.6 million contracts, including 37% growth in APAC, 26% in Latin America and 14% in EMEA
- BrokerTec U.S. Treasury average daily notional value (ADNV) increased 23% to $111.4B, European Repo ADNV increased 21% to €343.7B and U.S. Repo ADNV increased 18% to $268B
About CME Group
As the world's leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products and metals. The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform. In addition, it operates one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing.
CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and, E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec and EBS are trademarks of BrokerTec Europe LTD and EBS Group LTD, respectively. Dow Jones, Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and S&P are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC, Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and S&P/Dow Jones Indices LLC, as the case may be, and have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CME-G
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SOURCE CME Group | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/cme-group-reports-22-adv-growth-august-2022/ | 2022-09-02 12:32:00 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/cme-group-reports-22-adv-growth-august-2022/ |
The newly opened Hotel invites couples to say "I Do" in true New Orleans fashion
NEW ORLEANS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With modern design and a spirit of celebration, Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans helps guests plan the nuptials of their dreams, elevating Southern wedding traditions such as a second line complete with jazz band and custom parasols. Couples will discover a level of service never-before seen in New Orleans with an attitude that is warm and gracious, but also lively and fun. Allow the Hotel's talented team of wedding experts to deliver an unforgettable, personalized celebration.
"New Orleans is a city known for celebrations, and that certainly rings true at our new Hotel," said Mali Carow, general manager of Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans. "Whether for welcome cocktails at our Garden, second lines on the front drive, or any of the special moments in between, we specialize in delivering exceptionally memorable events."
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans offers unmatched venues for the special day: indoors and outdoors, street-level and high above skyline. Couples can choose from an array of dynamic wedding venues to perfectly match their vision. At Vue Orleans' 34th floor observation deck, guests have access to the city's only panoramic views of downtown and the Mississippi River, perfect for a high in the sky welcome reception. On the ground level, the Hotel's Garden provides a lush, green space ideal for a ceremony for up to 200 guests or a post-wedding al fresco brunch.
The true showstoppers are the Hotel's ballrooms with chic, modern designs that easily transform and can accommodate up to 500 guests. Both ballrooms feature unobstructed views, sleek lines, and neutral tones, allowing for an elegant canvas to design a variety of reception styles. River Ballroom, true to its name, features floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the Mississippi River. Celebrants in Plimsoll Ballroom have access to a pre-function space with beautiful built-in marble bars, overhead star-lighting, and wrap-around access to a historic, open-air terrace. The Hotel offers a vibrant backdrop and best-in-class service to bring any dream celebration to life.
At Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, there are endless possibilities when it comes to celebration styles and refined service. For more information or to plan a celebration, visit fourseasons.com/neworleans/weddings.
To read the full article, visit https://press.fourseasons.com/neworleans/hotel-news/2022/weddings/.
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SOURCE Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/06/17/new-four-seasons-hotel-new-orleans-sweeps-couples-off-their-feet-with-elegant-venues-attentive-service/ | 2022-06-17 18:04:45 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/06/17/new-four-seasons-hotel-new-orleans-sweeps-couples-off-their-feet-with-elegant-venues-attentive-service/ |
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Pedestrian-involved road fatalities reached a record-high in 2021, according to Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) statistics. That number is on track to be broken in 2022.
The yearly number of pedestrian deaths in Virginia decreased substantially in 2020 as driving travel was restricted due to the pandemic. However, since that reduction, pedestrian deaths have steadily been increasing and even exceeding the fatality rate from before the pandemic.
In 2017, there were 114 pedestrian-involved fatalities throughout Virginia; in 2018, that number rose to 123; and in 2019, that number was 124.
In 2020, the pandemic caused Virginia’s pedestrian death toll to drop back down to 114. However, in 2021 that number jumped to 125.
This year, Virginia is on pace to have an even higher number of pedestrian-involved fatalities. This time last year, there had been 46 pedestrian-involved deaths. This year so far, that number is 57.
In the past week, there have been at least two fatal pedestrian hit-and-runs throughout Central Virginia. The first was a hit-and-run in Shockoe Bottom where a Richmond woman in a wheelchair was killed. The second was a hit-and-run in Spotsylvania that left another man dead on the side of the road.
The increase in pedestrian deaths is part of a larger trend in vehicle fatalities. In 2020, 968 people died in crashes on Virginia roadways — the highest number of annual fatalities since 2007 when 1,026 people died. The fatality rate of 2021 was a 14.3% increase over 2020.
However, even in the record-high year of 2007, pedestrian fatalities have never been higher than they were in 2021.
“There are immediate, simple actions Virginians can take to save lives on our roadways,” said Acting DMV Commissioner Linda Ford, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative in comments pertaining to the overall increase in driving fatalities. “This is critically important as fatalities continue to increase this year. Vehicles and roadways are safer than they ever have been, yet we continue to lose lives to senseless crashes. Do your part to help. Slow down, buckle up, focus on the task of driving and never drive impaired. It truly is that simple.”
DMV and its highway safety partners say that they embrace data-driven strategies to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities on Virginia roadways. These range from education and enforcement to grant funding, news media engagement and advertising.
How pedestrians can stay safe
The Department of Motor Vehicles released a reminder on Friday, encouraging Virginia drivers and pedestrians to respect each other and stay safe on the roads during the busy summer season.
Items that help drivers see pedestrians, bicyclists and pets include, but are not limited to:
- Reflective clothing and shoes or light-colored clothing
- Reflective accessories, such as spoke clips, wristbands and belts
- Reflective strips to attach to clothing, backpacks, etc.
- Bicycle light on the front and a red reflector or red light on the back of bikes
- Headlamps and clip-on lights
- Reflective dog leashes and collars
Drivers were also reminded to turn headlights on when there is reduced visibility or low lighting. | https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/annual-pedestrian-road-deaths-reach-record-highs-in-virginia-125-people-killed-in-2021/ | 2022-06-03 19:38:38 | 0 | https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/annual-pedestrian-road-deaths-reach-record-highs-in-virginia-125-people-killed-in-2021/ |
Meningioma is most common non-malignant brain tumor with more than 170,000 diagnosed in U.S. annually
INDIANAPOLIS, May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NICO Corporation, an Indianapolis-based pioneer and leader in minimally invasive neurosurgery, has awarded a $40,000 grant to Daniel Prevedello, MD, vice chair for Academic Affairs and director of Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery Programs at the Ohio State University (OSU) Comprehensive Cancer Center. The grant supports an investigator initiated study – Circular RNA Analysis of Meningioma Invasion – aimed at providing new insight on the genetic and biological make-up of meningioma brain tumors that could ultimately guide new patient care decisions. Meningiomas are the most common form of non-malignant brain tumors that are slow-growing and form along the outermost layer of tissue that covers and protects the brain and spinal cord.
The study will include patients undergoing meningioma resection using NICO technologies for safe access and tumor removal, coupled with its novel Automated Preservation System (APS) for intraoperative collection and biological preservation of high-quality fresh tissue, which holds critical information on cellular architecture of the tumor. Through maintenance of the tumor microenvironment which preserves the tumor's molecular profile, it is anticipated that subsequent analysis of circular RNA (circRNA) in these tissue samples may reveal vital information about meningioma recurrence and progression, as well as insight for appropriate and effective responses to therapeutic options.
"One of the most difficult aspects of managing meningiomas is related to disease prognosis," said Dr. Prevedello. "Typical pathology analysis and classification of meningiomas is far from perfect. This study is designed to help better classify meningiomas in relation to their prognosis using circular RNA."
The answer to advanced patient treatments for meningioma and other brain cancers, both benign and malignant, can be found in the biology of the tissue, added Jim Pearson, president and CEO of NICO Corporation. "Our APS uniquely captures and biologically preserves tissue while still in the operating room. Published data demonstrates that viability of tissue captured with our APS is equal to or superior to tissue captured using conventional methods."
Biological viability of tissue is important in any disease identification and the ability to achieve greater accuracy in predicting tumor responses to oncology precision medicine therapies. In this study, RNA family members are among those hard to capture biologically due to rapid degredation. The ability of APS to biologically preserve tissue may aid in better understanding why and how brain tumors survive after treatment(s).
Jose Otero, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Pathology, and Neuropathology at OSU and study colleague of Dr. Prevedello, added that traditional pathological sampling is antiquated, noting the use of formalin fixation and paraffin embedding in tissue processing can result in losing multiple potential biomarkers.
"This technology, however, standardizes and automates the tumor preservation process for the first time, allowing researchers access to retrieve fresh viable tumor samples where new biomolecules may be assayed," said Dr. Otero. "We are focusing on circular RNA in this study, but this proof of concept will be able to be used as a rubric for other assays, such as single cell transcriptomics and metabolomic studies."
NICO's 11-gauge Myriad handpiece will be used for tumor resection, allowing surgeon-controlled removal of the tumor for precision shaving, gross tissue debulking, microdissection, and variable aspiration all in one tool and without the use of thermal energy, which is descructive to tissue.
The NICO IIS grant program is dedicated to supporting novel pre-clinical and clinical research efforts related to improved patient and economic outcomes using NICO technologies. The program supports physicians and researchers across a wide range of neuro-specialties committed to building clinical and scientific data to achieve better outcomes for patients and healthcare providers, as well as expanding the body of evidence for vascular, tumor and oncology clinical practices. Learn more about the IIS program areas of interest and how to apply for a grant.
NICO is a leader in supporting development of scientific evidence promoting safe and novel approaches to brain disorders and expanding clinical research efforts in pursuit of improved patient outcomes using minimally invasive brain surgery techniques. All projects supported by this program are conducted by the applicant(s) and their respective affiliate institution(s); NICO is neither involved in collecting information, conducting research, or in the publication of any study project findings.
Learn about NICO technologies at NICOneuro.com; follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, view surgical and patient videos on YouTube.
Contact: Sue Goin
sue.goin@sapphire-com.com
317.402.8690
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SOURCE NICO Corporation | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/05/04/nico-awards-40000-grant-study-genetic-amp-biological-make-up-meningioma-brain-tumors/ | 2023-05-04 12:55:16 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/05/04/nico-awards-40000-grant-study-genetic-amp-biological-make-up-meningioma-brain-tumors/ |
GOP leader McConnell hospitalized after fall, spokesman says
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell tripped and fell Wednesday at a hotel and was hospitalized, a spokesman for the senator said.
McConnell, 81, was attending a private dinner at a local hotel when he tripped. He was admitted to a hospital for treatment, spokesman Doug Andres said.
In 2019, the GOP leader, a survivor of childhood polio, tripped and fell at his home in Kentucky, suffering a shoulder fracture. At the time, he underwent surgery to repair the fracture in his shoulder. The Senate had just started a summer recess and he worked from home for some weeks as he recovered.
The taciturn McConnell is often reluctant to discuss his private life. But at the start of the COVID-19 crisis he opened up about his early childhood experience fighting polio. He described how his mother insisted that he stay off his feet as a toddler and worked with him through a determined physical therapy regime. He has acknowledged some difficulty in adulthood climbing stairs.
First elected in 1984, McConnell in January became the longest-serving Senate leader when the new Congress convened, breaking the previous record of 16 years.
The Senate, where the average age is 65, has been without several members recently due to illness.
The office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., 90, said she was hospitalized last week to be treated for shingles.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., 53, who suffered a stroke during his campaign last year, was expected to remain out for some weeks as he received care for clinical depression.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2023/03/09/gop-leader-mcconnell-hospitalized-after-fall-spokesman-says/ | 2023-03-09 06:07:15 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/03/09/gop-leader-mcconnell-hospitalized-after-fall-spokesman-says/ |
Which train set for kids is best?
Train sets are perfect for kids to play with, as they watch the little engine wander through the miniature countryside and mountains and roam back to its home town. It’s important to get a train set with the right features for your kids. Ideally, you should find a train track that is simple and easy for them to set up and won’t come apart as the train goes past.
If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining train set for kids, our top pick is the KidKraft Ride Around Town Wooden Train Set and Table.
What to know before you buy a train set for kids
Age range
It’s crucial to look at the manufacturer’s recommended age range before you actually purchase a train set for kids. There are many themed train sets out there that are only recommended for kids age 8 and older, so if your child is younger than 8, you should find a train set that is more suitable for young kids and toddlers. There are also some train sets out there that are only meant for kids and adults age 14 and older, due to features like delicate detailing and realistic smoke.
Different types of tracks
Before purchasing a train set for your kids, you should learn about the various kinds of tracks. There are straight tracks that simply form a straight line, curved tracks that form a curve, split tracks that are shaped like a Y, and flex tracks that can accommodate bumpy terrain. Bridges lift the train over rivers and switches or crossings integrate the roads as scenery.
Proper setup
Most train set manufacturers recommend that you first unpack everything, then lay down the track in the design you want and load the batteries into the engine if needed. You can then connect the transformer or power box to the track, place the engine on the track first and connect the remaining cars. Finally, your kids can turn on the train and play with the train set.
What to look for in a quality train set for kids
Engines
Some train engines need to be plugged into the wall, while other train engines simply run on battery power. Pay attention to this and select the type of engine that works best for you and your children when purchasing a train set for kids.
Attention to detail
Many older kids like seeing attention to detail in their train sets, including headlights, logos and decals, the amount of smoke coming out of the engine and the sounds made by the wheels and car.
Extra components
You can purchase additional parts for your train set for kids if needed, including tunnels, buildings and figures, lights, signals and signs, train stations and scenery, including hills, shrubbery, fake bodies of water, trees and other pieces of land.
How much you can expect to spend on a train set for kids
Most train sets for kids cost around $75-$100. The train sets for kids around $75 feature character sets and trains that run with the help of a remote control, while higher-end train sets for kids tend to be more detail-oriented.
Train set for kids FAQ
Can you mix and match train sets for kids?
A. You can only mix and match train sets for kids if they come from the same company. Train set manufacturers don’t usually enable you or your kids to mix and match train sets from different brands, so your specific train set model probably does not work with a train set from a different brand.
What are the plastic rods that come with your train set?
A. The plastic rods that come with your train set are known as track clips. They are an optional addition to the track to help make sure that the tracks don’t disconnect or slip apart, particularly after regular use.
How can you change the shape of your track?
A. There are countless online guides out there that will show you and your kids different shapes to make with the track components that you have. You and your kids can also experiment with different shapes and get creative.
What are the best train sets for kids to buy?
Top train set for kids
KidKraft Ride Around Table Set and Table
What you need to know: Considered the best of the best, this fun and comprehensive train set from KidKraft is perfect for toddlers and young kids.
What you’ll love: This engaging train set features two storage bins and a sturdy table. It is also fairly easy to assemble and offers young kids hours of fun, due to the colorful characters and accessories.
What you should consider: The tracks don’t always fit properly and the wood veneer is prone to peeling.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top train set for kids for the money
Thomas & Friends Talking Thomas and Percy Train Set
What you need to know: This budget-friendly Thomas & Friends train set offers colorful parts, plenty of sound and movement and an exciting theme.
What you’ll love: This affordable, motorized train set will give you and your kids plenty of bang for your buck. The train set is an excellent option for preschool aged kids and is compatible with other Thomas train sets.
What you should consider: Some customers say they wish that the customer service team was more attentive to their needs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Melissa & Doug Wooden Railway Set
What you need to know: A well-constructed and feature-packed train set from Melissa & Doug that provides plenty of options for engaging and imaginative play.
What you’ll love: This Melissa & Doug train set works well with other wood track systems and is perfect for kids and toddlers up to age 6. The train set is composed of durable wood and features cargo and freight trains.
What you should consider: The train tends to derail and the track pieces don’t always stay connected.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.cenlanow.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/hobby-collectibles-br/best-train-set-for-kids/ | 2022-06-22 22:37:42 | 1 | https://www.cenlanow.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/hobby-collectibles-br/best-train-set-for-kids/ |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Friday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
3-1-8
(three, one, eight)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Friday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
3-1-8
(three, one, eight) | https://www.ourmidland.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17494187.php | 2022-10-07 18:21:12 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17494187.php |
Soccer player Anton Walkes, 25, dies in Florida boat crash
Authorities say professional soccer player Anton Walkes has died from injuries he sustained in a boat crash off the coast of Miami.
The 25-year-old was found unconscious and taken to a hospital after the crash between two boats Wednesday near the Miami Marine Stadium basin.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Walkes was operating one of the boats that crashed. It was unclear whether anyone else was injured. The state agency's investigation is ongoing. Walkes was a member of the MLS club Charlotte FC. He started his career at Tottenham. Charlotte FC owner David Tepper said all at the club were "devastated by the tragic passing of Anton Walkes."
Walkes, a defender, was entering his second season with MLS club Charlotte FC. The team had arrived in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 9 for its first leg of preseason training and had a friendly scheduled with St. Louis on Saturday. That match has been canceled.
Charlotte FC owner David Tepper said all at the club were "devastated by the tragic passing of Anton Walkes."
"He was a tremendous son, father, partner and teammate whose joyous approach to life touched everyone he met," Tepper said in a club statement.
Walkes joined Charlotte for the club's debut MLS season in 2022. He played in 23 matches with 21 starts and had five shots on goal this past season.
"Anton made those around him better people in all areas of life and represented Charlotte FC to the highest standard both on and off the pitch," Tepper said.
Fans began laying flowers outside of the east gate of Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium on Thursday. A vigil was planned there in the early evening.
Walkes began his career with English Premier League club Tottenham and also played for Portsmouth before signing with Atlanta United in the MLS, where he spent three seasons.
The MLS released a statement saying "there are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today."
"Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans," the statement said.
In 2016, a boat crash off Miami Beach killed Major League Baseball player Jose Fernandez, a star pitcher for the Miami Marlins. Fernandez and two other people died when their 32-foot vessel slammed into a jetty, according to authorities.
Charlotte FC teammate Jaylin Lindsey said he was "heartbroken" to learn of Walkes' death.
"Fly high my brother, you're the best teammate I could've asked for," Lindsey Tweeted. "Love you man."
Tottenham Hotspur also tweeted: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former player, Anton Walkes. The thoughts of everyone at the Club are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time." | https://www.kcra.com/article/soccer-player-anton-walkes-dies-in-florida-boat-crash/42581877 | 2023-01-20 03:40:48 | 0 | https://www.kcra.com/article/soccer-player-anton-walkes-dies-in-florida-boat-crash/42581877 |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — After weeks of ferocious fighting, Ukrainian forces will retreat from a besieged city in the country's east to avoid encirclement, a regional governor said Friday.
The city of Sievierodonetsk, the administrative center of the Luhansk region, has faced relentless Russian bombardment. Ukrainian troops fought the Russians in house-to-house battles before retreating to a huge chemical factory on the city's edge, where they holed up in its sprawling underground structures.
In recent days, Russian forces have made gains around Sievierodonetsk and the neighboring city of Lysychansk, on a steep bank across the river, in a bid to encircle Ukrainian forces.
Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said that the Ukrainian troops have been given the order to leave Sievierodonetsk to prevent that.
“We will have to pull back our guys,” he said. “It makes no sense to stay at the destroyed positions, because the number of casualties in poorly fortified areas will grow every day.”
Haidai said the Ukrainian forces have “received the order to retreat to new positions and continue fighting there" but didn't give further details.
He said the Russians were also advancing toward Lysychansk from Zolote and Toshkivka, adding that Russian reconnaissance units conducted forays on the city edges but were driven out by its defenders.
Following a botched attempt to capture Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, in the early stage of the invasion that started Feb. 24, Russian forces have shifted focus to the Donbas region, where the Ukrainian forces have fought Moscow-backed separatists since 2014.
The Russian military controls about 95% of Luhansk province and about half of neighboring Donetsk province, the two areas that make up the Donbas.
After repeated requests to its Western allies for heavier weaponry to counter Russia’s edge in firepower, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said a response had arrived in the form of medium-range American rocket launchers.
A U.S. defense official confirmed Wednesday that all four of the promised High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, were in the hands of Ukrainian forces but said it was not clear if they have been used yet.
The U.S. approved providing the precision-guided systems at the end of May, and once they were in the region, Ukraine’s forces needed about three weeks of training to operate them. The rockets can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers).
The U.S. will send an addition $450 million in military aid to Ukraine, including four more of the medium-range rocket systems, ammunition and other supplies, U.S. officials announced Thursday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-online/2022/06/24/ukrainian-army-to-leave-battered-city-to-avoid-encirclement | 2022-06-24 08:23:00 | 0 | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/ap-online/2022/06/24/ukrainian-army-to-leave-battered-city-to-avoid-encirclement |
SÃO PAULO, Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL and B3: GOLL4), ("GOL" or "Company"), Brazil's largest domestic airline, provides an Investor Update. All information is presented in Brazilian Reais (R$). The information below is preliminary and unaudited.
GOL is updating its financial forecasts in light of higher jet fuel prices, the results obtained for the first nine months of the year, the current level of tickets sales, and expectations on seat availability.
The Company is focused on its fleet transformation and expects that by the end of the year, 44 737- MAX aircraft will be in operation, representing around 30% of the total fleet. The new and more efficient Boeing MAX play an important role in GOL's strategy in the coming years, contributing to deliver enhanced productivity, reduced unit costs, and lower carbon emissions.
To help investors and analysts understand how GOL addresses its near-term planning, the Company shares the following indicators:
(1) Cargo. loyalty. buy-on-board and other ancillary revenues; (2) Recurring operating results; (3) Excluding currency gains and losses and Unrealized losses on Exchangeable Senior Notes; (4) Capex, net is calculated as Gross capex (fleet capitalized maintenance) subtracted by financed Capex (credit facilities to finance assets acquisition and capitalized maintenance costs) ; (5) Including 7x annual aircraft lease payments and excluding perpetual bonds; and (6) Includes stock option exercises that may be issued from the stock option program and related to Exchangeable Senior Notes.
Investor Relations ri@voegol.com.br www.voegol.com.br/ir
+55(11) 2128-4700
GOL is the largest airline in Brazil, leader in the corporate and leisure segments. Since founded in 2001, the Company has the lowest unit cost in Latin America, thus democratizing air transportation. The Company has alliances with American Airlines and Air FranceKLM, besides several codeshare and interline agreements available to Customers, bringing more convenience and simple connections to any place served by these partnerships. With the purpose of "Being the First for All", GOL offers the best travel experience to its passengers, including: the largest number of seats and more space between seats; the greatest platform with internet, movies and live TV; and the best frequent-flyer program, SMILES. In cargo transportation, GOLLOG delivers orders to different regions in Brazil and abroad. The Company has a team of 13,700 highly qualified aviation professionals focused on Safety, GOL's #1 value, and operates a standardized fleet of 145 Boeing 737 aircraft. The Company's shares are traded on the NYSE (GOL) and the B3 (GOLL4). For further information, visit www.voegol.com.br/ri.
The information contained in this press release has not been subject to any independent audit or review and contains "forward-looking" statements, estimates and projections that relate to future events, which are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release including, without limitation, those regarding GOL's future financial position and results of operations, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, future developments in the markets in which GOL operates or is seeking to operate, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "will", "may", "project", "estimate", "anticipate", "predict", "seek", "should" or similar words or expressions, are forward-looking statements. The future events referred to in these forward- looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors, many of which are beyond GOL's control, that may cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. These forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding GOL's present and future business strategies and the environment in which GOL will operate in the future and are not a guarantee of future performance. Such forward-looking statements speak only as at the date on which they are made. None of GOL or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents undertakes any duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. None of GOL or any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, professional advisors and agents make any representation, warranty or prediction that the results anticipated by such forward-looking statements will be achieved, and such forward- looking statements represent, in each case, only one of many possible scenarios and should not be viewed as the most likely or standard scenario. Although GOL believes that the estimates and projections in these forward- looking statements are reasonable, they may prove materially incorrect and actual results may materially differ. As a result, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements.
To be consistent with industry practice, GOL discloses so-called non-GAAP financial measures which are not recognized under IFRS or U.S. GAAP, including "Net Debt", "Adjusted Net Debt", "total liquidity" and "EBITDA". The Company's management believes that disclosure of non-GAAP measures provides useful information to investors, financial analysts and the public in their review of its operating performance and their comparison of its operating performance to the operating performance of other companies in the same industry and other industries. However, these non-GAAP items do not have standardized meanings and may not be directly comparable to similarly-titled items adopted by other companies. Potential investors should not rely on information not recognized under IFRS as a substitute for the GAAP measures of earnings or liquidity in making an investment decision.
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SOURCE GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/27/gol-announces-investor-update/ | 2022-10-27 13:08:35 | 1 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/10/27/gol-announces-investor-update/ |
Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In Opendoor To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options
NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Opendoor Technologies, Inc. ("Opendoor" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: OPEN) and reminds investors of the December 6, 2022 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.
If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 investing in (a) Opendoor securities between December 21, 2020 and September 16, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"); and/or (b) Opendoor common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Offering Documents (defined below) issued in connection with the business combination between the Company and Opendoor Labs Inc. ("Legacy Opendoor") completed on or about December 18, 2020 (the "Merger"). and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). You may also click here for additional information: www.faruqilaw.com/OPEN.
There is no cost or obligation to you.
Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading minority and Woman-owned national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia.
Opendoor was formerly known as Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. II ("SCH") and operated as a special purpose acquisition company, also called a blank-check company, which is a development stage company that has no specific business plan or purpose or has indicated its business plan is to engage in a merger or acquisition with an unidentified company or companies, other entity, or person.
On September 15, 2020, the Company, then still operating as SCH, and Legacy Opendoor, a private company operating as a digital platform for residential real estate, announced their entry into a definitive agreement for the Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), which valued Legacy Opendoor at an enterprise value of $4.8 billion.
On October 5, 2020, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with the Merger, which, after several amendments, was declared effective by the SEC on November 27, 2020 (the "Registration Statement"). On November 30, 2020, the Company filed a proxy statement/prospectus on Form 424B3 with the SEC in connection with the Merger, which formed part of the Registration Statement (the "Proxy" and, together with the Registration Statement, the "Offering Documents").
On December 18, 2020, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Company, among other things, deregistered as a Cayman Islands company, registered as a Delaware company, changed its name to "Opendoor Technologies Inc.", and consummated the Merger, whereby, among other things, Legacy Opendoor became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
Following the Merger, the Company has operated a digital platform for buying and selling residential real estate in the U.S. The Company's platform features a technology known as "iBuying," which is an algorithm-based process that purportedly enables Opendoor to make accurate market-based offers to sellers for their homes, and then flip those homes to buyers for a profit.
As detailed below, the lawsuit focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) the algorithm ("Algorithm") used by the Company to make offers for homes could not accurately adjust to changing house prices across different market conditions and economic cycles; (2) as a result, the Company was at an increased risk of sustaining significant and repeated losses due to residential real estate pricing fluctuations; (3) accordingly, Defendants overstated the purported benefits and competitive advantages of the Algorithm; and (4) as a result, the Offering Documents and Defendants' public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein.
On September 19, 2022, citing a review of industry data, Bloomberg reported that the Company appeared to have lost money on 42% of its transactions in August 2022 (as measured by the prices at which it bought and sold properties). Bloomberg further reported that the data was even worse in key markets such as Los Angeles, California, where Opendoor lost money on 55% of sales, and Phoenix, Arizona, where it lost money on 76% of sales. Worse, a global real estate tech strategist interviewed by Bloomberg, Mike DelPrete, predicted that, based on his analyses, September would likely be even worse for Opendoor than August. Bloomberg's findings evidenced the failure of Opendoor's Algorithm to adjust accurately to changing market conditions.
Following the Bloomberg report, Opendoor's stock price fell $0.50 per share, or 12.32%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $3.56 per share on September 20, 2022—an 88.61% decline from the Company's first post-Merger closing stock price of $31.25 per share on December 21, 2020 (the "Initial Closing Price").
As of the time this Complaint was filed, Opendoor's common stock was trading significantly below the Initial Closing Price and continues to trade below its initial value from the Merger, damaging investors.
The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.
Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Opendoor's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.
Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.
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SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/29/opendoor-deadline-alert/ | 2022-11-29 09:25:01 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/29/opendoor-deadline-alert/ |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Myisha Hines-Allen scored a season-high 17 points, Ariel Atkins added 12 points and the Washington Mystics beat the Minnesota Lynx 76-59 on Friday night.
Elizabeth Williams added 11 points and Shakira Austin grabbed 13 rebounds for Washington (9-5). Elena Delle Donne, who left a game on Wednesday with back pain in the first half, did not play.
Hines-Allen, who entered averaging 6.2 points per game, was 6 of 8 from the field with three 3-pointers.
Aerial Powers scored 12 points for Minnesota (3-10), which shot just 32.8% from the field and turned it over 17 times. Rachel Banham added 10 points and Jessica Shepard tied her career-high with 15 rebounds.
Minnesota was without center Sylvia Fowles, who is out indefinitely due to a cartilage injury in her right knee. The seven-time All-Star previously announced this will be her final WNBA season. Fowles is averaging 16.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. She leads the league in field goal percentage (64.1) and rebounds per game.
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More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Hines-Allen-scores-season-high-17-Mystics-beat-17234666.php | 2022-06-11 03:47:36 | 0 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/Hines-Allen-scores-season-high-17-Mystics-beat-17234666.php |
LANSDOWNE, Va., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation today named 60 high-achieving community college students as recipients of the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship aims for Scholars to complete their undergraduate educations with as little debt as possible. The award, which is last dollar funding after all institutional aid, can be as much as $55,000 a year.
This year, overall undergraduate enrollment has remained comparable to last year's numbers. However, for the first time in several years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, community college enrollment has increased by 2% nationwide.
"There are so many bright and persistent community college students in our nation who we know will thrive at four-year institutions if they can find a way to transfer without being weighed down by a heavy financial burden," said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. "We are excited to welcome yet another cohort of Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholars to our community after learning about them through their applications and seeing their unbound potential."
Along with financial support, new Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholars will receive comprehensive educational advising to guide them through the process of transitioning to a four-year college and preparing for their careers. Scholars will additionally receive opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding, as well as connection to a thriving network of more than 3,000 Cooke Scholars and Alumni.
This year, more than 1,700 students from 448 community colleges applied to receive the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Foundation evaluated each submission based on students' academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, and leadership. A full list of the 2023 Cooke Transfer Scholars, including their community colleges can be found here.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded almost $250 million in scholarships to nearly 3,200 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive educational advising and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $125 million in grants to organizations that serve such students.www.jkcf.org
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SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/05/09/jack-kent-cooke-foundation-awards-60-community-college-students-national-transfer-scholarship-attend-four-year-institutions/ | 2023-05-09 14:16:26 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2023/05/09/jack-kent-cooke-foundation-awards-60-community-college-students-national-transfer-scholarship-attend-four-year-institutions/ |
Rugby’s biggest tournament is finally heading to the United States.
Now comes the hard part for the sport’s leadership: Generating enough interest and sustainability to secure rugby’s place in a crowded U.S. market.
The Rugby World Cup will be staged in the U.S. for the first time after being voted on Thursday as the host of the men’s event in 2031 and the women’s tournament two years later.
It marks rugby’s first attempt to move into the wider American sporting consciousness and unlock what World Rugby — the global governing body — regards as an area of untapped potential, in both a commercial and sporting sense.
“The golden nugget that everybody wants to get hold of” was how World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont described America.
“What we will leave in the U.S.,” he said, “is an extremely sustainable, vibrant sport that will go from strength to strength.”
USA Rugby’s vision is of countrywide membership more than quadrupling to 450,000 by 2031, of stadiums “from coast to coast” staging matches — there have been around 25 venue bids, including from NFL and Major League Soccer arenas — and of significant investment in the domestic Major League Rugby so the U.S. Eagles are a competitive team in time for 2031.
A competitive, perhaps quarterfinal-bidding team, would crucially be necessary for the Eagles and the World Cup to cut through the considerable noise that is U.S. sports. The Rugby World Cup is staged during September-October, when America is already transfixed by the NFL and college football, the Major League Baseball pennant races and playoffs, and the start of the NBA and NHL.
USA Rugby already has some experience. The Rugby World Cup Sevens at the baseball home of the San Francisco Giants in July 2018 drew more than 100,000 people across three days, and U.S.-decent TV ratings on NBC.
“(The World Cups are) an invitation to increase our levels of awareness, to increase our sport’s fan base,” said Victoria Folayan, who played sevens rugby for the U.S. and is USA Rugby’s athlete representative. “The doors are opening. Being able to take that step is just the beginning.”
To that end, World Rugby’s experience of taking its men’s showpiece tournament to Asia for the first time in 2015 — when Japan was the host — will be key in getting the U.S ready for its debut. Not just the public, but the national team itself.
While the women’s team won the inaugural World Cup in 1991 and reached the final in the next two events, the men’s Eagles have never got out of the pool stage at a World Cup — three wins in 25 matches — and are basically shut out from playing the world’s top teams on an annual basis.
As it did successfully for Japan, World Rugby will pour coaching expertise into the Eagles and look to give them more tests to improve. There is an ongoing attempt to shake up the men’s international calendar so that emerging nations like the United States have more opportunities.
Hosting the two World Cups will cost around $500 million, and profits and losses will be shared between World Rugby and USA Rugby, which filed for bankruptcy as recently as 2020.
The bid received support from the White House, with U.S. President Joe Biden sending a letter to World Rugby last month giving governmental guarantees and his backing for the “development of rugby in the United States.”
The men’s Rugby World Cup is regarded in some parts of the world as the third biggest sporting event, after the soccer World Cup and the summer Olympics.
The United States is hosting all three events in a five-year span from 2026, starting with the men’s soccer World Cup that year — with Mexico and Canada as co-hosts — and then the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
For the first time, World Rugby used a streamlined bid process to enable it to announce the hosts of all the World Cups from 2025-33, for both men and women.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up in green and gold after Australia was awarded the men’s World Cup in 2027 and the women’s tournament in 2029. The men’s World Cup is returning to Australia for the first time since 2003.
It is being viewed as a chance to rejuvenate rugby in the country as the World Cups come after the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2025, bringing much-needed revenue to its governing body — Rugby Australia — that was badly hit by the pandemic.
Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos called it “the start of a new era for Australian Rugby.”
“Australia will become the center of the rugby world over the next decade,” he said, “and that is incredibly exciting.”
The 2027 tournament will be the 40th anniversary of Australia and New Zealand hosting the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.
England was announced as the host of the women’s World Cup in 2025.
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More AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80 | https://www.fox16.com/sports/united-states-to-host-rugby-world-cup-for-1st-time/ | 2022-05-12 19:56:39 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/sports/united-states-to-host-rugby-world-cup-for-1st-time/ |
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The pressures of the NFL were getting to Marcus Smith II.
He hadn't lived up to the expectations of being Philadelphia's first-round pick, which led to anxiety, depression, panic attacks, being released by the Eagles — and a move across the country to Seattle. Smith didn’t talk about his mental health because he didn’t want anyone to think he wasn’t tough enough to play in the league.
On his way to Seahawks practice in August 2018, he stopped at the edge of a hill, ready to drive off of it. A call from his pregnant wife and his mother-in-law changed his mind. He went to practice and told coach Pete Carroll and defensive line coach Cliff Hurtt what happened.
“(Carroll) supported me in every way possible. He actually helped me get that therapist, let me know that everything was going to be fine,” said Smith, who was drafted in 2014. “It took me at least six, seven months to go through all the things in the past that I had never addressed. ... If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have done what I was doing and I probably wouldn’t be here today.”
Smith has dedicated himself to making sure other players don’t reach the breaking point he was at. He's also among many former and active NFL players who are sharing their personal stories to break the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage people to seek help they need. The league and the NFL Players Association are offering resources for teams, too.
“I definitely think we’re moving in the right direction with guys actually opening up and going to get the help,” Smith said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “I just want to make sure that it’s not too late. That’s why we have to continue to speak about it.”
Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins has been working to educate people about mental health — or cerebral wellness, as he likes to call it — since his induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins, who retired after last season, has talked openly about weekly therapy sessions that help him cope with stress because he wants young men to know it’s not a weakness.
Six-time Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall has become an outspoken mental health advocate since he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder during his playing career.
Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Chris Hubbard holds an annual event for mental health through his Overcoming Together Foundation. Hubbard was drawn to the issue after a friend in high school killed himself.
“I know for a lot of us, especially the African American community, it’s not talked about,” Hubbard said. “I wanted to get to a level where I can help others out, to let people know that you’re not alone, that we’re in this thing together, and we can overcome it together.”
Free agent safety Douglas Middleton, who has played parts of six seasons with six teams, started Dream the Impossible Foundation to serve people with mental health issues after his best friend died by suicide in 2017.
Middleton stresses the importance of proactively seeking therapy.
“I always tell people it’s not something that you do in response to having a bad day,” he said. “It’s more like how can I make sure I don’t have a bad day, how can I be the best version of myself. You’re not going to lift weights when you feel bad. You’re going to lift weights to continue to feel good, look good and be a healthy person. So, you have to treat your mental health like your physical.”
The NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed in May 2019 to increase mental health resources available to players and club staff. Each team is required to have a licensed behavioral health clinician on staff, as well as a pain management specialist.
The players’ union makes a clinician directory available to all players in helping them locate a clinician near them, be it a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or counselor.
Through their insurance, all players receive up to eight free counseling sessions at no cost. NFL Life Line provides suicide prevention, crisis management and in-the-moment problem solving with trained crisis counselors.
There's also a supplemental health benefit through The Trust, which serves players who have or had at least two seasons in the NFL, that gives former players access to outpatient psychiatry and counseling services in their home communities. And the Professional Athletes Foundation provides wellness tips and resources for former players.
“We don’t want this dark picture around mental health," Smith said. “It’s a journey that you can overcome.”
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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi
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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/NFL-players-working-to-ease-stigma-around-mental-17486340.php | 2022-10-04 18:49:08 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/NFL-players-working-to-ease-stigma-around-mental-17486340.php |
(The Hill) – A pregnant Texas woman says she has received a second traffic ticket within a month after claiming that her unborn child allows her to drive in the high-occupancy lane (HOV).
In an interview, Plano resident Brandy Bottone told The Dallas Morning News that authorities ticketed her for the same offense at the same location, after a previous citation was dropped.
Bottone gained massive attention last month after claiming that Texas’s new anti-abortion laws mean her fetus should count as a person for HOV reasons, according to the Morning News.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s office decided to dismiss Bottone’s first ticket, agreeing that legally the situation is unclear.
The Morning News reports the Texas legislature is set to clarify the issue of when a fetus counts as a person in its next session.
“Nobody is answering whether it’s right or wrong,” Bottone, who has since given birth to a baby girl, told the Morning News. “They dismissed it. Why do I have to change my belief? … It doesn’t answer the question. Did I get it right or did I get it wrong?”
In a statement, Texas Department of Transportation (TDOT) spokesperson Tony Hartzel told the newspaper that it doesn’t have the control to make decisions on “law enforcement or prosecution decisions.”
“TxDOT has no role in law enforcement or prosecution decisions,” Hartzel added. “The dismissal of one citation has not affected the department’s relationship with law enforcement.”
Bottone did have a baby girl, who is now about one month old. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/pregnant-texas-woman-says-shes-gotten-second-traffic-ticket-claiming-fetus-lets-her-use-hov-lane/ | 2022-08-30 03:11:05 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/pregnant-texas-woman-says-shes-gotten-second-traffic-ticket-claiming-fetus-lets-her-use-hov-lane/ |
The document highlights the Company's continued commitment to global Environmental, Social and Governance efforts.
FORT WAYNE, Ind., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Franklin Electric Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: FELE) released its third annual Sustainability Report this month, once again providing transparency, insight and data related to the Company's performance toward Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives and goals. The commitment to these initiatives and goals led the Company to be named to Newsweek's 2022 list of America's Most Responsible Companies.
This year's report includes several details related to product advancements, employee health and wellness programs, and manufacturing initiatives. For example, operational excellence and global process standardization helped the Company increase its usage of power from renewable energy sources by 10%. The Company reported a significant investment in its global Goal Zero safety campaign, spending more than 24,000 hours training employees on health and safety best practices with the goal of zero work-related injuries. From a product standpoint, several advancements are helping Franklin Electric customers become more sustainable, including the Company's development of MagForce™ High Efficiency Motors that significantly lower customer energy usage and related operating costs.
"We published our first Sustainability Report in October 2020, and I am proud of the progress that we have made in offering transparency to our environmental impact," noted Franklin Electric CEO Gregg C. Sengstack. "The results in our 2022 report speak to the combined efforts of our employees around the globe, whose work creates the products that allow for safe and reliable access to water, the filtration and treatment of water, the safe and effective movement of wastewater, and for environmentally safe and sustainable handling of liquid fuels."
Franklin Electric produced the report following the guidelines set forth in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Standards and the Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) Environmental and Social Disclosure QualityScore™ Framework. This set of standards creates a common language for organizations to report on its sustainability impacts in a consistent and credible way. Information in the report primarily covers the fiscal year that ended on December 31, 2021.
Franklin Electric is a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for the movement of water and fuel. Recognized as a technical leader in its products and services, Franklin Electric serves customers around the world in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and fueling applications. Franklin Electric is proud to be named in Newsweek's lists of America's Most Responsible Companies and Most Trusted Companies for 2022.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including those relating to market conditions or the Company's financial results, costs, expenses or expense reductions, profit margins, inventory levels, foreign currency translation rates, liquidity expectations, business goals and sales growth, involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks and uncertainties with respect to general economic and currency conditions, various conditions specific to the Company's business and industry, weather conditions, new housing starts, market demand, competitive factors, changes in distribution channels, supply constraints, effect of price increases, raw material costs, technology factors, integration of acquisitions, litigation, government and regulatory actions, the Company's accounting policies, future trends, and other risks which are detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, included in Item 1A of Part I of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, Exhibit 99.1 attached thereto and in Item 1A of Part II of the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE Franklin Electric | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/franklin-electric-releases-2022-sustainability-report/ | 2022-08-11 13:41:06 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/franklin-electric-releases-2022-sustainability-report/ |
PHOENIX, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SenesTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNES, "SenesTech" or the "Company"), (www.senestech.com) the rodent fertility control experts and inventors of the only EPA registered contraceptive for male and female rats, ContraPest, today released further information demonstrating ContraPest's dramatic efficacy in zoo deployments.
A world class zoo, one of the top ten largest in the United States, developed a significant rat problem in the free-flight aviary in 2019. The cause was determined to be a hole that had developed in the perimeter mesh allowing rats to access the habitat. Despite their best efforts, the rats flourished in the aviary and began to negatively impact the health and well-being of the birds; devouring any eggs they could find. They started using ContraPest in December 2021. Within four months, they saw a dramatic decrease in the rat population, no longer saw juveniles or obviously pregnant females on the camera traps, found less evidence of rodent activity in areas that had previously accumulated droppings, and most importantly, they started to see successful breeding of birds. This spring marked the first time in years they were able to recover eggs from nests and successfully hatch those of interest. As the waterfowl and ground laying birds begin their breeding cycle they expect to recover even more eggs previously lost to the rats.
ContraPest has been shown in multiple, independent deployments, to be effective when used alone or in conjunction with other integrated pest management (IPM) tools, with efficacy improvements of up to 90% over the use of traditional IPM methods. This makes ContraPest a logical choice for deployments where traditional methods are falling short and there is a heightened risk of non-target species exposure, such as in zoos and sanctuaries.
"Zoos and sanctuaries represent an immediately accessible, multimillion-dollar opportunity for us. Recognizing that, we have developed customized purchasing programs for zoos and sanctuaries, as well as targeted advertising and sales efforts. This has proven successful, as we have grown our penetration into that vertical over 300% in the past 12 months, with nearly 70 current customers and growing. Now that we can add the unique Elevate Bait System for roof rat infestations, we anticipate continued rapid and accelerating growth into this vertical," said Ken Siegel, SenesTech's Chief Executive Officer.
About SenesTech
We are "The Pest Control Difference" for the 21st century. We are rodent fertility control specialists fueled by our passion to create a healthy environment by virtually eliminating rodent pest populations. We keep an inescapable truth in mind. Two rats and their descendants can be responsible for the birth of up to 15,000 pups after a year. We invented ContraPest, the only U.S. EPA registered contraceptive for male and female rats. ContraPest fits seamlessly into all integrated pest management programs, greatly improving the overall goal of effective rat management. We strive for clean cities, efficient businesses, and happy households – with a product that was designed to be effective and sustainable without killing rats. At SenesTech, we don't just eliminate rats. We make a better world.
For more information visit https://senestech.com/ and https://contrapeststore.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, and we intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor created thereby. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, our belief that ContraPest has dramatic efficacy in zoo deployments; our belief that ContraPest is a logical choice for deployments where traditional IPM methods are falling short and there is a heightened risk of non-target species exposure, such as in zoos and sanctuaries; our expectation that zoos and sanctuaries represent an immediately accessible, multimillion-dollar opportunity for us; and with the addition of our Elevate Bait System for roof rat infestations, our expectation of continued rapid and accelerating growth into the zoos and sanctuaries vertical. Forward-looking statements may describe future expectations, plans, results or strategies and are often, but not always, made through the use of words such as "believe," "may," "future," "plan," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "eventually," "project," "estimate," "continuing," "intend" and similar words or phrases. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the impacts and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the successful commercialization of our products, market acceptance of our products, regulatory approval and regulation of our products and other factors and risks identified from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE SenesTech, Inc. | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/contrapest-shows-dramatic-success-zoo-deployments/ | 2022-08-11 13:24:42 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/contrapest-shows-dramatic-success-zoo-deployments/ |
Fife Police use virtual reality to train officers
FIFE, Wash. - Since 2019, all law enforcement officers in Washington state have been required to get de-escalation training. The goal is to resolve conflicts without the use of force by using distance, cover and time to manage volatile incidents.
Now, the Fife Police Department is using a new virtual reality training simulator called Apex Officer to provide realistic training in an effort to achieve that goal.
"We can create different scenarios. It’s response based depending on what the officer responds to. Whoever is in the scene, they can change it up. We have urban environments. We’ve got building environments. We have inside a store, inside a home, so there is just a plethora of things we can do which you couldn’t do in the past with just a static system," said Fife PD officer Al Morales, who has undergone the training.
"This is immersive. You are in virtual reality. It’s like you are in the scene. You will see officers if there is a staircase, they are actually reaching for a staircase," he said.
The Fife City Council purchased the system for $60,000.
"We put in for a grant. We didn’t get it. The city council and the citizens decided to buy it for us anyway, so it’s important to them. I mean, they are just as concerned as every other city is about how their officers treat the public when they interact with them," Morales said.
Officers wear mockups of their duty pistols and taser and they get dispatched to various calls.
A detective voices the role of the people they contact and responds according to the officer’s dialogue.
"We can have one with somebody on drugs. We can have one that’s a domestic violence call. We try to de-escalate a situation as much as possible. Time and distance. We’re not in a hurry anymore. We do our best to talk people down. Get them to put down weapons and try to offer them help," Morales said.
When the verbal de-escalation doesn’t work and the suspect pulls a weapon, officers have to react quickly.
"If they use good dialogue, they can talk somebody down. If they don’t use good dialogue, they could possibly get attacked by the person," said Officer Morales.
As law enforcement agencies around the state compete to attract new officers, Fife PD said they hope those interested in the virtual reality training will contact them for one of their four open positions. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/fife-police-use-virtual-reality-to-train-officers | 2023-05-03 00:12:56 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/fife-police-use-virtual-reality-to-train-officers |
(NEXSTAR) – Costco’s shoppers were less often choosing to purchase beef or steaks from the stores’ meat departments in recent months — a trend indicative of a recession or at least “concern” for a recession, according to CFO Richard Galanti.
Galanti, speaking with investors in a third-quarter earnings call last week, said more shoppers were choosing less expensive cuts of meat instead.
“Historically, we’ve always seen, like within fresh protein, we’ve always seen when there’s a recession, whether it was ’99, ’00 or ’08, ’09, ’10, we would see some sales penetration shift from beef to poultry and pork,” Galanti said in a third-quarter earnings call last week. “We’ve seen some of that now.”
He also said he had heard from a fellow executive that Costco was seeing “some switch even to some canned products, like canned chicken and canned tuna and things like that.”
Products from Kirkland Signature — Costco’s private label — were also seeing increased interest over name-brand items, Galanti said.
Galanti’s remarks came in response to a question about the company’s “softer” numbers on fresh food sales, though Galanti claimed those sales, albeit “weaker” than in previous quarters, “have been fine” overall.
He instead said the company’s recent dip in average daily transactions (down 4.2% worldwide, 3.5% in the U.S.) was attributable to fewer customers making big-ticket purchases, like home furnishings or electronics, than during the “two years of outsized growth” Costco saw during the pandemic.
Despite the drop in large discretionary purchases, Costco’s sales of big-ticket items were still “better” than competitors, he claimed.
“Our negative is not as negative as others out there,” he told investors and analysts.
A representative of Costco did not return a request for further comment on the prices or buying habits at the meat counter in 2023.
Costco’s observations likely don’t come as any surprise to economists. The fluctuating prices of meat, in particular, have been the subject of analysis since the early days of the pandemic. After initial rise in prices, the cost of beef had actually dropped a bit by the late summer of 2022, in part due to reduced demand for premium cuts. But even when prices had leveled off, the rising cost of other grocery items may have continued to deter shoppers from their usual beef-purchasing habits.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture also warned of a low cattle inventory for 2023 — the lowest in 61 years — caused in part by drought and smaller returns on investment, Nexstar’s KDVR reported in February.
“It’s probably going to get more expensive,” Curt Werner, a Colorado rancher who spoke with KDVR, said of beef prices. “The concern now is how with inflation in all areas being as high as it is where people quit eating beef on a large scale.” | https://www.qcnews.com/nexstar-media-wire/costco-shoppers-shifting-away-from-specific-item-cfo-says-its-indicator-of-recession/ | 2023-06-03 20:17:32 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/nexstar-media-wire/costco-shoppers-shifting-away-from-specific-item-cfo-says-its-indicator-of-recession/ |
Daycare owner arrested after small children found wandering in backyard near pool
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) – A daycare provider in Kansas was charged after the young children she was watching were found unsupervised wandering near a neighboring backyard pool.
The McPherson Police Department said Tracy Barr, 47, was also under the influence at the time. Barr is charged with aggravated endangering a child and driving under the influence.
State records show that Barr owns the Golden Explorers daycare facility.
On Wednesday morning, officers responded to a call about unsupervised young children and a dog in someone’s backyard near a pool. When officers arrived, they found four children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old, along with a dog.
Officers determined the children had left the Golden Explorers daycare and walked to the yard with the pool.
Police said the children were taken into protective custody and later released to their parents.
Barr was booked into the McPherson County Jail with bond set at $13,750.
Copyright 2022 KWCH via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2022/06/30/daycare-owner-arrested-after-small-children-found-wandering-backyard-near-pool/ | 2022-06-30 22:43:31 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/2022/06/30/daycare-owner-arrested-after-small-children-found-wandering-backyard-near-pool/ |
MOORESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A central Indiana man who fled police for 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) drove his car into a pickup truck and later died at a hospital, a sheriff said Thursday.
The man was identified as Daniel Staten, 32, of Camby.
A Morgan County sheriff's deputy tried to stop the car about 11 p.m. Wednesday for traffic violations on a rural road west of Mooresville when the vehicle fled, Sheriff Richard Myers said in a news release. The traffic violations were not specified.
The chase ended when Staten lost control of the car and the vehicle struck the truck, Myers said.
The truck driver, Michael Skaggs, was evaluated at an Indianapolis hospital, but the release did not say how he was injured or what his condition is. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Man-who-fled-police-dies-after-crashing-into-17492215.php | 2022-10-06 22:27:02 | 0 | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Man-who-fled-police-dies-after-crashing-into-17492215.php |
NEW YORK (AP) — The FBI and Justice Department recently disrupted the activities of a hacking group that was sponsored by the North Korean government and that targeted U.S. hospitals with ransomware, ultimately recovering half a million dollars in ransom payments and cryptocurrency, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Tuesday.
Monaco revealed new details of the attacks during a speech in which she encouraged organizations hit by ransomware to report the crime to law enforcement, both so that officials can investigate and so that they can help victim companies try to get ransom payments back.
In this case, Monaco said, a Kansas hospital that paid a ransom last year after being attacked by ransomware also contacted the FBI, which traced the payment and identified China-based money launderers who assisted the North Korean hackers in cashing out the illicit proceeds. The FBI was able to recover half a million dollars, including the entire ransom payment from the hospital.
“If you report that attack, if you report the ransom demand and payment, if you work with the FBI, we can take action,” Monaco said at the International Conference on Cyber Security, hosted by Fordham University. “We can follow the money and get it back; we can help prevent the next attack, the next victim; and we can hold cybercriminals accountable.”
U.S. officials in 2021 scrambled to confront a wave of high-profile ransomware attacks — in which hackers encrypt or lock up a victim’s data and demand exorbitant sums to return it — including against a crucial fuel pipeline on the East Coast. Though the pace of such large-scale, front-page attacks seems to have slowed, smaller targets — such as hospitals — continue to be affected.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the same conference that a particular challenge is that ransomware, once largely the province of garden-variety cyber criminals looking to extort cash, is now being increasingly deployed by hostile governments who are eager for destruction.
“The other thing we’re seeing more and more of is ransomware actors doing more than just locking up the system,” Wray said. “They’re exfiltrating the information, they’re threatening to release your proprietary information.”
This particular variant of ransomware, known as “Maui,” specifically targeted hospitals and public health organizations around the country.
Justice Department officials say the attack on the Kansas hospital, which they did not identify, took place in May 2021 when hackers encrypted the medical center’s files and servers. The hospital paid about $100,000 in Bitcoin to get its data back.
The department said that in addition to recovering the payment from the Kansas hospital, it also got back a payment from a health care provider in Colorado that was affected by the same Maui ransomware variant.
____
Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/us-disrupts-north-korean-hackers-that-targeted-hospitals/ | 2022-07-19 20:29:24 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/us-disrupts-north-korean-hackers-that-targeted-hospitals/ |
PARIS, June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PARIS AIR SHOW -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, announces the launch of Percept – an advanced AI-based Aircraft Engine Analysis Tool.
Percept is a computer vision product that operates on top of the Awiros Video Intelligence Operating System (OS). Its cloud-based interface allows users to capture images and videos of aircraft engines on their mobile devices and receive real-time responses on parts availability. This helps enable faster and cost-efficient turnaround of leased engine assets. Instead of an inspector having to examine an engine and check part-by-part, Percept automates this inspection, and reduces time taken by nearly 90%.
"The Percept tool helps reduce time and effort involved in the pre-and-post lease analysis of aircraft engines," said O Sung Kwon, vice president, Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney. "We have been working with Awiros, an Indian Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI) start-up for the past few years to mature this technology; we are excited to be shifting from technology development to now bringing an operational product to the market."
"Building the Percept tool in collaboration with RTX has been one of the most exciting opportunities in the journey of Awiros as a startup. We are proud that Percept's high-fidelity scanning of Pratt & Whitney engines with handheld mobiles phones, without any specialized hardware, is being commercially deployed in the aerospace industry." said Vikram Gupta, founder and CEO, Awiros.
Awiros was selected as the winner of the RTX Innovation Challenge. The Innovation Challenge was launched in September 2019 with over 60 Indian and global startups in Computer Vision, AI, and Machine learning (ML) domains. The teams proposed solutions to optimize and automate aircraft engine inspections with reduced human interventions. Awiros' idea was evaluated through 2020-21 and is expected to be launched commercially later this year.
"As the fastest growing aviation industry and world's emerging start-up capital, India has become a hotbed for agile aerospace innovation," said Ashmita Sethi, president & country head, India, Pratt & Whitney (UTCIPL). "Percept is the result of some of India's best and brightest minds collaborating with Pratt & Whitney to innovate a solution that delivers significant efficiencies and value to our customers."
The Percept solution will be deployed exclusively on Pratt & Whitney's most advanced commercial engines, including the Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine and the V2500.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more visit www.prattwhitney.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.
About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. Our global team of 180,000 employees pushes the limits of known science and redefines how we connect and protect our world. We are advancing aviation, building smarter defense systems and creating innovations to take us deeper into space. Effective July 1, the company will complete its realignment into three customer-focused business units — Collins Aerospace, Raytheon and Pratt & Whitney. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
Pratt & Whitney
+1 (860) 565-9600
media@prattwhitney.com
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SOURCE Raytheon Technologies | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2023/06/20/pratt-amp-whitney-indian-start-up-awiros-launch-ai-based-aircraft-engine-inspection-tool-percept/ | 2023-06-20 05:19:18 | 0 | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2023/06/20/pratt-amp-whitney-indian-start-up-awiros-launch-ai-based-aircraft-engine-inspection-tool-percept/ |
Former Olympic gold medal cyclist convicted in German child sex abuse case
BERLIN (AP) — A former champion cyclist who won two gold medals at the 1976 Olympics has been convicted by a German court in a child sexual abuse case. Gregor Braun was found guilty by a regional court in the city of Tuebingen of sexually abusing a child, soliciting the serious sexual abuse of a child and soliciting the production of abuse imagery in several cases. The court said in a statement Thursday that he was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment. During the trial, judges heard that 67-year-old Braun had for years paid for a woman to bring her young daughter along to sex dates, starting when the girl was 6 years old. Braun denied the allegations. The verdict can be appealed. | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/06/29/former-olympic-gold-medal-cyclist-convicted-in-german-child-sex-abuse-case/ | 2023-06-29 16:44:06 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/2023/06/29/former-olympic-gold-medal-cyclist-convicted-in-german-child-sex-abuse-case/ |
KLAMATH RIVER, Calif. – Roger Derry, 80, and his son have lived together in the tiny scenic hamlet of Klamath River in Northern California for more than 40 years.
They know most of the town's 200 or so residents.
Now, they're one of the few families left after California's largest and deadliest wildfire of the year raged through the modest homes and stores of the riverside town.
“It’s very sad. It’s very disheartening,” Derry said. “Some of our oldest homes, 100-year-old homes, are gone. It’s a small community. Good people, good folks, for the most part, live here and in time will rebuild. But it’s going to take some time now.”
The McKinney Fire that erupted last Friday remained out of control, despite some progress as firefighters took advantage of thunderstorms dumped rain that temporarily took a bit of heat out of the parched, scorched region not far from the Oregon border.
The fire has burned more than 88 square miles (228 square kilometers), and is the largest of several wildfires burning in the Klamath National Forest.
The fire didn’t grow on Tuesday, and fire officials said crews were able to use bulldozers to carve firebreaks along a ridge to protect homes and buildings in the county seat of Yreka.
But several thousand people remained under evacuation orders, 100 buildings ranging from homes to greenhouses have burned and at least four bodies have been found in the region.
The destruction of a small community has sadly become a real possibility as wildfires become fiercer in the Western United States.
Wildfires in Montana, Idaho and Nebraska have destroyed some homes and continue to threaten communities.
Just four years ago, a massive blaze in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California virtually razed the Butte County town of Paradise, killing 85 people.
Scientists have said climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.
When it began, the McKinney Fire was only a couple hundred acres and firefighters thought they would quickly have it under control. But then, a thunderstorm cell came in with ferocious wind gusts that within hours had pushed it into an unstoppable conflagration.
Roger Derry and his son, whose name is spelled Rodger Derry, decided not to evacuate when the fire broke out and said their home, which they'd tried to safeguard by trimming away nearby bushes, survived. Firefighters also showed up and dug firebreaks around the neighborhood.
But they could see the fire as it tore its way through the places around them.
“When that fire came over that ridgeline, it had 100-foot flames for about 5 miles and the wind was blowing. It was coming down like a solid blowtorch," Roger Derry said. “There was nothing to stop it,”
The fire destroyed most of the homes, including those in a trailer park, along with the post office, community hall and other scattered businesses.
The cause hasn't been determined.
In northwestern Montana, a fire that started Friday near the town of Elmo on the Flathead Indian Reservation has burned some structures, but authorities said they didn’t immediately know if any were homes. The blaze measured 25 square miles (66 square kilometers) on Tuesday, with 10% containment, fire officials said. Some residents were forced to flee Monday as gusting afternoon winds drove the fire.
The Moose Fire in Idaho has burned more than 85 square miles (220 square kilometers) in the Salmon-Challis National Forest while threatening homes, mining operations and fisheries near the town of Salmon. It was 23% contained Tuesday, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center.
And a wildfire raging in northwestern Nebraska led to evacuations and destroyed or damaged several homes near the small city of Gering. The Carter Canyon Fire began Saturday as two separate fires that merged. It was more than 30% contained by Tuesday.
___
Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press reporters Amy Hanson in Helena, Montana; Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska; and Keith Ridler in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report. | https://www.wsls.com/news/national/2022/08/03/deadly-california-wildfire-wipes-out-scenic-river-town/ | 2022-08-03 04:56:14 | 1 | https://www.wsls.com/news/national/2022/08/03/deadly-california-wildfire-wipes-out-scenic-river-town/ |
DENVER (AP) — A woman and a sheriff’s deputy were fatally shot at a home in southern Colorado over the weekend and the suspected gunman was later found dead inside the home, authorities said Monday.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Peery, 39, was wounded Sunday after he arrived with two other law enforcement officers to investigate a report of a shooting at the home in the community of Security-Widefield near Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs police said in a statement. John Paz, 33, fired at the officers, hitting Peery, and another sheriff’s deputy returned fire, police said.
Officers found the body of the woman in the home’s front yard, police said. Paz died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Colorado Springs police, which is investigating the shooting, believe Paz also killed the woman. Her connection to Paz was still being investigated, spokesperson Jason Newton said.
Paz worked at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s airfield in the 94th Flying Training Squadron, which conducts glider training for cadets. He had been an aviation resource management technician there since December, school spokesperson Dean J. Miller said.
“Our condolences go out to all the friends and family affected by Sunday’s incident,” Miller said.
People lined up on Sunday to honor Peery as a hearse carrying his remains drove from a hospital to the coroner’s office.
Gov. Jared Polis also expressed sympathy to the family of Peery, who was a decorated member of the sheriff’s department’s SWAT team.
“My thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Deputy Peery and all our neighbors in law enforcement who put their lives at risk to serve others,” he said. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national/sheriffs-deputy-and-woman-killed-in-colorado-home-shooting/ | 2022-08-09 14:53:08 | 1 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national/sheriffs-deputy-and-woman-killed-in-colorado-home-shooting/ |
Energous: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Energous: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Energous: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
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Suedi Murekezi, a U.S. Air Force veteran whose family says he was captured by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine earlier this year, has been freed in a prisoner swap, a senior Ukrainian official announced Wednesday.
Murekezi was taken by pro-Russian forces in the southern city of Kherson in early June, according to his brother Sele Murekezi, who added that he had been falsely accused of taking part in pro-Ukrainian protests. He said that when the pair spoke in July, Suedi Murekezi mentioned that he was being held in the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic, alongside two other American nationals.
Born in Rwanda, Suedi Murekezi came to the United States as a teenager and went on to spent eight years in the Air Force, according to his brother. He later moved to Ukraine in 2018 and was based in Kherson — the first major city to fall to Russian forces following the Feb. 24 invasion, and which was recently recaptured by Ukrainian forces.
In September, several foreign nationals, including two U.S. veterans, five Britons and a Moroccan national, were among the 300 prisoners released by Russia in a prisoner swap. Three of the foreign prisoners had previously been sentenced to death.
As the pace of prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine has accelerated in recent weeks, reports have emerged of the abuse detainees faced while in Russian captivity.
One prisoner of war told The Post he was beaten so badly that his ribs were broken and his kidneys were badly injured.
The news of the latest prisoner swap comes days after WNBA star Brittney Griner was freed by Moscow in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. The United States is also trying to secure the release of another U.S. national, Paul Whelan, who has been held in Russia for four years and has been sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges that Washington has denounced as bogus.
Marisa Iati and Annabelle Timsit contributed to this report. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/14/suedi-murekezi-russia-ukraine-prisoner-swap/ | 2022-12-14 13:46:38 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/14/suedi-murekezi-russia-ukraine-prisoner-swap/ |
At first blush, they seem so alike — two pugnacious, ideologically flexible politicians who latched onto the 2016 global explosion of populism to lead their respective countries before falling from power.
But Boris Johnson and Donald Trump appear headed down different paths this week as they navigate the fallout from their conduct now that they’ve left higher office — a reflection of the varying political cultures and systems in the nations they once led.
On Thursday, a committee of the House of Commons released a scathing report about how Johnson lied to Parliament and intimidated those investigating lockdown-flouting parties in his administration during the pandemic. The committee said Johnson’s conduct was so flagrant that it warranted a 90-day suspension from Parliament, although that recommendation was largely symbolic because he resigned from the House of Commons last week. He was ousted as prime minister almost a year ago, partly due to the “partygate” scandal.
Two days earlier, Trump became the first former U.S. president to appear before a federal judge in a criminal case, pleading not guilty to 37 charges of obstruction of justice and improper retention of classified documents. He also faces charges of filing false business documents in an unrelated matter in New York, and additional legal risk in two more investigations of his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss.
Both men have decried efforts to punish them as undemocratic, describing the investigations into their conduct as “witch hunts.”
Both also want to return to power. But only Trump has a clear path — he is the frontrunner for his party’s 2024 presidential nomination. If Trump wins it, he’ll face President Joe Biden and stands a decent chance of winning back his old job in a country that’s evenly divided between its two major political parties. Johnson, on the other hand, has a much less direct route back, though he will still have a platform — the Daily Mail, one of the U.K.’s highest-circulation tabloids, announced Friday that he’ll write a full-page column that will run every Saturday.
Under Britain’s parliamentary system, prime ministers are selected not by popular vote but because they are the leaders of the party that controls a majority in the House of Commons. That means Johnson would have to win back the support of luminaries in his Conservative Party before he had any chance of returning to Parliament, much less the prime minister’s office.
“We are a parliamentary as opposed to a presidential system. That means that actually there is probably less room for a thorough-going populist to capture both his or her party — and, indeed, the country — in the United Kingdom than there is in the United States,” said Tim Bale, a political science professor at Queen Mary University of London.
That’s because of the United States’ two-party system, which Trump exploited in 2016 when he entered electoral politics for the first time. The parties nominate candidates in primary elections decided by their own voters, giving an edge to the most partisan or bombastic. Trump has cemented his power by focusing on building loyalty among Republican voters, so any party member who criticizes him is vulnerable to a primary challenge.
That’s effectively split the United States in two, making almost every facet of modern life from sporting events to beer choice a referendum on whether people side with Trump and his movement.
By contrast, Britain doesn’t have primary elections and doesn’t elect prime ministers by popular vote, making it difficult for politicians to take their message to voters without first winning the support of party leaders.
Astonishingly, both Trump and Johnson are native New Yorkers; Johnson’s parents were studying in the United States when he was born. Both sport trademark locks of golden hair and penchants for sometimes farcical self-promotion. And both followed parallel tracks that illuminate the differences between the United States and the United Kingdom.
Trump, son of a wealthy developer, became known for stamping his name in gold-plated lettering on his towers. When his business faltered, Trump became a reality television star on “ The Apprentice,” a show that portrayed him as the ideal tough-minded businessman, an image he rode into the White House in 2016.
Johnson as a child announced that he wanted to be “world king” and climbed the British elite educational system, from Eton to Oxford, to get there. He worked as a columnist for British newspapers — losing one job for concocting quotes — before winning a seat in Parliament in 2001, then becoming mayor of London in 2008. Johnson cultivated a zany style, reveling in stunts that often went awry, like the time he got stuck on a zipline promoting the 2012 London Olympics.
Trump has maintained his populist image with man-of-the-people touches, such as his cameos in World Wrestling Federation bouts and his fondness for McDonalds, which he once served in the White House. Johnson sprinkles his speeches with Latin quotations and his favorite Italian red wine sells for 180 pounds ($230) a bottle.
Once a proud cosmopolitan New Yorker who embraced gay and abortion rights, Trump veered to the right when he ran for president, appointing the judges who overturned the Supreme Court case that guaranteed American women the right to an abortion.
His swing was initially slammed by none other than Johnson, who as London mayor took issue with Trump’s claim that radical Muslims created “no-go” areas in his city. Johnson said Trump demonstrated “a stupefying ignorance.”
The following year, though, Johnson embraced the ballot measure to leave the European Union and the anti-immigrant sentiment that Trump had tapped into. Johnson later lamented that women in burkas looked like “letter boxes.”
Johnson became foreign secretary in 2016, then rose to prime minister by promising he’d “get Brexit done.” He kept that promise by winning an unassailable 80-seat majority in Parliament that allowed him to ram through the Brexit deal that severed virtually all ties with the EU.
But Johnson’s ability to win elections by making grandiose promises and entertaining voters didn’t translate into undying support from backbench lawmakers, who abandoned him after a series of scandals that included so-called “ partygate ” over the boozy celebrations in his Downing Street offices.
After Johnson attacked the committee that investigated him as a “kangaroo court,” the opposition quickly compared him to his counterpart across the Atlantic.
“He’s not fit for public office and he’s disgraced himself and continues to act like a pound-shop Trump,” Angela Rayner, the Labour Party’s deputy leader, said Thursday.
That may make him a pariah in British politics. But among many Americans it’s a compliment to be compared to Trump, even after the former president’s lies about the 2020 election provoked the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Only a handful of Republicans have dared criticize Trump for his conduct. Even after charges were filed late last week against Trump, most of his primary rivals spent more time portraying him as a victim.
In contrast, no one in American politics would bother comparing a rival — or an ally — to Boris Johnson.
___
Nicholas Riccardi is a Denver-based national political and democracy reporter for The Associated Press. Danica Kirka covers Britain for AP. Follow Riccardi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nickriccardi and Kirka at http://twitter.com/danicakirka | https://www.cenlanow.com/politics/ap-politics/how-trump-and-johnson-divisive-populists-with-many-similarities-ended-up-on-different-paths/ | 2023-06-16 17:37:47 | 0 | https://www.cenlanow.com/politics/ap-politics/how-trump-and-johnson-divisive-populists-with-many-similarities-ended-up-on-different-paths/ |
California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters denied being a socialist Tuesday when Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, confronted her about past statements she had made threatening to nationalize the oil industry.
The exchange happened Tuesday during a House Rules Committee meeting to discuss H. Con. Res. 9, a resolution introduced by Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., that would formally denounce "the horrors of socialism." Waters spoke at the committee hearing.
Salazar represents part of Miami, where many Cuban refugees have fled seeking safe haven in the United States from the communist regime in Cuba. Her resolution calls out socialist ideology for being responsible for totalitarian rule, brutal dictatorships, famine, mass murder, and various crimes against humanity. If Congress passes the concurrent resolution, it would be a formal statement by the House of Representatives and the Senate opposing socialism.
"We can go around and around in circles about trying to talk about and defining socialism, but at its core I was intrigued by an op-ed that I saw not too long ago by a Democrat from Cuba commenting on one of our colleagues, an avowed socialist, and essentially pointing out the extent to which democratic socialism is a lot like the system my family fled except its proponents promised to be nicer when seizing your business. That’s the truth," Roy said in support of the resolution. "We can talk about these terms as if they don't matter, but they do. They do matter. They're actually at the core of who we are."
BERNIE SANDERS TORCHED ONLINE OVER ANTI-CAPITALISM SPEECH: ‘REALLY CAN’T MAKE THIS S--- UP'
Turning to Waters, who characterized the resolution as a waste of the committee's time, Roy asked if she would stand by a statement she made in 2008 where she appeared to express support for "socializing" oil companies.
"I’ve got one question for the ranking member. Ranking member Waters, in a 2008 hearing you said quote, ‘and guess what, this liberal will be all about? This liberal will be all about socializing – would be about basically taking over the government and the government running all of your companies’ end quote," Roy said. "Simple question: Do you stand by that statement?"
WHERE DO THE SQUAD, DEMOCRATS STAND ON SOCIALISM? GOP WILL PUT THEM TO THE TEST THIS WEEK
The quote he referenced was from a 2008 hearing in which oil executives testified to Congress to address rising gas prices. In a back-and-forth with former Shell Oil President John Hofmeister, Waters demanded "guarantees" on how oil companies would reduce the cost of gasoline if Congress permitted them to drill more oil. When Hofmeister said oil prices would continue to rise if the industry was prohibited from finding new reserves, Waters said she would support "the government running all of your companies."
In answer to Roy, Waters said the threat of socialism in America is a "non-issue."
EX-HOME DEPOT CEO BLASTS ‘SOCIALISM’ FOR KILLING US WORK ETHIC
"You claim that socialism has engulfed this country, that it keeps creeping, that it's gonna take over private businesses, etc., etc., that is not happening," Waters said.
Pressed by Roy to denounce her previous comments, Waters said, "I’m not a socialist, I’m a capitalist and I commit to you that I am here to save Social Security, to save Medicare, to save seniors and veterans and for some of you who have adopted certain kind of ways that you support what you now claim is socialism, I’m here to say to you, come on."
Roy read from Waters' 2008 remarks one more time and asked her if she now disagreed with her own words.
"I am not a socialist," Waters insisted. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/maxine-waters-insists-i-am-not-a-socialist-when-pressed-at-house-hearing/article_c9c7ff94-82f0-5235-ae68-d21d311ec835.html | 2023-02-02 00:03:40 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/maxine-waters-insists-i-am-not-a-socialist-when-pressed-at-house-hearing/article_c9c7ff94-82f0-5235-ae68-d21d311ec835.html |
Judge rules Britney Spears will not have to sit for deposition in ongoing legal battle with her father
By Chloe Melas, CNN
A California judge ruled that Britney Spears will not have to sit for a deposition in an ongoing legal battle with her father Jamie Spears, Spears’ attorney Mathew Rosengart said Wednesday.
The singer’s father will also have to produce all documents requested and appear for a deposition, Rosengart said outside of the courthouse, calling it “another very good day for Britney.”
“Britney obtained her freedom last November, and as many of you know, particularly in light of recent news, Britney is moving on with her life,” Rosengart said, referencing the star’s recent marriage. “She wants to move on with her life. And yet that man, her father, her flesh and blood, does not want that.”
CNN has reached out to Jamie Spears’ attorney for comment on the ruling.
“We hope (Jamie Spears) will accept his losses and simply move on and leave his daughter alone,” Rosengart told CNN in a statement. “That is what any decent man, what any decent father would do.”
The Grammy-winner was in a court-ordered conservatorship for 13 years before it was terminated in November. Spears’ father acted as her co-conservator from the conservatorship’s inception in 2008. This put him in charge of her finances and, at some points, her medical decisions.
The two faced off in court multiple times last year with things reaching a tipping point during two emotional testimonies in which the singer pleaded with the judge to end the conservatorship, calling it “abusive.” Spears said she felt she had been forced to perform, was given no privacy, and was made to use birth control and take medication against her will.
Outside of court Wednesday, Rosengart also took a moment to speak on behalf of AB 1663, a California bill that would amend rules for the conservatorships process, saying that while Spears “shined a light on this issue,” it is now “beyond Britney.” The bill is currently making its way through the state legislature.
“This is not about Britney, this is beyond Britney,” Rosengart said while surrounded by supporters of the bill. “There is a lot of people in the country and in the state who are not free and are subjected to forced abusive conservatorships. And that’s something I look forward to working with legislators on, both in California and Washington DC.”
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ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) — Tiger Woods is among the few who can appreciate how the Old Course played in the old days.
His first time playing St. Andrews for the British Open as a pro was in 2000, and on his final day of practice, Woods ripped a driver in relatively benign conditions to the front of green on the 352-yard ninth hole.
Then, swing coach Butch Harmon pulled out a replica of the gutta-percha golf ball from more than a century ago. Woods ripped another driver and then a 5-iron just over the back.
Such is the mystique of St. Andrews, particularly the Old Course.
This is the 150th edition of the Open, and it’s been 149 years since it was first held at the home of golf. Yes, the course has changed over the years. And yes, the evolution of the game has led to scores getting lower with each generation, just as times have come down on the track and in the pool.
But it’s still the Old Course.
“Even with advancements in technology, this golf course still stands the test of time,” Woods said. “It’s still very difficult, and it’s obviously weather dependent. You get winds like we did today, it’s a hell of a test.”
This was on Tuesday, the strongest wind of the week. Woods hit 6-iron for his second shot on the 386-yard 10th hole. He was 120 yards out into the wind. With a different wind, perhaps even no wind, he can still get driver around the green.
Amid so much celebration of history this week at St. Andrews, there are rumblings that the Old Course could be exposed as being obsolete. It already uses parts of three other courses to stretch it out to 7,313 yards. And while it’s a par 72 with only two par 5s, at least four of the par 4s might be reachable off the tee considering how crusty the links is this year.
And the fearsome wind, which along with the bunkers is the great defense of the Old Course, is forecast to be a little more than a wee breeze.
Rory McIlroy still rues a 3-foot birdie putt he missed on the 17th hole in the opening round in 2010. He had to settle for a 63. And then the wind arrived, and he shot 80.
Jordan Spieth, who missed the playoff by one shot in 2015 in his St. Andrews debut, raised concerns last week when he said the British Open could be little more than a “wedge contest” if the wind goes on holiday.
The reason it stands up to the modern game? “Because of the weather,” he said. But then he quickly added, “I don’t think it stands the test of time if it’s benign.”
He thought back to the last time, in 2015, when Zach Johnson won the three-man playoff after they finished at 15-under par. That was a Monday finish because of wind delays.
“If the conditions are calm for four days — which I don’t think happens over here — I think that with today’s technology, it becomes a shootout.”
It’s not all about power. Spieth says wind or not, there are certain spots to which players can hit because of subtle turns, pot bunkers, even a few gorse bushes depending on the line. Getting there is easier without wind. The next shot is easier. Scores get lower.
But then there’s Scottie Scheffler, who is contemplating hitting left toward the sixth fairway when he’s playing the 13th just to avoid the bunkers.
The No. 1 player in the world can join some elite company. Winning at Augusta National and St. Andrews is special. The list includes Woods and Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros, and most recently Johnson.
Scheffler is spending more time on the course than on the range, discovering countless options on how to play shots. From 30 yards or so off the green, he has used just about everything from a putter to a 6-iron. He already has experienced how differently the course has played with normal wind by Scottish standards — 5-iron, wedge into the first hole one day, 3-iron, 5-iron another day.
“When you get a little bit of wind, all bets are off,” he said.
In some respects, St. Andrews is like Pebble Beach. On a calm day, it can be a most enjoyable walk and as easy a course as players will find in a major championship. In the wind, it can be a holy terror. Nicklaus and Woods are the only players to have won majors on both.
“To believe the game of golf essentially started here, and it just absolutely is mind-boggling to me that it still stands up to the golfers of today,” Nicklaus said. “I tell you, if you get a little bit of weather — anytime you get it — it will tell you real fast how it makes you stand up to it.”
And without wind?
The record score in a major is 62 by Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief, isn’t the least bit worried about scoring. He cares only about getting the Old Course as perfect as possible, and it’s close to that. The links are so firm and bouncy that the ball moves faster on the fairways than on the greens.
“The second bit is luck, and luck with Mother Nature,” he said.
Even with moderate wind, he is confident the Old Course can handle the best. He wasn’t bothered when someone raised the notion of a 59, which is 13-under par.
“There’s 7,300 yards. It’s got greens that are running at 10 1/2 to 11 (on the Stimpmeter). It’s got fairways where the ball is bouncing 50 yards if it’s hit and more if it catches the downslope. I’ll tell you what, if someone shoots that, I will be the first person on the 18th green to shake their hand because they have played outstanding golf.”
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/old-course-that-stands-test-of-time-at-modern-british-open/ | 2022-07-14 14:24:57 | 1 | https://www.cbs42.com/sports/old-course-that-stands-test-of-time-at-modern-british-open/ |
Russian fighter jet crashes into residential building in Siberian city
It comes less than a week after another Russian warplane crashed in the Sea of Azov port of Yeysk, killing 15 people
Two pilots were killed when a Russian fighter jet crashed into a residential building in the Siberian city of Irkutsk on Sunday, less than a week after another Russian warplane crashed in a residential area in southern Russia.
The Su-30 fighter jet was reportedly on a training flight when it struck a two-story building, but five residents who live there weren't home at the time and no casualties were reported on the ground, according to the Irkutsk region’s governor, Igor Kobze.
Iruktsk, an industrial city with more than 600,000 people, has an aircraft manufacturing plant that makes Su-30s, a twin-engine, two-seat jet.
Sunday's crash was the 11th reported noncombat wreck by a Russian military plane since Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February.
AIR FORCE WARPLANES INTERCEPT A PAIR OF RUSSIAN BOMBERS NEAR ALASKA
On Monday, an SU-34 bomber crashed in a residential area in the Sea of Azov port of Yeysk, killing 15 people and injuring another 19.
The UK Ministry of Defense said earlier this summer that Russia's air force has "underperformed" during the invasion of Ukraine.
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"While Russia has an impressive roster of relatively modern and capable combat jets, the air force has almost certainly failed to develop the institutional culture and skill-sets required for its personnel to meet Russia's aspiration of delivering a more Western-style modern air campaign," the UK defense ministry said in June.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/world/russian-fighter-jet-crashes-residential-building-siberian-city | 2022-10-23 22:31:19 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/world/russian-fighter-jet-crashes-residential-building-siberian-city |
A tiny, potentially deadly radioactive capsule is missing in Australia
(CNN) - It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack – an 8mm by 6mm silver capsule, no bigger than a coin, believed to be lost somewhere along a stretch of vast desert highway in Australia’s biggest state.
Mining company Rio Tinto issued an apology on Monday saying it was supporting state government efforts to find the capsule, which contains Caesium-137, a highly radioactive substance used in mining equipment.
Rio Tinto said it has checked all roads in and out of the Gudai-Darri mine site in remote northern Western Australia, where the device was located before a contractor collected it for the journey south to the state capital, Perth.
Authorities believe the capsule, which emits both gamma and beta rays, fell off the back of a truck traveling along a 870-mile section of the Great Northern Highway – a distance longer than the Californian coastline.
Due to the tiny size of the capsule and the huge distances involved, authorities warn the chances of finding it are slim.
And there are fears that it may have already been carried further from the search zone, creating a radioactive health risk for anyone who comes across it for potentially the next 300 years.
How did it go missing?
State authorities raised the alarm on Friday, alerting residents to the presence of a radioactive spill across a southern strip of the state, including in the northeastern suburbs of Perth, the state’s capital, home to around 2 million people.
According to authorities, the capsule was placed inside a package on Jan. 10 and collected from Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri mine site by a contractor on Jan. 12.
The vehicle spent four days on the road and arrived in Perth on Jan. 16 but was only unloaded for inspection on Jan. 25 – when it was discovered missing.
“Upon opening the package, it was found that the gauge was broken apart with one of the four mounting bolts missing and the source itself and all screws on the gauge also missing,” said the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
They believe that strong vibrations caused by bumpy roads damaged the package – dislodging a mounting bolt that held it in place.
How dangerous is it?
Experts have warned Caesium-137 can create serious health problems for humans who come into contact with it: skin burns from close exposure, radiation sickness and potentially deadly cancer risks, especially for those exposed unknowingly for long periods of time.
Radiation Services WA, a company that provides radiation protection advice, says standing within 1 meter of the capsule for an hour would deliver around 1.6 millisieverts (mSv), as much as getting 17 standard chest X-rays.
Picking up the capsule would cause “serious damage” to your fingers and surrounding tissue, the company said in a statement.
Ivan Kempson, an associate professor in biophysics from the University of Southern Australia, said the worst-case scenario would be a curious child picking up the capsule and putting it in their pocket.
“This is rare but could happen and has happened before,” Kempson said. “There have been some past examples of people finding similar things and suffering radiation poisoning, but they were much stronger than the current capsule that is missing. We are all exposed to a constant level of radiation from things around us and the foods we eat, but the primary concern now is the potential impact on health of the person who would find the capsule.”
How rare is it to lose a radioactive device?
The incident has come as a shock to experts who said that handling of radioactive materials like Caesium-137 is highly regulated with strict protocols for their transport, storage and disposal.
Rio Tinto said it regularly transports and stores dangerous goods as part of its business and hires expert contractors to handle radioactive materials. The tiny capsule was part of a density gauge used at the Gudai-Darri mine site to measure the density of iron ore feed in the crushing circuit, it said in a statement.
Radiation Services WA says radioactive substances are transported throughout Western Australia on a daily basis without any issues. “In this case, there seems to be a failure of the control measures typically implemented,” it said, adding that it had nothing to do with the capsule’s loss.
Pradip Deb, a lecturer and radiation safety officer at RMIT University in Melbourne, said the loss of the capsule was “very unusual” as Australian safety rules require them to be transported in highly protective cases.
The name of the logistics company used to transport the device has not been released, Rio Tinto said.
What’s happening with the search?
Authorities are attempting to find the device with specialized radiation detection equipment fitted to search vehicles driving slowly up and down the highway in both directions at 31 miles per hour.
“It will take approximately five days to travel the original route,” the DFES said in a statement Monday.
Dale Bailey, a professor of medical imaging science from the University of Sydney, said the slow speed was needed to give the equipment time to detect the radiation.
“Radiation detectors on moving vehicles can be used to detect radiation above the natural levels, but the relatively low amount of radiation in the source means that they would have to ‘sweep’ the area relatively slowly,” he said.
Authorities have warned members of the public not to come within 5 meters of the device, while acknowledging that it would be difficult to see from a distance.
“What we’re not doing is trying to find a tiny little device by eyesight. We’re using radiation detectors to locate the gamma rays,” DFES officials said.
But there are fears that it may no longer be within the search zone – authorities say the capsule may have become lodged in another vehicle’s tire, carrying it a greater distance away, or even dispersed by wild animals, including birds.
“Imagine if it was a bird of prey for example that picks up the capsule and carries it away from the (original) search area – there are so many uncertainties and it will pose more problems,” said Dave Sweeney, nuclear policy analyst and environmental advocate at the Australian Conservation Foundation. “This source obviously needs to be recovered and secured but there are so many variables, and we simply don’t know what could happen.”
What happens if it’s not found?
Caesium-137 has a half-life of about 30 years, which means that after three decades, the capsule’s radioactivity will halve, and after 60 years, it will halve again.
At that rate, the capsule could be radioactive for the next 300 years, said Deb from RMIT University.
“Caesium-137 is normally a sealed source – meaning, if it is not broken, it will not contaminate the soil or environment … If the capsule is never found, it will not contaminate or transfer radioactivity into the surrounding soil,” Deb added.
Kempson, from the University of Southern Australia, said that if it remains lost in an isolated area, “it will be very unlikely to have much impact.”
Rio Tinto, one of the world’s biggest mining giants, operates 17 iron ore mines in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The company’s mining activities have caused controversy in the past, including the destruction in 2020 of two ancient rock shelters at Juukan Gorge, prompting an apology and the resignation of then-CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/01/31/tiny-potentially-deadly-radioactive-capsule-is-missing-australia/ | 2023-01-31 17:56:32 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/01/31/tiny-potentially-deadly-radioactive-capsule-is-missing-australia/ |
New Financing to Meet Significant Growth in Global Demand for MolecuLight's i:X® and DX™ Point-of-Care Imaging Devices for the Wound Care Industry
TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - MolecuLight Inc., the leader in point-of-care fluorescence imaging for real-time detection of wounds containing elevated bacterial loads, announced that it has completed a financing with BDC Capital and iGan Ventures. The funds are to support MolecuLight's continued global expansion to meet growing customer demand for its MolecuLight i:X® and DX™ devices. Leonard Kofman and Jody Staggs, Managing Director of SWK Holdings will join MolecuLight's Board of Directors as observers.
"With the continued growth in global demand for our i:X and DX platforms, we are happy to announce this financing from BDC Capital and iGan Ventures, who has been an early investor in MolecuLight," says Anil Amlani, CEO of MolecuLight Inc. "The proceeds will support the continued growth of our commercial operations and infrastructure to meet market demand".
"We have invested in MolecuLight since inception and are thrilled to see the company achieve global commercial success," says Sam Ifergan, Founder and President of iGan Partners. "Their customers continue to generate a wealth of published data showing the improved outcomes and cost savings, which is supporting MolecuLight becoming the standard-of-care in wound care globally".
"BDC is proud to participate in the financing of MolecuLight, an impressive Canadian company that is making a global impact in terms of improving healthcare outcomes," says Leonard Kofman, Partner with BDC Capital's Intellectual Property-Backed Financing practice. "MolecuLight solved an unmet clinical need – the need to detect bacterial burden in wounds, and has commercialized a suite of products that is positively impacting wound care globally. Demand for the technology is strong and growing and we believe the company is well positioned for continued growth and success".
The MolecuLight devices are sold in North America through its direct sales and clinical applications team and internationally through MolecuLight's 15 specialized distributors in 18 countries.
MolecuLight Inc. is a privately-owned medical imaging company that has developed and is commercializing its proprietary fluorescent imaging platform technology in multiple clinical markets. MolecuLight's suite of commercial devices, which include the MolecuLight i:X® and DX™ fluorescence imaging systems and their accessories, are point-of-care handheld imaging devices for the real-time detection and localization of bacterial load in wounds and digital wound measurement. MolecuLight procedures performed in the United States benefit from an available reimbursement pathway which include two CPT® codes for physician work to perform "fluorescence imaging for bacterial presence, location, and load" and facility payment for Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) settings through an Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) assignment. The company is also commercializing its unique fluorescence imaging platform technology for other global markets with relevant unmet needs in food safety, consumer cosmetics and other key industrial markets.
Tungsten Advisors served as the exclusive financial advisor to MolecuLight Inc.
BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, Canada's bank for entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country's most innovative firms. It offers a full spectrum of capital, from seed investments to transition capital, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to scale their businesses into global champions. Visit bdc.ca/capital.
Based in Toronto, iGan Partners is Canada's leading health technology investors focused on disrupting the sector through breakthrough innovation that dramatically improve patent are while reducing costs. The firm focuses on identifying at an early-stage, then commercializing and scaling technological advancements in AI/Cloud-enhanced medical devices and digital health. iGan provides portfolio companies with smart-capital, active support, and access to a network of industry partners and sector-specific co-investors to help them grow and succeed.
Tungsten Advisors (www.tungstenadv.com) is an investment banking firm focused on strategic advisory and corporate finance for healthcare and technology companies. Tungsten provides transactional services including financings (private placements/PIPEs), corporate licensing and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Tungsten also focuses on company incubation and makes direct investments alongside the creation of new companies in healthcare and technology.
Securities offered through Finalis Securities LLC Member FINRA/SIPC. Tungsten Partners LLC d/b/a Tungsten Advisors and Finalis Securities LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities.
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SOURCE MolecuLight | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/moleculight-secures-financing-bdc-canada-igan-partners-support-its-commercial-expansion/ | 2022-08-11 10:32:41 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/11/moleculight-secures-financing-bdc-canada-igan-partners-support-its-commercial-expansion/ |
A Seattle man died during a climb up Mount Everest, his climbing group announced Tuesday.
Citing the U.S. Embassy in Nepal, NBC News reported that the man was Dr. Jonathan Sugarman, a retired faculty member whose work focused on national and global health concerns. He did not die from a climbing-related accident or inclement weather, the International Mountain Guides said.
"The rest of the IMG climbing team is all doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances," IMG CEO Eric Simonson said.
Sugarman died at Camp 2, located about 21,000 feet above sea level.
The climbers began their trek Saturday, according to IMG's posts.
Mount Everest, located in Nepal and Tibet, is the mountain with the highest altitude above sea level, with an elevation of 29,029 feet, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-05-03/a-seattle-professor-died-during-a-climb-up-mount-everest | 2023-05-03 17:31:25 | 1 | https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2023-05-03/a-seattle-professor-died-during-a-climb-up-mount-everest |
Deshaun Watson back practicing with Browns during suspension
By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deshaun Watson is practicing with the Browns for the first time since his 11-game NFL suspension started in August.
Watson, who was accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women in Texas, returned to the field with his teammates on Wednesday.
Despite temperatures in the low 30s, Watson, wearing an orange No. 4 jersey and orange socks, had on short sleeves during the portion of practice open to reporters.
Watson fired passes to Cleveland’s wide receivers while periodically tucking his hands into a warmer wrapped around his waist.
It was his first practice since Aug. 30, 12 days after the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback reached a settlement with the league, agreeing to his multi-game ban, a $5 million fine and to undergo treatment and counseling. The league ruled Watson violated its personal conduct policy.
As long as he meets requirements, Watson can play on Dec. 4 when the Browns visit Houston, which drafted him in 2017. Watson spent four seasons with the Texans before he demanded a trade and was eventually dealt to Cleveland in March for a slew of draft picks, including three first-rounders.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski would not reveal any specifics about plans to get Watson ready to play in two weeks while also preparing starter Jacoby Brissett for this Sunday’s game at Buffalo.
Watson took the majority of snaps with Cleveland’s starting offense in training camp and started the Browns’ exhibition opener at Jacksonville before his suspension kicked in. He was banned from the team’s facility until mid-October, when he was allowed to attend meetings and work out.
The 27-year-old tried to keep his skills sharp by working with a private quarterback coach at an area training center during his suspension.
Watson reached financial settlements in 23 civil lawsuits filed against him with two others remaining open. Two grand juries declined to indict him on criminal charges.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://kion546.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/11/16/deshaun-watson-back-practicing-with-browns-during-suspension/ | 2022-11-16 19:53:39 | 1 | https://kion546.com/sports/ap-national-sports/2022/11/16/deshaun-watson-back-practicing-with-browns-during-suspension/ |
Sunflower seeds sparking hope for East Palestine residents
The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.
The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.
The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.
After the Ohio train derailment in East Palestine, there is a grassroots effort to fight back against potential lingering toxins. The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine" and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.
Don Elzer and his wife have owned Sutherin's Greenhouse for the last five years. On the outside of their shop is the store's logo, featuring a farmer holding a sunflower. Elzer says the logo has taken a new meaning since he started collecting sunflower seeds.
In the weeks after the train derailment, he took a call from a horticulturist name Brooke Grabbe. Grabbe is located in Jerry City, Ohio, but knew she wanted to help. She suggested collecting sunflower seeds because sunflowers absorb toxins.
"Theoretically, sunflowers are one of the few crops that will take toxins out of the ground as they grow. They suck the toxins up out of the ground," said Elzer.
According to Grabbe, sunflowers absorb toxins from the environment and store them at a cellular level, meaning once absorbed the toxins won't leach back into the soil. You have to harvest the sunflowers, though, before the birds get to them because the toxins could transfer to the birds.
"You've got to pull the roots out, and you have to landfill everything so it doesn't grow again," said Elzer.
Not only do they absorb toxins, but Grabbe says they also encourage wildlife and foster a sense of hope for neighbors.
"It started with releasing the toxins or attempting to from the environment," said Grabbe. "It's grown into look how beautiful East Palestine will be when these sunflowers are blooming... it's a symbol of good things to come."
Grabbe and Elzer are collecting donations of seeds which will be distributed to residents in East Palestine and surrounding communities later this spring.
"We have to turn the corner at some point," said Elzer. "Our big problem going forward, if the environment's okay, is perception.... We've got to turn that around. And the sunflowers will certainly be a part of that."
If you'd like to donate, you can reach out to the Greenhouse or Grabbe. | https://www.wtae.com/article/east-palestine-sunflower-seeds/43237299 | 2023-03-07 22:38:16 | 0 | https://www.wtae.com/article/east-palestine-sunflower-seeds/43237299 |
No consensus on Syrian Arab League return after Saudi summit
BEIRUT (AP) — After meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss Syria’s political fate, a group of regional leaders promised to continue talks to reach a political solution to the Syrian conflict. But they stopped short Saturday of endorsing its return to the Arab League. The meeting, which included top diplomats from the Arab Gulf countries as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, was convened days after Syria’s foreign minister visited Saudi Arabia for the first time since the kingdom cut off diplomatic relations with Syria in 2012. Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, when Syria’s membership is widely expected to be on the table. Some members, mainly Qatar, have opposed Damascus’ return to the organization. | https://kion546.com/news/2023/04/15/no-consensus-on-syrian-arab-league-return-after-saudi-summit/ | 2023-04-15 13:45:33 | 1 | https://kion546.com/news/2023/04/15/no-consensus-on-syrian-arab-league-return-after-saudi-summit/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Miya Iwataki and other Japanese Americans fought in the 1980s for the U.S. government to apologize to the families it imprisoned during World War II, Black politicians and civil rights leaders were integral to the movement.
Thirty-five years after they won that apology — and survivors of prison camps received $20,000 each— those advocates are now demanding atonement for Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved. From California to Washington, D.C., activists are joining revived reparations movements and pushing for formal government compensation for the lasting harm of slavery’s legacy on subsequent generations, from access to housing and education to voting rights and employment.
Advocating for reparations is “the right thing to do,” said Iwataki, a resident of South Pasadena, California who is in her 70s. She cited cross-cultural solidarity that has built up over decades.
Black lawmakers such as the late California congressmen Mervyn Dymally and Ron Dellums played critical roles in winning the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which formalized the government’s apology and redress payments.
Last Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing an executive order that allowed the government to force an estimated 125,000 people — two-thirds of them U.S. citizens — from their homes and businesses, and incarcerate them in desolate, barbed-wire camps throughout the west.
“We want to help other communities win reparations, because it was so important to us,” Iwataki said.
After stalling for decades at the federal level, reparations for slavery has received new interest amid a national reckoning over the 2020 police killing of George Floyd. Amid nationwide protests that year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that established a first-in-the-nation task force to address the topic of slave reparations.
Other cities and counties have since followed, including Boston, St. Louis, and San Francisco, where an advisory committee issued a draft recommendation last year proposing a lump-sum payment of $5 million apiece for eligible individuals.
In December, the National Nikkei Reparations Coalition, alongside more than 70 other Japanese American and Asian American organizations, submitted a letter calling on the Biden administration to establish a presidential commission.
Japanese American activists in California are studying the landmark report issued by California’s task force — and plan to reach out to college students, churches and other community groups to raise awareness about why Black reparations is needed — and how it intersects with their own struggle.
Reparations critics say that monetary compensation and other forms of atonement are not necessary when no one alive today was enslaved or a slave owner, overlooking the inequities today impacting later generations of Black Americans.
Retired teacher Kathy Masaoka of Los Angeles, who testified in 1981 for Japanese American redress and in 2021 in favor of federal reparations legislation, says they are just beginning to educate their own community about Black history and anti-Black prejudice.
She said that starting conversations in her community is “undoing a lot of ideas that people have” about American history and the case for reparations, said Masaoka, 74.
San Francisco attorney Don Tamaki, who is Japanese, is the only person appointed to California’s nine-member task force who is not Black.
At meetings, he shared how critical it was for organizers to arrange for former detainees to tell their stories to national media outlets. Redress advocates had to make hard decisions though, such as agreeing to legislation that denied reparations to an estimated 2,000 Latin Americans of Japanese descent who were also incarcerated.
There is no equivalence to the experiences of the Japanese American and Black American communities, Tamaki said, but there are similar lessons, such as the need for a massive public education campaign.
Only 30% of U.S. adults surveyed by the Pew Research Center in 2021 supported reparations for slavery, 77% of whom were Black Americans. Support among Latinos and Asians was 39% and 33%, respectively, and white Americans had the lowest rate of support, at 18%.
Some advocates said that the idea of reparations for the World War II incarceration camps was once considered outlandish. But many young, third-generation Japanese Americans were inspired to mobilize from civil rights and ethnic pride movements, including the Black Panther Party and the Brown Berets, who promoted Chicano rights.
Some advocates were outraged by — and threatened to boycott — hearings set up by a 1980 federal commission on Japanese internment, called it a delaying tactic. But the testimonies that came out of public hearings the following year served as a turning point.
For the first time, many survivors shared stories that even their families didn’t know, educating not only the younger generation but the broader American public.
“There was not a dry eye in the house at those hearings,” said Iwataki, who worked with the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations to arrange transportation to the hearings, as well as meals and translators, for former detainees.
Many young Japanese Americans went from frustration with their grandparents and parents for not fighting back to understanding how vulnerable they were, said Ron Wakabayashi, who was then national director of the Japanese American Citizens League. The average age of second-generation Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in the camps was only 18, he said.
“Probably the more important thing that we got out of that was the generational healing, and the restoration of our identity,” said Wakabayashi, 78.
The commission found no military necessity for the camps, saying the detentions stemmed broadly from “race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure of political leadership,” according to a report issued in 1983.
President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, providing living survivors with a formal apology and $20,000 each for the “grave injustice” done to them. It would cost the U.S. government about $1.6 billion.
Throughout the process, activists said, the Congressional Black Caucus remained a steadfast supporter of reparations. Then-Rep. Dymally authored a reparations bill in 1982 and later, provided his staff and office support so that advocates could lobby other members of Congress.
Another California congressman, Rep. Dellums, delivered a searing speech on the House floor of being a 6-year-old boy watching as his best friend, a Japanese American boy of the same age, was taken away to the camps.
A year after Reagan signed Japanese reparations into law, the late Congressman John Conyers introduced a bill to consider slavery reparations, named after the promise of 40 acres and a mule that the U.S. initially made to freed slaves. The bill has gone nowhere.
Dreisen Heath, an advocate for Black reparations, plans to travel from her home in the Washington, D.C. area to California in coming months to join artist and writer traci kato-kiriyama, whose parents were incarcerated as children, in leading workshops and educational forums.
They hope to engage young Japanese American and Black American students in the current movement.
“Nothing ever worthwhile in this country has ever happened without intergenerational, multiracial (coalition) building,” said Heath. “I see the Japanese American community, and by extension the Asian American community, indispensable to realizing reparations for Black people.” | https://www.wane.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-japanese-americans-won-redress-fight-for-black-reparations/ | 2023-02-24 13:17:57 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-japanese-americans-won-redress-fight-for-black-reparations/ |
MINNEAPOLIS, March 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine, a leading provider of visual communications, today announced that John Biscanti has been named to the role of Chief Revenue Officer, effective today. Biscanti will report to Imagine CEO Chris Cavanaugh.
With over 30 years' experience across numerous industries and sectors, Biscanti brings with him a stellar track record that includes leading significant transformational changes, consistently exceeding corporate objectives and architecting highly profitable go-to-market strategies. Most recently, he served as Group Vice President, Publishing & Print Management, at Veritiv, a $7 billion full-service provider of hygiene products, packaging, services and solutions.
In his new role as a key member of the Imagine executive team, Biscanti will lead the company's revenue growth while optimizing the customer experience. He will also play a pivotal role in supporting consultative solution-based selling to best meet clients' evolving visual communications needs.
"John's ability to synthesize strategy, sales, and profitability is just what we need as we scale our business like never before," said Cavanaugh. "He possesses an entrepreneurial drive that is able to score decisive wins for both the company and the customer — that, in a competitive market like ours, will make him an invaluable resource."
"What an incredible time to be joining Imagine," says Biscanti. "I am honored to be representing such an important player in the visual communications space, and for being tasked with helping to take the company to exciting new heights."
About Imagine
Imagine is an industry-leading provider of visual communications solutions. As a trusted partner to the world's most successful brands, Imagine designs, produces, and delivers beautifully crafted print and digital solutions that inspire action and get results. From concept to consumer, our end-to-end solutions include creative design, pre-media, décor, commercial print, store signage, specialty packaging, OOH, fulfillment and kitting. Learn more at theimaginegroup.com.
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SOURCE The Imagine Group, LLC | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/03/14/john-biscanti-appointed-chief-revenue-officer-imagine/ | 2023-03-14 15:15:27 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/03/14/john-biscanti-appointed-chief-revenue-officer-imagine/ |
Among the 37 felony counts former President Donald Trump faces in federal court, 31 of them are for his alleged mishandling of classified documents. The charges filed last week indicate Trump possessed these documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort after leaving office.
Trump has not denied possessing the documents but has claimed he is being unfairly singled out.
In recent months, Joe Biden and Mike Pence both revealed possessing classified documents after leaving the vice presidency. Neither Pence nor Biden have been charged for having the documents.
Both Pence and Biden said they handed over the documents as soon as they were discovered.
Trump and allies have also noted that Hillary Clinton was not charged for having thousands of emails stored on a private server.
SEE MORE: GOP candidate Asa Hutchinson not offering Trump a pardon
What makes the cases similar
Pence, Biden and Trump all apparently left federal office with classified documents. The documents were among other records kept by them after leaving office.
In testimony to Congress, National Archives Chief Operating Officer William Bosanko said that every administration since President Ronald Reagan has mishandled classified documents when leaving office.
President Biden reported in January that classified documents were found at his former offices at the Penn Biden Center. He then reportedly asked the FBI to review documents at his home, which turned up more classified documents that were improperly stored.
Pence asked for outside counsel to review his documents after Biden revealed he possessed classified documents. Pence's attorney wrote to the National Archives that "a small number of documents bearing classified markings that were inadvertently boxed and transported" were transported to his residence.
For both Biden and Pence, the indication is that they self-reported having the documents. In the case of Trump, it appears he was first notified that documents were missing.
What makes the cases different
Unlike in the Biden and Pence cases, Trump was notified that presidential records, like a letter addressed to Trump from North Korean President Kim Jong-un, were missing. The National Archives and Records Administration said it requested documents pursuant to the Presidential Records Act in May 2021. The DOJ said that the National Archives made "repeated" requests for records from May through December 2021.
In an affidavit released by the Department of Justice, the National Archives and Records Administration notified the DOJ in February 2022 that it received 15 boxes of documents from the Trump administration, some containing classified documents.
After reviewing the documents, it was concluded that more documents were likely remaining at his Mar-a-Lago residence. In August 2022, federal authorities conducted a search warrantand found additional classified documents, the DOJ said.
In Clinton's case, the documents were not physical but stored on a hard drive.
"Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case," James Comey, then FBI director, said. "Prosecutors necessarily weigh a number of factors before bringing charges. There are obvious considerations, like the strength of the evidence, especially regarding intent. Responsible decisions also consider the context of a person's actions, and how similar situations have been handled in the past."
SEE MORE: What Republicans think of Donald Trump's federal indictment
Expert says wilfulness is what got Trump charged
According to Joshua Dressler, a criminal law professor at the Ohio State University, the fact that Trump didn't immediately hand over classified documents was what got him charged.
"What makes it a crime is if while I'm in unauthorized possession of the document, I willfully retain it and fail to deliver it to the proper person," he said. "The term willfully is the crucial word. It's what lawyers call the mens rea word, the mental state word in the statute, that is crucial to the case and which distinguishes Pence or Biden or Clinton from the Trump situation."
While getting an indictment means legally, Trump likely committed a crime, getting a conviction would mean Trump is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Proving that Trump willfully mishandled classified documents could be a challenge, according to Dressler.
"It always is a challenge because, with all crimes, you have to prove not just the physical aspect of the crime but the mental aspects, and getting into the head of a defendant is not easy unless they say something or do something that makes it obvious," he said.
The statute Trump is chargedwith mentions willfulness.
But as attorney Katie Cherkasky noted to Scripps News' "Morning Rush," Trump is facing additional charges of obstruction. She said that obstruction and unlawful record retention are two separate issues.
"The distinction is that the offenses in retaining those documents actually occur at the time that they are mishandled or misappropriated," she said. "It's irrelevant if you would later return those because the crime has already been committed after that fact. So the timing of the retention is really important. The obstruction is a completely different analysis altogether, but the retention offenses are not necessarily dependent on that."
She added, "The actual crime that occurs is when it is taken without authorization."
In the case of Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed an independent special counsel to investigate Biden's handling of classified documents. That investigation is still ongoing, meaning criminal charges have not been completely ruled out.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kivitv.com/trump-and-biden-had-classified-docs-why-is-only-trump-being-charged | 2023-06-14 18:07:49 | 1 | https://www.kivitv.com/trump-and-biden-had-classified-docs-why-is-only-trump-being-charged |
NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Yustyna Pavliuk and Adrienne Kochman about "Children of War," an exhibit at Chicago's Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art that features artwork by children in Ukraine.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Yustyna Pavliuk and Adrienne Kochman about "Children of War," an exhibit at Chicago's Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art that features artwork by children in Ukraine.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.kbia.org/2023-01-07/a-new-exhibit-in-chicago-features-artwork-by-children-in-ukraine | 2023-01-07 14:29:37 | 0 | https://www.kbia.org/2023-01-07/a-new-exhibit-in-chicago-features-artwork-by-children-in-ukraine |
Updated April 21, 2023 at 11:34 AM ET
SpaceX's Starship rocket — which could one day carry humans to the moon and Mars — made it some four minutes and 24 miles into the sky before it exploded during its inaugural test flight on Thursday.
And yet, even as they watched the world's largest rocket burst into a fireball, SpaceX employees still roared with cheers and applause.
That's because the whole point of a test is to figure out what does and doesn't work, experts say.
Thursday's launch was hailed as "a real accomplishment" and "so successful" by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and retired International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield, respectively. SpaceX agreed.
"With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multi-planetary," SpaceX later tweeted.
That encapsulates the company's philosophy of designing based on failure, WMFE's Brendan Byrne told Morning Edition on Thursday. He added that SpaceX said before the mission that any data it yielded would be valuable as long as the rocket cleared the launch pad — which it did.
Carissa Bryce Christensen, the CEO and founder of analytics and engineering firm BryceTech, says SpaceX's visibility and transparency in its test process is a good thing.
"This test is consistent with the planned test program," the space industry analyst said. "Now, it's always great in a test if everything works flawlessly. That's an unrealistic expectation with a vehicle this complex."
The stakes are high, in part because NASA is paying SpaceX to develop a version of the rocket that would send astronauts to the moon as soon as 2025.
Christensen spoke with Morning Edition's A Martínez about how the test flight went and how it fits into that broader mission.
This interview has been lighlty edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights:
On what went well
This was not the flight of a mature operational vehicle. The starship launch we saw yesterday was a planned step in an ongoing multi-year development and test program for ... arguably the most powerful launch vehicle ever.
That launch met its objectives. It provided data needed to advance the development of the vehicle.
On what the test says about SpaceX's approach
It's interesting, the loss of that test article is quite consistent with SpaceX's approach to developing the Starship system. In designing and developing and testing complex hardware, you can use analysis and computer simulations to figure out what will work and what won't, and you can use physical tests in the real world. And SpaceX has been very hardware-intensive in its development program, conducting many physical tests, as we very dramatically have seen.
On what else SpaceX is doing
SpaceX talks about this rocket in the context of aspiring to change what humanity does in space. SpaceX has already dominated launches of existing space activities with its Falcon 9 reusable launch vehicle. And reusability there was a big achievement — so you're not throwing the rocket away each launch, you're reusing it. And so SpaceX's Falcon 9 vehicle contributed to lower prices, a faster launch cadence and has helped attract investment in space ventures that use satellites and serve other existing space markets.
On what happens next
I would anticipate that we would see a next step of vehicle performance and functionality. But I certainly would not say that we won't see a test article dramatically and excitingly "disassemble."
HJ Mai produced the audio version of this interview and Majd al-Waheidi edited the digital. contributed to this story
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-04-21/why-spacex-staff-cheered-when-the-starship-rocket-exploded | 2023-04-28 05:32:29 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-04-21/why-spacex-staff-cheered-when-the-starship-rocket-exploded |
California Congressman Adam Schiff announced his run for Senate, entering what could be the most crowded and high-profile primary race of the 2024 cycle.
Schiff announced his run in a Twitter video Thursday. He joins Rep. Katie Porter, who announced her bid for the seat earlier this month. Reps. Ro Khanna and Barbara Lee may also be considering a run.
The seat currently held by 89-year-old Dianne Feinstein is safely Democratic, but the rest of the 2024 Senate map is expected to be difficult for the party – with incumbents up for reelection in swing states like Michigan, Ohio, and Arizona. Democrats are also up for reelection in solidly conservative Montana and West Virginia.
Feinstein has not said whether she will run for reelection or retire next year. She told reporters she would likely make her decision "in a couple of months," but that she had no qualms with others entering the race before then.
"I think it's all fine. I think people should, if they want to run, run," Feinstein said the day before Schiff announced. "For me, I just need a little bit more time."
Schiff, 62, rose to national prominence during former President Donald Trump's first impeachment. As House Intelligence Committee chairman, he played a key role in the investigation and also served as an impeachment manager.
In his campaign announcement, he called Trump's impeachment "the biggest job of [his] life."
"I wish I could say the threat of extremism is over. It is not," he said. "Today's Republican Party is gutting the middle class and threatening our democracy. They aren't going to stop. We have to stop them."
Schiff also served on the panel investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was first elected to the House in 2000, after serving in the California Senate and an assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-01-26/rep-adam-schiff-announces-2024-senate-run-teeing-up-a-high-profile-primary | 2023-01-26 20:57:13 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-01-26/rep-adam-schiff-announces-2024-senate-run-teeing-up-a-high-profile-primary |
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Away from the roaring noise, lights and fireworks of World Cup games, there's a safe space for fans who might get overwhelmed in a stadium environment.
The “sensory rooms,” at three stadiums in Qatar, provide a calm refuge for children and young adults with autism, learning difficulties or other sensory access requirements.
Located at the stadium skyboxes at the Al Bayt, Education City and Lusail stadiums, the rooms feature soft furnishings, noise cancelling headphones and interactive tools and toys to help children cope with the loud atmosphere and allow them to alleviate anxiety and enjoy the unique experience of a World Cup game.
“Having a space like this is a respite. It’s like a warm hug,” said Raana Smith, co-founder of Sensory Souk, a Doha-based company that staffs the sensory rooms.
“Everybody should have the right and the opportunity to experience football," she said. "If someone has limited speech, limited mobility, that shouldn’t be a barrier ever to experience something as wonderful and as crowd-pleasing.”
The dimmed-lit rooms include soft cushions, soothing colorful lights and rising bubble tubes and boards mounted on walls that provide different textures to help people calm down and refocus. Fans are also provided with sensory bags that include noise-cancelling headphones, weighted lap pads and fidget toys like plastic clappers and gloves.
Large floor to ceiling windows let families keep an eye on the field. The ultimate goal is to gradually introduce fans to the game, allowing them to sit in the stands for periods at a time and then returning to the sensory room when needed, Alison Saraf, co-founder of Sensory Souk, said at the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, where the World Cup final will be played.
“In children, what we ideally want to do is ignite passion for a new sport," Saraf said. “...The aim is always really to have as many people enjoy the game outside and experiencing everything that's here.”
The initiative is run by FIFA and the host country’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.
Sensory rooms have also been introduced in recent years in professional sports in the United States, including at the MLS, NBA and the NFL to provide calming spaces for fans with sensory challenges.
“This is really a worldwide phenomenon as people are understanding more and more the fact that they need to broaden the appeal of sports to every single demographic,” said Dr. Julian Maha, co-founder of KultureCity, a U.S.-based organization that has helped sports teams across the U.S. with programs for visitors with a range of sensory issues, including people who have autism.
“Because of their sensory issues, where going to a large-scale sporting event like a stadium cannot only be overwhelming but physically painful because of the crowds, the noise, the smells, a lot of these individuals tend to withdraw from the community and don’t engage," Maha said.
By providing sensory rooms, he said, the World Cup is “opening up the game to really a ton more people, people who have largely been demarginalized and not included, and giving them the opportunity to reengage and become part of the community again and enjoy all the things that we as neurotypical individuals take for granted."
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Credit: Charlie Riedel
Credit: Charlie Riedel
Credit: Andre Penner
Credit: Andre Penner
Credit: Andre Penner
Credit: Andre Penner | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/stadium-sensory-rooms-allow-fans-world-cup-games-experience/M7R42V3NYZHRVLXBJ2KUQI7TVY/ | 2022-12-12 12:15:05 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/stadium-sensory-rooms-allow-fans-world-cup-games-experience/M7R42V3NYZHRVLXBJ2KUQI7TVY/ |
Preventing teen pregnancy is not just a “girl thing.” In this day and age, it must also include boys. Research has shown that boys usually know about condoms, but that’s just not enough.
Since almost half of teenagers have had sex by the time they graduate from high school, a lot of young people are at risk for becoming parents. Regardless of gender, all teens need to understand how to prevent pregnancy until they are ready to become parents. And who best to help them with this? Their own parents!
That’s where we come in — to refresh your knowledge about birth control so you can have an up-to-date talk with your kids. All birth control methods offered to teenagers are safe, reversible, and do not affect a girl’s future fertility. Dual methods — combining condoms with another effective form of birth control — are the best, most effective birth control.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) are over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy and our top recommendation. There are 2 types of LARCs:
The intrauterine device (IUD) is a small T-shaped device that the medical provider inserts into the uterus and can remain for six to eight years, depending on the IUD.
The birth control implant is a 1½-inch flexible plastic rod the medical provider inserts under the skin of the upper arm where it can remain for four years.
“Depo” (DepoProvera) injections are the next most effective option, preventing pregnancy 97% of the time. Depo contains a long-acting form of the hormone progestin that the medical provider injects in the buttock or arm every three months.
The birth control pill, patch, and vaginal ring are widely used and are 92% effective at preventing pregnancy. They differ in that the pill is taken by mouth daily, the patch is applied to the skin weekly, and the vaginal ring is inserted into the vagina monthly (like a tampon).
Condoms are available for use over the penis or inside the vagina. The male condom is 85% effective, and the female condom is 79% effective. They also significantly reduce the likelihood of transmitting sexually transmitted diseases.
Emergency Contraception pills can be taken within three to five days of having sex if no birth control was used or if the condom broke.
Now it’s time for The Talk.
Need an icebreaker? You could try taking a cue from his Spotify playlist, which is likely full of pop songs with sexual lyrics.
Or maybe you’re the casual, chill parent. Consider striking up a conversation with some basic questions — “How was school?” “What did you work on at soccer practice?” “What do you know about birth control?”
If he wasn’t paying attention before, he will be now.
We don’t want to put words in your mouth, but here are some additional tips you could try:
Ask to have a conversation. Instead of launching into a lecture, try “Can we talk?” Asking his permission to chat can make him feel in control.
Remind him your love is unconditional. Letting teenagers know that you will love them no matter what they tell you is important and (hopefully) makes them feel more comfortable opening up.
Acknowledge the awkwardness. A bit of emotional honesty can go a long way with teens — let him know it’s awkward for you, too, but that you’ll get through it together.
Focus on facts. Skip the birds and the bees, and just be direct. “The best way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is not having sex. But if you do, make sure you use protection.”
Detail the options. Walk through the different forms of birth control — as we’ve handily outlined for you above.
Be patient if he has questions. (No laughing, exasperated sighing or getting angry — remember, you just told him you love him unconditionally.) If you don’t know the answer, research it together.
Empowering your teenage boy with important information about birth control and encouraging dual methods are the first steps in helping prevent teenage pregnancy. Next, encourage him to have this discussion with a current partner (if he has disclosed this to you) or with future partners.
Research shows that these conversations are happening among teenagers only half the time. The responsibility can’t be left entirely to girls. After all, it’s not just a girl thing — it takes two.
Grayton Downing is a pediatric resident and Rima Himelstein is an adolescent medicine specialist at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware. | https://www.inquirer.com/news/contraception-boys-parents-talk-20221101.html | 2022-11-01 10:02:16 | 0 | https://www.inquirer.com/news/contraception-boys-parents-talk-20221101.html |
(KRON) — Suspects led police on a chase from Vallejo to Suisun City on Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP’s H-30 helicopter was called into action to assist the Vallejo Police Department with a pursuit that involved suspects brandishing firearms at officers and civilians. H-30 followed the vehicle until the suspects exited and fled on food near Susuin, CHP said.
The two suspects were then taken into custody by the VPD. VPD will be conducting the follow-up investigation into the incident.
Video from H-30 shows more than three minutes of the pursuit along freeways and through busy intersections. A white vehicle can be seen, with several black and white police SUVs following closely behind.
Video shows as the white vehicle navigates into what looks like a warehouse complex and the suspects hop out. Both suspects then appear to flee towards a warehouse nearby. One of the suspects can later be seen surrendering to officers. | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/video-suspects-lead-police-on-pursuit-from-vallejo-to-suisun-city/ | 2023-06-25 19:22:50 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/video-suspects-lead-police-on-pursuit-from-vallejo-to-suisun-city/ |
This weekend in North Texas, your concert week begins and ends with a goodbye. First, on Thursday, Houston Rapper Scarface will make his final North Texas performance at House of Blues, and next Wednesday, Texas music legend Robert Earl Keen will say goodbye to Dallas at his show in Deep Ellum. In between, however, there is always room to celebrate. First, Echo & The Bunnymen come to Dallas while local indie band Cool Jacket celebrates the release of its new video in Fort Worth. Later in the week, Wavves and The Get Up Kids come through town on separate anniversary tours, celebrating the albums that made them famous. You might also want to celebrate your Hot Topic phase at the Rob Zombie show Saturday night. If you just want to celebrate the end of the week, ODESZA has you covered in Fair Park, and if you want to rock, go to Three Links Friday night.
Scarface
6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. $49.50+ at livenation.com
Houston rapper Scarface has been at it since he was 18 years old, and more than three decades later, he's going on a farewell tour and bringing the live band Formaldehyde Funkmen along with him. Scarface began his long career in hip-hop as part of the Houston rap collective Geto Boys with fellow rappers Willie D and Bushwick Bill, but after he released his solo debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back, in 1991, Scarface became much more popular as a solo act than he ever was as part of a collective. Scarface released 11 solo albums over the course of his career while continuing to write and perform with Facemob, The Product and the Geto Boys sporadically until the group disbanded in the mid-2010s amid legal and health troubles. Scarface's Dallas show will be his third-to-last before the tour heads to Austin and ends in Odessa on Aug. 27.
Echo & The Bunnymen
6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. $49.50+ at livenation.com
For over 40 years, Echo & The Bunnymen has created music that's dark and magical, releasing 13 albums that continue to delight the band's rabid fan base. Fronted today by original band members, vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant, Echo & The Bunnymen has endured the last four decades amid many changes in personnel, including McCulloch's departure from the band in 1987, the death of drummer Pete de Freitas in 1989 and original bass player Les Pattinson's departure shortly after a 1997 reunion. The work McCulloch and Sergeant have released as a two-piece accounts for nearly half of the band's recorded output released over the second half of its career. While the band has undergone many, many changes throughout the years, one thing that remains intact is its ability to make music that gets audiences moving, even if that means gazing at one's shoes while doing so.
Cool Jacket
7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, The Post at River East, 2925 Race Street, Fort Worth. $10 at eventbrite.com
If you're in the mood for something local this Friday night, why not stumble into The Post at River East in Fort Worth. North Texas indie rock band Cool Jacket has just released a new video for the song “Sports Talk” off the band's new album, Pipeline. The video was made by friend of the band and local artist and founder of Unicorn Club, November Fest and the Off White zine series AHK. Mixing elements of digital, rotoscope and stop-motion animation, AHK has created a singular audio/visual experience for the band's new single. In celebration of the video's release, the band and AHK are hosting a show with special guests Teal Stripe and Jon Ruhl. A self-described working class North Texas rock band, Cool Jacket self-produced and released its debut album on Moonball Records in May. An indie-rock band with an emo heart, Cool Jacket makes fun music to fight back the boredom.
Disowned
7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, Three Links. 2704 Elm St. $15 at seetickets.us
If you're looking for something a little bit harder for your Friday night, Three Links is the place to be with a stacked bill of metal and hardcore acts. Things kick off with thrash metal band Cold Case, which will be playing its first show ever. Next will be Crucial Times, a North Texas hardcore supergroup featuring members of Blot Out, Phorids and Corkscrew Nosedive that released its first EP, Behind Closed Doors, in January and is laying down tracks for something new. Woman-fronted, blackened crust metal band Wildspeaker takes the penultimate spot for what is sure to be an absolutely face-melting set. Austin hardcore crossover band Disowned headlines the night, supporting its most recent release, Empty Inside, which came out in April.
Lorelei K
7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, The Kessler. 1230 W. Davis St. $22 at prekindle.com
Dream pop singer turned group Lorelei K crafted its new album, Swimming Pool Eternity, with a full band as a way of balancing its signature avant-garde, ethereal pop sound with the weight of rock music. With lyrics written before and during the beginning of the pandemic, singer Dahlia Knowles has given listeners a set of songs that is even darker than her previous work. Composing from long, free-verse poems, Knowles transforms her words into prophetic hymns and dynamic pop rock anthems. A profound mix of post punk and art rock, Lorelei K's music is already an incredible show whether there is an audience or not. Dallas space-pop band Helium Queens kicks off the show with its always-mesmerizing performance.
Rob Zombie
5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, Dickie's Arena, 1911 Montgomery St., Fort Worth. $39.50+ at ticketmaster.com
It feels like a turn-of-the-century trip to Hot Topic with Rob Zombie, Mudvayne, Static-X and Powerman 5000 pulling into Dickie's Arena in Fort Worth this weekend. Each band originates from that brief moment in the late '90s when industrial metal and nü metal converged into a menacing, technological nightmare filled with sounds of destruction and confounding lyrics. In 1998, Zombie released Hellbilly Deluxe, spawning two mega-hits, "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl," and what either of those songs is actually about is anyone's guess. The same goes for Mudvayne's "Dig," Static-X's "Push It" and Powerman 5000's "When Worlds Collide." Listening back to each of these songs, what becomes most clear is that these bands weren't as concerned with what the music made you think as much as that it made you feel something at all. If you've got any pent-up aggression, this would be the place to feel it and release it.
ODESZA
6 p.m. Saturday–Sunday, Aug. 21–22, Dos Equis Pavilion. 1818 First Ave. $26.56+ at livenation.com
Washington electronic music duo ODESZA has been at it for just about a decade now, and despite the moniker The Last Goodbye Tour, Saturday and Sunday night will not be the last time ODESZA comes to town. ODESZA has built its following slowly over the last 10 years. After releasing its first album to little more than SXSW fanfare, the group's aptly named 2014 album In Return debuted at the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Dance/electronic chart and eventually broke into the Top 200, topping out at 42. The duo's next album, A Moment Apart, was met with mixed criticism for its big production values. Critics seem split on why a group that seems so set on introspection would need so much amplification behind its music, but what it really seems to reveal is just how loud what we keep hidden can actually be. Sylvan Esso, San Holo and Gilligan Moss open the show.
Wavves
7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave., Fort Worth. $20+ at prekindle.com
Twelve years ago, Wavves released its iconic King of the Beach album, and to celebrate, the band is taking it back out on tour. The San Diego band had released two albums prior to King of the Beach, each one dripping in lo-fi noise-rock built for skaters like those who graced the covers of those albums. The third album was different, though. While the band maintained its deep connection to the lo-fi aesthetic, King of the Beach was anything but. Noisy, poppy and surfy, yes, but lo-fi? Absolutely not. Along with Grammy-winning producer Dennis Herring and Jay Reatard's rhythm section — Billy Hayes and Stephen Pope — behind him, singer and guitarist Nathan Williams turned King of the Beach into a blueprint for many surf-rock bands to come. Two Los Angeles bands, the indie-pop band BOYO and punk band Smut, will be helping Wavves round out the Texas dates of the tour before heading off to the Southwest for the tour's end.
The Get Up Kids
7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, Amplified Live, 10261 Technology Blvd. E. $25+ at seetickets.us
A major player in emo's "second wave" originating in the Midwest, The Get Up Kids made its first impression with the 1997 debut Four Minute Mile. Twenty-five years later, the band is taking the album back on tour with help from special guests Sparta, which features Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos and Tony Hajjar of the legendary post-hardcore group At the Drive-In. While Four Minute Mile was nowhere near as popular as The Get Up Kids' follow-up Something to Write Home About, the album helped the band grow a national fanbase that was captivated by the sound of a highly emotional band that had turned away from the aggression of hardcore that defined early emo bands like Dag Nasty and Rites of Spring toward the intricacy of math rock. The Get Up Kids also brought in an element of pop punk that made the melancholy lyrics more palatable to larger audiences and influenced bands like Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and so many more who found a home on alternative radio in the 2000s.
Robert Earl Keen
7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, The Factory in Deep Ellum, 2713 Canton St. $39+ at axs.com
Robert Earl Keen has always sung that "the road goes on forever and the party never ends," but he never promised to stay on that road. In January, the Texas music legend surprised his legions of adoring fans by announcing his retirement from touring in September 2022. Keen assured fans that his decision to stop touring was not from illness or any kind of existential crisis. Rather, it was based on his desire to leave the road while he still enjoyed it. While Keen plans to continue writing, recording and releasing music until his heart stops, his last scheduled appearance in Dallas will take place Wednesday night at The Factory in Deep Ellum. After that, Keen will play one last show in North Texas at Billy Bob's Thursday night before heading south and culminating in a sold-out, three-night residency at the Flores Country Store in Helotes, Sept. 2-4. | https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/10-best-concerts-of-the-week-scarface-echo-and-the-bunnymen-rob-zombie-and-more-14587757 | 2022-08-18 23:28:49 | 0 | https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/10-best-concerts-of-the-week-scarface-echo-and-the-bunnymen-rob-zombie-and-more-14587757 |
Veterans Voice: Celebrating new benefits for military pensioners
Perhaps the most significant event relating to veterans in recent months was the end of the state income tax on military pensions, which was enacted in the recently approved state budget.
In a ceremony on July 21 at Operation Stand Down in Johnston, Gov. Dan Mckee's administration highlighted this milestone.
Kasim Yarn, director of the Office of Veterans Services, said: “Ending taxation of military service pensions is not only the right thing to do in recognition of the many Rhode Islanders who fought courageously for our freedom, but it’s also an investment in our state’s workforce.
“This change will allow us to retain top-tier talent, which can drive Rhode Island’s economy forward. Military retirees bring a wealth of knowledge and backgrounds, benefiting Rhode Island in innumerable ways.”
During the ceremony, McKee also signed into law four pieces of legislation designed to support the state's veterans. Legislative sponsors and advocates of veterans joined McKee to mark their enactment.
Veterans Voice:Recently passed legislation of interest to vets
The veterans' bills include:
Stolen valor: Henceforth, anyone fraudulently representing oneself as an active or veteran member of the military or armed forces for the purpose of obtaining money, property or other tangible benefits will be subject to criminal prosecution.
Pet adoption fees: Veterans will now be exempt from pet adoption fees at public animal shelters.
Specialty license plates: McKee approved two special motor vehicle registration plates — one for recipients of the Bronze Star and the other for Purple Heart recipients.
Ask the DMV:My car's registration shows the wrong style
Recent events and activities
RI MOFW assists with care packages for deployed soldiers
Jessica Holbrook and her team from the Family Resource Group of the 182nd Infantry organized a “care package party” on July 7 at the Schofield Armory in Cranston. Assisted by members of the Rhode Island Commandery of the Military Order of Foreign Wars (RI MOFW), the group was able to assemble, box and ship 45 packages for deployed soldiers of Company A, 1-182nd Infantry. The RI MOFW “adopted” Company A this year. MOFW, of which I am a member, also made a cash donation to cover expenses of the packing party.
Village Gas in Smithfield gave free gasoline to veterans
Thanks to John Cianci of the Italian American War Veterans of the United States, we learned of a generous gesture deserving of recognition. Shan Abid, owner of Village Gas on Pleasant View Avenue in Smithfield, collaborated with three donors to provide free gas worth $50 to eligible veterans and service members on July 1. More than 260 veterans took advantage of the offer.
Three college friends, Bill Hogan, Rich Santelli and Robert Skeffington, donated $10,000 to support the event. Abid also donated $1,000 and labor to provide full service to the veterans.
“Knowing how bad [gas] prices are, we came up with the idea to help our veterans before the Fourth of July,” Hogan said.
Veterans Voice:Navy vet left his mark as a philanthropist
Volunteers from the Italian American War Veterans and American Legion Post 88 in Harrisville verified veteran or active-duty status for those who lined up for the gasoline. “So satisfying to be able to give back to our veterans,” said Danielle Noury of Scituate. Noury and another gasoline attendant, Alessandra Gaido, provided full service to the veterans. “I’m excited about giving back to veterans who have done a lot for our country, and deserve more thank-yous like this," Gaido said.
Cianci, who first posted this story on RINewsToday.com, described the event as ”a gesture of kindness making a difference to hundreds of veterans and active-duty soldiers.”
Election 2022 Updates:The latest news in the highest-profile races in Rhode Island
Westerly DAR chapter awards $20,000 to Holly Charette House
The Holly Charette House in Johnston, Rhode Island’s only transitional housing for female veterans, received a $20,000 check from the Phebe Greene Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The money will be used to purchase new furniture for the three two-bedroom apartments in the house, accommodating up to six female veterans. The House is operated by Operation Stand Down Rhode Island.
Dee Lee, the local DAR Chapter Regent, said the funds were derived from Vivian’s Outreach to Women (VOW), a program of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Announcements
Service members and veterans are sought for a “Learn to Weld Training Program” that will be held from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 in The Steel Yard at 27 Sims Ave. in Providence. Attendees will learn foundational welding and employable soft skills through an artistic curriculum. Participants will receive a $250 stipend and a certificate of completion. To apply, email workforce@thesteelyard.org, call (401) 273-7101 or visit thesteelyard.org/job-training.
A free summer writing workshop for veterans will be offered by the Providence Clemente Veterans Initiative (PCVI). Starting Aug. 7, Marine Corps veteran Lucas Pralle will teach this class on a videoconference from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 11, except for Labor Day Weekend. To apply, click on https://pvdvets.org/summer-writing-seminar or contact Dr. Mark Santow, director of the PCVI, by email at pvdclementevets@gmail.com.
"Ocean Therapy" is available for free to veterans through Oct. 16. One-on-one sessions as well as an eight-week program are available. Break Through Waves, a nonprofit organization in Providence, offers adult programming that combines yoga, mindfulness and breathing exercises with surf therapy or standup paddleboarding. One- to two-hour sessions are free and are specifically designed for those who have experienced trauma or who have been diagnosed with PTSD. For information, visit breakthroughwaves.org. Another program offered by Break Through Waves is surfing at Easton’s Beach (First Beach) at 175 Memorial Blvd. in Newport. Standup paddleboarding is also part of the program, at West Island Corner of Goulart Memorial Drive and Alder Street in Fairhaven. For details or to sign up, visit breakthroughwaves.com. These programs are made available through the Providence Vet Center.
The Narragansett Bow Hunters organization at 1531 Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown is offering archery lessons at no charge at an indoor range. Equipment such as bows, arrows, arm guards, targets, finger tabs along with instructions will be provided. For information, call 401) 295-7228 or visit narragansettbowhunters.org.
Calendar
Tuesday, 3 to 9 p.m., 2022 National Night Out, Rocky Point Park. The Warwick Police, the National Night Out Committee and We Be Jammin' are sponsoring this free annual event, which is to end with fireworks. NNO’s goals are to unite the police and the community and celebrate that partnership.
Friday, 11 a.m.: RING Retirees reunion/luncheon at the Quonset Officers Club, 200 Lt. James Brown Rd., North Kingstown. Contact Bob Antonelli at bob02909@cox.net or (401) 837-6028 or (401) 996-3764 for more information.
Aug. 14, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., “World War II Sunday Funday” at Whitin Mill in Northbridge, Massachusetts. Sponsored by the National Park Service (Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park), this free event will include military and manufacturing exhibits from Woonsocket's Museum of Work and Culture and Battleship Cove in Fall River. Attendees can meet World War II veterans and hear their stories. There will also be special activities for kids. All veterans and serving military personnel will receive "America the Beautiful" and Federal Recreational Land passes, which provide free access to veterans and guests to national parks and historic sites nationwide. The address is 50 Douglas Rd., Whitinsville, Massachusetts. The phone is (508) 234-6232. From Providence, go north on Route 146 for about 30 miles to Exit 8.
Aug. 15, 6-7:30 p.m.: U.S. Rep David Cicilline will host his annual Veterans Community Conversation at Slater Park Pavilion at 825 Armistice Blvd. in Pawtucket. The event, postponed from July 25, will feature a barbecue dinner for veterans, active service members and their families.
Aug. 27, 8 a.m.: Sixth annual Coventry — West Greenwich Elks Veterans Fundraiser Golf Tournament at Coventry Pines Golf Cours at 1065 Harkney Hill Rd. in Coventry. Shotgun start. Nine holes with cart at $75 per person. Includes various prizes and raffles and a gift bag for all players. Steak fry after the tournament at the Elks Club at 42 Nooseneck Hill Rd. in West Greenwich. Make checks payable, by Aug. 19, to BPOE #2285, and mail to Lori Ashness, 111 Tomahawk Trail, Cranston 02921. For details, call (401) 573-5063, or email ashnessla@gmail.com.
Sept. 15, 4:30-7:30 p.m.: Learn to surf cast for free at Scarborough Beach. The Providence Vet Center is teaming up with the Narragansett Surf Casters to offer a class to 15 service members and veterans. All the equipment you need to learn to catch fish from shore, along with instruction, will be provided by members of the Surf Casters. Please sign up with Justyn Charon by phone at (401) 739-0167 or via email at Justyn.Charon@va.gov.
To report the outcome of a previous activity or to add a future event to our calendar, please email the details (including a contact name and phone number/email address) to veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com. | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/01/ri-veterans-voice-end-of-the-state-income-tax-on-military-pensions/10182163002/ | 2022-08-01 10:39:01 | 1 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/08/01/ri-veterans-voice-end-of-the-state-income-tax-on-military-pensions/10182163002/ |
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